We're all powerfully drawn to certain people - whether they're celebrities, fictional characters, public figures or "real" (yet super sexy) people in our everyday lives.
Bond, James Bond
But did you know that the type of person you admire and/or lust after can tell you something about yourself? Something secret, something deep, something juicy....
We're all so focused on the cards in front of us and what they might mean, but did you ever wonder about the cards that hardly ever show up in your readings?
In my opinion, the cards that DON'T show up in your readings can be just as telling as the ones that DO.
This Tarot exercise helps you take a look at those conspicuously absent cards!
In last weeks post, we covered intuition and connecting with your Tarot deck as ways to enhance the quality of your Tarot readings.
So now it’s time to dive a little deeper and tackle context and connecting the cards in a reading!
Secret #3: Understand that each Tarot Card has many facets and it’s meaning and message will change with it’s environment (context).
A fabulous Tarot reader knows that the cards – like people – are multidimensional.
This throws a lot of readers off because let’s face it, most of us would prefer the Tarot cards had specific, clear definitions so we could know exactly what they meant.
The fact that the Tarot card meanings are actually quite fluid can be frustrating – kind of like dating a flaky emo-guy who constantly changes his mind about how he feels about you.
Page of Cups from the Anna K Tarot – he’s not just a pretty face!
A Tarot card’s meaning is effected by the surrounding cards, the question/issue being asked about, the position in the spread and of course the readers intuition.
But don’t think about all that! – it will only confuse you and twist your brain into a frustrated Tarot mindfuck. So here’s what you do…
Instead of seeing the Tarot card meanings as things that need to be defined and memorized, see your cards as beings.
It’s a tad creepy, but stay with me…
Get a feel for each card’s essence, vibe and energy – this isn’t the same as it’s meaning.
It’s like when you meet someone new at a party: you learn their occupation (plumber) and relationship status (married five years!) which actually tells you very little about who they are. But you also get a sense of their energy/vibe, based on how you feel when you’re in their presence, which gives you more helpful information about what kind of a person they are.
When you get a sense of a Tarot card’s essence and see it as a multi-faceted being, you will have an easier time deciphering it’s message when it shows up in a variety of readings and spread positions.
Okay, I want you to look through your Tarot deck and pick out The Sun.
Dame Darcy Tarot
Got it? Now look at it. Feel into it. Get a sense of it’s energy, it’s vibe, what it’s all about.
Now, I want you to ask “what is the next step for me?”and look at The Sun. What is it telling you?
Ask“What do I need to do to improve my overall vitality and energy?”….now what does it say?
Ask “What do I need to let go of?” and see what it tells you.
Ask “how can I improve my relationships?” and see what it says.
How did it go? Did you get wildly different answers for each question? Did you get some new ideas and insights?
Secret #4: See the Connections between Tarot Cards in a Spread
One of the biggest gripes I hear from my audience is that they have no problem reading a Tarot card on its own, but when it comes to doing a big Tarot spread, they find it hard to link the cards together to weave a “big picture” and tell a story.
Telling a story with the cards is an art form. But it’s a skill that can be learned!
When you make connections between the cards in a reading, it can feel like you are translating a thrilling letter or solving a mystery message that’s just for you.
Think of a Tarot reading (or Tarot spread) as being like a letter. Each Tarot card is like a sentence in that letter. Each sentence means something, but all the sentences together give you a deeper, more meaningful message.
Look at the 3 cards below and see each card as being a sentence in a letter…
Crystal Visions Tarot
What does this letter say to you? Don’t think too hard about this, just go with it – make something up!
I read these 3 cards as sayingyou are in creative mode right now (The Empress) but you need to make sure you stay focused and intentional about what you intend to create (The Magician) so that you create something that is emotionally fulfilling and the start of something special (Ace of Cups).
Of course, there are probably a million different ways to read these cards, that is just one possibility!
Any Joe Schmo can be a Tarot reader, but not everyone can be a FABULOUS Tarot reader!
There are specific skills that a fabulous Tarot reader possesses and I’ve narrowed it down to four distinct elements:
The ability to engage your intuition while reading Tarot (and not just recite memorized card meanings like a robot)
Having a special bond with your deck and a personal understanding of each Tarot card meaning
The ability to see a Tarot card in different ways and read it in a variety of contexts
Seeing the connections between the cards in a Tarot reading
In this post, I am going to tackle the first two elements – intuition and bonding with your cards. I will discuss context and connecting the cards next week (tease, tease!)
Secret #1: Be willing to engage your intuition and read the cards your way!
When you read a Tarot card with intellect alone, it’s flat, one-dimensional and lifeless. It’s not wrong or bad to read a Tarot card this way….it’s just incredibly boring.
And of course nothing says amateur Tarot reader like reciting memorized card definitions!
When you invite your intuition into the mix, things get interesting. The cards seem to come to life and speak directly to you! Creative ideas, solutions and new perspectives come out of the woodwork.
Also, when you incorporate your intuition into your readings, it’s like adding your own secret ingredient to the reading….making it magically personal and unforgettable!
But how do you do this? It’s all well and good to say stuff like “listen to your intuition” or “trust your gut” – but where do you start?
Here’s a tip: don’t think about the card in front of you, feel into it.Analyzing a card only gets you so far – at some point you have to just dive right in and let the card speak to you.
Here’s a blog post I wrote a while back – it gives you 7 steps for tuning into your intuition and a video where I walk you through reading a tarot card intuitively.
Keep a Tarot journal and make a personal connection with each card until you understand its meaning(s) on a deep, intimate level.
There are many Tarot books and courses out there that promise to teach you Tarot fast – but getting to know your deck isn’t something you want to rush. Treat your deck like a fascinating lover – enjoy the exploration and take your time delving into all its layers and establishing a strong connection.
Dame Darcy Tarot
Stay tuned for next week when I discuss reading a Tarot card in context and connecting the cards in a reading 🙂
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?
I was inspired by a fellow youtuber who said she was journalling about everything she disliked about the 6 of Pentacles as an exercise in shadow work. And this got me thinking about all the cards I just can’t stand!
So what Tarot card do you dislike the most? Which card makes you cringe whenever it shows up in a reading?
It may not even be a typically “negative” card – perhaps The Magician just pisses you right the f*ck off or the Queen of Cups makes you want to shank someone.
Personally, I can’t stand the Justice card. It just sucks.
Rider-Waite Tarot
Okay, so go through your deck right now and pick out ONE Tarot card that you don’t like. It doesn’t even have to be the worst card for you, just one that generates a general feeling of contempt.
Now, ask yourself this:what it is that I can’t stand about this card? Write it down on a bit of paper.
I’ll go first: I can’t stand how the Justice card is so serious. She seems totally humorless and un-mysterious like she is lacking magic and sexiness. She reminds me of what sometimes happens to people when they become “adults” – they turn responsible and boring.
Go over what you wrote and highlight the keywords. My keywords are serious, humorless, responsible and boring.
Working with one keyword at a time, ask yourself this:
In what ways am I ________ (insert keyword of choice here).
When I ask myself in what ways am I serious? I can think of lots of things. I diligently read all the ingredient labels of food and cosmetics before I buy them. I’m a non-drinker at parties and so I’m usually the only sober one. I use five methods of birth control…at the same time. I could go on, but you get the idea.
Now, look back at the card you totally hate.
If there’s a figure on the card, does it remind you of anyone?
Lady Justice reminds me of a dear friend who is so incredibly serious and rigid about everything that it’s a struggle to connect and have fun with her. I’ll say “hey let’s have a girls night out!” and she’ll say “no, I have to clean the mold out of my window sills. It needs to be done.”
What feeling arises within you when you gaze at this shitty card?
When I look at Justice, I feel that b*tch is judging me. I feel judged. And I feel like I’m not quite up to snuff.
Where in your life do you sometimes feel this way?
This can be a real eye opener. Often, the Tarot card we despise brings up feelings that we also happen to be experiencing in other aspects of our life.
In my case, I judge myself constantly. I am always thinking things like I didn’t get much accomplished today, I need to be more organized and hardworking, I’m going nowhere in life.
My inner judge is very active and mean so when I see a representation of her in the Justice card, I’m irritated.
Okay, so now what?
You’ve identified the parts of yourself that you dislike. You’ve identified the feelings that you dislike having. But now what? Where do you go from here?
Ask yourself this….
What is the upside to being _________(keyword of choice)?
So I would ask what’s the upside to being serious?
Just because you don’t like a certain part of yourself, doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve you well sometimes.
Then ask: What is this feeling of _______ trying to show me?
So I would ask what is the feeling of judgement/criticism trying to show me?
Negative emotions are there because they’re trying to tell you something.
When I judge myself harshly and feel crappy about it, I’m trying to tell myself something – that I’m not living up to my full potential, AND/ OR that I need to be kinder and more accepting of myself.
From there, I’ll leave it up to you to decide what changes you want to make or if just having the awareness of all of this is enough. Sometimes you don’t actually need to do anything at all. Which is nice 🙂
Have you ever tried reading Tarot with a deck – like the Tarot of Marseille or the Thoth Tarot – whose minor arcana cards don’t have pictures on them?
Did you feel blank and empty and wonder what am I supposed to make of this?
Long before the fully illustrated Rider-Waite Tarot deck burst onto the scene in 1910, all Tarot decks had non-illustrated minor arcana cards, much like a deck of playing cards. These decks are often referred to as “pip decks”.
Mystic Meg Tarot
Back in the day, people had to chop wood, walk several miles to school, barefoot in the snow, use sheep intestines for condoms….and read Tarot using decks with NO F**KING PICTURES ON THEM!!!!
It was rough. And now Tarot readers everywhere have become soft. We expect lavish pictures on all the cards. We expect our intuitive insights to just be handed to us on a silver platter. Jeez!
The Rider-Waite deck was unique in that the artist Pamela Coleman Smith depicted scenes and characters on it’s minors, making them easier to learn and read. Lazy Tarot readers loved it and it remains one of the most popular decks today.
But that doesn’t mean you should just disregard non-illustrated pip decks. Like learning to drive a standard, there are certain advantages to reading with these types of decks despite the extra trickiness. And people will be impressed.
Why it’s so tricky
Symbols are the language of the soul and so gazing at a card that shows a symbol-rich scene can stimulate intuition and creativity.
But when you see a minor arcana card that’s just two boring wands or four pentacles with no other frills in sight, it doesn’t give you much to work with. So I’m going to teach you a couple tricks to make reading these non-illustrated minors a breeze…
But first a confession
I prefer reading with fully illustrated Rider-Waite style decks because….it’s easier and more visually stimulating.
While the Thoth Tarot was one of my first decks, I didn’t truly learn to read non-illustrated minors until I got the Mystic Meg Tarot a few years ago. And there’s stuff I love about reading these kinds of cards – but it’s not my favorite.
Let’s draw a card…
From the Mystic Meg Tarot, I drew the Eight of Water (8 of Cups).
Step #1 – Identify the Suit and the suit qualities
This card is of the suit of water (cups), which is about feelings, emotions and relationships. Therefore, we know this card is telling us something about our feelings and perhaps a relationship (to a person, to ourselves or to a thing).
This is where it helps to know your suit qualities. Let’s do a quick refresh:
Pentacles – money, health, physical aspects, material realm
Cups – feelings, emotions, love, relationships
Swords – thought, mind, intellect, communication
Wands – energy, inspiration, passion, spirit
If you’re still not 100% confident in your understanding of the suits, try this with a Rider-Waite style deck (not a pip deck): group all the minors by suit so you have four groups of cards. Then, spend some time looking at each suit and really getting a feel for the energy of that suit. Compare and contrast the different suits until you have a clear sense of what each suit represents.
Step #2 – Notice the card number
Each suit expresses the numbers differently and it can be a really interesting exercise to group your minor arcana cards by number and then study them, which I’ll do in a sec.
We have an eight here. You don’t need to know anything about numerology (I don’t) although it probably helps. We know eight is an even number and even numbers can signify stability/harmony or stagnancy/boredom.
We also know that eight is one of the bigger numbers. If we’re progressing from Ace to ten, eight is almost at the end. We’ve reached a certain point of achievement.
Just for fun, let’s look at all the eights in the Universal Waite Tarot…
In my opinion, the wands and swords seem to mirror each other in that they show what happens when there’s an abundance of their suit quality. With wands we have lots of energy, which propels movement, speed and things unfolding quickly. While with the swords we have an abundance of thought and mind activity which can tie us up and make us feel imprisoned.
With the 8 of pentacles, we see an abundance of work and how this can lead to being busy. But the 8 of cups is very different from all the rest in that it shows someone retreating away, in search of the missing cup. It’s like his feelings have become so strong now that he can no longer ignore them – he must abandon his stacked cups and address the root of his unease.
See what I mean? You can learn a ton about your cards when you group them this way and look at them!
Put it together…
Okay, let’s get back to our original eight of cups. Based on what we know about this card we might say that it’s message is about feeling emotionally stable, yet longing to break away from the stagnancy of daily life. Or we could say that we’ve made lot’s of headway in the realm of emotion and relationships but something is still missing (we still have a way to go before we reach #10).
Essentially, when you read a “pip card” you are drawing on your understanding of it’s suit and it’s number. I also cheat a little and imagine the Rider-Waite equivalent.
What I love about reading with Pip decks
When I’m giving a Tarot reading to someone, I know they’re looking at the cards and possibly drawing their own conclusions (if they know Tarot) or making judgements about the cards. For example, the ten of swords or the five of pentacles often get a negative reaction from people.
But if the person I’m reading for has no idea what my cards could possibly mean, that makes me feel more in control of the reading. I don’t need to do damage control and say “don’t worry, the ten of swords doesn’t mean you’ll be murdered” – I can just go with my own intuitive reading flow.
Better yet, the absence of symbols can sometimes be a blessing. At times I find it easier to get intuitive ideas when there’s less visual noise. It’s almost like it creates space around the reading and gives me a little more creative license.
So let’s give it another try! Here’s the four of fire (Wands) from the Mystic Meg Tarot…
Remember – use your knowledge of the suit, number and your imagination! Feel free to share your interpretation in the comments below…
We all know that intuition, Tarot knowledge and intention are all important in a Tarot reading, but what about PROPS?
While the right sunglasses, lip gloss and boots make you feel like a hot little number, the right mix of Tarot accessories can make your feel like an intuitive minx!
And yes, for all you Tarotholics out there, this is kind of just an excuse to buy more stuff 😉 You’ve been warned.
First up, here’s a quick pic of my Tarot stash – some of my favorite mystical accoutrements that make my Tarot time delicious….
And secondly, here’s the video version of this post, in case you prefer watching to reading….
Let’s break it down!
1. A favorite, go-to Tarot deck
This one kind of goes without saying. Whether you own one Tarot deck or fifty, every Tarot reader needs a go-to deck – a deck that’s always used for really important readings, a deck that feels like home.
If you’re new to Tarot it might take you a little while to find this deck, but don’t despair! The right deck will find you eventually.
For me, my go-to deck is the Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot, but sometimes it’s theCrystal Visions Tarot. Depending on my mood, I guess!
2. Black candles….so dramatic!
I don’t always use black candles when I do a reading. In fact, I seldom do. But when I do…oh my god! It’s amazing. But then again, I have a thing with black – 80% of my wardrobe is black, my cat’s black, my undies are black….you get the idea.
I recently found a huge box of black taper candles that I got at Ikea ten years ago and forgot about. And guess what? They AREN’T dripless!!! Woohoo! Now all I need is a stuffed crow and a human skull and I’m all set. Just kidding 😉
Merlina….getting all up in my business!
3. A Mystical Cat
Most cats will add to your Tarot reading by strutting across your layout and flopping down right on the cards, like they own the place. My cat likes to chew the corners of my cards…she’s so bad!
But sometimes she sits quietly and watches me do my reading or just sleeps on the table next to my cards and it’s just so nice. It adds a magical, loving energy to my readings 🙂 I feel like a real witch with her familiar!
4. Mood altering music
Music has the power to seduce and there’s nothing like a little new age music to get me in the mood for Tarot reading.
I love anything by Stephen Halpern, Aeoliah and Herb Ernst.
The right music helps you relax and drift into that intuitive mindset that is essential for a great reading.
5. Incense….to create that opium den feel
There’s something about a smoky, incense filled room that feels so mysterious, spiritual and….deliciously forbidden.
An otherworldly vibe is created when an incense stick gets lit, which is why I’ve been hopelessly addicted to incense ever since I was a teenager and my mom used to yell “that crap’s giving me a headache!” Shut up, mom.
My favorite incense is Nag Champa and I like the cheap stuff that you find almost everywhere (the one in the blue box). It’s super strong but it hits the spot.
I also like Shoyeido japanese incense, which is much lighter and perhaps a bit more sophisticated. And if you want to splurge, then Ramakrishnananda Hand Rolled Incense is the Cadillac of incense, in my opinion! I save that one for special occasions.
6. Tea (in a fancy lady teacup)
Like incense, a cup of hot, good quality tea has the power to transport you to another dimension. Especially if you spike it with something 😉
But seriously…pouring a cup of tea before a Tarot reading is such a ritual for me, I rarely read Tarot without it! Organic Looseleaf Assam tea from India is my favorite, but if I’m feeling lazy (which is often), I just use bags.
Tea tastes way better if it’s in a fancy china cup. No clunky, honky tonk mugs for me!
7. Chocolate….the good stuff!
I ate several mini Coffeecrisp bars last night (leftover Halloween candy) and you know what? They totally sucked! They were stale, waxy and soul-less. If I’m going to eat something that’s bad for me I want it to be fucking awesome, not mediocre.
My favorite chocolate brand is Zazubean – it’s possibly the tastiest dark chocolate I’ve ever tried. Normally I don’t love dark chocolate, but this stuff – wow! I don’t know if you can get this brand outside of Canada but Theo chocolate and Cocoa Camino are two close seconds.
Okay, I realize I’m starting to sound like a real snob – the fancy tea cups, the highbrow chocolate. Well, I AM a bit of a snob. Deal with it!
Eating chocolate won’t make you a better Tarot reader, but it adds decadence to your reading experience.
8. Tarot journal and peacock feather pen
A journal or notebook of some kind is essential because you need somewhere to record your tarot reading and write down your insights.
As you can see I don’t have a real feather pen – I just scotchtaped a peacock feather to a regular pen. Seems lame until you try it – it will transform regular, boring writing into a hoity toity affair.
Now when I record my Tarot readings, it feels like I am signing some incredibly important declaration!
9. Tarot box (or silk scarf) for storing your Tarot cards
It’s always nice to have a safe place to store your Tarot cards when you’re not using them. I think it shows your deck that you love and respect it.
My dad made me a couple gorgeous boxes for my Tarot cards. I use one just for incense (it’s packed to the tits!) and this one I use for my decks:
Some of my decks I’ve wrapped in a silk scarf and many I’ve just kept in the original boxes just because they are so much easier to find that way!
10. An array of juicy fun e-courses from the Daily Tarot Girl!
If you’re like me, you can get stuck in a Tarot rut – always seeing the cards the same way, using the same spreads, etc. So it’s nice to have a bunch of fun e-courses in your Tarot arsenal to help jazz up your readings and spark up your Tarot life.
My Tarot Shop has a nice selection of Tarot e-courses to choose from:
Over to you! What are YOUR Tarot must-haves?
Do you have a favorite incense, music or other Tarot prop that helps put you in a mystical mood and add magic to your Tarot readings? I want to know! Tell me all about it in the comments below 🙂
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!!!!
Every year I get countless emails from people who feel drawn to Tarot, yet are simultaneously afraid of it.
“I am so fascinated by Tarot but I don’t want to open a can of worms.”
“My husband says that Tarot cards are evil, but I don’t know – do I need to be careful?”
“Is there any danger of bad spirits entering my home if I use Tarot cards?”
So why is this? Why all this fear surrounding Tarot?
When you dabble in the psychic arts with things like mediumship, channeling, Tarot, psychic development and meditation, you are indeed entering another world.
Many fear that by lifting the veil between the physical and the spiritual, you may be opening the door to not just helpful spirits and energies but negative ones as well.
But is there really a risk of inviting negative energy into your life when you dabble with Tarot cards? Or is this just something that religious relatives harp on about?
Well, there IS a real danger in using Tarot cards, but it’s not what you think. No demonic force is going to descend on you if you crack open a deck of Tarot cards, but that doesn’t mean Tarot doesn’t have it’s dark side….more on this in bit.
Often, the purpose of Tarot is misconstrued and it gets lumped in with things like Ouiji boards, seances and stuff like that.
But Tarot isn’t a tool for speaking with the dead or summoning spirits – it’s a tool for self exploration. While a Ouiji board is used to communicate with spirits, Tarot is used to communicate with your higher self or deeper wisdom. And really, how could that be dangerous?
Here’s an analogy that you won’t forget: Using a Ouiji board is kind of like going to an orgy where you don’t know anyone and not using condoms. Using Tarot cards is like staying home and masturbating. It’s pretty safe.
The Purpose of Tarot
Tarot is a wonderful tool for self exploration – it can be used to find solutions to problems, get fresh ideas and creative insights and to understand what’s really going on in a situation.
Tarot cards are full of symbols, images, scenes, colors, landscapes and numbers and these act as a trigger for intuition and imagination, coaxing you to hear the whispers of your soul!
Personally, I use Tarot when I’m in a bind and feel like I need to look at my situation with a fresh perspective. I use Tarot when I need inspiration for something I’m writing or a project I’m working on. I use Tarot to help others get new insights and ideas about their life. And I use Tarot when I want to connect with my higher self/soul.
Think of Tarot cards like a really great life coach or friend. They don’t tell you what to do – they help you ask the right questions so you can find your own epiphanies and solutions!
I am just going to come out and say something controversial:
Tarot is a really crappy tool for predicting the future.
So yeah, Tarot can give you a good sense of the energies around the bend, but as far as specific, major predictions – like who your going to marry ten years from now or how many kids you’ll have over your lifetime – Tarot is about as useful as a stiletto shoe for making long distance calls.
So let’s recap: Tarot is NOT a tool for summoning or communicating with spirits. It is a tool for connecting and communicating with your higher self, boosting your creativity and inspiring your life.
Taking Cautionary Measures
Despite what I just said, it’s still important to cleanse and protect yourself energetically before you really dive into doing a Tarot reading. But it’s not so much to ward off those pesky evil spirits, but to ensure your own negative energy and expectations don’t taint your reading.
Lots of Tarot readers put a lot of importance into clearing their deck before a reading, but I think it’s more important to cleanse yourself beforehand.
If you come to a Tarot reading feeling tired, down or anxious, it can effect the cards you choose and the way you interpret them. Imagine you’re getting ready for a super hot date – would you show up all smelly, bedraggled and cranky? I hope not. Think of your next Tarot reading as a date with someone special. Show up as your best self!
Here are some of my favorite ways to cleanse myself energetically:
Take a long, hot epsom salt bath or shower with some essential oils like lavender, rosemary and sage. And think of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING….bliss!!!!
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Spend 5-10 minutes sitting and observing my breath. Imagine exhaling any stress or expectations and inhaling pure, white light that cleanses every cell in my body!
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My favorite energy clearing tools
Exercise/dance!!!!! This is a very powerful way to move energy in your body and rid yourself of accumulated stress.
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Listening to some gregorian chants or soft, rhythmic drums, lighting a few candles and burning some incense
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Lighting a big stick of dried sage and wafting the smoke all over my body
You can do one or all of the above suggestions or make up your own cleansing practices.
Cleansing Your Deck
Of course, cleansing your deck is an option too. Some readers believe that the cards can absorb surrounding energy and that if it’s not cleansed before each reading, your readings will be “dirty” …or something like that! I don’t know. I used to think that too, but I feel like my deck cleansing rituals are really just a way to get into the reading groove and set myself up for a good reading.
You can cleanse your cards by:
knocking once on the deck and then wafting your hand over it, as if to waft away a bad smell or something.
Just shuffling the cards breaks up any stagnant energy – this is the easiest way, in my opinion!
Place your deck in the moonlight overnight
Put your deck in a bag of quartz crystals
Waft sage smoke over your cards – it’s very smoky and smelly, but oh so satisfying!
Incense and quartz are fabulous deck cleansers!
Intention, Intention, Intention!
Intention is the most important aspect of doing any metaphysical and spiritual work. Your intention will dictate the kind of vibe or energy that you put out there and this will effect the kind of experience you have.
Set a clear intention before doing a reading. Why are you doing this reading? What would you like to gain from it? Keep your intentions pure and non-creepy.
An example of an impure/creepy intention is this:“I intend to use my tarot cards to read my ex-boyfriends mind and find out if he was banging that waitress.” A more positive intention might be“I intend to get some new ideas for how I can move on from my past relationship.”
The REAL Danger of Tarot Cards…
Tarot can pose a risk to you if you misunderstand your Tarot cards and if you take your readings way too seriously. Let me explain that a bit.
If you’re a beginner and you don’t quite fully understand that every card has multiple meanings, you might get the Death card and think it literally means Death. Or you might get The Tower and assume it spells disaster. This can be frightening and it can taint your Tarot experience.
This can be even more frightening if you take your reading very seriously! Tarot readings can be illuminating and they can tell you all kinds of fascinating things, but they are not the last word. A Tarot reading is meant to be contemplated, not obsessively believed.
One of the things that made me really uncomfortable when I was doing professional Tarot reading was the number of people who seemed to believe every word I was saying as if it were THE TRUTH. Question your Tarot readings – or better yet, use the cards to ask the right questions.
Think of your Tarot cards as a good friend. I have some great friends who give me all kinds of advice (whether I ask for it or not) and I don’t always take it. Especially if it’s really shitty. Often I see that their advice is coming from their own biases, fears and opinions and for this reason I take it with a grain of salt. Take any Tarot reading you get with a grain of salt and remember there are many ways to see a Tarot card.
What has YOUR experience been?
Have you struggled with preconceived negative beliefs and fears about Tarot? How did you get over them? You are invited to share your experiences and ideas in the comments below 🙂
As 2015 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on everything that sucked about this past year (I can’t help it! I just do stuff like that!). But you know what didn’t suck in 2015? The 10 Tarot blog posts below…..
I’ve sifted through all my Tarot blog posts over the past year to find the ones I think you’ll enjoy the most, because even if you’ve been reading my Tarot blog religiously, I know you probably missed a couple!
It was hard to come up with this list, believe me! Leaving some decks off this list made me feel like I was abandoning my less loved children...an unsettling sensation, indeed. Beware! This list may induce an Amazon deck ordering frenzy...
Well, the title says it all so I won't natter on about it, but this was one of my absolute faves! Bust out your Tarot journal before doing this one, 'cause you're gonna need it!
Since you're an "outside the box" kind of person, why would you read Tarot any differently? Here's a Tarot exercise that will appeal to the rebel in you....
Looking for a way to rope your friends and family into a card game? Here it is! Put your Tarot cards to good use in this fun, fresh Tarot game that EVERYONE can play...
Here's a fun little series that managed to offend a handful of readers. Will it offend you? There's only one way to find out.....read it!
I promise you'll never look at Court Cards the same way again.
Here's another post about those pesky Court Cards....but this one isn't quite as dirty as the one above (at least I don't think it is). There's even a free worksheet that you can print out and go to town on!
If you got a new Tarot (or Oracle) deck for Christmas, you absolutely MUST try this exercise with it! It will totally change the way you relate to your cards...in a really, really good way.
In my opinion, the wands and swords seem to mirror each other in that they show what happens when there’s an abundance of their suit quality. With wands we have lots of energy, which propels movement, speed and things unfolding quickly. While with the swords we have an abundance of thought and mind activity which can tie us up and make us feel imprisoned.
Remember – use your knowledge of the suit, number and your imagination! Feel free to share your interpretation in the comments below…
Some of my decks I’ve wrapped in a silk scarf and many I’ve just kept in the original boxes just because they are so much easier to find that way!
