The origin and meaning of the tarot cards
The Tarot cards reflect a story about our spiritual life process and tell us something about where we are on the road - in the big and in the small. The cards can say something about what is occupying us in life right now, but they can also reflect a deeper, inner journey that stretches over a long time and that may include more than ourselves.
The earliest history of the tarot cards is shrouded in obscurity, but some believe that the origins lie in Egyptian mysticism. Other theories are, for example, that tarot came to Europe via travelers or via Christian or Muslim mystics. Many tarot interpreters see a connection between tarot symbolism and astrology, and different decks show that connection more or less clearly.
The oldest tarot decks that we know of are from 15th century Italy and France, of which the Visconti Sforza and Marseille are the most famous. They have several similarities to regular playing cards.
The uncertainty surrounding the history of tarot cards is perhaps due to the fact that the symbolism and imagery of the cards was created from a source of deep insight into the spiritual development process through which all life works. This insight can be recognized within several different esoteric traditions. This is often the case with what contains true spiritual wisdom. We can find it everywhere. It is as if one and the same source manifests itself through different languages to suit different recipients.
Major Arcana
Some tarot interpreters use the symbol of the Tree of Life (see illustration) in the Jewish Kabbalah to describe the 22 cards in the major arcana - their purpose and interrelationship.
The tree of life is a picture of the universe in its perfected form. It can be said that the cards in the major arcana represent stages in the creation process where the physical in its perfection becomes the image of God. In our interpretation of the cards, we can see them as stages in our spiritual development process. Both we ourselves and everything we undertake undergo a kind of change from divine wholeness, through division in matter to perfection in the image of God.
Each individual card in the Major Arcana is considered to have a special connection to an astrological sign or planet. You thus get help from the astrological system in the interpretation. However, it is important to remember that the tarot cards primarily speak to the interpreter's own intuition and do not give given answers.
