THE LEGEND OF TAROT
No one knows Tarot’s true origin and its creator. Some authors mention that Tarot has reached Europe in different locations around the 13th century, mainly as an entertainment game at the royal courts.
The legends say that some wise men and women who had access to occult knowledge as numerology, astrology, alchemy, foresaw the destruction of the library from Alexandria, and they decided to keep and seal all the sacred information in a way that can be perpetuated in time.
Knowing the playful nature of human nature, all the esoteric knowledge has been captured under the form of the game named Tarocchi, a 78 cards deck, divided between Major Arcana (22 cards) and Minor Arcana (56 cards).
TAROT DE MARSEILLE
Researchers claim that in the 15th century, Tarot has spread from Italy to France. The 78-card version of the game of Tarot survived in France, as it disappeared in Italy.
Originally, the cards were printed only for wealthy families, from woodcuts and then colored by artists either by hand or using stencils. Even though it was an expensive acquisition and not many people could afford it, some cards have been retrieved from that period. The earliest surviving cards of the Marseilles pattern were produced around 1650 by Jean Noblet of Paris. Historians concluded that the Marseille design was credited to the work of Marsilio Ficino.
Later, the Tarot deck has been reintroduced to the rest of Europe. From the mid-18th century, the game spread north to Sweden and east to Russia, and it became one of the most popular card games of that era until Whist’s became the most popular in the 19th century. All the Tarot versions that we have today derive from the Tarot de Marseille.
The 56 cards from Minor Arcana depict four standard suits, identified by their French names Bâtons (Batons), Épées (Swords), Coupes (Cups), and Deniers (Coins). Each suit has 4 court cards—king, queen, knight, and jack—and 10 numbered cards.
The 22 cards from Major Arcana, also known as trumps, depict various forces, characters, virtues, and vices. These cards are numbered using additive Roman numerals, from I through XXI, with the fool being unnumbered.
HOW CAN TAROT HELP YOU?
Divination. Tarot cards are considered a physical form of divination, meaning that they work as a tool to help you communicate with the divine, receive guidance and gain insights via your intuition.
Self-analysis. Each card acts as a mirror and reflects an aspect of a person’s experiences or character in that specific moment. Pulling a card may reveal how you interact with your environment and offers you an opportunity to reflect and inspire you to make the necessary changes to improve your life.
Therapeutic purpose. Tarot can help you transform feelings like anxiety and fear, revealing a higher perspective through the cards’ expressions, body language, colors, signs, and landscapes. Changing your perspective allows you to find solutions, and how to overcome certain situations.
Understanding. The cards can help you gain a profound understanding of the world and of yourself, as the cards’ messages are about trials and tribulations, we all identify with. You may use the cards to get clarity and to acquire awareness, thus evolving.
If you are interested to find out what Tarot holds for you, I can help you gain a new perspective in a private reading session, where I am using the Tarot to help you receive the answers to your questions and receive the clarity you need. Through this personal analysis, you will find out in which areas you need to make changes so that your life improves. Please go to the contact area for more details.