Having asked myself, “What is Tarot?,” here (in no particular order) are 21 answers that came to mind … and one answer from the cards themselves.
What is Tarot? …
•a way to make the unconscious conscious
•a set of cards, usually 78, with four suits of 14, and one suit of 22
•a set of archetypes expressed in pictures
•a card game not unlike euchre
•an attempt at creating intentional synchronicity
•an interesting way to express and appreciate visual art
•a system of divination developed in the last few centuries by people like Ettelia, Papus, Levi, Wirth, Waite, Crowley, and others
•an obsession of mine
•something like dream interpretation, but with pictures and an interpretive structure
•a more complicated version of flipping a coin
•a technique to let you see your situation from a new perspective … and in pictures
•a relic of the ancient mystery, miracle, and morality plays?
•a tool for artistic inspiration
•a way to explore your hopes, dreams, and fears
•an excellent conversation starter among friends and strangers
•a method to explore multiple options
•a tool for journaling
•a way to organize your thoughts around a topic
•a popular party piece
•a set of Halloween costume ideas
•an activity meant to offer personal guidance and insight
And finally, according to the (RWS) Tarot itself … 3 of Cups: Tarot is fun, good times and sharing with others.