What is tarot?

A playing card deck dating to mid-15th century Europe, the tarot has been used as a divination tool since the late18th century.

Associated with what was at one time called the occult but is now referred to as Spiritualism or New Age philosophy, the tarot is thought to have originated in Italy, though this is not certain.

Some occult enthusiasts claim the cards reference ancient Egypt, the Kabbalah, Indian Tantra and the I Ching, among many others, but no documented evidence of such origins has been found. There is also no evidence of the tarot being used as a divination tool before the 18th century.

For many years, tarot cards were used as regular playing cards, like today’s Hoyle playing cards are used to play Rummy, Spades, Poker and other games. Eventually, however, people started seeing representations of daily life in the images on the cards.

The earliest evidence of a tarot deck used for “fortune-telling” or divinatory purposes comes from an anonymous manuscript from France circa 1750.

France is also where esoteric tarot was popularized. It started with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (Etteilla) in Paris during the 1780s. Court and Alliette used the Tarot of Marseilles as a fortune-telling tool, but around 1900, French tarot players abandoned the Marseilles tarot in favor of Tarot Nouveau.

Etteilla was the first to issue a tarot deck specifically designed for occult purposes around 1789. In keeping with the misplaced belief that such cards were derived from the Book of Thoth, Etteilla’s tarot contained themes related to ancient Egypt.

Today, the three decks most commonly used in esoteric tarot are the Tarot of Marseilles, the Rider-Waite tarot deck and the Thoth tarot deck. There are many others, however, and each deck contains symbolism that the deck’s creator identifies with on a spiritual, historic and/or cultural level.

Full of symbolism and artistry, tarot cards become a part of their owner as much as the owner’s energy becomes a part of the cards. Though they may not be for everyone, I invite you to take a look at a deck of tarot cards to see if they speak to you. They could open a door to better understanding, more clarity and great fun!