beginners guide to tarot
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Joanna Watters has been kind enough to supply TACRA with the following piece of work. We hope you find it interesting.  Joanna Watters is the author of “Astrology for Today”, and “Tarot for Today” (Carroll and Brown, 2003.) She is the founder of The Greek Island Summer School, running astrology and tarot courses on the Greek island of Lefkada every year since 2002. Contact Joanna
A Beginners Guide to the Tarot
by Joanna Watters Have you ever wondered how the tarot works? Well the good news is that you don’t have to be psychic! Practising with the your tarot cards will automatically develop your psychic and intuitive abilities – just tune in to the symbolism of each card and see how it relate to your own situation, or someone else’s, when you start doing readings and you’ll be astounded at the results.  Which deck? There are lots of different tarot packs to choose from. I favour the Rider Waite pack which is a very popular deck – but choose the pack you like the most. The easier it is to familiarize yourself with your cards the easier it will be for you to work with them. Knowing your cards Every tarot pack is made up of 78 cards – and every card has a traditional meaning. This is also known as a “universal” meaning. For example, the Ace of Pentacles has a universal meaning of “new money” because Aces are beginnings and the Pentacles, or coins, mostly speak of our finances. Then, once the card is placed within the context of an actual reading, for a real question, the “particular” meaning will emerge. So the Ace of Pentacles could be a pay rise, a new job, a business idea, a gift of money – or even a win on the lottery! The 78 Tarot cards are divided into three categories and here are their traditional meanings: The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards which all have names:   0. The Fool – fresh starts 1. The Magician – news 2. The High Priestess – secrets 3. The Empress – conception 4. The Emperor – authority 5. The Hierophant – guidance 6. The Lovers – sexual relationship 7. The Chariot – progress 8. Strength – endurance 9. The Hermit – retreat 10. The Wheel of Fortune – good luck   11. Justice – decision 12. The Hanged Man – sacrifice 13. Death – endings 14. Temperance – balance 15. The Devil – unhealthy love 16. The Tower – the unexpected 17. The Star – renewal 18. The Moon – hidden issues 19. The Sun – success 20. Judgement – rebirth 21. The World – completion The Minor Arcana consists of four suits with ten cards in each, from the Ace through to the Ten. The Wands are
used in a variety of ways depending on the situation each cards
symbolizes. For example, they may be brandished as weapons in battle,
held defensively as protection or raised aloft in triumph.
Ace – Opportunity
  Two – Choices Three – Yearning Four – Homecoming Five – Squabbles Six – Triumph Seven – Defence Eight – Progress Nine – Vigilance Ten – Burdens The Pentacles
relate mostly to financial or practical matters and they illustrate how
we make, receive, spend, save or use our money and resources. They
illustrate the full spectrum of poverty through to wealth.
 
Ace – New money
Two – Juggling finances Three – Planning Four – Over careful Five – Hardship Six - Repayment Seven – Assessment Eight – Industriousness Nine – Abundance Ten – Wealth The Swords,
like the Wands, can be used either for attack or defence. Swords can
cut and wound so they also symbolize emotional pain as much as strife.
They can also symbolize problems created by the lack of courage or
purpose.
 
Ace – Challenge
Two – Indecision Three – Heartache Four – Convalescence Five – Defeat Six – Transition Seven – Stealth Eight – Cornered Nine – Anxiety Ten – Endings The Cups carry
all that is to do with feeling. They illustrate the whole range of
happiness, from falling in love to raising our cups in celebration.
They also illustrate the emotional pain, such as loss, love gone wrong
or disappointments.
  Ace – New love Two – Union Three – Celebration Four – Despondency Five – Grief Six – Nostalgia Seven – Choices Eight – Resignation Nine – Satisfaction Ten – Joy The Court Cards comprise of the remaining sixteen cards – a Page, a Knight, a King and a Queen for each of the four suits. The Court cards represent : · other people in our lives
· facets of our own nature · situations To begin with consider the TYPE of person being symbolized by the card – then consider the card as a personality trait and then as a situation. In terms of age Pages traditionally represent youth, Knights young adults and Kings people older than ourselves. The Queens can be any age. Wands
The Page – a traveler or self-starter; enthusiasm; news from abroad The Knight – an adventurer; restlessness; opportunity The Queen – the organiser; confidence; productivity The King – an inspirer; ability; vision Pentacles
The Page – a hard worker; reliability; a new project The Knight – a cautious type; slowness; inertia The Queen – a nurturing type; steadiness; stability The King – a provider; practicality; security Swords
The Page – a trouble maker; dishonesty; gossip The Knight – a disruptive influence; impatience; chaos The Queen – the widow or divorcee; resilience; independence The King – the barrister; efficiency; logic Cups
The Page – an artistic type; sensitivity; a conception The Knight – the suitor; sincerity; a proposal The Queen – the dreamer; empathy; a fantasy world The King – a distant type; uncertainty; isolation  Keeping your Cards Tradition says that your cards should be wrapped in a silk cloth of either black or purple, which then doubles up as the cloth on which to lay the cards for a reading. Always put your cards away after a reading – and don’t allow others to play with them. Your Tarot cards are one of your most magical possessions so treat them with awe and respect. Shuffling and Dealing Some Tarot readers shuffle the cards and then ask the client to cut the pack, others deal straight from the top of the pack once the client has shuffled. My own preference, once the client has handed the cards back to me, is to fan the cards out on the silk cloth, face down, and ask the client to choose their own cards and to lay them, face down, on top of each other. In this way the all important “outcome” card – the last card – is actually the first to be selected. Spreads Avoid complicated spreads that involve using a lot of cards – they are difficult to learn and are often ineffective. Here are two fun and easy spreads to get you started. The Horseshoe Spread
This spread can be used to ask about virtually any question. Select five cards and lay them out in the shape of a horseshoe. Card 1 – Current situation This card shows the present situation or your state of mind, or a combination of both. Card 2 – What is before you This card shows the immediate future of the matter, issues arising, the first major stepping stone ahead. Card 3 – Heart of the Matter This card holds the central position of the readings. It can reveal the key issues, the matter around which everything else will revolve. Card 4 – Short Term Future The first outcome card indicates how events will take shape within or over the following six months. A positive card in this position shows that we are on the right track. A difficult card indicates that results will be hard won. Card 5 – Long Term Future The final outcome card speaks of results within or over the following six to twelve months. A difficult card in this position is a warning to think again! A positive card indicates that we will get the results that we want. If the rest of the spread has been mostly positive then we can expect results swiftly. The Relationship Spread
This time select seven cards. Place the first two side by side – the first card on the left and the second on the right – and then the other five in a horseshoe shape above. Card 1 – You This card shows how you feel about the relationship, how you stand in relation to the person you’re asking about. Card 2 – The Other This card shows how the other person feels about the relationship and their attitude to you! Card 3 – Current situation This card shows the nature of the relationship in the present moment. Card 4 – Issues arising This card shows the immediate future of the relationship, where it is going and the nature of any important issue between you. Card 5 – Heart of the Matter A positive card in this position indicates that the prospects are good even if there are difficulties to be worked at. Card 6 – Short Term Future A positive card in this position indicates that the relationship is headed in the right direction within or over the next six months. A difficult card shows problems looming! Card 7 – Long Term Future This card speaks of how the relationship will develop within or over the following six to twelve months. A difficult card in this position says that the relationship will be a struggle or that it won’t stand the test of time. A positive outcome card carries a lot of weight and promises a happy outcome, or that the relationship is worth working at or fighting for. Courtesy
of Joanna Watters
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