Tarotpakka

Tarotpakka is the Finnish term for a collection of tarot cards used for divination and reflective practice. A standard tarotpakka comprises 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana, which contains 22 cards featuring archetypal symbols such as The Magician and The Fool, and the Minor Arcana, which contains 56 cards in four suits (commonly cups, pentacles or coins, swords, and wands). The Fool is sometimes treated as a card that stands outside the four-suit structure. Many decks also include minor variations in imagery and ritual cards, but 78 cards is the conventional size.

Historically, tarot cards originated in Europe in the 15th century as playing cards. They were later adopted by occultists in the 18th and 19th centuries as a tool for divination and self-reflection. In Finnish usage, as in other countries, a tarotpakka may come in various artistic styles and languages. Popular variants used worldwide include the Tarot of Marseille, Rider-Waite-Smith, and the Thoth deck, among others. A Finnish reading may be performed with any of these decks, depending on the reader’s preference.

Readings are typically conducted through spreads, where cards are laid out in specific patterns to address a question or situation. Card meanings are interpreted in relation to their position, orientation (upright or reversed), and surrounding cards. The tarotpakka is generally used as a symbolic or psychological tool rather than a deterministic forecast, inviting reflection on possibilities, resources, and actions.