Inner Revealings Tarot

Tarot Thursday: The Major Arcana part 1

The Tarot is comprised of 78 cards that are divided into two groups; the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.  For the next couple of weeks or so we will be talking about the Major Arcana before embarking on a card by card journey.  More then anything it is important to know that the Tarot is made up of many many layers of meanings and mysteries.  As I attempt to unravel them in order to share them here, I am awed and overwhelmed by its complexity.  I am acutely aware that this will be as much a learning experience for me as it will be for you and truly, no one ever stops learning about Tarot.

The Major Arcana, also called the Trump cards or the Keys, are comprised of 22 cards.  The word Arcana is Latin for "secrets or mysteries".  So the Tarot is a collection of secrets that are comprised of major secrets or mysteries, and minor, mundane secrets or mysteries and they are designed to explain our universe and our existence within it. 

The Major Arcana are the cards with the most symbolic and divinatory importance in the deck.  Each of these 22 cards represents an archetypal truth/lesson that each person must learn or integrate while moving through the evolution of their lives.  Archetype is a term coined by Dr. Carl Jung to describe imagery, personalities, themes and experiences common to all humanity.  (An example of this would be the Emperor card being the archetype of rulership etc.)  We will cover this in more detail as we journey through the cards. 

So, in the story played out for us in the cards, the Fool, the first card in the deck, is said to be on a journey through the path laid out for him by the cards.  And each lesson or step in his human evolution is represented by each card he must pass through in order to move forward in his development.  Each card or step on this path revealing another Key to the secrets held in the wisdom of the cards. 

Each card has a name, a number and depending on the deck you have it can also contain astrological, or planetary symbols, a tree of life or Kabbalistic symbol, and sometimes a runic symbol.  The cards come with their own imagery and symbolism and although they each represent specific themes and archetypes, they are ultimately filtered through the psyche of the reader and the context of the questions.  This is why it is important to not only learn what the established meanings of each card are, but the nuances of their energy as well.  This is something that comes with time.

The following is the list of the 22 Major Arcana in the order they appear:

0. The Fool

1.  The Magus

2.  The High Priestess

3.  The Empress

4.  The Emperor

5.  The Hierophant

6.  The Lovers

7.  The Chariot

8.  Strength

9.  The Hermit

10. The Wheel of Fortune

11. Justice

12. The Hanged Man

13. Death

14. Temperance

15. The Devil

16. The Tower

17. The Star

18. The Moon

19. The sun

20. The Judgment

21. The World

As you read this list, please keep in mind that all decks have variances between them and you may find that these names vary slightly then the ones in your deck.  Thats ok, it will lend new layers to your understanding of each card.  Look over the list and compare, see what comes up.

This will serve as the first layer for this topic.  There will be several more in the weeks to come, and really allow yourself to take your time and absorb the information mentally and viscerally as well.  This takes practice, but as you read the above information, and as you look at your cards and do some of the home work listed below, check in with your body from time to time.  How do you feel?  Where do you feel tension?  Is there a sense of lightness, anxiety, intrigue, a strange and wordless knowing?  We need to learn to think and feel beyond the words of our brains.  It refines our intuition and our ability to really Listen.  And this ability serves us not just in working with the cards but more importantly in our day to day lives.  And really... thats what the Tarot is for to begin with.

Home Work:

It would be good to have a journal to work with as you go through these posts together.  More then anything what the cards are about is self inquiry, and I will have you doing a lot of self inquiry over the next year or so!

1.  Lay out your Major Arcana cards the way I have them in the picture above.  The Fool card on its own on top and then dividing the remaining 21 cards into three rows according to their number.  This layout will be the basis of another post/lesson in the future so its good to begin familiarizing ourselves with this visual.  You may want to space them out a bit more then i have done in the picture above.  I had to squeeze them together to get a shot of them in the space I was working with.  :)

2.  Take as long as you can to really look at each card.  Get to know them, the colors, numbers, words.  There will be some you like immediately and some that you really don't.  Make note of these in your journal. 

3.  Now shift a bit and look at them within the story of a journey.  Look at the Fool, and then "walk" with him/her through the other cards.  Make note of any story that pops into your mind.  We tend to do this when trying to make sense of what we see.  This is important.  There is no right or wrong narrative here, its just important that you Listen to the narrative you are giving this journey.  Write this down as well.

4.  Finally, scan the cards again individually.  Pay attention now to any symbols that your cards have.  Just See them.  Let your Subconscious just recognize that they are there.  (please note, that not all cards contain these symbols and varying cards have some but not others.  Again, there is no right or wrong, but we will be covering these layers of meaning as well in our exploration, so it may be helpful to find a deck that has this layer added in.)

Wow! Thats it for now!  I thought that I would have been able to fit all I needed to about this grouping of cards in 2 posts, but it looks like it may actually take 3 or 4!  I suspect that we are going to be diving pretty deep together friends...  ;)

Please please share on your blogs and here in the comment section what your explorations yielded.  I would love to see images from your deck and read about your experiences. 

If you would like to participate in Tarot Thursday, please click on the badge below and read all about how!

Choosing A Tarot Deck

Choosing your own Tarot deck is a deeply personal process.  The relationship you develop with your deck is an intimate one in which a pathway of communication is established between you and your deck of cards.  Finding the right deck can take years and what can happen is that you develop relationships with several different cards over the course of your life.  It may be that over time as you grow along your spiritual path other cards and other forms of symbolism may speak to you more, and this is all a reflection of our inner work and the revealings the cards provide of that growth.

There are so many different decks to choose from!  Its exciting really, and if you're not careful a major collection can start to amass in your home.  The art can be that compelling, so take you time and really look through as many decks as you can.  This is one of the reasons why Aeclectic Tarot is so great.  You can look through over 500 decks, read reviews and scan through countless pictures. 

Its always ideal to be able to purchase you deck in person, although to do this means you restrict yourself to the often times limited selection in stores.  Its important to feel the cards, the way they fit in your hands, the texture, the combination of visceral and visual stimulation that you get from shuffling them in your hands.  Remember this is an incredibly intimate relationship you are embarking on, and you need to give yourself time to all the symbolism and imagery of a deck connect with you so that you are clear about whether or not they resonate deeply with you.

This is ultimately what you are looking for.  That sensation of deep soulful resonation.  Images that trigger a deep mysterious response from you that may be unidentifiable, but palpable none the less.  These cards are keys to a subconscious symbolic language within yourself.  Allow for that to be moved, pulled and activated by the cards you look through.  Some will repel you, and some will fell inexplicably like home.

For me personally, I tend to gravitate towards cards that are very dreamlike and surreal, but also have keywords, astrological and Kabbalistic symbols on them.  Not everyone responds to this so there are a variety out there that caters to each persons need. The following is a list of cards I really like and some that I already have in my collection. 

Rohrig Tarot is the one I use daily and have had for over a decade.  I love this deck.  Its sumptuous, expressive, and very bold.  I remember first seeing these cards being used by a reader I went to with a friend.  I was transfixed. I can't imagine reading with any other deck as regularly as I do with these.  They have truly become a dear dear friend.

 The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck is typically considered to be the standard and what most beginners learn on.  I have this deck, but truthfully it never really spoke to me.  I do think everyone should have this deck though.  Its a good foundation to start with, and it tends to feel more concrete and consistent which is a soothing thing for those who are not comfortable with excessive surrealism.  With that said though, I have really only used this deck for learning and not for any extensive reading.

The Haindl Tarot Deck is on my wish list!  It has been on that list for quite a while.  This deck is a dream... truly.  Its a shaman's dream that spins you deep in its embrace.  The images are wonderful for meditating on and they take you to that deep trance space quickly if you surrender to the wisdom held there.

 The New Palladini Tarot. This deck is awesome if you want the structure of the Rider Waite but with a more richly illustrated imagery.  The deck is strong, vibrant and boldly painted.  I always get the sense of a deeply rooted strength in the voice of this deck.  Gorgeous!

Vertigo Tarot Deck Set is not typically for beginners, but quite a deep journey of the subconscious.  The art is incredibly dreamlike, abstract and a bit dark.  Its another really great deck for meditation, but lacks the symbolism of the stars and Kabbalah that others have.  This deck lends itself to a wide array of interpretation thus giving the reader the freedom to develop a very unique relationship with the deck.  I love this deck, but find that many people are put off by the imagery. 

The Artist's Inner Vision Tarot is a new discovery shared with me by Liz over at  Athena Dreams.  I love this deck and promptly placed this on my wish list as well!  This deck was created by 26 artist who each created 3 cards to make up this deck.  Soon... soon.. I will have this one too!  (insert maniacal laugh here)  ;)

When looking for cards it may be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

~How do you feel while looking at them?
~What if any visceral reaction are you having in your body?
~The imagery, does it pull you in, repel you or scare you?
~How do they fit in your hand?  Are they comfortable?

Take your time, and please let me know which decks you have and decide on getting for yourself.  I would love to know and explore new cards myself. 

Disclaimer or FYI:  I am an Amazon.com affiliate, which means that the links above lead to an Amazon page.  If you choose to purchase one of the above decks I get a commission off of the sale.  I say this in the interest of full disclosure and also to state that I will only list items here that I myself really like or endorse.  I am committed both to making a living and doing so in a way that is in alignment with my values.  With that said, if you do decide to purchase a deck and do so following one of my links, I thank you.  Truly.  :)

Valentine Love Everyday

Its Valentines Day.  And here with the two cards that most speak to love I give you some questions to ponder:

~How do you Love?
~What does that look like?
~What does that feel like?
~How do you receive Love?
~Are there blockages in this area for you?
~How are you choosing to Love?
~How are you choosing to Love yourself?
~How are you choosing to Love your Beloved (whether they are present in your life or not)?
~What are your personal rituals of bonding?
~Are there things you want to change around that?
~What are possible new ways to create these rituals of bonding?
~Union... What has that been like for you?
~What fears does Union with the Beloved bring up for you?
~What are some ways you can transcend that now?
~What does Love feel like in your body?
~What does Love sound like in your life?
~If you were nothing but pure Love, what would that Be?

I send you all deep abiding love today and always.  May we continue learning Love in all its profound ways.

Note:  I am so honored to be able to serve so many of you on this day and this week by doing readings on the trajectory of Love in your lives.  Truly I am touched by the response I have had to this blog.  Right now I am able to stick to my 3 day turn around for a reading, but may have to extend that to a 4 day turnaround by the end of today. Thank you so much for your patience!

Much Love.

Making Your Own Tarot Deck

Creating your own Tarot deck can be a very meaningful and deepening experience.  Spending time to really dive in and conceptualize each card, and what you will include in each image can really amplify the act of learning tarot.  So when I got the comment to a previous post from Silvia, I decided to include it here and address it so all can read.  She wrote:

"HI! I know very little on tarot, so I might be making silly questions.
Here's my first:
You say "The Tarot is a deck of cards, a visual medium using symbols, numbers, colors, words, archetypes, that help reflect/mirror the reality of what is truly happening in the past, present and future of our lives." I would like to make my own deck since I've been looking and have not yet come across one I've liked. So I'm guessing I would have to know all these symbols, numbers, colors, etc. to make my own tarot deck?
Thank you!"

If you are going to make a tarot deck specifically, then learning the symbols and the numbers and as many layers as you can into each card can lead you into a profoundly enriching learning experience.  Doing this however takes time and I have heard of several instances where such an endeavor has taken several years to complete!  This is partly because the process of making a deck becomes its own ritual, where each card that is being made takes the creator on their own unique spirit journey into the meaning and wisdom of each card as well as deeper into the heart of intuition.

But the beauty of creating your own deck is that you can do with it whatever you want, and so if you want a deck that has as many symbolic references on there as you can fit, or if you want a deck that is simple and very straight forward, you can choose that for yourself!  There is no right and wrong here.  The idea is to make a tool that will speak to you and that you can have a relationship with. 

The other option is to create a deck of cards depicting a variety of themes to aid in self exploration that has nothing to do with the tarot, but can still be used as a tool for divination and personal growth.  You can also create an inspiration deck with cards that are designed to be pulled one at a time to provide inspiration or affirmations for that specific day.  Again, the options are endless.

Cards can be created with paints, ink, collage, photography, digital collaging, block printing, pastels or anything else you can think of.  You will need a good sturdy cardstock and will want to consider the possibility of laminating if you are using mixed media.  It is however, always a good idea to make copies of your work so that you have the original deck as an art piece and then the copy which you can use for your every day use.  This gives you a back up, if over time the wear and tear becomes to much for the cards that you are using.

If you are going to make yourself a tarot deck specifically, a good way to organize the work is to break it down in sections.  You could devote a month or two to the Major Arcana and start creating the cards from the beginning with the Fool.  Doing this will help you move through the progression of the Major Arcana and also help imprint in your consciousness the path that the Fool travels in the cards.  When working with the Minor Arcana, working with all four of a number of court card will help teach you the significance of the number and the difference in the suits and elements of each suit.  For example, you could start with working on all 4 aces, and then moving on to the 2 cards and so on.

A website to check out is Plain Cards.  They offer a fairly inexpensive downloadable program that helps you digitally design and print your cards.  I have not personally used this, but it looks like it may be worth a look.  Another option would be to create your cards and have them transferred into a digital format and then having them printed professionally.  I have consider doing this after I created my postcards, because they came out so lovely and vibrant and the UV coating on them feels much better then a thick laminate.  Its also something to consider if you love your work so much that you want to sell copies to others. 

Please let me know if any of you begin to undertake this project for yourself.  I would love to hear how it is going and what route you decide to take.  Whatever it is, I assure you it will be a potent process through learning tarot.

And thank you Silvia for posting your question!

What is Tarot?

The Tarot is a method of divination or fortune telling that dates back to about 600-1000 years.  Each source I've come across gives a different amount of years, and if you want the Wiki version you can go here.  I don't really want to get into dates and all the historic minutiae of the Tarot.  Really what I would like to do is give a basic idea and structure of the Tarot and what it is.

The Tarot is a deck of cards, a visual medium using symbols, numbers, colors, words, archetypes, that help reflect/mirror the reality of what is truly happening in the past, present and future of our lives.  It is a deck of 78 cards divided into two groups.  The Major Arcana, consists of 22 cards that depict the archetypal development journey that we all take through life, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards or pip cards that depict every day elements and personalities of daily life.  There are a few other types of groupings with regards to the cards that will be covered in later posts.

For me the best way to explain it is that each card is a mirror to what is going on in a given situation or in a persons life.  It reflects what lies beyond our projections, expectations and whatever assumptions we may have that are driven by our emotional states.  The cards are a way for our deeper knowing and that part of us that is part of the collective unconscious to break through the clutter of our illusions and show us what is really going on. 

With intention and focus on the querents questions, the cards are shuffled and laid out in specific spreads designed to reveal the story.   And the reader interprets the story and in some cases pulls through any intuitive "hits" or information that might also come up regarding the querents situation.  For me personally, this has nothing to do with any specific religion, as much as its an acknowledgment of the energetic/spiritual web that we are all a part of. 

It is important to note that there is a huge variety of decks out there, and not all of them are Tarot cards.  Some are inspiration, meditation and other form of divination or oracle cards designed to help pull through guiding themes, images or divine truths.  I think they are all potently effective.  The Tarot is just a specific language unto itself. 

There is an entire universe of layers involved in Tarot.  I suppose that is because it reflects the complex universe within each of us as well as outside of us.  I find myself challenged by how to create individual small posts regarding something so vast.  Bare with me as I experiment with short blasts of information, and other times lengthy explorations.  Over time I will figure out what works best!