Definition: Tarot

Tarot has been used for divination and as a transformational tool for many centuries. A reading revolves around the belief that the cards can be used to gain insight into the current and possible future situations of the subject. Some cartomancers believe the cards help them tap into a collective unconscious or their own creative, brainstorming subconscious, while others have successfully used the Tarot to commune with the Divine. Each card has a variety of symbolic meanings that have evolved over the years. The minor arcana cards have astrological attributions that can be used as general indicators of timing in the year, based on the Octavian calendar, and the court cards may signify different people in a tarot reading, with each suit's "nature" providing hints about that person's physical and emotional characteristics. Tarot has a complex and rich symbolism with a long history.