                              Tarot's Celtic Cross

                     Written and compiled by James R. Davis
                            Distributed by DavisWARE

                                  Version  3.5
                            (C) Copyright Sept. 1990

     Many experts believe that Tarot card - widely used in fortune-telling -
appeared at the end of the 1300's in Medieval France.  "Whether the cards came
from India, Egypt, or China... is of little moment," writes Frank Lind (How to
Understand the Tarot, The Aquarian Press, Wellingborough, UK, 1979).  "What is
of far more importance... is the antiquity of much of their symbolism" (pp. 7-
8).  The standard playing cards we use for games today evolved from the
original Tarot decks.
     The 78 cards in the Tarot are divided into the Major and Minor Arcana.
Fifty-six of the cards form four suits (Cups, Swords, Pentacles and Wands).
The fourteenth card in each suit is an additional court card, the knight, which
was dropped when the ordinary deck of cards was formed.  The 56 cards of the
Minor Arcana have their own esoteric meanings and are often used in divination.
     However, it is the Major Arcana (sometimes known as the "greater trumps")
which is the real key to the Tarot.  This program concentrates on the twenty-
two cards in this arcana.  Occultists who use the Tarot claim the Major Arcana
is like a mirror held up to the life of a man, showing his grief and happiness,
his plans and their fulfillment or destruction, his friendships, loves and
hatreds.  Each card is many-sided, like a well-cut diamond.  And each facet
holds an insight.
     There is no need for you to learn what each card signifies in order to use
this program.  Nor do you have to buy a Tarot deck, although you may well want
to after using this program a few times.
     There are many methods of using and interpreting the Tarot.  This program
uses a pattern known as the "Celtic Cross."  The "Celtic Cross" was chosen
because (according to Predicting the Future, The Diagram Group, Ballentine
books, New York, 1983; p. 56) it is "probably the most useful and versatile of
all tarot spreads.  It can be used to answer specific or general questions, or
to give a picture of the year ahead."
     This program does most of the work for you, leaving the finer points of
interpretation up to you.  Just type in your question, and read the cards.  It
should be rather easy to understand.  If you'd like to see the list of users
who have played this game, just type U.  You can quit the program by entering Q
at the question prompt.  Now registered programs would allow you to list all
the questions that have been asked of the tarot, not to mention who asked and
what the answer was just by typing DISPLAY!
     Tell the sysop of this board if you like this program... and keep your
eyes open for more of DavisWARE doors... like the first X-Rated door program!
Strictly for adults only, and enough to set your monitor on fire!  Until next
time...

                        -=> James "The Garf!" Davis! <=-