TAROT CARD HISTORY

by

Anthea de la Roche of TopTarot.com

Brief history of Tarot Cards and Tarot Card reading

The history of the origin of Tarot cards has never been substantiated. It has been possible to trace their

presence back though time, but not their origin. It must be remembered that before the Egyptians and

Chaldeans, very little was recorded in the written form, so the place, time and creator of these extraordinary

cards, remains a mystery.


The cards themselves number 78 and are divided into a Major and Minor Arcana, of 22 and 56. The Major

Arcana depicts archetypes and the Minor, like playing cards, are divided into four suits, representing earth,

air, fire and water. The symbol associated with earth is the pentagram; air swords; fire, rods; and water,

cups. Pentagrams represents the physical: swords the mental: rods, vital energy; and cups, emotions. This

is the basis of our lives, and magically speaking, represent the four corners at the base of the pyramid, upon

which a transformational structure can be built. The Pyramids were originally capped with gold, which served

as a beacon in the desert, but also signifies the transformation of base matter into gold, which represents

the realisation of full human potential.

There are many differently designed packs of cards now, but they forever remain the same. Even where their

given interpretation differs from pack to pack, they remain the same. After using them for a while, their

individual meaning asserts itself through the haze of various interpretations, becoming solid and unalterable.


In a Tarot reading, the ten cards chosen by the questioner are placed in a certain pattern. Again this varies,

but the most widely used is the celtic cross. Each card position has a meaning related to, context time,

desire and consequence, and form an overview of one's life. In a reading, neither the tarot reader nor the

cards, have power in themselves, for this lies with the questioner. The cards prophesy nothing but act as a

bridge between the two halves of our brain.


This is the way all divination works. The half of the brain focussed in speech and general education is the

left half, which is
linear, i.e. bound by time, the past. The right half of the brain is largely unused, except by

artists, poets and philosophers,and does not operate within a linear time structure but in omnipresent time.

To the left side of the brain, this is inconceivable because it is programmed to relate only to the past, so is

limited by that .

The right side of the brain poses an existential threat to the left, which is aimed at control, thus all faculties

outside its remit, are attacked. This reason divination has been outlawed by various religious hierarchies, is

because it by-passes all systems of control placing personal power in the hands of the questioner,

regarding the unchartered universe where truth wears no bridle.


If choosing someone to give a reading, it is best to choose someone with a consciousness level as similar

to your own as possible, and a minimum of ten years experience. This is needed, as it takes that amount of

time to understand the full meaning of the cards. They contain a knowledge system of such a profound

nature which far exceeds the scope of superficial study.


In my experience, the Tarot Cards are an infallible system for accessing knowledge . They are not a belief

system, but a bridge to connect that which we know but are unaware of, to everyday consciousness. They

do not foretell future, (which is what most people are afraid they might), but only the consequence of any

attitude or proposed action.

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