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Discover the Tarot of Marseille – Complete Guide
The Tarot de Marseille is the oldest, most famous and most used card game for divination. It is made up of 78 cards including 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana. Each Marseille Tarot card has meaning and symbolism that must be understood and interpreted correctly to be able to draw accurate and valuable predictions.
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to the Marseille Tarot and want to know more about the history and meanings of its cards, then this guide is for you! We'll tell you about the history, meanings, drawing methods and much more.
Understanding the History and Meanings of the Marseille Tarot
History of the Marseille Tarot
The Tarot de Marseille is a card game that has a long history. It first appeared in Italy in the 15th century and spread quickly throughout Europe. There are several theories about the origin of the Marseille Tarot, but the most popular is that it originated from ancient pagan religion and medieval divining practices. It is also believed that it may have links to the Egyptian Tarot and the Chinese Tarot.
Symbolism and meaning of the cards
Each Marseille Tarot card is rich in symbolism and meaning. However, to be able to fully understand the meaning of each card, you must understand the symbolism and images depicted on each one.
We can distinguish the triumphs or trump cards called “major arcana” from the so-called minor arcana.
The 22 major arcana
The 22 major arcana are divided into four elements (fire, earth, air and water) and represent a spiritual journey through the different aspects of human consciousness.
The illustrations are rich in symbolic details. Each card has a title and a Roman numeral (in long notation, so the 9 is VIIII, not IX). The two exceptions are card number 13, without title, and card “Le Mât”, without number.
I. The Juggler (or The Magician)
| Cell 1 | The start of something. Beginner's luck. Have various tools and resources available. The use of supernatural forces. Create reality with the power of the mind. Training and acquisition of practical skills. Improvisation. Presentation or performance for other people. Message : create a new reality. |
II. The Popess (or High Priestess)
| Cell 1 | Wisdom combining intellect and intuition. A spiritual mother. A woman who hides her strengths in a man's world. Modesty. Secrets, something hidden, mystery. Obtain a clue to something that remains largely unknown. Impossible to give a definitive answer now. Message : know how to set limits. |
III. The Empress
| Cell 1 | Abundance, growth, productivity. Natural or human touch in an artificial setting. Emotional intelligence. Protection and care. Maternity. A powerful female figure. A strong feminine identity. Message : act with your gut. |
III. The emperor
| Cell 1 | Practical and material achievements. Questions relating to place of work or source of income. Authority and control, a position of command. A protective father figure, boss or sponsor. Self affirmation. Military affairs. Message : demonstrate leadership and responsibility. |
V. The Pope (or the Hierophant)
| Cell 1 | Teacher, instructor or advisor. Education and knowledge, academic expertise. Organized religion, medicine or conventional psychology. Spiritual father. Consultation or treatment by a specialist. Marriage. Message : respect knowledge and education. |
VI. L'Amoureux (or Les Amoureux in the English-speaking versions)
| Cell 1 | Love, loving relationships. Emotional entanglement. Need to make a choice, or to disengage oneself from past influences. Inclinations of the heart correspond to the will of heaven. Small steps actually taken are the visible signs of inner desire. Message: follow the path of the heart. |
VII. Carriage
| Cell 1 | Victory or an achievement putting the querent in a strong and protected position. Ambition, energy, motivation to move forward. Public honor. Power and high status. Message: dare and win. |
VIII. Justice
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
VIIII. The Hermit, 9th blade of the Tarot de Marseille
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
X. The Wheel of Fortune, 10th card Tarot de Marseille
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XI. Strength, 11th blade of the Tarot de Marseille
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XII. The Hanged Man, 12th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XIII. The Nameless Arcana (or Death), 13th blade of the Tarot de Marseille
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XIII. Temperance, 14th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XV. The Devil, 15th blade of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XVI. The Maison Dieu (or The Tower), 16th card of the Tarot de Marseille
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XVII. The Star, 17th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XVIII. The Moon, 18th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XVIII. The Sun, 19th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XX. The Judgment, 20th card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XXI. The World, 21st card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
XXII. The Mast (or The Fool), last card of the Marseille Tarot
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |
The 56 minor arcana
The 56 minor arcana are divided into four colors (denier, cup, sword or staff), each linked to one of the 4 elements (Earth, Water, Air and Fire).
The denarii are represented by decorated circles. The cups are cups with a hexagonal base. The denarii and cups are colored yellow with small red areas.
The sticks are represented either as green clubs or as straight rods. The swords are either regular (straight) swords with red or light blue blades, or rounded bows.
Rod-shaped sticks and rounded swords only appear in number cards. They are represented by narrow bands of red, light blue and black, with blades at both ends. The strips of the sticks are straight and cross in the middle of the card. The bands of the swords are rounded and intersect at two points, at the top and bottom of the card.
The ace card of each minor suit features a large, detailed image of the suit's symbol, without a title or number.
The four court cards bear titles identifying their rank (Jack, Knight, Queen or King). The titles also indicate the color (denier, cup, sword or staff).
Each number card shows the corresponding number of colored symbol icons, arranged geometrically and usually surrounded by floral decorations. The number cards of the three suits, except deniers, also have their numbers written on both sides.
| Colour | Element | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Valet | Cavalier | Queen | King |
| denier | Earths | Denarius, 1 | Denarius, 2 | Denarius, 3 | Denarius, 4 | Denarius, 5 | Denarius, 6 | Denarius, 7 | Denarius, 8 | Denarius, 9 | Denarius, 10 | Denarius, Jack | Denarius, Knight | Penthouse, Queen | Penthouse, King |
| Cut | Water | Cup, 1 | Cup, 2 | Cup, 3 | Cup, 4 | Cup, 5 | Cup, 6 | Cup, 7 | Cup, 8 | Cup, 9 | Cup, 10 | Cup, Jack | Cup, Rider | Cup, Queen | Cup, King |
| Sword | Air | Sword, 1 | Sword, 2 | Sword, 3 | Sword, 4 | Sword, 5 | Sword, 6 | Sword, 7 | Sword, 8 | Sword, 9 | Sword, 10 | Sword, Jack | Sword, Rider | Sword, Queen | Sword, King |
| Stick | Feu | Stick, 1 | Stick, 2 | Stick, 3 | Stick, 4 | Stick, 5 | Stick, 6 | Stick, 7 | Stick, 8 | Stick, 9 | Stick, 10 | Staff, Jack | Staff, Rider | Wand, Queen | Staff, King |
Its 56 minor arcana represent situations, experiences or events that can occur in a person's life.
Learn how to draw the Marseille Tarot effectively
Before you can draw the Marseille Tarot, you must understand its structure and the symbolism of the cards. It is important to know how the cards relate to each other and how they can be interpreted. Once you understand the meaning of the cards, you can then draw the Marseille Tarot effectively.
Shuffling the deck of cards
Every taromancer has their preferred way of shuffling cards, and there is no one-size-fits-all method. My way of doing this is to take the cards out of their box and gently shuffle them, face down, while I listen to the consultant's story.
Then I give the cards to the consultant, still face down, and ask him to shuffle them himself.
Once this is done, the consultant returns the cards to me, still face down. I take the first cards one by one from the back of the deck (that is to say from the upper part of the face down packet) and I arrange them on the table according to the layout of the spread.
Drawing of cards
There are many methods of drawing the Marseille Tarot, but the most popular and widely used method is the cross draw. This method involves drawing four cards and arranging them in the shape of a cross. Each card represents a different aspect of your life and can help you understand your situation and make the right decisions.
You can also try the triangle draw or the love draw. These methods can help you get more accurate answers to your questions and understand the situation you are in.
Reading the cards
There are many methods of reading the Tarot de Marseille, of which each reader has their preference. The most popular methods are direct reading, intuitive reading and psychological reading. Each method offers different insight and can help you get more specific answers to your questions.
Direct reading is the simplest and most direct method. This method involves interpreting cards based on the symbols and images they represent. Intuitive reading involves using your intuition and connecting to the symbols and images in the cards to find answers to your questions.
Psychological reading is one of the most complex methods. It consists of interpreting the cards according to the feelings and emotions that they awaken in you. This method is considered one of the most effective because it allows you to go beyond symbols and images and connect to your intuition and feelings.
Interpretation of the draw
Once you have drawn and interpreted your cards, you can then begin to interpret your reading. There are several ways to interpret a Marseille Tarot reading, but the most popular is the triad method. This method consists of cutting the print into three parts and interpreting them separately to obtain a more complete picture of the situation.
It is also important to understand that the Marseille Tarot is a divination tool and not an exact science. You cannot predict the future accurately and you cannot rely on it to make important decisions. However, the Marseille Tarot can help you understand the current situation and make more informed decisions.
Become a Marseille Tarot Pro with this Complete Guide
The Tarot de Marseille is a deck of cards very rich in symbols and meanings that can help you understand your situation and make the right decisions. However, to be able to draw and interpret the cards correctly, you must know the history, meanings and methods of drawing and reading the Marseille Tarot.
With this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about the Tarot de Marseille. You will discover the history and meanings of the cards, learn how to draw and interpret your readings, and discover the different reading methods. You will be ready to become a Tarot de Marseille pro!
Conclusion
The Tarot de Marseille is an ancient card game rich in symbols and meanings. It has been used for centuries to divine the future and understand one's situation. With this guide, you will learn how to draw and interpret the cards correctly and become a Marseille Tarot pro!