Tarot Tutorial by Maria

Introduction

• Focus on a mini tutorial for Tarot and deck composition.
• Recommended starting with a Rider Waite based deck.
• Importance of Rider Waite as a foundational learning tool for Tarot.

Overview of a Tarot Deck

• A Tarot deck consists of 78 cards.
• Typically includes a leaflet about the deck.
• Example: Universal Waite Tarot deck, a recoloring of the Rider-Waite Smith deck.
• Background on Arthur Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith.
  • Arthur Waite: Writer, Freemason, wanted to make knowledge accessible.
  • Pamela Coleman Smith: Artist for the deck, influential but initially not credited.
  • Deck often referred to as Rider Waite Smith to acknowledge her contribution.

Major Arcana

• Consists of life-changing events or significant changes.
• Identified by names at the bottom and Roman numerals at the top.
• Suggested to learn them section by section.
• Key Cards:
  • The Fool: Taking a step into the unknown.
  • The Magician: Creating something from nothing.
  • The High Priestess: Use of intuition, hidden knowledge.
  • The Empress: Creativity and new beginnings.
  • The Emperor: Authority and leadership.
  • The Hierophant: Mentorship and guidance.
  • The Lovers: Relationships, passion, or obsession.
  • The Chariot: Advancement and movement.
  • Strength: Inner strength.
  • The Hermit: Solitude and introspection.
  • The Wheel of Fortune: Evolutionary change.
  • Justice: Legal matters, finding the right path.
  • The Hanged Man: Delays and divine timing.
  • Death: Rebirth and new beginnings.
  • Temperance: Patience and balance.
  • The Devil: Temptation and procrastination.
  • The Tower: Chaos and rebuilding.
  • The Star: Hope and inspiration.
  • The Moon: Revealing hidden paths.
  • The Sun: Happiness and success.
  • Judgment: Awakening to one's true calling.
  • The World: Completion and change.

Minor Arcana

• Divided into four suits: Cups, Pentacles, Wands, and Swords.
• Pentacles: Money and material possessions.
  • Includes concepts like new beginnings, financial juggling, growth, and windfall.
  • Court Cards: Paths (Page), Movement (Knight), Nurturing (Queen), Leadership (King).
• Wands: Actions and activities.
  • Reflect new activities, decisions, creation, stability, and conflict.
  • Court Cards: New opportunities (Page), Forward movement (Knight), Nurturing (Queen), Responsibility (King).
• Cups: Emotions and emotional connections.
  • Covers new emotional connections, celebrations, nostalgia, and fulfillment.
  • Court Cards: New emotional paths (Page), Movement (Knight), Nurturing (Queen), Leadership (King).
• Swords: Thoughts and mental processes.
  • Signifies new perspectives, decisions, heartbreak, isolation, and anxiety.
  • Court Cards: New mental paths (Page), Movement (Knight), Nurturing (Queen), Leadership (King).

Approach to Learning

• Break deck down into sections and learn each section.
• Utilize simple spreads like the three-card spread (past, present, future) for practice.
• Use imagery on cards to aid memorization and understanding.

Conclusion

• Decks provide guidance but are not definitive; one holds the power to make changes.
• Encouragement to reach out for questions or clarifications.
• Focus on a step-by-step learning process.