Guide to the Tarot Part 1 This I hope will assist those wishing to learn the Tarot in a simplistic, easy

to remember way. Reading the tarot is essentially telling a story through reading what we see in the Cards themselves. The Tarot Deck is comprised of 78 Cards split into two sections namely the major and minor arcana. Firstly we shall look to reading the major arcana and their meanings. The major arcana comprises of cards numerically ordered with the Fool being the only card of this section not to be numbered. If we look at the meaning of the cards in order you will see an albeit very basic way that a reading is formulated. The Fool This card denotes a youth, someone who still has much to learn but has the energy and confidence in his/her own abilities to learn what he must. It may also signify a leap of faith or looking before you leap knowing that it is better to choose your landing point that be pushed into the unawares.

1. The Magician The magician denotes someone who has learned and mastered their skills and knows what theyre doing. It relates to the material aspects of life and motivation and is considered a very important card. It may however give a warning of deception.

2. The High Priestess The High Priestess represents all things spiritual as well as natural, artistic and creative. This card denotes someone who stands alone and represents choices, both aspects of polar religions and most importantly intuition i.e. following your needs however never to the detriment of others.

3. The Empress The Empress is reference to everything feminine, growth and fertility. May refer to pregnancy, impending birth or general female energy.

4. The Emperor The Emperor denotes someone in complete control, in charge, in power. It can also represent good husbandry, delegation or a refusal to submit.

5. The Hierophant/High Priest/Pope This card denotes a teacher, in possession of spiritual power, leadership, guidance and assistance. The ability to see into the soul and can represent a rite of passage or the need to be realistic.

6. The Lovers This card represents a choice to bring harmony.

7. The Chariot This card represents the need for direction albeit emotional, spiritual or physical. It can represent disputes.

8. Strength This card represents the need for patience, understanding and the use of reason.

9. The Hermit The hermit denotes a loner, seeking the path of wisdom rising above life to achieve wisdom. Meditation and study. It can also mean taking a step back from life to shine a light into those parts of life you may not wish to see.

10. The Wheel of Fortune This card simply means that things are in the hands of the fates or destiny.

11. Justice This card denotes the law and legal dealings. It can also mean balance in life or a decision where feelings need to be put aside.

12. The Hanged Man This card denotes suspense, things not moving along and the need for decision before things become uncomfortable.

13. Death This card denotes removing the old to make way for the new, in short, change.

14. Temperance This card denotes a need to look at all aspects of life and seek rebalance

15. The Devil The Devil card shows a need to shed emotional chains and ties that are holding you back. The need to move on.

16. The Tower Potentially the worst card in any reading, the tower denotes a violent change in life, leaving you feeling undermined and vulnerable.

17. The Star The Star represents enlightenment after the fact. It can also denote hope.

18. The Moon The Moon Card represents a choice drawn by some force that we cannot explain, towards the path of life that we all at times must make. It can however relate to subversive or illusional elements.

19. The Sun The best card to draw in any reading, the Sun denotes everything good that we could ask for, summed up by new growth whether it be spiritual, emotional or physical.

20. Judgement The Judgement card represents the need to atone but can also denote rebirth.

21. The World The World card represents simply the moving into a peaceful phase of life.