Excerpt
The Complete Guide to the Tarot
1
THE TAROT DEFINED
The ancient and mystic pack of cards called the Tarot never fails to evoke the curiosity of the uninitiated. “What are the Tarot cards?” “What makes them so different from our own playing cards?” “Can they really foretell the future?” “Can anyone learn how to read them?”
This book is devoted to answering these and many other questions and to give the reader a knowledge of the Tarot—its history, its links to other occult sciences, and the way it is used to shed light upon the past, the present, and the future.
Everyone agrees that modern playing cards are directly descended from one part of the Tarot—the resemblances between parent and child are too striking to be accidental. In both we find cards numbered one to ten, followed by pictures or “court” cards. And just as the Joker is unnumbered and has no assigned place in our deck, the Fool in the Tarot is also without a number of its own or a preordained position—yet both are ever present in their respective packs.
There are 78 cards in the Tarot, of which 56 (those most like modern cards) are equally divided among four suits—Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles—analogous to our Clubs, Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds. These suit cards are known as the Minor Arcana (arcana is the Latin word for secrets). They are followed by 22 cards called the Major Arcana—cards that depict symbolic figures, elements in nature, the experiences of Man in his spiritual journey, his hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows.
The Major Arcana, as can be seen, bear little resemblance to modern cards. Their illustrations are drawn from the treasurehouse of universal symbols and images, from the legends, myths, philosophies, religions, and magic beliefs of the human race. Undoubtedly the wise men and seers through whom the Tarot is believed to have been transmitted over more than seven centuries were thoroughly versed in the astrological, numerological, and Kabalistic teachings of the ancients, and all these influences are reflected in the cards. The Tarot, nevertheless, remains a unique and independent discipline with its own divinatory powers and its own spiritual content.
Most of us are interested in character analysis, glimpses of the future, solutions to immediate dilemmas—all of which we can seek in the Tarot. But there are also those who will value the Tarot’s help in meditation. The student of metaphysics gains remarkable insights into the inner meanings of the cards; the artist, constantly concerned with images and symbols, draws heightened creativity from contemplating the many-dimensional beauty of the cards; the Biblical student finds that the Tarot illuminates many passages in the Old and New Testaments. And since the Tarot is the key that unlocks the wisdom of the ancient philosophers, it reveals its most profound messages to the dedicated scholar and practitioner. (In this it is not unlike the ideographic writing of the Chinese, the hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, the picture writing of the Mayans.)
It is not necessary, however, to understand all the hidden secrets of the cards at first—or even second—glance. When the student is ready, the Tarot will begin to reveal its mysteries. And it is not imperative to “believe in the cards” for them to yield results—you don’t have to take them on blind faith. Eventually you will tap the occult powers of the Tarot, and you will turn to it when dilemmas beset you.
If you consult an experienced “Reader” for help, you become what is called the “Querent,” with an unspoken question you want answered. After laying out the cards in accordance with one of the methods described in this book, the Reader will interpret what the cards are trying to tell you. But you yourself can learn the definitions of the symbols as given in the Glossary, as well as from the detailed descriptions and pictures of each of the cards in the body of the book. Then, after mastering one or another of the techniques for laying the cards out, you can before long try to read them. At first, of course, you will be turning back to the definitions again and again, but with persistence you will be rewarded.
The first Tarot cards were painted on parchment or thin sheets of ivory, silver, or even gold. The design for each card had to be drawn anew and colored by hand. Therefore the cards became the playthings of the nobles, who could afford to assign an artist to paint their own individual sets. Often the aristocracy had the Court cards drawn to resemble members of their own family or court.
Eventually, handmade cardboard became available, and then the designs were traced and painted with watercolors. Later still, in Nuremberg (about 1430), block printing was done from hand-carved wooden blocks. Thus some of the early cards are crude in design, and their details are often indistinct.
To reduce the cost of a Tarot deck, or perhaps because the Major Arcana were not used in the game of Tarroc, these 21 cards were dropped from the pack, as were the four Queens. At a later date, the Queens were evidently restored to some decks, and the Knights eliminated. Decks in this latter form are to this day used in the Spanish and Italian game of Tarroc. The cards from southern Germany developed a somewhat different pattern—bells for Pentacles, acorns for Swords, leaves for Wands, and hearts for Cups.
The cards depicted in this book are only one set of the many that have appeared during the long history of the Tarot. They are those used by A. E. Waite in his book The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910), and they have become standard for most of the English-speaking world. First published by William Rider & Son, Ltd., they are called the Rider Pack.
When people ask you, “What is the Tarot?” you should know a good part of the answer after you have read the text and studied the strange and beautiful pictures. Those who are embarking on this quest for wisdom and guidance will find it an exciting and rewarding journey with the help of the Tarot—our priceless heritage from the ancients.
