Tarot Cards: The Psychology of the Tarot

Carl Jung was the first psychologist to attach any real importance to the Tarot. He may have regarded Tarot cards as representing certain archetypal symbols. These archetypes are fundamental to the human psyche and embedded in the subconscious of all human beings. The Emperor, for example, represents the father figure. The Empress might represent the mother. The Magician represents a spiritual guide, and on and on.

The Tarot as Archetypal Symbols

The assumption of Tarot as representing archetypes leaves the door open to explore several psychological uses. Some modern psychologists use Tarot to identify how a client views himself by asking him to select a card that he identifies with. Others might try to get the client to clarify his ideas by imagining important things in his life in terms of the images seen in certain Tarot cards.

A professional might ask many different questions to aid the client in selection this card. The Tarot can be seen as a kind of map of the subconscious, allowing a seasoned professional to interpret this map on a conscious level. Some of these questions might include:

• Do you see yourself as blissfully ignorant, like the Fool?
• Are you perhaps rushing heedlessly into something, such as the Knight of Swords?
• Which card do you think is most like you?

Older Decks vs. More Modern Decks

You might think that the older deck such as the Visconti-Sforza and Marseille would offer more insight into the human psyche. However, the reverse seems to be true. Most psychologists and Tarot experts view those older decks as crude and limited when compared to some modern ones, such as the ever-popular Rider-Waite deck. This is probably a reflection of the common belief that Tarot symbolism has evolved, especially since A.E. Waite created the deck that has influenced almost all Tarot decks produced in the 20th century. In essence, the Tarot became more universal in the latter half of the 20th century, so the newer decks may be seen as applicable to all people in all places.

There might be some validity in this claim. Waite definitely had the largest influence on Tarot as a whole, at least in the modern era. He expanded the symbolism of the Tarot in a way that allowed it to connect to more people from more walks of life. Most decks created even today follow the Rider-Waite system, at least to some extent, and this symbolism was probably given a more universal feel on purpose; it is unlikely that Waite would have created such a highly symbolic yet applicable deck by accident.

With this is mind, it is probably accurate to state that modern Tarot decks are less limited and more applicable. They have the ability to connect more freely to the universal subconscious, and so to connect with everyone, everywhere.