Those Decks THINGS TO KNOW

There are two kinds of cards in a tarot deck: Major and Minor Arcana. Major Arcana symbolizes the big picture, including fate and vital lessons. They mirror the relationships and events that feel outside your control, but these things can help you grow. A few Major Arcana cards are the Sun, Moon, and Star, Death, the Lovers, and the Wheel of Fortune.

Minor Arcana cards symbolize day-to-day activities. They show what a person can control and the people who may be influencing situations in their life. Similar to a classic deck of playing cards, there are 56 Minor Arcana cards and four suits. Each suit has an ace through 10. These cards include wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. Wands symbolize creativity and passion. Cups represent love and relationships. Swords indicate conflicts and mental processes. And Pentacles illustrate money and values.

Classic Tarot decks have 78 cards. Decks often have themes that can cause some Major Arcana cards to vary, but the Minor Arcana cards are typically the same.

There are also four court cards in each suit: Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings. These reflect the personality of the person getting their fortune read (seeker) and the people who influence the seeker, or both. The four different court cards represent different stages of emotional maturity, with Kings being the highest.

Oracle cards are also an option in addition to your basic deck. Oracle cards “[They] are really just their own thing,” Williams says. “They’re more freeform and intuitive.” Oracle cards give more input into a specific situation.

Setting Up Your Deck

Before you start using your deck, cleanse it. Place the cards in salt, set crystals on top, or put them in moonlight. If someone else has used it, or even between readings, you should always cleanse the deck. Cards can build up energy and cleansing revitalizes the deck so the energy doesn’t carry over between readings.

Getting To Know Your Deck

Each time you get a new deck, get to know it. Ask it questions. Get personal. Try asking:

1. “What’s your most important characteristic?”

2. “What are your strengths or limits as a deck?”

3. “What are you here to teach me?”

4. “What kinds of readings do you do best?”

Doing this can help you connect with your deck and make your readings more accurate.

Doing A Reading

Williams likes to shuffle her cards, split the deck, straighten the cards out, and then begin the reading. Splitting the deck can bring truthful or accurate cards to the top. Some readers split the deck into thirds to separate the past, present, and future. It can also help reset the deck. Heather cleanses the reading area with incense and lights a candle. “It helps create sort of a connection intuitively,” she says.

If you’re getting into Tarot, don’t get too hung up on the little things. Do what feels right. Use your intuition. The more you practice, the easier it will be. Have fun with it and make it your own!

Pick up a deck at Ancient Ways, or at Tarot Garden in West Des Moines for around $30. You can also find decks online.