In order to”read” the Tarot as a book we need to get a handle on all the various images presented on the 22 Trump Cards. The Cards are made up of various combinations of symbols, colors, characters and where these items are placed on the cards. It’s somewhat like learning a new language, but since most of the symbols and signs are fairly familiar, the task will turn out to be more like an adventure, to see how they are used to get a particular point across on each Card.
Symbols are used like icons, they represent an idea or concept, which when clicked on, will take you to a place where that idea is developed and made useful. Symbols can be as simple as a circle, a line or a dot, and as complicated as the image of a chalice, sword or coin. Each represents a concept, and depending where it is placed on a Card, and what Card it is used on, will reveal to you the message on the Card. In future posts we will be learning about the many symbols used, so that when you come across one it will become more clear to you what is being “discussed” on the Card.
Each Trump Card relates to one of the twenty two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Just as Latin and Greek are universally used in the world of science, so are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet used to express various concepts and relationships on, and between, the Cards. This is because each Hebrew letter is also a symbol for a word and a number.
Color is a wonderful tool for getting a point across. When you are driving in your car, you continually use color to navigate yourself through traffic. Red lights, green lights and those pesky yellow lights all are important to you. Stop signs are red. And don’t cross those double yellow lines into on-coming traffic. The colors used in the Tarot also have specific meanings. They were not chosen for their artistic values, but for interior meanings. There are approximately 11+ colors used. For example red is for action, blue for memory and white for purity. I will provide you with a ready reference sheet of the colors. At some point you may even wish to color your own deck of Cards. I will discuss that in a future post.
The heavenly bodies that are placed on the Cards are those that were known in the ancient times, totaling seven. They are
Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, The Sun, Venus, Mercury and The Moon. Each planet is represented by a symbol. Each of these planetary symbols consists of a combination of only three symbols – the circle, the crescent, or half circle, and the cross. And because each of these symbols had a distinct meaning to the ancients, it will make it easier to understand the message of each planet depending on how their symbol is constructed. Also each planet has a distinct color, which further defines the meaning of the heavenly body.
The Tarot also makes use of the 12 signs of the wheel of the zodiac. The zodiac corresponds to the twelve channels of life expression in the human body. In other words, each zodiac sign corresponds to a 
particular part of our body. This opens up a whole other dimension to understanding how the Tarot affects us both physically and spiritually depending upon how each zodiac sign is used in the Cards. The zodiac is also divided into four sections representing the elements of fire, air, earth and water.
This book is about you. This is your hero’s journey. You are the first card, The Fool, also known as the Breath of Life, at the beginning of your journey. There are only three characters in this book. Each character represents a state of consciousness, your consciousness. There is no such thing as being unconscious – except maybe if you’ve had too much too drink! But that isn’t what is being discussed here. In fact, all forms of life, including minerals and plants, are at some level of consciousness. The three states of mind in this story are super conscious, self conscious and subconscious. As you learn to read this book you will find out about these levels of awareness and how to use them to your advantage to improve your everyday life and bring you to a place of peace and happiness with yourself, your family and friends.
Gates of Light 