1. The Origins of Tarot
The history of tarot can be traced back to northern Italy in the 15th century. At first, tarot was not a divination tool but a card game enjoyed by the nobility, known as “Tarocchi”.
The earliest recorded tarot decks appeared in Ferrara, Italy, around 1442. These early decks were hand-painted, beautifully illustrated, and treasured as noble collectibles.
Historical timeline:
1440s — The earliest tarot decks appear in northern Italy
Late 15th century — Tarot spreads to France, giving rise to the Marseille deck
18th century — Occultists begin linking tarot to Kabbalah and astrology
1909 — The Rider–Waite–Smith deck is published and becomes the most popular version
Mid-20th century — Jungian psychology gives tarot a new interpretive framework
Today — Tarot serves as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth
Tarot’s evolution from card game to divination tool is, at heart, humanity’s ongoing discovery of the power of “visual storytelling”.
2. The Structure of a Tarot Deck
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards, divided into two parts:
Major Arcana (22 cards)
These represent life’s major themes and spiritual growth. From “The Fool” to “The World”, they trace one person’s complete journey from innocence to enlightenment.
Keywords: destiny, turning points, soul growth
Minor Arcana (56 cards)
These reflect everyday events, split into four suits — Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles — each with 14 cards (1–10 plus court cards).
Keywords: daily life, detail, practical matters
The four elements of the Minor Arcana:
3. The Major Arcana in Detail
The 22 Major Arcana cards represent the full arc of human spiritual growth. Here are all of them and their core meanings:
4. The Theory Behind Tarot Reading
Modern tarot reading rests on three main theoretical frameworks:
1. The occult framework
This view holds that tarot carries hidden universal wisdom, and that the cards connect us to knowledge beyond ordinary consciousness. It links tarot to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, astrology and alchemy.
Key figures: Éliphas Lévi, Aleister Crowley
2. The Jungian framework
Swiss psychologist Carl Jung argued that the archetypal images in tarot reflect the collective unconscious. Drawing a card becomes a form of “synchronicity” that helps us reach our inner depths.
Core concepts: collective unconscious, archetypes, synchronicity
3. The projection framework
Modern psychology treats tarot as a projective tool. The rich imagery sparks association and intuition, helping us clarify our thinking and surface hidden thoughts and feelings.
Uses: self-reflection, decision support, self-exploration
5. Common Tarot Spreads
1. Single-card draw
Draw one card for daily guidance or a quick answer to a specific question.
Best for: daily readings, fast decisions
2. Three-card spread (timeline)
Three cards represent past, present and future, revealing how a situation is unfolding.
Best for: spotting trends, analyzing a question
3. The Celtic Cross
The most classic spread, using 10 cards to explore every angle of a situation — the present, the challenge, the subconscious, the past, the future and more.
Best for: in-depth analysis, complex questions
6. How to Start Learning Tarot
- ✅ Choose a deck that suits you (the Rider–Waite–Smith is recommended)
- ✅ Learn the basic meanings of all 78 cards (start with the 22 Major Arcana)
- ✅ Draw a single card each day as practice
- ✅ Keep a journal of your readings to build intuition
- ✅ Read classic tarot books to deepen your understanding
- ✅ Use Prism’s AI tarot feature for professional readings