Where Do Tarot Readings Come From?

Tarot cards, a set of cards used in tarot games and fortune-telling, were invented in Italy in the 1430s. The origins of tarot cards have been a subject of much speculation and debate, with some placing it in ancient Egypt and others in Kabbalistic traditions. The first tarot deck was designed in France and Italy as a parlor game, not as a divinatory tool.

The story of tarot cards begins in Europe during the mid-15th century, with the earliest known tarot-like cards created in Italy and used to play a game called tarocchi, similar to bridge. From their Italian roots, tarot-playing cards spread to most of Europe, evolving into a family of games that includes German Grosstarok and modern games such as Tarot de Marseille.

The playing game of tarot originated from around 1441, Italy, and the cards were used in divination around 1781. The adaptation of tarots to occult and fortune-telling purposes first occurred in France about 1780. For fortune-telling, each tarot card is ascribed a meaning. Tarot cards likely originated in northern Italy during the late 14th or early 15th century.

The idea that tarot came from Egypt and was transmitted to Europe by wandering Romani people can be attributed to a French author named Visconti. Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy where practitioners use tarot cards to gain insight into the past, present, or future. Although most tangible evidence points to tarot cards having originated in Europe, some theories suggest a connection between tarot symbolism and the development of the game.

Are tarot cards mysticism?

Tarot cards, originally used by Italian nobles and aristocrats as playing cards, evolved into a cornerstone of mysticism and spiritual exploration. They were initially used for skill, strategy, and luck in a game called “tarocchi”. However, they also had hidden potential for unraveling life’s mysteries, divining the future, and exploring the human psyche. Italy played a significant role in this transformation, with the Visconti-Sforza deck, created in the mid-15th century for the Duke of Milan, being one of the earliest surviving tarot decks. The deck’s intricate imagery and symbolism hint at a deeper, more mystical purpose, yet to be fully revealed.

What is the science behind tarot cards?

Tarot cards have been found to have psychological influences, but they can still have beneficial effects on a person’s mental health when used in a therapeutic context. A 2009 study found that regular users of Tarot cards used them as a tool for self-reflection, providing insight into their current life situations and providing comfort during difficult times. They also used Tarot cards as a tool for positive reinforcement, drawing cards intentionally and randomly to provide insights about their own lives.

Some co-researchers kept a card with them until their goals were resolved, claiming that Tarot does not reveal new information but can provide a new perspective on an issue that can influence a plan for a possible course of action.

This study highlights the potential of Tarot as an effective therapeutic tool, despite the foundational psychological effects behind its mainstream use. Further research on the beneficial impacts of Tarot in a therapeutic setting would involve examining a larger number of participants from a wider variety of backgrounds. Regardless of the reason behind a person’s use of Tarot cards, they have maintained a strong presence in society and have the potential to do more than just predict the future.

Where did tarot readings come from?

In English-speaking countries, cartomantic tarot cards are available for novelty and divination. Early French occultists claimed tarot cards had esoteric links to ancient Egypt, Kabbalah, the Indic Tantra, or I Ching. However, scholarly research shows that tarot cards were invented in northern Italy in the mid-15th century and no significant use of tarot cards for divination until the late 18th century. Historians describe western views of the Tarot pack as a “successful propaganda campaign”.

The earliest evidence of a tarot deck used for cartomancy comes from an anonymous manuscript from around 1750. The popularization of esoteric tarot started with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (Etteilla) in Paris during the 1780s, using the Tarot of Marseilles. French tarot players abandoned the Marseilles tarot in favor of the Tarot Nouveau around 1900, and the Marseilles pattern is now mostly used by cartomancers. Etteilla was the first to produce a bespoke tarot deck specifically designed for occult purposes around 1789, containing themes related to ancient Egypt.

Is tarot card reading true?

Early French occultists claimed that tarot cards had esoteric links to ancient Egypt, the Kabbalah, Indic Tantra, or the I Ching. However, scholarly research reveals that tarot cards were invented in Italy in the early 15th century for playing games, and there is no evidence of significant use of them for divination until the late 18th century. The belief in the divinatory meaning of the cards is closely associated with a belief in their occult properties, which was propagated by prominent Protestant Christian clerics and Freemasons.

From its uptake as an instrument of divination in 18th-century France, the tarot went on to be used in hermeneutic, magical, mystical, semiotic, and psychological practices. It was used by Romani people when telling fortunes and as a Jungian psychological apparatus for tapping into “absolute knowledge in the unconscious”, a tool for archetypal analysis, and even a tool for facilitating the Jungian process of individuation.

Who first read tarot cards?

Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy where practitioners use tarot cards to gain insight into the past, present, or future. The first to assign divinatory meanings to tarot cards was cartomancer Jean-Baptiste Alliette (also known as Etteilla) in 1783. A traditional tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. French-suited playing cards can also be used. The first written references to tarot packs occurred between 1440 and 1450 in northern Italy, where additional cards with allegorical illustrations were added to the common four-suit pack.

These new packs were called carte da trionfi, triumph packs, and the additional cards known simply as trionfi, which became “trumps” in English. One of the earliest references to tarot triumphs is given c. 1450–1470 by a Dominican preacher in a sermon against dice, playing cards, and ‘triumphs’. References to the tarot as a social plague or exempt from bans that affected other games continue throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, but there are no indications that the cards were used for anything but games.

Did tarot originate in Egypt?

The popular belief that tarot originated in ancient Egypt is, in fact, a myth. Tarot decks were utilized for card games for centuries prior to the late 1700s, when French pastor Antoine Court de Gebelin became the first documented professional tarot reader. He employed the cards for divination purposes.

Do Catholics believe in tarot cards?

Tarot cards and fortunetellers are practices that aim to discover the future, but only God knows the future. The Catholic Church teaches that God can reveal the future to prophets or saints, but a sound Christian attitude involves putting oneself in the hands of Providence and giving up unhealthy curiosity about it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church prohibits all forms of divination, including horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, omen interpretation, clairvoyance, and mediums, which conceal a desire for power over time, history, and other human beings, as well as a desire to conciliate hidden powers. These practices contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear owed to God alone.

People seeking guidance from tarot cards, Ouija boards, and fortunetellers may be dabbling in something forbidden by God, as they may open themselves up to demonic influence. The only way these practices can be “real” is if a demon works through them, giving false guidance about the future. This “real” practice is a real danger and can negatively influence us.

What religion does tarot come from?

This literature review examines the relationship between Tarot cards and New Age religion, emphasizing their function in the contemporary study of the New Age movement.

Is tarot ok for Christians?

The notion that tarot cards can exert control over one’s life is a pervasive one, yet there is a paucity of empirical evidence to substantiate this claim.

What culture invented tarot cards?

Tarot decks were invented in Italy in the 1430s, adding a fifth suit of 21 specially illustrated cards called trionfi (“triumphs”) and an odd card called il matto (“the fool”). These cards bore Italian suitmarks and belonged to an experimental period of card design when queens were often added to the series of court cards previously consisting of only a king and two male figures. In standard cards, the four figures were subsequently reduced to three again by suppressing the queen, except in French cards, which suppressed the cavalier (knight).

The trionfi each bore a different allegorical illustration instead of a common suitmark, possibly representing characters in medieval reenactments of Roman triumphal processions. They were originally unnumbered, so it was necessary to remember their order. When added to the pack, trionfi functioned as a suit superior in power to the other four, acting as a suit of triumphs or “trumps”.

What is the psychology behind tarot cards?

Tarot readings involve the use of symbolism, intuition, and the human psyche to access the collective unconscious and deeper layers of awareness. This process aligns with psychological concepts like archetypes, symbolism, and narrative therapy, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and symbolism in shaping our understanding of ourselves and the world. Three factors contributing to transformation following a tarot session include positive expectations, the placebo effect, and the belief in the effectiveness of the treatment. This optimistic outlook can lead to real improvements in well-being.