Renaissance Festivals, carnivals, fairs, and even flea markets have booths for fortune telling. It could be someone with a crystal ball, astrology charts, regular playing cards, oracle cards or even a tarot deck or two. Sometimes it is all in fun; and there are people who make a living reading tarot cards.

Tarot cards really are not for fortune telling or letting you know what path your life will take. They can show possibilities that may occur if certain decisions are made. Decisions made from that point on are strictly up to you.

Many tarot decks exist for different personalities. Some people enjoy dragons; and there is a plethora of dragon tarot decks to be had. Fairy, witch, vampire, and Halloween decks also exist. There are decks that feature unicorns and other gentle creatures. You can shop for tarot decks on-line or in person and you will find what you are looking for.

Some people collect tarot cards for the beautiful artwork alone. With the different decks, come the different artists and artistic talent. There are decks that seem dark and foreboding, while other decks are gentle and peaceful. However, the artwork in all cases is usually fantastic and definitely worth a look.

Tarot cards were used as playing cards centuries ago, and the practice still continues today. As in playing cards that we know today, there are four suits. You will not see hearts, diamonds, spades or clubs; but more along the lines of swords, cups, coins, and wands. There are still other decks that use pentacles, cups, staffs, and swords. Other combinations can be used, but all add up to four different suits.

The Animal Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews features animals. That tarot deck features the four suits in a totally unique way. Ancients shows reptiles and amphibians. Shape shifters are insects and arachnids. Winged Ones consists of birds. Four-Leggeds are mammals of the animal community.

A 78 card deck has the major arcana cards as well as minor arcana cards. The minor arcana cards have the different suits attached. Each card has a separate and unique meaning. The cards can also be used to play a tarot game involving trumps and tricks, much like the game of Pitch.