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An Introduction To The Tarot
Tarot (Tar-oh) is a system of symbolism and philosophy consisting of a set of 78 images, normally embodied in a deck of cards similar to a
regular set of game-playing cards. In the English speaking world, they are most often encountered as a form of cartomancy. The Tarot have
been used for fortune telling for centuries. There is much controversy as to the official history of the tarot, with its origins in
Italy, China, India and Egypt according to which expert you believe. The earliest extant examples of Tarot decks are of Italian origin
and roughly date back to the 15th century, when they were used to play the game of Tarocchi.
The set of 78 images, rich with symbolic meaning, is considered by students of this "occult" or "esoteric" Tarot to be independent of the
particular representation as a deck of cards; consequently they focus on the study of the images (and their symbolic meanings) as distinct
from any particular instance. The tarot deck is comprised of 78 cards: 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana. The 22 major arcana cards
are supposed to depict a journey through one's life, which originates with the Fool card and ends with a card called The World.
The minor arcana is the part of the deck that most closely resembles our playing cards of today. The minor arcane contains four suites,
which correspond to any game deck you may have around the house. The suits are Wands (Clubs), Cups (Hearts), Pentacles (Diamonds), and
Swords (Spades). Also present are the Queen, King and Knight (Prince or Jack) of each suit, plus the addition of Pages (or Princess). In
addition to its philosophical and divinatory uses, Tarot is also used as an aid to meditation.
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