Tarot Cards
Tarot cards, like horoscopes, tea-leaf readings,
palmistry and crystal ball gazing are often regarded as part of the fun of
the fairground. People from all sections of society irrespective of class
or occupation have at sometime experimented with Tarot cards. Most
consider them to be a harmless, inconsequential pastime. Few question
their origin, influence or effect upon lives.
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Their History
Different types of Tarot cards are found world wide.
Their diversity is the culmination of input from many cultures,
generations, and belief systems.
Originally, "Tarot" cards were an unusual form
of card game, more complex perhaps than ordinary cards, but a game
nevertheless. A normal deck of playing cards we have today, with the 4
suits, are a development from the Tarot. It seems that these cards were
used for divination (fortune-telling) purposes for the first time in about
1780, although symbolic cards were used for other purposes as far back as
ancient Egyptian times.
It is said the first cards, named "Trionfi",
were produced in Italy. These were later called "Tarocco" and "Tarok",
eventually becoming the French "Tarot". Beginning in the 15th
century, the gipsies spread Tarot use wherever they roamed in Europe. The
gipsies claimed they inherited the cards from ancestors who had obtained
them in Egypt or Chaldea.
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Usage and Purpose
The Tarot is two decks within one: a Major Arcana
(arcana is Latin for "secrets"), which consists of 22 cards,
each of which appears to represent an archetype of the human psyche; and a
Minor Arcana, which consists of 56 cards and is the prototype of today's
ordinary playing cards.
Having met the "reader" (Tarotist), the client
will be asked to shuffle the pack. During this the client will be asked to
speak freely or confide in the reader. The reader will be accomplished at
getting the client to "talk" and will also use their powers of
observation, e.g. do they wear a wedding ring? How old is it? etc. The
cards are then laid out according to the reader's set pattern or spread,
this helps the reader remember the order in which the cards were laid. The
predictions will begin as soon as the cards fall and the random sequence
emerges.
To make an interesting reading, the 'Tarotist' may well
be a good storyteller. Many will say they can "see" what they
have invented. This combination of observation, guess work and
storytelling can certainly make a credible reading without any "supernatural
power" whatsoever. However, it must not be overlooked that many
fortune-tellers receive intuition, not just from imagination or
observation, but from deceiving 'evil spirits'. Such insight can occur to
mediums, psychics and spiritists alike.
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Is Tarot reliable? Trustworthy? Harmfull?
Is Tarot a technique that operates according to rational
and logical laws? An indication of this would be conformity between the
symbols, meanings and practice of Tarot, regardless of the setting.
Interestingly, this is not the case. An example of this is the "six
of coins". In one system its meaning is 'generosity', or 'kindness',
while in another it means 'an early marriage may be a failure'. These
conflicting readings could certainly produce confusion! Divination by
cards is reputed to be one of the most unreliable methods of fortune
telling. It gives rise to maximum interpretation by the reader, and
produces results no better than guesswork. Therefore an accurate reading
cannot be attributed to any particular system it is the influence of a
'spirit of divination'.
Is the practice of Tarot in accordance with the
teachings of the Bible? The Bible is very clear about divination
practices:
"You shall not practice divination or sorcery"
(Leviticus 19:26)
"Then the Lord said to me, 'the prophets are
prophesying falsehood in my name. 1 have neither sent them, nor commanded
them, nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision,
divination, futility and the deception of their own minds." (Jeremiah
14:14)
"Do not let the prophets and diviners among you
deceive you" (Jeremiah 9:8)
Although Tarot may appear fairly harmless, it does form
part of a wider spectrum of occult practices, all of which the Bible
forbids:
Occult involvement will ultimately result in either
mental, physical or spiritual harm to those who practice it because it
originates from Satan, who is the 'Father of lies' and is in direct
disobedience to the Word of God.
The Bible teaches that God does want to lead and guide
His people. His plans for us are good, and are based upon the reliable
truth of His Word, and through the leading of His Holy Spirit.
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