There is some debate over the origin of Tarot cards.

Some suggest that they were created in Egypt and that their name is taken from Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god of magic.  Others believe that Tarot cards began in China, India, or Ancient Greece.   Evidence has also been found that cards existed in fourteenth-century Germany, Belgium and France.  (The word “Tarot” is the French name for the cards.)  But the first reference to the cards as we know it, with the Major and Minor Arcanas, was in Italy during the fifteenth century.  In any case, Tarot cards are steeped in ancient, mystical traditions.

There is no set rule about the way you should acquire your set of Tarot cards.  Some say that it is bad luck to purchase a deck and that it should be given to you.  Others say just the opposite, that it’s bad luck to have a deck given to you because no one should touch your deck but you.  Whether you buy them for yourself or someone gives you a deck, be sure to receive it with grace and gratitude.

The essential part of working with the cards is to choose a deck that most appeals to you, a deck that you are instinctively drawn to.  Let your intuition guide you to the deck that most belongs to you.

If you are new to Tarot cards and are not familiar with their imagery and meanings, you may want to start with a beginner’s deck.  These beginner’s decks are designed so that the images on the cards will more quickly bring to mind the key interpretations associated with each card.

There are as many different designs of Tarot cards as there are playing cards so take your time in choosing a deck that, not only appeals to you spiritually, but that you’ll also be able to easily interpret.

For help on choosing your deck, go to our Tarot Decks category where we have a wide variety to choose from.

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Filed under: Interpreting Tarot Cards • Tarot Decks

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