What are Tarot Cards?
Tarot cards are a tool used to find answers to questions, explore the future, and understand oneself more deeply using a 78-card deck. Each card holds specific symbols and meanings.
Major Arcana
Consisting of 22 cards, they represent major life events, spiritual lessons, and significant turning pointsâthe big picture of life. It symbolizes a journey starting from "The Fool" to "The World".
Minor Arcana
Consisting of 56 cards, they deal with everyday events, emotions, thoughts, and actions. They are divided into four suits.
Wands
Element: Fire
Theme: Passion, energy, creativity, action
Cups
Element: Water
Theme: Emotions, relationships, love, intuition
Swords
Element: Air
Theme: Thoughts, intellect, challenges, conflict
Pentacles
Element: Earth
Theme: Material world, money, career, health
Each suit consists of number cards from 1 (Ace) to 10, and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King).
Major Arcana Examples
0. The Fool
Upright: New beginnings, innocence, adventure, freedom
Reversed: Recklessness, foolishness, risk, irresponsibility
11. Justice
Upright: Fairness, balance, truth, responsibility, law
Reversed: Unfairness, prejudice, imbalance, evasion of responsibility
6. The Lovers
Upright: Love, relationships, choices, harmony, union
Reversed: Discord, wrong choices, cracks in a relationship
8. Strength
Upright: Courage, inner strength, patience, confidence
Reversed: Weakness, fear, lack of confidence
19. The Sun
Upright: Success, positivity, joy, vitality, clarity
Reversed: Sadness, temporary failure, uncertainty
Court Card Examples
Reina de Copas
Upright: Emocional, intuitiva, compasiva, empĂĄtica
Reversed: Cambios de humor, dependencia, abuso emocional
Caballero de Bastos
Upright: Enérgico, apasionado, aventurero
Reversed: Impulsivo, precipitado, impredecible
Celtic Cross Spread
The most traditional and comprehensive spread, allowing for a multi-faceted analysis of the cause, present, future, and internal/external influences of a problem. (Uses 10 cards)
Horseshoe Spread
A practical spread that emphasizes the flow of time (past-present-future) while also looking at advice, surrounding environment, and obstacles in a balanced way. (Uses 7 cards)
Relationship Spread
A spread specialized for relationships with specific people like lovers, friends, or colleagues. You can get insights into both people's feelings, the future of the relationship, and advice. (Uses 6 cards)
The interpretation of the same card varies depending on its position.
- Present Position: You are at the beginning of a new relationship or at a crossroads of an important choice.
- Obstacle Position: Relationship discord or a wrong choice is hindering you.
- Near Future Position: An important relationship will soon form, or a decision must be made.
- Your Attitude Position: You should value harmony in relationships and act based on love.
- Final Outcome Position: Your choice will lead to a successful fruition of the relationship.
Thus, a tarot reading is a process of creating a story by synthetically interpreting the meaning and position of each card.
Common Symbols: Mountains (challenges), Rivers (flow of emotions), Clouds (thoughts/ambiguity), Animals (instinctual aspects), Buildings (safety/structure).
Example: In The Fool card, the figure at the cliff's edge symbolizes a new beginning that involves risk, the white dog represents a faithful companion and a warning, and the white rose symbolizes purity.
Color Meanings: Yellow (consciousness/intellect), Red (passion/action), Blue (unconscious/emotions), White (purity/newness), Black (protection/mystery).
Directional Meanings: Figures facing right tend to symbolize the future, left the past, and front the present.
Online Resources
- Biddy Tarot: One of the most famous and comprehensive sites for beginners.
- Labyrinthos: Offers an app and website to learn tarot with a beautiful interface.
- YouTube Channels: Numerous tarot readers provide video lessons on card meanings and reading examples.
Recommended Books
- âSeventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdomâ by Rachel Pollack
- âThe Pictorial Key to the Tarotâ by A. E. Waite
- âTarot for Your Selfâ by Mary K. Greer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do tarot cards really predict the future?
Tarot is not about showing a fixed future, but an "advisor" that shows the most likely future based on the current energy state. It helps you make better choices.
Can I ask the same question multiple times?
Generally, it is not recommended to do multiple readings for the same question in a short period. It shows distrust in the result and can make the interpretation more confusing. It is better to do it again after a significant change in the situation.