The Modern Tarot Deck Flashcards
78-card deck, comprised of
22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards.
The Minor Arcana is further divided into four suits, which retain the original structure of the four-suited card decks of medieval Italy:
an Ace, nine pip cards numbered 2 through 10, and four Court cards.
The cards of the Major Arcana (or “greater secrets”) generally reflect aspects of the
inner self, the emotional and/or spiritual growth that we encounter along the journey of life, and significant events and turning points on one’s individual path.
the cards in the Minor Arcana (or “lesser secrets”) typically represent the more
mundane elements of everyday life, through which we discover, experience, and apply the “lessons” represented by the Major Arcana.
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards depicting a sequence of images:
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archetypal characters (The Emperor, The Hermit), celestial bodies (The Sun, The Star), objects (The Chariot, Wheel of Fortune), virtues (Judgement, Temperance), and situations (The Hanged Man, The Tower).
Probably the most commonly used interpretive system for the Major Arcana today is what is called
“the Fool’s Journey.” This term was made popular in the late 20th century by Tarot scholar Eden Gray,
the Fool is not a silly or stupid character. Instead, he represents
the soul of each human being in its innate innocence, before it has embarked on the journey of life. The rest of the cards, laid out in order from 1 to 21, tell the story of what happens once the Fool steps forward into the journey of psychological or spiritual development.
The Minor Arcana
they actually represent the essential ingredients that make up our lives, without which, the lessons of the Major Arcana would have no context.
Each suit of the Minor Arcana is centered on a particular realm of experience:
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ideas, feelings, action, and manifestation.
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The suit of Wands represents the realm of
inspiration, intention, and ambition. When we are feeling creative, inspired, spurred to action, and/or envisioning outcomes we are utilizing Wand energy. Action is not yet dominant at the Wands stage, and sometimes this suit can remind us that enthusiastic beginnings still require follow-through.
Wands also represent.
risk-taking and initiative, as we desire to grow, create, and expand our horizons. Because we are essentially motivated by desire—either to manifest a positive outcome or avoid a negative one—feelings of both apprehension and excited anticipation are connected to the cards of this suit.
True or False On the whole, Wands are considered positive cards and often show up in a reading as a sign of encouragement.
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