The History Of Tarot: BASIC TAROT

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Saturday, May 05, 2007

BASIC TAROT


Karimas Tarot Deck

A tarot deck consist of:
The Modern tarot deck is made up of 78 cards in total, divided into three groups called; 22 cards The Major Arcana: which are also referred to as the Trumps in the Deck. (The big mysteries of life lie in these 22 cards). These cards represent the highest of our consciousness. It is believed that the Inspiration descend from ancient Egypt, which describes the arch types of the human personality. These cards indicate a significant subject in ones life, not only that, they are also very much linked to Numerology. Again everything is linked in the very ancient mythologies of North African cultures. 40 cards Minor Arcana: They are also referred to as the situation-card. These cards tell about situations in the every day life such as the work place or in a relationship or even in the home. Again Numerology embedded into the cards. 16 Court cards: These cards can represent individuals, the queen and Princesses representing Woman and the Kings and knights are then men. They can also represent a curtain state of mind, or the state of the body or soul. These cards can represent an aspect of your personality, or even other people.

Platos Elements ancient cultures Plato's Elements. These figures are from Johannes Kepler ‘Hamonices Mundi’ 1619.

The Four Elements of the Tarot Deck: Swords: Air, the mental mind, consciousness, active abilities. Opportunity to grow. The sword is a Sharpe but the sword has two sides which look alike, and can illustrate a double attitude, which our thoughts and mind also have. The sword is mostly used as protection in close combat, this corresponds to the human behavior in a normal day life. Many of life troubles really come from our mind, when the mind keeps thinking about a curtain situation, especially if the situation is only viewed through one angle. The swords attitude is much like the astrological sign of Libra; Balance, an appetite for life and learning, the control element for the sign Libra is Air, which puts us in motion. Through air you will see the earth in a different angle, from above you will notice how many things life really bring. Astrological signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. Direction: East Element: Air Cups: Water, the emotions, Feminine, feelings, Subconscious mind, fantasy. The cup is open and receivable and it can contain water, which in itself symbolizes the emotions, the senses, and the unconscious abilities. The cups images portray the situations emotions, or other feelings coming from the situation. The Cups are sensitive and changeable like Cancer is, but they are also very deep and secretive like the Scorpion, and intuitive and dreamy like the Pisces. When you pull the cup-card from the deck, you must investigate if there is water inside the cup, or it is spilt besides the cup, or if the cup is empty. Emotional passion and intense desirers are also a part of the Cups attributes. Astrological signs: Cancer, Scorpion, Pisces. Direction: West Element: Water Pentacles (Coins): Earth, material things, the physical. The pentacles are connected to the material world, and its work associations. Work, and property, and home, environment, trade. These images portray people in work situations, or performing some sort of task. These cards have the practical side of Taurus, and its passion for luxurious things. Capricorns stableness, and financial courage, and Virgos production talents. The Pentacles (coins) are materiel things, and they are heavy, they symbolize hard work, wisdom, and real. Money and sexuality is also a part of the Pentacles attributes. Astrological signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. Direction: North Element: Earth Wands: Fire, Spiritual, masculine, actions, force, will, courage. The wands represent the active, creative, and the communicating growth. Ideas and ambitions are embedded into these cards, and impulses and plans. They are the scepter that a King holds. The wand is hard and stern, and the spirits that surround them are Mousses, they are able to pay attention to detail. Again notice if the wands are standing or flying through the air, pay attention to such details too. Astrological signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. Direction: South Element: Fire

Ancient Tarot

FIRE – The creative forces
The fire is heat, active, bursting, dynamic, with no form or shape. It is much like Pluto, it breaks down one shape to create another. This is the creative force. A creative energy. Fire is the Light of life, but Water and air can kill it, so Fire is only a strong element compared to the Earth.
AIR – The creative mental force
The Air is a cold element, masculine, and also very active. Again this element has no form or even a substance, but very much needed. Air has the power to kill fire which shows an even bigger creative force. The air is always present, and yet never paid much respect to. The wind can even affect water and the earth, and make other elements react to its movements. The air belongs to the intellect, it is creative but also destructive.
WATER – The Reflective force
The Water has a fluid substance, which can change shape at any give moment. You can take some apart (divide it from its mass) and it will not be harmed, you can return it to is mass, and you will not notice it. Like air it will find any cracks in its way, but it is notable. If you look into a water surface, its transparency will reflect your face. Water touches the dreams and visions, but everything stays unreal as its form is so fluid.
EARTH – Force of Manifestation
The Earth is a solid substance, but it is also calm and heavy. The earth is the root of life, giving life a basic to grow from. The earth element signifies will and work effort, but it can have a heavy affect upon the inspiration, thoughts and ideas. This is why the earth and the air just coexist. Without earth nothing will ever manifest itself, nothing will ever be created. The other elements need the earth, or they could not have the effect that they do.

4 comments:

Borkiman said...

Good intro.

I agree that picking a deck that 'speaks' to you is the most important step in learning the tarot.

One piece of advice I like to give people who are interested in learning to read the cards is to read fairy tales, and learn to tell jokes.

Both will sharpen one's ability to spot narrative patterns. Patterns so common, so human, that they recur again and again in the arts and in our everyday life.

WindBlowerTM said...

Dear Stepterix,

Thank you so much for your comment, and I would also agree in the part of reading fairy tales, or just any activity that uses ones own creative forces. Reading is probably much better than watching a movie, because we use the mind to create the images which the book describes.

Sincerely,
WindBlower /KL

dancilhoney said...

I eventually learned to wean my-self from the books, was by doing a reading first, come up with my own interpretation and only then consult Tarot books to see what I may have missed.
Thanks for sharing. tarot readings

Insulation Methods said...

The magic of the tarot comes from inside you. They are a tool, a wonderful tool if use just a reference only, which can enable to do things you never thought possible. Yourself is still has the responsibility of your actions, not the tarot or the fortune teller.