Beginning Tarot

By Grace Mary Katthrynn Perez

Most people who have heard of the Tarot think of it only as a method for telling the future. However, as my first teacher said, “To use your Tarot deck only to read the future is like using your car only to store gasoline.” You are not really using the Tarot to its full potential. The Tarot is a tool of spiritual growth and of divination. A complete explanation of the Tarot and its uses is beyond the scope of this article. However, I will give a short explanation of the Tarot and its history and provide tips on how to find your first deck.

The Tarot is a deck of 78 cards divided into 5 groups. There are four suits and one set of Major cards often called the Trumps or the Major Arcana. The suits contain 14 cards each and are often called the Minor Arcana. I will be referring to them as Major and Minor Arcana. The exact origins of the Tarot are lost in the shadows of time. There are as many theories about their origins as there are decks on the market.

Many people believe the Tarot first came from Egypt. According to some legends, they were handed down to humanity from the god, Thoth. Others say that the Tarot was created after the burning of the Library of Alexandria. The wise men of the age, it is said, developed the Tarot to preserve knowledge that was nearly lost in the flames. Certainly there are clear Egyptian symbols in the Tarot. There are, also, Kabalistic symbols pointing to a close relationship to Jewish mysticism. Almost all legends of the Tarot believe that the Gypsies were guardians of them at one time or another. There are stories that the Gypsies passed their precious secret to Gnostics, the Montanists, the Manichaeans and the Albigenses as well as to the Masons.

The first historical record of the Tarot is 1390 AD, although there are references to the cards as early as the 12th century. At different points in history the Tarot was both fashionable and forbidden depending on your country and the laws of the day. In 1854, Dogma and Ritual Transcendental Magic by Levi cites the Tarot as one of it’s prime sources. During the occult reawakening during the late 19th and early 20th centuries many famous occultists wrote about the Tarot including S. L. MacGregor Mathers, founder of the Golden Dawn; Dr. Gerard Encausse, who used Papus as his pen name and Paul Foster Case who wrote The Tarot, A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages.

There were two authors during this period who, in addition to writing about the Tarot, designed decks. They are the two best-known decks today. One is A. E. White who with artist Pamela Colman Smith designed the Rider Pack. The other is legendary Aleister Crowley who designed the Book of Thoth commonly called The Thoth Deck. Crowley’s artist was Lady Frieda Harris. Nearly all the decks on the market today draw their inspiration from one of these two decks. Both are good sources and which one is best for you will depend on how well you like the symbols and interpretations in each.

There are some things to consider when picking out a deck for your personal use. How much you want to spend? New Tarot decks run between $12.00 and $25.00. Used decks can be as little as $3.00, but you need to be sure they are in good condition and they will require a little extra effort to purify them. Furthermore, you should take into account your own level of experience with the occult and esoteric knowledge. If you are a beginner, you should chose a deck with clear, easy to read symbols and pictures. I recommend that a beginner get a deck that provides illustrations for both the Major and Minor Arcana’s.

Those are the measurable criteria. There are also the immeasurable criteria. Do you like the art? Does it feel good in your hand? Does it have good energy? Does the deck speak to you? Do you agree with the interpretations? Do its themes resonate within you? In the end, your choice of deck is going to boil down to simply Which one do you like the best?

Whichever deck you choose try to pick up the accompanying book. Most decks come with a small pamphlet inside the box, but there is usually a companion book by the same author. It is usually a good idea to pick that up if you can. In addition to the companion book, there are a couple of books I recommend all beginners get. A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray is a fantastic book for beginners. It is clear and concise. It explains the meaning of each card and includes reverse meanings for those readers who use reversed interpretations for inverted cards. It, also, explains the more common spreads people use to do readings. Finally, A Complete Guide to the Tarot has a description of the archetypal significance of the Major Arcana that is both simple and profound. It is found in the epilogue called “The Fool’s Journey.” Eden Gray’s book is an invaluable resource for any Tarot reader. It is a book I still refer to more than twenty years after I first picked up a deck.

The other beginner’s book I recommend is specifically designed to assist in using the Tarot for inner spiritual work. Mary Greer’s Tarot for Your Self: A Workbook for Personal Transformation is another book that I still work with regularly since I first read it in the early nineties. Each exercise is challenging and guides you to a new level of your spiritual development. I return to it continually whenever I feel I need a spiritual refresher course. Both books are available at most major bookstores.

I hope this article has provided enough information to get you started with your first Tarot deck. In the end, my best advice is to pick up a deck and start. Everything else will follow.

Blessed Be!

More From Me:
Getting to Know Your Deck

Read my Bio