Divination Tools

Scrying

The Art of the Tarot

Outline	Spreads
Pouches	Tarot Games
Uses	Spreads-how to's
Terms and Meanings	More Info.
Making Your Own Spreads	Getting Started
Miscellaneous	Reading for Yourself
Reading for Others	Purification Ritual

Outline:

This is the Tarot Outline that I wrote when one of my friends asked me to teach her about the Tarot. It is in no way everything you need to know about Tarot cards, but it contains the basic components. I would recommend reading many books, asking lots of questions, see how other people interpret the cards, and, what the heck, get your cards read by a professional Tarot card reader. The more you learn about Tarot, the better you will become at interpreting their meanings.

Note: Some of the material was taken from different sources like the minor arcana number correspondences and the Purification Ritual at the end. I have marked what is not mine(with ****) and will be crediting it soon. Everything else I personally wrote.

Here it is:

Tarot Outline

The origins of the Tarot are primarily unknown. Many people believe that the art of the Tarot began with the Gypsies in the Middle Ages in France. I however, believe that the Tarot has been around longer than that.

The Structure of the deck consists of 78 cards divided into 2 groups:

22 Major Arcana cards

56 Minor Arcana cards

In the next sections, I will attempt to explain their meanings.

Major Arcana -- The Fool through The World

Refers to the process of spiritual awakening through growth; more to psychological issues and spiritual lessons than to everyday things. They also refer to the meaning behind the external events. Many Major Arcana cards in a spread may indicate psychological and spiritual meanings are more important.

Minor Arcana

Also see: The meanings of individual Cards

These cards represent everyday events and things that can be easily changed. They are numbered Ace through King.

The Minor Arcana are divided into four suits: Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles.

Cups = emotions and relationships, indicating harmony or discord in these areas

Wands = express creativity, motivation, enthusiasm, intuition, and enterprise

Swords = mental pursuits, tension, courage, the force of the will, conflict, confrontation, and struggles

Pentacles = relate to material possessions, work, money, practicality, and business affairs

****Learning the meanings of a Minor Arcana card is simplified by blending the meaning of the number of the card with the meaning of the suit:****

The Meanings of the Individual Cards

(Minor Arcana)

2 - balance between 2 people, situations, or viewpoints.

3 - blending 3 elements, people, or situations through synthesis and group energy.

4 - building and maintaining foundations to insure stability.

5 - need to adapt to the disruptions of unexpected or unwanted changes.

6 - encouraging progress and help from others as well as a strong connection to ideals.

7 - a shift in perspective through insight into a situation. The awareness gained can allow necessary change to occur.

8 - bring power, control, and mastery to a situation and emphasize strength through self-reliance.

9 -signify the culmination of the energy of each suit in its most intense for, bringing completion.

10 - express mastery of the lessons and energy of each suit. They signal renewal through the beginning of a new cycle on a higher turn of the spiral.

Pages - news, communication, thoughts, and children

Knights - comings and goings, travel, and quick action

Queens - women or female influences in society

Kings - men or male influences in society

Aces - The ace of any suit represents the purest form of the energy of the suit.

Uses of the Tarot

Many people have used the tarot for various reasons over the years, here is a list of a few of those resons:

Self-Discovery
Insight to a problem
Insight into others
Advice
Future - ONLY shows the current path or possibility, can be changed with each action
Spells (more meditations than spell)

Spreads

(or layouts) - a layout of cards in a certain order in which each position has a particular meaning about your question.

3 card spread:

1 2 3

a. each card has a named position:

1. Past

2. Present

3. Future

b. Interpret each card relative to the position

More About the Cards...

Okay, this might get confusing, but try and hang in there. You can always skip this section and move back once you think you get it. Below is more of my outline decribing more about the cards of the Tarot.

Upright and Reversed: Reversed not always opposite could be an exaggeration of the upright quality, missing upright quality, needs development in upright quality, etc. Reversed cards also show a problem in the area of the upright quality. Some people don't even use reversals when interpreting.

Clarification Cards - If you don't understand a card's meaning or if you would like to know more about the card, you may add a clarification card. This card is placed next to the confusing card. A clarification card may also be used to clarify the entire spread. You may add as many as you like. If you don't still understand the cards, leave the spread for a day or two and ask for insight, then go back and look again.

Undercurrent - The bottom card in the deck. This is what lies underneath your question. It could be unconscious or unexpressed idea or desire. May add clarifies that are underneath the undercurrent. The cards underneath tell a story that may help understand the undercurrent.

Shuffling - Do not bend the cards. This ruins them. You may place them all out on the table and sort of swirl them around or you may mix the cards in your hands. You will know when the cards are done shuffling.

Dealing - You may cut the cards before spreading them out. After shuffling, deal by flipping sideways and not from top to bottom, otherwise your cards will have changed direction. Then deal the cards as indicated by the spread.

Leaping Cards - Sometimes while shuffling a card may leap or hop out of the deck. If this happens record the card. These cards may be important. When the cards jump out at you, they may be trying to show you something. Sometimes the leaping card answers the question and a spread is not necessary.

Touching - If you don't feel comfortable allowing another to handle your deck, DON'T. Others may have negative energy that effect the outcome of your readings. Your readings may become distorted and vague. If this happens, clean your deck. One method is provided at the end of this outline.

Recording - Recording is a good way to see your progress and past interpretations of the cards. First, get any blank book or notebook. Dedicate it to only your Tarot readings. You may use the following way to record you readings. Always date your readings. This is so you may see how you progressed.

Question
spread & deck (if you use multiple decks)
positions
Past (position name) - High Priestess (card) - Inner wisdom (Interpretation)
Present - Star - Hope
Future - Sun - Happiness
clarification card (if needed)
undercurrent (If wanted)(interpret C.C. into a sentence or story)
C.C. for whole reading (if needed)
final interpretation (summary of all cards)

Deal the spread - interpret each card by describing the scene, 1st emotion, colors, and objects. After you have finished recording, place all cards at the bottom of the deck. Shuffle. Continue on the next spread if multiple questions.

Storage - Respect your cards by placing them in a special box or pouch. Keep them clean and in a safe place. Don't throw or step on them. They have a consciousness of their own. They are an extension of you.

A Little More Info. For Those More Advanced

(terms and meanings)

Interpretation - Look at the card. Describe pictures, actions, feelings, and colors. Use your first impressions. Whatever strikes you record. The number of each suit also can be interpreted; also the number of Major Arcana. If there is more of one suit, it will tell you more about the question or issue. OR you may rely on the book for interpretations and apply the meanings to you or whomever the reading is for.

Significator - There are a zillion ways to pick significator. The significator represents your or the person who the reading is for. The significator is also the querent (Q). Sometimes required and specified, sometimes chosen.

astrological - using the court cards
Elemental and Astrological Correspondences
Swords - Air - Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius
Cups - Water - Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces
Wands - Fire - Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
Pentacles - Earth - Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn
physical traits - using court cards
Age correspondences for Court Cards:
Pages - messages of younger people (up to 25 years of age) of either gender
Knights - action or men 25 to 40 years of age
Queens - women over 25 years of age
Kings - men over 25 years of age
Coloring Correspondences:
Swords - medium brown hair, and light eyes
Cups - blond or grey hair and light eyes
Wands - sandy or reddish hair, light or freckled skin, and light eyes
Pentacles - dark hair, skin, and eyes

Random - shuffling and dealing the top card

Open deck - when you look through the entire deck to find a card that strikes you

The Unknowable - some decks include a blank card. This is an optional card that can be added to represent the secrets we keep from ourselves during a reading or things we are not supposed to know. When this card repeatedly appears it shows only limited input about the future or situation is helpful at that time. It may indicate a need to express and process feelings rather than focus on outcomes.

Making Your Own Spreads

You can make your own spreads. You can modify an existing spread or design one from scratch. Tarot works best with how's, why's, and what's rather than yes/no questions. Here is a basic layout of how to create your own spread: ****

Discuss/brainstorm what you want to know in the form of questions or issues.
Organize what you want to know in a list of questions or issues.
Make adjustments to the questions as needed.
Draw out a layout plan for addressing the questions, deciding how many cards should be allocated for each one and deciding on a design shape that appeals to you.
Number the layout position on your plan.****

****Getting Started****

Choosing a deck: Start with a traditional deck. Look for a scene or picture rather than just 3 wands. Pick one that is pleasing to you.
Getting acquainted with a new deck: carry the deck with you, sleep with it under your pillow, look at the cards frequently.
Phrasing the Question: Avoid yes or no. Break down the question into separate issues, dealing with one at a time and be specific.
Preparing: Take a deep breath & center yourself. This establishes a respectful, centered, peaceful attitude.
Shuffle and deal the cards.
Interpret the cards.

Miscellaneous:

never do a reading while sick

don't do a reading if you aren't comfortable

if you think you have an incorrect spread - write it down, start over, then after a day or so look back at the spread

you can accept a form of payment- don't demand ridiculous things

never give a person a DEFINITE future - nothing is permanent

Tarot cards DO NOT tell the future.

Reading the Tarot for Yourself

Look at the cards. Read the meaning. Think of how each card relates to your life (what feelings/thoughts come to mind). Draw a card each morning and focus on what it means for you the rest of the day.

Creating a Tarot Journal: a special journal with a page devoted to each card is a way to organize your impressions about the cards as they develop. You might start out jotting down a few lines from books, movies, and personal experiences by free-associating about each card. Especially, notice the feelings you experience during the course of the day, such as impatience or excitement, and decide which of the cards most describes it. By associating feelings and psychological traits with the cards, you will create a personal language using the cards that will allow you to describe the full range of human emotions.

Focus first on the cards that attract or repel you. The ones that feel neutral or hard to comprehend will gradually come into focus if you don't force things. The Court Cards include the kings, queens, knights, and pages and are the face cards in the Tarot deck. A certain card may remind you of an important person you know and could be used to represent that person in your readings.

Reading for your self is perfectly fine. Stay objective. Be confident.

Read for others, but practice on yourself first. Avoid negative people. Practice on family, friends, and complete strangers.

****Good Approach for Reading for Others****

Encouraging verbalization of the questioner's impressions of the spread
Empowering the questioner to learn lessons and seek new solutions through Tarot.
Emphasizing the psychological spiritual aspects not just the material events
Reminding the questioner that you are acting as the interpreter of her/his own unconscious mind
Reassuring the questioner when challenging cards appear and offering hope and inspiration regarding difficult processes
You are not excepted to predict. Tarot is more for insight than prediction. The future is always changing and Tarot could only show one possibility.
Use tact in your delivery. Emphasize the positive qualities of all the cards and work through the difficult or stressful cards. Work with the questioner. Ask for their opinions.

****

Purification Ritual

(to clean Tarot cards)

There are times when doing a reading for a certain person, a reader may discover that they feel "bad vibes" coming from this person. If this happens to you, or for some other reason, you feel your cards may be "tainted". The following is a good purification ritual. It probably has many different names in different societies. I will call it the trial by four elements ritual.

The first step is to "seal" in the bad vibes, so that they can later be destroyed. Take the deck of cards and very lightly (can't stress this enough..do not soak or saturate the cards, that will ruin them) mist them with water. (Here your personal choice comes in, some use holy water, purified, de-ionized, rain water, river water, etc.) After misting the deck with the water, place the entire deck in the freezer. This will help to trap the badness in the cards. Leave in freezer for 24 hours.

Step Two: Find an absorbent material, such as cotton to wrap the cards in. Take them out of the freezer and wrap them with an absorbent cloth. (Make sure that it isnt' something you want to save, it will be destroyed). Bury the cloth containing the cards in the earth for 24 hours. As the cards "thaw" the cotton or other material will absorb the badness, and act as a sort of conductor, leaching some of it into the earth. After 24 hours, remove the cards and destroy the material, by burning it.

Step Three: The cards need to be "sealed" This is accomplished by passing each and every card over smoke or a flame. (Use a candle or some incense). Be sure not to pass the cards in the flame..just over them. Incense smoke works very well. After doing the entire deck. Go on to step four.

Step Four: The last step is to let the cards air out for 24 hours. You can do this several ways. One way is to spread them all out on a table, or bed..and allow them to get some air circulating. Or you can place them near an open window..etc. The idea here is just to let them rest and get some air.

After completing all the steps, wrap the cards in silk or some non-absorbent material and sleep with them under your pillow in order to return your "vibes" back to them.

Spreads:

I have added some new spreads to this section, but it is far from finished yet…however, these spreads should help you along. Included is: Five Card Spread (below), Line Spread, Yes/No Spread, Sacred Cave, Fish, The Celtic Cross, and the Wish Spread.

Five Card Spread

5 4 3 2 1

Cards 4 and 5 represent the future Card 3 represents the present Cards 1 and 2 represent the past.

Line Spread

7 6 5 4 3 2 1 or 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This is a simple variation of the Five Card Spread. Instead of placing two cards on each side of the present card, place three our four, yielding a seven or nine card spread (or go higher if you wish). Even though this is a very simple layout to perform and understand, it also probably the most important one to be able to understand since it allows you to see how cards will relate to one another in the more complex layouts.

Yes/No Spread

This is an additional variation used on the line spread. If you allow the querent to ask a yes or no question, count each card turned upright as a vote for yes and each card reversed count as a vote for no. The middle (or present) card's vote gets counted twice. Interpret tie votes as you see fit. This spread can be used in conjuction with one of the other spreads listed here to glean additional information if the reading was hazy or if the querent has specific questions after a reading. In either case, the remainder of the deck used for the first reading may be used to continue.

Sacred Cave

	4
3		5
2	1	6

Where I am now

2. What empowers me

3. What keeps me company

4. What shelters me

5. What I seek here

Fish (a reality check)

1 2 3

1. Worm - what I have to offer the Universe at this time

2. What I catch from the Cosmic

3. What I will make of it

The Celtic Cross:

5

10

4

Q2

6

9

3

8

7

(Card 2 is placed across and on top of the querent card, Q. The reader or querent should select the querent card.)

The Celtic cross spread is one of the most commonly used spreads, and is fairly easy to learn, despite all the instructions you see here. Rather than being very short with this description, and giving only a very basic outline of the spread, it has been expanded upon, to give the reader a good base of knowledge of this popular spread.

Card Q - This card represents the querent's current state.
Card 2 - Obstacles
Card 3 - Often called the crowning card. May have one or more of several meanings:
- Highest state the querent can achieve in the matter
- Highest perception the querent has in the matter
- What the querent wishes to achieve
Card 4 - Often called the base card. May have one or more of several meanings:
- Vices. What the querent possesses and can use to his/her advantage.
- What the querent needs to use to overcome the obstacle
- Why the querent has asked the question
Card 5 - Past
Card 6 - Future
Card 7 - May have one of several meanings:
- Attitude of the querent
- Same as 4a
Card 8 - May have one of several meanings:
- Environment
- What the querent may gain from the situation
Card 9 - Hopes or Fears
Card 10 - Future

Often the difference between card 6 and card 10 (both future cards) is that card 6 is generally believed to be that which will come true no matter what happens (definite future). Card 10 is a projection of what could happen in the future if the querent does not make an effort to change his current environment or a projection of what could happen if the querent wishes to make it happen (indefinite future).

The Wish Spread

		6	5	4
3	2	1	Q	9	8	7
		15	14	13
		12	11	10

Select a card to represent the querent. Shuffle and cut deck. Deal numerically as shown. It is suggested that this reading be used if the querent has a specific wish that s/he would like to happen, hence the name.

Each group of three cards has its own significance
Group 1: Environment
Group 4: Description of querent's wish
Group 7: Opposition
Group 10: Factors that will enter into this matter
Group 13: Realizations of the querent (usually in the future)

The nine of cups is often called the wish card. If this card should turn up anywhere in the reading, except in group 7, this would be a strong indication that some part or all of the querent's wish will come true. The closer it appears in the above numeric sequence, the sooner the wish will be realized. If the nine of cups appears in group 7, this is an indication that the wish will probably not come true; the other two cards in the group will yield the cause. If the nine of cups does not appear, this should not be taken as an indication of either fate, although other cards in the reading may confirm or deny the wish.

Back to Spreads

Pouches:

Traditionally, Tarot cards should be kept in a silk pouch and kept under your pillow at night. However, like many other things, the choice is up to you. Avoid synthetics and try to stick to natural fibers.

Myself, I keep mine in a pouch made by my mother out of an old baby blanket. It is embroidered with my birthday and my astrological sign. The ideas are endless.

Tarot Games: stick with me on this, I will, eventually add some more info here....

Rune Stones: there was just WAY too much info on runes to add here, so I have added another page to my growing site on Runes.