Tarot & Christianity
For Centuries, Tarot Cards Have Been Used for Divination, Pleasure, and Self-Realization.
Tarot cards have a mysterious aura about them. With foundations in the early Revitalization, tarot cards have had many PR makeovers and iterations. Later, the tarot deck became the standard, which is based on an illustration by Pamela Smith in 1910.
Tarot decks have a similar structure to a regular deck of cards, and it contains about 78 cards. The basic difference between a regular deck of cards and a tarot deck of cards is the insertion of 22 major Arcana cards. The major Arcana cards symbolize the soul’s growth. The other 56 minor Arcana cards represent actions, situational experiences, and universal feelings. By asking the right questions, we get to know where we stand, gain new perspectives on our lives, discover what energies we are aligning with, and get guidance to move forward in life with courage and conviction. If you view these cards as you would a Rorschach test, you can see how one can gain self-awareness and insight into the different facets of one’s life.
History of Tarot Cards
Throughout history, there are many myths about the origin of the tarot that stems from the hands of different people and cultures. However, tarot does not belong to any one religion. The idea of tarot cards originates from Sufis, Cathars, Egyptians, and Kabbalists. Most specified accounts occur in the first half of the 1400s, where the majority of the historical accounts come from Northern Italy. Some people believe that tarot has not existed before in history. On the contrary, the standard playing cards were used before the tarot deck, and some still use playing cards as a tarot deck to date.
Between 1375 and 1378, these playing cards came from Europe to different cities of Arab. It is also assumed that these cards are a new version of Islamic Mamluk cards. These playing cards contain suits, swords, coins, and polo sticks. The tarot has four suits just like the playing cards, which may differ according to region. As time passes, Northern Europe includes French suits and Central Europe includes German suits. Decks are made by the king and two lower ones. After some time, trumpets, a fool, and an ensemble of queens were added.
Before 1480, French cards were sometimes pioneered with suits of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. In the middle of the 15th century, the first tarot deck was made. About 1420, Duke Filippo Maria Visconti commissioned a booth in which he had Michelina create a 60-card house. This 60-card house had Roman gods and suits consisting of four (4) species of birds. The 16 winning cards are considered trumpets. The emperor had developed a type of novum quondam with an exquisite triumph rum genus, or “new and exciting victory”.
Now, a newer version of the tarot is used that is available in libraries, museums, and different places around the globe. These Italian cards have used a game that has not changed much since its inception. It consisted of 21 special cards that acted as eternal trumpets. This was called “Game of Triumphs” and became very famous among the privileged. Afterward, this game became popular in Italy, as well as some parts of France.
In 1487, it was considered as just playing cards. Some believe that the early tarot has Kabbalistic characteristics, but there is no evidence for it. During this period, an evolution of philosophies occurred. In fact, the tarot was derived from the Christian culture of Europe. Still, it is interpreted as a pillar of mysterious tradition and influence from different schools of thought.
Tarot Cards in Terms of Interpretation
To a few, the flipping and rearranging of cards in a deck may appear to be irregular and inane, yet with high fixation the tarot can give us insight about our lives that we would not be able to get someplace else. The double activity of the card situation and the significance of the actual card is the establishment of your tarot perusing. The Reader and Questioner should both explore the examining of the card spread in order to comprehend the story that the “Inner Guide” is unfolding to them.
The tarot is a mirror that reflects the secret parts of your higher self. Record your cards and positions, and then journal about your experience(s) a while later to see if your comprehension of your tarot perusing can be applied. Tarot is an antiquated, otherworldly practice that holds significance and practicality in today’s society.
The Word “Seer” in the Bible:
When you search the word “Seer” in the Bible, you will get it many times over. Here are just a few of those verses shown below (New International Version-NIV):
- “He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets.” (2 Chronicles 29:25)
- “The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.” (2 Chronicles 35:15)
- “The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’” (2 Kings 17:13)
It is not compulsory that everyone who desires to become a Seer has the gift or the blessing to do so; nonetheless, some people are called to give messages to others that come from a realm that most will never be able to understand. It is with an open heart and wisdom that we discern the truth for ourselves.
Spirituality Leads to Christianity
According to S.P. Pretorius, spirituality cannot be claimed only by those who adhere to the Christian faith. Instead, it is found in a myriad of religions all across the world. He goes on to say how spiritual experiences can involve a variety of religious practices, but that the spiritual experience is by no means the result of a given religion. For some, it is a gateway portal into discovering their inner self; an opportunity to connect with the essence of their own existence and higher being. For others, spiritual experiences mean a literal escape and a journey to the outer realms of the universe within one’s mind in search of the source that connects all living beings (the truth of our existence as human beings).
The English word “spirituality” is derived from the Latin word “spiritualities”, and like its cognate “spirit”, it can be translated from the original Greek words “pneuma” and “pneumatics”. The adjective “spirit” is a Christian word and is used by Paul to describe what is related to the Holy Spirit. Christian spirituality can be understood as to how Christian individuals or groups deal with or practice the existence of God. Dowd (1994: 39) points out that spirituality is not just a close relationship with the divine God, but an intimate relationship with God Himself who is always faithful to the love of His covenant.
Spiritual experiences in the Christian tradition do not exceed the limits of Christianity but should be regarded as the highest level of spiritual awareness made possible through Bible study, devotion, and the Holy Spirit. This experience can sometimes be in the form of a dream, a vision, or a miracle. While the contents of these experiences are not always evaluated or measured in terms of Christian theology and precepts, such experiences can be verified by similar Biblical experiences.
God’s dealings with individuals may not always be in harmony with the natural order of things, but they will always have a positive effect, building up fellow believers and others. A clear principle should always be that the effect or outcome of such knowledge should build and improve Christian character and develop a personal relationship with Christ. It seems clear that whenever God meets man, he is left with a better understanding of God and the will of God.
Tarot as a Tool to Develop Spirituality
Spirituality is something that is asked about many times, but most have misunderstood it. For some people, spirituality is defined in terms of religion, but it also refers to personal growth, which includes finding the meaning of life, creating happiness for oneself, and creating happiness for others. Spirituality helps to enhance the connection between the mind and the body. Its significance plays a crucial role in our lives that actively incorporates emotional, social, intellectual, and environmental factors. Research has found that meditative practices can boost concentration and can encourage calmness.
We all come from different backgrounds and live entirely different lives. Our beliefs, experiences, and understandings are not comparable with another’s. Therefore, everyone’s journey is unique. This is the reason why we all must commence on our spiritual journey that aligns with our faith and purpose. Tarot is a tool to develop one’s intuition and spirituality.
Tarot cards can offer the following benefits to the open-hearted and open-minded:
- Tarot guides people to grow in joy and become stronger
- Tarot helps them to get through the “dark night of the soul” time period(s)
- Tarot is all about gaining clarity when it comes to your own intuition
- Tarot is often used as a process of meditation
Tarot ultimately assists us to purify the waters of our minds and affirm our instincts. It helps to sharpen our intuition and guide us through whatever life circumstances we are facing at the moment.
At the end of the day, the tarot card is a fantastic, accessible tool for providing clarity to individuals.