What is Tarot?

Have you ever experienced a tarot reading before? Was a reading from me the first time you witnessed this form of divination? Maybe you have never heard of divination before? Let me explain all of this and how I work with the cards.

What is Tarot?

Tarot is a form of divination, a way to see into the future, called cartomancy - using cards to see into the future. Tarot cards date back to the 1700’s in Italy. From what I have read they were more a kin to what we use as playing cards (for Poker, Black Jack, or Gin). It wasn’t until the early 1900’s when members of the Golden Dawn, Aliester Crowley and Arthur Edward Waite, created their own versions of the tarot. Crowley created the Golden Dawn tarot and Waite collaborated with Pamela Colman Smith to create The Rider Waite Smith deck, which is the most common version used today. There are several more modern decks and most of them are based upon the Rider Waite Smith deck.

There are a total of 78 cards in a typical tarot deck. The first 22 cards are the Major Arcana. These cards represent changes or influences in your life that are more long term. The other 56 cards are the Minor Arcana and they represent the temporary events that affect us in our everyday lives. The Minor Arcana are broken down into suits: Pentacles/Coins/Discs, Swords, Wands/Rods, and Cups/Chalices. The cards are numbered Ace through 10 and each suit has 4 court cards: Page/Princess, Knight/Prince, Queen and King. In a typical Rider Waite Smith version, there is a story in each card and that story can help the reader pick up on a message that is meant for you.

While I do use the story that the cards depict, I also relay what spirit tells me to say. I often find myself telling the story that the cards are portraying and then a life event that wasn’t even really in the cards will pop into my mind. These spontaneous messages are usually what is actually going on with my sitter (the person receiving the reading). I am able to receive these messages courtesy of my gifts of clairvoyance (seeing spirit in my minds eye) and clairaudience (hearing spirit in my minds eye).

Also somewhere toward the end of my readings, I will receive some guidance for whoever is receiving the reading. Most times these messages come across in the form of tough love. Know that I am not judging you and that I am just relaying what my or your guides want you to know and do. They love you and want what is best for your highest good.