Tarot Cards

[Silverhaze]

hmm so lately I've been wondering a lot about Tarot Cards... I know a few people who have them/use them but I don't know much about them

I do however want some... don't know why I just do... I'd like to learn to read them too....

any information about them would be helpful

I know very little...

[sshenry]

Do you have any Tarrot cards? Most cards come with a basic instruction book that shows you some of the basic layouts.

I like to think of the Tarrot as a tool for tapping the subconscious. The power of them does not (IMHO) in the cards themselves, or in any particular entity speaking through them, but in the power of your own mind.

[builderofcastles]

Well...

I am not sure how to answer this question for Indigos.

Most people who feel very connected to cards learned them long ago, with many past lives. Most indigos do not have lots of past lives where they have these earth based cards. So... well, we will try to describe various card decks and their uses.

The typical Tarot deck (and there are lots of decks out now that aren't typical)
Major Arcana: These are 22 picture cards 0 through 21.
These can be thought of as life journey cards. Like in numerology you progress through the deck learning your lessons of life, and then repeat. (or leave)
Minor Arcana: These cards resemble a standard deck of poker cards. There are 4 suits, and A-10,J,Q,K. These are 4 forces of the universe and their severity/usefulness/power level.

The four suits

• Swords - (Spades) Dealing with power. To cut or be cut
• Cups - (Hearts) Dealing with emotions
• Coins - (Diamonds) - Dealing with physical items, money...
• Wands - (Clubs) - Dealing with growth. These are sticks often show with a leaf growing off it.

Decks - There are many many decks out these days. So many artists get an idea to make a deck and go and make one. Some are really pretty, some are really full of meaning, some are just plain... why did someone print these?
Not all decks are Tarot, some are called angel cards, animal totems or basically a pick a guidance card. Tarot is designed to be used singly and to be read in a spread (several cards) where the cards support each other and tell of different aspects of the situation.

The oldest deck is called Rider-Waite Tarot deck. This deck is olde. Every line of the pictures has meaning. The placement of the moon, the colors, the symbols, everything. It is fairly plain looking compared to most of todays 4 color art prints.

All other Tarot decks are based off the Rider-Waite and can have more or less symbology and more or less meaning. Each are like learning a different dialect of the same language. Reading with a friends deck, although they are the same (a 9 of swords is a 9 of swords?) can be difficult, they are similar, but not the same. It takes time to get working with a new deck.

A good book for learning Tarot is "Tarot For Beginners" by "P. Scott Hollander"

- - - - - - -

Ok, now all that said, go out and buy a deck of cards that you feel drawn to. If they are not a Tarot deck (and often even if they are a tarot deck) they will come with an instruction booklet on how to use them.

So to sum up, go and buy a deck of cards that you feel a connection with.

enjoy

BuilderOfCastles

[Silverhaze]

Okay thanks that does help a lot. Now I just need to buy a deck (it'll be hard I live in the middle of nowhere) I assume that the meanings of each card is explained with the deck like in the instructions right?

[builderofcastles]

Usually a Tarot deck has a very short, condensed, synopsis of each card.
The book I mentioned is not a small book, and there is lots of information that is not in it. There is so much subtleties and nuances, that one could read books and books on the subject of Tarot reading and still not know everything.

It would not be to far off to say that you must be psychic to read Tarot.
No, really...

Funny story, a psychic card reader I know reads the cards by seeing what little bit of the card attracts her attention. Not the card, but like, there is a moon, and thats what my eye was drawn to.

So, pretty much, cards are there to help your subconscious and guides help give you information. It also helps with other people, see? here look, I am reading the cards, which is so much easier then I look like I am staring off into nothing and saying whatever comes to mind. I don't know, they just believe you more.

If you get a deck of angel cards, or something like, they all come with instructions that say what each cards meaning is.

Have fun

BuilderOfCastles

[Silverhaze]

That makes it all the more enticing...

[Susanna West]

You can order tarot decks online from Amazon and other places. If you can get to a Barnes and Noble or a Borders or similar, they have a wide variety to choose from.

Trust yourself. You are psychic. We all are. It is not a gift bestowed only on a blessed few, but something we can all develop at differing rates. We each have our talents when it comes to psychic abilities, just as we all have talents in other areas. You just need to remain open and you will find yours. You probably already have some idea about your abilities.

The symbols on the cards are mirrors of your subconscious. No two readers will read the same way, but that doesn't make any one less accurate. Clear your mind, ask your guides to help you, and trust the process. Keep a tarot journal, in which you record your readings. This has helped me a lot in recognizing patterns in my readings and in remembering what different cards say to me at different times. A card can come up many different times and never mean exactly the same thing. It's up to you to decide.

My advice to you, as someone who has worked with tarot for 13 years...The books will only get you so far. You will want to read them to familiarize yourself with the terms. However, I would suggest working with symbolism in general to get a good knack for it. Dream work, omens, etc. Read what you can on symbols in general. Astrology, Wicca, Kabbalah...The sources are endless. Ultimately, trust your own intuition. Practice will get you there.

[451nm]

Tarot decks are amazing, and according to Wiccan and other beliefs rely on your own personal energies and higher consciousness to determine truths about the past, present, or future. On a personal note I have had may times where a tarot deck has helped me improve on and realizes important things in my life I was utterly blind to, to the point where it was creepy.
You can do Tarot online (it does work the same way) at facade.com but many people like to have their own personal decks so a bond can be made between it and your energies.

[lillies1978]

i have several diffrent ones, yet i do prefer Osho's Decks (Zen Tarot, Tao Oracle) cause of the perspective and approach, it simply resonates more with me than "common" tarot versions! I never had one myself, but i know a few that are fond of Crowleys Toth deck, but that might be to heavy al around for beginners!

here is an online version of the Zen~Tarot, maybe you like it!
http://www.osho.com/Main.cfm?Area=Ma...nguage=English

love&light
Sue

[hmmm...]

Where can you get a deck of tarot cards?

[Belial]

hmm so lately I've been wondering a lot about Tarot Cards... I know a few people who have them/use them but I don't know much about them

I do however want some... don't know why I just do... I'd like to learn to read them too....

any information about them would be helpful

I know very little...

I think tarot cards are mostly about interpretation. I worked with tarot cards and saw others use them for a long time in the past.
It seems that two people could get the same cards in a reading but interpret them completely differently.
I don't believe they have any inherent "power."
I suppose it may be possible that it has something to do with putting our own 'spirit' into them.
But I personally believe it's interpretation that makes them seem like they work.

But even so, I suppose using them can help you to better understand yourself, the situation, or whatever you're doing a reading about.

[cjmax02]

oh, I love the tarot. <3

builder has the right idea - learning all of the meanings of all of the cards is hard, hard work. if you can read symbols and use your intuition, though, you can just read the bits of the cards that you 'see'.

I use an Arthurian Romances deck - all the cards are characters or scenes/places from the Romances and I like to revisit the story to find the meaning. (I use Doreen Virtue's Angel cards more though D: )

[desire knowledge]

tarot cards are intersting but i get a better vibe and a more accurate reading with runes.

[Ketiara]

Builderofcastles covered the basics - very nice intro and overview. Over time and readings each cards's meaning will become instilled in your mind. At the beginner level cards can be read by themselves but over time we learn to read the cards together from their various positions depending on the spread.I think I started with a basic 3 card, Past, Present Future layout. I found "The Tarot Bible" very helpful after learning the basics from the booklet that should come with your first deck.

You are highly intuitive, yes? I think you will have no problem seeing the symbols in the cards when you see them all around you anyway.

My first deck was the Rider-Waite Deck. I remember the excitement of starting to learn, it was quite an eye opening experience to do my friends cards and have them come back to me saying that something I said was coming true. Very exciting to begin with but over time, the limits of the cards become apparent.

Like any form of prediction, it must be known that what the cards say in a reading is not set in stone. The recipient of a reading can use their free will to change their future in any moment of choice. It has been said that prediction is a lower art form but I see them more as a tool for guidance.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

[desire knowledge]

I love the artwork of the Tarot of Thoth.....the Egyptian tarot...the cards are a bit different but the images are amazing and they mix tarot with Kabbalah.

[ThetaAbundance]

I love the artwork of the Tarot of Thoth.....the Egyptian tarot...the cards are a bit different but the images are amazing and they mix tarot with Kabbalah.

I used the Thoth... I have a mixture of decks, but found that one to be my favorite.

[Sephish]

I love the artwork of the Tarot of Thoth.....the Egyptian tarot...the cards are a bit different but the images are amazing and they mix tarot with Kabbalah.

I use the Thoth deck and it is really pretty... Unfortunately, my deck got frozen in my car so they're kinda warped a bit now, but still usable... Mine have a basic meaning on the lesser arcana so they're fairly easy to interpret for me... I do have to look up the major once in a while but it's easy to get the hang of... You can also do a form of tarot with regular playing cards, which is where I got my start... You should be able to find instructions online for it... When I do readings with my tarot deck, I'll often feel like my third-eye chakra opens up and I can just say exactly how everything fits together without having to think about it... Best of luck to you!

[ashliew]

When I started reading the cards I used farmilar meanings that came with the deck but if you try reading intuitively you will find you will know more than you thought. Thats what i did but I have the radiant rider- waite so the imagry was easy to figure out mostly.

[LunarSunshine]

Whatever deck you get...make them you're own. I have the Rider-Waite deck and they had a really bad energy when I got them. They had the energy of the original painter, and it was just too dark for me. I had to do a cleansing ritual to release the frustration and bitterness from them. Until I realized I had to do that it was difficult for me to touch them. She has an interesting story, but it struck me as very sad. The cards were published in 1909.

I hope you figure it all out, and the cards themselves will help you learn.

[builderofcastles]

Where can you get a deck of tarot cards?

You can get tarot cards from all kinds of places.
Look in your local directory for Metaphysical Book Store
If there are none in your area, you can get Tarot cards from
Barnes and Noble (I have seen them there)
and if not there, you can get them on-line at Amazon.com

I strongly suggest that you do this purchase in person.
Use your intuition to find your deck. Even to choosing
which box to by of the deck type you have chosen.

Enjoy

BuilderOfCastles