by Shannon Lisa

Created on: July 29, 2010

Few things in this world come under as much scrutiny as those dealing, even in part, with the occult. There are myths and truths about everything, and more often than not the people who actually dedicate years of study to the subjects know what they are talking about. People who just decide to discredit something without actually knowing anything about it are the ones who perpetuate the myths and invariably insult those who DO know what they are talking about.

There are a lot of myths about tarot, many of them dealing with the history of it all. Tarot used to be a game, though many people will tell you it has always been 'magical'. Tarot did not come from Ancient Egypt (there is no evidence it did at least), but many will tell you that is exactly where it came from. Tarot was not brought to Europe by gypsies, but try explaining that to some people. The history of tarot is, for the  most part, known and documented. There are still some mysteries surrounding it though, mysteries that even historians cannot always solve. The more modern myths surrounding tarot are easier to explain away, and most of them are a lot sillier than the belief that tarot came from Egypt:

1. The Death card means death for you or a loved one -

Let's first discuss the card with the most myths surrounding it...the Death card. This card is feared by so many, especially if it comes up in a reading. The fear this card brings is unfounded. In spiritual terms, death is not something to be feared. Death is something to be celebrated. If one is using the tarot cards for a spiritual purpose as opposed to just a fun game, there is no reason to worry when the Death card comes up, even if it does happen to signify an actual human death. The great thing about this card though, is that it is almost purely symbolic....just like all of the cards in the deck. The Death card can mean the death of yourself or someone close to you if it comes up in a reading, it is human nature to pass on from this life after all. More often than not though, the Death card symbolizes great and meaningful change. It can mean the closing of a chapter in your life, the symbolic 'death' of old habits or behaviors you are giving up, breaking up with a lover or spouse, or it could represent something even as simple as you moving to another city or state and leaving all you know and are familiar with behind.

2. You should not buy your own deck, it has to be a gift -

A popular myth associated with tarot is that you should not

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