Tarot Cards

Tarot cards are intriguing to look at. Each card is unique and they are generally very beautiful. Most are painstakingly created by artists who work hard to capture the occult symbolism so strongly associated with them. They are very colorful and slightly larger than regular playing cards. To glance at one, you might sometimes be able to gather the essence of it from its name and symbols, but to truly understand all of its meanings and implications, you must study tarot.

Tarot cards are usually broken up into two categories, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana consists of 52 suited cards. The four suits are wands, cups, pentacles, and swords. The suits are numbered ace to zero, like today's playing cards, and also include page, knight, queen and king.

The Major Arcana is very different. They are named cards, numbered zero to 21. Each of the Major Arcana cards represents an archetype, symbol or virtue. Today, these names change from deck to deck, but the meaning is similar.

The most common names for Major Arcana cards are The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgment, and The World. The names of some of the cards imply their meaning, but others, like The Tower, are more mysterious. This card actually represents the shock of sudden knowledge, a meaning which you would not be able to deduce just by looking at the card or hearing the name.