Tasseography is a form of divination that involves interpreting images in loose leaf tea leaves or dregs from a cup of coffee. The images are ‘read’ and then interpreted. Derived from the French word for teacup “tasse”, and the Greek suffixes “graph”, “logy”, and “mancy”. Tasseography, also called Tasseomancy, is a divination or fortune telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments. It is a fairly modern style of divination and only a few centuries old. The idea is that your energy gets infused into the tea leaves, which can then form themselves into symbols in the cup to send messages. Divination attempts to gain insight into the natural world through intuitive interpretation of synchronistic events.
The practice of tea leaf reading is one of the easiest forms of divination to learn. The leaves at the bottom of the cup of tea can form symbols and images, much like the shapes we often see in cloud formations, which can be interpreted by the tea leaf reader.
Your readings are more effective when the seeker is sitting in front of you. The reader acts as a medium and, when the seeker sits in front of the reader and drinks from the cup, she passes her energy to the cup, its contents, and back to the reader. This process more fully stimulates the reader’s psychic abilities. Therefore, the physical presence of the seeker is key to a reading, aside from the questionable ethics involved in reading someone’s cup without their prior knowledge or permission.
To begin, choose the loose tea or ground coffee that you will use for your reading. You will also need a cup, saucer, spoon, and tea or coffee pot.
First, steep the tea with leaves directly in the water. Drink the tea. If there is a specific question you have for the tea leaves, keep it in your mind while drinking. when you are near the bottom Swirl the dregs around 3 times, tip the remaining tea into the saucer by flipping the cup upside down on the saucer to drain. Clear your mind. While the cup is upside down, turn the cup around in the saucer 3 times clockwise, count to 3 and then turn the cup back over to read the leaves.
This is where your intuition and personal style come in to play, because there is no right or wrong way to interpret tea leaf reading symbols. The longer you look, the more you will see. It is extremely personal. Much depends on your perspective as well as the situation you have asked the tea leaves for help with. The symbols won’t always be distinct. As always, go with what your intuition tells you. Many tea leaf readers use the bottom of the cup for the past, the middle for the present, and top for the future. If you are still unclear as to the tea leaves’ message, take some time to meditate on the symbols and the problem at hand. As with any method of divination, a little practice goes a long way. There are a couple of ways to interpret your cup as seen below:
After you have figured out which cup reading method you are going to use, you can then pour your tea/coffee/wine and begin. Look for symbols, pictures, or motifs that you recognize.
This is just a few images you might see but don’t let this limit your inner eye. The longer you look, the more images you will see. The longer you look, the easier it will be for you to discern images from the cup. If it helps, you could even create a tea cup worksheet so you can draw out your images and keep track of them over time to help you improve and look for patterns. I plan to make one for myself in the future and once I do, I will post it here. Good luck and happy seeing!
Interested in a topic of your own? Just ask here and I will be glad to post it!
I found a super cute and super portable method of tarot while perusing my favorite site in the world, Amazon.com. It also occurred to me that this tiny tarot would be a great alternative for witches who are still practicing in the broom closet or live with families that are less supportive of the craft. I don’t get paid for my reviews. I just want to inform everyone of the super cool products I find here and there!
I actually really love this mini deck. It is small, easy to put away, and takes up very little room. The thick plastic case and key chain make it portable. It is also a perfect replica of the Universal Waite deck and although the images are small, they are still very readable.
It comes with a small sheet with a quick reference description of each and every card.
At the very bottom of the back of the sheet is a 10 card spread for you to try.
All in all, I was super happy with this purchase and I plan to keep it at work. It will be a great way for me to practice without having a regular full size deck in my small office space. If you are interested in purchasing one for yourself, Amazon is where I found mine!
The Cat’s Paw is a great spread for healing and delving into your personal problems to try and ask the cards for a solution. With all of the time many of us have at home right now, it is the perfect opportunity to work on your inner self and begin healing from past hurts. The cards call me out all the time! But they also offer some great advice in ways you may not be expecting.
Main Association: Judgment, Rebirth, transformation
Quick Reference: Judgment, rebirth, inner calling, absolution, realization, absolution, transformation, reason, acceptance, adjustment, clarity, a final decision, a wake up call, your life’s purpose, karma
Element/Sign: Fire Planet: Pluto (transformation) Zodiac: Scorpio Chakra: Crown Day: Monday Archangel: Cassiel or Uriel, Shekinah, Jeremiel Qabalistic Correspondences: Organs of intelligence Color: Black, white, dark red, scarlet, orange Crystal: Kyanite, modavite, meteorite, labradorite, snowflake obsidian Metal: Tungsten, tutonium Body: The process of dying, purging, elimination Exercise: Any exercise aimed at total body transformation rather than wellbeing, such as bodybuilding where you destroy muscle tissue so that I can regenerate itself Stance: Lying Prostrate Affirmation: The daily choices I make align me with my life purpose
Judgment counsels us to look at the big picture. Judgment advises you to
step back and look at the big picture instead of getting stuck in the details.
Judgment is a Tarot card, part of the Major Arcana suit usually
comprising 22 cards. This card is referred to as a time of resurrection and
awakening, a time when a period of our life comes to an absolute end making way
for dynamic new beginnings. This
card depicts what one would imagine the last judgment would be, in the
various forms that takes in many mythologies. Judgment is ruled by Pluto,
who is the underworld’s ruler. There are echoes of this card in Death, for they
both remind us that everything comes to an end and that a new beginning is
coming.
The Judgment card reminds us that we all will be faced with choices that
will have an astounding effect for your entire life. The card brings to mind
moments where actions you have taken have changed the course of your path for
good. There may have been a moment where there is no looking back. The
consequences of those actions eventually will catch up to you, and this card
seems to indicate that this is the time. You may have to let go of the past, so
you can move forward with your plans to have a new life.
The Judgment tarot love meaning indicates a time of self-reflection and
analysis initiated by an awakening. Issues in your love life that you once
ignored may be seen clearly now, and you have the chance to make adjustments.
Keep communication with your partner open, and make sure both of you are aware
of each other’s needs.
You may be going through a period of awakening when it comes to your
career path. Perhaps you have found a new purpose or a calling that cannot be
ignored. This can sometimes come with adjustments needing to be made at your
workplace or your position. While this can be stressful, these changes can
bring you a sense of feeling revitalized when it comes to your work. If your
workplace has been tense, the Judgment card also signals that you may need to
be more aware about how your actions at your workplace are affecting others.
Take some time to evaluate how your behavior has been, and what can be
improved. Take responsibility for your actions and your part in any conflicts
that have been brewing.
The reversed Judgment card can mean that you doubt and judge
yourself too harshly. This could be causing you to miss opportunities that were
awaiting you. The lost momentum causes you to fall behind in your plans, which
can make it difficult to move forward. This means that you should not be
cautious, but you should be moving forward with pride and confidence.
Another reading of the Judgment reversal card can be a push
to take time out of your busy routine to reflect upon your life to
this point, and what you have learned so far. You are most likely not giving
yourself the time or space to fully think about the matter and learn the
lessons you need to to be able to progress with awareness. You could also be
too critical of your past actions, so you are not giving yourself the
forgiveness to move forward. The mistakes that we have made in the past are
learning tools, so they help us move though life. Focusing too hard on these
mistakes can cause us to trip and fall.
With the passing of Day 6, Yule is now half over and the New Year is quickly approaching! I am so excited to make 2020 just as magical a year as 2019 has been! Today did not start off quite as magical however, as I had to get a new work ID card. When i walked in, they said the wait would be about an hour. I though, “Great! Not terrible! I can get it done, get a quick workout in, drop by work to say hi to those who are in today, and then take off!” What actually happened was I sat there for over 3 hours, finished one book and began another book, and was so tired and hungry by the time I left, I grabbed some SubWay on the way home and then passed out for a nap in a carb coma…. Not my smoothest or most festive day….
But! I did take the time to really get my home ready for the new year. I burned some frankincense and smudged the air so now everything smells so clean and fresh! I have about 3 car loads of things boxed up and ready to bring to a charity. Getting all of that out of my house is going to be a huge weight off my chest. I love cleaning the clutter from my home.
One thing I did do was work with my tarot cards. I am trying hard to become better with my cards. My deck especially, is very rude. I feel like all of the tarot memes I find on the internet apply to my deck…. I created a spread that was simply described without any art in one of my pagan books on Yule and the other one was a spread I had found ages ago but I really didn’t like how it was presented. It used a lot of bold colors and some things were misspelled so I redid it to match my Book of Shadows and my home’s aesthetic. The background pictures are now more aesthetic as well!
If you would like to use them for yourselves, feel free!!! And of course I lit the 6th candle on my wreath!
To further my own tarot knowledge, I will randomly pull a card here and there and then discuss it thoroughly. All of the notes I have on that card goes into my Book of Shadows in the divination section so that during readings, I can access it quickly if I need to. This is a method I like to use to focus on learning the card thoroughly, as well as making sure I have it memorized. Personally, I can’t learn if there is the distraction of another 71 other cards involved. Focusing on one particular card for an hour or so is what helps me to memorize. The first card that I pulled today was the Eight of Wands.
Main Association: Activity/ Movement
Quick Reference: Passion, speed, flight/travel, activation, change, news/messages,
conclusions with new arrivals, communication
The Eight of Wands is a card of long distance messages and instant
communication. Focus on the Eight of Wands when you want to communicate quickly
and effectively. Traditionally, the Eight of Wands was associated with long
distance travel, as well as the arrival of letters and communications from
afar. Although times have changed, the card’s meaning still applies. We still
communicate across long distances and we exchange information in real time.
Positives/Upright:
Everything will quickly take shape
All will come together nicely
New you welcome
Significant life change
Travel/ possibly a big move
Expect the unexpected
Great help is coming
Freedom
Holiday romance
Good communication
Negatives/Reversed:
Things are moving too fast
Being unable to stay on top of everything
Gossip causing trouble
Warning against speculations
Lacking speed/movement
Lack of progress/ control
Delayed travel and missed chances
An interference
An unexpected visit
Lack of energy/ romance
A sense of Desperation, such as an urgent need for money
When you first begin tarot, you are excited to try all kinds of spreads that you see in books and on the internet. Besides pulling a daily card each day, a 3 card spread is the next easiest way to begin your journey in tarot. Don’t just jump into a 10 card spread. There will be a lot of factors and cross information and correlations to understand that you will not be skilled enough to interpret. There are tons of fancy and complicated spreads but starting simple is best. This is an easy way to become very frustrated and give up early.
There are many different 3 cards spreads that you can find all over the internet and in books on tarot. This is one I created that gives you 3 columns with a a list of 11 different ways to interpret the cards. 3 card spreads are very common and easy to work with. Give it a go and see what happens!
I know for me, tarot was hard to pick up and even today, I will still consult the book that came with my deck to ensure I am reading and interpreting my cards correctly. I would have loved to have had a few tips and tricks when I was just starting off. It certainly would have made learning much easier. These are just a few of the biggest tips that I think would help beginning diviners!
The major arcana tell you which universal force is surrounding you. The minor arcana tell you what you can do about it
To learn tarot quickly, draw one card each morning and use it as guidance throughout the day. Keep a journal and write all the cards down. You’ll see your understanding deepen over time. I use a daily drawing worksheet that I found ages ago. No clue where I found it but it is really helpful!
The best times of the year for a clear, precise tarot reading are Samhain and its exact opposite day, Beltane/ May Day.
The tarot deck is full of twin cards. The lovers and the two of hearts for example. When these cards both appear in a reading, their energy is doubled. Almost every major arcana card has a twin in the minor arcana. See if you can figure them out.
When shuffling the deck, pay attention to any cards that pop our or drop to the floor. Sometimes these cards have a special meaning or message for you. Always take a second and look at the card on the bottom of the deck. Often the same card will appear over and over. This card usually has a message for you.
Bad cards aren’t always bad and good cards aren’t always good. The Two of Hearts next to The Devil isn’t indicative of a healthy relationship. The death card is ultimately positive, but the experience of change and rebirth is rarely easy.
A 3 card reading can be just as versatile as a larger reading and is much faster and easier to understand. Possible card position meanings in a 3 card reading are: past present future, you them us, winter spring summer, etc.
Learning general meanings of each major arcana card can be beneficial. Fool: new beginning Magician: manifestation High Priestess: inner knowing Empress: creativity Emperor: stability Hierophant: learning Lovers: love Chariot: moving forward Strength: character Hermit: meditation Wheel of Fortune: cycles of luck Justice: reward and punishment Hanged Man: Suspension Death: transformation Temperance: moderation Devil: bad habits Tower: disaster Star: inspiration Moon: illusions Sun: success Judgment: inner knowing World: completion
When court cards don’t seem to refer to people, interpret them like this: Pages: messages Knights: travel, movement Queens: creation Kings: focus, management
A simple technique to predict timing: Wands- fire- burns fast- days- Spring Swords- air- flows quickly- weeks- Winter Cups- water- ebbs with the moon- months- Summer Pentacles- earth- grows slowly- a season to a year- Autumn
It’s completely possible to learn tarot for free. Shuffle and draw. Use websites like biddytarot.com or learntarot.com to figure out the meanings.
Don’t feel pressure to explain your process or every card’s individual meaning. Focus on answering your client’s question. For the most part, they are looking for an answer, not a lesson in tarot reading.
Do you really need another tarot deck? New agers tend to be collectors- crystals, incense, essential oils, jewelry- we love it all. But before you buy something new, ask yourself: Am I a collector or a practitioner? Especially if you own more stuff than you can possibly use on a regular basis. I am very guilty of this. I was new to the craft and bought 12 decks because they were pretty. I only have a connection with 3 of those decks. Therefore, that money is as good as wasted because I don’t really use the other decks.
Hopefully some of these tips may become useful to you in your practice! It doesn’t matter if you are brand new to the world of tarot or you have been practicing it for years. Any new tip I come across, I always make sure to write down for future reference while practicing. There are many others, but these are just a few that have really helped me and I wish I had known when I first started using tarot cards. Do you have any tips of your own that you follow? Leave them in the comments! I would love to hear them!
This is the second part of my tarot post. A reader requested the topic of tarot, which is such a diverse and lengthy topic, that I just had to break it up. Please enjoy part 2!
Tarot Decks vs. Oracle Decks
With new witches
especially, I am often asked, what is the difference between a tarot deck and
an oracle deck? Aren’t they the same? They are very alike, to be sure, but they
are not the same thing.
Both types of decks are used for insight, perspective, clarity, personal
growth, inspiration, coaching, and divination. Historically the tarot has
ancient roots (15th century at least) while oracle decks are much
newer. However, these two deck types are structured very differently.
What is an oracle? Outside an oracle being a person who receives and
delivers enlightened guidance (like the ancient priestesses in the Greek temple
of Delphi), an oracle is a tool used
in divination. It is an intermediary tool that is created to facilitate
Divine or Higher Guidance that uses symbols to form a language through which
this communication is possible. An oracle works through synchronicity, or
meaningful coincidence when a person uses it. An oracle can be a card deck, a
set of runes, sticks, or coins, etc. It works on a specific symbolic system
that allows the information to be accessed with whatever subject the person
using them seeks to know.
Now, what is the difference?
Tarot:
The tarot follows its own set of rules laid out by original masters of
days gone by. The tarot is a fixed system. That means it has a strong tradition
and is meant to have a specific reliable structure. Tarot always has 78 cards.
There are 22 Major Arcana cards relating to major events and life pivoting
events and 56 Minor Arcana with the Page, Knight, Queen, and King, as well as
ace through 10. Tarot cards are divided into suits; Wands, Swords, Cups
(Chalice) and Pentacles (Coins).
The tarot structure is predictable. When you pick up a deck that says
tarot, you can expect that deck to have that specific structure. The meanings
of each card should be similar in every tarot deck with slight variations based
on the psychology and spin that the author and artist provide. If you
understand one tarot deck, you will most likely be able to read any other tarot
deck. with Tarot cards, there is a common theme that runs through most cards,
whereas Oracle cards have no common theme. Tarot cards are
studied and interpreted by expert readers, primarily to speak to a person’s
life story.
Oracle:
oracle cards are
like tarot in that they are directive tools, so they offer guidance, clarity,
and a new perspective — often pointing you toward something you already knew,
but needed an outside vision on. This is why many people have ah ha moments
when they use oracle cards. Oracle cards are different from tarot because they
are fluid systems. Every oracle deck will differ from the other. It’s up to the
author to create the vocabulary and system the oracle card deck operates on.
This lexicon is how the oracle decks operate.
Oracle cards can be
a variety of things, from affirmations to work with the elements to spiritual
guides. Artists of oracle cards are free to do whatever they want with the
cards. Oracle decks are structured
independently and each follows its own set of rules. They may have any number
of cards usually between 36 and 64 and rarely contain suits.
Oracle cards are
very free flowing – and they can feature almost any kind of content. An oracle
deck can be whatever the creator of the deck wants it to be — they pick how
many cards are in it, what sorts of imagery it’ll use, and what purpose it’s
supposed to serve. Each oracle card deck is its own little universe and is
generally distinct from the others by their art, author, and themes. The way
Oracle card decks are created and for what purpose varies.
Oracle cards give
insight into the greater sense of what is going on, but Tarot cards can provide
more detailed interpretations. Think of tarot cards as the pages in a book
while oracle cards are whole book or a chapter in the book.
Is one
better than the other?
No. They are merely
different. Because tarot takes time to study and is a more rigidly set deck, oracle
decks could be more accessible and easier to learn for those who do not plan to
make it a life style. Oracle Cards tend
to be easier to learn, while Tarot takes a level of practice and mastery to
become proficient and offers an expanse of detail at a depth that most Oracle
Cards can’t reach. Oracle Decks are more free-flowing and open to many levels
of interpretation that the strict rules of the Tarot don’t allow. It is
up to you to choose a deck that speaks to you that you will enjoy working with
and that will work best for you.
What is the deck for me?
Choosing a deck can be hard because there are so many different decks out
there now. Do you want traditional or personalized? Ask yourself if you vibe
with the author? Do you like the imagery? Does it work with your practice? Do
your values align with the author’s?
What level of expertise or background does the author have? You may not
always be able to find out that particular information but sometimes knowing
that the author of a deck is highly experienced will make working with that
deck easier because the author is more knowledgeable. That being said, there
are great decks out there by first time authors as well so always keep an open
mind and follow your heart.
When choosing a deck of Tarot or Oracle cards, you must look at the cards
and choose carefully. If you get a deck that you are not in tune with then you
will find them difficult, if not impossible to work with. Take your time with
your choosing and pick the deck that “feels” right to you and you
shouldn’t go wrong. You will find one that works for you, be it tarot or
oracle. You may even find you enjoy both. And neither is better or worse – they
are just different.
Can I use Tarot and Oracle cards together?
Absolutely! There are many different ways to use tarot and oracle cards
together. This is a practice done by those who are very well versed in readings
and are extremely familiar with their decks. You have to have more than a basic
understanding of each of your decks if you are to do this but it does add an
extra bit of magic to the experience when done properly.
You could, at the start of a reading, draw an Oracle card to understand
the general theme or feeling that is influencing the situation. What’s the
surrounding energy? Then, do the Tarot reading with multiple cards to get the
full picture. Also look for the Oracle card’s theme in the Tarot reading –
you’ll often find the Tarot cards explain in more detail what’s going on. This
is just one method.
Another could be to, at the end of a Tarot reading, draw an Oracle card
to understand the underlying theme, or to give advice and recommendations, a
parting message, to the client. It adds closure to the Tarot reading, which
will have multiple messages in it.
My Top Favorite Decks
A lot of people nowadays are collectors and have multiple decks. I was part collector/ part lover of the art/ part trying to find a deck that fit me and my practice well. It took about a year but I finally found a few that were perfect for my practice.
This is my all time favorite tarot deck that I own. It is also the deck I use every Samhain and New Years specifically for mine and my friends’ tarot readings. The deck is beautiful and easy to use and comes with the typical 78 cards. All of the card pictures center around what amounts to basically a wizarding school. Both the fronts and backs are lovely. The Major Arcana especially really attract me to this deck. It comes with a book explaining each card with additional information breaking the cards down. This is the deck that CALLED to me. I HAD to have it. It is also the deck I always go back to, no matter what other decks I get to try out. I am not sure why it is selling for so much now because when I bought it originally, I believe it was $20.
Next up is the Spirit de Lune Oracle Deck. This was probably my most expensive deck at $52 but it is worth it in terms of the artwork. The 56 cards are unique circles and each card image was hand painted. You can tell that a lot of effort went into their creation. Now, since I am not amazing at astrology/ astronomy, this deck is my hardest to use. I am terrible at remembering the types of moons that occur during certain months and what the zodiac signs mean. That being said, I always struggle when I use this deck, but since it comes with a guidebook, I don’t struggle too much.
And finally, my Isis Oracle Deck. I really love this deck because of how easy it is to use! This deck cost $22 so it was another really well priced deck for the quality. I also almost feel like I saved the best for last with this one. The artwork is gorgeous and very well thought out. You get to see Isis in all of her forms as a young goddess, a mother, a wife, a powerful worker of magic, and as a healer. The only downside for me is that I have small hands and these cards are rather large. Not only can you use the 46 cards as regular oracle cards, each card comes with its own meditation/ ritual. So if you are newer to the practice and are interested in 46 free meditations/ rituals on top of learning oracle cards, this would be a great deck to start you out! This deck is all about finding yourself, healing, and becoming a better you all while connecting with the divine. The book is wonderful at explaining the cards and what they mean in relation to mythology and your personal progress. After each card explanation is the meditation or ritual that accompanies it.
I hope this helps everyone who is interested in learning tarot as well as those who already dabble in the art! Tarot was one of the first methods of divination I practiced with and it will always remain my all time favorite.
I was asked by a fan to do a post on tarot so this will be a 2 part post. The first part is going to talk about what tarot IS. The second part will be about choosing your cards and what cards I personally own.
What is Tarot?
Tarot originated in Renaissance Italy and was first known as trionfi, and later as tarocchi or tarock. In the 16th century, the French shortened the name to tarot. The name of tarot does not seem to have any meaning. It was first created in 1451 in Italy. The oldest known tarot deck, the Visconti-Sforza, was produced for Tarocchi gaming. They first developed into a set of cards depicting virtues like Strength and Temperance. Some speculate the Major Arcana were called trumps as a model after the Italian ‘triumph’ morality parades, which featured figures such as Death, Temperance, and Father Time who eventually became the Hermit.
They then developed
into more elaborate sets of different numbers of cards and different orders.
They used throughout various parts of Europe where it was primarily used by the
aristocracy as the method of production for cards at that time was not cheap.
Each card was hand painted on request.
It began to be used
for divination via cartomancy which lead to custom packs being developed for
occult purposes. Some occult enthusiasts make relative claims to ancient
Egypt, the Kabbalah, Indian Tantra, and many other occult references
but there is no documented evidence of such origins or of the usage of tarot
for divination before the 18th century.
Playing cards first
entered Europe in the late 14th century, most likely from Mamluk,
Egypt. The first documented tarot packs were recorded between 1440 and 1450 in
Milan, Ferrara, Florence, and Bologna. The oldest surviving tarot cards are the
15 or so Visconti-Sforza tarot decks painted in the mid-15th century
for the rulers of the Duchy of Milan.
The Visconti-Sforza tarot is used collectively to refer to incomplete sets of approximately 15 decks from the middle of the 15th-century, now located in various museums, libraries, and private collections around the world. No complete deck has survived; rather, some collections boast a few face cards, while some consist of a single card.
Cards from the Pierpont-Morgan Bergamo deck
The earliest
evidence of a tarot deck used for cartomancy comes from an anonymous
manuscript from around 1750 which documents rudimentary divinatory meanings for
the cards. The popularization of esoteric tarot started with Antoine
Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (Etteilla) in Paris during the
1773. Etteilla was the first to issue a tarot deck specifically designed
for occult purposes around 1789. Aleister Crowley published his own tarot deck:
the Thoth deck, in 1969. It became a widely copied template for future decks. In
keeping with the misplaced belief that such cards were derived from the
Book of Thoth, Etteilla’s and Crowley’s tarot contained themes related to ancient
Egypt.
The 78-card tarot deck used by esotericists has two distinct parts. A full Tarot is a set of 78 cards, divided into two sets: the major and the minor arcana. The major arcana contains 22 cards and primarily depicts major archetypes like death, temperance, and the fool. The minor arcana is based on the traditional playing card deck of 56 cards.
In it are the four suits of 14 cards; pentacles (disks), cups (hearts), swords (spades), and wands. Each suit has 10 numbered cards, ace to 10, plus the four court cards. These are page, knight, king, and queen. Some but not all tarot decks have picture images on each of the numbered cards.
The Major
Arcana (greater secrets), consists of 22 cards without suits:
The Magician, The
High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The
Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The
Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The
Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgment, The World, and The
Fool. Cards from The Magician to The World are numbered in Roman numerals from
I to XXI, while The Fool is the only unnumbered card, sometimes placed at the
beginning of the deck as 0, or at the end as XXII.
The Minor
Arcana (lesser secrets) consists of 56 cards, divided into four suits of
14 cards each;
Ten numbered cards and four court cards. The court cards are the King, Queen, Knight and Page/Jack, in each of the four tarot suits. The traditional Italian tarot suits are swords, batons, coins, and cups; in modern occult tarot decks, however, the batons suit is often called wands, rods, or staves, while coins suit is often called pentacles or disks.
How does it work?
Tarot images are
archetypal ideas which mingle with the ordinary constituents of the flow of the
unconscious, and therefore is applicable for an intuitive method that has the
purpose of understanding the flow of life, possibly even predicting future events,
leading to the reading of the conditions of the present moment.
Simply put, tarot
allows us to tap into our subconscious understanding of what’s happening and
invoke synchronicity in our lives.
Tarot is a fun practice to add to your craft! I have 2 particular decks that I mainly use, although I do possess 9 different decks. Some people buy decks because the artwork is beautiful and others buy decks because they call to them. For me it is a little of both which I will get more into in the next post.
