The origin and history of Tarot cards is unclear and surrounded by mystery. The many theories are different and unrelated. The earliest decks that have been discovered come from Egypt or Europe. Some say the Tarot originated from ancient Egypt as twenty-two pictures from the Major Arcana are depicted on an ancient Egyptian initiation chamber located in the Sphinx. Another theory states that the origin is India because of similarities in numbers and types of symbols. Some have linked the Kabala, with its system of numbers and letters, to the Tarot.
Sallie Nichols, a Jungian psychologist, wrote up the Tarot as having deep psychological and archetypal significance, even encoding the entire process of Jungian individuation into the tarot cards. (Sallie Nichols. Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey. San Francisco: Weiser Books, 1980.)
Tarot uses a system of ancient visual symbols to gain insight to spiritual development and personality. The cards are rich with psychic imagery and mythical portraiture (Arrien, 1988). The structure of the deck consists of the Major and Minor Arcanas. The Major Arcana relates to "the internal stages of the development of consciousness" (Gerulskis-Estes, 1981). The Minor Arcana, made up of suits: Cups; Wands; Pentacles or Disks; and Swords, depicts "the Divine Forces in action on each sphere and level of nature" (Gerulskis-Estes). Both Arcanas contain cards related to love, happiness, and wealth.
Here are a few details for a small selection of cards relating to love, happiness, wealth. From the Major Arcana, the card named The Lovers represents unification, relationships, the marriage of opposites, and emotional balance. The card Strength stands for passion, awareness, aliveness, and creative expression.
In the Minor Arcana, the Ace of Cups represents love with wisdom and emotional balance. The Two of Cups symbolizes love that is mutually fulfilling. The Nine of Cups stands for happiness, which comes from emotional fulfillment. The Prince of Cups represents emotional passion and desire. In the suit of Disks or Pentacles, the Ten of Pentacles symbolizes both internal and external wealth through the gifts of communication and healing. The Knight of Swords stands for passionate thinking.
Arrien, A. (1988) The Tarot Handbook. Sonoma: Arcus Publishing Company.
Gerulskis-Estes, S. (1981) The Book of Tarot. New York: Morgan & Morgan.