Are you ready? It’s time for a date….with your Tarot deck!
If you’ve been wanting to read Tarot for yourself but don’t know what to ask OR your so bored of always asking the same stale questions like what do I need to know right now?…I created this list just for you!
So light some candles and pour yourself a glass of wine….
Or if the weather’s nice, take your deck, notebook and pen to the park or to an outdoor cafe and get ready to have some fun!
20 Hot Questions to Ask Your Tarot Deck…TODAY!
1. Which Tarot card best represents me right now?
2. What is my purpose for TODAY?
3. What will help me feel energized and motivated today? Or this week?
4. What will help me get organized this week?
5. What’s getting in my way right and slowing me down right now?
6. What action or new habit will help me the most?
7. How can I improve my sleep quality?
8. Which of my talents, skills or abilities do I need to share with the world more?
9. How can I feel more calm and grounded today?
10. How can I be more creative today?
11. What should I write about today?
12. How can I have more fun today?
13. Something nice I can do for myself today is….
14. Something nice I can do for someone in my life today is….
15. What part of me needs more love and attention?
16. What part of me wants to express itself more?
17. What will make me a better Tarot reader?
18. How can I have more fun when I read Tarot?
19. How can I connect more deeply to my intuition?
20. How can I connect more deeply with my Tarot deck?
♥ Draw anywhere from 1 - 3 cards per question
♥ Choose ONE word per card and explore how it relates to the question
♥ Spend some time journalling about each card you get
The following post and video is inspired by Andy Matzner’s book Tarot for Transformation.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret – a juicy Tarot secret that will help you truly understand your cards and make your readings POP!
But first, some boring backstory….
I first discovered Tarot when I was young and impatient and I immediately set about trying to learn and memorize all 78 Tarot cards.
A typical Tarot beginner move!
Not to brag or anything, but I kind of succeeded. Within a fairly short amount of time, I had a surface level grasp of what most Tarot cards represented. But I was a shitty reader and I still didn’t understand what Tarot was really all about.
Fast forward to now. I’m slowly working through Tarot for Transformation:Using the Major Arcana to Discover Your Best Self and Create a Life Worth Living by Andy Matzner.
It’s a deliciously slow process, like eating a box of chocolate caramels while stoned.
This slow process, which I’ll describe in a hot minute, allows me to stay with a card way longer than I normally would – to really climb inside it and roll around in it. And at the same time, to climb deep inside myself (which sounds a bit creepy, now that I think about it).
The more I get to know each card, the more I realize that the cards are simply there to help me get to know myself. Mind blown!
So what exactly IS this juicy Tarot secret I speak of? And how do you apply it to your readings?
The secret is this: each Tarot card is alive within you – it’s like a map of your soul. Once you understand how the themes of each card play out within you, you begin to develop a personal relationship with the Tarot. And once you come to know the Tarot intimately (seeing your self in the cards and the cards in you), the cards will open up to you and reveal their mysteries.
I’m going to take you on a little journey – we’re going to dive into The High Priestess together. Or rather, we’re going to dive into ourselves to find our inner High Priestess! Woo hoo!
Exploring the Subconscious
Mystic Meg Tarot
In Tarot for Transformation, Andy Matzner writes that The High Priestess is associated with water, intuition, repeating cycles of change, the moon, wisdom, the subconscious and many other things. Basically, all the cool stuff.
He asks: “how can we best move between the conscious and subconscious parts of ourselves?”
So let’s start there. How indeed?
I’ll let you go first. Have you found any methods or activities that help you tap into the partially hidden realms of your mind? Take a moment to ponder.
A few years ago I was hypnotized and while I was under hypnosis, the hypnotherapist asked my higher self to come forward and answer a list of questions that I’d prepared in advance. Holy moly! My higher self said all kinds of wild stuff! The session was recorded and when I listened back to it I was blown away by the wisdom, advice and insights that I got. Who knew?!
Dream Journalling, lucid dreaming, meditative journeying and various automatic writing exercises have also helped me tap into my subconscious and unearth my inner wisdom.
Often, when The High Priestess shows up in a reading, she’s telling you to go deeper. Don’t just be content to fuddle about with surface level stuff. Go deep. The answers are within you.
Honouring Your Intuition
In Tarot for Transformation, many different methods of tapping into your intuition are suggested, along with a list of journal questions like how do you know when your intuition is communicating with you? and Describe a time when listening to your intuition changed your life.
Everyday Witch Tarot by Deborah Blake
So let’s go there. What is your relationship to your intuition like? Are you in the habit of ignoring it? Have you been making attempts to honour it or even explore it in a feet first, New Age Adventurer kind of way?
For years I tuned out my intuitive feelings like you would a pesky younger sibling. My intuition felt like an inconvenient distraction from logic, reason and the goals of the ego.
But as I got older and more desperate to find real meaning in my life, I began to re-discover my intuition. And look at me now! Blogging away about intuition like I know what I’m talking about! 😉
The High Priestess reminds us to acknowledge our intuition because the way we treat our intuition mirrors the kind of relationship we have with our soul (our deeper, expanded self). Honouring your intuition is a great way to show yourself some love and respect.
Cycles & Rhythms
Now let’s shift gears a bit and talk about the moon, cycles and natural rhythms, which are all in the realm of The High Priestess.
Just as we aren’t really encouraged (in our current society) to honour our intuition, we are actively discouraged in following our natural rhythms and cycles. Tampon ads are the perfect example of this.
Google image search “tampon ad” (go ahead, I’ll wait for you) and you’ll see an array of women playing tennis, doing gymnastics, climbing walls, doing back flips and playing soccer alongside phrases like “my period doesn’t slow me down!” and my personal favourite “Serena SHUTS OUT mother nature’s monthly gift” (a Tampax Pearl ad featuring Serena Williams). Cold and flu medication ads pull the same shit.
But is it wise to push your body when you’re on your period? Or trying to get over a cold? The High Priestess says NO! Work with your cycles, not against them. There will be times of high energy and times of low energy. There is a time to shine and take action and and a time to rest, recharge and go inward.
The Anna K Tarot
In Tarot for Transformation, there are a bunch of great journalling questions about this, like “how familiar are you with your own natural rhythms?” and “when do you typically feel most drained during the day? Most energized?”
A question I want to add is how can you better honour your natural energy cycles?
Take a moment now to ponder this. Journal about it if you want.
I’ve found it much, much easier to honour my energy cycles since I became self employed and started working from home. From ages 4 – 30ish, I was always on someone else’s schedule and feeling like I had to meet the energy demands that others placed on me. Since I became fully self employed, I’ve been in control of my own schedule and the type of work that I do, allowing me to work with my energy and cycles.
Of course there are plenty of ways to honour your cycles without quitting your day job! A really neat book on how to sync your diet and exercise to your menstrual cycle is Womancode by Alisa Vitti.
Learn about the moon phases and experiment with syncing up your activities so they correspond to the moon’s energy. For example, focus on manifestation and taking action on goals when the moon is waxing and releasing things when the moon is waning.
Is there a particular time of day when you’re most energetic? Or most creative? Plan your activities accordingly. It sounds ridiculously simple but we often overlook this sort of thing.
So now you know!
Now you know the secret to really, truly understanding your Tarot cards. Dive deep, take your time and don’t just explore each Tarot card and it’s symbols, but use your cards to explore your SELF. Use your cards to ask yourself questions and don’t be afraid to get nosy and personal (it’s just you, after all!)
If you liked this approach to exploring Tarot…
Make sure you check out Tarot for Transformation by Andy Matzner. It’s a big book with plenty of great info on each Major Arcana card, along with journalling questions, exercises and tips for diving deep. Your relationship to your cards (and your self) will never be the same!
Did you learn anything new about The High Priestess (or your self) from doing this exercise? What was this exercise like for you? Feel free to share in the comments below 🙂
Quarantined? Practising “social distancing”? Already watched all the crap on Netflix? Don’t worry! I’ve got your back.
The bright side of a mini apocalypse is having more time to devote to your Tarot studies. So don’t stress! Instead, bust out your Tarot deck and let’s get to it…
I’ve rounded up my 7 favorite Tarot exercises that will help you pass the time AND transform you into a better Tarot reader!
This one is good for Tarot beginners but more experienced Tarot readers will find some helpful tidbits, too.
Here I share my favorite techniques for learning the Tarot card meanings – techniques that will help you engage with the cards and stop relying on Tarot books or boring memorization!
A mediocre Tarot reader asks her deck questions. A sensational Tarot reader lets her deck ask her the questions! Confused yet? Then read the full article and/or watch this video…
We all know the Court Cards can be a challenge. They’re kind of boring, nothings happening in them and they all look the same. But I discovered a funny way to get to know them (and remember them!) and I think you might just like it…
Have you ever noticed that some cards in the Tarot are kind of similar? Like the Two of Cups and The Lovers? Or The Emperor and the King of Swords?
I call these similar cards sister cards and in this post I tell you what it means when a pair like this shows up in your reading and how studying the “sister cards” can help you deepen your understanding of Tarot.
This Tarot spread collection has spreads for special occasions like birthdays, Christmas and Valentines and weird stuff like a special spread for cat lovers. Plus, there’s even Tarot spreads that you will actually want to try, trust me 😉
View and download my Essential Tarot Spread Collection right HERE.
Last week I had the weirdest dream. I was trying to buy some booze at a liquor store and the cashier, who happened to be Jake Gyllenhaal, asked to see my ID.
But when I reached into my wallet for my driver’s license, it was gone! I panicked. I felt dizzy with anxiety over the fact that I had lost my identity.
I tried explaining to Jake Gyllenhall that I probably just misplaced my ID and it wasn’t a big deal but he called his supervisor over and she said that it WAS a big deal and they wouldn’t sell me the alcohol.
I felt powerless and sick to my stomach.
There’s a few weird elements in this dream. #1 I’m not much of a drinker, #2 I’m too old to get asked for ID and #3 I’m not even into Jake Gyllenhaal, so why is he popping up in my dreams as a miserly cashier?
Since the dream make absolutely no fucking sense to me, I decided to put my dream interpretation techniques to work!
I usually do these four steps when interpreting a dream:
Theme – what was the overall theme of the dream?
Feeling – what emotions did I experience?
Symbols – what were the main symbols in the dream?
Action – what was I mostly doing in the dream?
The theme of the dream was losing my identity. The main feeling I had was panic and anxiety. The action I was taking was trying to convince the people in the dream to give me what I wanted. And the main symbols in the dream were the lost driver’s license, liquor and Jake Gyllenhaal.
The symbols are intriguing – while my driver’s license helps me prove who I am, liquor can help me forget who I am. I still have no idea how Jake Gyllenhaal fits into any of this.
Then I tried to take what I’d learned about this dream and apply it to my real life…
Was I struggling to find my identity? In what areas of my life was I feeling panicky and anxious? Did I feel I had to convince others to give me what I wanted?
This led to hours of fascinating self reflection and journaling! Thank god I don’t have kids or a real job, so I can just sit around all day pondering this shit.
Just as these dream interpretation techniques can help you plumb the sordid depths of your psyche, they can also help you decode a Tarot card.
Okay, now let’s apply these same four questions to a Tarot reading situation!
Let’s say you’re doing a daily one card draw. You ask “what do I need to know right now?” and draw theKnight of Wands from the Everyday Witch Tarot.
Everyday Witch Tarot
What’s the overall theme of this card?
What feeling do you get when you look at it?
What action (if any) is taking place?
What are the main symbols?
If you want to practice, I’ll let you answer the above questions on your own. To see my answers, keep reading!
So I’m going to start with the symbols, because that’s the easiest bit. I see the fire breathing dragon, the mountain and the magic wand as the main symbols. You may have picked different ones and that’s totally fine.
I think the mountain and dragon symbolize a challenge or a goal. The magic wand symbolizes your own power and ability to direct your will and energy.
I feelexcited and energized when I look at this card, but also antsy, like when you drink too much coffee and then have to sit for twenty minutes in the waiting room of your waxing salon, reading People magazine while you nervously anticipate getting your pubes ripped out.
The action that seems to be unfolding is that this knight is going on a quest to vanquish the dragon.
The overall theme of this card is tackling a big goal or challenge.
So now for the tricky part! How do all these elements apply to your life? What is the advice or suggestions offered by this card?
When I consider this card and what’s going on in my life right now, there are a few possible messages:
Now is the time to tackle that BIG roadblock or fear
Having a specific goal to work towards right now will be helpful for you
What do you consider to be your biggest challenges right now?
Some things to keep in mind…
The symbols you notice and the feelings you have when you gaze at this card will depend on what’s going on in your psyche right now. This is why no two people will read this card in the exact same way.
Also, if you look at this card in a few weeks, you might see different stuff and therefore come up with a whole different message. For example, I sometimes see adventure and excitement when I look at this card, but today all I got was goals, goals, goals!
What I love about interpreting a Tarot card like a dream is that it lets you go beyond the book meaning of a card. You can go deeper into a card this way and the messages feel more personal and custom made to fit your life.
Okay, so I didn’t tell you about the second and more scandalous part of my Jake Gyllenhaal dream…
After refusing to sell me alcohol, Jake Gyllenhaal approached me in the park behind the liquor store. I was sulking at a picnic table. He leaned down and filthily whispered “come back to my place and we can do all the drugs and have all the sex.”
Can you believe it?!
Sadly, I was horrified and disgusted by his lurid offer and said “no way!”
*sigh*
I guess even Unconscious Me is an uptight prissy pants.
In the comments below, tell me your most recent weird dream…because I’m creepy/nosy like that 😉
Like sex, Tarot can get stale and boring. Especially if you’re always doing the same old same old. It’s normal to feel kind of “meh” about doing readings or studying Tarot every now and then. If this is something you’re going through right now, here are some ways to spice things up…
Spice #1: Do It Outside!
Or in a cafe, at the library, in a stairwell or the back of a cab…you get the idea. A change in location helps you see your cards in a whole new way.
Whenever I want to breathe life into my Tarot practice, I pack up my deck and Tarot journal and head to the park or beach. Contemplating the Tarot to the sound of crashing waves and toddlers throwing tantrums really brings the magic!
Being surrounded by something other than my living room (where I usually read Tarot) stimulates my brain in a way that makes it more creative and active, enabling a different experience with the Tarot.
Spice #2: Do Something Different
Are you stuck in a rut? Do you always do the same thing with your Tarot cards?
I used to practice only by giving myself readings and this got old really fast as I quickly ran out of problems and issues to read about. When I discovered Tarot journalingeverything changed and it opened up a world of possibility!
So if you normally just do readings with your cards, try journaling about them, meditating with them, sketching them or throwing them up in the air like money and rolling around naked on a bed like your Demi Moore in Indecent Proposal. Remember that scene?
Spice #3: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Things get interesting when you do something that scares you. So don’t hesitate to push yourself a little when it comes to your Tarot practice. This is how you’ll get better, after all.
What makes you feel a little uncomfortable? Reading Tarot for a stranger? Or perhaps reading Tarot for yourself without your book of meanings? Or is it focusing on a card you really dislike?
Whatever it is, DO IT! And then feel the thrills roll in.
Spice #4: Find a Tarot Buddy or Tarot Group
Tarot is well suited to being a solo practice which is probably why hardcore introverts and those who despise fraternizing are drawn to it.
BUT….
You can have soooo much fun when you share your passion for Tarot with a like minded friend or group. When I was first learning Tarot I was lucky enough to have a friend who was also just getting into it and we’d practice giving awkward readings to each other. It was great.
Heart & Hands Tarot
I’ve never been in a Tarot group before, although I did come dangerously close one time.
I did something totally out of character one day and joined a meetup group – our first Tarot potluck meetup was cancelled but I didn’t get the memo so I showed up at someone’s house, tabbouleh salad in hand. This lady peeked out through a crack in her door and said “it’s cancelled” and that was that.
Beth from Little Red Tarot had a totally different experience and you can read all about her lovely Tarot group here.
Spice #5: Get a New Tarot Deck or Book
Ahhh, the old standby. Buying more stuff!
Sometimes this is just the thing you need – a new deck to put some pizzazz in your readings or a new book to give you some fresh ideas and perspectives. But sometimes this just results in more unread books on your shelf and more Tarot decks collecting dust. So proceed with caution.
What I love about getting a new deck is seeing the cards through a different lens. This always expands my understanding of the Tarot and like an alcoholic pretending to be a wine connoisseur I get to appreciate the art of Tarot while feeding my addiction. It’s a win-win!
If you’re not sure what decks to get, here are some of my faves.
Spice #6: Start a Tarot Scrapbook
This is a cool idea that I had that I will probably never actually do but I think you totally should!
A Tarot scrapbook is like a Tarot journal, but with more images and bits of stuff glued on. Get a big scrapbook and dedicate a page for each card and in addition to writing the card’s meaning, you could include things like ticket stubs, dried flowers and leaves, doodles, etc that capture the essence of the card.
For example, The Knight of Wands page could have ticket stubs to an action movie and travel postcards, while the High Priestess page might feature an incense stick and shiny silver star stickers.
This seems like a time consuming project, so I’m out. But I think it would be a fun alternative to a Tarot Journal, especially if your craftsy.
Spice #7: Take a Break!
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If you’re spending too much time with your Tarot cards it can become like a dysfunctional relationship where you both get sick of each other!
When I first got into Tarot I was doing multiple readings on myself every day. It got too much. My readings began to feel confusing and pointless. I started resenting my Tarot deck and feeling mildly irritated every time I picked it up.
If you’re feeling blah about Tarot, take a week or even a month away from your cards. When you come back to them your interest and enthusiasm will be renewed and invigorated!
Bonus: Spice #8
Explore my website! I’ve designed my site with one goal in mind – to help you spice up your relationship with Tarot.
Learning Tarot can be a bit of a shitshow. So many books and decks to choose from, so much to learn and so little time. It’s no wonder most students of the Tarot get overwhelmed and give up.
When I look back at when I was first learning Tarot, I made SO MANY MISTAKES. In the end it didn’t really matter – I learned Tarot eventually, but if I’d known these 3 things, I think I would have had an easier time of it.
MISTAKE #1: Starting with the Major Arcana
Most Tarot books start off by discussing the Major Arcana and most Tarot students try to learn the Majors first, before moving onto the minors.
This is what I did (initially) and I wish I hadn’t.
The Majors represent the soul’s journey. They’re deep, esoteric and can sometimes be confusing and tricky to understand. Each Tarot card has many layers to it but this is especially true for the Major Arcana cards.
The Minor Arcana are much easier to relate to. They depict scenes of day to day life and you can usually figure out what the Minors are about just by looking at them.
Rider-Waite Tarot
Starting with the Majors is like trying to read Tolstoy when your nine. You’re bound to get discouraged and end up thinking “this is hard. I’m an idiot. Maybe I can’t learn Tarot after all.”
To be honest, I still have NO IDEA what the Justice card even means! And I’ve been reading for a good 10 years.
Most people are able to understand the Minors without much Tarot experience and I recommend studying them first. This will boost your confidence and get you all juiced up to tackle the Majors once you’re ready.
MISTAKE #2: Trying to learn Tarot fast
We all want to figure shit out quickly. The idea of spending YEARS learning something is just not sexy. But learning Tarot takes time.
So if you truly desire to know and understand the Tarot, don’t be in a big rush. Instead, buckle up for a long and thrilling ride!
See the act of learning Tarot as an adventurous journey as opposed to an impressive task that needs to be completed. This will help you savor the experience of learning Tarot, because it truly is something to be savored!
Rider Waite Tarot, published by US Games, Inc.
Tarot is not some external thing that can be mastered like cupcake baking, pole dancing or carpentry. Learning Tarot requires you to journey into your self – it is more of an internal process than an external one.
For example, it’s not enough to just memorize the cards so that the next time you look at The Emperor you think Emperor = authority and stubborness.
What does The Emperor mean to you? How are you like him? Who does he remind you of? What do you love/hate about him? How does this card show up in your life? Answering these questions will help you truly understand this card but it will also help you understand your self better.
MISTAKE #3: Trying to memorize the card meanings
Memorization isn’t learning. It’s the opposite of learning, similar to brainwashing. If memorization is the cornerstone of your Tarot study then you will end up being a cold, robotic reader!
Dame Darcy Tarot
The most important way to learn about something is to experience it and Tarot cards beg to be experienced!
The High Priestess murmurs come closer and let me tell you my secrets, NOT put a label on me and remember it.
Meditate on the images and symbols, journal about the cards, and most importantly DO THIS EXERCISE to dive deep and really explore your cards.
Once you explore and experience the cards you will truly understand them, which is way more valuable than superficial memorization. Here are my 7 tips for learning the card meanings (without boring memorization!)
Over to you!
What mistakes did you make when you were first learning Tarot? Tell me in the comments below!
I decided a month ago that I needed a break from The Internet (including Netflix). And I’ve been spending each day since meticulously planning my escape!
The internet can be a wonderful thing – a source of creativity, connection, learning, etc. But it can also be used for other things (things I would never do!) like stalking an ex, reading snark blogs, watching porn and immersing yourself in deliciously gossipy FB groups!
In other words, the Internet can be a massive distraction. And right now I long for quiet, emptiness and wide open space so that new ideas can float in. So I decided to take a two week break and use that time to do some soul searching, clean my kitchen cupboards and (hopefully!) get some inspiration for my next Tarot project.
Since I won’t have Netflix to fall back on for evening entertainment, I plan to cozy up to my Tarot deck each night. While I was searching my site for Tarot exercises, I found 3 that I’d completely forgotten about!
This is a good one if you have a particular issue, question or problem that you’re working on. It’s a 9 step exercise so give yourself a bit of time for this one!
Deep down you have a hidden desire and it drives your behavior and life decisions in all sorts of ways. This Tarot exercise helps you uncover that hidden desire…
I hope you have fun with these Tarot exercises and that they inspire you to engage with your Tarot cards more often! But what I really want to know is…what’s the longest you’ve ever been away from the internet? And what was it like for you?
Everyone has a dark side. Everything has a dark side.
And Tarot cards are no exception!
Each and every Tarot card has both a light and dark aspect and today I want to focus on the BAD side of those sunny, bright, cheery Tarot cards.
This is a helpful exercise to do when you get a positive card in a negative position in a Tarot spread. Like when you ask “what do I need to let go of?” and you get The Sun or the Ace of Cups.
So let’s get crackin’!
All Tarot cards shown in the above video are from the Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot
The Sun
Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot
This is the quintessential “positive” Tarot card and it’s hard to find anything negative about it.
But let me try…
Do you remember back in the mid-2000’s when The Secret came out and everyone was going on and on about positive thinking? To the point where it got really annoying?
Have you ever felt pressured to be more positive?
Or to be extra-super-duper positive even when things were unacceptably horrible?
Like working for a company that treats its staff inhumanely but then demands that you show “team spirit” and enthusiasm and smile all the time. That shit is soul destroying.
Two people, clinking glasses and putting their heads together in a glow of mutual appreciation.
What could go wrong? Plenty!
Meeting a like minded individual who shares your values and vision can be intoxicating. But once the thrill fades and you realize that you must also compromise – what used to be a strong connection might start to feel like a prison sentence.
Sure you might agree on eating vegan, going to yoga retreats and watching George Carlin stand up routines, but then you discover they can’t load a fucking dishwasher properly and love to eat Twizzlers and go to baseball games…god what were you thinking?
Now it’s your turn!
I’ve picked a really uplifting and happy card for you to tear into…theThree of Cups!
I wish there was a secret formula for figuring out the “dark side” of a cheery card, but there isn’t. So you just have to contemplate it and get creative…
Anna K Tarot
Tell me, in the comments below…what do you think this card’s dark traits are? What is the downside of all this celebration and camaraderie?
But did you know that your Tarot cards actually have SO MANY questions for you? Yes, you.
You may have been looking at your Tarot cards for answers, but your cards have been trying to ask you questions….the kind of questions that, if answered, lead to those answers! So it’s high time you started paying attention…
Okay, let’s get down to business.
Step One: Pick a Card
Shuffle your deck and draw a card. That’s right, just draw a card but don’t ask a question.
Step Two: Question Time!
Now it’s time to hear the questions that this Tarot card is asking you. You may want to jot down your impressions on a bit of paper if that helps you process it and remember.
The first question is this:
1. How do I make you feel?
Take a moment to really gaze at your card. It may illicit feelings of relief, stress, confusion or joy or maybe you feel nothing at all. Just notice it.
2. What do you notice the most? What keeps drawing your attention?
The thing that draws your attention is the symbol you want to focus on first.
3. What does that symbol represent?
Just be literal here, don’t get all college kid fancy. In the card I drew for this exercise (7 of wands from the Heart and Hands Tarot) I see a fist clenching over a club. To me, that represents holding onto something, grasping, tightly holding, gripping, wielding a stick.
Heart and Hands Tarot by Liz Blackbird
4. What’s the overall theme of this symbol?
For me, the theme of the gripping fist is holding onto something in a desperate, defensive way or defending something.
5. Are you doing this in your own life? Where? How?
It could be something your doing that is holding you back or it could be something you need to start doing in order to move forward.
With the 7 of Swords, I’m asking myself what am I holding onto so tightly? Do I need to let go of anything? What am I defending? Should I be standing up for myself more?
6. How does this affect your life? Is it positive, negative, neutral? Both or all?
For me, the tendency to hold onto things for a long time (like my plastic hooker boots from 1999 and ancient Cosmo mags) can stifle my energy. Yet the ability to defend myself and stand up for my rights is a good thing.
7. Is this a quality you should invite more of? Less of?
In my case, I may want to invite more of the assertive, passionate energy of the 7 of Wands but less of the gripping fear.
Step Three: Putting it Together
8. Moving forward, what are you going to do differently as a result of these insights?
I plan to make a list of what I want to let go of, but also a list of what is important to me – what I feel is worth fighting for. Hopefully this will give me some clarity on what I need to focus on as I move forward with projects, work and relationships.
This last step allows you to put what you’ve learned about yourself into action in your daily life. Don’t skip this powerful step! It’s how you allow Tarot to work magic in your life.
Letting your cards ask YOU the questions allows you to experience the Tarot in a deeper, more personal way. A cards initial meaning may not really make sense to you at first, but if you do some inquiry and answer the above questions, I guarantee you will have an AHA! moment and any confusion will melt away.
Over to you!
What card did you draw for this exercise? What insights did you get from it? Feel free to share in the comments below!!!!
When David, Ronda and I were recording our last episode of the Menage A Tarot podcast, we were discussing other fun uses of Tarot cards, besides Tarot card reading. The subject of Tarot Games came up and an idea just popped into my head. So here it is!
This Tarot game can be played with two or more players. It doesn’t matter if the players have prior knowledge about Tarot or not – anyone can play this game, as long as there’s a willingness to be creative and open minded!
The Rules
1)Each person chooses 7 cards from the deck (without looking at them!) If you are playing this with more than four players, you may want to choose only five. Don’t let other players see your cards!
2)The first person chooses someone at the table to “read”. This is done by picking one of their cards (which are laying facedown on the table in front of them). In two sentences or less, say something about them that they can confirm with a “yes” or a “no”. For example, if you draw The Hermit for your friend you might say “lately you’ve been craving time alone” and your friend can either say “no, not true” or “yes!”
3)If they say “yes” to your statement, then you get to keep that card – you will want to put it in a separate pile from your original 7 cards. This is your “treasure pile” and these cards won’t get circulated back into the game.
If they say “no”, then they keep that card. Your turn is up and now it’s the next person’s turn. The next person might choose to read for that same person or a different person. Just be sure that when it’s your turn to read that you don’t just keep reading the same person over and over again (unless there’s only two of you!).
4) Once all your cards are gone you may choose another 7 from the deck. All players will have two groups of cards – a stack of the cards they take from other players when they read them correctly (Treasure Pile) and their own cards that they should have fanned out in front of them for other players to choose.
5) The object of this game is to end up with the most cards in your Treasure Pile. You may play this game until all the cards are gone from the deck, or you may set a time limit of an hour or two and whoever has the most cards at the end wins.
If you are playing with people who know nothing at all about Tarot, all the more fun! All they have to do is look at a card and pretend to read it for that person. You’d be surprised at how well this can work!
It’s sometimes helpful to try to just interpret the card literally. For example, look at The Fool– what is happening? A guy is about to step off a cliff. So you could say “you are about to jump off a cliff – metaphorically. Are you thinking of taking a risk right now?”
Or, in the case of Temperance, you might say “you have one foot into something and one foot out”
Alternatively, you may keep a Tarot card meanings book on hand and refer to it throughout the game if you need to. This isn’t cheating and it’s totally allowed in this game!
Some things to keep in mind
Alcoholic beverages and rowdiness are completely acceptable! Unlike when you do a regular Tarot reading, you don’t need to remain sober and mature for this one. Of course, this is entirely dependent on your preferences and the people you are playing with.
The point of this game is to have fun with the cards and play at guessing the meanings of the cards (if you are new to Tarot) and practice your reading skills if you are more experienced.
Should you use the same Tarot deck you use for readings?
If you have more than one deck, use a deck that you don’t usually read with. If you do use your one and only beloved Tarot deck, just make sure to energetically cleanse your deck before using it again for readings.
*Full Disclosure: I have yet to actually test out this Tarot game, mainly because I can’t find anyone whose interested in playing it! I know, I know, my friends are boring. So I may post some updates to this post once I do try it out.
Thoughts? Comments?
Did you try this game? How did it go? What do you think about using Tarot cards for games? Is it sacrilege or good clean fun? Tell me in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!
old same old. It’s normal to feel kind of “meh” about doing readings or studying Tarot every now and then. If this is something you’re going through right now, here are some ways to spice things up…
Whenever I want to breathe life into my Tarot practice, I pack up my deck and Tarot journal and head to the park or beach. Contemplating the Tarot to the sound of crashing waves and toddlers throwing tantrums really brings the magic!
