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Tarot is an ancient system that dates back to ancient Egypt. The famous legend of the God Thoth and his book of the 78 gold plates, which served so that the human being could understand his origin, his direction and his end. This mysterious book according to legend, ended up at the bottom of the Nile River after driving its last owner crazy when looking at the 78 gold hieroglyphics and not being prepared to understand it.
This is the origin of how they were introduced in Europe, it is historically very easy to verify, it was through one of the three or four gypsy ethnic groups (they do not agree if they are 3 or 4 ethnic groups) who were originally expelled from India for being musicians and nomadic people and not being considered of trust as a clan by not staying in the same place.
After their expulsion, they emigrated throughout the world, and each of their ethnic groups left their mark. The Gypsies passed through Egypt and there learned the art of fortune-telling with their hands and Tarot cards. After entering Europe, they did so through southern Italy, where they were called gypsi, which means “Egyptian,” and they made the nabis (playing cards) famous, changing much of their original symbolism, keeping the most basic meanings given their understanding of oral knowledge.
Not everyone was prepared to understand it, so they made it easier for their people to earn a living, ensuring that only a few qualified people could do so.
Thus the picaresque of survival prevailed. When the nabis were banned around 1329 by the Bishop of Wurzburg in Germany, it was gradually established by the Church throughout the world, which forced the separation of the 22 major arcana and the elimination of the 9 and 10 as well as the queen for symbolizing women who were losing importance because of the clergy who condemned them to be -the origin of all sin and also having no soul- Thus the Spanish deck was born and with it the games of chance.
What is tarot and what is it for?
Tarot is an ancient tool for unlocking the mind and placing it in different altered states of consciousness to glimpse the truth of human existence in its past, present, and future.
In fact, its symbols have the ability to visually connect with our brain, provoking different sensations that, in the most sensitive subjects, produce images of past, present, and future reality.
Difference between Major Arcana and Minor Arcana
The major arcana are 22 numbered from 1 to 21 and card 0 corresponds to the image of the Fool. These symbols are visually very powerful because they suggest different emotions depending on the subject who uses them. Thus, a psychic person will receive a lot of information, but if one is only intuitive, it will depend on the day. If the psyche is undeveloped, I fear that one will only have a feeling of pleasure or displeasure and little else. But what is certain is that it works by connecting our brain.
The difference with the Minor Arcana is that the symbolism of the minor arcana is much simpler and less powerful, which is why those who are not truly psychic do not use them. There are many people who only use the major arcana because with them the sensations are assured – however, it is the minor arcana that give you the details of each situation.
The minor arcana are numbered from 1 to 10 and include the figures of the Page (young person), Knight (middle-aged person), King (adult man in command), and Queen (adult woman in command).
They are divided into 4 suits which are:
Cups (feelings)
Cups represent the heart, emotions, and everything that flows from within. They are associated with love, emotional relationships, friendship, sensitivity, and spiritual connection. They are a symbol of what we feel, how we give ourselves to others, and how we experience joy, sadness, and nostalgia.
Clubs (family and work)
The Wands represent inner fire, motivation, and the concrete actions we take in life. They are associated with creativity, entrepreneurship, personal and professional projects, and also with the family as a space for construction and growth. The Wands push us to move, to create, to build, or even to defend what is ours.
Swords (law, fights and conflicts)
Swords are symbols of the mind, of reason, of difficult decisions, and of the conflicts we face in life. They represent truth, justice, law, and internal and external struggles. Swords remind us that there are battles we must fight, truths we must accept, and boundaries we must set.
Coins (money and power)
The coins represent the physical and material world: money, possessions, financial success, but also self-worth and security. They speak not only to us about wealth, but also about how we manage our resources and what gives us stability in the earthly world.
How Tarot cards are interpreted
The method used is based on what is called a draw or reading. The cards are shuffled beforehand, in fact, while doing so you breathe deeply and try to put your mind in a state of relaxation, when the expert, also called fortune teller, feels sufficiently relaxed, they usually give the deck to the consultant to shuffle or cut it.
At this point, they are arranged in what is considered a reading, where each position refers to a specific circumstance, for example, past work, present work, future in the next 2 months, obstacles in your path, etc.
Divinatory and informative meaning of the cards
Each card has several meanings, and you must choose the one that best fits your question, and this also depends on the skill of the fortune teller.
Although a Tarot student must learn the meaning of each card, they must also consider the cards surrounding the reading, its position, and the sensation and, therefore, the information it evokes.
Practice for beginners and professionals. A single card is used as a tip for the day. This can help the reader gain a more realistic view of their daily life and can help them make decisions and broaden their understanding of their existence.
For beginners, I recommend starting with the Major Arcana, and when they are easy to understand, I would include the Minor Arcana.
Different decks. Which one should you choose?
The Tarot of Marseille is the best known in Europe and the one that contains a fairly manageable symbology for everyone. That is to say, it does not cover very complex concepts for those who do not have a solid esoteric knowledge base. I recommend a deck that is not predominantly red because it is much more mentally tiring. Than if the colors of the deck are more subdued. I recommend a deck of antique reproductions like that of Heraclio Fournier.
It is true that there are other decks made by renowned ophthalmologists of the time, such as the Rider-Waite deck. I believe they are not for beginners because they provide some more complex symbols that, when connected to the mind, do not always produce a clear result.
The Egyptian Tarot is certainly the most comprehensive, but also the most difficult. Each card has three distinct meanings that respond to the soul, the mind, and karma. You have to understand their many meanings and, like everything in life, you have to know how to find a deck that is as accurate as possible in terms of its symbolism.
I recommend the cards by J. Iglesias Janeiro from Kier Publishing and the Egyptian cards from the book “The Egyptian Tarot” that I wrote more than 30 years ago. These cards, which accompany the book, are in the Stuttgart Playing Card Museum (Germany) and are worth mentioning. There is a real resemblance between both decks because the authors drank from the same source and the symbols cannot be falsified; therefore, the vast majority are consistent in both decks.
The numerology of the tarot
Each Tarot card has a number associated with it, and this number has a meaning.
When the number is composed, for example, the Major Arcana 22, this meaning is more complex because you must pay attention to the meaning of the number 2 repeated twice, the number 4, the sum of 2 + 2, and the meaning in the Kabbalah of the number 22.
The same happens with the Minor Arcana numbers from 1 to 10, where the importance of 10 is crucial. You must work on the meaning of 1, 0, and 10 Kabbalistically. The Page would be equivalent to 11, the Knight to 12, the King to 13, and the Queen to 14. The numerological meaning is complementary but gives more information that must be taken into account.
The personal arcana refers to the card of the major arcana that corresponds to you based on your date of birth. For example, I was born on February 21, 1961, which would be 21, 02, 1961, which is the same as 3 + 2 + 17 equals 22. In this case, the card 0 of the Fool corresponds, which would be number 22 of the Major Arcana, but it would also be The Emperor, which is number 4. Both are valid and give information about, in this case, “my destiny.” Let’s leave it at that.
Frequently asked questions about tarot
Can I ask a Tarot reading for myself, or should someone else do it?
You can consult the Tarot reading for yourself about the future or something you’re particularly interested in, but it’s the most difficult reading of all because you must remain neutral, as you are also a party involved.
It’s a very effective way to understand yourself and connect with spirituality, but you must be completely honest and not deceive yourself.
Is it necessary to be psychic, or is it enough to be intuitive to use the Tarot?
The Tarot is accessible to everyone, but not everyone will get the best results. Intuition can be transformed into clairvoyance if you use Tarot cards often, because their symbolism affects our mind and energy. Of course, if you are psychic, the Tarot will respond to you, just like the ashes of a cigarette, the lines on your palm, or the coffee grounds. Or maybe a certain bird will come to announce something to you.
Psychics are few and far between, but they exist and are capable of great achievements without using any specific method; they simply elevate their thinking and connect. In my novel The Chosen, the three protagonists are psychics with great power, and it is very clearly reflected that a psychic is one.
If I have a Tarot consultation, should I charge for it or leave it to the person’s discretion?
All work should be compensated; effort without reward makes no sense. That said, everyone’s personal circumstances are different. If someone in this earthly life is a millionaire and feels a calling to help others through Tarot completely free of charge, that’s perfectly valid—it’s a personal choice. Their material wealth contributes to their spiritual and mental peace and balance. But if the tarot reader’s circumstances are not materially abundant, they should set a price for their work, because only with that compensation will they be able to continue.
No one in this world is obligated to be anyone’s slave or be at their service whenever someone else feels like it. That’s not how it works, and that’s not how spirituality develops.
A different case is helping someone who cannot offer financial compensation but can engage in some form of exchange. That’s often more spiritual than simply giving something away as a gift. As for voluntary contributions, that is also a valid option—if the professional feels that’s what they should do.
Can I do a reading without being an expert?
As long as you make it clear that you’re not an expert, and the other person still wants to go ahead—then go for it. It’s like a practice session. I do recommend writing down the reading, what was interpreted, and later comparing it to what actually happened. There’s a lot to learn through humility.
What books should I read to start learning Tarot?
I learned from the original sources: Court de Gébelin, Eliphas Lévi, Gérard Encausse, Aleister Crowley, Ouspensky, and many others. But nowadays, there are contemporary authors like myself who have done deep research and published works that make learning much easier.
“The Great Book of Tarot” allows you to see the meaning of each card in different contexts—for example, work, money, love, etc.—which is why I recommend it for beginners.
There’s also a complementary book called “Health, Sexuality, and Reincarnation Through the Tarot”, which explores meanings related to health, accidents, natural disasters, and much more. There are no other books with such content—it was very difficult to gather that information.
It’s essential. If you want to start with something very simple, you can check out my book “The Authentic Spanish Deck”, where I showcase a deck that includes the queens found in the Fournier playing card museum. And finally, if you’re looking for the most complete and complex option, there’s the Egyptian Tarot, which includes incorporated cards—a great study if you’re truly interested.
Bibliography and links of interest
Merriam Webster (2025) “Fortune Teller”, in https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortune%20teller
Wikipedia (2025) “Cartomancy”, in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartomancy
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley was an influential British occultist, founder of the religious philosophy of Thelema. His contributions to occultism and ceremonial magic have been widely documented.
Gérard Encausse (Papus)
Known as Papus, he was a French physician and occultist, founder of the Martinist Order, and a popularizer of occultism in France. His work in synthesizing various esoteric traditions is recognized in academic circles.
Peter Demianovich Ouspensky
Ouspensky was a Russian esotericist and writer, known for his works on esoteric philosophy and for disseminating the teachings of George Gurdjieff. His focus on the “Fourth Way” has influenced later studies of mysticism.
