Reading Tarot Cards: An Introduction to the Tarot Divination System, Including the Origin, History and Getting Started

Welcome to your introduction to the divination system known as "tarot"!

Any journey in life begins with a single step. Before that step comes a thought. Before the thought, a feeling, a seed deep in the psyche that longs to germinate into knowledge. As in The Fool - the first card of the Major Arcana - all journeys begin not with "One", but with "Zero", the shape which represents coming full circle back to oneself. From this place we experience a sense of wonder and budding curiosity, which gives rise to questions such as:

Where will the road lead and what pitfalls can I expect along the way?
Will I experience love, happiness, sadness or regret?
What actions must I take to better my situation, and thus better myself?

The tarot is an excellent tool to help answer these questions and many others, and has been used for hundreds, even thousands of years. Indeed, it is possible that eras were shaped around single questions asked by the pharaohs and queens of long ago. In the modern world, it is sometimes hard to block out the bustle of distractions. But by using tarot, you can learn to find that ancient place within yourself, to the center where all things begin, end, and begin anew.

Where did tarot cards come from? What is their origin?