Tarot is a 78-card deck widely used in Western divination since the 18th century; the most common version today is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909). Each card carries symbolic imagery interpreted through a chosen layout (spread) in relation to the querent's question.
The 22 Major Arcana, numbered 0–21, represent major, highly symbolic life themes: The Fool (new beginnings), The Magician (creative power), The Lovers (choice/love), The Tower (sudden upheaval), The Star (hope), The World (completion of a cycle), and others.
The 56 Minor Arcana split into four suits of 14 cards each (Ace through 10, plus Page/Knight/Queen/King): Wands (action, passion, career, Fire), Cups (emotion, relationships, Water), Swords (thought, conflict, decisions, Air), and Pentacles (material matters, money, work, Earth).
Common spreads include a single-card daily draw, a three-card Past-Present-Future spread, and the ten-card Celtic Cross for deeper analysis. Beginners typically start with one- or three-card spreads.
Tarot is best approached as a tool for reflection and perspective, not a guaranteed prediction, interpretation is inherently subjective and shaped by the context of the question.
