History of the Tarot

Today, we see the Tarot as a kind of a path, a way to personal growth through understanding of ourselves and life. To some the Tarot's origin remains a vital question; for others it only matters that meanings have accrued to the cards over the years.

A person may ask the cards about some situation. The cards very directly outline the consequences of some decision, say, whether or not to go ahead with affair, or start some new project. Let us say that the cards indicate disaster, and that the person really can see the likelihood of what the cards predict. Now the person might say, 'Well, this is likely, but my free will allows me to change the situation.' So he or she goes a head and the situation turns out exactly as the cards predicted. The person has not really used free will at all; rather the idea of free will has served as an excuse for ignoring what he or she recognized as a valid projection. This is not a hypothetical situation; it happens again and again with tarot readings. It is not enough just to foresee a likely outcome for us to change or prevent that event. We must understand why it is coming, and we must work on the causes within ourselves for the things we do and the ways we react. Free will certainly exists. We just do not know how to use it. The most important thing we can learn from Tarot readings is just how little we exercise our freedom.

Tarot teaches us many things. One of the most valuable is the necessary balance of objective and subjective, action and intuition.

SEVENTY EIGHT DEGREES OF WISDOM, A book of Tarot By Rachel Pollack

A brief history of the Tarot and its beginnings.

The origin of Tarot is unknown, although everybody seems to agree that the most certain ancestor of the Tarot is an Egyptian book called 'The Thoth Book'. In the Toth book one can find representations of the 22 cards of the Major Arcane.

There is also a book titled 'Le Monde Primitif' from 1781, where Antonie Court de Gebelin explains that the Major Arcane cards may, in fact, it is a reproduction of the 'Toth Book'. It is not until the 15th century, in Italy, when a card game called 'The Game of Triumphs' was invented. It was originally a game, not for divination purposes, but consisted of a series of symbolic picture cards the same as the Major Arcane.

Exactly when it was first used for divination purposes is not known, but it seems that the occultist sects of France and Italy were the first to use the Tarot cards for this purpose. Today it is very common to make readings using Tarot cards, and once you try it, it is easy to get caught-up in its mystery.

Some people see Tarot readers as clairvoyants; a person that has some kind of paranormal abilities that enables them to see beyond the cards illustrations to reveal the future of the consultant. This is far from the truth, as a Tarot reader does not have to be a clairvoyant or a medium. If there is some kind of 'hidden power' it resides in the deck of Tarot cards and in the interpretation of the Tarot illustrations themselves. The ability of the Tarot reader to accurately interpret the cards is relative to their dedication to studying the cards meanings and experience.

Through my many years in the study of and experience in reading Tarot cards, I can help you gain 'real life' enlightenment on Tarot interpretation that will enable you to experience greater self love and help you lead a more joyful, peaceful, healthy and abundant life.

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