Tarot is something I have been drawn to since I was a child. I remember spending my birthday money on a tarot deck when I was quite young, not yet out of elementary school. It was an Osho Zen deck and, while I don't use it much anymore, I was in love with it.

In college, I met a few friends who were also into tarot cards and readings. One of those friends really helped me embrace my interest in them and taught me how to do proper readings. The things she taught me extended past the cards and into my every day life. One of the main things she taught me was to trust myself and my intuition.

I've done many successful readings since then and am often asked by friends to read them. Other friends don't agree with my use of the cards; often, these objections are religious in nature. I respect that, but I also feel that it is the gods and goddesses-- including, perhaps, the Christian God-- who send me the messages I read and give me the ability to do readings.

But part of that ability also comes from studying and learning! Tarot cards are split into the major arcana and the minor arcana; the major arcana, I feel, are trump cards that are easier to understand thanks to their names and images. The minor arcana is split into four suits, much like a deck of playing cards: cups, pentacles, swords, and wands. But we'll get into those later. For this installment of The Spiritual Series, I am going to go over the first 11 cards of the major arcana and what they may mean.

The entirety of this tarot series will focus on the Rider-Waite deck, which is the most commonly used deck. Most other decks follow a similar structure. It is also worth noting that cards can mean different things for different people, and can mean something different in relation to the other cards. This is just a simple overview of what these cards mean to me.

00. The Fool. Optimism, happiness, or taking a risk. But it can also mean a blind optimism, leading the person into a bad situation.
01. The Magician. I often see this as literally meaning magical abilities, but it can also mean the creation of something or an idea coming to fruition.
02. The High Priestess. Trusting your intuition. Becoming (or being) the High Priestess, confident and powerful. Can also mean the need for learning, though not always academically.
03. The Empress. Creativity. Happiness. Possibly a new love.
04. The Emperor. Authority and control.
05. The Hierophant. Morality. Following rules. Often cards like this and The Emperor can be a physical man and his influence.
06. The Lovers. Simply, love. Alternatively, a choice.
07. The Chariot. Can mean literal travel or simply movement or progress in your life. Moving out of a situation you have been in for a while.
08. Strength. I usually read this as emotional strength that a person has, or will need in their life soon. It can also mean good health.
09. The Hermit. This card can literally mean isolation, whether of one's own doing or the actions of other. But, more often, I find that this card indicates the need to retreat, do some learning (often academically or spiritually), or heal oneself in some way.
10. The Wheel of Fortune. Like the game show, I usually read this as you win some and you lose some. Or, like Forrest says, you never know what you're gonna get.
11. Justice. I often read this as justice in a situation, but it also can mean a clear decision being made.

You may run across cards that are upside down. These have different meanings than their regular counterparts, sometimes negative meanings. That is why it is so important to study the tarot if you are interested in it-- and from different people! Learn from multiple books and people around you. Practice! And trust yourself.

I am by no means an expert on tarot-- or anything involving spirituality! But none of us start out as experts, and few of us ever become one. Good luck on your own journey!