Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CARDS
Tarot Cards are universally recognized
as a tool for reading ones past,
predicting ones future and to some
extent defining ones character. Over
the centuries they have evolved and
changed with how they are used and
today we see many varieties of the
cards.
The deck of Occult Tarot Cards were
first popularized by Etteilla, a French
occultist who made them known to a wide audience and became the first professional occultist.
Etteilla published his ideas and thoughts on tarot, astrology and the four classic elements Earth,
Wind, Fire and Water and made his living by card divination in the 1700's.
The Occult Tarot Card deck comprises of seventy eight cards in total and is split into two very
distinct parts, the first is the Major Arcana (greater secrets) and then second is Minor Arcana
(lesser secrets).
The Major Arcana has twenty two cards within its group and whilst there is some variation,
the main names and numbers that comprise of the group are as follows:
1 The Magician / The Juggler
2 The High Priestess / The Popess
3 The Empress
4 The Emperor
5 The Hierophant / The Pope
6 The Lovers
7 The Chariot
8 or 11 Justice
9 The Hermit
10 Wheel of Fortune
11 or 8 Strength / Fortitude
12 The Hanged Man / The Traitor
13 Death
14 Temperance
15 The Devil
16 The Tower / Fire
17 The Star
18 The Moon
19 The Sun
20 Judgment / The Angel
21 The World
The Minor Arcana consists of fifty six cards, which are grouped into four suites with fourteen
cards in each. These, again, can vary depending on who is using them but they generally have
a Latin name that then relates to the four classical elements and are matched as follows: Wands
and Fire, Coins and Earth, Cups and water, Swords and air. It is considered that Wands relate
to creativity and will, Coins relate to material body or possessions, Cups with emotion and love
whilst Swords relate to reason.
How many cards are pulled out, in what order and placed where is determined by what spread
you choose. There are all manner of different spreads which can be chosen dependent on what
you want to find out. From relationship tarot spreads to decision making tarot spreads it really
is determined by you which one you choose.
HISTORY OF TAROT AND CARD MEANINGS
Tarot dates back some 5000 years and initially comprised 22 cards called the Major Arcana.
The Tarot is based on a form of Numerology and the twenty two cards represented the journey
of an apprentice (The Fool) through various stages until he reached the end of his journey
having acquired the full spiritual knowledge to become a Magi (The Magician). In later years,
the French added a further 56 cards called the Minor Arcana in order to play the game of
Tarot. The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana are divided into four suits: Wands, Coins, Swords and
Cups. Most professional clairvoyants dismiss the Minor Arcana and only use the 22 cards of
the Major Arcana.
Tarot spreads
An instruction book will tell you that there are several spreads:- Celtic Cross, Tree of Life etc.
Again, my opinion is that you should ignore these and devise a spread which is personal to
you!
Throughout my career I have always rebelled against regimentation. No two people are the
same, we are all unique. No book can provide intuition. You must use your own!
Reading Tarot cards is all about sensing and feeling, not interpreting a card from a book!
Professional clairvoyants use the Tarot as a focus and, during a reading, will seldom mention
the card upon which they are focusing. Beware the reader who says, for example, " I've got the
King of Cups and it means....." That reader is probably telling you something he has learned,
rather than "sensed" or "felt" However, a professional might say "looking at the cards in front of
me, I sense and feel ........" which will prove he is a genuine clairvoyant.
Upside down or Reverse Tarot cards
The meaning of reverse cards depends upon the card and the reading. Suppose, for instance,
that you are asking about a relationship and the spread of cards includes a man and a woman.
One is the right way up, the other is reversed. This would indicate that the people concerned
are going in the opposite direction.
Reading the cards
The Major Arcana is indeed beautiful and mystical. The following meanings are supplied by
Graham.
0 The Fool
Positive Unrestrained and nave, an innocent, childish nature, fun loving
Negative Making poor decisions by failing to learn from past experience, clownish
I The Magician
Positive Creative genius, flair, impressive skilful, ability to inspire
Negative Use of skills to destroy, control or deceive other people
II The High Priestess
Positive Wisdom, patience, someone who listens and has a helpful nature
Negative Opinionated, shallow, interfering, running other people's lives
III The Empress
Positive An accomplished female, perhaps rich or in a position of authority
Negative A female with an inflated ego or abuser of power
IV The Emperor
Positive An accomplished male, perhaps rich or in a position of authority
Negative A male with an inflated ego or abuser of power
V Jupiter
Positive Kind, generous, philanthropic, relaxed, easy going, jovial, proud
Negative Lazy, complacent, reliant on others for support, a sponger, pompous
VI The Lovers
Positive Harmony, new love or deep appreciation between two people
Negative Unrequited love, a secret affair or other form of betrayal
VII The Chariot
Positive Triumph through hard work, panache, style, daring, courage, flair
Negative Failure through lack of caution or taking on too much
VIII Justice
Positive Getting what you deserve, reward for past efforts
Negative Getting what you deserve, retribution for past misdemeanours
IX The Hermit
Positive Caution, need for isolation or contemplation, ageing, older person
Negative Physical deterioration, antisocial, reclusive, outcast, over cautious
X The Wheel of Fortune
Positive Imminent change for the better, good luck through trusting in fate
Negative Imminent change for the worse, failure of a new venture
XI Strength
Positive Strengthening of body or mind, success in head-on confrontation
Negative Failure through underestimating the opposition, aggressive nature
XII The Hanged Man
Positive Letting others have control, standing back, waiting to see what happens
Negative Complete loss of power, helplessness, someone else calls all the shots
XIII Death
Positive Major transition, a drastic turning point preceded by loss, starting afresh
Negative Physical death or loss of someone close, sad endings, extreme danger
XIV Temperance
Positive Kind, patient, sympathetic, helpful, spiritually evolved, protective
Negative Too good to be true, a dreamer, unrealistic, opting out
XV The Devil
Positive A need to face up to phobias, fear, oppression or violence
Negative Victim of crime, physical or mental abuse, bullying, black magic
XVI The Lightning Struck Tower
Positive Rebuilding after a serious blow, coming to terms with disaster
Negative Sudden, utter disaster, financial ruin, physical or mental breakdown
XVII The Star
Positive Contentment, happy retirement, finding an ideal niche in life
Negative Wasting time, failing to deliver, basking in self-glory
XVIII The Moon
Positive Dreamer, poet, person who is not what (s)he seems, ability to disguise
Negative Deceit, betrayal of trust, infidelity, someone with a hidden agenda
XIX The Sun
Positive Open, honest, a good example to follow, encouraging, positive attitude
Negative Someone who loses out by being too honest and open
XX Judgement
Positive The moment of truth, reward for good effort, promotion, recognition
Negative The moment of truth, condemnation for past failure, relegation, redundancy
8 of Cups
This card shows a person walking away from 8 cups, and not looking back. What is card
shows is that it is time to move on, everything possible has been tried, and that they is no need
to look back, since nothing more can be done.
LEARNING THE CARDS THROUGH THE ART OF STORYTELLING
There are a plethora of books and articles about how to read tarot cards and many of them
contradict each other. When you are starting to learn to read tarot cards this can be very
confusing. You can easily get caught up in wondering who to listen to and which
interpretation is the "right one."
The truth is, there is no right answer.
The pictures on tarot cards tell a story and as such make them a terrific way to connect with
your Higher Self or Intuition because pictures are the oldest form of learning and can make a
direct connection with your unconscious mind. As this is personal to everyone, this is the
reason why you get very different viewpoints on every card.
Over time, certain cards will come to mean certain things to you. Despite that you can still find
that you will suddenly get an intuitive flash as you look at a card and it may mean something
that it has not meant before. This is why it is very important to build up a personal relationship
with your cards and develop your own interpretations.
Once you have chosen a deck of tarot cards that appeals to you personally, the best thing to do
is put the booklet that came with it to one side and have a really good look at each of the cards.
Take a card out of the deck. You may want to start with the Fool card, which is the first card of
the Major Arcana or you may want to pick a card randomly. It does not really matter.
Notice the colors, the symbols and what is actually going on in the card, as well as any
immediate feelings that you get when you look at the card.
Does it remind you of someone or do you find yourself thinking of particular situation? Do you
relate to situation the picture?
If you do that is brilliant.
Next, take another card and have a really good look at it. Make a note of any observations.
Then lay it next to the other card and see how the story has changed. One card may be light
and bright and the other may add a more challenging aspect. As you look at the two cards,
allow yourself to build up a story of what is going on. How have things changed from one card
to another?
Imagine you are telling a story to a child (or to another adult if you have picked very
challenging cards). Use the pictures to stimulate your intuition. It may feel like imagination
and that you are just making things up, however this is a very powerful way for your intuition
to connect with you or your client and to learn to read tarot cards.
If you are doing a reading for someone else and you simply describe to them what you can see
going on in the pictures, you will be amazed at how accurate your reading is. It may not make
much sense to you, however your client's subconscious mind takes your words along with the
visual image of the picture and creates the exact right message for them. This also happens
when reading for yourself.
You can then add another card and continue the story. A reading based on 3 cards is one of the
simplest spreads. It is often used as a Past-Present-Future situation, although it does not need to
be.
When you learn to read tarot cards and you are offering an interpretation of the cards in front
of you, whether for yourself or for others, it is very like a recounting a story and the more you
can let that ability flow, the easier you will find it to learn to read tarot cards.
TAROT CARDS CAN ENHANCE YOUR INTUITION
Tarot cards can be a wonderful tool for enhancing
one's own intuition. Many professional tarot card
readers will tell you that, while each card has its
historical meaning, each tarot card also means
something a little bit different for each individual
reader, depending on their own intuitive insights. If
you are just beginning to become interested in tarot
cards yourself, all these different interpretations may
be overwhelming and confusing. Take heart, it takes
years to develop a really good foundation by which to
accurately read tarot cards. But with a few tips on
symbol and number meanings, anyone can learn to
read tarot cards. By and large, the historical meanings
are always taken into account, but intuitive reading is really about what each card means to
you, the reader.
Each time you use your tarot cards, you will learn something new. In fact, good professional
tarot readers will admit that the learning process never ends. And each time you do a reading
for yourself, depending on the layout, the same tarot card may have a different perspective for
you. To become more comfortable with the idea of trusting a deck of cards to help you navigate
life, handle your tarot cards often. Pull a single card every day, or try a three-card spread. If
you are a newbie to tarot reading, by far the easiest, best choice is a simple three-card spread.
A little past, present, and future. You can worry about more elaborate spreads later, when you
are more comfortable with the process. Don't just read the meaning in a book.
First, look at each card individually. Notice any intuitive perceptions you may have about the
card, then write that in a journal. If you do a three-card spread, once you have assessed each
tarot card individually, look at the overall picture. Trust what your intuition is telling you
about the cards. And don't forget to note the symbolism in the artwork. Over time, this practice
will help you develop your intuitive skills. In fact, tarot cards are a wonderful way to learn
how to trust your intuition. And we all need to trust our intuition. If you are just beginning to
read for yourself, enjoy the process, have fun with it, and trust your gut instincts. They never
lead you astray.
PICKING A SIGNIFICATOR
When giving a tarot reading, the tarot reader will use a spread of cards from the tarot deck.
There are many spreads a reader can choose from, some are specific for different purposes,
whilst others are for general readings. Spreads can involve drawing as many cards as the
whole deck of 78, whilst a spread can also be just two, or even just one card.
The most common spread is probably the 10 card Celtic Cross Spread.
Together with the general and usually random selection of cards from the deck, a card might
also be chosen prior to the reading as a representation of the person receiving the reading. This
card is called the Significator.
The Significator card has its own position in some spreads, and in others it has no position at
all and can simply be drawn or chosen from the deck before the reading.
The purpose of the Significator card is to help the reader focus on the person receiving the
reading. The chosen card can be an indication to the reader of the person's character, or
aspects of character and personality that are hidden. Such a card can also be chosen as a
representation of the particular or specific issue relevant to the subject of the reading at this
time.
As the Significator is normally used by a tarot reader to signify the character of the person
receiving the tarot reading, it is not normally a randomly drawn card, although it can be. The
court cards lend themselves well as representations of the human character and personality,
because they are pictorially and symbolically human. An example is the Queen of Cups.
This Queen embodies feminine mystery, and exemplifies fragility and a keen intuition. Such a
person will have a strange watery seductive power, and one not necessarily associated with
great beauty. She will like the attention of others, while not attracting it overtly. The Queen of
Cups is easily hurt, and will be inclined to seek solitude for protection.
However, it is not essential that a court card be used, as any card in the deck can represent a
person.
As is true with many aspects of the tarot, there are no hard and fast rules concerning the use or
otherwise of Significators in a tarot reading, and the tarot reader can decide whether to
incorporate it.
If a tarot reader uses a spread that has a position for a Significator, the reader can choose to
ignore this position, if they do not want to incorporate this element in the reading. If they do
want to incorporate the Significator, they must select the card.
There are many ways to select the significant card, including matching a court card's physical
characteristics to the subject of the reading, to selecting a card randomly from the deck.
How a Significator is chosen, or whether one is used at all, is up to the tarot reader.
Finally, it's important to remember that a good Tarot reader will never tell you what to do.
They are, in essence, messengers. You are your own master and have your own free will. You
have the power to choose your own directions and behaviors. In love matters, you are always
your own best guide. While tarot readings can often disclose important influences, you always
have the power to make your own decisions and
choose your own course of action.
The Five Card Spread
This spread is used to determine the correct course
of action. The layout is five cards in the shape of a
plus sign.
Card 1 - (center) Present, general theme
Card 2 - (west) Past influences
Card 3 - (east) The future
Card 4 - (south) Reason for asking the question
Card 5 - (north) Potential for gain or loss
The Celtic Cross Spread
Also the most common and most revealing spread available, it is the most complicated to lay
out and to interpret. It is used for a variety of questions and problems, but is most commonly
used to answer complex questions with many outcomes. The layout starts off as the five card
spread, with one extra card laid on top of the center card. There is also a line of four cards
lined end to end off to the east side of the cross.
1 - (center) The present
2 - (center, on top) Immediate challenge, usually a very difficult obstacle
3 - (east) Foundation, distant past
4 - (south) Recent past
5 - (north) Best possible outcome
6 - (west) Immediate Future
7 - (bottom of line) Inner feelings and factors affecting the situation
8 - (one up from bottom of line) External influences
9 - (one down from top of line) Fears and hopes revolving around the situation
10 - (top of line) Final outcome. If ambiguous, draw three more cards to clarify
The Ellipse Spread
The ellipse spread is another variation that can be used to answer direct questions. This one
would be about middle of the road as far as complex questions go. Lined up in the shape of a V,
with the fourth card being in the middle, it will travel southeast before it travels back up in a
northeast direction in a sequential order (1-7).
1 - Past influences that are now part of the situation
2 - Present influences acting on you at the time of the reading
3 - Future influences that will have bearing
4 - Direction, telling you your course of action
5 - External influences that can affect the situation
Tetractys:
Ten cards are arranged in four rowed pyramids. Each pyramid represents the elements: earth,
air, wind, and fire. Each card has a different meaning, and the card at the top of the pyramid is
the significator.
The Planetary Spread
The Planetary Spread is an excellent layout to use when you want
insight into a personality.
You will lay out eleven cards in a circle, and read each card
individually. Start with the first card in the center of the circle, then
lay out the next eight in a circle starting with the NW position in a standard compass rose, and
proceeding clockwise to N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, and W. Place the tenth card beside the first card,
and the eleventh card crosswise on top of them both.
... 3
... 2 4
... 9 10 1 5
... 8 /11 6
... 7
1. The Sun. This is your ego card, showing how you view yourself.
2. Mercury. This card represents how you communicate.
3. Venus. This card represents what you love and value, and how you act toward what
you love and value.
4. Earth. This card represents what you consider your possessions and treasures, and how
you act toward your possessions and treasures.
5. Mars. This card represents what gives you your energy and drive.
6. Jupiter. This card represents your luck and skill.
7. Saturn. This card represents how you deal with traditions.
8. Uranus. This card represents how you rebel against those traditions.
9. Neptune. This card represents your unconscious self.
10. The Moon. This card represents your dreams, hopes and fears.
11. Pluto. This card represents how you transform yourself.
3-Card Spread:
This is the most basic and straightforward spread of all times. For this spread, draw three cards
from a well shuffled deck and lay them out in a straight line. This spread has many different
applications. These 3 positions can either stand for 'Past, Present and Future' or 'Situation,
Advice and Outcome' or 'Option one, Option two, Outcome' and so on. You can be totally
creative with this spread. Also observe the flow of the reading and read in the direction which
seems natural to you.
5-Card Spread:
This is a step-up on the basic 3-Card Spread. For this draw 5 cards from a well shuffled deck
and lay them out in a straight line. Like the previous spread, this too has several applications.
For example, the five positions could be 'Past, Present, Hurdles, Advice, and Outcome'. Here is
my favorite position definition for this spread: 'Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Spirit' where each
element and its practical associations are explored with the card drawn in that position.
7-Card General Spread:
Again a very good and simple spread. Draw 7 cards from a well shuffled deck and lay them in
either a straight line or in a horse-shoe pattern. The positions would be: 'Past, Present,
Situation, Hurdles, Advice, Outcome One and Outcome Two'.
One of the most difficult things about Tarot reading, after you've learned the cards themselves,
is picking a spread to use for your reading. There are a variety of spreads for Tarot readings
and knowing which one is best is not always an intuitive thing, at least not at the start. This
article is going to give you some basic guidelines for choosing a spread to use as well as go over
what the most common spreads are. Hopefully, after reading this, you'll have a good starting
point for the spread you decide to use for your subjects.
There are many spreads, some of which are extremely complicated. However, I have found
that there are three spreads in particular that fit just about any occasion and should be more
than enough to get you started. We can dive into more advanced spreads in future articles.
The most basic spread is the Celtic Cross. This is the most commonly used, and quite honestly,
will probably be more than good enough for just about any reading that is asking a general
question. What I mean by a general question is one such as, "Will I be getting a promotion at
work?" This is a common question that people will ask and doesn't require too much in depth
analysis. For questions of these types, a Celtic Cross spread, which consists of laying out ten
cards in a certain order, should be more than good enough to answer the subject's question.
You will probably use this spread about 95% of the time.
The next most common spread is the Celtic Block. This spread is actually very similar to the
Celtic Cross as the first ten cards are laid out the same way. However, with the Celtic Block
spread, you deal out four more cards, 11 through 14, underneath the fist ten that were dealt
out. This spread is usually used when a little more information is required. You will begin to
build an intuition for when to use this spread. One thing you must understand is that you can't
start with a Celtic Cross and decide to convert it into a Celtic Block. These are two different
spreads and you must decide beforehand which one you are going to use.
The third most common spread, and the most complicated of the three, is the Predictive
Manteia. This spread allows you to go into the most depth of the three spreads. The foundation
of this spread is the Past, Present and Future Triadic Solidifiers. All the other cards in this
spread are placed around these three cards in a certain order. Each solidifier will have a block
triad associated with it, totaling nine cards, three for each solidifier. The spread then concludes
with cards ten through fifteen, which all have their own meanings. This spread, unlike the first
two, cannot be continued. It is complete in and of itself. This spread should only be used for the
most complex of questions, such as, "I am dating 2 guys at the same time. The one wants to
marry me and move to Atlanta. The other wants me to move in with him. If I marry the first
guy, I will have to quit my job (another factor) and relocate, thus selling my home (another
factor)...and so on. You get the idea. Questions of this nature are extremely complex because
they affect so many areas of the subject's life. In this case, the Predictive Manteia will probably
be the right spread to use for the reading.
As you do more and more of these, you will begin to develop an intuitive sense for what spread
to use.
HOW TO DO THE CELTIC CROSS
Tarot card spreads, also called layouts, can range from 1 card to more than a single deck. Each
different type of spread carries it own special characteristics and divination powers. While
there are many standardized Tarot card spreads, it is not uncommon for readers to develop
special layouts for their own use. These are adjustments that readers make to better attune
themselves to their readings. We can't possibly look at all Tarot card spreads, but we can use a
common one to understand layouts better. To become familiar with Tarot card spreads, we will
look at the Celtic Cross.
One of the most popular Tarot card spreads, the Celtic Cross is most commonly described as
having ten cards. Six form the cross, directly in front of the reader, while the remaining four
are laid out vertically at the reader's right hand. Other versions use as many as thirteen, and
the layout varies slightly from reader to reader. For our purposes, the most common layout will
be do fine.
The first card, usually called the significator, is laid long-ways in the center of the cross, and
the others progressively follow, until the divination is complete. Next comes the crossing,
which is laid horizontally atop the significator; this is the conflict indicator for the reading. The
third one, called the basis, is placed vertically below the cross, and is closest to the reader.
The fourth stands for the past, and is placed as the left "arm" of the cross. Centered above the
cross is the fifth, which discloses the alternate possibilities of the question. Balancing the past,
at the left of our cross, card number six represents the near future, and completes the right
side of a plus (+) symbol, and demonstrating where this tarot card spread gets its name.
The last four in this particular Tarot card spread are laid vertically on the right of the first six,
starting nearest the reader, and moving away from them. The seventh is the barrier, or
obstacle, and is followed by the indicator of influence on the situation. The ninth one stands for
the fears regarding the situation, and the tenth and last reveals the final outcome of the
question of the reading.
The Celtic Cross is completed in this manner, which may explain why it is one of the most
common Tarot card spreads. The cross, on the left, is balanced by the staff, on the right. This
pattern is mainly used to answer questions. It represents the duality of life, with the staff's
masculinity being balanced by the almost circular feminine aspect. A lot of power is found in
this tarot card spread, and its popularity attests to its usefulness.