Tarot Cards?

Question

How do you use Tarot Cards? Is there a way to make your own Tarot Cards (handmade)?

Answer 1

Unless you have a lot of time on your hands and are fairly artistic, I would recommend buying a deck. The Tarot speaks to the subconcious through symbolism and the best decks are fully illustrated, even the minor arcana. It isn't hard to learn how to use the Tarot, it just takes time and practice

Two excellent web sites are:
http://learntarot.com/
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/

Answer 2

Tarot cards
A set of seventy-eight playing cards decorated with a variable set of fantastic and mystical diagrams, symbols, and illustrations. The earliest deck still in existence is dated circa 1432. Researcher Norman Schwarz has dated the Tarot to between 312 and 64 B.C., from various clues such as the inclusion of earlier astronomical constellations (such as the Lovers and the King).
The cards are grouped into the Major Arcana (twenty-two trump cards) and the Minor Arcana (fifty-six suit cards). The four suits consist of fourteen cards each, ace through ten, page, knight, queen, and king. These cards were first in use in the mid-1400s and have been used ever since by gullible persons to cast fortunes.

The modern deck of fifty-two cards used in gambling was derived from the Tarot deck, the suits being transmuted so that “swords” became spades, “cups” became hearts, “wands” became clubs, and “coins” (or “pentacles”) became diamonds. (In Spain, these suits were “palomas,” “rosas,” “conejos,” and “dineros”; in France, “piques,” “cœur,” “trèfles,” and “carreaux.”) These are the cards that were called the Minor Arcana. Originally, there were four “court” cards, but the knight (or cavalli) card was dropped in the modern deck, resulting in 4x13 cards, while the Tarot retained 4x14.
The Major Arcana of twenty-two cards are individual figures:


0 The Fool
I The Magician
II The High Priestess
III The Empress
IV The Emperor
V The Pope
VI The Lovers
VII The Chariot
VIII Justice
IX The Hermit
X The Wheel of Fortune
XI Strength
XII The Hanged Man
XIII Death
XIV Temperance
XV The Devil
XVI The House of God
XVII The Star
XVIII The Moon
XIX The Sun
XX Judgement
XXI The World

(In some versions of the Tarot, the Fool is given the number XXI and the World becomes XXII. There is no known difference in accuracy between the two systems as far as prophetic value is concerned.)
For use as a divinatory device, the Tarot deck is dealt out in various patterns and interpreted by a gifted “reader.” The fact that the deck is not dealt out into the same pattern fifteen minutes later is rationalized by the occultists by claiming that in that short span of time, a person's fortune can change, too. That would seem to call for rather frequent readings if the system is to be of any use whatsoever.
The form of deck most used today is the Golden Dawn, designed by A. E. Waite, a mystic, and drawn by artist Pamela Coleman Smith about 1900. The art of reading the cards has been referred to as the “ars notoria.”

Answer 3

The many different tarot decks available will all portray symbolic imagery which must then pass through your psychic senses and, given the context of the questions asked, bring forth a tarot card meaning that significantly answers your question.

You can use this four minute video as a brief meditation on the tarot that, repeatedly viewed, will help you learn how to read tarot cards psychically. http://www.psychic-junkie.com/tarotvision.html

Here is a free download demo for a great Tarot program. To keep the size of the demo manageable it contains the Rider/Waite deck, the actual program will have 10 complete decks. This Demo version of Tarot is a full working copy for 30 days. So you get 30 days to study meanings and spreads! http://www.free-tarot-download-demo.wotsnext.com

Answer 4

Get yourself a basic deck and a good book to go with it. Study the meanings of the cards, and when you feel comfortable, do a small reading for yourself. There are some good web sites that talk about the cards, the various layouts for readings, and how to interpret the cards. In the end, the cards will have specific meanings for you that may or may not match common thought.

The cards are beautiful and can offer guidance. Each card can tell a story of its own. They are not demonic, and unless you get addicted (which is possible) to doing readings, then they won't harm you.

I'm sure many on this site have better advice than this, but that should get you started.

Edited to add: The poster above me is right - the aeclectic tarot site is very good!

Answer 5

Tarot cards are a complex tool, with many versions including deep symbolism from many sources. Starting to use them is fairly easy as you can purchase a pack with a book that will give hints on interpretation.

There are many different versions. Alestair Crowley's Thoth deck is considered by some to be a bit darker than others, probably due to Crowley's teachings. There is the very common Rider / Waite deck, which is the one used in most books on Tarot. It is a beautiful deck with wonderful symbolism. There is also the Celtic Fairy Wicca deck which is based, naturally on Celtic symbolism. There is at least one deck which allows you to color it yourself.

I have one friend who created her own Tarot Deck. She is a wonderful artist and spent a great deal of time on it, hand-painting and laminating each individual card.

In the end, I believe that the Tarot, like other divinatory tools to be a focal point for the psyche. It doesn't so much tell the future, as allow you to look inside yourself to what you already know.

There is an online school which offers a free beginners course in the Tarot. With the atmosphere of many here, I don't wish to publish it and have tons of people sending the school hate-mail. e-mail me and I'll send you the link.

--Dee

Answer 6

Er. Ignore the rants of the reactionary religionists here.

Buy your first deck. it should be a deck that feels good to you, that you feel comfortable handling. Hoefully you'll find one that makes sense to you right away - that is to say, you'll look at a card and think to yourself "Ii know this".

Second, throw away the booklet that tells you how to read them.

If you want to be *very* good at reading them, this is the method (but it's not quick):

Every morning early in the day (before you start work or school or whatever) lay out the standard spread. Look at it. Notice what cards are where, and especially the relationships between them (positionally).

Leave the spread out. Go on about your day ad don't think about it.

Around half an hour or so before you go to bed, go look at the spread again. Just look at it, notice once again which cards are there, i what position,s in what relationships. do NOT try to analyze this, just absorb, and *definitely* do not give in to looking at the booklet that you should have thrown away (but probably didn't).

Do this every day that you can. Lay out a new spread in the morning, etc.

This is what will happen: after a certain amount of time of seeing the events of your daily life represented by the cards, you'll develop a VERY personal and intuitive understanding of what they mean, and at that point you'll give FAR more accurate readings than people who learn from a book.

Of course, there are folks for whom the cards are just something to focus on - the most amazing reader I ever knew never even looked at the cards as he was laying them out, and never glanced at them after having done so. The cards were just a prop for him, while he directly read people.

And there are people who have an innate understanding of the specific symbolism of a certain deck, and will be able to give fairly accurate readings almost immediately.

Have fun finding that right deck!!

Answer 7

Try going to a speciality store and getting a book on tarot cards. I just started learning about tarot cards myself and there is a lot more to it than you think.

Answer 8

nicely, no longer that i have self belief contained in the tarot, yet likely one will do extra efficient readings from a deck that "calls" to you. for sure this acquaintance of yours has assumed that you purely offered any previous less costly playing cards, and under no circumstances a series that you've been attracted to. Is it genuine? purely you understand. he or she thinks you want to bypass to three style of forte save, peruse each of different tarot playing cards, and p.c.. the deck you're maximum attracted to. And yeah, i'm quite effective those'll cost you larger than a dollar. Will they paintings any extra efficient? Meh. in my view, I doubt it. .

Answer 9

From what a friend of mind tells me they either work for you or they don't. The cards have to "like you" basically.

I hear a lot of people do make their own custom cards. If you make a really nice set you can probably manufacture and sell them.

Oh and John had a vision called Revelations. And Daniel interpreted dreams for Nebukanezzar and the 3 wise Men were Astrologers and Pentacostals get possessed and talk in tounges (and Catholics says that a demon and should be exorcised) and Joseph also interpreted dreams and Ezikel saw a wheel in the middle of the sky and Jacob saw angels walking up a ladder and he also saw a man made of metal who ate a parchment and spoke and Christians burned and drowned witches in England and Salem Massachuesettes in the 1600s and 10 books dealing with Soothsayers and fortune tellers were PURGED and removed from the Kings James Bible for some reason. And Chrsitans also segregated blacks in the 1600s and made them sit in the balcony of churches. But you see those things are cool.

Answer 10

I am sure you could make your own deck, If you are new to the cards get deck form shop first. Let the deck pick you( if you know what I mean.) Found a site at teachs how to use the cards.