THE TAROT READING

Just as there are many tarot layouts or spreads, there are also many different decks of tarot cards, some are old and some are newer and more modern in appearance, the tarot deck the reader uses are often a personal preference of theirs that they know the history of and know what each card means no matter where it is placed in the reading or how it is placed, whether right side up or upside down. There are some tarot readers that may use different tarot decks for different types of readings or they may offer a choice of tarot decks to the person having the reading done.
Some of these decks are more popular than others, however there are some favorites such as the Llewellyn Tarot deck, the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot Deck, and the Universal Goddess Tarot.
Each of these tarot cards has a meaning, they can be read with their basic meaning or the reader can use the card to read with the complete meaning, these meanings are something that a tarot reader has studied and learn the meanings of and can take it from that point to where these meanings can relate to the person having the reading done.
The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, as discussed earlier is one of the most popular tarot deck today and as with other decks each of these cards have a meaning.
The first of these cards is the Fool; and his meaning is new developments, or a fresh start, or even taking a risk of some type.
The Magician stands for communication skills, opportunities, working with the hands.
The High Priestess is the next card; she stands for inner wisdom, hidden motivations and intuition.
The Empress card stands for creativity and abundance.
The Emperor in this deck is for control and authority.
The card Hierophant is also known as the Pope in some decks and this card means to conform to rules or advice of a good nature.
The Lovers card of course stands for relationships and it can also stand for emotional choices one must make.
The Chariot is a card that stands for progress and assertiveness in life’s daily problems.
The Justice card while one would think it has to do with law is more the law of the mind, as it stands for clarity of the mind and in decision-making.
The Hermit is as his card portrays listening to your self and going a situation on your own.
The Wheel of Fortune is a card for change.
The Strength card has a meaning that is threefold, the ability to handle small problems, good health and a person of quiet strength.
The Hanged Man is a card that can mean waiting and sacrifice.
The Death card, while it does not mean actual death, it can mean the ending of a situation or a relationship.
Temperance is a card that is one of moderation or balance in a situation or in life.
The Devil is a card that while not evil can stand for things in life such as greed, lust and anger; it can also be materialism or bondage as in being trapped in a situation.
The Tower is a card that can mean a sudden change and in a good way.
The Star is a card that stands for hope in the future, or a good omen, this card can also stand for education.
The Moon is a card that has the meaning; confusion or loss of control in a situation.
The Sun stands for success and fame.
Judgment is a card that is what it can mean, judgment, it can also stand for rewards or karma.
The World is a card that means completion of something, success and able to see the whole situation.
The descriptions of these cards are the Major Arcana in the deck and while these meanings seem complete, they are far from it, for each of these cards will have a different meaning when they are laid out in a spread upside down. In most cases it can take a card with a good meaning such as the Sun which stands for success and fame and make it instead a card of foreboding or doom.
It is completely in the hands of the card reader to study each card in a spread and bring it to life in a story to the person having their cards read that makes sense in their lives and only a card reader who has studied the deck they use will understand these cards and be able to paint a picture with them that will help the person having their cards read in their lives or answer questions they have about their life. These Major Arcana cards are just the beginning of the deck as there are still fifty-six other cards that are known as the Minor Arcana and in these are cards just as in a regular deck of cards; Ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, a page rather than a jack, a knight, queen and king comprise the rest of the deck in suits of cups, wands, pentacles, and swords.