minor arcana

The 56 Tarot cards of the Minor Arcana are comparable to those in a deck of standard playing cards. There are four suits – wands, cups, swords and coins / pentacles, and the cards range in value from an ace to a king in each suit. One difference is the court cards of the tarot consist of a page, as well as a knight, queen and king. Each card has its own individual meaning, but this can be changed when it is considered in combination with the other cards present in the reading.

For full information on the Minor Arcana cards check out this complete guide for beginners.

Tarot

The Tarot cards began as a Hindu religious custom, keeping religious texts on cards, bound together by string. The cards were illustrated to explain the basic elements of the faith to the populace who were, at the time, largely illiterate. It is highly likely that they were brought to Europe by gypsies, migrating from Asia and as they spread so too did the Tarot, both as a card game, and as a fortune telling device.