A brief history on Tarot Decks, Tarot Cards, Common Tarot Card Meanings and Tarot Readings for the curious or those starting out with their own Tarot Decks! Many of our initiated Vodou and Santeria Priests and Priestess use tarot decks and other divination tools, or a combination of tools, in every psychic reading and spiritual consultation offered at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
This brief overview of the History of Tarot Decks, Tarot Cards, Common Tarot Card Meanings and how they came about for psychic tarot readings is part of Erzulie’s “Spiritual Summary Series™” for those curious about various Voodoo, Occult and Spiritual topics.
We offer more in-depth and academic resources on Tarot Readings, Tarot Decks and Psychic Readings divination systems showcased in our extensive article section for those wishing to learn more!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TAROT DECKS USED IN TAROT PSYCHIC READINGS:
Tarot decks have a long and complex history, with many different theories about their origins. The earliest known tarot decks were created in Italy in the 15th century and were originally used for playing card games. It wasn’t until the 18th century that tarot cards began to be used for divination and spiritual purposes.
The most well-known tarot deck is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, which was created in 1909 by artist Pamela Colman Smith under the guidance of occultist Arthur Edward Waite. The Tarot is divided into two main categories: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, each representing a major life lesson or spiritual theme. The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards, divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Each suit represents a different aspect of life, such as creativity, emotions, intellect, and material possessions.
The meanings of the Tarot cards can vary depending on the deck and the reader, but there are many resources available to help interpret the cards as you wish to study Tarot Decks & The Art of Tarot Reading more.
Most modern Tarot Decks follow along this format of Major Arcana Cards and Minor Arcana Cards with 78 Tarot Cards in the Tarot Deck and use similar meanings for each tarot card. We listed the most common Major Arcana meanings below just for a quick reference.
COMMON MAJOR ARCANA TAROT CARD MEANINGS:
◊ The Fool: new beginnings, spontaneity, and innocence.
◊ The Magician: manifestation, creativity, and skills
◊ The High Priestess: intuition, mystery, and hidden knowledge.
◊ The Empress: abundance, nurturing, fertility and motherhood.
◊ The Emperor: authority, structure, and stability.
◊ The Hierophant: tradition, spirituality, and religion.
◊ The Lovers: love, relationships, and choices.
◊ The Chariot: determination, movement, willpower, and success.
◊ Strength: inner strength, courage, power, and resilience.
◊ The Hermit: introspection, solitude, and wisdom.
◊ The Wheel of Fortune: cycles, change, karma, blessings and destiny.
◊ Justice: balance, fairness, and truth.
◊ The Hanged Man: surrender, letting go, and sacrifice.
◊ Death: transformation, change, and rebirth.
◊ Temperance: moderation, balance, and harmony.
◊ The Devil: materialism, addiction, and temptation.
◊ The Tower: upheaval, chaos, and revelation.
◊ The Star: hope, inspiration, and spirituality.
◊ The Moon: intuition, dreams, deception, and the subconscious.
◊ The Sun: vitality, joy, and success.
◊ Judgment: rebirth, renewal, and awakening.
◊ The World: completion, accomplishment, and fulfillment.
MORE ABOUT MINOR ARCANA TAROT CARDS:
The meanings of the Minor Arcana Tarot cards can vary depending on the deck and the reader, but we included a little more details as to what those tarot cards generally represent for a quick reference as well. Just a little note: interpreting the Minor Arcana cards can be a bit more complex, as each card has its own meaning and interpretation within the context of the suit and the reading. This is where an expert Tarot Card Reader and Psychic Reading is really needed to truly see the accurate picture of your situation objectively.
COMMON MINOR ARCANA TAROT CARD THEMES & ASSOCIATED MEANINGS:
♦ Wands: creativity, inspiration, boldness and action.
♥ Cups: emotions, love, relationships, and intuition.
♠ Swords: intellect, communication, and conflict.
♣ Pentacles: material possessions, finances, prosperity and practicality.
VARIOUS KINDS OF TAROT DECKS & INFLUENCES FROM SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS:
Prior to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, there were many other variations of tarot decks, each with their own unique symbolism and interpretations. Some of these earlier decks include the Visconti-Sforza deck, which was created in the 15th century for the Duke of Milan, and the Marseilles Tarot, which was created in the 17th century and is still widely used today.
The symbolism of tarot cards is believed to be influenced by a variety of different spiritual and philosophical traditions, including Kabbalah, astrology, Vodou, Paganism, Witchcraft, and alchemy. Each card contains a unique combination of symbols and images that can be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on the context of the reading.
Today, tarot decks continue to be popular among those interested in divination, spirituality, and personal growth. There are now hundreds of different tarot decks available, each with their own unique themes, artwork, and interpretations. Each tarot deck resonates differently with each reader and can vary depending on the type of reading or the client themselves. This is where an experienced tarot psychic reader is extremely helpful with interpreting the messages from Spirit.
We use many unique tarot decks, mostly focused on the Voodoo, Santeria, Divine Messaging Systems and African Traditional Religions, along with other traditional divination tools in all of our Psychic Tarot Readings at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans. Our Priests and Priestess have decades of experience pulling in the messages from the Divine Spirits with incredible accuracy.
Tarot Decks, the History of Tarot and Tarot Readings, much like many spiritual and religious topics, are often vast and complicated subject matters. There are volumes and tomes written about these incredible, mysterious, and powerful divination systems available for those to learn more if they wish.
SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF TAROT DECKS, TAROT CARDS & COMMON TAROT CARD MEANINGS:
Overall, the Tarot cards can be a powerful tool for spiritual guidance, foreshadowing, forewarning, accurate outcomes, self-discovery, and personal growth. Understanding Tarot Cards and Divination tools only serves to bring a deeper understanding of the messages from Spirit in your Psychic Reading, Tarot Reading or Spiritual Consultation too! We cover more of this in our article 5 Reasons to Book a Psychic Reading and Spiritual Consultation as well!
We offer these fun and informative Spiritual Summary Series™ to acquaint those with some preliminary information on various spiritual topics. If you would like to hear what the Divine have to say about your personal situation or life questions, speak to one of our expert Practitioners in one of our Psychic Readings, Tarot Readings, Divinations and Spiritual Consultations.
At Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans, we always strive to provide educational resources for our guests and friends visiting us, and truly hope you enjoyed our “Spiritual Summary Series™” article. Please let us know if there are any topics you’d be interested in learning more about too by emailing webmistress@erzulies.com!