Articles & Blogs: Tarot

So you want to explore Tarot, but you don't know where to begin? You're not alone. Many Tarot newbies find they are confused and intimidated when first learning the art of Tarot.

Have you ever been scared to get a Tarot reading? Most people find the insight we can get from Tarot cards thrilling, but there are some who find the process intimidating or frightening. If you're one of those few, it's time to face your fear of Tarot so you can move past it.

Here we go again: April Fools' Day is upon us, and everyone is out to make a mockery of their friends and family just for the sheer amusement of it. Though while the origins of April Fools' Day remain uncertain and difficult to trace, we can take this opportunity to explore the history of Tarot's most misunderstood character: The Fool.

Most classic Tarot decks are comprised of 78 cards, divided into a Major Arcana (22 cards) and a Minor Arcana (56 cards). The Major Arcana cards, also called trump cards, are important because they represent significant life events on a large scale

Let's get one thing straight: There's nothing minor about Tarot's Minor Arcana.

How's your life working out for you? That's the key question Tarot's Suit of Pentacles wants you to ask, and if you don't like the answer it's the Pentacles cards that can provide the insight

Don't be frightened when you see a Swords card turn up in your Tarot spread. It's true the sharp imagery of the Swords cards can make your heart skip a beat at a glance

You know the expression "My cup runneth over?" It's a reference to feeling the emotion of joy at having good luck in abundance, which is a great way to think about Tarot's suit of Cups.

Ready ... set ... action! If you receive a Wands Tarot card in your reading, consider it a bold call to action that may require some extra energy on your part.

It's important to realize that if you ask the appropriate kind of questions, you will have a more satisfying Tarot or I-Ching experience. Readings work best when you are looking for greater insight, wise advice or an idea of which way the wind is blowing. They are NOT designed to answer questions asking for data or to give exact predictions about the future.

Did you know you have a Tarot Birth Card? Yep. Much like an Astrology Sun sign, we each have a personal Tarot Birth Card that shapes a bit of who we are and how we interact day-to-day. According to Tarot expert Lori Lothian, our Tarot Birth Cards represent our unique personalities, drives and ambitions, and once we have that information we can

Looking for some insight this week? There's a Tarot deck for that. If you're planning on consulting the Tarot between now and October 31, you might want to try shuffling one of these aptly-themed decks. The fun of Halloween combined with the guidance of the Tarot -- that's what the I call a real treat!

Halloween Deck

Did you know that each Major Arcana Tarot card has an astrological correlation? For some, it's a planet, and for others it's an astrological sign. Every week, we'll be taking a look at the major events happening in our changing sky, and sharing advice on making the most of them from the Tarot. This week, we take a look at the Sun in Scorpio.

Sun in Scorpio

The images on some Tarot cards can be scary, especially when they come up in your reading. It's mostly symbolism, though -- those skeletons, devils and natural disasters should not be taken literally. Just in time for Halloween, let's take a look at the history and meaning of the three Tarot cards that leave most readers shaking in their metaphysical boots: the Tower, the Devil and Death cards.

Did you know that each Major Arcana Tarot card has an astrological correlation? For some, it’s a planet, and for others it’s an astrological sign. Every week, we’ll be taking a look at the major events happening in our changing sky, and sharing advice on making the most of them from the Tarot. This week, we take a look at Venus in Scorpio, a transit that puts the focus on relationships.

From a humble Mac Classic Floppy Disc I Ching program to what is now one of the largest divination sites on the web, Tarot.com has had a long and proud tradition of transformation. I’m thrilled to be part of a company where change is viewed as a positive and necassary part of our journey. I’d like to tell you a little bit about why and what the changes ahead will be.

Christine Payne-Towler came to Tarot.com through founder Paul O'Brien's Pathways Radio program. Not only is she a gifted reader who adds deep psychology and hard-won wisdom to her Tarot readings, Christine is a world-class Tarot scholar with an encyclopedic knowledge of Tarot's origins and evolution. She has been featured on many broadcasts and is the author of The Underground Stream: Esoteric Tarot Unveiled, a book on the history and deeper meanings of Tarot decks and cards.

There's almost an infinite number of Tarot card decks out there, each with its own one-of-a-kind theme and style. But from the most basic to the most detailed, no matter which deck you pick up, you're guaranteed to find stunning artwork that's chock-full of symbolism. One of the most obvious symbols? Numbers, of course! But we're not talking digits flying all over the place -- we're talking about an artist purposefully choosing to include numbers to intensify the card's meaning.

Mary K. Greer is a Tarot expert with over forty years of divinatory experience. She is featured at Tarot conferences the world over and is an Arch-Priestess/Hierophant in the prestigious Fellowship of Isis Tarot organization. Her work -- including eight books on Tarot -- have garnered her many awards, including Best Divination Book from the Coalition of Visionary Resources, the 2006 Mercury Award for excellence in communication in the metaphysical field, and the International Tarot Lifetime Achievement award in 2007.

Isha Lerner is an international astrologer, Tarot scholar, consultant, flower essence practitioner and owner of the Power of Flowers Essence Company. She has lectured internationally and is well known for her expertise and research into fairy tale mythology, the study of archetype, and the symbolic association of the human soul and nature. She includes the application of flower essences and vibrational healing into her work with clients.

We can’t wait to bring your our new and improved Browse Decks feature.  After all, our name is Tarot.com -- we have to offer an amazing Browse Decks feature. We are working to improve the way you can sort, browse and find your favorite cards in your favorite decks!

So you asked a question about your love life and drew The Lovers Tarot card. Seems like a pretty good sign, right? Well… sure, it is a positive card, but did you know The Lovers Tarot card is actually not the best news when it comes to your love life?

The truth that the Tarot provides can feel unbelievably magical. But here's a news flash: the magic of Tarot really comes from you. It's all in your ability to focus on your Tarot reading with real intention and purpose. You'll always finish a Tarot reading with more knowledge and direction than you started with.

This just in: life can be just plain crazy! High-energy times like holidays and changing seasons, not to mention much deeper experiences like the loss of a job, lover, or the passing of a loved one have a real way of turning your life upside down -- often, of course, at the worst possible time. But there is a bright side: life's ups and downs don't have to drive you mad.

Stress is the enemy! It's bad for the body and even worse for the mind. You know that when you feel stressed out, just about every part of your life feels out of control. Of course it's just a simple fact of life that you'll run into ups and downs, both big and small. But believe it or not, there's a way to control the way you feel about this rollercoaster ride we call life.

Not all Tarot card readings are created equal. Some readings are meant to help you with general insight, while others are designed to help you get to the heart of the matter in love and relationships.

Tarot spreads are the patterns in which the 78 cards in a Tarot deck are laid out for a reading. Each layout has a unique energy, and each card within the spread represents one aspect of the reading as a whole. Common positions include:

Tarot has a rich history and following in many cultures, from its origins in 14th Century Europe to its modern worldwide incarnation online. The earliest Tarot card decks were beautiful, hand-painted works of art, while the latest decks can be as flashy, colorful or cartoonish as we can imagine.

Choosing a Tarot deck can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Choosing the right deck can be a powerful and fulfilling part of doing a Tarot card reading! Why does it matter which deck? Well, each deck has been uniquely designed and handcrafted by a passionate Tarot expert and artist, and you should choose a deck that really

"How can online Tarot be authentic?"

It's a question we get a lot, and you may be surprised when you hear our answer: It's even more authentic. Why? Because you're doing the reading. There are a lot of gifted Tarot readers out there, but as you probably know, there are also a lot who aren't. When you're doing an online reading,

Tarot is an ancient art of divination that first took the form of Tarot cards in 14th Century Europe. Traditional Tarot decks consist of 78 cards depicting symbolic archetypes that represent people and situations common to all of humankind.

Did you know that each Major Arcana Tarot card has an astrological correlation? For some, it's a planet, and for others it's an astrological sign. Every week, we'll be taking a look at the major events happening in our changing sky, and sharing advice on making the most of them from the Tarot.

As an exercise in willpower and discipline, I have been on a fundamental dietary change over the last four months. It involves literally re-programming one’s genes (and jeans!). It has finally become a habit, and it is a fascinating process as it involves a change that doesn’t