Tarot. cover art

Tarot.

Tarot.

By: Popular Culture and Religion.
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Tarot.
Tarot, first known as trionfi and later as tarocchi or tarocks) is a set of playing cards used in tarot games and in fortune-telling or divination. From at least the mid-15th century, the tarot was used to play trick-taking card games such as Tarocchini. From their Italian roots, tarot games spread to most of Europe, evolving into new forms including German Grosstarok and modern examples such as French Tarot and Austrian Königrufen.
Tarot is commonly found in many countries, especially in English- and Spanish-speaking countries where tarot games are not as widely played, in the form of specially designed cartomantic decks used primarily for tarot card reading, in which each card corresponds to an assigned archetype or interpretation for divination, fortune-telling or for other non-gaming uses.
The emergence of custom decks for use in divination via tarot card reading and cartomancy began after French occultists made elaborate, but unsubstantiated, claims about their history and meaning in the late 18th century. Thus, there are two distinct types of tarot packs in circulation: those used for card games and those used for divination. However, some older patterns, such as the Tarot de Marseille and the Swiss Tarot, originally intended for playing card games, are also used for cartomancy.
Tarot has four suits that vary by region: French suits are used in western, central and eastern Europe, and Latin suits in southern Europe. Each suit has 14 cards: ten pip cards numbering from one (or Ace) to ten; and four face cards: King, Queen, Knight, and Jack/Knave/Page. In addition, the tarot also has a separate 21-card trump suit and a single card known as the Fool. Depending on the game, the Fool may act as the top trump or may be played to avoid following suit. These tarot cards are still used throughout much of Europe to play trick-taking card games.
Copyright Popular Culture and Religion.
Episodes
  • 05 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 4 - 9. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.

    05 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 4 - 9. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    Jun 16 2026
    05 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 4 - 9. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    L.W. de Laurence, an occult and spiritual author and publisher, not only provides a history of the Tarot for fortune-telling purposes, but writes "a harmony of the meanings which have been attached to the various cards." De Laurence also offers a simple method for divinatory work with the cards, as opposed to the "cumbrous and involved" handbooks of the day.
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    40 mins
  • 04 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 1 - 3. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.

    04 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 1 - 3. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    Jun 16 2026
    04 - Part 3 - The Outer Methods of the Oracles, Sections 1 - 3. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    L.W. de Laurence, an occult and spiritual author and publisher, not only provides a history of the Tarot for fortune-telling purposes, but writes "a harmony of the meanings which have been attached to the various cards." De Laurence also offers a simple method for divinatory work with the cards, as opposed to the "cumbrous and involved" handbooks of the day.
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • 03 - Part 2 - The Doctrine Behind the Veil. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.

    03 - Part 2 - The Doctrine Behind the Veil. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    Jun 16 2026
    03 - Part 2 - The Doctrine Behind the Veil. The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence.
    L.W. de Laurence, an occult and spiritual author and publisher, not only provides a history of the Tarot for fortune-telling purposes, but writes "a harmony of the meanings which have been attached to the various cards." De Laurence also offers a simple method for divinatory work with the cards, as opposed to the "cumbrous and involved" handbooks of the day.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
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