Types of tarot cards: an overview of different decks. Tarot cards: history, types and meaning of cards

There are a lot of card decks for fortune telling in the world, and sometimes it is very difficult for a beginner to choose the first one that will help in further acquaintance with mysterious knowledge.

In this article we will look at the most popular types of Tarot cards, which are most often used and are suitable for both beginners and professionals.

But in order to decide, you need to understand and decide why you need a deck, because some answer only certain questions.

What you need to know about Tarot?

The mention of the first deck of Tarot cards goes back a long way. There are several versions of their origin and each has its supporters. Many researchers are confident that the ancient knowledge of Atlantis is encrypted in the maps. They were collected in the ancient book of Thoth, and after the death of the great civilization they went to the priests of Ancient Egypt.

But the great Egyptian civilization also came to an end. According to legend, the priests who kept the knowledge decided to encrypt it in a playing deck of cards. So they began their journey.

In Ancient Palestine, Kabbalistic signs were added to them.
It should be noted that in Europe the first documentary mention of maps dates back to 1329 and is of German origin.
However, the first deck of 78 cards was created in Italy (the exact date is unknown).

Today, the types of Tarot decks are quite diverse. In addition to classic maps, there are many original ones that reflect the personal experience of the creator and his worldview. Such a deck may even differ in the number and name of cards, as well as their interpretation. It should be noted that the classification of types of Tarot is rather arbitrary, since the same deck can sometimes be classified as different types or not at all.

Classic decks of cards

These include those created by an unknown author in the Middle Ages (mostly), having 78 cards. Over the past time, the decks have not undergone any changes. They cannot be called universal, since some provide answers only to certain questions.

Let's look at the most famous cards.

Marseille Tarot

The issues that the alignment resolves should be deep (personal growth, future, etc.).

Egyptian Tarot

It should be noted right away that for a beginner they are quite complex, but for an experienced tarot reader it will not be difficult to see the exact answer to the question.
If used and understood correctly, they can unlock ancient secrets and knowledge. It is also not recommended for everyday use.

Renaissance Tarot

It is considered somewhat capricious, in the spirit of ancient noble blood. May not answer everyday questions. But its symbolism is quite simple, so interpretation is not difficult.
Beginners can try it.

Tarot of Montaigny

The deck is quite easy to understand; some tarologists classify it more as an oracle and recommend laying it out in addition. It guides and indicates the path of development, but does not give an exact answer on what to do.

Etteila deck

Good cards for a beginner. They are clearly drawn and also have a concise interpretation that can be read either upside down or upside down.

Author's universal decks

This type includes those types of Tarot that can be used for any issue, which is why they are more in demand. Most often, the author who created them is known. Let's look at the most popular decks.

Aleister Crowley Tarot

It is considered a deck with dark energy, since its author was a magician of a dark orientation. Gives direct and tough answers to questions.

It will be difficult for beginners to use it, since an understanding of astrology and numerology is required to fully decipher the answers. This is due to the fact that Crowley saw a direct connection between the Tarot and the Kabbalah.

Golden Dawn Tarot

The maps were drawn by Gregor Mathers and artist Moina Mathers (Samuel's wife). They belonged to the Order of the Golden Dawn, from which many outstanding occultists emerged.
These cards are also not suitable for beginners, as they are quite difficult to interpret. You can use them to solve all sorts of issues.

Raider White deck

Tarot Osho Zen

This deck is quite young. It was created by the enlightened master Osho and the artist Ma Deva Padma. Once you start laying out cards with its help, you can awaken your intuition and sensitivity.
It is impossible to predict in the full sense of this word.

Specialized Decks

Everything is clear here. If you decide to purchase one of these decks, then you need to clearly know why you need it. Some of them will be listed below, as well as the purpose of each.

Tarot of the Dwarves

When making a layout from them, you can ask only everyday questions or those with a material aspect.

Tarot Manara

She helps with very intimate questions, answering them clearly and clearly. It is believed that the deck carries feminine energy, so it is better for men not to use it.
It must be said right away that the image on the cards is quite frank; some tarot readers even consider it vulgar. This should be taken into account when choosing.

Tarot of Lovers

They help answer questions regarding love. Compared to the previous deck, this one is more delicate.

Oracle Decks

This includes those types of Tarot that have significant differences from classical cards. A deck can contain from sixteen to eighty cards, and they also do not have a clear structure, i.e. they do not contain the required number of Major and Minor Arcana, etc.
What is important is that such cards have a completely different interpretation, depending on their name and purpose.
The most famous decks of this type:

Tarot of Satan;
Lenormand deck;
Oracle of Goddesses;
Maps of the soul, etc.

Now you know the most popular types of Tarot cards. Based on the above, it can be noted that the Rader White Tarot is suitable for beginners as one of the simplest and most understandable. However, the choice should be guided not only by ease of interpretation, but also by personal perception.

If you saw the Tarot and felt that it was yours, feel free to purchase it and start getting acquainted!

Tarot cards are known to a large number of people today. Many of us have heard about such magical accessories for fortune telling and their properties. These cards are covered with riddles and secrets that hide the deep meaning and knowledge of all things. Their origin is controversial to this day, but historians, based on research, are inclined to believe that Tarot appeared in the centuries of the last millennium.

Tarot cards can predict fate when used correctly

A little about the history of Tarot

Few people know the true history of the appearance and origin of Tarot cards. Many ordinary people think that this magical accessory for fortune telling was invented by the gypsies, others say that the Tarot came to us from the time of the Mayan Indians. And only a select few true connoisseurs know that in fact the cradle of birth of these smart cards is Ancient Egypt.

But according to legend, these cards came to Ancient Egypt as one of the options for interpreting the great knowledge that we inherited from the magicians of Atlantis. At the moment, it is still unknown when and what type the first deck of Tarot Cards was. The varieties of Tarot cards expanded and changed over time, until they appeared to users in their modern form.

The mystical beauty of fortune telling with Tarot cards

In principle, the mysticism of fortune telling itself is something common between predictions and providence. Professional fortune tellers rely on their hands, while beginners pay tribute to fateful alignments. In principle, the work of both completely depends on what plans the Higher Power will give them and what secrets Life itself is ready to reveal.

If, in the process of working with ordinary cards, it is enough for a fortuneteller to simply be able to compare the combinations that have fallen out, then in the case of Tarot cards, the fortuneteller must also be able to work with her feelings and have the ability to tune in to the same wavelength as the client. As my practice shows, clients want to receive answers to a wide variety of questions:

Tarot cards can answer many questions

for love;
for good luck in work;
for business;
for children;
on the husband;
for a future meeting;
to events;
just for the future.

In most cases, if the one who works with cards has good practice, he can, by tuning into the client’s energy, lay out the cards in such a way as to reveal to the client the most important issues of his future.

It’s not easy to tell people what awaits them, because the cards don’t always say good things, and therefore, no matter what the alignment shows, don’t write off being angry with a careless fortune teller who predicted not very rosy events for you. Maybe it will happen that, knowing what fate is destined for you, you will be able to change what was destined if you listen carefully to what they tell you.

The true face of tarot cards

Tarot cards are a deck of 78 cards on which various graphic designs are applied, they are called Archetypes. With the help of these cards, a person can know himself as a spiritual Divine creature, understand and find the meaning of life, achieve the highest harmony and find out what place a person occupies in the whole world and universe.

Tarot cards: types of decks

The style of using Tarot Cards could change, and accordingly several distinctive decks and different types of Tarot cards appeared:

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot is currently considered the most ancient deck of Tarot Cards.
Egyptian Tarot - containing parts of the culture of Egypt.
The Marseille Tarot is the embodiment of Tarot cards containing echoes of Italy, which, according to historians, were compiled by an Italian philosopher of the 15th century.
The Rider-Waite Tarot is one of the most popular and widespread decks, created in the 20th century by the famous historian and scientist Arthur Edward Waite.

It is difficult to say which Tarot cards are better. For each practitioner, the ideal deck will be his own, sharpened by the Force; each chooses his own Tarot deck.

Rider-Waite Tarot

Professional magicians and fortune tellers know that such cards have special power. And not every deck can work correctly. If a beginner does not know how to choose Tarot cards for himself, it is not necessary to try all options of Tarot cards. For a beginner practitioner, the best choice of material would be a Rider-White deck. It is the layouts with such a deck that will make it possible to use two main types of fortune-telling: Layouts for the Search for the Correct Answer and Full Fortune-telling (in some sources this method of casting fortune-telling is called Open Fortune-telling).

Different types of decks work in their own way and it’s difficult to say which ones will be yours; you need to rely on your feelings and your attitude towards a particular deck.

There are such sets that, well, do not want to obey their owner in any way. Don't force the deck, just choose another one.

Tarot classification

The deck of cards was divided into two classes: the major arcana and the minor arcana. The contents of the deck are correctly called:

A deck of Tarot cards is divided into the major and minor arcana.

Major Arcana - they are also called trump cards, they include twenty-two Amrakhs (cards, images), which contain their own plot, the order of Amrakhs in different decks may differ, usually they contain a clear life path of a person.
The minor arcana are similar to playing cards, in which there are four suits, 56 Amrah, 14 of each suit. The minor arcana suits are Wands, Swords, Cups and Denarii. In each suit there is an Ace, Amrachi numbers from two to ten and Amrachi figures: Page, Knight, Queen and King. With the help of the minor arcana you can find out the development of a certain event.

Differences between Tarot Cards

Although there are many different decks of Tarot Cards, including various graphic designs (Archetypes), it is certain that the very meaning and significance of Amrach does not change. They will also predict the future for you; with the help of the layouts, you will be able to engage in self-knowledge, achieve harmony, understand the essence of man and the meaning of life.

Each person chooses his own deck, the criteria for this choice may be his own intuition, an inner call, or simply “because I want it so.” There are people who, before starting to use a certain deck, study it thoroughly and already decide whether it is suitable for them or not.

Classic Tarots contain simple Amrahs, they were mainly created in the Middle Ages and were used in monasteries and in the courts of wealthy nobility. The Visconti Tarot is one of these decks.

But there are also universal decks that, regardless of their time, are currently the most used. The Rider White Tarot is one of these decks.

There are also author’s decks, they are created by individuals, for a narrow circle of use, they make their own Archetypes, promote their system of interpretation of the Amrahs, as they please based on their personal experience and knowledge.

How can you use Tarot Cards?

It is clear to everyone that with the help of Tarot you can make various kinds of predictions and forecast the development of a specific event. But do we need to know what will happen in the future? Without a doubt, it’s wonderful when you find out that in the near future you will hit the jackpot at the casino or find your soulmate, whom you have been looking for all your life, but life does not always present us with only good events.

Tarot cards are often used to predict the future

After all, there is a chance that the prediction will not be very happy for you. And what to do next? Waiting for a difficult end and sobbing into your pillow? Naturally not, Tarot Cards can help you with this, ask them what to do and they will tell you, this is the huge advantage of the cards. But it’s up to you to take this advice, and further events depend only on you, because it is you who forge your destiny.

What is a Full Tarot Spread?

A full Tarot layout allows the fortune teller to predict not the client’s special future, but everything that fate has in store for him. In principle, speaking about Tarot, here an open, that is, a full-fledged layout is used as an option for predicting future fate, that is, it gives an answer to the question of what will happen. When throwing cards at Fate, the fortune teller does not see pictures from the future client, she sees the possible consequences of certain decisions. That is, there is no need to say that fortune telling is quackery if what was predicted did not come true. This is a consequence of your actions and decisions.

The situation with “what was and what is” is a little more complicated. And the point here is not the professionalism or incompetence of the person who laid out the cards for you. And the fact is that the past is like a mirror ball, your past is somehow connected with people you don’t even know about, and the cards will show the trace that you left in the destinies of other people. If you go to a fortune teller with a question about what is happening now in your destiny, then this also has its own difficulties.

After all, sometimes your fate, even at this moment, its course directly depends on the situations at that moment and on the decisions of other people. So, a lonely woman asks for a cast on Amrahi, on love, and the fortune teller sees that in her destiny there is a man for whom she is dear. And the client thinks to herself: “Oh no, there’s no such thing.” But in fact, the cards show her a lover, whose neighbor she does not take seriously, because for some reason he is in the category of unworthy. But the card fortune teller sees that such a person exists in this person’s life, and says what the cards show her.

A full-fledged or detailed fortune-telling, as I have already said, concerns all areas of the client’s life, but sometimes such a scenario does not say at all what you would like to hear, and therefore you should not immediately betray everything you hear to skepticism, but you just need to listen carefully and analyze.

What is Tarot layout for Searching for an Answer from Fate

This type of Tarot fortune telling is much easier to work with, but it is also much more limited in finding an answer. By throwing a layout at the cards, the fortune teller can only give an answer to a specific question regarding a specific area of a person’s life.

There is also a special rule regarding such layouts: You need to ask questions in a positive way. That is, you cannot ask: “Why doesn’t this man love me?” It’s better to ask this way: “What awaits us in the future with this man?”

A variety of Tarot card displays

In principle, there are a lot of different types of laying out such cards; each professional has his own methods of asking cards to open the future. But among ordinary people and beginners, two layouts are especially popular: Crescent and Celtic Cross.

The Celtic Cross is most often used if you need to give an answer to extensive fortune telling, that is, if you throw cards at all areas of the future at once. For more accurate fortune telling, it is customary to use the Crescent Moon. It is this type of card display that is most suitable for fortune-telling to find an answer.

Preparing the one who tells fortunes

Working with tarot cards largely depends not only on the cards themselves, but also on the energy forces of the person working with them. Not every fortune teller, picking up the Tarot, will be able to see what they are trying to say. Not only practice is important here, but also special energy preparation for the fortune teller.

Before working with Tarot cards, you need to concentrate

It is very important to be able to tune in to the energy flows that go directly from the client to the fortune teller herself. How exactly the alignment will be interpreted will directly depend on this.

If a fortune teller does not know how to tune in correctly and cannot focus on her inner feelings, she will never give the correct and intelligible answer.

When I learned to work with Tarot cards, at first I tried to subordinate their behavior to myself. But at that time, I did not yet know that in this process the fortuneteller was not the main character. If we bring the concept to a simple explanation, then the fortune teller itself is simply a tool for transmitting information, like a pen or pencil. Fate dictates the rules of the game and tells fate, reflecting it in cards, and a fortune teller is simply a way to convey the necessary information.

When I realized this, the first thing I began to learn was complete relaxation and concentration. And in the moments when I was already able to fully surrender myself to the power of the energy of the future, I felt like something extraneous, that is, not me, but a special force was moving the cards, preparing them in the deck for the subsequent correct arrangement. It is very important not only to be able to tune in to the cards themselves, but it is also important to be able to rely on Fate itself. The highest degree of preparation is achieved when the fortuneteller knows how to become a strong connection between what fate says and shows and who exactly came for the alignment of the Future.

But the possibilities of mystical cards do not end there. Tarot cards will help you get to know yourself much more, find your place in this world and show your path, know your self, and unlock your potential. The cards will reveal to you all your inner demons, fears, phobias, and explain your difficult character, which even you do not understand.

Tarot cards give a person the opportunity not only to look under the veil of the future, past and present, but also to know himself, the highest degree of harmony, the universe, understanding of the person himself and his single path along which to move.

Tarot card decks are of keen interest to many people, especially in recent years, when with the development of information technology, previously hidden knowledge has become accessible. Today there is a huge market for selling cards with many offers for every taste and color. How to sort through all this diversity and find your deck of Tarot cards? If you decide to learn to tell fortunes, then choosing your first deck is a rather important step, which in the future can become decisive in mastering the science of divination. It is worth remembering that Tarot is an established, stable system that includes 78 arcana, of which 22 are the major arcana and 56 minor, sometimes, if desired, they add 79 so-called white cards.

Tarot Thoth Shirt

Cards created by Aleister Crowley are widespread, interesting, and have a large number of fans. However, they contain a lot of symbolism and information. For independent study from scratch and interpretation is quite difficult.

Marseille Tarot.

The Marseille Tarot and similar decks, such as the Visconti Sforza Tarot, belong to the Marseille school of divination and are historically the earliest card decks. The design of the cards is in the original medieval style. There are differences in the interpretation and numbering of the arcana. In the Tarot of Marseilles, the minor arcana are not drawn, which makes them difficult to master at the initial stage. Otherwise, as in the Rider White system, there are no problems in acquiring such decks, and there is also a large amount of information for their successful study.

Having mastered and understood the essence tarot card systems , belonging to the classical ones, it will no longer be difficult to guess at all the others. For example, for a detailed consideration of issues of love and relationships, there are separate decks such as Tarot Manara or Tarot Casanova. Decks appeared that reflected individual teachings, theories or concepts. These undoubtedly include Osho Zen Tarot , Tarot Space of Options, Tarot Law of Attraction. The Tarot of Paracelsus will answer questions regarding health and treatment. Tarot of the Golden Taurus, Tarot of the Dwarves are good to use to consider issues related to finance and business. There is a separate rather extensive group of Dark Tarot cards.

Dark Tarot.

Tarot of Shadows

Dark Tarot refers to special thematic decks that have a specific design and energy that is not suitable for everyone. Dark decks are a mystical tool that helps the practitioner in his occult work, making it more meaningful and productive. For example, Dark Tarot decks make it possible to determine the type and source of magical negativity, as well as a method for neutralizing it. The Dark Tarot is indispensable when working with spirits and elements; it will help in the selection of protective amulets and talismans. Practicing graphic magic using runes in practice also requires a thorough diagnosis. The most famous decks from this group are the Tarot of Shadows by Vera Sklyarova, Tarot of Lucifer, The Gothic Tarot, Black Gremoire, Deviant Moon Tarot and many others.

How to choose a Tarot deck.

Choosing a Tarot deck so that you not only like it, but also find it useful is not easy. I hope that my practical advice will help you with this.

When choosing your deck, first of all, rely on personal feelings and preferences, while not forgetting about the tasks and goals that you set for yourself.
Depending on your goals, be it your first acquaintance with the Tarot system, replenishing your personal collection of cards, the desire to more thoroughly cover a certain group of issues, etc., you should determine what type (type) the deck belongs to - classic universal or thematic. It is important to understand and identify the features of the deck.
To get acquainted with the deck you like for the first time, it will not be superfluous to look at it in electronic form, read existing reviews, pay attention to the amount of materials on developing the deck, read the author’s book or the MBK (little white book), which is usually included.
If the semantic content, theme, or design of a deck of Tarot cards reflects a certain ethnic group, culture, or teaching, then it is advisable to familiarize yourself more thoroughly with this information for a better understanding of the meanings of the arcana.
I think it’s also worth paying attention to the proposed size of the cards for further convenient work with them. When directly purchasing or receiving the product, evaluate the quality of the print and check the integrity of the deck.

Do you want to start reading Tarot cards, but don’t know which deck to choose? In this article we will tell you about what decks of Tarot cards there are, how to classify them, etc. Enjoy reading!

Ways to classify Tarot cards

Before choosing Tarot cards for fortune telling, you should consider how they are classified.

All existing Tarots are divided into three main categories:

Maps made taking into account the traditions of different schools (Papus, Waite, Marseilles, Crowley)
Purpose (specialized, universal)
Thematic focus (fantasy, animal, dark decks, etc.)

To find out which Tarot cards are the most powerful, let's look at the features of their creation in the four main traditional schools. Each of them is a separate divination system with its own characteristics, differences, and similarities.

Papus Tarot School

According to the traditions of this school, Papus's maps have the following characteristics:

Number eight - Arcana Justice
Number eleven - Arcana Strength
Zero or twenty-first number - Arkan Jester (analogy of the letter Shin, shape resembles a fork)
The first letter Aleph (Kabbalistic alphabet) - Magician
Image of the Arcana of Lovers - a young man is between two women (possibility of choosing a future betrothed)

The reason for this interpretation of the deck lies in the following - the founder of the Papus school argued that successful fortune telling is carried out by connecting the goddess Isis, the patroness of the Tarot, to the egregor.

Marseille Tarot School

The main feature of cards made in this tradition is the unique design of the cards. See details below.

A small selection of colors used - in the illustrations of the Arcana there are shades of beige, red, blue, yellow
Blurry images, lack of detail, rough outlines in drawing the Arcana

Examples of popular cards associated with this school are Tarot of Angels, Tree of Life, Tarot of Marseilles

Years later, followers of the Marseille school began to publish other types of artistic decks with non-standard designs.

Waite Tarot School

It is one of the most common in modern society. All the meanings of the Arcana have an astrological background.

Main differences and features from the above traditions.

Number eight - Arcana Strength
Number eleven - Arcana
Zero or letter Aleph - Jester
Betts - Mage
Arcanum Lovers - a man and a woman walk in the Gardens of Eden. Another image option is a couple's wedding

Crowley Tarot School

The Thoth deck belongs to this tradition - one of the most powerful Tarot cards. The unique design of the arcana images immediately catches the eye - it cannot be confused with any other deck.

The differences and features of the above cards are three types of illustrations of the Arcana Magus (Indian, Greek, Egyptian). The second version of images is considered the most common.

Important point! Only professional tarot readers can work with these cards and only on very important issues. When pulling out the required number of cards, ONLY your LEFT HAND should be used! Correct interaction with allows you to enter a meditative trance and better understand your own inner world!

Universal and specialized decks

We offer a list of popular universal, specialized Tarot decks (for fortune telling for certain situations - love, work, finances, etc.).

Universal

Rider-Waite deck

One of the most popular decks for beginners. An intuitive image and simple interpretation are only part of the advantages of these cards. Thanks to its wide range of actions, you can use it to get answers to all your questions, regardless of the current problem.

Small Lenormand deck

Oracle is perfect for beginners. It will allow you to feel the depth of the symbolism of the images. The interpretation is accessible even to those who picked up the deck for the first time. Contains 36 cards.

Specialized Tarot

Dwarf Cards

It is used exclusively to obtain answers to material or everyday questions. The deck is based on the gnome character Siken, who travels the world. Each card is a story from his adventures.