How to Read the Cards

Besides the many card "spreads" to choose from when doing a reading, you can interpret a card based on the general meaning of the card. These are the accepted, standard, basic meanings of the four kinds of cards in Tarot. Minor Arcana: (1.) pips/Ace -10 (2.) courts/Page, Knight, Queen & King

                                                  Major Arcana: (3.) powers/Zodiac (4.) emanations/Tree of Life 

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The Minor Arcana consist of 40 pips (36 decans & 4 aces) & 16 court cards. These cards in a reading give us a close up view of day-to-day life. Called "the little mysteries," the 36 decans reveal an interaction between the two kinds of Major Arcana cards, 12 powers and 10 emanations. The 4 aces represent the root of elemental forces - the beginning of things. The 16 court cards represent life roles. Who you are and where you are on the journey is depicted by these cards. They also represent real people in your life. The role you play in this life (or previous lives) is revealed through the courts.

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The Major Arcana consists of 12 powers (zodiac signs) and 10 emanations (Tree of Life). The 12 powers are the single or simple letters of the Hebrew alphabet, representing personality traits, attributes & skills we need to succeed in life. The 10 emanations consist of the 3 mother letters & 7 double letters of the Hebrew alphabet. These are major life lessons, karma and the big picture of our life journey! They are represented by the planets in our solar system.

 

Altogether, these 22 Major Arcana express the archetypes of humanity and life experiences we have in common with every generation. From birth to death and everything in between is portrayed in the tarot. This basic understanding of the two Arcana and how each is divided into two, giving us four different types of cards, will enable the reader to give a general interpretation of each card drawn for the spread. More on the kinds of tarot spreads in the future. Below are examples of three different kinds of card spreads. (A spread is a predetermined way you lay out the cards to be read.)

 

You interpret your chosen cards based on their ascribed position in the spread and then how the

cards relate to each other. It is absolutely amazing to see the connections! The cards communicate!