Judith Guise

Despite this kind of history, which places the first decks of the tarot being released and played (often in a casual kind of card game rather than a tool of divination) around 1375, it is possible that the ancient mysteries, as well as the archetypes that are revealed in the Major Arcana cards, which didn’t come into the deck until 1450, were actually passed down from ancient cultures across the world.

The symbols are able to speak to us in ways that are hard to put into words, and that is basically the essence that is seen with divination. Despite this, though, the images for both the Minor and the Major Arcana cards were not added to this deck until years later.

To start, Tarot was a type of parlor game that was called Triumph, and it was played in a manner that is similar to how Bridge is played today. The game didn’t have any intention of divination at the time. However, around the turn of the 17th century, the people of Europe started to really show an interest in divination more and more, and this was when people started to add a much deeper meaning to the cards that they were looking at.

In fact, it wasn’t until 1791 when the first divination-only tarot deck was designed and then released in Europe by Jean-Baptiste Alliette.

Regardless of how old this practice is, tarot is a divinatory art that is going to use connections to the collective unconscious, numbers, and symbols in order to express its meaning.

Tarot is going to rely on ancient mysteries to help establish the visual truth—and by arranging out the cards in a certain manner and learning how to read the cards in the proper manner, you are able to receive some insights into your illness or issues. It is possible, if you do this in the proper manner, that you will obtain some messages from your higher self and the universe.

Tarot card reading is going to be so much more about connecting to one’s higher self than it is about divining the inherent truth of the cards. The cards are always going to contain the same images and the same basic meanings. But it is going to be your shuffling and intentional questioning of the deck, that the cards group into arrangements that will reveal some deep and lasting truths that are going to be able to resonate for the querent.

You have certainly heard a lot of rumors out there that Tarot is evil, unholy, or that it is going to invite in spirits that are going to harm you or the other person you are reading for. Tarot is not about that kind of stuff at all. Tarot is simply a process about the read of the cards being able to connect with their own higher power—a higher power that we all already have, whether we recognize it or not—and then answering questions for the other person. If you are able to do that, then there is nothing evil or worrisome about working with the tarot cards.

This card is all about being able to see your path ahead and about taking actions and making decisions. This is a card that tells you to follow your dreams. It talks about how you have already taken the time to be introspective, but now, it is time to stop thinking and start taking action.

In reverse, this card can signify that maybe your flow is blocked for some reason. There may be a few projects that you dream about, but they just aren’t working the way that you want. Sometimes, it may not be your fault. Looking at some of the cards that show up around this one will help you find more clues about what is causing this blockage.