Tarotlaydee's Powergems

TAROT 101-Lesson 2

A Short History of the Tarot.

The history of the Tarot has been debated by scholars of this form of Divination for years now. Most agree on the basics of what the deck was used for and how it was used after the Fifteenth Century. But where did it really come from?

Some Tarot Scholars think that the images were always mystical and esoteric and they had evolved from the secrets of the Knights Templar in the Middle Ages and were disguised in the form of cards ...others have noted that the original decks may have been used by the Gypsies or the Dravidians in ancient times and still others say that the entire deck and almost all of the knowledge pertaining to this form of Divination was destroyed in the fire of the humoungous ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt. I tend to think that they were an ancient form of Divination that was disguised as a card game to keep the Church Inquisitioners at bay and that only a few were partakers of its ancient knowledge but that they handed this knowledge down to others to keep it alive.

In the first half of the fifteenth century, somewhere in northern Italy, people were using the Tarot cards as a game. Like playing cards, the tarot deck included numbered cards (1 through 10), four suits, and court cards page, knight, and king. The Queens and the Major Arcana Cards (0-22 Trumps) were said to be added at this time to make the existing playing cards into Tarot cards.

The Tarot cards were used to play a game that was similar to Bridge. The "Game of Triumphs" became very popular, especially with the upper classes and the royals and spread as a new trend like wildfire throughout all the countries of Europe. The cards were also used for gambling and therefore banned by the Church.

Later, people began to see the hidden symbols in the cards and the imagry that drew them to their subconscious and to the spiritual aspects in their lives. It was at this point that the cards evolved from a simple game played by the rich, bored and listless to a Divination tool for those who sought answers about their lives, choices and their spiritual paths.

One thing that most early Occultists in the 17th and 18th centuries noticed about the Tarot cards was their similarities (and their blending and fusion) to other forms of Divination such as: Astrology, Numerology, Runes, Kabbalah, Christian Mysticism and more. Diviniation was practiced in the parlours of the rich and well-off, and they paid a lot of money to those for all kinds of Divination services. People also seemed to notice that there was a confirming aspect to the cards, those who already knew things in their own subconcious asked the cards questions and the cards confirmed what they already knew. This is what changed the cards from being a game or being used for gambling to a Divination tool.

The oldest COMPLETE deck that survives today is called the Visconti-Sforza deck (Italian) and more information about this deck and its creation can be researched at the link below:

http://www.telp.com/tarot/visconti.htm

The Tarot cards have evolved into an art form as of late...there are so many different decks and it gets confusing to choose one. There are topics, colors, beautiful art, reproductions, primitive symbology, religious paths, all these things to choose from when choosing a deck for yourself or as a gift for another. What messages did the original designer want us to know about the cards?

I encourage all students to research the History of the Tarot, there is a wealth of interesting information on the internet. And definitely too much for me to try to grasp and relay to all of you for this short lesson.

But here are some interesting links to check out:

http://www.salemtarot.com/tarothistory.html

http://members.aol.com/imladriscb/history.htm

http://www.mystichouse.com/tarot1/history.htm

Proper Ethics of a Tarot Reader

Read these points over and decide if you can read for others within these limits. If you cannot, then it is best that the Tarot remains a pastime and used for entertainment purposes only for you, and not used as something you can make your living or seriously help others with. It is good to remember that when you are doing the Tarot professionally or spiritually, it is similar to being a psychologist or a psychiatrist, a family, drug and alchohol or marriage couselor. You will encounter many different personalities and at some time you may find yourself under mental or spiritual attack from someone who thinks they got a 'bad" reading or just did not like you for whatever reason. Even people you do not know will contact you and do these things. It is best to work within a set of guidelines and never, ever go against the guidelines. In the long run, this will protect you if any of these attacks ever occur. Create your own, write them down and read over them occasionally.

Always speak the truth, except--do not talk of death, EVER! Even if you see it in the reading for the querant or the querant's loved one, it is best to call this life passage a "life-changing" event. Always let the querant know that the reading is meant as a "guideline" and that no particular circumstance is set in stone. The querant is still able to make choices of his or her own free will.

This Code of Ethics I got from another site, and paraphrased # 7 for myself because of our local laws here and are almost exactly what I believe and how I operate when doing the Tarot for someone else:

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1. I will advise querents with medical, psychological, legal or financial issues to also seek the advice of appropriate professionals in those fields.

2. I will advise querents that I do not "tell fortunes", that they are responsible for their own actions and that their future is in their hands.

3. I will strive always to provide quality readings, not reading when I am tired, ill, hurried, upset or otherwise not at my best.

4. I will protect the confidentiality of querents to the maximum extent allowed by law.

5. I will provide querents with a truthful reading, neither exaggerating nor diminishing either the good or the bad and informing them when I am not certain about interpretations.

6. I will not read for querents who are not, in my opinion, emotionally able to deal with a reading, nor will I read for minors without the knowledge and consent of a parent or guardian.

7. I will gladly take donations and help others regardless of their income.

8. I will not discriminate against any querent on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age (except minors), physical challenge, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other irrelevant factor.

9. I will endeavor to educate both querents and the public about Tarot, dispelling myths and misinformation.

Here is the link:

http://members.cts.com/king/s/saoirse/TarotCodeOfEthics.html

Homework Assignment:

Write three points for your own Code of Ethics. Be creative. Continue to do your card a day meditation. Add a blending meditation, as a separate card pull, take one card of the Minor Arcana from the deck and one from the Major Arcana and BLEND the meanings. Write down any thoughts, feelings, impressions that you have about the two cards under your entry for the Card a Day. Also note repeating cards, symbols, colors, patterns, etc for these.

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Written by Reverend Anita Stewart the Tarotlaydee™

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