Tarot cards in the 18th Century: When Philosophers, Cultists, and Masons Started Shuffling Cards Their Way - blog post #2852

If in the 16th century tarot cards were flirty metaphors for salon poetry and a mildly mystical prop for bored nobles, by the 18th century they had changed outfits entirely. And not just from “game night” to “fortune-telling chic,” but straight into ceremonial robes lined with Kabbalah and hooded with high-concept esoterica. This was the era when tarot reading got hijacked by people who adored secret knowledge, philosophical rabbit holes, and mysterious basement gatherings with dim lighting and symbolic wallpaper.

My Spiritual Reading Cards: Cardboard Philosophy

Welcome to the Age of Enlightenment, where Europe collectively decided it needed less superstition and more structured thought. Everyone was obsessed with reason, progress, and all those things that don’t usually pair well with “pull a card and find your destiny.”
And yet—plot twist!—this is exactly when the tarot deck exploded with commentary, theories, and diagrams linking it to the Hebrew alphabet, chakras, star charts, and Ancient Egypt.Because, of course, no self-respecting esotericist in the 18th century could open their mouth without invoking the pyramids. Much like today, where if Mercury isn’t in retrograde, are we even spiritually evolving?

And for those wondering, "psychic readings are they real?"—well, according to the Enlightenment esoteric crew, only if they involve complex cosmological spreadsheets.

Enter the French: Etteilla, the Masons, and Egyptian Drama

Let us introduce Jean-Baptiste Alliette, also known by his mystical alias: Etteilla (that’s his name spelled backwards, a classic move for wizards and escape-room enthusiasts). In the 18th century, he stood up and declared: “Enough games—tarot cards are no mere illustrations. They are the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe!”

Etteilla created the first tarot deck specifically for psychic reading cards online, wrote a handful of passionately titled tomes (think How to Converse with Destiny Through a Picture of the Devil), and made the bold claim that tarot reading originated in Ancient Egypt. According to him, the priests stored sacred knowledge not in stone tablets but on cardboard rectangles. Because obviously.

For those hoping for a spiritual card reading free of historical baggage—sorry, the Egyptians got here first.

Masons, Astrologers, and Other Friends of Tarot Cards

While Etteilla was busy shuffling and philosophizing, Masonic lodges across Europe had an epiphany: these mystical cards were perfect visual aids for the spiritual journey of the Initiate. Strength, the Hermit, Death? Sounds like a crash course in inner growth—with incense, hooded cloaks, and a lute-playing introvert in the corner.

Freemasons were Renaissance men with a twist: they built houses and elaborate spiritual symbolism. And tarot cards? They were every symbolist’s dream. Each card was like a cabinet door to a deeper psychological insight—or, more dramatically, a skeleton waiting to be philosophically unpacked.

Let’s be honest: even your cartomancy love reading free has more drama if there’s candlelight and secret handshakes involved.

Kabbalah and Astrology: Puzzle Time for Occult Nerds

The 18th century also introduced a new hobby: linking tarot cards to my spiritual reading of Kabbalah. It was the esoteric equivalent of Pokémon evolution: each card was matched to a Hebrew letter, then paired with planets, zodiac signs, and probably someone’s favorite herb.

Suddenly, every card wasn’t just about whether your crush will text you back. Now The Lovers weren’t just about love—they were about inner duality, universal balance, and whether you’d rather take a nap or an even longer nap.

So next time someone asks for a spiritual card reading free, just casually whisper, “Ah yes, The High Priestess—clearly linked to the Moon and Gimel. Obvious.”

No More Parlor Tricks—Bring On the Tarot Reading Formulas

By the late 1700s, tarot reading stopped being a quirky parlor game and started sounding like a spiritual TED Talk. People weren’t just pulling cards—they were analyzing them, mapping them to Jungian archetypes before Jung was even born, and integrating them into philosophical systems that required charts, citations, and at least one decorative sphinx.

Tarot readers of the Enlightenment didn’t predict your future with vague promises—they gave you metaphysical frameworks, theological side quests, and a smug “of course you know The Fool isn’t about foolishness, right?”

TarotDeck as a Mirror of Its Time

So what do you get when you mix Enlightenment philosophy, secret societies, and a craving for spiritual mystery? You get tarot cards that are no longer just illustrated metaphors—but mirrors of an entire era’s ambition. Each image a portal to introspection. Each number a coded message. Each court card, basically a mood board for 18th-century spiritual identity.

This wasn’t just a psychic reading. It was a philosophical séance with optional hot cocoa.

In Conclusion, Before We Get Recruited Into a Secret Society...

The 18th century gave tarot readers something they didn’t have during the age of romantic poets: structure, gravitas, and a sprinkle of beautiful, unhinged symbolism. From this point on, the tarot deck became a vehicle for truth-seeking, self-analysis, and intense dinner parties with Egyptian overtones.