Tarot History · 4 min · 2026-02-01
22 major cards and 56 minor cards — different roles in a single spread.
Tarot's story runs from 15th-century Italian card games through 18th-century esoteric revival, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), and today's mix of psychology and self-reflection. In practice, begin with the position's job, then let the card image sharpen the answer.
The 78-card tarot deck divides into: - Major Arcana (22 cards): The Fool to The World — major themes, life lessons, transformation - Minor Arcana (56 cards): 4 suits × 14 cards — everyday details, specific situations
In a spread, numerous Major Arcana cards often suggest: - A significant transformative period - A recurring theme in life - Questions about meaning, not just events
A Death card in a love reading does not mean "definite breakup" — it typically signals the end of one phase in how you love.
Minor cards show how Major themes manifest: - Five of Cups: small emotional disappointment - Eight of Pentacles: diligent work, income - Three of Swords: heartache, need for healing time For a cleaner reading, translate the symbol into one observable choice or behavior.
Simple method on Melaap: 1. Look at Major first — "What is the big theme?" 2. Look at Minor next — "How is this showing up in everyday life?" 3. Check the suit (Wands/Cups/Swords/Pentacles) — which area of life stands out?
No card is "bad" or "good" in absolute terms. The context of your question determines meaning.
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Each suit is a language — understanding the suits helps you read a spread more quickly.
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RWS tarot uses the Western classical quad (Fire · Air · Water · Earth) via Hot/Cold and Dry/Wet — not Wu Xing cycles. Why Melaap treats question–answer element mismatch as more important than a 'positive card'.
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Ngu Dao represents people who dare to break all social limits to live their own way. This card symbolizes absolute freedom, infinite possibilities and unplanned steps on the path of life.