About the Tarot
The Key Signs and Symbols, the Archetypes.
The following extract from The Everything Tarot Book, ISBN 1580621910, a work by M. J. Abadie on the History and Mystery of the tarot explains how the Tarot functions through the use of signs, symbols and archetypes.
The Soul of the World
Though we can only speculate on its origins, the Tarot images are inextricably linked to ancient beliefs, mythologies, and religious systems such as the Hebrew Cabala. Others, notably Pythagoras, believed that letters and numbers are in themselves divine beings possessing extraordinary powers; the Greek neo-Pythagorean school taught these ideas.
No matter the origin of the Tarot, it is clear that its motifs refer directly to fundamental human psychological and spiritual experiences. The more one studies them and practices their use, the deeper one's understanding becomes, and the more they resonate to the inner life, as well as to events in the outer life. They are primarily meant to be used for enlightenment, for discovery of the authentic Self.
In the view of the alchemists and mystics, the universal significance of such symbols as the Tarot presents and preserves was thought to spring from the anima mundi, or soul of the world, which was seen as a vast repository of knowledge, like a universal library, that was filled with the memories and wisdom of the entire human race-past, present, and future. Sometimes called the "Akashic records", this source of knowledge could be accessed by anyone willing to make the effort of deep contemplation.Within this collective pool are all the basic figures found in religions, myths, legends, and fairy tales. Taken together, these figures encapsulate a magical storehouse of profound esoteric knowledge. For example, The Empress symbolizes the essence of femininity as represented by the great mother Goddess of the world's most ancient religion. She can be seen as the representative of what Goethe called "the eternal feminine", in both myth and psychology.
Thus does each figure of the Tarot call forth from the individual's unconscious a deep resonance. Contact with these images in a conscious, intentional way allows their hidden counterparts -- denizens of the deepest layer of human collectivity -- to surface and become integrated into a person's life.Properly conducted, a reading is a story -- the images on the cards meld into a meaningful pattern that can clarify the issues confronting the person for whom the reading is held. In a profound sense, if taken rightly, a reading can act like a vivid, enlightening dream or a moment of the flash of inspiration-the "Ah-ha" experience. "So, that's how it goes!"
Tarot cards are wonderful for meditation, as well as for divination, or the answering of questions. They act to stimulate the intuition, which is the key to the gateway of the unconscious. They act to illuminate the hidden factors in a person's life that bear on the situation at hand. Often, the person him- or herself may be unaware of these inner issues that are secretly shaping the course of his or her life. The Tarot, by contacting what is inside the person, reveals them.
So, let's talk about some of the key signs and symbols. A proper discussion of the signs, symbols and archetypal images and meanings contained within the Tarot would take volumes and is beyond anything we could consider for this work. Still, there are three fundamental universal symbols contained within the Tarot that once understood, open the doors to understanding all of the rest. These are: the Numbers, the Elements and Astrology and the Archetypes.
The Numbers.
Every card except the card cards is numbered in the Tarot. Each number gives you a sense of the general tone of the card, the basic frequency on which it is operating. So when you understand the basics of numerology, you will have a valuable "key" to the meaning of the cards. See the attachment for a beginning point, and then visit our website at http://globalpsychics.com/enlightening-you/numerology/index-numerology.shtml for more information. Then get yourself a couple of books on Numerology and get familiar with the basics.
Basic Meaning of Numbers
- One is creativity and Confidence - Will, the most independent and unconventional of all the numbers Mental number (thoughts, ideas, rational manipulation) Shape of a pillar-upright. Example: Sophia Loren - September 20, 1934 (9+2+1+9+3+4=28/1, 2+8=1)
- Two is cooperation and balance, the most gentle of all the numbers. Intuitional number (spiritual, psychic) Shape of a spring – flexible and resilient. Jacqueline Onassis - July 28, 1929 (7+2+8+1+9+2+9=38/11/2)
- Three is expression and sensitivity - creativity, the most imaginative and playful of all the numbers. Emotional number. Shape is open and inviting. Salvador Dali -= May 11, 1904 (5+1+1+1+9+4=21/3)
- Four is stability and progress - discipline and work, the most practical of all the numbers. Physical number (world of matter). Square-shaped – down to earth, rock of support. Shirley MacLaine - August 24, 1934 (8+2+4+1+9+3+4=31/4)
- Five is freedom and discipline - change, the most dynamic of all the numbers. Physical number (world of matter). Shape is open, front and back. Marlon Brando - April 3, 1924 (4+3+1+9+2+4=23/5)
- Six is vision and acceptance - responsibility and service, the most loving and sacrificing of all the numbers. Emotional number Shape – pregnant (with love). John Lennon - October 9, 1940 (1+9+1+9+4=24/6)
- Seven is trust and openness - wisdom and detachment, the most spiritual of all the numbers. Intuitional number (spiritual, psychic). Symbol – an arm outstretched, holding a lamp, shining its light in search of answers. Marilyn Monroe - June 1, 1926 (6+1+1+9+2+6=25/7)
- EIGHT is abundance and power - authority, the most result-oriented of all the numbers, good for business, money. Mental number (thoughts, ideas, rational manipulation) Symbol – balance between the spiritual and the material worlds (heaven and earth in two circles). Elizabeth Taylor - February 27,1932 (2+2+7+1+9+3+2=26/8)
- NINE is integrity and wisdom - compassion, the number of service, the most humanitarian of all the numbers. Emotional and Intuitional. Shape – the completion of the circle symbolizes love being sent to the world. Elvis Aaron Presley - January 8, 1935 (1+8+1+9+3+5=27/9)
For lots more on the meaning of numbers, go to http://globalpsychics.com/enlightening-you/numerology/index-numerology.shtml
The key elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water are the cornerstones of the Minor Arcana, so a student of the Tarot needs also to understand the basic vibrations of these elements. For example, earth is associated with grounding, with the body physical, with manifesting; air is about ideas, movement, flow, rash action, the realm of the mind; water is about feelings, personal happiness, femininity, adaptability, the realm of the heart; and fire is passion, desire, sexuality, action, cleansing, focused intent, that magnetic realm of emotion that can lead to both war and peace.The elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water are also some of the fundamental principles in Astrology, and so a study of Astrology can be exceptionally useful in understanding some of the deeper symbols contained within the Tarot. Even a basic knowledge of the sun signs, the interaction of the key planets and the effect of the moon on our loves can be valuable in your study of the Tarot. On our web site Book Shelves, you'll find dozens of books listed that are useful for gaining some basic insights on astrology – enough at least to apply it in your work with the Tarot, to help you identify timelines, and to understand some of the basic influences that may be affecting a reading.
Each card in the Major Arcana represents a specific point or individual that we will encounter repeatedly in our lives in some form or another. For example, the Hierophant represents the rules of society and when s/he appears in a reading, it can be a warning that a person may be encumbered by these rules – or may find them working to their advantage, depending on what's around. When you understand the significance of these key events in our lives, you will be able to get clarification and depth from the cards associated with this key event… – for example Death speaks to transformation and rebirth as much as it does to the passing of a life or set of circumstances , and it always entails a certain amount of grief, anger and release before the new life is embraced… When you see the Death card in a reading, it may mean that someone is setting off for university or taking on a new job far more often than it would mean the passing of someone from this earth plane. The cards around the Death card will always tell you what is really happening here and how to interpret this particular reading and this "transformation." The archetypes in the Major Arcana are best described in Jung's work, "the Archetypes in the Tarot".
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Tips for Working with the Tarot
We close this session with a series of tips gathered from our team and research that will help you get going in understanding how to work with the Tarot.
- If you see a lot of Major Arcana cards in a spread, it generally means that this question is extremely important to the querant or is a life-changing matter. It can also mean that the querant cannot control the events that are unfolding around him or her, that they must wait and watch before taking action.
- To help you with timelines, each of the suits can also be thought of as representing a season:. swords are fall, wands spring, cups summer, and pentacles winter. (You will see varying versions of this, choose the one that works for you and then be consistent.)A particular suit may turn up heavily in a spread and can tell you what is influencing the question or querant most. For instance, if you see a lot of pentacles, then this must be a financial matter. Cups would indicate a matter of the heart; wands, spiritual, or emotional and swords a matter of the mind or perhaps an argument or something similar.
- You can assign your own unique meanings to specific cards. For example, The King of Swords, for me represents the time of Taurus, and for someone else may mean something completely different. That's Ok – and part of the magic of the tarot… once you begin working with it in a specific way, ir "remembers" and reacts to help you get the right answers – and some consistency in your readings.
Remember, the tarot can be used for many things besides telling the future. It is a valued tool for meditation. A reading or meditation will often give you as much, if not more, information on the past and present. It isn't just a parlor game; the tarot is a very powerful tool that, when used properly, can be very illuminating.
Why did I place the Fool at the beginning of this section?
Send us your tips, ideas and experiences on working with the Tarot.
