Traditionally tarot is played by a reader and a seeker, but feel free to switch roles as the reading carries on. To read your own tarot, you take on both the roles of reader and seeker. Most tarot readings start with a question, and the quality of the question will determine the quality of the answer. For example, instead of asking Why am I always sad? try How do I bring more joy to my life?
Each card that is revealed adds to the unique tapestry of meaning, helping the seeker make inquiries into their own life and psyche to gain clarity about their current situation and conclude what might be possible for their future.
Although the root meaning of each card is explained in this booklet, the true meaning of each card can only be discovered within the context of the reading, as the cards begin to influence one another to create a story. And so it's best to allow the reading to unfold (five cards is a good number) without trying to define the answer.
The Major Arcana,
denoted by the cards numbered from 0 to 21 represent the archetypal life lessons all human beings experience, such as love, loss, change, and consciousness. The Major Arcana are challenges we revisit throughout our lives, but in different places; our life experience is continually expanding with time, so our capacity for understanding gives us a deeper insight into these lessons.
The Minor Arcana,
is made of 56 cards divided into four suits. These cards represent life's temporary highs and lows that pop up and fade away, unlike the enduring and evolving transformations of the Major Arcana.
In this tarot deck, we have mapped the traditional suits of the Minor ArcanaâWands, Swords, Cups, and Pentaclesâto abilities within the game of D&D.
- Strength. signifies your physical ability to move and change your environment. It is also your passion, creativity, inner resolve, and heart. These cards show seekers that they need to take action and focus on their inner strength to bring about change in the world.
- Intelligence. represents how the power of the intellect can shape our world. These cards show seekers how they can use their thoughts to shape their attitude and their reality. Rarely do we see the world as it is without our mind creating a story around it.
- Wisdom. represents not only your external perception but also your capacity to look into your internal world and see all the subtleties within yourself. These cards tell seekers to turn within and listen to the nonverbal language of the heart and the body in order to gain access to the wisdom of insight and intuition.
- Charisma. denotes a person's confidence, eloquence, and their ability to influence the material world with their energy. These cards show seekers that a flowering of their inner beauty and power is taking place or that they have an opportunity to grow their self- esteem and expand their capacity for fun and joy.
Upright and Reversed Meanings
Many tarot readers give upside-down (reversed) cards an opposite meaning of the upright version. In this booklet, there is no reversed meaning, but as the reader of tarot, feel free to follow your intuition. If you feel that the seeker needs a bit of a wake-up call, then a reversed interpretation can often do the trick.