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The Meaning of Reading Tarot Cards
The most common reason I hear for reading Tarot cards is to "divine
the future," but I do not consider this a totally accurate
description of what is actually going on. There are states, and
counties within states, in the United States that view tarot or
other card reading the same as fortune-telling, and require that,
in order for you to do public readings, you must have a license
indicating that you are an entertainer affiliated with an entertainment
corporation or business, or a person of moral character if reading
independently, usually with a number of signatures from people who
will vouch for your integrity. Again, this is not what card reading
means to me. While there are instances of people being mistreated
through the use of cards, generally involving turning over large
sums of money to the reader to avert a disaster or remove an alleged
evil influence, I feel there are sufficient laws in existence to
treat such cases the same as any other scam or swindle rather than
directing the laws at the process of reading the cards.
For
me, reading cards be they tarot or regular playing cards is part
of the spirituality of the Craft, so much so that even as a child,
visions and perceptions used to leap out at me in card games as
innocuous as gin rummy and solitaire. The very act of divination
in Witchcraft requires a link with the Lunar aspect of the Divine,
such as with the Goddess Hecate, Cerridwen, Bendidia (Bendis), Artemis,
Diana, or Isis, each of whom is considered a Goddess of Witches.
When you read the cards, you are connecting with the energies of
the Divine for insight and guidance. You also connect with the Elementals
through the process of grounding and centering before a reading,
thus aligning your internal energies with those of Nature and the
Spirit, while opening your psychic sight for a consultation for
yourself or someone else. The cards do not of themselves tell the
future, but they offer the reader a focal point through which to
access Divine energy and gain visions or interpretations of influences
surrounding a particular question or person as illustrated by the
cards that are pulled.
Before
you rush out and buy a tarot deck, you should examine your reasons
for using cards at all. If you feel that the reading Tarot cards
will tell you all there is to know about a situation and what the
future holds, you are missing the true purpose for reading cards.
The future is not some pre-ordained, immovable series of events.
If it were, there would be no point in card reading, no point in
spell craft, no point in learning the art of Witchcraft, and indeed,
no point in any type of spiritual or religious pursuit and prayer
since nothing would be changeable. As a third-generation Family
Tradition Witch (described in my books on Green Witchcraft: Folk
Magic, Fairy Lore & Herb Craft, 1996; Green Witchcraft II: Balancing
Light and Shadow, 1999; and Green Witchcraft III: The Manual, 2000;
and Green Magic: The Sacred Connection to Nature, 2002, all with
Llewellyn Publications), my point of view is quite clearly in opposition
to predestination and unchangeable futures. The movement of time
and events is fluid, and the energy of the Divine as the Power may
be called upon to bring guidance, to show how things are currently
aligned, and to suggest options for making desired changes. This
ability to make changes and shape our own future is what defines
both the magic of Witchcraft and the exercise of Free Will.
While
I consider the term "divination" insufficient for readings,
it is the one generally used and commonly understood. However, I
must emphasize the explicit spiritual interpretation of the Divine
within divination. My feeling is that the cards provide a venue
for connection of the reader with the Divine, being a visual, tactile
object through which the Divinethe Goddess and the God to the Witchmay
offer counseling to the inquirer or querant by the opening of psychic
pathways. It is through this linking that the reader and the querant
ask the Divine for direction and advice to aid in the making of
informed personal decisions. The key here is that it is up to individuals
to make the choices that are appropriate to them, whether they feel
comfortable with these choices, are willing to try something new,
or are disposed to accept the possible results of their actions
or lack thereof. Not everyone makes use of the information presented
in a reading, but often simply being aware of the possible consequences
or flow of energy is sufficient for them to be prepared for whatever
reason. It is important to recognize that the cards do not spell
out your fate, that they do not control anything, and that there
is nothing scary about them. Their function is to provide a venue
for a reader to access the psychic intuition that is naturally present
in all people, but more developed in some than others.
For
the reader, the connection with the Divine implies a reciprocal
understanding that what is being seen in the cards is a sacred trust.
If you are not clear on what you see, winging it is not an option.
People who go to readers are seeking advice and may be in an emotional
state at the time. Trying to carry on a reading when you are simply
not getting anything on the psychic level is not a good idea. You
could explain that you are having an off day, and that while you
could describe the meaning of the cards as they lie you are not
up for a deeper reading. Be attentive to the reactions of the people
you read for, since at times a person may be nervous or upset, and
you do not want to further alarm him or her by not offering at least
a cursory reading of the cards.
(Part
2 from this author in relation to reading Tarot cards)
Authors
Details: From the book "Tarot for the Green Witch"
by: Ann Moura |
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