Tarot Cards

The grim reaper is surely the most famous tarot card and to the untrained eye it can seem alarming. The Tarot deck of cards consists of 78 cards, 4 suits of 14 cards, plus 22 trumps. The trump cards have gained more recognition to casual observers, consisting of the familiar The Fool, The Lovers and the infamous 'Death' card.

Tarot cards can be used for practical problem-solving, meditation and self-improvement. Tarot cards are classically used by fortune tellers and invoke the idea of crossing a gypsy’s palm with silver. However, in modern day practitioners use tarot cards for practical problem-solving, self improvement and psychic and clairvoyance.

Before the reading is made the person receiving the reading shuffles the pack. Once the deck has been cut the person providing the reading will lay out the cards in a spread. Once the cards are laid out, their meanings are interpreted based on their positions and their neighboring cards.

Some collect people collect tarot cards simply for the joy of the artwork, while other delves further into research and study of the history of the cards cards.

The modern tarot deck has been traced back to 15th-century Italy and a trick-taking game called "triumphs". There is much speculation about the origins of tarot cards but it is thought that they originated in the 15th century.