Angel Paths Guide to the Tarot: Angel Paths Tarot Guides, #1

By Jan Shepherd

Learn about the Tarot from the words of Jan Shepherd, one of the foremost experts on the subject.

Do you have a tarot deck but have never really learned what the cards mean?

Do you know how to read tarot but need one comprehensive guide to improve your skills?

Do you want to learn how to use tarot as a tool for personal development?

This book will give you all of this and more. It's based on the information on the hugely popular and long established Angel Paths website, but goes further, adding substantial new material about each of the cards, tarot spreads, tarot symbolism, exercises, tarot spreads, Jan's personal musings, and much more. The Angel Paths Guide to the Tarot is both a great guide for beginners, and an essential reference for established readers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angel Paths
• Release date: Nov 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223555810

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Welcome

Thank you so much for buying the second edition of my Guide to the Tarot. I would like to tell you a little about how this book came about.

Many years ago, I launched a series of Tarot courses, teaching small groups of people how to learn about the cards, and about reading. Each lesson was accompanied by written notes, which built into a body of solid basic knowledge.

In all, there were four of these courses: the first and second dealing with the Major and Minor Arcana respectively, and the latter two entirely concerned with a process called pathworking, which is a method of exploring the Tree of Life, or Quabbala (sometimes spelled Kaballah or Kabala) – a philosophical system very close to my heart.

When Angel Paths, the website, came about, we took the content of the first course covering the Major Arcana and cut it down to produce the material which appeared on the site. At the same time we began to draw the Card of the Day, published on the website, and sent out in an ezine. Stimulated by the interest shown in those early days, I began to write more commentaries for what became known as the Working With section of the site. I also wrote fresh text for the Minor Arcana which appears on the site, adding more depth and dimension.

The first edition of the ebook gathered together all of the material appearing on the website, enabling people to refer to it offline; however, the extensive copy remaining from the original courses languished on my hard drive, unread. A couple of years ago, thrilled by the interest shown in the existing ebook, I began to look at those old courses again and decided it was time to let them all see the light of day. And so was born this, the second edition of Jan’s Guide to the Tarot.

Some Personal Musings about Tarot

I’ve spent a fair few hours wondering about how Tarot came about over the years. Explanations on the history of its development abound, so I will not go into those here. However, none of them explain how a standard 78-card Tarot deck so precisely overlays the system of Quabbala. Neither do they satisfactorily explain how the gulf developed between the original European trionfi deck, used to play card games, and the existing Tarot.

Major watersheds in the development of what we now call Tarot occurred first with the very limited publication of what came to be known as the Sola-Busca deck, the first to depict full illustrations for all Minor cards. This first occurred in the fifteenth century and was reproduced in the early 1900s. It is this reproduction that gives rise to the Lo Scarabeo version, also known as the Illuminating Ancient Tarot, released in the mid-1990s.

As the second major innovation, the Rider Waite deck, published in 1909, subsequently came to be the most recognised of all Tarot decks. It has been rumoured that the Rider Waite deck was heavily influenced by the Sola-Busca. Interestingly, the Rider Waite has probably had greater influence on the design of later decks than any other; in fact, there is a genre of Tarot known as Rider Waite clones.

The third big innovation came with the Thoth deck, painted by Lady Frieda Harris under the guidance of Aleister Crowley. Harris, a gifted artist and occultist, joined the Ordo Templi Orientis and became Crowley’s disciple, offering her insight and artistic ability to him when he decided to create a Tarot deck. This deck finally saw the light of day in 1969, when the first edition was published by the O.T.O. Crowley incorporated many Hermetic symbols into his version of the deck. It is said that initially Crowley had intended to produce a relatively standard deck, but exhortations from Harris encouraged him to envision the remarkable work that became the Thoth Tarot.

Over the last century or so, new interpretations of Tarot have proliferated. One thing I find particularly exciting about studying a newly released deck is that, no matter how closely the standard format is followed, all designers introduce new aspects or personal slants upon the imagery they use. Thus, every deck has the potential to add to my insight so far as Tarot is concerned. Although naturally some variants are contrived by the designer, every now and again an artist presents me with a new perspective that broadens my understanding of the Tarot as a whole.

It is, perhaps, essential to begin the process of learning Tarot with one clearly defined recognition: no one commentator or reader has the definitive and fully comprehensive understanding of any one card. Whenever you read books on the topic, or study a new deck, you are studying one person’s approach. You will find that you resonate well with some commentators, and feel less comfortable with others. The least confusing approach to the work of others is possibly to see yourself as building a body of knowledge, which your experience and intuition will gradually convert into wisdom as you continue your journey with Tarot.

Tarot and Symbolism

It is interesting to consider how certain symbols come to assume a commonly interpreted meaning to a large body of people. In many ways, some symbols become a kind of verbal shorthand for the credo of an entire religion.

Take for example the cross. Now this symbol assumes enormous significance in many different cultures and religions. The Celtic equal-armed cross is an elemental symbol representing the natural components of life. The Christian cross probably derives some of its power from this pagan symbolism; but, with the elongated lower limb, is equated with the cross upon which Christ was crucified. (Actually the chances of this being accurate are unlikely, as the Romans used T-shaped structures for the purpose of crucifixion).

Then there is the swastika, graven in modern popular memory as a symbol for the Nazi Party in twentieth-century Germany. The swastika is actually a symbol thousands of years old. Its first appearance was likely in ancient India, and variants on its distinctive shape can be found in many Eastern religions and cultures.

Bodies of symbol arise over long periods of time, each believer adding to a symbol’s innate power of communication with his or her own use and expression of it. The psychologist Carl Jung offered up the idea of the collective unconscious as a means of explaining our shared interpretation of certain types of symbol. He visualised this as a vast reservoir of human experience which existed within each one of us rather like a computer has a common operating system pre-loaded when you buy it, which you then personalise by adding your own individual stamp to it. The operating system, whilst varying from computer to computer over use, remains constant in its function. So humans come pre-loaded with the vast wealth of symbol and accepted knowledge that is the collective unconscious.

Now Tarot draws upon these commonly (or not so-commonly) understood symbols in order to convey meaning. The Rider Waite deck used most of its arcane symbol covertly, and relied mostly on the evocative power of scenes to put across a general idea. The Thoth fell back heavily on Hermetic and occult symbolism known, at the time of its creation, by only a very few people trained in the occult arts.

The Major Arcana card, the Fool, is a great example of this: the Rider Waite version shows a young carefree man who carries all his belongings in a bundle over his shoulder. In the background, snow-capped peaks imply the heights of spiritual awareness. He appears carefree, gazing to the skies, carrying in his free hand a white rose, which is often accepted as a symbol of purity. At his feet a small white dog bounces along, perhaps snapping around his heels to warn him that he is about to walk straight off the edge of a cliff. The whole image conveys a youthful optimism and hopefulness. It is hard to know whether the male figure is actually well aware of the precipice before him, but trusts that Providence will guide him well, or whether he is simply oblivious to impending danger.

The Thoth Fool, on the other hand, depicts a satyr-like figure, arms upraised to brandish in one hand fire and in the other a gem. An animal clutches one of his legs, and he is surrounded by the looping trace of a caduceus in flight while a dove and a butterfly swoop along the loops. These three symbols can be interpreted respectively as the herald’s staff, peace and rebirth. Between the satyr’s outspread thighs are three flowers arranged in a phallic shape–imagery that evokes thoughts of the Divine Innocent–the wholly pure and unfettered instinctual nature, before it becomes socialised, bound by convention.

Reasons for Learning to Read the Cards

Most people first come in contact with Tarot because they have an interest in learning more about their future. They may go for a reading or discover the predictive quality of the cards whilst looking into other metaphysical interests.

I consider this divinatory aspect of the cards to be a side effect of their central use, which is to act as a tool allowing one to travel further into the spiritual journey, gathering a better understanding of oneself and one’s life along the way. There is a wealth of spiritual development to be had from a dedicated study of the Tarot.

These days there is a deck to appeal to virtually any spiritual interest–not to mention one to fit a passing interest or thirty. As meditation tools, some cards are remarkable in their ability to open up the higher functions, fire the imagination, and spark some fruitful loose association sessions.

Inevitably, the serious student of Tarot will find him- or herself absorbing a broad spread of associated information over the years. Many decks refer directly or obliquely to myth cycles: the Thoth often draws upon the mythology of ancient Egypt; the Tarot of Northern Shadows makes many references to the gods and beliefs of Scandinavia; numerous decks draw upon the lore of Native American tribes; the Osho Zen is heavily influenced by Buddhism, and so on.

The journey that begins with an interest in Tarot will often evolve into a lifelong exploration of matters spiritual. When we use our intuition it becomes honed, opening out an appreciation of the unseen influences and energies of everyday experience. As the psychic sense expands, so does it colour our world ever more vibrantly. Tarot can guide us through the labyrinthine tunnels of our own subconscious, releasing ideals, thoughts, beliefs that we had never consciously considered before. The cards can introduce new perspective and deeper insight into those questions that inevitably arise when we try to make sense of our place in the world.

For me, these are the primary reasons for learning to read Tarot. The cards act as a portal to a different and intangible reality only dimly perceived from a mundane perspective. A reading, for me, is like a trusted map which will lead me through any challenge toward the best possible understanding and outcome. My deck is the good friend I turn to for guidance when I am searching for answers, empathy, understanding. The fact that the cards also have a tendency to act as a window on future events is a useful by-product of their central function.

On Working with Cards

Where Do You Start?

So, you have decided you might like to learn a little more about Tarot cards. The first thing you need is a deck. With the enormous proliferation of designs about these days, simply finding one that you resonate with may seem can be exceedingly complicated. Most online suppliers indicate decks that suit beginners. However, your best course of action is to look at as many images of cards as you can. Google Images is a good place to start; simply enter a search term like Tarot Death card, and take a look at the many images that are returned. If you make notes of decks that catch your eye, you will doubtless be able to do further online research to see more cards. Some real-time stockists have catalogues showing a few of the cards from the decks they stock although this does tend to be somewhat hit and miss. It is always worth asking, though.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the deck you choose in the beginning will probably be the first of several you collect as your understanding and knowledge develop. The selection of this first deck, whilst important for getting you started, is not finite. When researching cards, remember that what you are looking for are the ones that make something chime inside you. If you can gaze at an image and discover that it begins to tell you a story, then you are getting close to finding the right deck with which to begin your studies. With any new deck, always make a point of checking the Minor Arcana (also known as pip cards) as well as the Major Arcana. You want a deck which has story-telling pictures on each of the cards. In brief, the Major Arcana represent powerful, over-arcing influences, whilst the Minor Arcana deal with the finer details of any given event or attitude.

Now, when you have selected your deck, it is time to prepare it. Think about how you are going to store your cards. All decks generally come with a cardboard outer box. These can protect your cards and prevent you losing the odd one for a time, but they do get worn quite quickly. Think about whether you want a tarot bag, box, or a wrap of some sort (natural fabric is often recommended, though not essential).

When you first handle a new deck, you might need to wear off its newness . Some cards stick together a little, or feel slippery on the shuffle. If this is the case with your new deck, try a light dusting of talcum powder on your hands before shuffling. This tends to make the cards easier to handle.

I should deviate for a second here to talk about shuffling. Not everybody is particularly good at this, but it’s well worth practising. A regular shuffle pattern is quite useful for somebody handling cards regularly. I have a particular aversion to the casino-like riffle shuffle where the pack is split into two parts and then the corners of the cards are flipped rapidly so that they lock together. This does more damage than I care to think about to the corners of the cards and will very soon ruin a deck, as the cards begin to bend out of shape and splinter on the regularly riffled corners.

Some people spread the deck out and move it around randomly, and then tap the pack back into shape, as an alternative to shuffling. This also causes somewhat more damage than a regular overhand shuffle.

Give yourself plenty of time to work on attuning with your new deck. Whether you are an experienced Tarot reader or just starting out, this assimilation process is important. It imprints the cards with your energy, making them truly yours. When this bonding takes place, the cards seem to progressively release more of their inner meaning to you. Shuffle your deck. Look at the cards as a whole, allowing yourself to get a feel for their overall artistry.

Methods of Learning the Cards

This section is for the beginners among you. There are many different ways to learn the Tarot. In my experience, the method that generally works best in helping you to develop a solid and comprehensive understanding of a deck is to select one card, beginning with the Major Arcana, and spend a few minutes studying it. You may like to note any impressions or ideas that come to you initially. Now, resist the urge to open the instruction booklet for the time being. Simply go about your everyday life, thinking about the image you selected.

When I was teaching Tarot groups, we would study one Major Arcana card for a week, finally coming together to discuss our initial impressions. It was always surprising just how much each person gleaned purely from looking at the image we were working on. Different individuals would pick up slightly different aspects of the card. Each member of the group had selected a deck for themselves based purely on personal taste, and their views were often coloured by the design of their own card.

Once you feel you have developed a general sense of the card, go to your instruction booklet or reference books and read some of the interpretations given there. You may be surprised at how many of your impressions coincide with the commentary therein. The value of learning in this fashion is primarily that it helps you to build self-trust. You develop a relationship with the card you are considering. Your initial impression may, in the first place, be simplistic. But that’s fine because it is your impression. It forms the foundation of your developing body of understanding. From this first appreciation, you will build an ever expanding interpretive framework upon each subsequent encounter with that card.

I never started my students on readings until they had done a considerable amount of work on individual cards. This is because doing accurate and revealing readings depends heavily upon being able to understand the cards themselves, the effects of positions in readings, and the interactions that emerge between cards as your knowledge increases.

For me, one eternal fascination of Tarot is the way it continues to teach even the most adept of readers. I have worked Tarot for over forty years now, and I am still learning.

Approaching the Major Arcana

Let’s get back to basics for a moment. A Tarot deck is comprised of seventy-eight cards. Twenty-two of these are known as the Major Arcana. The remaining fifty-six are titled the Minor Arcana. We will talk much more about these later.

The word arcana is the plural of arcanum, which derives from the root arcane. That which is arcane is deeply mysterious, secret, and known only to an honoured few. Therefore, the Tarot consists of seventy-eight secret mysteries. When you begin to learn Tarot, you step across the threshold to the worlds beyond this mundane world and into the hallowed halls of wisdom.

The key to decoding these mysteries depends upon three things: intuition, knowledge, and experience. Fortunately, we bring one of those factors to the cards the very first time we read: intuition. The other two, knowledge and experience, join the party with time and application.

The twenty-two Major Arcana can be usefully described as archetypes - the perfect and original example of a given principle. We are dealing with powerful and evocative forces when we study these cards. They should always be regarded as powerful influences that act as exemplars from which all else flows.

There is a certain structured flow to the way each card follows its predecessor amid the Majors. When viewed from a certain angle, it is possible to tell a story which is often termed The Journey of the Fool. The Fool is usually unnumbered or numbered zero, because he can appear both at the beginning and the end of the Majors - first as brave innocent venturing into the big wide world, and then latterly as that same individual beginning the same journey again, but on a higher arc, having been taught the lessons of his twenty-one fellows. Viewed from another angle, the Majors can be said to encapsulate the rhythms and cycles of human life, covering each area of human experience.

These are big cards, with a compelling message. All this said - shall we dive in?

PART I

THE MAJOR ARCANA

0 - THE FOOL

As the first card of the Tarot, the Fool is generally unnumbered or numbered zero. The Fool marks the start of our journey. Seen by many as the innocent, he has an invigorating energy about him. He is young and carefree, entering the world without preconceptions.

The Fool trusts in life and expects his path to be a happy and rewarding one. There is faith in the gods to see him through and a complete absence of fear. Sometimes he is seen as too carefree - certainly a good dose of other people's more negative reality could damage him. However, for as long as the Fool has faith in his own purity and innocence, others will not be able to take advantage.

This is the child within: how we were before the many experiences of life forced us to build up many defensive walls. The Fool does not shade himself from the light - here we are born and from here we walk the path. It's time to jump off the cliff...

I have always regarded the Fool as an initiator. Various decks depict him slightly differently, but he always has an energy and freshness about him. The card represents a new trend in life. There's enthusiasm, eagerness and a kind of trusting innocence.

Rider Waite - The Fool

Rider Waite Tarot

I see a young, carefree person going forward into life with the certain belief that only good things can happen; it has been said that the card in the Rider Waite deck, and subsequent similar cards, which depicts a young man carrying all his worldly goods in a pack over his shoulder, was based on the Dick Whittington character from the English folk tale. I think this sums up the impression I receive.

Here we have someone embarking on a new phase, full of confidence and belief, excited and raring to go. At a spiritual level, we might regard the card as an exercise in blind faith, trusting that whatever force controls our destiny, it is towards a rewarding and happy life we travel.

At this point, it is interesting to note how different packs regard particular images and attitudes. For instance, the Rider Waite deck seems somewhat disapproving of the Fool's carefree nature, and as a result, issues dire warnings against rashness and foolhardiness - suggesting that one could be swept away by the moment, losing touch with reality, so to speak. The Thoth deck is much more supportive of the Fool's journey toward freedom and the future. It suggests that there is great power in innocence - warning only against the actions of others - and suggesting that if one is aware of one's innocence, it is less likely that others can take advantage.

On an inner level, I see this card as indicating the journey of the human soul towards evolution. When we talk about matters of faith and belief, we are talking in the language of the Fool. There are many things we must take on trust until we are able to confirm their reality for ourselves. If we were to limit ourselves to those things that we can touch and see and smell, we would surely miss nine-tenths of the beauty and purposefulness of life. This is Divine Innocence. It is much more than merely the suspension of disbelief; rather, it is the acceptance of all things until they are disproved.

Thoth Deck - The Fool

Thoth Tarot

I think we come to the point of the Fool many times in one lifetime; each time we take a step forward without knowing exactly what the future holds, each time we take a risk, each time we put our fate into the hands of life itself, we are standing on the Fool's precipice. And there comes a point in anyone's life when they have to take a chance. We cannot be safe and secure all the time. When we come to such a point, we each become the Fool. We trust that things are going to work out okay - and funnily enough, they usually do.

When interpreting this card, it is important to bear in mind that the Fool will always appear to indicate a new trend or phase. It will generally also indicate enthusiasm and high hopes. Above all, it will indicate the willingness to take a risk and open oneself to new experience. Sometimes it will also suggest a tendency towards rashness or a lack of caution. I personally see it as a hopeful, joyous card (depending on what surrounds it, of course!) which offers the querent another chance.

Some Standard Definitions:

Innocence; willpower and natural ability; journeys, quests, adventures; originality; extravagance; folly; lack of forethought; impulsive behaviour; warnings against unseen dangers; enthusiasm; joy; mania; fun; laughter.

Working with:

Thoth Tarot

The Fool is a joyous and exciting card, combining both perfect trust and self-reliance. As the very first card in the Tarot deck, it marks the moment upon which we embark on a new phase in our spiritual journey.

When we explore new terrain, we are bound to sometimes encounter danger or challenge. The Fool's energy gives us the power and self-confidence to move through challenges with an open heart, to recognise friends and to gather experiences to us as the true treasures that they are.

Innocence is a devalued quality these days. We forget that to approach life with eyes that are new each morning reveals to us more of life's mystery than anything else. We cannot substitute the sheer growth permitted by trust and innocence with cynicism or prior knowledge.

So, on a day ruled by the Fool, we need to lift our hearts upwards and open them to the richness and beauty of life. We need to regard ourselves as travelling through a land of wonderment and joy. We need to encourage excitement and exhilaration, and to look constantly for that which is new and bright and hopeful in each step we take.

We also need to trust to the life process and to remember that, by and large, the gods have no need of our suffering and every need of our joy, laughter and celebration.

Affirmation: I tread the path of life with joy in my heart and a smile on my lips.

1 - THE MAGUS

The Magician is typically numbered one and is sometimes called the Magus. He is usually depicted as a powerful adept, a master of the four elements. Able to shift events in his favour, he can make the world change around him according to his Will.

Most decks depict the Magician robed and standing before a table or altar. Usually present are the symbols of the four elements of earthly existence (Air, Earth, Fire and Water). Often the figure holds a wand of some sort to indicate his mastery of those elements.

The Magician has learned the knack of moving events according to his Will. He knows how to shape material reality around him in order to achieve his ambitions. He has wisdom, knowledge, understanding and skill. There is a sense of great power around him.

Thoth Deck - The Magus

Thoth Tarot

On an inner level, the Magician corresponds with the dynamic part of our own characters. To me, the card suggests that we have enormous ability to control our own lives - for better or for worse. When we get all aspects of our own selves in balance (like the elements of earthly existence), then we shall be able to exercise more direct control over the events and influences within our lives. The card is much concerned with developing whatever skills we have to their highest level, honing our intuition, and taking responsibility for the flow and expression of our lives.

When it appears in a reading, the Magician often represents an actual individual who is involved in a given situation. However, in certain types of spiritual questioning, the card will relate to the 'magician within', rather than an outside influence. When it does represent a person, he will be articulate and able; a self-contained and graceful man, magnetic and compelling, yet sometimes distant and apparently difficult to predict. These men are usually accustomed to living on their wits; they can be charming, and at the same time, manipulative. They like to get their own way about things - and they are usually right!

It should not be forgotten, though, that the other side of the Magician is that of the con man, the charmer who could talk his way into anyone's confidence, win their trust and then turn the whole situation to his own advantage. Sometimes a Magician can be a late developer: a con man for the early years of his life, but gradually becoming more Magus of Power than Joker in the pack.

The force behind this card is much connected with the creation of one's own reality. There is an old saying that if one 'acts as if it is, then it will be so'. This really means that when we want a specific thing to occur in our lives, we should act as though it is already an established fact and rely on the idea that it soon will be!

However, as in the adage, be careful what you pray for, you might just get it, you can be sure that we receive exactly what we ask for. The Magician knows where to throw the pebble into the Universal pool in order to get exactly the ripples he wants. If we choose happiness and joy and put our Will behind these, then this is what we can achieve. Of course, this idea takes us to concepts of total responsibility, which implies that we choose, whether consciously or subconsciously, the features of our own existence. We make them real by planning them, imagining them and thinking about them.

Suggesting this idea to most people inevitably invokes the cry, But I didn't choose the bad things in my life; I can't possibly be responsible for the rotten things that have happened to me! This is a misunderstanding of the concept of choice. We imagine that there is nothing that we would impose upon ourselves that is in any way unpleasant, because we can see no reason why we should.

Rider Waite Deck - The Magician

Rider Waite Tarot

Yet we shout at small children who play with matches, don’t we? Here we work on the principle that the shock of the shout will deter the child from doing something infinitely more shocking, like setting fire to themselves. Why should it be that the 'parent' within each of us should not occasionally hand out uncomfortable lessons about life? When something happens in my life that I am none too pleased about, it occurs for one of three reasons. Perhaps I have been lazy, sloppy, careless, and have provoked corrective measures from life itself. Perhaps I have something to learn that I am unlikely to learn any other way than by the ‘short, sharp shock' method. Or maybe I am allowing someone else to learn something by consenting to be their victim for a short spell, whatever the cost to myself.

I prefer to believe that I put things into my life, even if they are sometimes uncomfortable, than to believe the alternative - that I am a helpless little piece of flotsam floating about on the sea of Fate. And I see the Magician as that part of me which is Master, the driver of the Ka, the astral body according to Egyptian legend.

Some Standard Definitions:

Occult mastery or wisdom; skill; cunning; elasticity; mastery; energy from above, focused by attention; strength of Will; guile and deception; manipulation; dexterity; trickery; sleight of hand; intellect; adepthood.

Working with:

The Magus, at his highest level of interpretation, indicates the intricate and complex web of influences that binds the Universe to itself, and to all else. This is essentially a card about communication, but on the subtle levels beyond the material world.

If you want to manifest your heart's desire into the mundane world, you will have to come to terms with the actuality, the workings and the efficient manipulation of this web, understanding its laws and vagaries. This web is what causes so-called 'coincidences', those freak connections that we make right when we most need them. It is this system that brings the teacher to the student at exactly the right time, puts the very book we need on the bookshelf just when we need it, draws the right person into our lives at the opportune moment. You can see, therefore, how essential it is, if you want to achieve your highest possible destiny, that you develop your understanding of the web of life, and in so doing, become a Magus of sorts yourself.

So, on a day ruled by the Magus, we need to be experimenting with the way this web works. We need to look at the thoughts we are transmitting ourselves, because what goes around comes around, remember? What we put out eventually finds its way back to us - coloured by everything it has touched along the way. This is the single most practical reason for positive thinking.

We need to consider our overall direction and the things we are doing