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I will be giving lessons using my absolutely favourite Tarot Deck, the Tarot Maconnique by Jean Beauchard. This is a wonderfully illustrated deck, rich in symbolism. I have been using this deck for many years and feel very attached to it.

The first lesson will describe the two major parts of a Tarot Deck, the Major and Minor Arcana. It will also discuss the various suits; Cups, Swords, Wands and Coins.

These lessons, as they develop, will bring an insight into the mysteries of reading the Tarot and perhaps one day, with practice and determination, you too will be reading for other people.

Please scroll down to the end of Lesson 1 to get to Lesson 2.

Lesson 1:

The Deck

A Tarot Deck is, like almost any other deck of cards, made up of a number of cards. There are two main groups of cards, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. What each of these groups represent, we'll discuss later. A few example pictures of cards in the Tarot Maconnique deck are shown at the end of this page. Each card in the deck is richly decorated, in the Minor Arcana with a representation of the card's value and suit and in the Major Arcana with a picture representing the particular name of the card.

The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, each with it's own name and meaning, each completely unique.

The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards, split into 4 suits. Each suit has a particular focus and each card within a suit has a particular meaning.

So in total there are 78 cards in a Tarot deck. Some readers like to use only the 22 Major Arcana cards. This is a matter of personal choice. I use the whole deck as I feel it adds depth to my readings.

The Minor Arcana - An overview

If we take the Minor Arcana cards first, we can split them into four suits. In the Tarot Maconnique, the suits are names as Cups, Swords, Wands and Coins. The cards are numbered in a very similar way to a standard deck of playing cards. From 1 to 10, then a Knave, a Knight, a Queen and a King. So in fact each suit consists of 14 cards in total.

The Suits

There are Four suits, just like in a normal deck of playing cards. Each suit has a particular relationship to an aspect of life. The Four suits are Cups, Swords, Wands and Coins.

Cups

The suit of Cups is really associated with issues of Emotions. In a normal deck of cards, the suit of Hearts is most closely related. In astrological terms, Cups is linked to Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Cups can often show up issues surrounding relationships and love.

Swords

In a traditional deck of cards, Swords would be known as Spades. In the Tarot, the suit of Swords is associated with fighting, conflict or perhaps mental activity. Linked to the astrological symbols for Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. When Swords show up in a reading, expect a conflict of some kind.

Wands

Wands would be represented by Clubs. This suit is related to growth, activity, work and enterprise. Associated with the astrological fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Wands can relate to intense creativity.

Coins

Known in other decks as Pentacles, Coins relates to Diamonds in a normal deck of playing cards. This is a suit of money, prosperity, wealth and sometimes health. Riches can take many forms so sometimes good health is all a man desires. Often an indication of business activity. Astrological signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.

Major Arcana - An overview

The Major Arcana of the Tarot consists of 22 cards. There are no particular groups like in the Minor Arcana but there are ways of combining the cards into sets. However, before discussing this quite advanced issue, lets just look at the 22 cards. Each card, with one exception, is numbered. There are cards 1 to 21 and an un-numbered 22nd card. Here are each of the Major Arcana cards:

1. The Magician
2. The High Priestess
3. The Empress
4. The Emperor
5. The Heirophant
6. The Lovers
7. The Chariot
8. Justice
9. The Hermit
10. Wheel of Fortune
11. Fortitude
12. The Hanged Man
13. Death
14. Temperance
15. The Devil
16. The Tower
17. The Star
18. The Moon
19. The Sun
20. Judgement
21. The World

    The Fool

See which cards you can recognise from the pictures at the end of this page.

Each of the Major Arcana cards is highly decorated in my particular deck. The artwork is incredible and the gold just makes the cards shine. This is really a deck that's a pleasure to work with.

Well, that's really the end of lesson 1, a very basic introduction to the Tarot. I will post Lesson 2 in the next few days so keep checking back.

Lesson 2:

What I want to discuss this time is the way that some of the cards are interpreted. It is tempting to start with the Major Arcana, but to be methodical I guess it's best to stick to the Minor Arcana just now. When interpreting cards, it is absolutely vital to consider what the meaning might be in context of the position of the card in the spread and what other cards might be in the same group.

The following interpretations are quite litterally just a guide and should be thought of as a list of possible meanings. For example, if a particular card were to come up in the relationships group of a spread, you might focus on those parts of the interpretation that most likely are to do with relationships. The same card in a group about obstacles or expectations might mean something completely different. When you combine the meanings of several cards in a single group, the overall meaning has to be divined. We'll discuss this much more deepply when we look at the various spreads.

One very important thing to remember when looking at the cards is which way up they are. When I am dealing from the deck, I always keep it the same way round. I simply take off a card and put it face up on the table. I don't turn or rotate the deck so I know that each time I deal, the cards will come out whichever way they are in the deck. This is important because when a card is dealt onto the table upside-down it can have a radical effect on the interpretation of that card.

In the following lists, there are several meanings given for each card. Each card also has what could be considered as a set of keywords. Personally I think of these as aids to memory. Each keyword could also be a small phrase, but in itself is just a way of helping you concentrate on the real meaning.

The Aces:

Unlike normal playing cards, the Ace is only counted as a 1, the lowest card in the deck. There are 4 Aces, one for each of the suits. Aces tend to mean the start or the beginning being at the start of the deck. Let's look at each of the 4 Aces and see what we can see.

Ace of Cups

As we discussed above, cups is the suit of relationships or emotions. The most potent word associated with this particular Ace is LOVE. This card in isolation indicates the start of a love affair or a wonderful relationship. Happiness and joy abound and it's quite clear that if this card is in a group of relationships, marriage or partnership is in the air. This card can also mean abundance or plenty. I also get a wonderful feeling of fulfilment when I see this card so it can also mean a great sense of satisfaction. This is great card for romantics.

Upside-down however this card has quite a warning and paint a very different picture. The main feeling is disenchantment and loss. If this card were reversed in a relationship group, I would immediately feel that the end of the relationship was at hand. It could also mean that the person you're reading for has a rather unrealistic view of a relationship and might find his, or her, feelings are rather misplaced or even inappropriate.

Ace of Swords

This is the start of action or movement. A consideration of what's to come or perhaps a plan of attack. This is really the start of a battle or a war but with the application of considerable intelligence, all will be well. Up the right way this card hints strongly at success of whatever the issue to be fought over is about.

Upside-down this card is once again quite a lot darker. Rather than power being used for the good, it is abused and is likely to lead to misfortune. There could be misunderstandings and a lot of bitterness. Fighting a losing battle will lead to stress and anxiety.

Ace of Wands

The start of an enterprice or perhaps a new business relationship. This is a card of energy and willpower and ambition. If this card were to come up in a group related to work I would instantly feel very positive about the venture. The main word associated with this card is Enterprise.

Upside-down though this card give me itchy feet. It's a feeling of being unsettled and restless. There's a need to change things just for the sake of it. Although it's possible that change is wanted, there's a massive feeling of lack of self-confidence and it's very likely that the person you're reading for will need a great deal of support from those around them.

Ace of Coins

Foundation is the keyword for this card. It is the start of a period of prosperity and wealth. It is the perfect place to start to build, more often to do with money or work or land. This card can also predict a sudden unexpected gift or bequeathal of money or land. It's a card of stability and security. I like to feel also that this card represents inertia or resistance to change.

Upside-down this card is one of greed and insecurity. There's no stability at all and there are dodgy times ahead. Money will be a major issue, to the worse. Planned investments are likely to fall flat and this is definitely not a time to speculate.

Look out for Lesson 3 when I'll be looking at the 2s.

Lesson 3:

So far we've looked at the deck as a whole and seen that it is split into two main sections; the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. We then looked at the first cards in the Minor Arcana - the Aces. In this lesson, we'll take a look at the Twos and Threes

The Twos

To me, Twos tend to relate to pairs or couples. Also, there's a balance or stability about the two - like in two equal halves or two equal partners. The interpretation of a Two is quite dependant on it's location in the spread. This is true of all cards but for me, the two in particular. I don't know why I feel this, but I do. Let's take a look at the Twos in their individual suits.

Two of Cups

This is a card of committment. Like mutual love and understanding between two people. It really is the ultimate relationship card and if this card pops up in a reading, love is in the air. It can also mean being emotionally contented so perhaps happy with an existing relationship. When this card appears in a group other than one to do with relationships, it can often mean cooperation or friendship. It can also point to a truce or the ending of a long runnign feud.

This card has a sting in it's tail in that it's reversed meaning can be divorce or separation or perhaps even a dalliance or an affair. A strong sense of betrayal and no doubt, tears to come.

Two of Swords

In the aggressive suit of swords, this card is about the least scary of the bunch. It is a card of equals or balance. It's like finding an ally or perhaps a close friend and knowing you can depend on them. It could be an equally matched opponent or perhaps, and this is more like the way I feel when I see this card, a stalemate. It could mean an impasse in that whichever way you turn there's a problem to resolve. I also get a feeling of immobility or perhaps of being stuck and not knowing which way to turn. Perhaps a very difficult decision.

Reversed this card changes the ally or close friend into a trouble-maker. Someone who you thought you could depend on stirring up problems and maing your life difficult. Indecisiveness is again a problem but this time, not making a decision is making your situation worse.

Two of Wands

I always consider this card as a business partnership or perhaps two intelligent people getting together for their mutual benefit. This is a very positive card and I like to think of it as the start of something good. Strength will be gained by relying on the help of a partner.

This card's reverse meaning is a clash of very similar personalities. Two strong wills coming head-to-head and each one incapable of backing down. This is almost always to do with friction between existing partners, usually in business.

Two of Coins

A time of unsteady finances and perhaps lean times ahead. What comes in goes out. A state of balance or perhaps financial ebb and flow. It could mean that you have to spread what money you have very thinly. I also get the feeling of turning your back on something that's of no further use. There's a contradiction about this card that means in one sense its positive and in the other, quite negative. Equally balanced between the two perhaps.

Reversed this card warns of wasing money or resources leading to loss of security and financial difficulties. A bad time to have a flutter on the horses or at the roulette wheel as you're likely to put everything you have on red and it comes up black.

Look out for the next less when I'll be discussing some more cards

Be Happy

Jim