Full Description
Gaining insight into our deeper selves through the use of divination tools to help decide future actions has preoccupied mankind since ancient times. In Europe, cards which became known as Tarot have been used to map the soul and predict the future since the 16th century. The 78 cards in the Tarot deck each has its own imagery, symbolism and story. This beautiful pocket edition showcases each card from the Rider-Waite-Smith set, the one most commonly used by Tarot readers. Practitioners believe that the 22 Major Arcana cards represent life's karmic and spiritual lessons, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards reflect the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Tarot offers an elegantly presented, concise guide to the 78 cards, from number 0 The Fool - who represents unlimited potential, through The Hermit - who represents a break from everyday life, to number 21 The World - which indicates a sense of wholeness, completion and fulfilment.
Contents
Introduction
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The standard modern tarot deck is based on the Venetian or the Piedmontese tarot. It consists of 78 cards divided into two groups: the major arcana, which has 22 cards, also known as trumps, and the minor arcana, which has 56 cards. The Rider-Waite card set featured was first issued in 1909 and is the most commonly-used set by readers worldwide.
Major Arcana cards
0 The Fool
1 The Magician
2 The High Priestess
3 The Empress
4 The Emperor
5 The Hierophant
6 The Lovers
7 The Chariot
8 Strength
9 The Hermit
10 Wheel of Fortune
11 Justice
12 The Hanged Man
13 Death
14 Temperance
15 The Devil
16 The Tower
17 The Star
18 The Moon
19 The Sun
20 Judgement
21 The World
Minor Arcana cards
There are four different card suits that make up the Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Every one of these suits contains 14 cards: 10 numbered cards, and four cards called "court cards" that include the Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
