What Are Tarot Cards? A Complete Beginner's Introduction
New to tarot? What tarot cards are, the 78-card structure, suits and Major Arcana — in plain beginner language.
A tarot deck, in one paragraph
Tarot is a 78-card picture system: 22 Major Arcana describing major life forces (Fool, Lovers, Tower, World) and 56 Minor Arcana describing everyday life across four suits — Wands (fire, ambition), Cups (water, emotion), Swords (air, mind) and Pentacles (earth, material resources).
How a reading is built
A question is written, cards are shuffled, and several are dealt into positions that give them jobs: past, present, hidden, advice, outcome. One card is a headline; five cards are a story arc.
Orientation matters too: upright is flowing energy, reversed is blocked or inward. Reversals are optional for beginners and shown by default here with clear marking.
Where to start
Start with the Major Arcana only — 22 cards is enough to learn archetype logic. Use MysticTarot's free readings: every card is clickable for its full upright, reversed, love, career, money and spiritual meaning, so no book is needed while you learn.
Put it to the test
Reading this is nice; pulling the cards is nicer. 3 free readings here every day.