Tarot (first known as tarocchi) is a pack of cards (most commonly 78 in number) used from the mid-15th century in various regions in Europe to play a group of card games known as Italian tarocchini and French tarot.
Their use was originally intended for self-enlightenment, for the discovery of our authentic inner being. However, beginning in the late 18th century and up until now, the tarot has been adopted for use by psychics and other mystics to divine the future for others and to use as a map of their own mental and spiritual pathways.
The origin of the cards can be traced back to ancient Egypt and the Jewish Kabbalah, but there is no documented evidence of such origins or of the usage of tarot for divination or fortune-telling before the 18th century. Condemned by early religious leaders as being heretical, it was a dangerous act just to have possession of them.
The deck painted by the Italian artist Bonificio Bembo on commission in the early 15th century for the Duke of Milan during that period is the earliest entire deck still in existence today. The most commonly used deck today is the Rider-Waite deck, first printed in 1909, and there are literally dozens of tarot decks available, each representing many different themes including Celtic, Italian, Native American, and Egyptian.
The tarot deck has four suits – the Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords – that correspond to the suits of more conventional playing cards. Each of these suits has pip cards in number from ace to ten and four face cards, for a total of 14 cards per suit. The tarot is also different from conventional playing cards by an additional 21-card trump suit and single card known as the Fool. Psychics and other occultists refer to these trump cards and the Fool as the “major arcana” while the ten pip and four court cards of each suit are referred to as “minor arcana”.
In Europe, the most common use of tarot cards is simply to play common card games with. There, depending upon the game, The Fool card may be played as top trump card, or may be played to avoid following suit. However, in mostly English-speaking countries, tarot cards are used mostly as a tool for metaphysical discovery or prediction, such as giving career or health advice, performing love tarot readings, and other types of intuitive discernment.
The tarot’s iconography is linked to our ancient beliefs, religious systems, and mythologies that date back to the earliest times. Their motifs clearly and directly reflect our cultural experiences, both physical and spiritual. Many people, including Christians and those of other religions, use them as just another tool to gain a better self-understanding through their simple symbolism that speaks directly to us.
Madame Magda, mystic and psychic advisor, developed her psychic abilities as a child and is a long-time practitioner of the metaphysical sciences including tarot virtual readings. She now mostly consults other gifted people who provide psychic advice professionally.
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