What Is A Tarot Reading?

Tarot cards, and thus Tarot readings, are inextricably linked with Western occultism, Kabbalah, and spiritual alchemy. The very first tarot cards appeared in the 15th century, but the symbolism predates this early deck by hundreds of centuries. Tarot symbolism parallels that in the Sefer Yetzirah, from the Jewish Kabblah, and even earlier Egyptian mysticism and magic. Similarly, Tarot symbolism also appears in early Gnostic Hermeticism.

Modern Tarot decks stem from the works of Henry Cornelius Agrippa, and to an even greater degree Eliphas Levi. It was the occultist Eliphas Levi who developed most divinatory systems of Tarot reading that are known today. A.E. Waite, the commissioner of the most popular and widely-known Tarot deck, the Rider-Waite deck, was an esteemed Western occultist in his own right.

This brief historical background is necessary if only to understand the immense amount of tradition, experience, and power that has gone into the Tarot system. Similarly, the extensive research and influence of individuals such as A.E. Waite, as well as other founding members of the Golden Dawn Order, have contributed to the Tarot system in such ways that it now has a near-scientific accuracy and authority.

As mentioned, the most easily recognizable Tarot deck is the Rider-Waite. However, there are literally hundreds of decks modeled upon the system developed by Eliphas Levi. Each deck tends to include its own symbolism; similar to others, but also unique in many ways. Additionally, there are as many methods of Tarot divination as there are decks. Some Tarot readings are short and simple, consisting of as little as one card. Others are more detailed, such as the Golden Dawn system, involving multiple shufflings, spreads, and interpretations of cards.

Tarot decks are made up of a Major Arcana and a Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are unique cards; only one of each type is found within the deck. For example, The Magician, The Hermit, and The Tower are all Major Arcana cards. Conversely, the Minor Arcana are similar to a deck of playing cards. Although each card is full of symbolism, there are four standard suits that contain that symbolism. These suits are Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords. Each suit contains an Ace through a King of the respective suit, for example an Ace of Wands, a Two of Wands, and so on until the Page of Wands, Queen of Wands, and King of Wands completes it.

Tarot cards work by a mechanism that appears externally to be random chance, but in reality is influenced directly by the energy of the reader and the client. The energy of the reader and the client is imprinted upon the deck with each new use, thus influencing the seemingly random way the cards will appear. The cards then appear in a fashion consistent with the energy of the client, as well as the innate psychic abilities of the reader, providing for an accurate depiction of past, current, and future events. Although the mechanism behind this is highly speculative, scientific studies have been done that demonstrate the accuracy to which Tarot readings are able to predict secrets and future events.