All About Tarot Cards

People have been fascinated by the mysticism and potential power of tarot cards for hundreds of years, but actually these compelling cards have quite a different history than you may think!

What Are Tarot Cards? 

• Tarot cards are a pack of 78 cards, usually featuring four suits of 14 cards each (called the minor arcana and usually split up in to wants, cups, swords, and pentacles), along with a separate trump card suit of 22 cards (the major arcana). 
• There are many different kinds of tarot card packs, so the suits may vary a bit depending on what pack you have. Most cards that are used these days, though, feature major arcana cards that will be familiar to anyone who has experimented with tarot before, such as the priestess, the empress, death, and fortune. 
• Currently, tarot cards are used for divination (to tell the future), with each card symbolizing a certain meaning that is meant to be interpreted based on the specific situation of the person having their cards read. 

The History

• Even if you've had some experience with tarot cards, it's likely that you'll be a little surprised by their history. Tarot cards have been around for hundreds of years, but they were first conceived in Italy as a deck of playing cards with which to play simple card games. To this day, the tarot game is popular in France. 
• It wasn't until the mid-18th century that tarot decks began to be used for occult purposes, and not until the late 19th century would the Tarot of Marseille deck, the deck on which many modern tarot decks are based, be designed.  
• These days, tarot cards are most frequently used with mystical intent, and it's fairly easy to find a professional who can offer you a tarot card reading. 

Can Tarot Card Really Tell the Future? 

• I can't personally answer this question - it really depends on your own belief systems. Some people believe very firmly in the power of tarot, and others do not. 
• One thing to keep in mind if you're having a reading, though, is that even if the cards may not be able to tell your exact future, they may be able to shed a little light on a current situation. 
• For example, a tarot card reader can tell you the meaning of a card that you draw, and as you apply that meaning to your own life, something may become clear to you that was not before. In this way, tarot can be used as a tool to look a little deeper into your own experiences and apply what you have learned to the future. 

Having a tarot reading can be fun and illuminating, whether you believe or not. Either way, it's fascinating to see how the popular practice of tarot reading has grown and changed over the years. 

Have Your Say!

Would you ever have a tarot reading? Share in our comments section!