Easy Guide to the Tarot: Understanding the Tarot Cards and Their Meanings

The tarot is a pack of 78 playing cards used by mystics and occultists for foretelling the future as well as for giving you a peek into your spiritual and mental pathway. Tarot cards have existed since the mid-15th century in various parts of the European continent. However, at that point it was basically used to play card games such as French tarot or the Italian tarocchini.

The word itself is derived from the Italian word tarocchi, a word which has no known origin. Some believe that the word is related to the Taro River in northern Italy. Others believe that the word originated from an Arabic word, turuq, which means "ways".

The cards seem to have come from Mamluk, Egypt, in the 14th century. At that point in time, the suits were Staves, Cups, Coins, and Swords - quite similar to the suits that exist these days.

In Europe the first tarot card deck was created in Milan, Ferrara, and Bologna in Northern Italy. This was between the years 1430 and 1450. The original purpose of the tarot was to play games. In the 18th century, the tarot began to be used for divination purposes. Manuscripts from the era reveal that there was a specific way of laying out the cards, and there was a divinatory meaning associated with each card.

The tarot has four suits, but this can vary depending on the region. Jean-Baptiste Alliette, popularly known as Etteilla, was the first to create a tarot deck especially for the purposes of divination. This 78-card deck has two distinct parts.

Take advantage of this great opportunity to understand the tarot quickly and easily!