History of the Tarot

How does one explain the mysteries of the Tarot? How does it seem to magically reveal the future?

I surely can’t explain, but then why ask why? Let the cards do the talking as we just listen. I believe that the cards will tell you what you deeply feel. It is for this reason that the Tarot is an excellent meditative and actualizing tool.

The Tarot has an illustrious history, hearkening back to ancient Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs. The oldest known honest to goodness Tarot deck dates back to 1428 which was painted to commemorate the Visconti marriage in Italy. At the time, Tarot and other “card games” were used exclusively at the court and was regarded as a privilege of the aristocracy. Thank goodness we no longer have to be royalty to read, although some of us profess royal blood....

In 1856, author Eliphas Levi published a rather intriguing article linking Tarot and the Hebrew alphabet. We now know of course that Tarot is part of the mysteries of the Kabalah, which is the book of Jewish mysticism. Once shielded from all “non members” (not Jewish, not male, not learned in Talmud and under the age of forty) kabalistic study is now available to anyone interested in delving into its mysteries.  Even today, there are many Tarot decks with Jewish and Kabalistic symbols incorporated into the design.

The more you understand these symbols, the greater your ability to delve into the full meaning of the card.

Learn more about the history of tarot with The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination