The Tarot

The Tarot is the most recent form of divination. Popular consensus declares it was created between the years 1275 and 1300 CE. The oldest surviving records of the Tarot are within legal documents banning their use in the Canon of Bern, 1367 CE!

Used as playing cards for many centuries, Tarot returned to it's origial use as a divination tool around 1785 through the efforts of French occultist, Etteilla. About a hundred years later in 1856, the correlation between Tarot and Kabbalah was published by Eliphas Levi in his book entitled, 'Dogme et Rituel De la Haute Magie.'

The Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn was formed in 1887 and operated underground as a society for those wishing to pursue the Ancient Mysteries, including the Wisdom contained within the Tarot. It is through this group that modern day versions of the Tarot evolved, including the well known Rider-Wait Deck (1910) by Arthur Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith.

A central tool drawing fom and encapsulating many mystical fields, the Tarot utilises wisdom from the Kabbalah, Astrology, Numerology, Occultisim, Geomancy, Science, Philosophy and what we call modern Psychology.

We see the Kabbalah arising within the Tarot as the Pip Cards representing each of the Sephira, from Kether (1) to Malkuth (10). The Major Arcana represents the 22 Paths and the Suits represent the Four Worlds.

Astrological attributes can be found within the major arcana and in the Court Cards where each court card is asigned astrological characteristics to represent issues concerning the querent. For example, the Hieraphant represents Taurus while the Queens represent the Cardinal Signs. Planets are asigned to the Major Arcana, such as Mercury being represented as the Magician and Mars represented via The Tower.

Reading for yourself is quite effective when done so from a detached viewpoint. While ever you are honestly reading the cards and not giving an impression, then your reading for yourself will remain as objective and useful as your readings are for others. Some people like to read for themselves by reading into a tape recorder and replaying the tape later. This method allows for distance and objectivity within the reading as well as an opportunity to listen to it in a relaxed state of mind. It also helps you guage where you are at as a reader.

It is important to remember that addiction to Tarot is a real issue for some. Tarot is meant to clarify life's circumstances rather than to tell someone how to navigate through each chapter in their life. It is important that Tarot is not used to erradicate personal responsibility or to simply muse through life's journey. If dependance does occur, the Tarot itself will become a most unreliable tool and in fact deliver sinister messages, as does any other divination tool.

Sometimes a Reader experiences something so negative that they become frightened of the power within the Tarot and give it away. Indeed the Tarot is a potent divination tool and can therefore reveal unpleasantries. If such unpleasantries are confronting enough the Reader may feel intimidated by the oracle and lack the experience to handle the situation effectively for all concerned. Sound understanding of divination, spiritual laws mysticism along with emotional maturity are essential for a successful ongoing profession in Reading the Cards. Remember that in all spiritual work, you yourself will be tested which is sometimes why such unpleasantries are revealed. Generally, while ever you respect the Tarot, it will respect you. Maybe your client it addicted, and needs to be reminded that the Tarot is not a toy.

The power in Tarot is infinite, with billions of possible readings possible. The accuracy of a good reading can be quite incredible. It was designed to be a comprehensive and helpful tool for practical life as well as a guide for spiritual development. It is a key to many of the Mystical Arts and as such deserves great respect and continuing study. The more you study this wondrous tool, the more you'll discover there is to study since the spiritual realm is so expansive.