Tarotul Rider Waite

Tarotul Rider Waite is a tarot deck that includes a guide. Its images draw on astrology and alchemy. They also draw on religion and philosophy. They show human feelings and stages of life. These range from childhood to old age. The set serves new and skilled tarot users, plus collectors.

The deck has 78 colour cards. These comprise 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The four suits are swords, wands, cups and coins. Each has a King, Queen, Knight and Page. Every card shows a scene or an image with symbols. This includes all 40 numbered suit cards. The scenes help users read meanings through acts and moods. Links between cards also help users read their meanings. Readings take nearby cards into account as well. They also consider whether cards stand upright or reversed.

This set follows the original Rider-Waite deck. Pamela Colman Smith drew the images. Arthur Edward Waite guided her work. The guide draws its instructions from his book, Cheia Tarotului. Waite studied the occult. He placed symbols at the heart of his approach. His system puts the Fool before the Magician. It links the Fool with the Hebrew letter Aleph. Strength is card VIII, while Justice is XI. The Sun shows a child on a horse.

Smith grew up in Jamaica. As a young teen, she toured with a theatre company. At 21, she settled in England. She worked there as a stage designer and illustrator. She designed sets with William Butler Yeats. She later worked with Jack Yeats on The Broad Sheet. She had her own magazine, The Green Sheaf. It brought together art, tales, poems and ballads.