The first 22 cards in a tarot deck make up the Major Arcana. Arcana means secret knowledge. The cards in the Major Arcana usually address situations in life that may be considered milestones or major events, as well as spiritual affairs. The remaining 56 cards comprise the Minor Arcana and are sometimes referred to as the lesser secrets. These cards address every day life situations and events.
Many tarot readers alter the basic meaning of the cards in some way when they show up reversed.
Runes are a method of divination derived from the Teutonic peoples of Northern Europe. Like a tarot deck, they are used for divination. However they can work well with most tarot spreads. In a spread, the cards are dealt in a specific order. Each position is assigned a certain meaning, which must be taken into account when interpreting the reading.