What is tarot, and why some call it "gypsy cards"
Where tarot comes from, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and how to treat the cards as a tool for reflection rather than a verdict on your fate.
3 min read
By the end you'll
- Know a short history of tarot
- Know why this app uses Rider–Waite–Smith imagery
- See the cards as a tool for reflection, not a verdict on your fate
Tarot began as playing cards for a game in Italy around the 15th century. In the 18th century, French writers started using the deck for divination and linked its meanings to astrology and the elements. That is how it became the fortune-telling deck we know today.
Why some people call them "gypsy cards"
The image of wandering fortune-tellers going from town to town and reading cards is why tarot is often called "gypsy cards", especially in Thailand. In fact tarot did not come from the Romani people (who used to be called gypsies), and the word makes some people uncomfortable, so this app says "tarot cards" instead.
Why we use Rider–Waite–Smith imagery
- The deck was published in London in 1909, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith working with Arthur Edward Waite.
- It was one of the first decks to show a full scene on every minor card, instead of just a row of cups or swords, so you can read from the pictures.
- Most books and courses refer to this deck. Once you learn it, other decks are easy to pick up.
- Redar's Tarot line drawings follow the same scene layouts, and you can switch to the original images in Settings.
Can the cards really tell the future?
The cards don't decide your fate for you. They help you look at a familiar situation from a new angle. The images work like a mirror, showing you things you feel but haven't said out loud yet. A good reading ends with something the querent can choose to do, rather than an announcement that something will definitely happen.
Tip: For health, legal matters and large sums of money, the cards can help you reflect, but always talk to a qualified professional before you make the real decision.
Summary
- Tarot started as a card game and later became a divination deck
- Rider–Waite–Smith (1909) is the standard deck most people learn with
- The cards are a mirror for your mind, and a good reading points toward action