Egyptian tarot: varieties and reading

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Tarot deck is a system of symbols used for divination, prediction of the future and help in various everyday situations. There are a huge number of varieties of such divination cards. All of them are related to the fact that there are four different versions of their origin. Some believe that the Tarot is the knowledge of the Atlanteans, while others believe that the Egyptians possessed secret knowledge that helps predict the future. Two more versions are based on gypsy and Jewish origins.

Let's look at a deck like the Egyptian Tarot and find out how to correctly predict the future with the help of such cards.

Varieties

As mentioned earlier, there are a huge number of different divination cards. As a rule, they differ in the style of the images themselves and, of course, in the names. So, such decks are widely known:

• Tarot Thoth.
• Tarot Druids.
• Marseille Tarot.
• Tarot Visconti-Sforza.
• Egyptian Tarot.
• Tarot Flowers.

As a rule, each deck contains 78 cards and their value is almost the same. Of course, the cards themselvesmay have a different name, but the essence of this practically does not change. In addition, the Egyptian Tarot itself has several varieties. The fact is that different authors saw the deck in completely different ways and it is for this reason that the images on the cards differ. So, Papus (a French esoteric scientist) in 1909 published a deck of the Egyptian Tarot, called the Predictive Tarot.

In the first half of the 20th century, Aleister Crowley created a unique deck featuring Egyptian and Celtic mythology called the Tarot of Thoth. A more detailed description and history of its creation will be described below.

Origin story

Each deck of cards has its own mysterious origin story. It is she who plays the leading role in their interpretation. Egyptian Tarot is no exception. Its history goes back to ancient Egypt. There is a legend that in the city of Dendera, located on the western bank of the Nile, there was a temple with 22 rooms. In each of them, symbolic images were drawn, which became the plot for the Major Arcana. They did not appear there by chance. The ancient Egyptians knew that the cards would not go unnoticed, but at the same time, only the elite could read the information encrypted in them. Unfortunately, the interpretation of the original Egyptian Tarot has not been preserved, but it is believed that the talented Crowley most accurately describes all the magical knowledge and secrets of Tarot interpretation.

Thoth is the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and knowledge. The first mention of the Tarot Thoth deck can be found atFrench tarot reader Jean-Baptiste Alliette. He believed that seventeen magicians, under the guidance of the god Thoth, created the Tarot deck and engraved it on gold plates. Later, Crowley, having carefully studied all the works of Aletta, together with the wonderful artist Frida Harris, created a unique Tarot Thoth deck and a book describing the interpretation of each of the cards.

Structure

There is an opinion that the Egyptian Tarot was originally created as playing cards. For this reason, they are very similar to them. The Minor Arcana is a deck of 56 cards. In turn, they are divided into 4 suits: Swords (spades), Denarii (diamonds), Sticks (clubs), Cups (worms). Accordingly, each suit has 14 cards: prince, princess, queen, knight, ace and cards from two to ten. The Major Arcana (22 cards) is the top of any deck. They are dominant and always show important events and twists of fate.

Interpretation of cards

In order to correctly interpret the alignment on the Egyptian Tarot of Thoth cards, you need to know the meaning of each of the cards. The images that are drawn on them are the best help and suggest the essence. For example, the Jester card (number 0): it depicts a green man with crazy eyes and raised feet. It does not touch the floor, which means it does not draw the vitality of the earth. This is a creature that has lost its purpose in life. Sometimes it can mean new opportunities and ignorance of what may happen in the near future. As a personal characteristic, the card can denote irresponsibility. Consider the entire deck in more detail.

Sword suit: card meanings

Egyptian Tarot, the meaning of the cards of which we are considering, like other decks, contains such a suit as Swords (Spears). She personifies insight, prudence and belongs to the element of Air. This is a heavy suit, which suggests that the mind must be used rationally. All defeats must be accepted with dignity and take into account the fact that any loss is a huge experience. The suit is associated with power and feelings. In layouts, these cards may not have a dominant role, but only indicate certain details. For example, the Seven of Swords, together with the Jester card discussed earlier, may indicate that due to inconsistency in actions, you can lose everything. Brief meaning of the Sword suit cards:

• Ace and deuce - new projects, good ideas, understanding and solving important issues; thought, peace, harmony, balance, balanced decisions.
• Three - too active actions that can harm.
• Four and five - retreat, lack of time, the need to find the right solution; defeat, failure, disaster.
• Six - movement, equality, solution of global issues.
• Seven and eight - deceit, intrigue, hypocrisy, interference; inconsistency of actions, anxiety.
• Nine - cruelty, panic, fear, loss.
• Ten - disappointment, the collapse of hopes. The card symbolizes an unexpected and negative turn of events. In a love relationship - a break, a strong quarrel.
• Princess and Prince - criticism, controversy,hostile atmosphere. Most often, these cards show a conflicting person who can disrupt plans and create an unforeseen situation.
• Queen - resourcefulness, resourcefulness, compromise, mediation.
• Knight - inspiration, good advice, "second wind", new opportunities.

Denaria suit: card meanings

Egyptian Thoth Tarot Deck also contains such a suit as Coins (Disks, Pentacles, Denarii). Its element is Earth, which means that the card is responsible for material well-being. Its interpretation is closely related to career, success and the energy of money. If we talk about negative values, then this is greed and greed.

• Ace - ample material opportunities, a gift of fate, inheritance.
• Two - an eternal cycle, change, transition. Nearby standing cards will accurately indicate good or bad changes waiting for a person in the future.
• Troika is a card of work, stability and material well-being. In some cases, it can mean moderation.
• Four and Nine - power, the search for destiny, the desire to accumulate finances, acquisition.
• Five - anxiety, temporary crisis, loss, instability.
• Six and Ten - success, profit, successful acquisitions, abundance and we alth.
• Seven and Eight - defeat, caution, foresight, the need to wait for time.
• Princess and Prince - good prospects, creativity, previous efforts begingive a result. These cards can also represent people who love material things.
• Queen - stability, responsibility, perseverance, consistency.
• Knight - constancy, high income, good deals. It can also mean an official, boss, or other person of higher rank.

Suit of Wands (Sticks): meaning of cards

The Minor Arcana of the Egyptian Tarot Suit Wands denote energy, creativity, impulse, passion. Their element is Fire, which means that the cards indicate certain events that can drastically change a person's life. The suit shows achievements and the possibility of self-realization. In love layouts, of course, such a suit symbolizes a strong feeling of passion or hatred.

• Ace - new relationships, risk, willpower, determination.
• Two and Five are cards of risk and courage. Point out the need for decisive action. Can also mean struggle, aggressiveness, ambition.
• Three - adventure, optimism, harmony. Can warn a person not to miss his chance.
• Four - completion, a period of calm and emotional decline.
• Six - victory, success, faith in the best, good prospects. In love affairs, it can mean a wedding and the birth of a long-awaited child.
• Seven - valor, noble deeds, courage.
• Eight - speed, love at first sight.
• Nine - strength, stability, harmony, enthusiasm, a new period in a relationship.
• Ten - suppression, stress, callousness, impatience.
• Princess and Prince - great mood, pleasant travel, flirting. In some cases, cards may indicate irresponsibility.
• Queen - spontaneity, passion, frivolous relationships.
• Knight - good news, leadership qualities, courage, determination, determination.

Suit of Cups (Bowls): meaning of cards

Egyptian Tarot, the meaning of the cards of which we are considering, is one of the most ancient divination. It contains all the wisdom of ancient Egypt. One of the most revered suits there was considered precisely the suit of the Chalice. Her element is Water. Arcana represent calmness, sensuality, slowness, intuition and gentleness.

• Ace is one of the luckiest cards in a deck like the Egyptian Tarot. The layouts in which she is found indicate a great chance given by fate. If there are negative cards around the Ace of Cups, it softens their value in any case.
• Two and Six - love explanations, reconciliation, connection.
• Three - abundance, happiness, gratitude, holiday.
• Four and Nine - luxury, tenderness, comfort, care, affection, very reverent feelings.
• Five - disappointment, pettiness, betrayal, the beginning of the end.
• Seven and Eight - orgy, intrigue, addiction, suffering.
• Ten - satiety, pleasure, desire to pamper your partner.
• Princess - romance, girl, love, good intuition or psychic abilities.
• Prince - harmony, strongattraction, young man.
• Queen and Knight - inner voice, balance, strong desire to be together, sincerity.

Major Arcana

The Egyptian Tarot, the interpretation of the cards of which we are considering, includes 22 Major Arcana. Each of them has its own serial number and the countdown starts from zero. Above, his first card with the value (0) "Jester" has already been described. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the personality card is chosen precisely from the Major Arcana. Some tarologists choose it intuitively. For beginners, there is one very simple way. In order to determine the personality card, it is necessary to add the day, month and year of birth of a person. The resulting numbers must be added together until a number less than 21 is obtained.

Let's take an example. The person was born on March 11, 1985. We determine his personality card, for this we add the numbers: 11 + 3 + 1985=1999. Now you need to add the numbers 1 + 9 + 9 + 9=28, then again sum up 2 + 8=10. Major Arcana card at number 10 (Fortune) and will be the identity card of a person born on March 11, 1985.

As mentioned earlier, the Egyptian Tarot, the interpretation of the cards of which we are considering, includes 22 Major Arcana. These are very important cards that are decisive in many layouts. Let's consider the most important of them in more detail.

• Jester (0) - a symbol of loss, frivolity, frivolous relationships. In addition, the card can mean the beginning of something new. In many layoutsshe personifies a windy and frivolous person.
• Mag (1) - activity, power, self-realization. The card advises that you need to believe in yourself and in your abilities. In some layouts, she warns that in the near future it will be necessary to use all her potential to achieve the goal.
• Priestess (2) is a very interesting and peculiar card. It depicts Isis. What does it have to do with the Egyptian Tarot deck? Aleister Crowley's book, which describes the technique of divination on these cards, may be useful in answering this question. The fact is that Crowley himself describes the goddess Isis as the High Priestess, who controls the intuitive and unconscious forces. This is one of the most mystical cards. It means that a person has a well-developed intuition and open channels of communication with the cosmos. In some cases, the card "gives advice" that in this situation you need to rely only on yourself.
• Empress (3) - development, trust, change. The card may represent a fair-haired kind girl or woman.
• Hierophant (5) – Pretty interesting card. In some other Tarots, she is also called the Priest. It symbolizes the 4 elements and is both a good and a bad card at the same time. It denotes arrogance and complacency, as well as justice. Falling out in a layout for the future, it can mean a life lesson.
• Regulation (8) - In some other decks, the card is called "Justice". It symbolizes balance, equilibrium, truth, justice. It means that you need to reconsider your position in life and,maybe change it. Egyptian Tarot cards are fortune-telling in which there is no flattery and falsehood, for this reason many cards “try to open a person’s eyes” to his internal problems and experiences. This is exactly such a card, it suggests that you need to “look into yourself.”
• Hermit (9) - solitude, humility, patience. The card indicates that you need to be able to wait.
• Fortune (10) is a unique card that can have a huge number of meanings. As a rule, in the Egyptian Tarot, it means that something that happens to a person is not an accident. "Fortune" may indicate that in the near future there will be very strong changes that do not depend on a person. Depending on the neighboring cards, it can show both a “gift” from above and a punishment. These events cannot be changed. It is believed that they are destined by fate.
• Lust (11) - creativity, motivation, strong relationships. Perhaps soon a “strength test” awaits a person.
• The Hanged Man (12) is a rather unfavorable card. It means hard work, a hopeless future. Perhaps a person's plans will not come true and he needs to work in a different direction.
• Death (13) - the card denotes the end, the end. You don't have to take it as a bad sign. If it was preceded by cards with a negative value, then it may well mean the end of a black stripe in a person's life.
• Devil (15) - corruption, deceit, unclean game, prohibited actions. Perhaps someone is misleading a person, or he himself is confused in the situation.
• The Tower (16) is a very controversial card that causes a lot of controversy among tarot readers. As a rule, it denotes separation, bankruptcy, loss. It is important to note that such a negative event that the card portends is not accidental or sudden.
• Sun (19) - success, joy, new life, great potential, a bright period of life.
• Universe (21) is the most recent card of the Major Arcana. It denotes selfishness, pleasure, joy, enjoyment of life.

Spreading techniques

Fortune telling on the Egyptian Tarot is not particularly difficult if you know the layout techniques and the interpretation of each of the cards. Of course, if you are new to this business, then at first it may be a little difficult. Over time, working with the deck constantly, a person begins to understand and feel it better. To begin with, it is best to start with simple layouts. For example, every day you can ask the deck for advice. To do this, you need to draw 2 cards and interpret them correctly. For example, you ask the deck the following question: “What awaits me today?” Two cards are drawn: Priestess and Five Denarii. What does the Egyptian tarot want to “say” in this way. The value of each card must be added together. Five Denarii denotes crisis and temporary difficulties, and the Priestess is intuition and wisdom. The deck says that today will be quite difficult, for this reason you need to draw strength from space, connect intuition and common sense, on this day you need to be careful and prudent.

The most popular layout, which gives a general description of the development of any event, is, of course,or "Celtic Cross". It uses 10 cards:

• The first two give a complete description of the current situation.
• The third and fourth cards are additional information.
• Fifth - events in the past that led to this problem.
• Sixth is the near future.
• The seventh card is the questioner's card. It denotes his thoughts and emotions regarding the current situation.
• Eighth - shows how the problem is related to other people.
• Ninth - the hopes, fears and fears of the questioner.
• The tenth card is the result of the situation, the events of the future.

Let's try this spread on the Egyptian Tarot deck. The photo below clearly illustrates which cards fell: Jack of Denarius, Jack of Wands, Universe, Hanged Man, 7 of Cups, King of Wands, 5 Denarius, Tower, Lovers, 10 Denarius.

Data Egyptian Tarot cards indicate that the current situation is related to financial problems. This is evidenced by the presence of Denarius in the layout (3 cards). At first glance, it seems that a person has good prospects and good luck in business. But according to additional information (the third and fourth cards), we can conclude that pleasure and more fun is associated with selfishness, hopelessness and frivolity. This is only an imaginary pleasure, but in fact a person is on the wrong path.

The fifth card in the layout is “7 of Cups”, it says that in the past a person succumbed to temptation, he made some kind of major mistake or contacted a badcompany, but he hasn't figured it out yet. In the near future, he should be decisive and purposeful in order to solve the problem.

The card that characterizes a person in this scenario is “Five Denarii”. It indicates that the person is irritated and worried. He is afraid of losing everything. "Tower" - the eighth card, indicates that other people are not involved in the person's problem. He himself is to blame for what happens in his life. The Egyptian Tarot, the interpretation of which we are considering, always gives the necessary advice and a correct description. This time, it says that the person decided too early that his business went up. In fact, everything is just beginning. The last tenth card shows how the situation will be resolved. In our case, Ten Denarii fell out. This means that, despite the fact that the person was improvident and wasteful, his financial affairs will improve in any case. With a little effort, he can achieve financial stability and independence. The Egyptian Tarot, the meaning of the cards of which we examined, always shows the whole situation from the inside. Sometimes it seems that the cards show sheer nonsense, and in fact the situation looks different. However, after some time comes the realization that the cards were indeed right. In order to better learn how to interpret the deck and predict the future, you can start a separate notebook. Write down in it the date of divination, the question and the answer to it. Then, after a while, it will be easy for you to analyze the work with the deck.