When you pick up a pack of 52 playing cards to enjoy a round of poker, rummy, bridge or any of the other familiar games you might not realize that the deck in your hands is actually a modern version of the Tarot.

Although said to have originated in France in the medieval ages, Tarot cards have their roots in ancient Egypt, Greece, Italy and partake of the wisdom of the Kabbalah and other schools of thought.

Today most people see the Tarot as a means of fortune telling or divination.

The cards operate on the principle of correspondences. Events or patterns in one area of existence correspond to patterns in other areas. The pattern of the zodiac corresponds to the pattern of a person’s life. Everything is connected and everything has meaning; nothing occurs at random. The pictures on the Tarot cards carry deep significance all by themselves, the pattern they form in readings can teach us a great deal about ourselves and life in general.

Apart from the inherent wisdom of the system of the Tarot, the reader’s intuition, knowledge and intent play a vital role.

The cards do not compel the situation to turn out in a certain way. They simply reflect the way in which the influences combine in real life. We can make a different decision when the time comes to act. Tarot readings help us develop confidence in our own perceptions.

Readings depend upon the person’s situation and questions. Some things, practical or legal matters and certain emotional situations, can bring forth an answer that makes itself apparent within a few days. With others-the working of emotional conflicts, deep relationships, spiritual or artistic development-it can take a long time before the reading fulfils itself. This does not mean that the readings will not ‘come true’ for years. We are not speaking of predictions, but of continuing patterns that slowly unfold as time passes.

A Tarot reading actually reaches beyond time, bringing out the true pattern that includes past and future. The random pattern of the cards leads us to bypass the limitations of consciousness. The readings carry certitude and serve us the most by giving us a sense of direction.

To sum it up, I would say that Tarot Card Readings are a method of being aware of and learning to be in harmony with the changing patterns of life.