How Many Cards In A Deck Tarot

The Venetian or Piedmontese tarot served as the inspiration for the typical modern tarot deck. There are 78 cards total, split into two groups: the

How many cards should there be in a deck of tarot cards?

The 78 cards in a tarot deck are split into two groups: the major arcana (great mysteries) and the minor arcana (meaning minor mysteries).

There are 22 primary arcana cards, and they typically address important life milestones and broad issues like love, relationships, and work.

There are 56 cards in the minor arcana. These typically address more trivial problems and little inconveniences, such as transient feelings and circumstances. The four suits of minor arcana cards are cups, wands, swords, and pentacles. There are four court cards and numbered cards from 1 to 10 in each suit (page, knight, king and queen).

Can you read tarot using a standard deck of cards?

You may have used an oracle deck or heard of tarot cards, but did you realize you could perform a reading with a standard deck of playing cards for a friend or yourself? Anyone is welcome to try this method of divination, known as cartomancy.

What do the cards in a tarot deck look like?

Around 1789, Etteilla was the first to publish a tarot deck created especially for esoteric uses. Etteilla’s tarot included themes pertaining to ancient Egypt, in keeping with the unfounded assumption that such cards were originated from the Book of Thoth.

Esotericists utilize a 78-card tarot deck that is divided into two parts:

  • 22 cards without suits make up the Major Arcana (greater mysteries), sometimes known as the trump cards:
  • The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World, and The Fool are just a few of the characters mentioned. The Fool is the only card in the deck that is not numbered; it is sometimes dealt at the start of the deck as 0 or at the end as XXII. Cards from The Magician to The World are numbered in Roman numerals from I to XXI.
  • 56 cards make up the Minor Arcana (lesser secrets), which is divided into four suits of 14 cards each.
  • Four court cards and ten numbered cards. The King, Queen, Knight, and Page/Jack in each of the four tarot suits serve as the court cards. The four suits of the classic Italian tarot are swords, batons, coins, and cups; however, in contemporary occult tarot decks, the coins suit is frequently referred to as pentacles or disks, while the batons suit is frequently referred to as wands, rods, or staves.

Jean-Baptiste Pitois (also known as Paul Christian) coined the titles “Major Arcana” and “Minor Arcana,” which are never used in connection with tarot card games. Some decks only exist as works of art, and these decks may only include the 22 Major Arcana.

How is a tarot deck created?

What I actually wanted to do was open a store that offered independently made tarot and oracle decks like the ones I collected, first online and then offline. I would purchase these independent decks from vendors like Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot, and I imagined that perhaps I might create my own small collection to offer to Manila residents (and maybe Asia).

Now I know some of you who frequent this blog do have tarot deck creation goals of your own… so I thought I’d put together a guide that can *fingers crossed* walk you through the creation process the way I did it.

Disclaimer: If you think this piece is going to be about suppliers, printers, and the like, I’m going to warn you right away that it isn’t. I get a lot of queries about those things. I encourage you to conduct independent research on execution. You can set together your decks just as easily as I did by conducting your own research. Your best friend is Google.

So let this serve as a guide, but don’t expect any spoon-feeding. Open yourselves up to the experience of learning through process, discovering through research, and creating a tarot deck all your own.

Have a goal in mind. Back in architecture school, we had to begin with a design challenge before we could even begin sketching or discussing aesthetics. You must understand your why. Initially, why are you building a deck? Is your deck an outlet for your creativity or an attempt to tackle a problem? Are you making a deck in order to generate income, support a certain cause, or get a little more tarot knowledge for yourself?

Knowing your why will set the tone for your entire creation process. Give this fundamental step time.

begin with a notion. These days, independently produced cards are based on themes. It’s too general to say, “I want to create a tarot deck.” Make your creation worthy. Do you want an animal-themed deck? Why? Do you favor having a “Stranger Things” theme? Eighties soap operas? political leaders

Select a form of artistic expression. If you’re into impressionism, Op-art, or post-modernism, go ahead and do whatever you feel at home with, unless you’re making a deck to broaden your style or portfolio. I selected collage because that’s the medium I’m comfortable with.

Setting your parameters will help you create a visually appealing deck (unless the concept you’re working with calls for a range of art styles, in which case mixing things up might make sense).

You need to accept your own artistic ability at this point. If you have a deadline, consider what you can actually accomplish in that time. Perhaps painting frescoes, photographing them, and then processing each image is not the ideal course of action if you want to complete a deck in a month. Consider whether you can actually complete 78 canvases (and possibly more since you’ll need extras for do-overs and such) if you’re comfortable working with oil on canvas.

Establish your guidelines so that you have a reference point to use when you build your deck.

Make sure you understand what you’re getting into before you even start. I am aware that many artists who have no background in tarot take on the task of creating a deck. But I think their cards have a distinct vibe than real tarot readers. They aren’t as useful as decks created by those who are proficient in spreads, have a thorough understanding of their archetypes, and can read for themselves or others. Even the most accomplished artists are unable to discern tiny elements when using the tarot, despite their skill.

If you are familiar with tarot, create a deck. If you are proficient with it, construct an oracle deck. Do your research.

Start working. The part that most eager beavers are anticipating, you’ll just have to put in the effort. Tarot cards cannot “magician their way into existence.” Get your iPad out, start using Procreate, get some scissors, paint thinner, and brushes.

Be prepared to make a lot of stops and starts at this phase of the process, and be nice to yourself. whenever you’re ready, display your work to the public. You’d probably benefit from getting feedback from both a non-tarot reader and a skilled reader, just to see whether what you’re doing resonates with both target groups.

Remember to keep the big picture in mind. Although we occasionally interpret tarot cards individually, we often use pairs of cards and broad spreads. You must have the ability to take a step back from your task and assess how the cards stack up. three, five, ten, and twelve-spot spreads. Lay them all out to check for stragglers, see if any visual or thematic trends emerge (extremely important in a deck! ), and determine whether you like the way they all look when arranged in a formation.

Beyonc staging Bey-chella comes to mind. She had to make sure that everyone on stage appeared flawlessly coordinated.

Make a trial run. The effort isn’t ended once the art is finished, whether you plan to build your deck for sale or just want a copy for yourself. You want to check to see how the tarot cards represent everything. Look for a printer who can produce a single copy at a low cost on common card stock, or if you want to wreck your inkjet printer, do it yourself at home. This is to determine whether your art, in any size you decide, works. You can use this to check for border problems, uneven cropping, etc.

Use your test deck as soon as you obtain it. Carry it around and do readings for friends, family, and future clients. Trust me, once you acquire that tester, it won’t leave your hands. Check out how it functions in the wild.

Revision is essential. My least favorite project stage, but one that is absolutely necessary if you want to do things correctly. You will be able to determine what needs shifting and what needs altering after holding your sample in your hands and using it for 10, 20, and 50 readings.

With my initial run of the PM Starter Deck, I saw a few things that I wanted to change. The fact that I only had 11 copies printed allowed me to fix any errors I found without incurring significant costs.

Examine the market. If you’re quite certain about your deck, you can have a professional finish it right away. You can either order a task for a small print run for yourself or a large print run if you want to take the plunge. You may relax knowing that you tested your deck, made any necessary adjustments, and took into account everyone’s input.

See whether people are interested in your cutting-edge independent deck. Consider going commercial if individuals appear to be really engaged. Examine your numbers to see if you can feel as like you are taking a calculated risk.

If you decide to place a large print order, say a Hail Mary and good luck to yourself. Who knows, your invention could be the next item to appear on the independent shelves of Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot.

What number of tarot cards do you draw?

If you find this daunting, Howe advises you to take a deep breath and believe in your own initiative. “In order to see it less as “This holds all of these secret meanings that I have to do all this work to access” and more as “I know all the meanings; it’s just a matter of establishing the connections and being able to articulate them,” use language or knowledge that you already possess. She points out that the four elementsearth, water, fire, and airplay a significant role in the tarot, which is advantageous because the majority of people already have an understanding of the meanings of each element. ” If you do that, your viewpoint will be more personal, and you will be able to express yourself more freely.

Howe suggests the three-card draw and the Celtic Cross as the two fundamental spreads for beginning readers. In the former, three cards are chosen at random from the deck to symbolize the subject’s mind, body, and spirit, or past, present, and future. According to Howe, you could even up the stakes and use a six-card draw, with one card for each location.

How should my tarot deck be cleaned?

While rearranging the cards in the tarot deck is a good approach to purify and clear their energy, there are some circumstances in which you might wish to perform a more specialized ritual. If you’re just getting started with tarot, cleaning your deck can be an excellent place to start.

You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:

  • beginning with a fresh deck
  • readings for other people
  • You think you need to recharge.
  • Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
  • Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
  • Your deck has been handled by others
  • You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content

Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?

Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. Consider it as a little spiritual hygiene to maintain a strong and clear connection. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.

How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?

This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t stress if you don’t believe it is necessary for your deck. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.

If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.

There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.

Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck

Use holy smoke. Light a dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo cleansing wand until it begins to smoke. Hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck while holding the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other so that the smoke drifts upward onto the cards. Turn the deck so that the smoke covers it from all angles. Next, safely put your deck to the ground and put out the fire.

On the deck, set a selenite stone (or a black tourmaline or a transparent quartz). It works well to leave it like way for an hour, but I prefer to leave it overnight.

Set them on display during a new moon. The New Moon is energy of a blank slate; you can purify the deck by setting it on a window sill on a new moon night. At this moment, you can also make a brand-new intention for your deck.

Place the cards in a salty dish. A strong and stabilizing cleaner is salt. My preferred choice for a thorough cleansing is this. Allow it to sit anywhere from one to eight hours in a dry area.

Unorderly shuffle. Spread the cards out on the ground, then shuffle them around like a child playing in dirt. This method’s freedom and randomization serve as an excellent reset.

the shuffle and sort. Set up the deck in rows of seven cards across, commencing with the Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22. (see photo above). Next, arrange the cards, Ace through King, one for each suit, as follows: Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. View the deck in this configuration, then mix everything up (like the chaotic!) and shuffle it thoroughly.

Infuse the cards with your energy

Spend some time with your tarot deck to imbue it with your energy before you begin plucking cards. The creator of Soul Cards, Kristine Fredheim, advises giving them a good shuffle while imagining or stating your name and birthdate. You might also think about sleeping with your cards under your pillow if you want to get really close to them.

How can I quickly learn tarot?

studying the Tarot? Here’s How to Simplify That

  • You’re about to feel a lot less overwhelmed about those 78 cards!
  • Draw a card every day, and review it later.
  • Read to your friends, especially your tarot buddies.
  • Try using a deck with “traditional” iconography.
  • Write down your thoughts in a journal.

How should the Tarot cards be arranged?

The primary arcana cards feature images that stand in for a variety of energies, people, virtues, and vices. The fool card is unnumbered, and the other 21 cards are numbered I through XXI. The major arcana tarot cards are listed below in alphabetical order: I the juggler, or magician; II the papess, or female pope; III the empress; IV the emperor; V the pope; VI the lovers; VII the chariot; VIII the justice; IX the hermit; X the wheel of fortune; X the strength, or fortitude; XI the hanged man; XIII the death; XIV the temperance; XV the devil; XVI the lightning-s