Tarot ~ the Overview

 Author Unknown

When you think about Tarot cards, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  A darkened room, a gypsy with a crystal ball gazing into your future? Maybe you have never given it much thought, and think it is a "bunch of hooey".  Well yes, they ARE used as a method of foreseeing future events, but they are also a very powerful divination tool and a great way to develop your psychic abilities.  Tarot cards have been around for centuries and were originally thought to be a card game formed to chase away the boredom of nobility; but as you will see, it is much, much more.

Choosing a Deck

Ok, so now you want to get your first deck of cards - NOW what??  Well there are many schools of thought on what a person's next step would be.  In fact, it is widely circulated that you should NOT buy your first deck of cards, that they should be given to you.  I, myself have bought all of the decks I now own, but yes I have bought some and given them a way as gifts too; it just depends on what is most comfortable and "right" for you.  Even if you do get a set of cards as a gift, you are not obligated to use them for the rest of your life.  If for any reason you seem to not be able to connect or they don't feel comfortable to you, then by all means, pass them along.  Sometimes, it is the energies of those who have handled the deck before you, and this even happens when you buy a deck (the manufacturer, the shop or store you buy them from, etc.).  You may be able to cleanse the cards, but use your own judgment - you know what is right for YOU.  

What to do with your deck once you have obtained it.....

Here again, there are many different opinions about how you should handle your cards.  I will present what I do with all of the decks I purchase for my use, but I cannot stress this enough - do what is right for YOU!  

First of all, I take any deck I have bought (none have been given to me yet :-) and I stick them under my pillow for a minimum of three days/nights.  This allows the cards to soak up your psychic energy and enables you to develop a closer "working relationship" if you will.  I have itchy fingers and always want to rip right into my cards, so I don't even take the plastic off before I place them under the pillow.  If you do open them first; don't despair.  Just place them under the pillow and sleep with them there until you can sense that they are ready to be handled again.  Just think, if you got a deck from someone else secondhand, it would have been opened and handled all ready.

The next thing I would do is purchase a wooden box to hold your cards.  It can be as plain, ornate, large or small as you wish, as long as it comfortably can hold the deck.  I would also purchase a piece of either purple or black satin or silk to wrap the box (and thus the cards) in.  This cloth will keep the good psychic energy in and the bad out.  If you think that I am pulling your leg, then just wait until you have some "bad mojo" attach itself to your cards.  They (the deck) will lie to you, will confuse you, and they can even make you physically sick if you are especially sensitive in that way.  I myself also like to put a few stones in with the cards to keep them "clean" (amethyst and hematite are just a couple).

Ok so now your deck has absorbed your energy and you are ready to rip open the plastic and get down to reading your cards - BUT HOW?????  You will find that there are a lot more of them than in  your normal playing deck of cards, and this can be overwhelming at first.  Believe me when I say that if you take the time to get to know your cards, you will find that the meanings behind them will just "come" to you.  I myself am not 100% proficient (yes I still have to look in the books too!), but I am much more now than when I first started.  In fact, I learn a little bit more each time I touch my decks.