 The true Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other signs. |
Tarot has been used over the centuries to predict the future and to uncover buried truths. Records of Tarot decks date from the 14th Century, when they emerged as the Italian card game, 'Tarocchi'. As the cards increased in popularity, they were banned by the Catholic Church, who condemned them as evil, referring to them as the 'Devil’s Bible' or the 'Devil’s Picture Book'. Consequently, they became linked to the shadowy occult arts. Although the word 'occult' has long held negative connotations, it simply means 'secret', 'hidden' or 'unknown.
There are many and varied theories as to the origins of Tarot: Ancient Egypt; Atlantis; the Romany Gypsies; the Jewish Kabbalah. As there is no evidence to validate any of these theories, their origins remain shrouded in mystery. It is, however, impossible to ignore the uncanny correspondences between the Tarot and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Many decks are rich in symbolism linked to various religions and philosophies. |
Over the past half century, Tarot has once again emerged, rapidly increasing in popularity and becoming a major tool for self-awareness and personal growth.
The cards of the tarot have an uncanny ability to mirror our identity and provide a 'doorway' to our inner-self. Whether we wish to refer to this as our 'Intuition', 'Soul', 'Higher Self', 'Guide', 'Guardian Angel', 'Spirit', 'The Universe' or 'God', is unimportant. The language of Tarot is universal, because it taps into the archetypal realms of the unconscious.
The renowned early 20th century psychologist, Carl Jung, came up with the word 'archetype'. He defined it as ‘instinctual forces or behavioural patterns that operate within the depths of the human psyche and which are universal’. His theory was that archetypes are understood by all humans at birth, throughout all cultures and societies. He called this the 'Collective Unconscious'. These archetypes are found in our myths, history and legends, and they have the ability to elicit powerful emotional reactions on a purely instinctual level.
Unless we become more attuned to these invisible instincts and archetypes and their powerful forces, we have little control over those darker patterns that have a tendency to keep repeating in our lives.
Depending on cultural and social climates, archetypes vary somewhat in description. However, they are fundamentally universal and include images such as the 'Mother', the 'Father', the 'Lover', the 'Hero', the 'Priest' and the 'Wise Man'. The twenty-two major arcana cards of the Tarot conjure up all of these archetypal images in some manner.
The selection of a Tarot card is provoked by some 'inner voice' that needs to be expressed in the outer world at a particular moment in time.
The cards of the tarot have an uncanny ability to mirror our identity and provide a 'doorway' to our inner-self. Whether we wish to refer to this as our 'Intuition', 'Soul', 'Higher Self', 'Guide', 'Guardian Angel', 'Spirit', 'The Universe' or 'God', is unimportant. The language of Tarot is universal, because it taps into the archetypal realms of the unconscious.
The renowned early 20th century psychologist, Carl Jung, came up with the word 'archetype'. He defined it as ‘instinctual forces or behavioural patterns that operate within the depths of the human psyche and which are universal’. His theory was that archetypes are understood by all humans at birth, throughout all cultures and societies. He called this the 'Collective Unconscious'. These archetypes are found in our myths, history and legends, and they have the ability to elicit powerful emotional reactions on a purely instinctual level.
Unless we become more attuned to these invisible instincts and archetypes and their powerful forces, we have little control over those darker patterns that have a tendency to keep repeating in our lives.
Depending on cultural and social climates, archetypes vary somewhat in description. However, they are fundamentally universal and include images such as the 'Mother', the 'Father', the 'Lover', the 'Hero', the 'Priest' and the 'Wise Man'. The twenty-two major arcana cards of the Tarot conjure up all of these archetypal images in some manner.
The selection of a Tarot card is provoked by some 'inner voice' that needs to be expressed in the outer world at a particular moment in time.
SOME FAVOURITE CARDS OF THE MAJOR ARCANA
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