Tarot Cards - Cartomancy

TAROT CARDS
The reading of the Tarot Cards or 'Cartomancy' as its more formal name, has been around for hundreds of years if not longer. Their symbolism leads back to the second century AD, if not even further. It is said that esoteric knowledge of the Egyptians was written down in books in secret symbols known only to the initiates of mystery religions of this ancient world. The initiates alone possessed the key to these symbols - how to understand them and how to interpret them.
Of course most of that died out as civilizations moved on, died and were reborn again. However to really have a deep knowledge it is important to also understand astrology and numerology, especially numerology. Numerology is the fascinating science of numbers and not only what they mean but how they impact our lives.
According to Mary K Greer (marygreer.wordpress.com), quite lot is know about about tarot history. It originated sometime between 1420 and 1440 in Northern Italy, probably Milan or Ferrara or possibly even Florence, amid other experiments in creating sets of “triumph” cards. We also know fairly precisely what the images signified in the late Gothic, early Renaissance North Italian culture. For the first 350 years ‘Il Trionfos’ were known almost entirely for playing games similar to bridge.
"Please refer to Ms Greer's other posts: TarotL History Information Sheet and my post: “Origins of Cartomancy (Playing Card Divination).” The serious student will want to also check out trionfi.com, taropedia.com, Cultural Association “Le Tarot”, the Tarot History Forum and Tarot History & Iconography at aeclectic, among others. Books are recommended on these sites."
According to Joseph Maxwell in his book 'The Tarot', the Game of Tarot was an amusement like the bridge of today and until very recently, played in France. It does not appear to have been used for divination before the end of the sixteenth century or the beginning of the seventeenth century.
In the late seventeen hundreds, in France and England, followers of the occult discovered Tarot cards. They saw the symbolic pictures of the cards as having more meaning than the simple trump playing cards they were used for at the time. They began using the cards as a divination tool and occult writers wrote about "the Tarot." After this, the Tarot became a part of occult philosophy.
Do we have to know the history and myths of the tarot to be able to understand them. Absolutely not. It does make for some interesting reading and gives you a great background knowledge otherwise you are missing an integral part of the charm, character and richness of its origins. What is important is that the cards are a divination tool to be used along with your intuition and clarity of vision.
There are three important rules to help you understand how the cards work best:

1. Do not look for the key in the keyhole, rather seek it in a hidden place.
2. What are you looking for as a key does not often look like a key.
   3.The only way to find the key to each symbol is to study it in relationship to the others, to see the whole.

If you wish to begin and add this modality to your tool belt then these advices are offered.
Choose a deck that calls you.
Let the magic of your intuition be unleashed.
Have fun and flow with the cards.
Open your mind and allow the cards to talk to you.
They will tell you a story. Are you prepared to listen?

Finally, to understand the full meaning of any one of the symbols, it is helpful to think in the same way as those who conceived them. If the thought that Tarot Cards originated in ancient Egypt, then the cards are considered to be the hieroglyphical keys to life or sacred symbols.