|
How the Tarot Works
Regardless of its history, the Tarot is, without a doubt, one
of the most useful spiritual tools at our disposal. That's because
it not only bridges the gap between the mundane and spiritual worlds,
but also delivers clear and accurate advice that we can use to
our benefit. That's good news.
The best news, though, is that people can use it to empower their
lives and increase their productivity. It doesn't take special
card-reading skills or psychic ability. A high IQ isn't necessary,
and neither is a red phone to the spirit world. All it takes is
a firm desire, a little imagination, and the ability to follow
a storyline. It's as simple as that.
Working with the Tarot comes easily because it speaks to us in
images-a subliminal language that the brain not only understands,
but uses to process every single thought we think. Here's how it
works.
When we look at a picture, the mundane self (the conscious mind)
immediately strikes up a conversation with the inner child (the
subconscious mind). And as they talk, the subconscious mind searches
the memory banks for every image that relates to that picture.
The pictures form in the mind's eye and when that happens, both
sectors of the spiritual self (the personal unconscious and the
collective unconscious) come alive. The personal unconscious processes
every bit of personal knowledge that we've ever accumulated in
connection with that image. The collective unconscious gets busy,
too-it searches out every related instinctual and intuitive reaction,
draws its own conclusions, and matches those up with the data collected
by the personal unconscious. Once they have all the information
together, they tie it up into one nice, neat little package and
deliver it to the conscious and subconscious minds. The brain's
work is done and-voila!-we suddenly understand what the image is
saying.
Even so, many people have difficulty using the Tarot. Why? Simply
put, they just try too hard. They think that they're supposed to
get some sort of mysterious set of messages. That being the case,
they send their brains into overload with the search. And when
it comes back empty-handed, they pack up the deck and put it aside,
never to be used again.
The truth of the matter is that the Tarot is nothing more than
a set of pictures designed to tell a story. In fact, it's much
like reading a comic strip without the benefit of words. Once we
determine what the characters are doing and how they're interacting,
the message comes through loud and clear. There's nothing to ponder,
nothing with which to tax our brains. We see it and understand
it. End of story.
That's all well and fine. But other than the fact that the card
images speak to all parts of the brain, what makes it a spiritual
tool? Isn't it just another fortunetelling device?
Contrary to popular belief, the Tarot does not in any way forecast
the future. Instead, it gives us choices and allows pause for thought.
It taps into what we either cannot see or refuse to see on a mundane
level, and puts it right in front of us. That, in itself, is quite
a feat. But it doesn't stop there. It goes on to show us what is
likely to happen if we continue upon the current path. We can then
decide whether it's in our best interest to change the route or
move forward as planned. And that's something a mere fortunetelling
device can't do.
Finding the Right Deck
Long ago, my mother presented me with the Rider-Waite deck. I
studied it. I worked with it. I even went as far as to memorize
the instruction booklet. But no matter what I did, I simply couldn't
make it work for me. To say that I was disgusted was the understatement
of the century. I'd always been able to accomplish anything I'd
put my mind to, and for the life of me, I just couldn't understand
why I was having so much trouble. Suffice it to say, the deck finally
wound up on a shelf-never to be used again-for even looking at
it made me feel useless and stupid. As a result, I resolved never
to pick up another Tarot deck again.
Of course, there was a lot I didn't understand about the Tarot
back then. There was nothing wrong with the deck. There was nothing
wrong with me. In fact, the only problem with either was that we
just didn't belong together. Not knowing that, though, cost me
dearly. And it almost kept me from ever discovering the empowering
joys of the Tarot.
This doesn't have to happen to you. Finding the deck that's right
for you isn't difficult, but shopping for it may take some patience.
That's because there are literally hundreds of decks to choose
from. And if it's your first deck, you may not even be sure of
what you're looking for. It's a trial and error process much like
finding the perfect outfit. You see it and like it, but can't get
the whole picture until you try it on.
Fortunately, most stores that carry decks now have sample copies
on hand. This allows you to look through the cards and play with
them a bit before you buy. That's very important stuff, because
there's nothing worse than taking something home that just won't
work for you. That being the case, be prepared to spend a little
time-at least twenty minutes or so-with any deck that appeals to
you. Examine each card and see how it makes you feel. Make a few
notes. Pay special attention to the coloring, the imagery, and,
of course, any emotional response that particular cards evoke in
you. Then take your notepad and go home.
Leaving the store before you buy is imperative
because it prevents the two most common problems involved when
searching for a deck:
first, you're not tempted to buy on impulse (impulsively purchased
decks frequently wind up unused because they seldom really speak
to you); and second, you're more apt to search a little further
for the perfect deck if you haven't already purchased one. With
that in mind, wait a day or two and pull out your notes. Then take
a good hard look at what you wrote down. Does the deck still appeal
to you as much as it did then? Is the imagery still as vibrant
within your mind's eye? If you can honestly answer "Yes!" to
both questions, then it's definitely the deck for you. If not,
keep searching. And above all, don't worry. The perfect deck will
definitely present itself in short order!
One final note of advice-especially for beginners. It's much easier
to work with a deck that provides full pictorial scenes on every
card, rather than one that depicts only a set number of rods (also
known as wands in many decks), cups, swords, or pentacles. In fact,
after more than twenty years of experience with the Tarot, I still
shy away from those. It's not that there's anything wrong with
those decks per se, it's just that their images don't speak as
loudly to the subconscious, and this makes it easy to miss the
intended messages.
Blessing the Deck
Although using the Tarot isn't difficult, not many people would
turn down an extra boost of energy to get the best performance
possible. And I'm sure you're no exception. That's where blessing
the deck comes in. It not only puts you in tune with the cards,
but paves the road toward your own personal empowerment. It's something
that's just too good to bypass.
I've provided a sample blessing ritual for you. Don't be afraid
to vary from its guidelines or rework it to suit your lifestyle,
though. Know that there is no right or wrong way to bless your
deck, and that whatever you decide will work perfectly for you.
Materials
1 purple candle
Incense of your choice
Tarot deck
Water
Salt
Begin by lighting the candle and incense, and placing the deck
in front of them. Close your eyes and inhale deeply through your
nose. Exhale fully from your mouth. After four or five breaths,
open your eyes and pass the deck through the incense smoke, saying
something like:
I give you now the breath of Air
Inhale its twirling riches, fair
Being careful not to burn yourself or the cards, quickly pass
the deck through the candle flame. Say something like:
I give you now the warmth of fire
So you may answer my desire
Lightly sprinkle the deck with a few drops of water, saying:
I give you water-life's true force
Drink deeply as you chart your course
Then sprinkle the deck with a few grains of salt, saying:
I give you earth that you may sow
The seeds of power, my Tarot
Finally, lift the deck skyward and say:
Power of the ancient Tarot
Bring your knowledge; let it flow
Into my soul-into my brain
From this deck, let knowledge rain
Then spend fifteen minutes or so in visualization mode. See yourself
reading the cards with insight and accuracy, understanding every
message completely. Leave the deck in front of the candle until
the wick burns out.
After the Blessing
The deck is blessed and it's ready for use, right?
Well, that depends solely upon who you ask. Many folks subscribe
to the "put
the deck under your pillow and sleep with it" rule. Some disagree,
saying that a new deck should be carted around in the purse or
briefcase. Still others insist that the deck must be housed with
an assortment of crystals-rose, smoky, and clear quartz, to be
exact-wrapped in silk, and carried somewhere on the owner's body.
The only thing they do agree upon is the length of the methodology:
a one-week period. You're not alone if you think these sound like
strange preparation tactics. But the reasoning behind them is sound.
Simply put, it's that constantly having the deck close to you for
the first week literally saturates the cards with your personal
energy. And that being the case, it stands to reason that the deck
will always read well for you.
But I beg to differ. At one time or another, I tried each of the
methods described above. The problem wasn't that they didn't work-the
problem was that because my personal energy is quite strong, they
simply worked too well. And as a result, no one else's energy was
ever able to penetrate the cards-not even temporarily. No matter
who shuffled the deck, the reading presented by the cards always
seemed to reflect my energy and life, not the querent's.
For that reason, I urge you to try this first: spend some time-fifteen
to twenty minutes-with your new deck every day for a week. Shuffle
them. Look at them. Commit some of the images to memory. In short,
bond with them. If, at a later date, you decide that you're not
as well connected to your deck as you'd like to be, you can always
try one of the other methods.
Storing the Deck
If you think disagreements fly fast and furious around deck preparation,
you should hear the disputes regarding storage. I've heard everything
you can imagine- from insulating the deck in silk to hiding it
in a dark place where uninvited energy won't disturb it. There
are also those who insist on specially prepared wooden storage
boxes, velvet-lined pouches, and a plethora of other things. I
could go on and on. Fact is, there are as many deck storage methods
as there are folks who use the Tarot.
To
be perfectly honest, I've never found that one particular storage
method worked any better for me than another, or that any of them
ever improved the performance of any deck I used. For that reason, I believe in keeping it simple.
If you find a pouch, scarf, or box that appeals to you, so be it.
But if you're just as comfortable keeping your cards together with
a rubber band, that's okay, too. Just don't get caught up in an
inner struggle over something as trivial as deck storage. Simply
do whatever feels right to you, and know that you can't go wrong.
(Tarot
Reading - How To Read The Tarot Quickly & Easily)
| Authors
Details: From the Book "Everyday
Tarot Magic: Meditation & Spells" by:
Dorothy Morrison |
|
