M A R K M C E L R O Y A GUIDE TO TAROT CARD READING Uncopyright 2015 Mark McElroy Tarot card meanings in this book were previously published as A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings and remain in the public domain. Published by TarotTools.com Publishing ISBN: 069257011X ISBN-13: 978-0692570111 DEDICATION For Clyde, who reminds me of whats important. Table of Contents About this Book 1 Authors Preface 2 Introduction 4 Chapter 1: The Benefits of Reading Tarot 10 Chapter 2: A (Very) Brief History of Tarot 18 Chapter 3: Exploring Todays Tarot 30 Chapter 4: Your Personal Tarot Deck 51 Chapter 5: Consulting the Tarot 70 Chapter 6: Traditional Tarot Card Meanings 94 Chapter 7: Giving and Getting Readings 130 Chapter 8: 13 Fun Things to do with Tarot Cards 148 Chapter 9: Where to go to Learn More 156 About this Book This edition of the text was prepared by Mark McElroy and released in November 2015. It is based on material previously published as The Absolute Beginners Guide to Tarot (Que Books) and public-domain card meanings from A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings. (TarotTools.com Books). This book has been released under a Creative Commons license. You may share this material by copying and redistributing it in any medium or format. You may adapt this material, remixing, transforming, or building upon it for any purpose, even commercially. When you do, please give appropriate credit (a reference to Mark McElroy and a link to www.tarottools.com will do) and indicate if you made changes. The Tarot card images in this book are scans of a first edition Rider-Waite Tarot designed by Pamela Coleman Smith and published by William Rider & Son Limited in December of 1909. These images are unambiguously in the public domain the United States. Authors Preface In 2006, I cut a deal with Que Books to write The Absolute Beginners Guide to Tarot. Unfortunately, before the book became available, Que discontinued the Absolute Beginners Guide series. And while the book was eventually released, a quirk in its distribution kept most New Age gift shops and bookstores from being able to order it. As a result, very few people ever found the book. Now that the rights have reverted to me, Im delighted to update, revise, and release the text of the Absolute Beginners Guide to Tarot as a brand-new book: A Guide to Tarot Card Reading. Many guides to reading Tarot cards exist, but they are copyrighted, which limits their usefulness to students, teachers, and media developers. And while the text of Waites Pictorial Key to the Tarot is now in the public domain, that text is too esoteric and archaic for most students. As the author of this work, Ive decided to release it under a Creative Commons license. As a result, it is free for any use in any context. Want to integrate these methods into your class materials? Want to use them in an iPhone app? Want to use them in your book? Want to remix, rehash, or revise them? Go for it. The text of this book belongs to you. If you use this text, it builds good karma to give me some credit. Something simple will do, like: Based on work by Mark McElroy (http://www.TarotTools.com). The only thing you cant do with this text is make any attempt to limit its use. Enjoy! Mark McElroy www.madebymark.com www.tarottools.com Introduction While many people recognize Tarot cards on sight, very few know where Tarot came from, when Tarot was created, or what Tarot can do. Thanks to melodramatic movies and bad television, Americans tend to associate this intriguing deck of cards with crystal balls, storefront psychics, and pronouncements of doom. Prompted by Hollywood, people often purchase Tarot decks because they hope to achieve mystical insights, glimpse the future, or indulge in a bit of metaphysical eavesdropping on friends or lovers. Do Tarot cards have mysterious powers? Can they be used to tap into psychic ability, see tomorrow, or reveal an unfaithful husband's secret trysts? Could Tarot cards have applications beyond the ones we see in movies? Might those applications offer real benefits to everyday people ... including the folks who think Tarot cards are nothing more than New Age hocus pocus? This book will answer these questions ... and many more. The Purpose of This Book Not so long ago, Tarot books were extremely rare. Even in esoteric bookstores, options were frequently limited to a handful of classics, including Arthur Edward Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot, Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth, Eden Gray's The Complete Guide to the Tarot, Mary K. Greer's Tarot for Your Self, and Rachel Pollack's Seventy-eight Degrees of Wisdom. Today, bookstore shelves are packed with books for Tarot beginners. Some assert you can master the Tarot in 10 minutes or less. Some claim the cards are infused with centuries of mystery and magic and insist they must be handled in very specific ways. Others position the Tarot as little more than a psychological toolmore elaborate, perhaps, than inkblot cards, but not necessarily more useful. A Guide to Tarot Card Reading is designed to be a simple, comprehensive, and approachable guide to working with Tarot cards. In a nutshell, here's what makes this book different: It tells the truth. Without dismissing the mystical and spiritual dimensions of Tarot, this book tells the truth, so far as we know it, about the origins and history of the deck. It gives you options. Rather than prescribing one approach to reading cards, this book presents a range of methods, empowering you to choose the one you think works best. It honors mystical and practical approaches. Instead of asserting one conclusion about how or why the cards work, this book explores the question from many points of view, allowing you to make up your own mind. It can be used with any deck. Many books are tied to one particular deck, but the insights in this book will work with any of the thousands of decks available today. It goes beyond fortunetelling. Unlike books that focus exclusively on fortunetelling, this guide introduces a broad range of applications, from divination and meditation to brainstorming and creative writing. It empowers you. A Guide to Tarot Card Reading reveals insider secrets you can use to protect yourself from scammers and con artistsinformation you won't find in any other beginner-level guide. What's Inside? As you read, you'll * Explore personal, practical, and spiritual reasons for working with the cards * Trace Tarot's evolution from the plaything of kings into a sophisticated tool for enlightened insight * Receive wise advice on choosing your personal deck * Learn how to read the cards for yourself * Discover the Major Arcanathe 22 most important and powerful cards in the deck * Uncover the secrets of the Minor Arcanathe 56 remaining cards usually associated with the potentials and promises of everyday life In addition, youll find the answer to questions like these: * What's involved in reading cards for others? * What can you do with Tarot cards, other than fortunetelling and divination? * What resources can you turn to when your journey with this book comes to an end? Where Should You Begin? Remember the last time you bought a new television? When you brought that 90-inch flat screen home, you probably had no intention of learning anything about the history of the technology behind it. You just wanted to watch The Lord of the Rings in all its ultra-high-definition glory. Along the same lines, most people who buy Tarot decks aren't particularly interested in learning about Tarot. Instead, they have very specific things they want to do. They want to know how to use Tarot to tell fortunes, predict the future, brainstorm new ideas, analyze dreams, or find an answer to a deeply personal question. Fortunately, A Guide to Tarot Card Reading is a comprehensive guide. Whatever you want to do with the cards, the clear, concise information in this book will help you do it. After you discover answers to your most pressing questions, this book can also suggest applications and recommend resources that will support your interest in Tarot for years to come. Where should you begin? Although you can read this book from cover to cover, you should feel free to jump directly to the chapter or section that interests you most: I'm curious about Tarot but want to know more about it before using it. Chapter 1, "The Benefits of Reading Tarot," covers the advantages of working with Tarot. Chapter 2, "A (Very!) Brief History of Tarot," explores what Tarot was, summarizing the origins and history of the cards: how and why the deck was created, how its use has changed over the centuries, and how people are using it today. Chapter 3, "Exploring Today's Tarot," focuses on modern Tarot, with an emphasis on the practical and metaphysical applications for the deck. I want to find the Tarot deck that's best for me. These days, Tarot decks are easy to find and, with thousands of decks on the market, at least one is bound to work well for you. Chapter 4, "Your Personal Tarot Deck," will help you understand the range of options and find the deck of your dreams. I need a readingnow! If you're facing a personal dilemma and need insights right away, go directly to Chapter 5, "Consulting the Tarot." There, you'll discover how to prepare for a reading and apply the deck's insights to your concerns. If you're interested in getting a professional Tarot reading, check out "Going to a Tarot Reader" in Chapter 7, "Giving and Getting Readings." I want to know more about what the cards mean. Reading Tarot cards is both an art and a science; with practice and patience, the cards will speak to you with amazing clarity. If you prefer to learn a hands-on method for decoding the meaning of a card, read Chapter 5. If you're curious about meanings that others have assigned to the cards, Chapter 6 offers traditional meanings for every card in the deck. For more a more comprehensive guide to traditional card meanings, including their astrological, numerological, and mythological meanings plus applications to romance, work, spirituality, and personal growth please consider reading A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings. I want to read the cards without having to refer to a book. If you want to avoid flipping through a "Tarot card dictionary" while reading the cards, you have at least two options. The intuitive approach (see the section "Intuitive Methods" in Chapter 5) emphasizes drawing your own useful, insightful meanings from the symbols and illustrations on every card. If you prefer to work with the traditional meanings of the cards (or if you enjoy memorization!), you can study the detailed card definitions provided in Chapter 6. I want to read the cards for other people. Providing basic readings for friends or family is a great way to learn about Tarot. Never forget, though, that the act of reading for others (in addition to being harder than it looks!) brings with it tremendous responsibility. When you're comfortable and confident with the symbolic language of the cards, Chapter 7 explores nine popular types of readings and provides great tips on delivering them effectivelyand ethically. I want to take Tarot to the next level. You'll find a baker's dozen of creative Tarot applications in Chapter 8, "Thirteen Fun Things Anyone Can Do with Tarot Cards." In addition, Chapter 9, "Where to Go to Learn More," points the way to useful books, decks, websites, schools, and courses for further study. Whatever your level of interest, whatever your goals, you'll quickly discover that A Guide to Tarot Card Reading is both a reliable reference work and a practical hands-on guide to all things Tarot. If you approach this book as you should the Tarotwith common sense and wisdomit will become a resource you'll treasure for years to come. Chapter 1: The Benefits of Reading Tarot In This Chapter * What do most people know about Tarot? * Why is Tarot relevant today? * What will working with Tarot do for you? Hand someone a stack of 78 photos, and he will browse only a few before putting the stack aside. But if you hand the same person 78 Tarot cards, he will likely go through the deck card by card, determined to see each one. Why are Tarot cards so intriguing? What inspired this pasteboard parade of popes and priestesses, emperors and empresses, angels and demons? Why, more than 600 years after the deck's creation, does it continue to capture our attention and spark our imagination? Especially in America, the cards are universally associated with mysterious gypsies, quirky psychics, and storefront fortunetellers. And, thanks to Hollywood, people who have never seen a deck in person know the Tarot contains both a Death card and a Devil. Still, few people know anything of substance about Tarot. The philosophies that guided its creation? Ignored. The meanings of the symbols on each card? Forgotten. Applications beyond fortunetelling? Dismissed. Convinced the cards are little more than props for con artists, many people doubt Tarot has anything of value to offer the sophisticated citizens of the twenty-first century. What Tarot Has to Offer You And that's a shame because today, we need what Tarot has to offer: * Given unlimited access to information, we need a flexible tool for discerning which facts are relevant, useful, and reliable. * Given virtually unlimited options, we need an efficient tool for evaluating and prioritizing choices. * Given more distraction than ever, we need a reliable tool for focusing thought. * Given more questions than ever, we need a dependable tool for answering those questions, including the big ones, like "Where am I going?" and "Why am I here?" In search of such a tool, many turn to technology: digital assistants, apps on tablets and phones, and intelligent agents. Others seek help from a guru du jour, discovering, thousands of dollars later, that a one-size-fits-all solution fits no one very well for very long. Still others turn to religion, only to find that organized religion can all too often feel impersonal, rigid, or out of touch with the challenges of life in the modern world. Tarot and Religion Tarot isn't a religion or belief system ... it's a tool. As such, Tarot can be integrated into almost any spiritual path or practice without conflict. Christians (especially those influenced by fundamentalism) often voice concerns about Tarot's association with the New Age movement. These fears, however, have more basis in fear and ignorance than fact. After all, the Tarot deck was created by Christians Renaissance Italian Catholics, to be exact. The earliest cards are packed with Christian symbolism, including angels, devils, the Pope, the Christian Virtues, Judgment Day, and the New Jerusalem. (Because the Renaissance Christian mindset enthusiastically incorporated themes from a wide variety of cultures and traditions, it includes references to everything from astrology to mythology, as well.) Todays bewildering variety of spiritually-themed decks is a powerful testimony to Tarots ability to reflect the tenets of any spiritual path. There are commercial decks based on angels, the life of Buddha, the life of Christ, Christian saints, Hindu spiritual traditions, Native American spirituality, pagan beliefs, Wicca, and the myths and legends of countless cultures. If a spiritual path encourages meditation, mindfulness, prayer, a desire to be in personal contact with the Divine, or even just curiosity about how daily events fit into a larger and more meaningful pattern, consulting the Tarot will enhance but never conflict with the practice of that faith. What Are the Benefits of Working with Tarot? An increasing number of peoplebusiness owners and therapists, artists and writers, CEOs and hourly workersare turning to Tarot. The price is right: Many decks cost less than a plate of pasta. The size is right: Many decks can fit in a pocket or purse. The time is right: Many readings take 5 minutes or less. As you read this book, youll discover what these people already know: used properly, the Tarot is the most inexpensive, portable, and powerful problem-solving technology available today. So what, exactly, will reading Tarot do for you? Ask this question of people already enjoying the benefits of working with the deck, and they'll say Tarot helps them in a variety of surprising ways. Know What's Coming Practically every movie and television script mentioning Tarot obsesses on the deck's ability to predict the future. In reality, the idea that Tarot cards reveal an inescapable fate pretty much went out with powdered wigs. These days, many Tarot card readers don't claim to "know all and see all." A significant number of Tarot readers don't even believe Tarot should be used for predictive readings. Some believe the cards suggest the general direction of events without revealing the specifics. Other readers, though, can and do use the deck to make remarkably accurate predictions. Will Tarot cards give you a glimpse of things to come? In the end, the benefit of performing a predictive reading might have nothing at all to do with revealing the future. By providing an occasion to consider your options, explore possibilities, and outline an action plan, Tarot can help you feel better prepared for whatever the future may bring. Know Yourself Better Tarot cards bulge with symbolic content: bright moons, flaming wands, silver pools. On each card, dozens of elements compete for your attention. The images that catch your eye reveal a lot about your deepest thoughts. While Tarot readings are no substitute for professional psychological care, working with the cards can be a very effective (and inexpensive) form of do-it-yourself therapy. But the benefits don't stop there. Drawing a card and relating it to a question allows us to make the transition from paralysis to analysis. Working with a spread of Tarot cards gets a problem out of our heads and onto the table; as a result, we can see deeply emotional and complex issues with greater clarity and perspective. Because of the deck's ability to refocus attention, a Tarot reading can bypass our tendency to see our own actions in the best possible light, helping us see ourselves and our actions more objectively. Drawing a few cards can dispel illusions and remove rose-colored glasses. The cards will dare to share observations your own best friends would hesitate to mention. If self-knowledge is important to you, Tarot will become a valued tool. Can Tarot Answer Medical Questions? Tarot is a system for generating insight, exploring motivation, and enhancing awareness. It is not (and was never intended to be) a diagnostic tool for mental or physical illnesses. For this reason, the American Tarot Association always urges its members to refer medical questions to qualified medical personnel. The Tarot can help people explore concerns or focus attention on the healing process, but when medical opinions are needed, consult a doctor not a Tarot deck. Know Others Better Often the actions of others mystify us. How could someone possibly believe in UFOs? Who could possibly attend a church like that one? What could possibly motivate someone to vote for that candidate? Each of us deals with the same limitation: We see the world through one pair of eyes. But the cards can represent the perspective of others, providing a remarkable opportunity to see the world as others see it. A Tarot reading can remind us to consider other points of view. If nothing else, the simple act of imagining how someone else might feel encourages empathy and improves relationships. Make Better Decisions Every day, the decisions we make have repercussions for our jobs, our families, and our lives. Adrift on a sea of conflicting values, we put off action for as long as possible. When we do move swiftly, we worry. Are we being decisive or impulsive? When we decide to wait and see, are we deliberating or procrastinating? Frequently, the key to making better decisions is asking better questions. Working with Tarot conditions us to define questions clearly. What's more, allowing a line of cards to represent our problem enables us to be more objective. The fog of confusion lifts. We come up with better answers, faster than ever before. Recapture a Sense of Spirit One of the first casualties of a hectic world? Our spirituality. Wrapped up in the what and when of life, we lose touch with the why. Without a larger context, life becomes motion without direction. A Tarot reading provides an opportunity to be still. The evocative illustrations make perfect focal points for meditation. The symbols, drawn from the myths of many cultures, become waypoints on the path to greater peace. Becoming more yourself and less a reflection of the chaos around you can be as simple as drawing a card. Be More Creative Most of us don't think of ourselves as artists. Not everyone writes books, shoots photos, or molds sculptures. Even so, all of us are artists. Our lives, if nothing else, express how creatively we approach our daily challenges. In art and life, falling back on familiar approaches is all too easy. Before long, the tried and true becomes the dull and daunting. The solution? Draw a card. A single card can suggest an army of characters for your short story, a dozen poetic themes, or a unifying element for a series of photos. Spend more time in the boardroom than in the studio? Cards can suggest a new marketing slogan, a different take on last month's sales figures, or an inexpensive way to improve customer service. Focused on your relationship? Let the cards suggest a weekend getaway or a thoughtful gift. Used in this way, the Tarot becomes your muse: an instant source of inexhaustible inspiration. Make Contact When you pick up a Tarot deck, you hold in your hands a connection to a vast network of authors, artists, collectors, enthusiasts, hobbyists, professionals, and scholars. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, you're never more than a mouse click away from a vibrant community of people, all of whom use the cards in a variety of exciting ways. Working with Tarot will also help you forge connections with the people around you. The cards intrigue people. Pull out the cards in a coffee shop, and curious onlookers will strike up conversations. Barriers drop; ice breaks. With time, you might eventually read for others. When you do, you'll discover the surprising intimacy of a shared reading. Total strangers open up, sharing vulnerabilities and confiding concerns they hide from lifelong friends. Be More Prosperous People are all too often judged by what they accumulate, and it's easy to get caught up in getting more "stuff." As consumption becomes the order of the day, our possessions weigh us down. The more energy we pour into having what we want, the less likely we are to want what we have. Drawing a card can help you focus on what really matters. Cards can represent values, reconnecting you with your moral compass. You can choose cards to represent goals; other cards can define the steps required to make your dreams a reality. See the World More Clearly Why is an upside-down star so often associated with the Devil? Why is the number 13 considered unlucky? Why do we always hear about square meals and square deals but never round or triangular ones? Our mythically illiterate culture is forgetting the elaborate system of symbols, stories, and myths that have helped people make sense of the world around them for centuries. Your study of Tarot will reconnect you with those lessons, reacquainting you with a rich legacy of wisdom. The 78 cards of the Tarot represent 78 points of view: 78 lenses with the potential to transform the way you see the world. You will see how one situation gives rise to another. You will witness the magic in the apparently mundane. In a Nutshell Although most people associate Tarot with fortunetelling, they know very little about the cards, their origins, or their use. And that's unfortunate because, used properly, Tarot is a practical, affordable, and flexible tool for problem-solving, goal-setting, and decision-making. With just a little practice, you can learn to use the cards to * Reflect on your future, including where you want to go and why you want to go there. * See your own actions, intentions, and motives more objectively. * Enhance your ability to communicate and empathize with others. * Make well-informed decisions that support timely action. * Rediscover a sense of purpose and maintain a centered, peaceful state of mind. * Stoke your creative genius and apply it to challenges you face in your art, work, and life. * Open yourself to greater intimacy with the people around you. * Be more thankful for what you have and have a better grasp of what you really need. * Reconnect with a sense of flow, design, and direction in your life. Chapter 2: A (Very) Brief History of Tarot In This Chapter * Why is Tarot history important? * Did Tarot exist before the cards? * When and where were Tarot cards invented? * How did Tarot evolve from a game to a divinatory tool? * How is Tarot being used today? The Tarot didn't just pop into existence, whole and complete. Someone (maybe several people!) created it. Over time, various deck designers reordered, renumbered, and renamed the cards. Artists, too, altered the Tarot pack, preserving some traditional illustrations and dramatically updating others. Thinking of adopting Tarot as a personal tool for expanding awareness, enhancing insight, or streamlining the decision-making process? Knowing more about the cards including who designed them, and when, and why can dispel misconceptions and build confidence in the deck's flexibility and power. For many students, studying the origin and evolution of the cards becomes an important gesture of their dedication to and respect for the Tarot. Why Bother with Tarot History? You can take great snapshots without knowing the history of photography. You can play a piano without knowing when it was invented. You can even write a novel in Microsoft Word without knowing a thing about programming a word processor. By the same token, shuffling a Tarot deck requires no knowledge of its history. You can deal the cards without knowing anything about the mindset of the people who first used the cards. You can deliver insightful readings without knowing beans about the intentions of a deck's designer. You can work with Tarot without studying the history of Tarot. But knowing even a little about the deck's history will empower you to do the following: Spot scams. Con artists occasionally employ Tarot decks as props. If you know the history of Tarot, swindlers can't dazzle you with tales of secret societies and Egyptian initiatory rites. Combat ignorance. Fearful critics claim Tarot is a tool of the devil. If you know better, you can prove such statements are rooted in nothing more than ignorance and fantasy. Preserve the past. Increasingly, our society is mythically and symbolically illiterate. Exploring the history of Tarot reacquaints you with the stories that have shaped our culture for thousands of years. Become a better Tarot reader. When you study Tarot history, every fact you retain becomes a catalyst for powerful associations and unexpected insights. A little Tarot history goes a long way. You don't need a master's degree in Renaissance art to enjoy these benefits! All you really need are the facts in this chapter...and an open mind. Tracing Tarot's Pedigree Over the years, authors and scholars have told many stories some fanciful, some factual about the origins of Tarot. Was the deck created by Egyptians? Are the cards relics from ancient Atlantis? The truth is out there ... but until recently, finding it required Tarot students to sift through hundreds of competing claims. Before the Cards Today, most histories of Tarot begin in fifteenth-century Italy, when Tarot cards first appeared. In a way, that makes sense: What would Tarot be, after all, without the cards? In fact, the images on the earliest trump cards incorporate symbols and themes that existed long before the 1400s. Over the years, this fact alone has convinced a small number of scholars and mystics that Tarot, particularly as a system for organizing and transmitting secret knowledge, predates the appearance of the Tarot deck itself. From this perspective, the Tarot deck is an occult picture bookan illustrated index of wisdom concealed centuries ago. This approach positions the cards as an underground stream of suppressed insight, accessible only to those with the connections and credentials necessary to unlock its powerful secrets. True believers claim the parallels between Tarot and older magical traditions (especially one centuries-old system of Jewish mysticism, known as the Qabalah) are too strong and obvious to be coincidental. The lack of supporting evidence hasn't decreased the popularity of this idea. In fact, some point to the lack of evidence as proof of a massive conspiracy to suppress heretical doctrines. Did Tarot exist as a collection of secret teachings prior to the creation of the deck? Are Tarot cards flashcards of occult wisdom, with hidden messages encoded in the trump illustrations? Mystics and magicians may always say yes. Historians, though, believe Tarot's origins are far less mysteriousand far more humble. Given Tarot's spooky reputation, most people are surprised to hear that the first Tarot decks have more in common with a game of Poker than they do the pyramids. Origins of the Cards On the first page of The Complete Guide to the Tarot (Crown Publishers, 1970), Eden Gray asserts, "Everyone agrees that modern playing cards are directly descended from one part of the Tarotthe resemblances between parent and child are too striking to be coincidental." In fact, just the opposite is true. Today's familiar 52-card deck descends from common European playing cards, which, in turn, were adapted from Mamluk packs four-suited card decks imported from the Muslim world. During the latter part of the fourteenth century, trade introduced these decks to Europe, where they were enthusiastically embraced. At about the same time, a critical step in the evolution of card games occurred: the invention of trumps. Trump cards (usually an entire suit, picked by a player who, by virtue of winning a bid, earns the right to "name trumps") are assigned greater value than other cards. Usually, cards with higher numbers defeat (or "take") cards with lower numbers ... but even the most lowly card from the trump suit will beat the highest card in any other suit. By allowing savvy bidders and convincing bluffers the opportunity to convert otherwise worthless cards into winners, the addition of trump cards made game play less predictable and more fun. Playthings of Royalty Tarot proved popular with royal families, who commissioned the creation of elaborate decks. As early as 1450, the Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, wrote a letter requesting one. His relatives must have liked them: The oldest existing Tarot cards today belong to any of 15 different hand-painted decks produced for the Sforza family. Of these decks, the most complete is an elaborate pack with backgrounds of gold leaf, generally attributed to the artist Bonifacio Bembo. The Visconti cards are good examples of trumps from these early decks, which often depicted sober figures in formal poses. These recreations of cards from one of the oldest surviving Tarot decks depict a lowly roadside conjurer and an enigmatic papess, or female pope. The image of the Papess is one of the most puzzling and controversial legacies of early Tarot decks. She may recall Sister Manfreda Visconti, who was elected papess by the Guglielmites, a heretical faction of the Catholic church. (She and her followers were killed for their heresy.) Some insist the Papess recalls the legend of Pope Joan, who, while disguised as a man, was elected Pope. (Her deception, the legend goes, was discovered when she died in childbirth during a papal procession.) Another less controversial take on the Papess positions her as the Bride of Christ: the Church itself. For a variety of reasons, later decks would render the Papess as a goddess; occult-influenced decks often retitle the card "The High Priestess." The trumps are illustrated with a fanciful lineup of figures: fools and jugglers, emperors and empresses, virtues and vices. To modern eyes, some of these images are unfamiliar or even frightening. But as Geraldine Moakley points out in The Tarot Cards Painted by Bonifacio Bembo (The New York Library Press, 1966), Renaissance Christians would have been perfectly comfortable with these characters, as most of them appeared frequently in a festive event called a triumphal parade. The Game of Tarot But what, exactly, did the Renaissance Italians do with their Tarot cards? Tack holes in the borders of some hand-painted cards suggest they were displayed as works of art. By far, though, the most widespread application was a card game still popular in parts of France today. The basic rules will be familiar to players of modern card games, including bridge, rook, and spades. After the dealer distributes the cards, each player assesses the value of his hand and bids accordingly. Each card in the deck possesses a rank (which indicates the card's ability to win a hand) and a point value (which determines the card's contribution toward a player's final score). The strength of a player's hand depends, at least in part, on the number of trump cards in it. In the earliest known Tarot decks, the trumps are unnumbered. This suggests that the logic behind the images was so well known that players could tell which card trumped the others simply by looking at the picture on it. Later decks assign numbers and titles to each trump, but the number of trumps, their order, and their titles vary from deck to deck. The original orderif one ever existedhas been lost to time. A Toy or a Divinatory Tool? Nothing about the game of Tarot suggests the cards were believed to hide secret teachings or possess magical properties. While the earliest trump illustrations incorporated references to Scripture and myth (and while their sequence may have been a sly commentary on the social order of the day), all evidence suggests the game of Tarot was considered an entertaining pastimeand little else. The first references to Tarot divination do not appear until the sixteenth century, more than 100 years after the deck's invention. That said, even in the fifteenth century, ordinary playing cards were used to tell fortunes. Given the fact that the Tarot incorporates a standard deck, it's possible the Tarot was also used for this purpose. But Tarot as a bona-fide metaphysical tool, complete with a fanciful pedigree from ancient Egypt, would not appear on the scene until 1781. Raiders of the Lost Tarot Given the Tarot deck's original purpose, at what point did it come to be regarded as a tool fit for everything from divination to meditation? Inventing the Egyptian Tarot Antoine Court de Gbelin, an ordained Protestant pastor and active Freemason, claimed to be the first to "discover" Tarot's secret origins. During a visit with a Parisian countess, de Gbelin stumbled onto a circle of ladies playing a hand of Tarot. de Gbelin interrupted the game, seized the cards, and proclaimed himself the first to see what others had overlooked for centuries: the "obvious" Egyptian origins of the Tarot. Never mind that a Tarot deck is about as Egyptian as spaghetti; spotting buried Egyptian treasure in a pack of cards made a great story. de Gbelin lived in an age when Europeans had a great deal of enthusiasm for, but knew relatively little about, ancient Egypt. The idea that the cards were relics handed down by Egyptian magicians seized the imaginationand proved so durable that many people repeat the tale today with absolute conviction. Tarot Goes Pro de Gbelins statements appear to have been the catalyst for a frenzy of occult "discoveries." Dont be spooked by the word occult. Occult simply means hidden or secret. Occult knowledge is hidden, secret, or forgotten knowledge. Occultists were scholars, mystics, and writers who sought out or authored information not widely available to others. Given that many secret teachings, once carefully guarded, have now been published to the Web and indexed by Google, there's very little truly occult information left! de Gbelin himself would publish the first known essays on the occult Tarot, including one by Louis-Raphal-Lucrce de Fayolle, Comte de Mellet (credited mysteriously as "M. le C. de M.***"), which would be the first to associate a Tarot trump with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This association turned out to be particularly important, as it opened the door for connections between Tarot and Qabalah, a complex magical tradition of Hebrew origin. de Gbelin might have been the first to assert Tarot's ancient origin, but the distinction of being recognized as the world's first professional Tarot reader falls to Jean-Baptiste Alliette, a Parisian seed salesman who, upon assuming the role of occultist, reversed his surname and published his work under the name Etteilla. In 1785, he released his masterwork, A Way to Entertain Oneself with a Pack of Cards Called Tarots, which enhanced de Gbelin's Egyptian origin stories with delightful details, including the assertion that the original cards had been etched on plates of gold. In 1789, Etteilla published the first Tarot deck specifically created for use as a divinatory tool. And while his assertions about Tarot's Egyptian origins were, like de Gbelin's, pure fantasy, the meanings he assigned to his cards continue to influence how Tarot is read and interpreted today. Levi's Legacy In 1854, Alphonse-Louis Constant, writing under the name Eliphas Levi, published The Doctrine of High Magic and, a year later, The Ritual of High Magic. In these and later books, Levi outlined a comprehensive system of attributions, linking Tarot cards to everything from astrology to alchemy to the Qabalistic diagram known as the Tree of Life. He projected all manner of symbolic meanings onto the Tarot trump images, believing them to contain secrets hidden by magicians of bygone days Paul Christian, a student of Levi, spun a tale of the Tarot's use in the priesthood rites of ancient Egypt and was the first to use the word arcana (meaning "secrets") in association with the cards. Oswald Wirth, who knew Levi's work, published yet another occult Tarot in 1889, editing the trump illustrations and associations to conform to his theories. Inspired by Levi, Gerard Encausse, writing as Papus, added a layer of complex mathematical symbolism to Tarot's growing mythology. A British secret society, the Golden Dawn, contributed Book T, which, among other innovations, changed the deck's suit names from the traditional Batons, Cups, Swords, and Coins to Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Gradually, the efforts of the occultists transformed the humble Tarot pack into something entirely new. By the time Alfred E. Waite published his Golden Dawn-influenced Rider-Waite Tarot (with illustrations by Pamela Coleman Smith) in 1909, the deck had been transformed into an infinitely flexible metaphysical tool with links to everything from alchemy to the zodiac. New Age, New Interest In the early years of the twentieth century, a fascination with all things occult including spirit mediums, sances, and Tarot burned brightly in both Great Britain and America. Eventually, though, many of the occult societies, plagued by power struggles and petty squabbles, disbanded; following World Wars I and II, popular interest in metaphysics gave way to a new love affair with modern technology. For all practical purposes, Tarot also receded from public awareness at least until the arrival of the flower children and the dawn of the much-touted "Age of Aquarius By 1970, with the exception of a U.S. Games edition of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, Tarot decks were relatively scarce. Still, stirred by a renewed interest in astrology, spirituality, and metaphysics, Tarot began to reestablish itself as a divinatory tool. Eden Gray published A Complete Guide to the Tarot in 1970, and in the 1980s, new books by Rachel Pollack (Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom) and Mary K. Greer (Tarot for Your Self) provided eager audiences with practical, accessible introductions to the cards. Over the next 20 years, Tarot continued to gain momentum. New bookssome well-informed, but many repeating the tales of the French occultists as legitimate historyappeared. Publishers, including U.S. Games, Llewellyn, Lo Scarabeo, and many others, produced hundreds of decks. These new designs reinterpreted Tarot's illustrations and ideas in terms of almost every conceivable magical, mythical, cultural, and psychological milieu. The Twenty-First Century Tarot Twenty-first century Tarot has inherited both the structure of the early Italian decks and the rich legacy of associations forged by occultists over the last two centuries. Many psychics and intuitive readers still use the cards as a tool for revealing the future, but Tarot is no longer exclusively associated with fortunetelling. Applications for the deck include the following. Divination. Unlike fortunetelling, which seeks to reveal "what must come to pass," divination highlights trends, illuminates the deeper meaning of everyday events, and encourages consultants to explore several possible courses of action. Dream Analysis. Forging associations between dream content and the symbols on Tarot cards is an increasingly popular means of accessing repressed information that would otherwise remain out of the reach of the conscious mind. Self-analysis. Just as dreams can produce unexpected insights into the self, the dream-like images confronted in a Tarot reading can prove equally revealing. A simple self-analysis builds connections between introspective questions and the images on the cards, helping participants to see concerns more objectively. Free Association. In brainstorming sessions, participants allow the images to suggest new associations, connections, and solutions through the process of free association. Writers can draw cards to suggest character histories, settings, or plot twists. Photographers allow the cards to suggest random subjects or themes. Business owners, executives, and marketing professionals draw random cards to inspire creative approaches to daily challenges. Meditation. The evocative illustrations on Tarot cards make perfect subjects for meditative focus. Some use the reading process as a way of winding down and relaxing the mind prior to meditation. Others prefer to focus on a single card, meditating on its theme, re-creating the card in their minds, or projecting themselves into the card to interact with the characters found there. Magic. Magicians, witches, and serious practitioners of modern magic can use the cards in various magical operations. One contemporary text on magical practice (Donald Michael Kraig's Modern Magick) recommends that witches and magicians should always use the cards to divine the ultimate outcome of the spells they cast. The cards can also be used to decorate altars, with appropriate cards being chosen for their relationship to a specific season, astrological event, Sabbat, or theme. Collection. Many people see Tarot decks as the twenty-first-century equivalent of Beanie Babies: collectible items, almost certain to increase in value. Exquisite, handmade decks sell for more than $100 when new. Even mass-produced decks, once they go out of print, can become rare and valuable, going for up to 12 times their cover price. Antique copies of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck regularly sell for more than $1,000. In a Nutshell * Knowing just a little about the history of Tarot insulates you from scams, empowers you to combat misconceptions, reacquaints you with the deck's rich legacy of myth and magic, and positions you to be a better Tarot reader. * Tarot decks were an innovation, appending a fifth suit of permanent trumps to popular four-suited decks already in use. * Early decks were often elaborate works of art commissioned by royal families. The cards were primarily used to play a trick-taking game; the first reference to Tarot divination appears around 100 years after the cards were created. * Occultists fabricated fanciful stories of Tarot's Egyptian origins, but their most important contributions were elaborate symbolic systems associating Tarot with everything from astrology to Qabalah. * In modern times, the game of Tarot has been all but forgotten, but growing interest in Tarot as a tool for divination and creativity has generated an explosion of books, decks, and new applications for the cards. Chapter 3: Exploring Todays Tarot In This Chapter * How is a Tarot deck structured? * How are meanings for the cards determined? * Why are some decks so different from others? * How does Tarot compare to other oracles? * Is there more to Tarot than the cards? * What questions do new users tend to ask? While almost everyone will claim to know what Tarot is, very few people know anything of substance about the deck. What makes a Tarot deck distinctive? How does it differ from a standard deck of cards? And wouldn't a copy of The Lightning Bug Oracle generate just as many bright ideas as a Tarot deck? Reading this chapter will acquaint you with the structure and contents of today's Tarot ... and help you understand the features of the deck that make it unique among other decks and oracles. Approaching the Tarot If you're reading this chapter, you're probably interested in Tarot as a tool for: * Seeking greater awareness of the flow and direction of your life * Brainstorming new ideas * Achieving valuable personal or professional insights * Enhancing the quality and focus of your meditation practice * Advancing your growth along a spiritual or magical path * Envisioning or glimpsing possible futures. You're in good company because more people than ever before are learning to read and work with the cards. Mastering Tarot could take a lifetime -- maybe several lifetimes! But you don't have to be a Tarot master to tap into the deck's potential to enhance your creativity and personal growth. With the investment of just a little time and effort, the deck can become a trusted advisor. Your journey begins with one small step: learning the absolute essentials. You can jump right into reading Tarot, but knowing the basics first will help you approach the deck with absolute confidence. A Word about Differences in Tarot Reference Guides Throughout this book, you'll see tables and charts outlining the order, names, meanings, and symbolic associations for every Tarot card. Over the years, various groups -- such as the occult organization known as the Golden Dawn -- have assigned meanings based on their own metaphysical perspectives. Remember, though, that no single set of associations can be considered the most authentic set. The information in this book is a starting point for your study. It should never be considered the last word on the subject of Tarot. Ultimately, the attributions you adopt should be the ones that work for you. Basic Structure Generally, today's Tarot decks include 78 cards. Of these, 21 are special cards called trumps. The trumps plus an additional card called the Fool make up a set of 22 cards called the Major Arcana (a term meaning "great secrets" or "big mysteries"). Although the Fool is technically not a trump, the entire Major Arcana can also be referred to more simply as the trumps. The other 56 cards (the Minor Arcana) are divided into four suits usually some variation of Wands, Cups, Swords, and Coins. Each suit contains a series of cards, usually numbered from Ace to 10. In addition, each suit possesses four court cards, often called pages, knights, queens, and kings. The Major Arcana Today, many, but by no means all, Tarot decks place the Major Arcana in this order: 0 (or Unnumbered) - Fool I - Juggler/Magician II - Papess/Priestess III - Empress IV - Emperor V - Pope/Hierophant VI - Lovers VII - Chariot VIII - Justice IX - Hermit X - Wheel XI - Strength XII - Hanged Man XIII - Death XIV - Temperance XV - Devil XVI - Tower XVII - Star XVIII - Moon XIX - Sun XX - Judgement XXI - World Note: Some Tarot decks, called Majors-only decks, contain only the 22 Major Arcana cards. It's not uncommon for publishers to release a Majors-only version of a deck, followed by a later release of the full 78 card version. If working with all 78 cards is important to you, be sure to look for decks with a full complement of the cards. In readings, the cards of the Major Arcana (echoing their role as trumps in the game of Tarot) often receive special treatment: * They can be given more attention, or more time can be devoted to discussing their meanings. * They can represent influences with more weight or pull in the question under consideration. * They can be seen as life lessons taught by the situation under consideration milestones along the journey of life, illuminating the next step in personal evolution. * They can indicate the hand of divinity: how God (or the Goddess, or the universe, or a person's Higher Self) is shaping an event. A reading containing a majority of Major Arcana cards might suggest the matter is, to some degree, outside the realm of human influence. Over time, each Major Arcana card has also become associated with a broad range of concepts: astrological signs, alchemical formulas, legends, myths, number symbolism, stories from Scripture, points along the human lifespan, elements of story structure, specific times of day and days of the year, personality types, problem-solving approaches ... the list goes on and on. When the cards are used as a divination tool, readers draw on these associations (and their own intuition) to establish the divinatory meaning of each card ? the answer the card represents. Brief Meanings of the 22 Major Arcana Some traditional divinatory meanings for the Major Arcana are covered in detail in Chapter 7, "The Major Arcana." By way of introduction, here is a short list of archetypes (or mythic qualities) and some simple divinatory meanings that have been associated with each card: 0-Fool. The Divine Madman. Innocence, folly. 1- Magician. The Ego or Self. Capability, masculine energy. 2-Priestess. The Virgin. Intuition, female receptivity. 3-Empress. The Mother. Nurturing, fertility. 4-Emperor. The Father. Authority, structure. 5-Hierophant. The Church/Faith. Guidance, tradition, religion. 6- Lovers. The Lover. Romance, unity, collaboration. 7-Chariot. The Hero. Triumph, success. 8-Justice. The Law. Balance, fairness, clarity. 9-Hermit. The Holy Man. Withdrawal, wisdom. 10-Wheel. The Fates. Luck, fate, cycles. 11-Strength. The Id. Discipline, self-control. 12-Hanged Man. The Traitor. Suspension, self-sacrifice. 13-Death. Death. Conclusion, dissolution. 14-Temperance. The Mediator. Blending, combining. 15-Devil. The Shadow. Repression, materialism. 16-Tower. The Shattered Ego. Destruction, upheaval. 17-Star. The Heavenly Guide. Openness, optimism. 18-Moon. The Holy Feminine. Instincts, imagination. 19. Sun. The Holy Masculine. Vitality, greatness. 20-Judgment. The Resurrection. Rebirth, renewal. 21-World. Enlightenment. Integration, wholeness. The Minor Arcana In general, the cards of the Minor Arcana are said to reflect day-to-day concerns and ordinary events. When the Minor Arcana dominates a reading, many readers conclude that the issue under consideration can be greatly influenced by the actions of everyday people. The Suit Cards As mentioned earlier, the cards of the Minor Arcana are divided into four suits. For divinatory purposes, each suit is usually associated with one of four specific dimensions of life (Spirit, Emotion, Mind, and Body). Each suit has also been associated with seasons of the year, the four classical elements (Fire, Water, Air, and Earth), the four compass directions in short, with almost any system placing its elements into four distinct categories. Here is a list of the suits of the Minor Arcana, along with alternative names the suits may be called in other books or decks and some common associations made with each: Wands. Also Called: Arrows, Batons, Clubs, Flame, Rods, Scepters, Staves, Sticks, Fire. Dimension of Life: Spirit. Themes include intentions, goals, action, direction, masculine energy, arousal, activity, creativity, movement, inspiration. Other Associations: Spring. The color red. The South. The element of Fire. Cups. Also Called: Cauldrons, Chalices, Blue, Hearts, Vessels, Water. Dimension of Life: Emotion. Themes include impressions, intuition, ideas, instincts, reflections, feelings, receptivity, spirituality and religion, the subconscious, fantasies. Other Associations: Summer. The color blue. The East. The element of Water. Swords. Also Called: Blades, Daggers, Spades, Air. Dimension of Life: Mind. Themes include logic, reasoning, thoughts, deliberation, debate, communication, mathematics, numbers, the intellect, analysis, planning. Other Associations: Fall. The color yellow. The West. The element of Air. Coins. Also Called: Diamonds, Discs, Pentacles, Spheres, Earth Dimension of Life: Body. Themes include: Physicality, practicality, the material world, the environment, money, finances, structure, sensuality, the senses. Other Associations. Winter. The color green. The North. The element of Earth The Pip Cards Generally, each suit in a Tarot deck also contains a series of cards numbered from Ace to 10. These numbered cards are often referred to as the pips, taking their name from the suit marker, or pip, found on each card. In a standard poker deck, the Six of Hearts bears six heart-shaped pips. Many Tarot decks follow this convention: on the Six of Cups, for example, you'll find six cups arranged in a simple geometric pattern: In most early Tarot decks, while the trump cards may feature elaborate illustrations, the pip card illustrations incorporate little more than suit markers and a few decorative elements (such as vines or flowers). By contrast, especially after the publication of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot in 1909, many modern decks feature intricate scenes on every single card. These pictures often incorporate the suit signs in clever ways, and are usually designed to suggest the divinatory meanings assigned with the card. The Six of Cups from The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot shows two people helping each other, surrounded by six cups: Illustrated or Non-Illustrated Pips? Many deck reviews and Tarot catalogs refer to decks with illustrated pips and non-illustrated pips. Generally speaking, * decks with non-illustrated pips feature suit markers only, and * decks with illustrated pips feature scenic illustrations on every card. Despite being technically inaccurate (pips featuring an arrangement of suit markers are, after all, illustrated!) this terminology has become standard throughout the Tarot community. There are a number of systems for assigning divinatory meanings to the pip cards; many of these have roots in Qabalah (an ancient magical system) or numerology. One quick and easy method for establishing the meaning of a pip card involves combining the symbolic meaning of a card's number with the symbolic meaning of its suit. For example: consider this list of symbolic meanings of the numbers one through ten: 1 (or Ace)-The Origin: Starting point, seed, opportunity. 2- The Other: Division, debate, duality. 3- The Result: Expression, productivity, output. 4- The Status Quo: Stability, equality, persistence. 5- The Catalyst: Instability, resistance, confrontation. 6-The Adjustment: Cooperation, collaboration, interaction. 7- The Motive: Imagination, inner work, psychology. 8- The Action: Movement, outer work, swiftness. 9- The Completion: Fullness, readiness, ripeness. 10- The End: Finality, completion, exhaustion. Note: Symbolic meanings assigned to numbers can come from any number of sources, and the meanings assigned to specific numbers vary from source to source. As with divinatory meanings, no one set of numerological meanings (including the ones in this book) should ever be considered more authoritative than others. The Six of Cups, then, combines the emotional, spiritual, watery energy of the suit of Cups with the collaborative, interactive energy of the number 6. As a result, in many decks, the Six of Cups is associated with compassionate cooperation, acts of mutual support, or sharing. When Pictures and Meanings don't Mix Especially when using decks with illustrated scenes on every card, you may occasionally notice that the illustrations on certain cards don't seem to reflect the divinatory or numerological meanings you prefer. Don't fret! The illustration is just one person's effort to capture one possible interpretation of a card's meaning. As the reader, you're empowered to read the card in any way that makes sense to you. When reading a card, you can determine the meaning of a card by studying the illustration, applying suit and number symbolism, using your own intuition, or employing any system that works for you. The Court Cards In addition to the ten numbered pip cards, each suit also incorporates court cards (also called people cards). Observant readers will have noticed earlier in the chapter that the Tarot court, unlike the more familiar three-card court in poker decks, contains four members: page, knight, queen, and king. Many deck designers rename these cards to suit their own purposes substituting daughter, son, mother, and father, for example. Generally, Tarot readers associate the court cards with one of the following: * Specific problem-solving methods * Specific people who employ those methods * Specific people whose physical features resemble the portrait found on the court card For years, the third option, based on physical features, was extremely popular. One version of this system assigns these meanings: Court Card (Gender and Age) PageMale or female, younger KnightMale, younger QueenFemale, older KingMale, older Suit (Appearance) WandsRed hair, fair skin CupsBlonde hair, fair skin SwordsBlack hair, fair skin CoinsDark hair, dark sin Using this system, the Page of Wands would represent a young man or woman with red hair and fair skin, while the King of Coins would represent an older man with dark hair and dark skin. The primary disadvantage of this method is immediately obvious: It severely restricts the Tarot's ability to represent both women and people of color! Today, a more popular system for reading courts involves reading the rank of the card as an approach or point of view and the suit of the card as a theme or area of emphasis: Court Card (Problem-Solving Approach) PageLearning: Enthusiastic, but unskilled or uncertain KnightDoing: Active, but tends toward extremes QueenFeeling: Emphasizes collaboration or consensus KingControlling: Seeks authority or organization Suit (Theme or Emphasis) WandsGoals, intentions, movement, arousal CupsImpressions, intuitions, feelings, emotions SwordsLogic, reasoning, communication, intellect CoinsPhysicality, practicality, senses, finances Using this system, the Page of Coins might represent a person (of any gender, regardless of the apparent gender of the figure on the card) who is just leaning to manage his or her own finances. Alternatively, it might represent an enthusiastic, but as yet unskilled, student athlete. Other systems for interpreting court cards exist, including any number of methods for associating the courts with specific seasons, months, and astrological signs. Note: To read about divinatory meanings others have associated with the Minor Arcana, see Chapters 8-11. Each chapter explores the cards of one suit in great detail. Common Variations So far, we've established that a Tarot deck usually contains 78 cards, grouped in two divisions: the Major and Minor Arcana. The Majors usually consist of 21 trumps, plus a Fool. The Minors are usually divided into four suits containing 14 cards each. The pip cards are usually numbered Ace through 10, and the court cards are usually called page, knight, queen, and king. Notice how that word usually keeps cropping up? In the earliest Tarot decks, trumps are unnumbered. Later, the order of the trumps would vary from deck to deck, along with the names of the trumps and the trump illustrations. Suit names vary, as do the number, order, gender, and titles of the court cards. In other words, part of Tarot's legacy is a lively tradition of variation and revision. For better or worse, deck designers will do the following: * Claim to receive (through research, dreams, or visions) special insight into the Tarot's themes or structure and change the deck to reflect those insights * Alter the structure or content of the Tarot deck in hopes of enhancing its effectiveness, accuracy, or ease of use * Renumber cards and change the names of trumps and suits to make the Tarot better conform to a selected theme * Make changes in an attempt to create a unique and therefore more commercially viable deck Common variations include: Major Arcana card order. A number of deck designers take issue with the organization of the trumps, preferring earlier arrangements or, for various reasons, making up their own. In their book, The Complete New Tarot, Onno and Rob Docters van Leeuwen, creators of a modified Rider-Waite-Smith deck called The Tarot in the Restored Order, swap the Empress with the Lovers, Justice with the Hermit, and Temperance with Death. They justify these changes on the basis of mystical revelations and numerology. Trump card names. There is a long tradition of changing the names of the cards of the Major Arcana. In the late 1700s, Antoine Court de Gbelin changed the familiar Papess and Pope to the less-Catholic Priestess and Hierophant. Aleister Crowley, operating from his own world view, changed Strength to Lust and expanded the World into the Universe. Suit names. Renaming suits is a practice with a long history of its own. The Islamic decks that inspired European card makers contained a suit of polo sticks. Because polo was virtually unknown in fifteenth-century Europe, deck designers gave the suit a name that made more sense to them: Batons. Later, occultists would change the name again, this time to Wands. In a deck called Songs for the Journey Home, the designers chose suit names designed to reflect the overall theme of the deck, while retaining classical elemental assignments: Flame Songs, Water Songs, Wind Songs, and Earth Songs. My own Bright Idea Deck takes a more minimalist approach, preserving themes but substituting border colors Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green for suit markers. Court card names. In an effort to avoid gender stereotypes, broaden the applicability of the courts, and help more people see themselves reflected in the cards, many deck designers have recast the courts. Aleister Crowley's Thoth Court consists of a princess, a prince, a queen, and a knight. In the Quest Tarot, we find sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. In Songs for the Journey Home, processes and qualities replace the court card names, yielding Innocence, Awakening, Creating, and Resolving. Additional cards. To make their decks unique, to emphasize some element of their personal philosophy, or to incorporate themes they don't see in conventional 78 card decks, many deck designers add cards. Shirley Gotthold's Transformational Tarot appends groovy new trumps to the Major Arcana, including Galactic Force, Mystical Life, and Transcendent Mind, and expands the court, adding Teachers and Students, Reformers, Oracles, and Sages. The Osho Zen Tarot, to emphasize the supposed enlightenment of the spiritual leader whose work inspired the deck, made his portrait into Trump XXII: The Master. In Joseph Earnest Martin's Quest Tarot, Trump XXI (The Universe, the Quest's equivalent of The World) is trumped by a new trump, the Multiverse. How Tarot Differs from Other Oracles The Tarot is an oracle, a tool designed to enhance perspective, provide insight, and dispense advice. In ancient times, wise leaders traveled to Delphi to consult its famous oracle. Today, there's no need to travel to Delphi. Bookstore shelves are packed with oracle decks designed to appeal to virtually every consumer taste. The cards in these decks generally feature inspirational sayings, plus an illustration reflecting the oracle's distinctive theme. Some oracles claim to put users in contact with angels, archangels, goddesses, spirit guides, or even their own personal vibes. Others draw their wisdom on ancient books, including the Bible and the Chinese Book of Changes. Still others deliver insights based on the properties of inanimate objects (crystals, gemstones, or herbs, for example) or the imagined perspectives of non-human creatures (including dolphins, mermaids, and unicorns). Some of these oracles even dub themselves Tarot decks or use the word Tarot in the title. The Infinite Tarot, for example, with its 76 cards, odd trumps, and retooled court cards, is not what most Tarot enthusiasts would call Tarot. If you find an oracle deck that works for you, by all means, adopt it. That said, before adopting another oracle, you might consider a few of the advantages a Tarot deck has to offer: Tarot is well-established. People have been achieving insight, practicing divination, and telling fortunes with Tarot for hundreds of years. There are hundreds of Tarot books on the market and dozens of systems for working with and interpreting Tarot. In short, Tarot divination has passed the test of time. Tarot incorporates wisdom from many traditions. Faced with an extremely challenging situation, the wisdom of the mer-people might not prove as comforting or as valuable as you'd like. A Tarot consultation draws on widsom from many sources, yielding deeper and more reliable insights. Tarot has a community. If you adopt Tarot, you'll join a vast community of people who live and work with the cards. There are hundreds of websites and newsgroups for Tarot enthusiasts, scholars, and readers at every possible level of expertise. Even in the smallest American cities I visit, there are always a few people who know and use Tarot. Odds are, this won't be the case with The Sugarplum Fairy Oracle. Other oracles have their uses and can, at certain times and for certain purposes, be superior to Tarot. Be aware, though, that not all oracles (and not all decks with Tarot in the title!) are necessarily Tarot decks. Beyond the Deck While this chapter has focused on the basic structure of the Tarot deck, many people in the Tarot community feel Tarot is much more than a deck of cards. Although the concept has not been very clearly or formally defined, many Tarot enthusiasts note that, over time, working with the cards generates a gradual change in consciousness. In fact, for many of us who work with the cards on a regular basis, Tarot has become an integral part of our world view. Some attribute this to the deck's magical properties. Many of us, though, see this as a natural result of our exposure to the stories, structure, and symbolism that are the heart and soul of today's Tarot. The language of Tarot is the language of myth. As Tarot readers become reacquainted with this forgotten legacy, they become increasingly aware of just how relevant those old stories can be. As we become better attuned to what has happened before, we become better able to define our own role in the moment and to sense, with great accuracy, what is most likely to happen next. This application of Tarot transcends divination or reflection. Understood in this way, Tarot becomes a philosophy, a set of observations for anticipating the future and interpreting the world. Tarot's universality allows this philosophy to complement the tenets of our faith, whatever they may be. Ultimately, our work with the cards encourages us to see events (and our own roles within them) as smaller fragments of a larger and more meaningful whole. Frequently Asked Questions about Tarot Q: How does Tarot work? On a practical level, the Tarot can be seen as a bank of particularly evocative random images, capable of suggesting actions, alternatives, approaches, attitudes, and ideas. Pair this random input with the human mind, and an internal free-association factory starts churning out associations between a question and the cards. Building those connections can radically alter perspective, forcing us to see a situation from a different angle. The result? A moment of inspiration so sudden and surprising that it feels like magic. On a mystical level, people have proposed a number of theories: * Universal connectedness. Shuffling the cards enters the moment, producing a local model of a universal state of affairs. Reading the cards taps into the flow and direction of the energies that swirl around us, enabling us to understand where we are and where we're headed. * Advice from beyond. The cards that appear are controlled by angels, entities, spirits, or divinities with a perspective that encompasses more than the human mind can conceive. These entities see answers we cannot, and they communicate answers to us by subtly manipulating which cards appear in a reading. * The collective subconscious. The archetypal symbols on the cards resonate deeply in our consciousness, activating dormant intuitive and psychic abilities. Because these symbols transcend time and culture, the cards allow us to draw on the reservoir of knowledge contained in the collective subconscious mind, giving us a broader, deeper point of view. * Enhanced perspective. The cards are keys or doors to higher consciousness, connecting us with a higher self that remembers why we're here. Working with the cards helps us see beyond the distractions of the illusory world and reconnect with universal truths. In the end, why Tarot works might be less important than realizing that, for whatever reason, with practice, the cards can and will work for you. Q: Is Tarot a tool of the occult? The word occult sounds spooky, but it simply means hidden. Once upon a time, it was very important to occultists to hide certain facts; these days, though, because almost everything has been widely published (or even indexed by Google), there's not much occulting going on. Tarot became linked with the occult during the 1700s when French occultists who often pretended to have more occult knowledge than they possessed began positioning the deck as the repository of the lost wisdom of the ancient Egyptians. So, was Tarot once the tool of a group of people we can describe as occultists? Yes. Does it have to be associated with the occult, as the term is often used today? Not at all. Q: Is Tarot demonic? This question usually comes up when someone notices the Devil trump, which is often illustrated with a plump, horned, hairy fellow. Not everything with a devil in it is demonic (take the Bible, for example). To Renaissance Christians, the devil was an important character. He frequently appeared, horns on head and pitchfork in hand, in festivals and parades. The devil played a vital role in Christian cosmology; without him, it was impossible to understand the scope of heaven's triumph. The Tarot deck rests on a foundation built by Renaissance Christians, who delighted in the symbols, myths, and themes of many cultures. The deck does, indeed, include a devil, but claims that Tarot is demonic are rooted in nothing but ignorance and fear. Q: Didn't the Church suppress the Tarot? Actually, stories of Tarot's repression have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, even when playing cards were banned by the Church, the Tarot was often specifically exempted. This might have been because Church officials believed the trumps tell the story of heaven's triumph. It may also be that the deck, as a plaything of the upper classes, was subject to less scrutiny. Q: Is it possible that the illustrations on Tarot cards point the way to a treasure trove of powerful, forgotten magic? The history of Tarot cards is well-documented. While the deck may incorporate references to popular Renaissance themes (including everything from astrology to the social pecking order), all evidence indicates the deck was created for recreational purposes. Many people today believe the ideas behind Tarot existed long before the deck, and that these secret teachings are part of an underground stream of lost wisdom. Until supporting evidence is found for these claims, they remain nothing more than assertions. For now, any belief in the so-called secret teachings of Tarot is rooted in faith or fantasy ... but not fact. Q: If Tarot started as just a card game, why is it worth my time to consult it? Tarot's power isn't dependent on a mysterious origin. The rich library of symbolic and mythic information mapped to every card allows Tarot to work as an idea engine, generating new perspectives, different approaches, and instant insights. Over the last three centuries, what started as a card game has become a catalog of mythic wisdom and a powerful, visual tool for generating ideas and insights. Isn't that reason enough to consider giving the cards a try? Q: Can Tarot reveal the future? Some Tarot readers are very good at predicting and foreseeing future events. Others, perhaps more apt to read their own hopes and fears into the cards, are not. Still others choose to avoid predictive questions entirely, preferring to use the deck exclusively as a tool for illumination and insight. Your own success at predicting the future will depend greatly on your skill, insight, focus, knowledge of the cards, and personal objectivity. Q: Which Tarot is the original, most authentic, or best? The original Tarot deck (if, in fact, one single such deck ever existed) has been lost. No Tarot deck, then, should be considered "the" Tarot. It makes more sense to look for a Tarot deck with images and themes you find attractive in other words, the Tarot that's best for you. For detailed tips on how to find that perfect deck, see Chapter 4, "Your Personal Tarot Deck." Q: How much psychic ability do I need to read Tarot? Although psychic ability can enhance your card reading, many very effective Tarot readers do not possess psychic ability of any kind. Many readers feel openness, dedication, sensitivity, and creativity play far greater roles. Q: Is it possible to read my own cards? Some people assert Tarot readers should only read for others, but most such assertions are based on purely mystical assumptions. If you share this particular mystical world view, you might want to avoid reading your own cards. The vast majority of Tarot readers can and do read their own cards. In fact, while doing so requires a degree of objectivity, reading your own cards is one of the most effective ways to learn Tarot. Q: Is it okay to purchase a Tarot deck? The majority of collectors, enthusiasts, readers, and teachers have purchased their decks. The idea that a Tarot deck must be stolen or received as a gift is an old wives' tale; you should ignore it completely. Determine what you want to do with Tarot, find a deck that can support your goals, and buy it with absolute confidence. In a Nutshell * Today's 78-card Tarot deck breaks down into two divisions: the Major Arcana, consisting of the 21 trumps and the Fool, and the Minor Arcana, consisting of 56 cards divided into four suits, each of which contains 10 numbered cards and 4 court cards. * The Major Arcana cards are associated with important themes and powerful forces. * The Minor Arcana cards are associated with the mundane details of everyday life. * The four suits of the Tarot are associated with four major dimensions of human existence. Wands are associated with spirit and intention, Cups with feeling and emotion, Swords with thinking and logic, and Coins with physicality and practicality. * Card titles, card order, suit names, and even the underlying organization of the cards can differ from deck to deck. * A number of systems, including astrology, numerology, and Qabalah, have contributed to the meanings now assigned with Tarot cards. You can adopt meanings that make sense to you or develop your own. * Compared to other oracles, Tarot has stood the test of time. In addition to incorporating wisdom from many traditions, it has attracted a large community of friendly collectors, enthusiasts, and readers. * Tarot is more than a card game and more than a deck of cards. As a repository of the wisdom encoded in centuries of myth and symbolism, it has the potential to change the way you see the world. Chapter 4: Your Personal Tarot Deck In This Chapter * How will you choose your first deck? * Which decks should beginners consider? * Where can you purchase a deck? * How can you properly store and care for your deck? Henry Ford once told customers they could have any color car they wanted, as long as it was black. Before the 1980s, Tarot enthusiasts could have any kind of Tarot deck they wanted, as long as it was the long-suffering Rider-Waite Tarot from U.S. Games. Other decks existed, but they were hard to find. Today, with thousands of decks on the market, absolute beginners have an entirely different kind of challenge: finding the perfect first deck. Should you tackle the depth and complexity of the Thoth deck? Given your passion for unicorns, should your first deck be the Tarot of the Unicorns? If the face of the Devil card in a Rider-Waite-Smith deck frightens you, should you avoid that deck entirely? For years, the standard advice given to anyone picking out a personal Tarot deck has been, "Find a deck that speaks to you." But what does that mean, exactly? What happens when a deck speaks to you? Will you actually hear a pack of cards ask, "Where have you been all my life?" Telling beginners to find a talking deck abandons them to be guided by their own inexperience. As a result, many beginners buy decks that look good at first, but which prove unsuitable for long-term use and study. Frightened, confused, or disappointed, many of these eager beginners abandon Tarot altogether. Fortunately, there's an alternative to finding a deck that "speaks to you." In fact, if you'll keep one simple principle in mind, you'll greatly increase your chances of finding the perfect deck. What Do You Want to Do with Tarot? To get the most out of a Tarot deck, begin with a consideration of your personal goals. Think Function First After you buy a Tarot deck, what do you want to do with it? Do You Just Want to Own a Deck? Some people want a deck but have no intention of reading or studying the cards. There's nothing wrong with this. In fact, if simply having a deck is your ultimate goal, you can save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money by bidding on the cheapest deck you can find on eBay. Do You Plan to Become a Student of Tarot? If so, you should consider a deck that many people write about, read with, and study. Almost any deck from the Rider-Waite-Smith family of decks (including parallel decks, such as Lo Scarabeo's Universal Tarots) will serve you well. Just be sure to pick one with a color scheme and style you like. If you have a strong interest in myth, magic, or religion, consider Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. Do You Plan to Read the Cards for Yourself? In addition to choosing an appealing pack of cards (you're going to spend a lot of time together, you know), consider buying a deck you'll be comfortable using in a variety of settings: at home, at the coffee house, at work, at school, and so on. If you want to carry your deck with you at all times, you might consider buying any one of several mini-decks because they're easy to pack in a pocket or purse. Do You Plan to Read the Cards for Others? If so, you might want to take your clients' needs and expectations into consideration. Many people expect a reader to use a deck from the Rider-Waite-Smith family of decks. You also might want to consider purchasing a deck with approachable, non-threatening images because they're less likely to frighten or concern potential clients. Consider the author's own Bright Idea Deck, the Gilded Tarot, Songs for the Journey Home, the Osho Zen Tarot, and any other decks with bright, appealing artwork on every card. Do You Plan to Use the Cards As a Meditative Tool? Those who plan to use their decks as meditative tools should consider decks with calming, luminous illustrations. Look for decks with images that are detailed but not busy, or consider a deck with illustrations that feature one prominent figure in the foreground. Llewellyn's Gilded Tarot, the Tarot of Dreams (by the same artist, Ciro Marchetti), Carol Herzer's Illuminated Tarot (from Soul-Guidance.com), or the self-published Fountain Tarot (see www.fountaintarot.com) make excellent choices. Will You Use the Cards As a Creative Catalyst? Creative applications such as brainstorming, problem-solving, and creative writing call for energetic cards capable of stoking your inner genius. The author's own Bright Idea Deck is a beginner-friendly deck designed specifically for this purpose. You might also consider any decks with intriguing art (the Navigator's Tarot of the Mystic SEA, for example) or pip cards that evoke stories (such as Lo Scarabeo's Durer Tarots). Other Factors to Consider After you know why you want a deck, you'll have an easier time weighing the other factors that should influence your final decision. Artwork If the artwork on a deck frightens, disturbs, or repulses you, you aren't very likely to work with it on a regular basis! By contrast, if you find the illustrations on the cards appealing, you'll spend much more time with your Tarot. Deciding what artwork appeals to you is an extremely subjective process, but here's a tip: When evaluating card art, try to articulate a concrete response. Instead of "I like it" or "I don't like it," shoot for "I like this artist's use of color" or "I don't like how this artist avoids drawing people's faces." Tone A designer's choice of titles, keywords, symbols, and color palette determine a deck's tonealso called it's vibe or voice. A deck that refers to the Four of Cups as "The Lord of Blended Pleasure" will feel entirely different from one that describes the same card with the single keyword "Boredom." If the deck were a book, would it be a comedy? A mystery? Science fiction? What emotions do the cards provoke? What moods are the characters in? Are colors muted and somber, or brilliant and dazzling? An analysis of tone is also highly subjective, but if you know why you're buying a deck, you can easily eliminate decks with tones that seem contrary to your purpose. Size Mini-decks can't be beat for portability. But if you plan to read Tarot intuitively (guided primarily by the images on the cards), they might not be your best choice because small cards feature small pictures. The more complex the images, the larger the cards need to be. For this reason, many Tarot decks are larger than poker decks, which can make them difficult for small hands to shuffle. Before purchasing a deck, make sure you're comfortable with the size of the cards. Card Illustrations Some decks feature engaging illustrations on every card in the deck. In others, 40 of the cards (Ace through 10 in every suit) feature suit symbols in various geometric arrangements and very little else. Simple, unadorned pips allow more richly illustrated trumps and court cards to stand out in a reading. Decks with scenic illustrations on every card, on the other hand, provide intuitive readers with more visual clues to base their impressions on. Only you can know which choice is right for you. Affinity Many contemporary decks are affinity decks, which recast Tarot's structure and symbolism in terms of a specific theme. For example, the Tarot of Atlantis is for people who feel a special affinity for that particular lost continent. The Tarot of Baseball is for people obsessed with "America's game." And so on. Be very careful when choosing an affinity deck. With time, your passion for leprechauns or movie monsters may pass, and your deck will no longer feel engaging or appropriate. If you plan to read for others, how will you handle clients who don't share your love for Celtic folklore, gemstones, or vampires? Text on the Cards Some decks print little or no text (titles, numbers, keywords) on the cards. Others pack the border with keywords in multiple languages. The Quick and Easy Tarot squeezes two tiny divinatory paragraphs onto each card. Some people love keywords and prompts; others find them distracting. Before you purchase a deck, take a moment to decide whether the amount of text on the cards is right for you. Structure Tarot's time-tested structure of 78 cards, two divisions, and four suits is the foundation supporting many of the deck's best qualities. However, for a variety of reasons, some deck designers feel compelled to make changes to this structure. There's nothing wrong with innovation. In the end, if a deck contains additional cards, six suits, or a Major, a Minor, and a Really Minor Arcana, it's up to you to determine whether these features will enhance or detract from your readings. Companion Books A companion book can illuminate an otherwise impenetrable deck, bringing clarity to obscure symbols and confusing images. Unlike the little white books (or LWBs) that accompany almost every deck, companion books offer in-depth insights from someone who knows a deck inside and out. If you choose a well-established deck such as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck or a parallel like the Lo Scarabeo Universal Tarots, you'll find that many Tarot books are already written with your deck in mind. If your deck is an unusual or newly published Tarot, a companion book can be especially useful. Great Decks for Beginners While some people love to comparison shop, others just want someone to tell them which deck to buy. The following recommendations are based on years of experience teaching Tarot workshops to beginners. All the decks on this list are inexpensive and easily available. You're free, of course, to select any deck that strikes your fancy, but choosing one of the decks mentioned here will facilitate your study of the Tarot and position you for future growth. Tarot people are very passionate about the decks they adopt. Whichever deck you choose, be preparedsome people will applaud your decision, but others will lament it. The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Mythic figures lock eyes with the viewer. Men and women costumed in pseudo-Medieval garb celebrate and grieve, meditate and fidget, work and play. Ghostly hands extend from clouds, offering gifts of wands, cups, swords, and coins. A century after its first publication, the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) Tarot (commissioned by Arthur E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith) remains the most widely recognized and written-about Tarot deck of all time making the deck a perfect choice for beginners. Today, U.S. Games publishes several versions of the Rider-Waite. These differ primarily in how the images are colored. The basic Rider-Waite Tarot cards are dominated by flat yellows, reds, oranges, and blues. The Universal Waite features pastel hues and detailed shading, and the Radiant Rider-Waite infuses each image with a burst of blazing, vibrant color. RWS Clones Many modern decks very closely mimic the Rider-Waite-Smith imagery, redrawing Smith's designs or mimicking Smith's artwork to some degree. Though the term is technically inaccurate, most collectors and Tarot enthusiasts call these decks clones Among these, excellent choices for beginners include Lo Scarabeo's Universal Tarots; Llewellyn's Robin Wood Tarot, the Medieval Enchantment Tarot, the World Spirit Tarot, or the Gilded Tarot; and U.S. Games' Connolly Tarot or the Hanson-Roberts Tarot. Other Options Beginners interested in something completely different should give the author's own Bright Idea Deck a try. Beginner-friendly by design, the deck was created specifically for people interested in the creative applications of Tarot: brainstorming, creative writing, and problem-solving. It can also be used for spiritual or meditative readings, of course. The deck's bold colors, 1980s vibe, multicultural cast of characters, and simple keywords reinterpret the Tarot's structure and power for contemporary audiences. Though out of print, its still readily available from Amazon.com. Classic or antique decksusually with non-illustrated pipsmake another intriguing choice, especially for beginners interested in deriving pip card meanings primarily from numerology, astrology, elemental considerations, or Qabalah. Consider any deck with the word Marseilles in the title, including Lo Scarabeo's Ancient Tarot of Marseilles. Where to Buy Your Deck Today, even in small towns, bookstores and gift shops carry a deck or two. With the advent of the Internet, you have better access to new, intriguing, rare, and collectible decks than ever before. Your shopping options include the following. Major Bookstores Major bookstore chains carry at least a dozen decks in each location. To make shopping easier, the larger chains, often provide preview decks: a handful of decks with holes punched in the upper corner, fastened together by a chain. Alternatively, some chain stores supply a three-ring binder packed with laminated card images from each deck in stock. Many bookstores keep Tarot decks locked in a cabinet or hidden behind a counter. Don't be surprised if you have to ask a clerk to open a display case for you. Independent Metaphysical, Book, and Gift Shops With the explosion of interest in alternative therapies, comparative spirituality, and New Age topics, metaphysical stores (or "body, mind, and spirit shops") are now branching out into much smaller markets. Independent book and gift stores with an emphasis on New Age titles (such as Phoenix and Dragon in Atlanta and Edge of the Circle Books in Seattle) often stock several decks. In addition, because these stores often keep a Tarot enthusiast on staff, they might be better equipped to help you find the deck that's right for you. Small metaphysical stores are much more likely to offer up-to-date sample books featuring several cards from each deck. They are also more likely to offer sample decks, allowing you to shuffle and read the cards before making your purchase. Especially if you're a hands-on shopper, you might want to invest some time in a trip to the small, independent metaphysical store nearest you. Online Tarot Shops If you don't have easy access to a bookstore or metaphysical shop, don't fret: A well-stocked Tarot bazaar is never more than a mouse-click away. Amazon.com carries hundreds of decksjust do a keyword search on "Tarot" to see the list. Most decks on Amazon.com are mass-market decks from larger publishers such as Llewellyn and U.S. Games. So, don't expect to find much in the way of independent, hand-crafted, or out-of-print decks here. TarotGarden.com stocks decks from major publishers and has a huge inventory of rare and hard-to-find decks. The web site offers scans of several cards from every deck TarotGarden.com sells, making it easier for shoppers to find decks with art they find intriguing. AlidaStore.com is another online store with a huge inventory. Alida consistently stocks decks other stores have difficulty locating, and international shipmentdespite its location in the Republic of San Marinois fast and reliable. Review Sites If your local store lacks a preview or sample book, do a web search on Tarot deck reviews to find many sites some still active, some not offering libraries of tarot deck reviews. You'll also find reviews at Aeclectic.Net. There, many of the hundreds of deck reviews include up to six sample cards. Best of all, after you choose a deck, the user forums give you access to a lively community of people who share your passion for it. Read a few entries to get a feel for the forums; then dive right in. Reviews on web sites often include Amazon.com associate links, making it easy for you to purchase the decks and support the site at the same time. eBay.com On the Internet's most famous auction site, eBay.com, Tarot decks, books, charms, art prints, boxes, bags, and other products are for sale by the thousands. But let the buyer beware! While many of the people selling decks on eBay are entirely trustworthy, it's not unusual to find common, inexpensive decks promoted as "rare" or "out of print." Decks marked as collector's items might still be available directly from their creators' websites at much lower prices. For this reason, you might want to shop elsewhere, particularly for your first few decks. After you get your feet wet and you have a feel for the market, you can shop eBay with confidence. If you're determined to shop for a deck on eBay, keep these guidelines in mind: Verify the condition of the deckIs it complete? Are all the cards intact? Are any cards bent or damaged? Are there any stains or marks? Verify the condition of the packagingIs the deck in its original box? Did it come with a booklet? Is the booklet included? What condition is the booklet in? Know the history of the deckIs the deck new or used? If it's used, what is its history? Who owned it? How was it used? How was it stored? If the deck has been released more than once, is this an early edition or a reprint? Do your homeworkGoogle the name of the deck and read reviews. Check the price of the deck on Amazon.com, TarotGarden.com, and the deck designer's website. If a copy of the same deck has been auctioned recently, use eBay's advanced search feature to check its closing price. Be skepticalIn previous eBay auctions, people have paid top dollar for "haunted" paintings and "possessed" trinkets. As a result, listing an item as "haunted" or "possessed" is a common ploy used to drive up Tarot deck prices. Take such claims with a grain of salt. Clarify shipping costsUnscrupulous sellers auction items for very low prices and then hit buyers with unusually high shipping and handling costs. Always get an accurate estimate for shipping costs to your address. Contact the sellerIf the listing doesn't give you the information you need, contact the seller by email and ask your questions. Some sellers know very little about Tarot and might not realize what buyers need to know. Concerns with Used Decks Practically, apart from the physical condition of the cards, odor is the primary factor that can ruin an otherwise great used deck. Cards stored in a smoker's home will absorb the odor of cigarettes; if you are not a smoker, you might find this unpleasant. If you're sensitive to fragrances, you might also want to ask whether the seller or the previous owner burns incense. Even sealed decks tend to absorb strong scents. From a metaphysical point of view, some people believe cards absorb vibrations from their users. That's why many used deck listings describe in great detail how a deck has been stored and cleansed. If you are concerned about whether a used deck has absorbed negative energy, you should ask about its history. Even in the best of cases, you might still want to cleanse a used deck using any of the rituals described later in this chapter. Caring for Your Deck Many books on Tarot provide elaborate, specific rituals for storing and caring for decks. Some people who use Tarot feel these rituals are critical; others dismiss them entirely. The cards perform equally well for both camps. That said, here are some tips designed to enhance your enjoyment of the cards and keep them in good condition for years to come. Preparing a New Deck Here are a few sample rituals for preparing a new deck for use, along with practical and mystical justifications for each. Reviewing each card. Go through the deck and take a good look at each card. * Practical Reason: Check the deck for missing or duplicate cards. * Mystical Reason: Acknowledges the wisdom of each card and attunes the deck to your personal energy. Fanning open. Fan the cards out on a table for at least an hour. * Practical Reason: Dispels the strong odor of ink associated with new decks. * Mystical Reason: Clears residual chaotic energy arising from the deck's production. Ritual: Smudging. Pass each card through smoke from sage, tobacco, or stick incense. * Practical Reason: Dispels the strong odor of ink associated with new decks. * Mystical Reason: Blesses and cleanses the deck; consecrates each card as an important spiritual tool. Combine this with an invocation, if you like. Ritual: Shuffling. Shuffle the cards thoroughly at least seven times. * Practical Reason: Randomizes the cards, reducing the chances that first readings will contain sequential cards. * Mystical Reason: Imparts the mystical energy of the number 7 to the deck, priming it for use as a spiritual tool. To be clear, none of these rituals are compulsory. Tarot is a universal tool; adopt only the rituals that make sense in terms of your faith, your relationship with the universe, and your personal approach to Tarot. Storing Your Deck Tarot decks can be stored in a number of ways. Your choice of method will be influenced by your ultimate plans for the deck. As a Collector's Item To maintain the value of your deck, you must keep it pristine condition. If you are purchasing a deck with an eye toward selling it in the future, consider buying one copy to work with and one to store in the unbroken, original packaging. Keep receipts to document the price you paid for the cards. If you must open the box, do so gently, being careful not to tear the cardboard flaps. Keep all materialsthe little white booklet, any bags or accessory items, and the companion booktogether because this will preserve the value of your investment. Store the cards in a temperature-controlled, fragrance-free environment. To minimize damage to the edges of the box (called shelf wear), store it flat on its back in a sandwich or freezer bag. As a Spiritual Tool If you plan to use your cards as a personal divinatory, magical, or meditative tool, you need a storage solution that will provide easy access to the deck and express the degree of reverence toward Tarot that you feel is appropriate. Some suggestions: Wrapping. Set the cardboard box aside. Wrap your cards in a silk cloth and store them in a wooden box. For transport, transfer the wrapped deck to a silk or cotton drawstring bag. * Practical Reason: Cardboard boxes are flimsy and crush easily. Cards wrapped in a cloth are less likely to be lost. Wooden boxes stack easily and make the cards readily accessible. Drawstring bags fit easily into a pocket or purse and help keep the deck together. Handling your cards carefully makes a statement to others about the seriousness of your work. * Mystical Reason: Some psychics assert that silk recharges and cleanses the cards; at the very least, it's an all-natural material with neutral or positive energy. Surrounding the cards with natural materials such as wood or stone reinforces their elemental magical properties. Handling the cards with reverence communicates gratitude and reinforces the fact that the cards are, to you, more than just laminated cardboard. Dedicating Space. Keep the cards in their original boxes in a special cabinet or drawer. * Practical Reason: If you own more than one deck, this method allows you to identify a specific deck at a glance. Having a single storage place for your cards facilitates finding them and prevents loss. A cabinet can offer a degree of protection from sunlight, fragrances, and unpleasant odors. * Mystical Reason: Dedicating a storage spacea cabinet, a drawer, a chest, and so onreinforces an attitude of reverence. Storing all your decks together concentrates their magical and vibrational properties. A dedicated space can also be used as an altar. Going with the Flow. Store the cards casually, in a box or out, wrapped or unwrapped, in whatever method is most convenient, practical, and simple. * Practical Reason: This method gives you maximum flexibility. On a hike? Toss the cards into waterproof baggie and go. On a trip? Slip the cards into your luggage. This approach increases wear and tear on the cards, but it also communicates to others your conclusion that Tarot is first and foremost a practical tool. * Mystical Reason: The universe is a big universe, and God (or the Goddess or your higher self) is a big god. This approach celebrates the belief that there is no clear line between the sacred and the common and that mystical potential is an essential quality of all things (including an apparently mundane deck of cards!) and is more a matter of personal intent than ritual practice. Reviving a Deck As decks age and the lamination becomes damaged, cards can stick together, making your Tarot progressively more difficult to shuffle. Simple maintenance can breathe new life into old decks. Fan the cards out face down and lightly sprinkle them with unscented talcum powder, baby powder, or cornstarch. The most effective treatment is fanning powder, or zinc stearate, sold at shops that cater to stage magicians. That done, give the cards a long series of gentle overhand shuffles, allowing the deck to shed any excess powder. Your cards will now shuffle with ease. Cleansing a Deck Cleansing a Tarot deck is a metaphysical practice that: * Neutralizes the energies accumulated during the reading process * Dispels negative energy that can be imparted to the cards when they are handled by unpleasant, unhappy, or malicious individuals * Recharges the mystical properties of a deck * Boosts the performance of a deck that is believed to be missing the mark during readings Those who see the Tarot primarily as a practical tool dismiss the need for cleansing or recharging decks entirely. From their point of view, the power of Tarot originates in the mind and heart of the user and exists independently of the cards. A number of Tarot users, however, do attest to the effectiveness of cleansing, claiming it restores the performance of decks that have become problematic. Over the years, books and individuals have recommended a variety of cleansing rituals. Most of these involve one of the following: * Exposing the deck to moonlight, immersing it in pure intuitive, subconscious energy * Storing the deck in the earth, grounding it and allowing negative energies to be processed and absorbed * Recharging the deck by placing it in close contact with a source of clear energytopping it with crystals, smudging it with fragrant smoke, or fanning it out beneath the radiance of a single white candle If cleansing rituals make sense within the context of your personal spiritual path, feel free to create your ownor adopt one of these: Moonbath. Wrap the cards in silk. At the full moon, place them on a window ledge, porch, or table where they can spend the maximum amount of time possible in the pure moonlight. (Be sure, too, to choose a location where the cards will be protected from the elements and from curious creatures of the night!) Burial. Wrap the cards in silk or another natural fiber; then seal them in an airtight plastic bag for additional protection. On the night of the new moon, bury the deck in the earth. On the night of the full moon, unearth the cards. Candlelight Bath. On a ritual table or altar, light several white candles. Place the deck face down on the center of the altar. Surround it with objects that are precious or sacred to you: photographs of loved ones, flowers, stones, ritual objects, or religious figures. Place a large crystalusually quartz or rose quartzon top of the deck, where it can amplify and channel the candlelight directly into the deck. Leave the cards in place for at least an hour. Water Cleanse. In the vicinity of running water, such as a stream, a river, or a lake, spread the cards out on a table or stone and sprinkle them with sea salt. Dont actually put the cards in the water, though! Any of these rituals can be combined with incantations, prayers, or meditative sessionswhatever makes sense within your own spiritual tradition. Disposing of a Deck Decks used frequently will, with time, deteriorate. Edges fray, cards crimp, corners become dog-eared, and, despite our best efforts, cards become lost. You might also find that over time a deck that once appealed to you no longer does, or that a deck that once sang has, for a variety of reasons, fallen mute. A small minority of Tarot users simply throw such decks away. More reverent alternatives include * Offering incomplete or damaged decks for sale or trade on Tarot-related newsgroups. Cards from another incomplete deck can give your deck new life, or cards from your incomplete deck might be of use to someone else. * Swapping decks you've outgrown or no longer care for with other Tarot enthusiasts at conventions or swaps, or offering complete used decks for sale on eBay.com or other auction sites. * Giving a deck a ritual burial. In extreme cases such as decks with water damage, torn cards, or cards with other critical damage, it might be best to retire a deck completely. Wrapping the deck in silk and placing it reverently in the earth is perfectly acceptable. You might also consider ritually burning the deck, perhaps adding fragrant herbs or incense to the pyre. In a Nutshell * When shopping for a first deck, rather than looking for a deck that speaks to you, spend some time thinking about how your deck will be used. * Other factors to keep in mind when deck shopping include the artwork, size, tone, theme, and structure of a deck. Consider, too, whether the presence of keywords or the availability of a full-size companion book is important to you. * Good decks for beginners include any deck from the Rider-Waite-Smith family of decks, including the Universal Tarots, the Robin Wood Tarot, the Medieval Enchantment Tarot, the World Spirit Tarot, the Gilded Tarot, the Connolly Tarot, or any version of the Rider-Waite deck published by U.S. Games. * Advanced students or beginners with a special interest in the occult, comparative religion, or myth will appreciate the depth of the Thoth Tarot. For something completely different and contemporary, try the Bright Idea Deck. For something classic, try any deck with Marseilles in the title. * Chain stores, local metaphysical gift and book shops, and any number of online outlets carry a wide variety of decks. Use review sites to look at card images before you buy, and always exercise caution when buying on eBay.com. * Many rituals are associated with preparing, storing, revising, cleansing, and disposing of decks. None are compulsory. Adopt the ones that make sense to you, and ignore the others. Chapter 5: Consulting the Tarot In This Chapter: * How should you prepare for a reading? * Are rituals necessary? Which rituals are appropriate? * How should the cards be handled? * How do you know which cards go where? * How do you read the cards? * How do you bring a reading to an end? Many beginners, eager for a reading, snatch the nearest deck, deal a few cards, and plunge right in. For some, this works. Others, though, end up staring at a line of cards with no idea how to proceed. Preparing for a Reading A little preparation can go a long way and make your first readings more effective, efficient, and enjoyable. Experienced readers know the value of * A well-prepared space * A calming ritual * A clearly worded question * A meaningful significator * A well-chosen spread. Preparing Your Space Readings can be given almost anywhere, from quiet mountain retreats to noisy tradeshow booths. You will greatly increase the impact of your readings, though, if you do what you can to limit distractions. Before a reading, turn off televisions and forward phones to voice mail. A secluded space is good if you can find it; otherwise, you might have to take a few cleansing, calming breaths and make do. Performing a Ritual Ritualsrepetitive activities designed to calm the mind, focus intention, and attune the spiritvary from reader to reader. Some readers think consulting the cards without engaging in a pre-reading ritual is dangerousor even blasphemous. Others have no use for ritual at all. As you explore the role of ritual in your own readings, keep these points in mind: Rituals are optional. If you want to incorporate rituals into your reading practice, do. If you don't want to, don't. Many very effective readers do nothing more than open the box, shuffle the cards, and go. Simple rituals offer greater flexibility. Adopting a ritual involving 16 lighted candles and a 10-minute invocation limits when and where you can read the cards. On the other hand, simple rituals (observing a moment of silence, shuffling the cards in a special way, or repeating a brief prayer or invocation appropriate to your own spiritual path) can be performed anytime, anywhere. Rituals can facilitate getting in the mood. Practiced consistently, a ritual can prompt a reflective or creative frame of mind. Associate a specific sound (a small bell), a fragrance (a brand of incense), or a routine (placing a crystal on the table) with the reading process. Soon, performing your ritual will automatically relax and focus you. Rituals can protect you. Many Tarot readers believe the reading process taps into powerful spiritual forces. For them, a ritual offers protection from malicious spirits or unwanted influences. From a purely psychological standpoint, rituals may also help insulate readers from the unhealthy energy projected by clients with negative attitudes or pessimistic outlooks on life. Rituals set the stage for important work. Lighting candles, playing certain CDs, or burning a certain brand of incense can help you make a transition from everyday life into a sacred space. A Simple Ritual This simple, effective ritual requires little time and can be performed anywhere. Why not personalize it with elements from your own spiritual path? 1. Remove the cards from their box or bag. Square up the deck and place it face down within easy reach. 2.Place your right hand over the deck and clear your mind. 3.If invocations are a part of your spiritual practice, offer a short prayer, recite a mantra (a short phrase you associate with a clear state of mind) or sound a small bell. If invocations and prayers aren't your style, feel free to skip this step entirely. 4.With your left hand, cut the deck into three piles or spread it into a fan. 5.With your right hand, reunite the deck. Defining Your Question Defining a good question is critical because specific questions get specific answers. What kinds of questions can you ask? The sky's the limit: Yes/No questions. You can ask the Tarot yes/no questions. (Flipping a coin would be faster and easier!) Before you begin, set clear criteria for what equals "yes" versus what equals "no." Any system will do, but changing your criteria after revealing the answer is cheating! How and what questions. Process questions ask "How can I?" and "What can I do?" These questions tend to produce a list of actions needed to reach a goal. They empower you by focusing on what you can do. When questions. Timing questions can be disempowering. If the cards indicate an important event will happen next week, should you throw up your hands and wait? If the cards indicate the event will never happen, should you give up your pursuit of it completely? Why questions. Resolving a troublesome personal issue can involve asking "Why?" The problem is that this approach often encourages paralysis by analysis. Consider following up each "Why?" with a more action-oriented question. Open-ended questions. Many people want or feel a need for a reading but have no idea what to ask. In these cases, an open-ended question ("What do I need to know right now?" "What's something important I'm overlooking?" "What should I look out for today?") can be just the thing. Wisdom questions. Popularized by Rachel Pollack's book The Forest of Souls (Llewellyn, 2004), wisdom questions are the "Big Questions" one might normally reserve for God ("Who made me?" "Why does Tarot work?"). Wisdom questions are particularly useful for starting a casual dialogue with the cards. After you decide on a question, write it down for future reference. Choosing Significators A significator is a card you select to represent a specific person. If more than one person is involved in a reading, you can choose multiple significators: one for each. Pick a significator based on any logic that makes sense to you. Does the Page of Swords look like you? Make him your significator. Is your mother's astrological sign Cancer? Choose a card you associate with that sign. Some people set significators aside, allowing them to "witness" the reading. Others shuffle the significators into the deck, allowing them to turn up in the reading. Significators aren't as popular as they once were. Use them if you want to; they're strictly optional. Selecting a Spread A spread is a predefined layout of cardsa template defining positions for your cards. Each position in the spread is assigned a positional meaning, defining what a card in that position will representThe Past, for example, or The Outcome. Spreads don't have to be complex to be effective. Some of the best spreads, in fact, use fewer than three cards. Single Card Draw One spread you'll find in almost every Tarot book ever written is the Single Card Draw. It works like this: 1.Pick a question. 2.Pick a card. 3.Relate the card to your question. That's it! The Single Card Draw works especially well with open-ended questions such as "What do I need to know today?" Pro/Con or Yes/No With your question in mind, draw two cards and place them side by side. The first card represents why something should be done; the second card represents why something shouldn't be done. You can learn more by drawing several pro and con cards and placing them into parallel columns. The Crossroads Spread The Crossroads spread explores the forces that create or perpetuate a situation. This spread is particularly good for conflict resolution because it can make it easier for you to understand a completely foreign point of view. The two cards representing each viewpoint are laid one over the other, at right angles, creating a miniature intersection (or a plus sign). The top card represents one perspective on your problem; the other card represents another. As you relate each of these cards to the question under consideration, you're likely to see your issue from a completely different point of view. If you like, draw one to three additional cards, representing steps you can take that will transform the conflict into a win-win situation. Past/Present/Future This popular spread deals three cards into a straight line. Don't be fooled by its apparent simplicity! This little spread can deliver amazing insight into the direction and evolution of your situation. The cards, read from left to right, represent the past, present, and future. You can easily expand this spread by drawing multiple cards corresponding to many possible futures. The Minor Cross When you're ready for readings with more depth, you can opt for a more complex spread, such as the Minor Cross. It's especially useful when you need quick insights into a persistent problem that, despite the passage of time, continues to block your progress. The positional meanings for the Minor Cross include: * Card One: The SituationThis card answers the question "What's going on?" * Card Two: The FoundationThis card represents the person or influence that perpetuates your situation. * Card Three: The PastThis card reveals how the Foundation has shaped past events. * Card Four: The CatalystThe Catalyst represents potential for change, something that can be done to shake things up, change your luck, or redirect the flow of events. * Card Five: The ResultThis card represents the outcome, or what you can expect from putting the Catalyst into play. The Story Spread The Story Spread allows you to see your situation in terms of plot points in an ongoing story. Positional meanings in the Story Spread include: * Card One: Once Upon a TimeThis card represents your situation in the beginning, before complications occur. Expect to see your original goals or expectations reflected here. * Card Two: The IncidentThis card represents how an action taken, person met, or decision made changes the course of events forever. * Card Three: Initial ResponseWhen we encounter obstacles, we usually do our best to avoid them. This card reflects your first most basic, most impulsive response to the Incident. * Card Four: InsightThis card reveals something you must know in order to act with wisdom. * Card Five: ResolutionThe Resolution points the way out of the forest, increasing your chances of living happily ever after. The Story Spread is a particularly effective spread for working with relationship issues because it clarifies original intentions, identifies misunderstood or misinterpreted actions, and suggests a way to move forward. Celtic Cross What list of spreads would be complete without the Celtic Cross? This spread first appeared in A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot. Over the years, readers have changed the positional meanings to suit their tastes. Still, Waite's basic structure remains intact. The positional meanings for the Celtic Cross are: * Card One: What Covers YouRepresents you and your situation * Card Two: What Crosses YouIndicates an influence now coming into play * Card Three: What Crowns YouRepresents your hopes and goals * Card Four: What is beneath YouSymbolizes the issue at the root of your question * Card Five: What is before YouIndicates an influence that will soon have impact * Card Six: What is behind YouRepresents your history * Card Seven: YouReveals your feelings about your situation * Card Eight: Your HouseReveals the mood of those closest to you * Card Nine: Your FearsIlluminates your deepest concerns * Card Ten: The OutcomeReveals what will ultimately happen Today's Tarot readers often feel the positional meanings of the Celtic Cross are too fatalistic. If you agree, try these assignments for cards Seven through Ten: * Card Seven: The ObstacleClarifies what the problem really is * Card Eight: The OptionOffers a plan of action * Card Nine: The Current FutureReveals what will happen if you do nothing * Card Ten: A Possible FutureReveals what could happen if you take the Option Custom Spreads With time, you'll create your own spreads. Remember, though, that spreads with fewer cards are easier to read. A simple line of three cards makes for an enormously flexible spread, capable of representing Past/Present/Future, Three Steps to Success, and hundreds of other possibilities. If you being to feel that spreads confine or restrict your work with the cards, you might try a process described in Michele Morgan's A Magical Course in Tarot. Morgan advocates randomly tossing a predetermined number of cards on the table, then exploring how the cards seem to relate to each other. (You might decide, for example, that cards falling closest to you represent forces with impact on your situation than cards falling farther away.) This freestyle approach produces the ultimate custom spread! Performing the Reading After you define your question and choose a spread, the reading process can begin. Shuffling and Cutting the Deck Practically speaking, the goal of shuffling and cutting is to randomize the cards, avoiding the presentation of the same cards over and over again. Mathematicians assert seven poker shuffles thoroughly randomize a deck. Metaphysically, the goal of a shuffle and cut is to sample the moment and allow the cards to reflect the situation. In this case, you just shuffle until the cards feel right. Generally, Tarot cards are shuffled in one of three ways: Overhand shuffle. This allows cards to slip gently over each other. Finger-painting method. This is good for large decks because it spreads cards into a messy tabletop pile and then squares them up again. Over-the-bridge or poker shuffle. This mixes cards rapidly and well. Many readers use this method, but some frown on it, fretting that it looks disrespectful. On a more practical note, you should also be aware that a poker shuffle is much more likely to bend your cards or fray their edges vastly reducing the life of your deck. Cutting the cards is traditionally done with the left hand (the hand of intuition), dividing the deck into two or three roughly equal piles before reassembling it. You can honor these traditions or blaze trails of your own. Dealing the Cards As you deal, you must decide whether you prefer to place cards face-up or face-down. You must also have a strategy for dealing with cards that have become inverted (or reversed) by the shuffling process. Face Up or Face Down? Dealing the cards face down allows you to reveal them one by one. This adds drama to a reading and allows you to track your progress through the reading, card by card. Face-up cards can be analyzed quickly before the formal reading begins, letting you count the number of trumps present, for example. Try both methods, and then embrace the one that suits your purposes. Handling Reversals When a deck is shuffled, some cards turn upside-down, creating reversed cards. Some readers ignore reversals, turning the cards upright and moving on. Other readers allow reversals to alter card meanings in various ways: Opposition. Whatever a card means, a reversal means the opposite. The reversed Death card, for example, might foretell a birth. Restriction. The forces represented by the card are being repressed or held back. A reversed Three of Cups, for example, might mean someone feels joy (one meaning for the card) but hides it. Blockage. The forces represented by a card are present, but some obstacle restricts your access to them. Try some readings with reversals and some withoutbut each time you read, decide before you deal. Tip: You can encourage reversed cards during the cutting process. Split the deck in two, reverse one half, and shuffle the halves together. Interpreting the Cards Some readers are intuitive, going with the flow; others are analytical, using well-defined systems to generate meanings. Many readers blend intuitive and analytical methods to produce their own unique reading styles. As part of coming up with your own technique, give the following approaches a try. Intuitive Methods An intuitive reader favors his or her impression of a card's meaning over any meaning supplied in a book. Intuitive methods draw on free association, past experiences, gut feelings, leaps of logic, memories, flashes of insight, or psychic abilities to define deeply personal meanings for each card. The Card Story Humans see stories everywhere: causes and effects, beginnings and endings. The card story method takes advantage of this ability. Give it a try: what story is being told by this line of three cards? One person might see the story of an overburdened worker (Ten of Wands) who, in order to restore balance in his life (Temperance), leaves corporate life behind (Six of Swords). You might see something else entirely the point is to tell a story. When working with this method, pay close attention to detail. Note expressions and postures. Are characters looking at each other or ignoring each other? Does a figure on one card seem to point to another? As you analyze what's going on, you'll find that the story you uncover contains the advice you need most. Images and Actions This simple method involves translating each card into an action plan. Perhaps you want something different to do this weekend. What actions might be suggested by these cards? The Chariot might make you think of a car and, by extension, a road trip. Associating the Five of Coins with poverty, you might volunteer at a local shelter. An image of eight swift, flying Wands might suggest the idea of speed, sending you out to the local go-kart track. Want to supercharge this method? Generate more than one option for each card. Single Card, Single Item It doesn't get much simpler than this: Ask a question, draw a card, identify the very first card element that catches your attention, and free associate! Let's say your question is, "What should I do about that co-worker who keeps stealing my best pens?" With your question in mind, take a look at this card: Lets say the wands themselves catch your eye. They look a bit like pens, dont they? Having made this association, you might be inspired to see the Five of Wands as an image of five men fighting with (or perhaps fighting over) pens. This might, in turn, lead you to realize that declaring war over pens is a pretty silly thing to do. Based on that realization, you might decide to simply give your co-worker a box of pens or decide to stop worrying so much about life lifes little annoyances. Ask a Good Question Stoke your intuition by asking open-ended questions, such as these: * If this picture were a coded message, what would the message be? * If the character on this card could talk, what would he or she say? * What's the mood of the card? What emotions do I associate with it? * If the card characters moved, what would happen next? Analytical Methods Analytical readers depend on keywords, suit and number symbolism, divinatory meanings, and other systems when coming up with meanings for the cards. Adopting analytical methods will quickly build your skills. Noting Card Types Simply put, in this method you determine what you can learn from the type of cards that appear in the reading. Consider, for example, this line of cards: The fact that this line of cards contains two court cards and one trump can reveal a great deal. Before responding to the images, consider what type of cards are in this spread. There are two court cards in the outermost positions. Might this suggest there are two people at odds with each other? The center card is a Major Arcana card; might their apparent differences reflect a larger design? Counting Reversals How many reversals are there? One or two reversals might be considered par for the course, but take note when the majority of cards are reversed. This can often indicate a stalemate of some kind or a situation in which people are refusing to say what they think. Reading Simple Elementals Reading simple elementals is easy. In any spread with at least three cards, count how many cards come from each of the four suits. Does one suit dominate? Is one suit absent? Here are some quick and easy guidelines for assigning meaning to the dominance or absence of a specific suit: Wands * If dominant: fiery energy; conflicting goals; hyperactivity; emphasis on action * If absent: Difficulty making things happen or action with no real goal in mind Cups * If dominant: emotionalism; emphasis on collaboration and feelings; introspection * If absent: clinical detachment; action with no thought of impact; coldness Swords * If dominant: emphasis on logic; paralysis by analysis; over-thinking * If absent: lack of communication; impulsive action; irrationality; confusion Coins * If dominant: practical concerns; emphasis on cost, value, health, and body * If absent: impracticality; no eye on the bottom line; unhealthy choices Given the following line of cards, what conclusions might you draw? Clearly, Cups dominate, indicating a highly emotional situation. In addition, Wands (the fiery suit of intention) and Swords (the airy suit of intellect and logic) are missing. As a result, before interpreting individual cards, you would know this reading concerns an emotionally charged incident that, in addition to bringing matters to a standstill, confuses everyone involved. Reading Numbers Which numbers appear on the cards? If the cards are arranged in a straight line, do the numbers increase? Decrease? Balance each other? What might the numbers suggest about changes in intensity over time? Consulting a Reference The reference guide in this book provides basic keywords and meanings for each card. For a more comprehensive guide, please consider my own A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, which provides detailed keywords, questions, and useful insights into the meaning of every card in a conventional 78-card deck. Rather than be enslaved by any reference guide, make it work for you. Are the meanings helpful? If so, adopt them. If not, ignore them. Ending the Reading When your reading is complete, note your insights and return the cards to the deck. If you enjoy rituals, you may wish to do one or more of the following: * Clear the deck by fanning it and restacking it. * Say a short prayer of thanks. * Rewrap the deck in a silk cloth before storing it. If you aren't into rituals, simply collect your cards and put them away. A Sample Reading Troy, Rita's best friend, recently began dating JoAnn, a woman he met at work. Rita and Troy's other friends want to make JoAnn feel included. Unfortunately, JoAnn's sense of humor makes getting along with her a challenge. (She enjoys making fun of others.) Worse, whenever she's around, she constantly complains that Troy spends too much time with his friends. Troy seems oblivious to JoAnn's shortcomings. Rita, at the end of her rope, is on the verge of telling Troy, "It's time to choose between JoAnn and your friends." Before she delivers the ultimatum, she turns to the Tarot. Preparing for the Reading Once home from work, Rita turns off her phone to limit distractions. To set the mood, she plays her favorite meditation music and lights her Tarot reading candle. After retrieving her favorite deck from an ornate wooden box, she places the deck on the table and pauses to gaze at the candle flameher personal ritual for clearing her mind. Once she feels her shoulders relax, she thumbs through the deck, auditioning significators. Ultimately, she decides the following: * Troy will be the Page of Wands. "Pages are beginners, and I associate Wands with sexuality and passion," she says. "This is Troy's first serious relationship in a long time." * JoAnn will be the Queen of Cups. "I associate Queens with subtle control and Cups with emotions. JoAnn knows exactly what she's doing, using emotions to get her way." * Rita will be the Queen of Swords. "I like to think of myself as the Queen of Swords, using my wits to control things from behind the scenes." With significators picked and returned to the deck, Rita picks up a pad and pen. After drafting several questions, she eventually decides on the following question: "What can I do to help Troy understand how JoAnn is affecting his friendships?" Before shuffling and dealing the deck, Rita adapts the Minor Cross spread to suit her needs, drawing rectangles on her pad to represent the position of each card. Before dealing the cards, Rita creates a spread and assigns meanings to each position. She decides on the following positional meanings: * Card One: The Situation. The card here will amount to a photograph of what's going on. * Card Two: The Unseen. Rita likes to include this card as a way of shattering her assumptions and taking off her blinders. * Card Three: The Other. Rita hopes this card will provide insights into JoAnn's point of view because, she says, "I don't have a clue what that woman is thinking." * Card Four: The Action. Rita wants this card to represent something she can do to communicate her unhappiness. * Card Five: The Result. This card will give Rita some indication of what will happen if she puts The Action into play. Performing the Reading Rita picks up her Tarot deck and, with her question in mind, gently shuffles the cards until she feels satisfied. With her left hand, she cuts the cards three times. When she reassembles the deck, she deals the first five cards off the top into the positions she defined earlier. Rita receives the following cards: * Card One: The SituationThree of Cups, Reversed * Card Two: The UnseenPage of Wands * Card Three: The OtherSix of Wands, Reversed * Card Four: The ActionSeven of Swords, Reversed * Card Five: The ResultTemperance Rita prefers to begin her readings with analytical approaches, looking for trumps, taking note of which suits are represented, and recalling her favorite keywords for each card. Today, she notices the suit of Wands dominates, which suggests this is a reading about conflicting desires. She notices the suit of Coins is completely absent, suggesting that she would likely feel better if she paused to consider the matter from a more practical (Coins) point of view. Three out of five cards are reversed. Long ago, Rita decided to associate reversed cards with restrained energy. The three reversals hint that the people involved in the situation are repressing their feelings instead of speaking their minds. Finally, she notices the spread contains only one trump: Trump XIV, Temperance. Because the other cards are from the Minor Arcana, she feels encouraged that this is a situation that falls within the realm of everyday lifesomething she and her friends can handle. Her overview completed, Rita focuses on individual cards and allows her intuition to guide her interpretation of each one: The Situation. Rita begins with Card One, the Three of Cups. Years ago, she memorized the keyword celebration for this card. Today, though, the picture on the card brings to mind her circle of friends. To Rita, the reversal suggests that JoAnn's arrival has upset or overturned her group's friendly alliance. "Normally, we're all as close as can be, but with JoAnn on the scene, we're doing more grumbling than laughing." The Unseen. The appearance of the Page of Wands, Troy's significator, gives Rita pause. "This suggests to me that Troy plays a role I'm overlooking." After a pause, she experiences a sudden insight. "We're blaming everything on Rita, but the fact is that Troy's around when all of this is going on. He's got to be aware of it, but he's choosing not to do anything about it." She shakes her head. "Until now, it hadn't occurred to me that Troy's part in all of this is just as important as JoAnn's." The Other. Rita normally associates the Six of Wands with victory or success, but here, the card is reversed. "This card represents JoAnn's perspective. I'm guessing it means that she feels like she's in a competition for Troy's attention and, because it's reversed, she probably feels like my friends and I are winning." The Action. The figure on the Seven of Swords always strikes Rita as sneaky. In addition to logic and decision-making, Rita associates Swords with communication; she also sees seven as the number of imagination. "Put those two meanings together, and you get imaginary communication, such as rumors and gossip. Because this card is reversed, I'm going to say the recommended action is stop the gossip and have a frank talk with Troy." The Result. Rita was encouraged by the Result card. "Temperance is all about finding middle ground. If I play my cards right, there's a good chance I can avoid extremes and bring all of this to a great conclusion." Thankful for her insights, Rita pauses to say a quick invocation to the Goddess. She notes the cards and her interpretations in her Tarot Journal, returns the cards to the deck, fans out the deck to clear away the energy associated with this reading, and returns the deck to its wooden box. In a Nutshell * Prepare for a reading by preparing your space and your deck in ways that make sense to you. Before dealing the cards, define your question clearly, decide whether to use significators, and select an appropriate spread. * Shuffle and cut the cards in any way that seems effective; then deal them. * Read the cards, employing any intuitive or analytical methods that work for you. * When your reading is complete, perform a ritual of your choice (or none at all, if you prefer) and store your cards appropriately. Chapter 6: Traditional Tarot Card Meanings In This Chapter * What are traditional meanings? * Why bother with tradition when you have intuition? * Where do traditional meanings come from? * How should the meanings in this book be used? * What does each card mean? About Traditional Meanings Many Tarot readers work intuitively: as they look at an illustration, they get an impression of what that card means to them at that point in time. On one day, the Ace of Wands is a good omen. On the next, it could be a warning. Neither interpretation is right or wrong, because all meanings assigned to the cards are strictly a matter of context. But Tarot cards also have traditional meaningsmeanings other people have assigned to the cards over time. Some of these meanings are derived from complicated astrological or numerological computations. Some are based on obscure texts. Others are based on the insights of experienced readers, who have learned to associate certain cards with certain situations. Passionate intuitive readers may refer to traditional meanings as "canned meanings," implying they are prefabricated, stale, or inferior. But traditional meanings have their place. In short, they can: * help beginners approach the cards with confidence * suggest new and valuable associations for each card * introduce readers to new ways of thinking about specific cards or groups of cards * serve as "jumping off points" for brainstorming sessions * offer a second opinion on what a given card might mean * lend weight to an intuitive reader's first impressions, and * suggest insights a purely intuitive reader might overlook. A single glance at a well-designed Tarot card illustration may tell you all you need to know. But when you're uncertain of your skills, too tired to be at your best, or worried that your personal agenda is coloring your interpretations, a guide to traditional meanings can useful. How to Apply These Entries The divinatory meanings found in A Guide to Tarot Card Reading are very brief and basic just enough to suggest a few possible interpretations for every card in the deck. For every card, you'll find: Keywords. Keywords boil down complex meanings into single words. You'll find at least three for every card; you can pick the ones you like best. Range of Meaning. No card is all good or all bad. These phrases suggest a broad range of interpretations for each card, from light and happy to shadowy and brooding. If youre interested in exploring traditional meanings in greater depth, another book of mine, A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, provides the following information for every card in the deck: * a large image * detailed keywords * a range of possible meanings * astrological correspondences * numerological correspondences * correspondences to elements and planets * connections to mythology and storytelling * detailed interpretations of how the card could address issues with relationships, work, spirituality, and personal growth * traditional fortune-telling interpretations * a century-old system for computing the timing of upcoming events * detailed explanations of the most important symbols * three thought questions to guide your personal reading of the card. The Major Arcana The cards of the Major Arcana, also loosely referred to as "the trumps," address your life's most important issues and larger themes. Often, they represent universal forces that lie outside the sphere of your direct control. They may also reveal the life lessons a situation is designed to teach or help you see your situation in a larger context. Trump 0: The Fool Keywords Freedom, faith, inexperience, innocence Range of Meaning Light: Freeing yourself from limitation. Expressing joy and youthful vigor. Being open-minded. Taking a leap of faith. Attuning yourself to your instincts. Being eager or curious. Exploring your potential. Embracing innovation and change. Shadow: Being gullible and naive. Taking unnecessary risks. Failing to be serious when required. Being silly or distracted. Lacking experience. Failing to honor well-established traditions and limits. Behaving inappropriately. Trump 1: The Magician Keywords Capability, empowerment, activity Range of Meaning Light: Taking appropriate action. Receiving guidance from a higher power. Becoming a channel of divine will. Expressing masculine energy in appropriate and constructive ways. Being yourself in every way. Shadow: Inflating your own ego. Abusing talents. Manipulating or deceiving others. Being too aggressive. Using cheap illusions to dazzle others. Refusing to invest the time and effort needed to master your craft. Taking shortcuts. Trump 2: The Papess/High Priestess Keywords Intuition, reflection, purity, initiation Range of Meaning Light: Listening to your feelings and intuitions. Exploring unconventional spirituality. Keeping secrets. Being receptive. Reflecting instead of acting. Observing others. Preserving purity. Shadow: Being aloof. Obsessing on secrets and conspiracies. Rejecting guidance from spirit or intuition. Revealing all. Ignoring gut feelings. Refusing to become involved, even when involvement is appropriate. Trump 3: The Empress Keywords Fertility, productivity, ripeness, nurturing Range of Meaning Light: Nurturing yourself and others. Bearing fruit. Celebrating your body. Bearing (literal or figurative) children. Reveling in luxury. Mothering those around you in positive ways. Enjoying your sexuality. Getting things done. Shadow: Overindulging. Being greedy. Smothering someone with attention. Debilitating someone by being overprotective. Inhibiting productivity by obsessing on productivity. Being overcome by addictive behavior. Trump 4: The Emperor Keywords Authority, regulation, direction, structure Range of Meaning Light: Exercising authority. Defining limits. Directing the flow of work. Communicating clear guidelines. Being in control of yourself and others. Tempering aggressive masculinity with wisdom and experience. Shadow: Micromanaging. Crushing the creativity of others with a rigid, iron-fisted approach. Insisting on getting your own way. Assuming a dictatorial mindset. Using overt force to achieve your goals and maintain order. Trump 5: The Pope/Hierophant Keywords Guidance, knowledge, revelation, belief Range of Meaning Light: Teaching or guiding others. Searching for the truth. Asking for guidance from a higher power. Acknowledging the wisdom and experience of others. Taking vows. Engaging in heartfelt rituals. Volunteering. Shadow: Using experience as a means of manipulating or misguiding others. Being dogmatic. Favoring tradition over what is expedient or necessary. Going through the motions of empty rituals. Concealing wisdom. Restricting access to spiritual truths or the gods. Trump 6: The Lovers Keywords Love, passion, unity, choice Range of Meaning Light: Being in love. Showing your love to others. Expressing passion or romantic feelings. Aligning yourself with groups or like-minded others. Bringing people together. Making well-informed decisions. Shadow: Debilitating passion. Allowing an unhealthy desire for love to motivate destructive behavior. Disrupting unity. Working against the best interests of those who care about you. Ill-informed decisions. Trump 7: The Chariot Keywords Advancement, victory, triumph, success Range of Meaning Light: Breaking through barriers. Moving forward with confidence and authority. Reaching the pinnacle of success. Basking in the glory of achievement. Guiding an effort to total victory. Establishing yourself as a worthy leader. Shadow: Resting on laurels. Riding roughshod over the feelings or expectations of others. Focusing more on past successes than future opportunities. Failing to rein in impulsive behavior. Trump 8: Strength Note: In decks influenced by the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, Strength (or its equivalent) is Trump 8 and Justice (or its equivalent) is Trump 11. But in some decks, the two cards are reversed. Neither arrangement is inherently better than the other. In this book, however, you'll find the entry for Justice under Trump 11. Keywords Discipline, boldness, self-discipline, power, vitality Range of Meaning Light: Imposing restrictions on yourself for your own benefit. Bringing your passions under the control of reason. Resisting impulses that work against your best interests. Taking bold action. Shadow: Indulging weakness, even when you know it will damage your health and happiness. Languishing in addiction. Allowing your instincts to tame and conquer you. Failing to take a stand when necessary. Trump 9: The Hermit Keywords Solitude, experience, stillness, withdrawal Range of Meaning Light: Becoming or seeking out a guru. Going on a retreat. Recharging spiritual or creative batteries. Lighting the way for those with less experience. Stepping back to gain perspective. Shadow: Being a loner. Fearing contact with others. Becoming a know-it-all. Inflating claims of expertise. Hiding your skills and talents out of fear of unworthiness. Trump 10: The Wheel Keywords Luck, randomness, cycles, karma, fate, revolution Range of Meaning Light: Allowing events to unfold. Seeing the larger pattern in everyday events. Trusting your luck. Watching for cycles. Believing that "what goes around, comes around." Shadow: Losing money gambling. Refusing to do your part to bring a plan to fruition. Taking a fatalistic approach to life. Fighting the natural course of events. Trump 11: Justice Note: In decks influenced by the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, Justice (or its equivalent) is Trump 11 and Strength (or its equivalent) is Trump 8. But in some decks, the two cards are reversed. Neither arrangement is inherently better than the other. In this book, however, you'll find the entry for Strength under Trump 8. Keywords Balance, law, fairness, objectivity Range of Meaning Light: Making an objective decision. Weighing an issue carefully before taking action. Appropriately scaling your reaction to a situation. Getting all the facts. Considering evidence. Deliberating. Shadow: Delivering harsh criticism. Obsessing on rules and regulations. Playing by the book even when it is destructive or counterproductive to do so. Confusing snap decisions with timely action. Playing favorites. Trump 12: The Hanged Man Keywords Enlightenment, sacrifice, perspective, suspension, reversals Range of Meaning Light: Seeing growth opportunities in unpleasant events. Experiencing a dramatic change in personal perspective. Making the best of an unforeseen change in your life or work. Suspending disbelief. Making sacrifices. Shadow: Being untrue to yourself and your values. Refusing to make sacrifices when appropriate. Refusing to adapt to new situations. Blaming others. Profiting at the expense of others. Trump 13: Death Note: When the Death card appears, don't panic. Remember: the language of the Tarot is symbolic. In the vast majority of cases, the Death card should be read as a metaphor, not as a warning of impending doom! Use common sense, and let context be your guide. Keywords Ending, conclusion, transition, passage, departure Range of Meaning Light: Bringing an unpleasant phase of life to an end. Recognizing and celebrating the conclusion of something. Putting bad habits to rest. Becoming a new person. Leaving one person, place, or thing for another. Letting go. Shadow: Obsessing on death and dying. Refusing to give up old habits or unhealthy relationships. Insisting that everything and everyone should stay the same forever. Failing to take good care of yourself. Trump 14: Temperance Keywords Blending, synthesis, mediation, combination, harmony Range of Meaning Light: Bringing opposites together. Moderating your actions or emotions. Finding middle ground. Reaching compromises. Synthesizing solutions that please everyone involved. Using the old to make something new. Shadow: Going to extremes. Disrupting group efforts. Ignoring healthy approaches to life. Becoming an addict. Practicing gluttony. Tearing something or someone apart. Breaking alliances. Trump 15: The Devil Keywords Shadow, materialism, bondage, delusion Range of Meaning Light: Appreciating the luxuries that life has to offer. Being comfortable in your own skin. Enjoying your sexuality. Splurging on an expensive personal item. Embracing the fact that everyone has a darker side. Dealing with unhealthy impulses in healthy ways. Shadow: Putting excessive emphasis on appearances. Always wanting more. Valuing possessions more than people or relationships. Allowing base instincts to govern your life. Being selfish. Attributing your own dark impulses to outside forces or other people. Trump 16: The Tower Keywords Demolition, upheaval, deconstruction, disaster, destruction Range of Meaning Light: Breaking out of old, confining habits and mindsets. Clearing the way for new growth. Dispelling the influence of an inflated ego. Getting back to basics. Stripping away harmful illusions. Receiving sudden insight. Shadow: Clinging to traditions that repress growth. Engaging in willful blindness. Rejecting evidence that change is needed. Ignoring guidance from a higher power. Maliciously engaging in destructive behavior. Trump 17: The Star Keywords Hope, optimism, openness, certainty, faith, longing, truth Range of Meaning Light: Hoping for the best. Believing good things happen to good people. Seeing events in the best possible light. Adopting a generous spirit. Seeking guidance from above. Embracing possibility over probability. Shadow: Denying unpleasant truths. Denying personal accountability and saying, "Things just happen!" Ignoring signs and omens. Preferring illusion to reality. Spreading pessimism and stinginess of spirit. Trump 18: The Moon Keywords Mystery, fantasy, imagination, dreams, uncertainty Range of Meaning Light: Enjoying healthy fantasies and daydreams. Using your imagination. Practicing magic or celebrating the magic of everyday life. Attuning yourself to the cycles of nature. Embracing the unknown. Shadow: Becoming unable to separate fantasy from reality. Suffering from delusions. Losing your appreciation for the fantastic or magical. Adopting a ruthlessly logical mindset. Failing to appreciate life's mysteries. Trump 19: The Sun Keywords Joy, brilliance, validation, attention, energy Range of Meaning Light: Seeing things clearly. Experiencing intense joy. Celebrating your own successes. Knowing you're good at what you do. Gaining recognition for your personal genius. Shadow: Being dazzled by your own accomplishments. Becoming absorbed in your own self-image. Feeling rushed and distracted. Exerting yourself to the point of exhaustion. Overstating your abilities or misrepresenting your achievements. Trump 20: Judgement Keywords Revival, renewal, resurrection, evaluation, invitation Range of Meaning Light: Receiving a wake-up call. Discovering a new purpose in life. Becoming totally and completely yourself. Receiving a well-deserved reward. Passing an evaluation or examination. Welcoming the start of a new phase of life. Shadow: Being weighed in the balances and found wanting. Failing to measure up to a well-defined standard. Being caught goofing off or misbehaving. Failing to prepare for an examination you know is coming. Rejecting an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Trump 21: The World Keywords Wholeness, integration, totality, completeness, fullness Range of Meaning Light: Having it all. Knowing and loving yourself as completely as possible. Seeing the interconnection of all things and people. Enhancing your perspective. Living life to its fullest. Understanding the meaning of life. Shadow: Allowing greed and envy to prevent you from enjoying what you do possess. Failing to see the larger design in ordinary events. Believing that everything that exists can be touched, counted, or measured. Failing to see the divine reflected in those around you. The Minor Arcana In general, the cards of the Minor Arcana are said to reflect day-to-day concerns and ordinary events. When the Minor Arcana dominates a reading, many readers conclude that the issue under consideration can be greatly influenced by the actions of everyday people. In this guide, the Minor Arcana cards are listed by suit, in this order: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Coins. Ace of Wands Keywords Desire, inspiration, vision, creation, invention Range of Meaning Light: Being inspired. Identifying an important goal. Being given the opportunity to do whatever you want to do. Giving or receiving direction. Seeing a solution. Creating something new. Being aroused, sexually or creatively. Shadow: Failing to take advantage of a great opportunity. Being ineffectual or lazy. Making an inadequate effort. Working toward a goal, but lacking the resources or initiative to achieve success. Setting inappropriate goals. Failing to take a stand. Two of Wands Keywords Conflict, decision, option, individuality Range of Meaning Light: Having a choice. Offering or being offered an option. Seeing the value of another person's approach. Understanding there's more than one way to "skin a cat." Successfully doing more than one thing at a time. Being empowered to make a choice. Shadow: Misrepresenting your intentions. Doing one thing while desiring another. Changing course mid-stream for no good reason. Refusing to change your goal even when pursuing it no longer makes sense. Disregarding the input of others. Three of Wands Keywords Implementation, action, exploration Range of Meaning Light: Putting a plan into motion. Taking that critical first step. Making good things happen. Going beyond your limits. Blazing new trails. Hitting the ground running. Seeing your plans come to fruition. Shadow: Procrastinating. Knowing what to do, but refusing to do it. Launching a project without a clear definition of who should do what. Rejecting an opportunity to try something new. Failing to finish what you start. Four of Wands Keywords Celebration, jubilation, community, teamwork, completion Range of Meaning Light: Sharing in a great celebration. Sharing in a communal sense of achievement and success. Preparing for a party. Working together toward a common goal. Giving or winning awards. Shadow: Keeping your nose to the grindstone. Recognizing good work by demanding more work. Failing to share in a group celebration. Allowing sour grapes to poison your moment in the sun. Refusing to do your part. Five of Wands Keywords Confrontation, disruption, distinction, objection, strife Range of Meaning Light: Calmly expressing a dissenting opinion. Allowing someone to use his or her own methods to get a job done. Opening the floor for discussion or debate. Comparing progress made so far to standards set earlier. Shadow: Berating others for their ridiculous opinions. Picking fights. Offering destructive criticism. Baiting people with barbed remarks. Disrupting progress with an endless stream of pointless objections. Six of Wands Keywords Victory, achievement, success, triumph Range of Meaning Light: Outperforming your peers. Winning a competition. Being recognized as a capable person. Having your "moment in the spotlight." Being cheered on by the crowd. Getting an award. Earning the admiration of others. Telling someone, "Good job!" Shadow: Being a bad winner. Allowing your achievements to inflate your ego. Looking down on people who seem less capable. Craving to be the center of attention. Giving or receiving insincere praise. Envying the achievements of others. Seven of Wands Keywords Bravery, resolve, determination Range of Meaning Light: Refusing to be silenced through fear or intimidation. Continuing a fight against all odds. Being fierce. Defending yourself against physical and emotional attacks. Refusing to put up with abuse. Clinging to your values despite all pressure to abandon them. Shadow: Having a chip on your shoulder. Taking unnecessary risks as a means of proving your fearlessness. Looking for an opportunity to take offense. Responding to constructive criticism with defensiveness. Refusing to stand up for yourself and your beliefs. Eight of Wands Keywords Speed, swiftness, responsiveness, change Range of Meaning Light: Taking swift action. Moving forward with a plan as quickly as possible. Energizing yourself. Adapting to sudden changes. Taking setbacks in stride. Embracing the idea that nothing stays the same forever. Reacting quickly and appropriately to unforeseen problems. Shadow: Giving in to panic. Running in circles and screaming. Insisting things must always stay the same. Stirring the pot just to see what will happen. Rushing others. Refusing to re-evaluate a schedule or program, even when it's clearly no longer appropriate. Nine of Wands Keywords Toughness, persistence, stamina, loyalty, release Range of Meaning Light: Sticking with it for the duration. Fulfilling your promises and obligations. Bearing up under incredible duress. Dragging yourself across the finish line. Picking yourself up by your own bootstraps. Refusing to quit. Going as far as you can go and being satisfied with your performance. Shadow: Making yourself a martyr. Abandoning your post. Giving up at the first sign of opposition. Being prevented from fulfilling an obligation. Failing to be dependable. Refusing to let something go that needs to be released. Beating a dead horse. Ten of Wands Keywords Exhaustion, resistance, burden, oppression Range of Meaning Light: Holding your own in extreme circumstances. Helping others carry their burdens. Coming to the aid of the oppressed. Knowing and being honest about your own limits. Recognizing when you are not well-suited for a particular task. Shadow: Taking on more work than you know you can handle. Refusing to say "No" when you're already overloaded. Making a habit of working overtime. Shielding others from facing the consequences of their own poor judgment. Over-extending yourself on a regular basis. Page of Wands Keywords Enthusiasm, eagerness, confidence, validation, affirmation Range of Meaning Light: Leaping at a new opportunity. Being a cheerleader or ardent advocate for your cause. Being a True Believer. Taking first steps toward independence. Trusting in your own abilities. Asking for feedback. Shadow: Basing your entire self-image on what others think. Seizing every new idea that comes your way without question. Habitually discounting input or feedback from others. Being so eager to "do it yourself" that you hinder your own progress. Knight of Wands Keywords Boldness, bravado, passion, persuasion, advocacy Range of Meaning Light: Charging ahead. Making rapid progress. Refusing limits. Dazzling those around you with your wit and charm. Convincing others of your right to leadership. Convincing others to follow you. Being a catalyst for change. Shadow: Blundering forward with inadequate skill or information. Running roughshod over the feelings of others. Using sex appeal to manipulate others. Forcing your leadership or ideology on others. Beginning many projects without finishing any. Queen of Wands Keywords Attention, attraction, unification, collaboration Range of Meaning Light: Paying close attention. Helping others focus on the issue at hand. Getting everyone to work together. Identifying common ground. Bringing people together, despite their differences. Using reverse psychology. Shadow: Being distracted, or using your charms or skills to distract others from the goal. Calling attention to yourself with negative or unhealthy behaviors. Disrupting group activities as a means of feeding your own ego. King of Wands Keywords Creativity, ingenuity, achievement, direction Range of Meaning Light: Putting old things together in new and exciting ways. Coming up with unexpected solutions. Using your experience to solve puzzles and problems. Doing what you set out to do. Directing the efforts of others. Shadow: Using your creativity to get out of honest work. Investing great energy in avoiding responsibility. Boasting about achievements without putting your expertise to practical use. Lording it over others. Ace of Cups Keywords Intuition, spirituality, affection, motivation Range of Meaning Light: Trusting your feelings. Opening yourself to spirit. Accepting and returning affection. Getting in touch with what motivates you. Taking advantage of an opportunity to express love to others. Listening to the still, small voice. Shadow: Hiding your feelings. Spurning an opportunity to love or be loved. Numbing yourself to spiritual yearnings. Rejecting the counsel of your heart. Becoming a puppet of your own emotions. Indulging in hysteria or obsession. Two of Cups Keywords Union, attraction, combination, affection Range of Meaning Light: Being drawn to someone. Longing for someone or something. Acting on your desires. Discovering a feeling is mutual. Doing what makes you feel good. Healing broken ties. Admitting two people feel differently about each other and moving on. Shadow: Burning bridges. Becoming caught up in unhealthy codependency. Shutting out anyone but your chosen few. Obsessing on someone who does not return your affections. Despairing over finding the one. Deceiving yourself about your true orientation. Three of Cups Keywords Celebration, expression, community, friendliness Range of Meaning Light: Celebrating your feelings or connections with others. Expressing joy through song, dance, or physical affection. Working together with others who share your feelings. Performing acts of service as a way of saying, "I love you." Embracing unconventional romantic arrangements. Shadow: Mistaking giddiness for true affection. Being dominated by manic emotions. Expecting everyone to always feel the same way you do. Demanding unreasonable support from friends or family. Partying to a dangerous or unhealthy extent. Four of Cups Keywords Boredom, listlessness, lethargy, stability, ingratitude Range of Meaning Light: Maintaining your emotional stability. Refusing to give in to overwhelming emotions. Appreciating what you have and refusing to take it for granted. Seeing the value of long-term commitments. Shadow: Being bored. Daydreaming at the expense of your work. Refusing to be engaged by opportunity. Taking people and relationships for granted. Ignoring romantic or spiritual opportunities. Spurning inspiration. Feeling everything should stay "just like it is!" Five of Cups Keywords Loss, despair, re-evaluation, regret, uncertainty, repentance Range of Meaning Light: Acknowledging loss and moving on. Focusing on how the glass remains "half-full." Finding the silver lining in a dark cloud. Recognizing that loss is a natural part of life. Embracing healthy grief. Learning lessons from harsh consequences. Shadow: Wallowing in unhealthy grief or self-pity. Refusing to move on and let go. Clinging to the past. Obsessing on past lives and past loves. Failing to live in the present. Beating yourself up over past mistakes. Allowing fear of failure to limit your efforts. Six of Cups Keywords Charity, sharing, sacrifice, cooperation, fairness Range of Meaning Light: Donating your time and talents to others. Taking satisfaction in knowing how your efforts will aid others. Creating a "win-win" scenario. Giving even when you know repayment is not possible. Being motivated to do a good deed. Shadow: Linking your sense of self-worth to the appraisals of others. Striving to appear more needy than you really are. Taking undeserved or unmerited charity. Bragging about your charitable efforts. Profiteering in times of distress. Refusing to share a burden. Seven of Cups Keywords Imagination, dreams, illusions, goals Range of Meaning Light: Motivating yourself with images of future success. Using visualization to encourage progress. Taking an imaginative or creative approach to problem solving. Making dreams come true. Gleaning insight from personal visions. Shadow: Obsessing on imaginary fears or uncertain consequences. Giving in to emotional or political terrorism. Spending more time dreaming than working. Failing to envision the possible repercussions of your choices. Being controlled by fear. Eight of Cups Keywords Longing, dissatisfaction, quest, departure, withdrawal Range of Meaning Light: Wanting something better. Blazing your own trail. Realizing there must be more to life. Leaving an unhealthy situation behind. Starting your own business. Going on a retreat. Seeking the "still, small voice." Shadow: Being implacable. Finding fault. Nitpicking. Refusing to settle down. Running away from problems or confrontations. Saying, "It's my way or the highway!" Harping on past mistakes and disappointments. Threatening to quit as a strategy to get your way. Nine of Cups Keywords Satisfaction, sensuality, luxury, pleasure Range of Meaning Light: Being delighted with your own achievements. Recognizing your own talents and abilities. Reveling in the good things life has to offer. Indulging yourself. Relaxing and unwinding. Having everything you need in order to feel complete. Shadow: Being smug. Satisfying yourself at the expense of others. Being selfish. Over-indulging. Avoiding work that needs to be done. Claiming achievements or skills you do not possess. Never being satisfied, no matter how much you have. Ten of Cups Keywords Joy, fulfillment, overwhelming emotion, giddiness Range of Meaning Light: Having more than you ever dreamed. Being deeply thankful for all you've been given. Recognizing the Hand of God in the gifts the Universe brings your way. Experiencing transcendent joy. Achieving domestic bliss. Shadow: Comparing your achievements or relationships to unrealistic fantasy standards. Experiencing emotions so intense they blunt your ability to cope with reality. Feeling overwhelmed. Envying the achievements and happiness of others. Page of Cups Keywords Enthusiasm, first impressions, romanticism, superficiality Range of Meaning Light: Showing your emotions freely. Throwing yourself into romance. Nursing a secret crush. Indulging in romantic fantasy. Starting a new relationship. Recalling your first love. Experiencing love for the first time. Converting to a new religion. Shadow: Mistaking a crush for true love. Reading romantic intention into innocent action. Frantically trying to impress others. Indulging in overly-sweet sentimentality. Pretending to more romantic or spiritual experience than you possess. Knight of Cups Keywords Fervor, zeal, moodiness, illumination Range of Meaning Light: Being deeply committed to a cause. Giving in to strong emotions, from excitement to depression. Acting on intuition alone. Solving problems intuitively. Believing in and basing decisions on ideals instead of realities. Bringing intuition or passion to the table. Shadow: Becoming a fanatic. Rejecting information that suggests your intuitions are misguided. Allowing your emotions to control you. Giving in to jealousy, confrontation, and peer pressure. Hiding or ignoring intuitive insights. Queen of Cups Keywords Insightfulness, spirituality, compassion, empathy, instinct Range of Meaning Light: Allowing yourself to be moved by the plight of others. Feeling strong emotions. Possessing unusual sympathy or empathy. Trusting your feelings to guide you. Calling on psychic abilities. Achieving unity with Spirit. Shadow: Becoming so caught up in matters of Spirit, you become detached from the world. Allowing empathy to disable you (instead of inspire action). Using psychic abilities to wield covert influence. Wallowing in emotionalism, sentiment, or self-pity. King of Cups Keywords Wisdom, diplomacy, restraint, composure Range of Meaning Light: Keeping a stiff upper lip. Being brave and clear in the face of adverse circumstances. Sharing experience as a way of comforting others. Making fair and empathetic decisions. Honoring the spirit, not just the letter, of the law. Shadow: Allowing yourself to become rigid and unemotional. Making unfair decisions based on a hidden agenda. Making decisions without regard for their emotional impact on others. Abusing spiritual authority. Using emotional or spiritual leverage to exercise unhealthy control over others. Ace of Swords Keywords Logic, objectivity, intellect, choice Range of Meaning Light: Making objective decisions. Applying logic. Reasoning your way out of a difficult situation. Solving puzzles. Thinking things through. Emphasizing the facts. Clearing your mind. Seeking clarity. Shadow: Applying ruthless or twisted logic. Gloating over your own superior intellect. Using quick thinking to deceive or confuse others. Confusing snap judgments with quick thinking. Making decisions without thinking through consequences. Two of Swords Keywords Denial, debate, impasse, truce Range of Meaning Light: Refusing to make a decision without getting the facts. Exploring both sides of an argument. Arguing passionately for what you believe in. Weighing the issues. Encouraging the open exchange of ideas. Discussing political or religious issues without getting "hot under the collar." Shadow: Rejecting evidence that conflicts with dearly-held beliefs. Arguing with others just for the sake of doing so. Nit-picking. Putting off a decision because you're afraid to face the consequences. Preventing others from getting the information they need to make good decisions. Three of Swords Keywords Variance, difference, dissatisfaction, heartache, rejection Range of Meaning Light: Being brave enough to see things as they really are. Exercising your critical eye. Being your own best critic. Acknowledging that things don't always turn out as planned. Moving past heartbreak to embrace a painful truth. Shadow: Wallowing in despair. Allowing yourself to be completely crushed by the thoughts, words, or deeds of another. Judging yourself too harshly. Holding yourself to an unrealistic standard of excellence. Wearing your heart on your sleeve while carrying a chip on your shoulder. Four of Swords Keywords Meditation, contemplation, perspective, mindset Range of Meaning Light: Thinking over your plans before putting them into action. Pausing to meditate or clear your mind. Taking time to understand someone or something before criticizing it. Resting. Occupying your thoughts with a healthy distraction. Shadow: Failing to think things through. Mistaking procrastination for thoughtfulness. Adopting a point of view and refusing to reconsider your conclusions, even when presented with refuting evidence. Allowing chaos and whimsy to dominate your thoughts. Five of Swords Keywords Selfishness, hostility, irrationality, self-preservation Range of Meaning Light: Acting in your own best interest. Choosing to stand up for yourself. Not backing down from disagreement and discord. Taking a stand. Refusing to go along with an unethical plan. Knowing when to bend the rules. Shadow: Taking advantage of others. Intimidating others. Acting in an unethical manner. Picking fights. Using words to goad others into violence and irrationality. Ignoring rules you've agreed to abide by. Looking out for yourself while allowing harm to come to others. Gloating over victory. Six of Swords Keywords Adaptation, adjustments, science, travel Range of Meaning Light: Making the best of a bad situation. Recovering from defeat. Resetting expectations. Making allowances for unexpected circumstances. Helping others who find themselves in dire circumstances. Changing the way you see the world. Broadening your perspective through study or travel. Shadow: Refusing to accept that things have changed. Playing the victim. Rejecting the idea that your actions have consequences. Applying scientific criteria to matters of faith, or confusing faith with science. Believing the whole world should be like your small corner of it. Seven of Swords Keywords Dishonesty, presumption, sneakiness, assumptions Range of Meaning Light: Refusing to do something dishonest, even when there's no chance of ever being caught. Handling a difficult situation with finesse. Pointing out assumptions. Acting ethically in public and in private. Living a life that is beyond reproach. Shadow: Stealing or lying. Doing whatever you can get away with, simply because you can. Looking for a way around consequences. Justifying wicked behavior by focusing on the wickedness of others. Failing to examine your own motives and prejudices. Eight of Swords Keywords Restriction, limitation, confinement, helplessness Range of Meaning Light: Honoring limits. Respecting the rules. Deciding to go on a diet for your health's sake. Recognizing you cannot always be in control. Identifying obstacles to further progress. Refusing to think about unhealthy or unethical options. Asking for assistance. Shadow: Feeling trapped. Being lost in a maze of rules and regulations. Giving in to despair. Playing the victim. Allowing others to dictate what you can and cannot do. Being rendered helpless. Having very few options. Failing to look for a way out. Nine of Swords Keywords Remorse, worry, distraught, conclusion Range of Meaning Light: Refusing to worry about what you cannot control. Rejecting anxiety. Judging your own performance with kindness and gentleness. Using meditation to quiet a troubled mind. Confronting nightmares and fears. Drawing a conclusion and putting an issue out of your mind. Shadow: Torturing yourself with regrets. Second-guessing your every move. Beating yourself up for your mistakes. Depression. Obsessing on errors and overlooked details. Refusing to handle stress in healthy ways. Ruining your ability to appreciate the present by dwelling on the past. Debating irreversible decisions. Ten of Swords Keywords Exhaustion, ruin, disaster, stamina, obsession Range of Meaning Light: Seeing the signs that you've reached your limits. Paying attention to what your body is trying to tell you. Giving in to the need for rest and renewal. Acknowledging that you've hit bottom. Committing to a turnaround. Knowing the worst is over. Shadow: Accepting defeat prematurely. Driving yourself to total exhaustion, especially mentally. Experiencing a mental breakdown. Obsessing on a problem to the breaking point. Giving up. Refusing to move from thought to action. Deeply unhealthy thoughts. Page of Swords Keywords Student, apprentice, scholarship, information Range of Meaning Light: Pursuing a course of study. Asking good questions. Investing time in study and practice. Doing research. Making a habit of learning new things. Starting an investigation. Outlining what you need to know. Finding a mentor or teacher. Shadow: Pretending to knowledge or sophistication you do not possess. Cheating on an exam. Feigning interest as a way of gaining favor. Considering only the evidence that supports conclusions you've already drawn. Rejecting the wise counsel of experienced teachers. Knight of Swords Keywords Bluntness, intelligence, incisiveness, investigation Range of Meaning Light: Speaking your mind. Making your opinions known. Offering constructive criticism. Sharing your knowledge. Making insightful observations. Pinpointing the problem. Clarifying what others have said. Giving clear direction to others. Uncovering the truth. Shadow: Stating your opinions as fact. Picking fights. Starting arguments. Using clever insults to undermine the confidence of others. Tossing reason out the window. Speaking without taking the feelings of others into account. Going on a witch hunt. Distorting evidence. Queen of Swords Keywords Grace, skill, wit, charm, aptitude Range of Meaning Light: Exercising tact or using diplomacy. Defusing a tense situation. Knowing what to say and how to say it. Making others feel comfortable and confident. Bringing out the best in everyone. Having a way with words. Telling jokes. Possessing a knack for music, math, art, or science. Shadow: Knowing exactly what to say to destroy another person. Withholding critical information. Using a barbed tongue to upset others. Employing sarcasm. Mimicking others unkindly. Making light of the less fortunate. Being disrespectful. Failing to use the talent you've been given. King of Swords Keywords Genius, expertise, decision, verdict Range of Meaning Light: Expressing yourself with firmness and authority. Rendering a final decision. Consulting an expert. Calling in advisors and consultants. Coming to a final conclusion. Reaching a beneficial agreement based on sound information. Shadow: Insisting on having the last word. Flaunting your intellectual capability. Talking "over the heads" of others. Waffling on an important decision. Constantly changing your mind. Refusing to make choices that are in your own best interest. Wishing in vain you could take back what's been said. Ace of Coins Keywords Health, wealth, practicality, receiving Range of Meaning Light: Outlining a plan for achieving prosperity. Becoming aware of opportunities to improve income or health. Realizing you have everything you need. Appreciating everything the Universe has given you. Receiving the perfect gift at the perfect time. Shadow: Indulging in relentless consumerism. Wanting more, no matter how much you have. Obsessing on your account balance. Suffering from hypochondria. Consuming blessings without expressing gratitude. Taking what you want without concern for the needs of others. Two of Coins Keywords Evaluation, decision, budgeting, diagnosis Range of Meaning Light: Weighing options. Comparing prices. Determining the value of one option over another. Juggling resources to make ends meet. Making difficult choices based on what's best for your body or your bankbook. Looking at the bottom line. Asking for a second opinion on health issues. Shadow: Engaging in endless price comparison. Putting off a buying decision for fear of finding a slightly better value later on. Buying something without regard for value. Breaking your budget with unnecessary expenses. Engaging in behavior with no regard for how your body or bankbook will be impacted. Three of Coins Keywords Expression, production, work, contribution Range of Meaning Light: Finishing a project. Setting and meeting standards. Performing according to specifications. Making something others value. Creating something new. Doing your part in a group project. Delivering exactly what others have asked for. Shadow: Pandering to the tastes of others. Failing to deliver what you've promised. Not delivering your best work unless closely supervised. Ignoring or breaking agreements with those who have invested in you. Refusing to do your part. Failing to abide by a clearly-outlined agreement with yourself or others. Four of Coins Keywords Protection, conservation, preservation, safety Range of Meaning Light: Saving for a rainy day. Fasting as part of a spiritual practice. Dieting in an effort to improve your body. Abstaining from sex as a way of honoring a spiritual tradition or personal promise. Being financially conservative. Establishing a trust fund. Opening a savings account. Shadow: Being stingy. Refusing to spend money that needs to be spent. Withholding sex from your partner. Taking care of your own needs exclusively, without regard for the needs of others. Spending a dollar to save a penny. Failing to be a good manager of the blessings you've been given. Five of Coins Keywords Poverty, destitution, need, crisis Range of Meaning Light: Recognizing your needs and taking action to fulfill them. Doing as much as you can do with what little you have. Admitting you need help. Embracing the aid that comes your way. Focusing on what you have versus what you don't. Looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Shadow: Exaggerating your financial or physical needs. Adopting a poverty mentality. Refusing to support yourself. Refusing offers of support. Playing the martyr. Turning down opportunities to improve your health or finances. Wallowing in misery. Six of Coins Keywords Charity, fairness, cooperation, sharing Range of Meaning Light: Giving time, money, or effort to a charity. Taking part in a group effort. Lending your resources to others without expecting anything in return. Making sure everyone is treated equally. Working together toward a common goal. Redistributing wealth, time, or attention. Tithing. Sharing credit for your success. Shadow: Making a loan as a means of gaining control over someone. Using charitable acts to draw attention to yourself. Dividing work or resources unfairly. Failing to do your part in a group effort. Ignoring obligations and commitments. Seven of Coins Keywords Assessment, evaluation, re-evaluation, reflection Range of Meaning Light: Measuring progress toward your goal. Looking at results with an eye toward improving performance. Asking, "How happy am I?" Coming up with ideas for improving your health or prosperity. Deciding it's time for a change. Expressing an honest opinion. Shadow: Becoming distracted by melancholy thoughts. Longing for "the good old days." Beating yourself up over lost opportunities. Judging your own work harshly. Holding others to inappropriate standards. Refusing to take part in a project, then whining about the quality of the outcome. Eight of Coins Keywords Effort, work diligence, skill Range of Meaning Light: Doing your best. Bringing enthusiasm and zeal to your work. Making an effort to be the best you can be. Finding the work that is right for you. Taking care of the small details. Becoming a finely skilled craftsperson. Building something with your hands. Making a handmade gift. Shadow: Working yourself to death. Doing a half-hearted or sloppy job. Continuing in a job you hate. Buying thoughtless gifts. Producing work with shoddy craftsmanship. Rushing through your work. Rejecting opportunities to learn more about your craft. Nine of Coins Keywords Training, discipline, confidence, enough Range of Meaning Light: Investing time in learning or teaching a difficult task. Restraining yourself from physical or financial extremes. Making sacrifices as a way of achieving larger goals. Breaking a complex task down into simple steps. Wanting what you have. Knowing the difference between needs and wants. Shadow: Being assigned to a task without being trained to perform it. Pursuing a position for which you are not qualified. Disregarding requirements. Refusing to dedicate adequate time or attention when learning about something or someone new. Always craving more. Ten of Coins Keywords Wealth, abundance, acquisition, greed Range of Meaning Light: Celebrating your physical and financial blessings. Realizing how lucky or how blessed you are. Being satisfied with your physical and financial achievements. Taking best advantage of "times of plenty." Enjoying a feast. Showering friends or family with gifts. Shadow: Spending all of your money on extravagant gifts and possessions. Trying too hard to impress others with your wealth or physique. Giving an inappropriately expensive gift as a means of currying favor. Obsessing on matters of weight, health, or finance. Always asking, "What's in it for me?" Page of Coins Keywords Practicality, prosperity, learning, growth, adolescence Range of Meaning Light: Learning the value of a dollar. Starting a savings plan. Taking the first steps toward getting out of debt. Learning new physical tasks. Discovering your sexuality. Launching a diet, a weight-lifting program, or a health-related effort. Learning by doing. Shadow: Trying to appear healthier or wealthier than you really are. Spending money carelessly. Living strictly for today, with no thought of tomorrow. Possessing immature attitudes toward sex and sexuality. Using wealth or beauty as an excuse for not having to learn and grow. Knight of Coins Keywords Caution, focus, realism, invention Range of Meaning Light: Spending money wisely. Saving for a rainy day. Paying close attention to physical or financial details. Knowing where every dollar goes. Having safe sex. Preferring facts to "good feelings." Finding creative ways to "make do" with resources on hand. Completing a new invention. Shadow: Throwing caution to the four winds. Spending without regard for consequence. Spending on luxury when necessities are lacking. Escaping stress by spending money. Obsessing on tiny physical or financial details. Perpetually chasing after some new bauble. Copying another's work and claiming it as your own. Queen of Coins Keywords Luxury, comfort, resourcefulness, generosity, prosperity Range of Meaning Light: Appreciating fine food, fine wine, beautiful art, beautiful bodies, or any of the better things in life. Reveling in healthy sexuality. Treating yourself. Splurging on the occasional "nice to have" item. Rewarding someone with compensation above and beyond expectations. Having it all. Shadow: Indulging in gluttony or greediness. Becoming insatiable. Blunting the impact of treats by indulging in them too often. Providing physical comfort without providing for emotional needs. Allowing a feeling of entitlement to distort your gratitude for what you're given. King of Coins Keywords Stability, dependability, confidence, intervention Range of Meaning Light: Becoming debt-free. Having more than enough to get by. Making contributions to a savings plan. Taking a new job with an eye toward advancing your career. Buying life or health insurance. Being confident in the bedroom. Taking on the role of enforcer when called upon to do so. Shadow: Becoming so conservative you resist all change on principle alone. Ignoring innovations in the name of preserving tradition. Being smug or cocky. Becoming ruthlessly dedicated to profit or pleasure. Being sexually selfish. Bossing others around, especially when you're not empowered to do so. Chapter 7: Getting and Giving Readings In This Chapter * How can you find a reputable Tarot reader? * What should you expect from a professional Tarot reading? * How can you distinguish ethical Tarot readers from con artists? * What are the challenges and rewards associated with reading your own cards? * Where can you get the practice you need to improve your skills as a Tarot reader? These days, Tarot readers seem to be on almost every corner: in major cities and small towns, in tourist districts and carnivals, and at psychic fairs and metaphysical bookstores. Who are these readers? What distinguishes the professional from the amateur? When you visit a professional reader, what should you expect? If you prefer to read your own cards (or if you're interested in reading the cards for others), in this chapter you'll also find practical advice from experienced readerseverything you need to read the cards with objectivity and confidence. Getting a Professional Tarot Reading With Tarot books, classes, and software widely available, it's easier than ever to learn to read your own cards. Still, for a variety of reasons, many people who want a Tarot reading prefer to seek out a professional Tarot reader. Why go to a Professional Tarot Reader? If you are: * unfamiliar with Tarot, * concerned with your ability to read your own cards objectively, * too busy or distracted to attempt a reading on your own behalf, or * upset or confused by a reading you've done for yourself, and in need of a second opinion, * a professional Tarot card reader may offer exactly the services you need. Fortune Teller or Tarot Reader? Generally speaking, many fortunetellers assert that the future is fixed. Instead of exploring what might happen, these fortunetellers believe the cards reveal what must happen. Tarot readers may also believe in fate, but as a general rule, they emphasize the power of choice over the dominance of destiny. Instead of regaling you with tales of dark strangers and past-life curses, Tarot readers are more likely to concern themselves with themes of empowerment and personal responsibility. What Makes Someone a Professional Tarot Reader? Many professional Tarot readers have invested hundreds or thousands of hours in reading, research, and practice. Some have sought out mentors, taken teleclasses, enrolled in correspondence courses, or attended seminars. Others have taken classes like those taught by Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone's Tarot School in New York City. A number of groups offer certifications and bestow titles such as "Certified Professional Reader" or "Grand Master." Many honest and talented individuals take pride in having invested significant effort, money, and time in meeting the requirements of these programs. Unfortunately, as of this printing, no Tarot certification program has ever been endorsed by a legitimate, independent agency. As a result, anyone with a Tarot deck and some spare time can claim to be a "professional Tarot reader." With this in mind, it's important to ask questions, get recommendations, and use common sense when seeking out a Tarot professional. Where to Find Tarot Readers Bookstores and Gift Shops. Many large new age bookstores have Tarot readers on-staff; even small shops maintain a list of local readers or a bulletin board where readers can advertise. Because their income depends on repeat business and positive word-of-mouth, these readers are often (but not always!) professional and reliable. Ask to speak with satisfied clients. Psychic Fairs. Many new age retailers hold psychic fairs. At these events, many different readers with a range of skills, styles, and approaches offer five- or ten-minute readings for discounted pricesoften no more than five or ten dollars per reading. While these quick sessions are not the place to explore your in-depth issues, they will give you a sample of each reader's personality and talent. Street Readers. Street readers can be found in tourist districts, fairs, and festivals across the country. Some street readers offer remarkably accurate readings at reasonable prices. Others, frankly, are scam artists using any number of tricks to separate fools from their money. Instead of reading cards, many street readers are actually reading you! The trick is called cold readinga con employing quick visual assessments of a victim's social status, pithy general statements that could apply to anyone, and a rapid-fire series of questions used to fish for personal details. A good cold reading begins with a quick visual assessment. How fashionably styled is the victim's hair? What might make-up, skin quality, and teeth reveal about health and income? Is the victim wearing expensive jewelry? A wedding band? High-priced shoes? What might the victim's posture suggest about personality or mood? With a single glance, a cold reader with a practiced eye can know a lot about you. Next, the cold reader will probably follow up with a series of general statements that could apply to almost anyone, such as, "You're outgoing some of the time, but you also have a quiet side," "I see you're struggling with a sexual issue," or even "I see you're on the verge of making an important decision." Its amazing (and a bit disappointing) how many people mistake these broad generalizations for deeply personal insights that only a psychic could know. Finally, cold readers often ask, as rapidly as possible, a series of yes-or-no questions. Do you have a male relative? With the initials J or R? With those letters somewhere in his name? Someone close to you? Do you know who I'm talking about? The cold reader will make a big deal out of "hits" (questions answered yes) and brush aside or revise "misses" (questions answered no). By the end of the reading, dazzled victims remember the hits, forget the misses, and leave amazed by the cold reader's "psychic abilities." Use common sense: before handing over your cash to a street reader, chat with recent customers or listen in on a reading or two. Telephone Services. A number of telephone-based services make it easy for clients to contact independent Tarot readers. Charges vary, with calls costing anywhere from one to eleven dollars per minute. When possible, choose a telephone reader who charges a flat fee per hour or half-hour. When working with per-minute readers, beware the unscrupulous few who pad their checks by using techniques designed to do nothing more than prolong your call. (See Common Cons and Deceptions, later in this chapter.) Readings via Email. Many independent readers and online services offer email readings for a flat fee. (As with telephone readings, rates vary.) Before paying for an email reading, try reading for yourself, or join an online group of Tarot readers, many of whom are gaining experience by reading for each other. Individual Web Sites. A number of Tarot authors and professional readers offer telephone readings, email-based readings, live chats, and other services through their personal websites. Google the name of your favorite Tarot author or deck designer. eBay. Search for "Tarot" on eBay, and you'll find hundreds of Tarot readers offering their services at bargain-basement prices. The quality of these readings will vary wildly, so look for readers who offer short, inexpensive sample readings or who offer to put you in touch with satisfied clients. Local Independent Readers. In major cities, palmistry and Tarot parlors pop up like mushrooms near tourist attractions. On the outskirts of small towns, psychics or spiritual advisors with names like "Sister Helen" or "Madame Claire" often operate out of their own homes. While some of these people are honest and sincere, a significant number resort to unethical tricks as a means of bilking money from clients. If the reader in a stand-alone shop employs any of the methods listed in the section of this chapter called Common Cons and Deceptions, leave immediately. Tarot Software. Tarot software randomizes a set of card images, deals them into one of several spread templates, then supplies a pre-defined interpretation for each card. Some programs offer advanced features, including meanings that change based on a card's position in the spread and the option to choose from one of several built-in decks. While no software can duplicate the insights of a skilled reader, Tarot software has its uses, especially when using an actual deck would be inconvenient (when at work, for example, or when traveling). A Google search for Tarot software will produce links to dozens of programs, most of which allow you to "try before you buy." Web-based Tarot readings are also popular. Tarot.com offers three-card readings with extended commentary, with more detailed readings available for a price. If you're interested in Tarot software, some of the very best programs are recommended in later chapters. Choosing a Reader Because Tarot readings can cover deeply personal material, it's important to find a Tarot reader with whom you feel comfortable. When interviewing potential readers, keep the following points in mind: Personality. Do you like the person? Will you enjoy spending time with him or her? Do you feel empowered when talking with this reader? If you feel intimidated or frightened, or if the reader seems more focused on himself or herself than you, shop elsewhere. Professionalism. Did the reader return your call or answer your email in a timely fashion? Are questions about the reading process or pricing answered to your satisfaction? Does the reader show up promptly for appointments? Do the reader's clothes and overall demeanor project an image you find appropriate? Psychics or Intuitives? Some Tarot readers claim to be psychics. Psychics claim that special powers or spiritual contacts enhance their ability to read the cards. Since psychic ability is impossible to quantify, you must decide for yourself how much value to place in such claims. Other Tarot readers prefer the term intuitive. Generally, intuitives downplay psychic abilities. Instead, they claim brainstorming skills, quick thinking, imagination, their study of the cards, and their life experiences help them relate the cards to your question. Reading Styles. Different readers possess different reading styles. Some readers are directive: they deal the cards, tell you what they mean, and do most of the talking. Other readers take a more psychological or reflective approach: raising questions, suggesting options, and helping you find your own best answers. Experience. Many readers advertise their years of experience or imply they possess long lists of celebrity clients. While some of these claims will be legitimate, many should be taken with a grain of salt. To distinguish authentic claims from marketing ploys, ask to speak with satisfied customers. Certification. Ask "certified" readers exactly what requirements they've met. You may also want to visit the web site of the certifying organization to verify the reader's membership and see if the group's presentation strikes you as professional and legitimate. Ethics. The American Tarot Association (ATA) encourages readers to author and adopt a personal Code of Ethics. If a reader claims membership in the ATA, you should ask to see a copy of this code. (Beware readers who claim to be "certified by the ATA." The ATA is not a certifying body and does not allow members to make such claims.) Prices. Some Tarot readers charge fixed fees. Others charge by the minute. Still others charge different amounts based on the complexity of your question and the number of cards used in the reading. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to pay around a dollar a minute for in-person, one-on-one readings. Clearly, readers with more experienceincluding published authors and those with a legitimate claim to a nationwide reputationcan (and often do) charge more for their services. What to Expect from a Professional Tarot Reading Readings are an art form, so no two readers will use exactly the same approach. That said, there are certain things you can expect when working with a professional Tarot reader. A professional reader puts you at ease. Professional Tarot readers help apprehensive or nervous clients settle in by making some small talk, offering you a drink or snack, or chatting with you about your expectations. A professional reader explains his or her approach. To avoid misunderstandings later on, a professional reader will be up front about his or her reading style, approach, philosophy, and limits. A professional reader offers a variety of readings. While most clients have questions involving prediction or glimpsing the future, a professional reader can offer a wide variety of readings and spreads, including: Psychological and Reflective Readings. Because of the dreamlike nature of Tarot symbols, the stories we see there are reveal deeply personal insights. Reflective readings provide dramatic insights into why you do what you do. Magickal or Intentional Readings. A reader can help you deliberately select cards to represent your goals and intentions. Placed where you'll see them often, these can remind you of what you want and why you want it. Astrological Readings. Astrological attributions can enhance the accuracy of predictive readings, or a twelve-card spread (one card for each astrological house) can help you see a familiar natal chart in a new light. Inspirational Readings. Want insights into where you are and why? Need to recover a sense of stability and comfort? A reader can help you find the thread of meaning concealed in the apparently random events of daily life. Focusing Readings. A simple focusing readingdrawing a card, silencing the mind, and asking, "What should I concentrate on right this minute?"can clear away mental clutter, remind you of important tasks, and help you get things done. Problem-Solving Readings. Facing a challenge? A double column of cards can enhance your objectivity by representing a list of pros and cons. A stair-step spread can represent a four-step process for getting from Point A to Point B. Wisdom Readings. Why are you here? What are you supposed to achieve in this life? For that matterwhat is life? Popularized by author Rachel Pollack, wisdom readings use the Tarot to answer the Big Questions. Free-Form Readings. No question? No problem! Pick a cardany cardand allow the Tarot itself to guide the discussion. A free-form reading embodies the "anything goes" approach to Tarot. A professional reader can help you frame your question. Some clients arrive with a question in mind, but many are uncertain about what, exactly, they want to know. Generally, readers take one of three approaches to client questions: The Hands-off Approach. Some readers believe clients will be led to ask whatever question they need to ask at the time. As a result, they prefer not to suggest questions or revise a client's question in any way. Whatever you ask, they'll pursue. The Collaborative Approach. Some readers enjoy helping clients frame their questions. Many clients, for example, start off with a simple "Yes or No" question ("Will I get married this year?"); collaborative readers may suggest more empowering alternatives ("What can I do to increase my chances of getting married this year?"). The Mystical Approach. Some readers believe the cards will deliver exactly the message a client needs to hear, whether the reader knows the client's question or not. While these readers may ask the client to concentrate on a question, they often won't ask the client to repeat the question aloud. Instead, they deal the cards and move immediately to the process of interpretation. A professional reader empowers you. Instead of frightening you with dire predictions, professional readers help clients achieve a sense of direction and control. You should leave with a better understanding of your situation and your options. A professional reader abides by an ethical code. A professional reader treats you and your questions with respect and confidentiality. Expect a professional reader to refer medical or legal questions to appropriate professionals in those fields. Ethical readers will also decline to use the cards to invade the privacy of third parties. A professional reader charges for his or her services. Having invested significant time and study in their training, professional readers deserve compensation for their work. They will be honest about their fees and will expect prompt payment for services rendered. Common Cons and Deceptions Unfortunately, not everyone offering Tarot readings is a professional Tarot reader. To protect yourself (and your wallet) from con artists posing as Tarot readers, you should keep your eyes open for these popular scams: Cursed Money or "Bujo" Scams. Upon examining the cards, the con artist claims the victim's success in life is limited because his or her money is cursed. In order to remove the curse, the con artist instructs the victim to place money in an envelope. After praying or casting a spell over the envelope, the con artist returns it to the victim, instructing him or her not to open it for an extended period of time. Later, when the victim opens the envelope, he or she finds nothing more than worthless paper. During the "prayer," the con artist switches envelopes; by the time the victim opens the envelope days or weeks later, the con artist is long gone. Graveyard Scams. The con artist directs clients to bury a specific amount of cash in a nearby graveyard (often at midnight). If the client balks, the con artist offers to perform the burial on the client's behalf, then merely pockets the money. If the client complies, the con artist goes to the graveyard and retrieves the cash. Cheap Readings / Expensive Cures. Unscrupulous con artists will advertise inexpensive Tarot readings, often for as little as $5.00 or $10.00 per half-hour. (Some may even offer readings for free.) During the course of the reading, the con artist will "discover" a curse, a pending health problem, a psychic attack, a karmic debt from a past life, or some other issue in need of urgent attention. The con artist then recommends the victim purchase expensive beads, candles, charms, herbs, oils, prayers or spells for an additional feeoften $100.00 or more per item. (Alternatively, he or she may pressure the victim to sign up for five to ten additional readingsat much higher pricesin order to resolve the issue.) Delaying for Dollars. Con artists charging by the minute frequently ask victims to engage in any number of time-consuming tasks with no real bearing on the reading: reciting the alphabet, pausing for lengthy prayers, completing complicated rituals, or counting cards into a number of small piles. Ninth-Hour Insights. Just as a timed session is drawing to a close, the con artist pretends to achieve a previously overlooked, very urgent insight. He or she will happily disclose it ... if the victim is willing to pay to extend the session, of course. Reading for Yourself Reading Tarot for yourself is convenient, educational, and fun. When you read your own cards, you can have a reading any time you want to have one; you don't have to wait for an appointment with a professional reader. When you first begin reading for yourself, you may feel compelled to look up the meaning of every single card in a reference book. With time and practice, though, you'll gain the confidence needed to read the cards without referring to notes or manuals. When you're ready to consult the cards on your own behalf, the instructions in Chapter Five will guide you through the process step-by-step. While reading for yourself will quickly become second nature, many absolute beginners find themselves frustrated by obstacles like these: Superstition. Some self-appointed Tarot authorities cling to the superstitious belief that no one should read his or her own cards. Some will strongly discourage the practice, issuing dire warnings or hinting as serious metaphysical consequences for those who dare to deal the cards on their own behalf. Claims such as these are rooted in superstition (or in greed, since many of the people who make such claims make a living selling readings!). Every day, thousands of Tarot authors, experts, scholars, and students enjoy the benefits of reading for themselves. Lack of Familiarity with the Cards. To beginners, a line of cards may appear as mysterious and unreadable as a line of encrypted hexadecimal computer code. Usually driven by a desire to "get it right," beginners discount their own intuition and resort to looking up printed meanings for each card. Relax! The most important meaning for any card is the meaning it has for you. Instead of making each reading into a research project, begin by exploring your own ideas. Later, if you like, you can compare your conclusions to those drawn by an author, reader, or teacher. Objectivity Issues. Absolute beginners are especially prone to see their own best or worst futures in the cards. As a result, remaining level-headed and objective becomes a real struggle. To compensate for your own biases, try this simple exercise. First, ask, "What's the worst possible meaning for these cards?" Then, ask, "What's the best possible meaning for these cards?" Finally, ask, "What interpretation would lie right in the middle of these two extremes?" Your "middle of the road" interpretation will be more accurateand much more objective. Confidence. Ultimately, confidence comes with time and experience. Every time you roll up your sleeves, shuffle the deck, and deal a spread, your faith in your personal ability to read the cards will grow. Want to be as confident as possible as quickly as possible? Read the cards for yourself and others as often as you possibly can. Reading for Others Not all Tarot readers read for others. Eventually, though, most Tarot enthusiasts do read for other peopleeven if only for family and friends. Once word gets out about your interest in Tarot, though, total strangers may approach you for readings. You may get a desperate call from a friend of a friend. Someone planning a party may invite you to read Tarot for their guests. Especially at first, reading for people you don't know anything about can feel like walking a tightrope without a net. Just remember: as a Tarot card reader, all you have to do is read the cards. Instead of trying to impress someone with what you know, what you can guess, or what your psychic powers or intuition can reveal, concentrate on helping your clients discover the messages the Tarot has for them. Tips from the Pros Professional Tarot readers have a level of skill and a degree of insight that can only be achieved after years and years of reading for the public. But by keeping the following tips in mind, you can enjoy the benefit of their experience ... even as an absolute beginner! Protect yourself. When reading for the public, some readers prefer to insulate themselves from the negative, pessimistic, or unhealthy energy some clients project. Most resort to simple rituals, including saying prayers, meditating, or burning incense before and after each reading session. Some will also place a talismana treasured personal or sacred objecton the table as a shield against unwanted energy. Set expectations up front. Do you prefer to speak for the cards, voicing the truths you see there? Do you see yourself as a guide, helping clients find their own truths in the cards? Are there types of questions you prefer? Are there types of questions you won't answer? Being honest about who you are, what you do, and how you do it greatly reduces the potential for confusion or misunderstanding. Keep a timer on the table. A timer in full view of both the reader and the client helps keep the session moving forward. Rather then end a session abruptly when the timer goes off, set the timer for one to five minutes less than the actual length of the session, then use the remaining minutes to draw the reading to a close. A little sign goes a long way. A colorful, clearly-lettered sign can save you a lot of time by keeping you from having to answer the same inquiries over and over again. Effective signs can define session length, list prices, or even suggest types of questions clients should consider. Dress for the occasion. A Tarot reader in a t-shirt and jeans will be perceived very differently from a Tarot reader in a business suit! Without going overboard (you don't want to be mistaken for a "Tarot clown"), choose clothes that communicate your image, personality, and reading style. If you aren't sure what to wear, you can't go wrong with basic black, a color associated with both mystery and power. Place a tray of mints on the table. In addition to their pleasant fragrance, a tray of mints provides you with an opportunity to offer your client a small "welcome gift." Also: face-to-face readings bring people close together in an intimate space; you don't want to be distracted by halitosis! Keep a little spread going. Between readings, avoid sitting stiffly behind your table. People are drawn to activity, and they're far more likely to approach you if you're shuffling, cutting, and dealing the cardseven if you're only reading them for yourself. Keep tissues handy. Not all Tarot readings are intense or upsetting, but some do touch on sensitive subjects, and a significant number of clients may be moved to tears. To avoid awkwardness and help people feel more comfortable, keep a box of tissue nearby. People like a take-away. At the end of a reading, jot a few notes or recommendations down on a pad. Pass the paper along to your client, and it becomes a great reminder of the insights gained during the reading. (If your pad features your name and contact info, this can be a subtle way to encourage repeat business, too!) Alternatively, allow clients to draw a card from a fishbowl of older or incomplete decks. Trust the cards. Don't give in to the urge to shock people with your sudden insights or dazzle them with cold readings. You're a card reader; read the cards. The message on those cards has appeared for a reason. If you avoid it, you cheat your client and yourself. Avoid becoming Dear Abby. Many people come to Tarot readers hoping to be told what to do. While you can help clients explore options and consider possibilities, you must allow your clients to retain responsibility for their own choices. You can offer support and guidance without taking control. Be frank about money. Most professional Tarot readers feel they deserve some compensation for their investment of time, energy, and expertise. As you build your skills, you may prefer to volunteer your time or read for tips. Whatever fee structure you choose, communicate it with clarity and confidence. Remember: you're in charge. As the reader, you should feel empowered and confident at all times. Never feel obligated to do anything you cannot do with enthusiasm or integrity. Places to Build Your Skills Today, especially with the explosion of interest in email and the Internet, there are more opportunities to read for others than ever before! Each venue has its pros and cons. As you build your skills in the venues listed below, think carefully what you'll charge (if anything) for your services. Many beginners waive fees entirely. After you gain some experience, you might try placing a tip jar on your reading table, allowing clients to make a contribution without the formality of a per-reading charge. One-on-One Readings One-on-one readings have the advantage of offering personal interaction with a client and immediate feedback on how a reading is received. Some ideas for getting one-one-one reading experience include: * Set up a table at a local coffee house and offer readings to other guests (with the manager's permission, of course). * Ask a local bookstore owner if you can offer readings to customers one or two hours a week. * Contact organizers of school or community carnivals or fund raisers; by volunteering your reading services, you can gain experience, add to the fun, and help a worthy cause all at the same time! * In a park or other public venue, give readings to a few friends. Eventually, curiosity will get the better of passers-by, who will likely stop, ask questions, and ask for readings of their own. Be aware that, especially in chain stores, corporate policy may forbid asking customers to pay for in-store eventsincluding Tarot readings. Online and Email Readings Online readings, usually in the form of chat sessions, are very much like face-to-face readingswithout the visual feedback, of course. You can easily experiment with these; just sign on to or create a chat room and read for whoever drops by. If you're interested in learning to offer effective email-based readings, youll probably need a website. Youll also benefit from maintaining a presence in online communities where people seeking and giving readings hang out together. Parties While building your skills, you may enjoy volunteering your services at parties given by your friends and family. When word gets out that a Tarot reader is available, almost everyone at the party will want a reading. As a result, most readers keep party readings short, quick, and light, using one or two cards at most. (If readings go longer or become more complicated, you'll be there all night!) And don't forget: it's a party, so keep readings light. Consider using a deck with friendly, non-threatening images, or be prepared to help guests put a positive spin on challenging cards. Becoming a Professional Reader With time, you may come to enjoy working with Tarot so much that you consider becoming a professional Tarot reader. Along with good business sense, a marketing plan, and a dedication to ethical behavior, anyone considering reading as a profession must also be very confident in his or her knowledge of Tarot. The details of going into business as a professional reader lie outside the scope of this book. For an in-depth look into the pleasures and pitfalls of setting up shop as a Tarot reader, see Christine Jette's Professional Tarot: The Business of Reading, Consulting and Teaching (Llewellyn, July 2003). In addition, the books, decks, web sites, software, and organizations listed in Chapter 9 can provide you with an excellent foundation for further study. In a Nutshell * If you're unfamiliar with Tarot, uncertain of your own reading skills, or too emotionally involved in a situation to be objective, a professional Tarot reader may offer exactly the services you need. * Due to the rising popularity of Tarot, readers are easier to find than ever. When shopping for a reader, keep your wits about you and ask to speak with satisfied clients. Remember: a professional reading leaves you feeling empowered and in control. * Con artists posing as Tarot readers use a number of unethical tricks to bilk money from unsuspecting customers. If a reader uses these techniques, walk away. * Ignore superstitious warnings against reading your own cards. With time and practice, you'll master the objectivity needed to avoid the pitfalls associated with reading on your own behalf. * Reading for others is a huge responsibility. Before setting up shop as a reader (or charging for your services), be sure you have the knowledge and confidence needed to offer an effective reading. Ready to go pro? The resources in Chapter 9 can help you. Chapter 8: Thirteen Fun Things to do with Tarot Cards In This Chapter * Other than fortunetelling and divination, what can I do with a Tarot deck? * What are some creative uses for Tarot cards? * Can I use a Tarot deck to play everyday card games? Your trusty Tarot deck can be a powerful, flexible partner for all kinds of activities. In this chapter, you'll find a treasure trove of applications for the cards, from slumber-party fortunetelling to brainstorming for business. Best of all, this baker's dozen of "card tricks" is just the beginninginspired by these creative uses for the cards, you'll quickly come up with applications of your own. 1. Fortunetelling Telling fortunes with Tarot cards didn't start with the Gypsies (they used regular playing cards until their clients began expecting them to use Tarot), but with the French, who often associated dire and dramatic meanings with each of the trumps. You don't need Gyspy or French ancestry, though, to enjoy telling fortunes with Tarot cards. Lower the window shades, light a candle or two, cover the table with a thick velvet cloth, and you're good to go. After dealing the cards, consult a guide to fortune telling meanings (my own A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings provides fortune telling meanings for every card in the deck) or make up your own! Does the Chariot point to a new car in your future? Might the Wheel suggest a change in your luck? As an experiment, consider keeping track of your prophecies. You may have an untapped ability to foresee your own fate! 2. Divination Fortunetelling seeks to reveal a future that must come to past; divination, on the other hand, attempts to glimpse a portion of the Divine Plan. When you use Tarot cards as divinatory tools, the goal is to understand the flow of eventsand your role within that flow. Begin with simple questions: How will this situation develop? What is this challenge meant to teach me? How can I position myself to take best advantage of the events around me? Using the meanings in this book or your own intuition, treat each Tarot image as a coded message from a divine source, or pretend the reading represents advice from a wise advisorsomeone with your best interests at heart. What omens do you see? What potentials are present? 3. Meditation Tarot decks with evocative images on every card make for powerful meditation aids. After finding a quiet space with limited distractions, shuffle the cards, draw one, and allow it to become a focal point for your attention. Study the details of the card intently. What colors are present? What objects and symbols can you see? What is the mood or emotion of the character on the card? When you close your eyes, how easily and vividly can you recreate the card's image in your mind's eye? Once you can see the card clearly in your head, imagine stepping through its borders and entering the scene. What sounds will you hear? What will the weather be like? Try asking the central figure a question; the answer you're given may surprise you. 4. Listing Gift Ideas Tired of wracking your brain to come up with the perfect anniversary, birthday, or Christmas present? Relaxand let the Tarot help you generate as many as a dozen ideas in one minute or less! Steal the kitchen egg timer, give yourself sixty seconds on the clock, and deal yourself a line of twelve face-up cards. As you glance at each card, pick out a single detail: a color, a costume, a numberwhatever your eyes fall on first. Allow each element you spot to inspire a gift idea. A golden cup might suggest a bottle of wine. A silver dagger might suggest a letter opener, a piece of silver jewelry, or a Swiss Army knife. Keep your momentum up by taking no more than five seconds with each image. If you get stuck, shout "Pass!" and move on. You can always come back later or draw a replacement card. 5. Journaling and Creative Writing Especially if you're already drawing a card a day as a way of building your reading skills, why not make that card serve double duty ... as a writing prompt? Shuffle the deck, draw a card, and open your notebook. Give yourself five minutes on the clock, then put pen to paper and start writing non-stop. Write a dialog with the character on the card. Explore the theme suggested by the keyword or title. Free-associate, make lists, or write a short storybut, whatever you do, don't stop writing until the timer goes off! If words don't come, don't fret. Just write the words "Just keep writing!" over and over ... and, eventually, your brain, bored with the task, will prompt you with a new idea. 6. Letting Ghosts Go Are traumatic memories poisoning your ability to enjoy today? Is carrying a torch for an old flame keeping you from appreciating the best qualities of your current partner? Are old fears putting a lid on your highest aspirations? If so, you can make the transition from haunted to hopeful by using the Tarot to free yourself from old "ghosts" like these. First, pick out a card that represents your ghost. Next, draw three cards: one to represent why this ghost has power over you, the next to reveal what you need to realize in order to move on, and the last to suggest the first step you can take toward healing. Inspired by this spread, write your ghost a letter explaining your plans for moving on. Taken seriously, this exercise has enormous potential to heal everything from bruised pride to a broken heart. 7. Visualizing Goals Every self-help guru out there testifies to the simple power of visual goals: pictures, collages, and totems deliberately chosen to represent what you want and where you want to go. The idea is simple: seeing that photo of a happy couple, an island retreat, or a shiny Lexus keeps your desire for a new relationship, a trip to Maui, or a new car top of mind. As a result, you're more likely to see and take advantage of opportunities that move you closer to your goal. From your favorite Tarot deck, you can choose cards to represent your goals. (The Empress, for example, might remind you to make healthier choices at mealtime.) To literally keep your goals in sight, clip cards to your car's sun visor, frame them for your office desk, or scan them in and use them as computer wallpaper! 8. Making Your Own Deck You don't have to be a publisher to create a deck of powerful Tarot cards. Got a collection of old photos? Try shuffling, dealing, and reading them. (For extra credit, try associating each of seventy-eight different photos with one of the cards of a standard Tarot deck!) Personal decks don't have to be fancy. You can sketch images on index cards, build collages, or snap Polaroid prints. You can assemble images on your computer, then print them out on blank card stock. Enhance your deck's durability by trimming corners and laminating each card. No idea where to begin? First, list the twenty-two trump names from your favorite Tarot deck. Next, give each card a title that makes sense to you. Finally, jot down a note or two describing how you would illustrate your title. Your notes can help you find images in photos and magazines. 9. Trimming away the Borders Many peopleespecially those who prefer to read intuitivelyfind Tarot cards with borders distracting. If titles and keywords constrain how you think about a card ... why not cut them off? This process, gleefully called "correction" or "border-ectomy" by members of the Tarot community, can radically transform a deck. Borderless cards are surprisingly vivid; many times, a deck that strikes you as dull or impotent is no more than a border-ectomy away from becoming your favorite pack. (Before going on a trimming frenzy, be sure to practice your technique on those extra cards that come with each deck.) The Osho Zen Tarot, the Thoth deck, the Sacred Circle Tarot, and the Bright Idea Deck are perfect candidates for trimming. Like many others, these decks trim easily in a standard paper cutter. Once the borders are history, you can round the card corners with an inexpensive set of rounding shears, available in any scrapbooking or craft store. 10. Collecting Decks The explosion of interest in Tarot has flooded the market with thousands of decks. Publishers have released packs reflecting almost every theme imaginable, from ancient aboriginal art to zoo animals. For collectors, this variety is exciting ... and even addictive. Most Tarot students begin with a deck or two. Eventually, though, they find a third deck with an intriguing theme and a fourth deck with exquisite artwork. Before they know it, they have an entire closet devoted to a collection that spans more than two hundred decks! With online shops just a click away, even the residents of tiny, remote towns can get in on the action! Whether you snap up inexpensive commercial decks for fun or pursue rare, small-press decks for potential profit, Tarot collecting can enhance your appreciation of everything from fine art to world culture. 11. Comparative Readings If you're going to have a Tarot collection, you might as well put it to work! Comparative readings involve dealing a spread from one Tarot pack, then laying out the same spread multiple times, using corresponding cards from other Tarot decks. Comparative Tarot is an intriguing approach to card reading first popularized by Tarot reader Valarie Sim. What does the Rider-Waite Fool, with his feathered cap and canine companion, have in common with the blindfolded Fool from the Alchemical Tarot? Why does the Emperor face right on some cards and left on others? And how might differences like these influence your reading of each card? In addition to enhancing your appreciation for detail, comparative readings are also offer the fastest possible way to become familiar with the distinctive "voices" of several new decks at once. 12. Visual Brainstorming Mention the word "brainstorming," and people cringe. Most of us associate brainstorming sessions with dull, dry meetings in windowless conference roomsa process that's more a test of endurance than an exercise in creativity. Tarot cards can change all that. Next time you need ideas on the fly, jump-start your brainstorming session with a visually-rich Tarot image! For example: the Six of Cups (a card associated with sharing and cooperation) might suggest holding a conference call, calling in consultants, taking the entire team on a trust-building retreat. Whether everyone works from the same image or you draw individual cards for each member of the team, brainstorming with Tarot fires the imagination and encourages people to let their ideas roam free. For best results, turn off your inner critic, set a timer, and, during the creative phase of your project, reward people for the quantity (not the quality) of their ideas. 13. Playing Games Get back to Tarot's roots! The deck has trumps, four suits, numbered cards, and court cards for a reason: long before it was used as a divinatory tool, the Tarot was the plaything of kings. The original game of triumphs, or tarrocchi, is still played in parts of Europe today. Googling the name of the game will produce dozens of links to rule sheets in several languages. Be prepared, though: no authoritative rules exist, and there are as many different ways to play Tarot as there are Tarot decks! If tarrocchi bewilders you, remember that, by extracting the trumps and the Knights, you can convert a Tarot deck to a standard card deck faster than you can say, "Texas Hold 'em!" In a Nutshell * In addition to reading and divination, you can use Tarot cards for a number of creative applications. * You can use the cards as brainstorming tools, generating lists of everything from gift ideas to plot twists. * Improving progress toward your goals may be as simple as choosing Tarot cards to serve as visual reminders of what's important to you. * You can tailor a deck to your personal tastes by trimming away distracting borders ... or take customization to the ultimate level by making your own handmade Tarot deck. * A deck collection is more than an entertaining hobby! With more than one deck on hand, you'll be able to perform comparative readings using corresponding cards from several different decks. * If nothing else, you can always use a Tarot deck to play card games! Chapter 9: Where to Go to Learn More In This Chapter * What books should beginners, intermediate students, and experts pursue? * What are some readable, attractive "next decks" to add to my collection? * Where should I go to join the online Tarot community? * Which Tarot software package is best? What's the biggest challenge associated with reading with any book for beginners? By the time you finish reading the book, you're not an absolute beginner any more! Having mastered the material in this book, you're ready to further enhance your knowledge and skills. If you start by working with the following resources, you'll build a firm foundation for further study and growth. Books The Beginner's Bookshelf Bunning, Joan. Learning the Tarot (Weiser). This beginner-level textbook offers lessons on card meanings, spread creation, and much more. Greer, Mary. Tarot for Yourself (New Page Books). This classic text emphasizes personal, astrological, and numerological approaches to the cards. MacGregor, Trish and Phyllis Vega. Power Tarot (Fireside). This quick read showcases spreads for every occasion. McElroy, Mark. A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings (TarotTools.com Books). This straightforward guide provides detailed meanings for every card, from astrological correspondences to applications for relationships, work, spirituality, and personal growth. Michelsen, Teresa. The Complete Tarot Reader (Llewellyn). Clearly explains a variety of reading techniques, from intuitive reading to complex elemental dignities. Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom (Thorsons). Thoughtful essays illuminate the symbols and illustrations of the RWS Tarot. Riley, Jana. Tarot Dictionary and Compendium (Weiser). Card by card, this book summarizes meanings suggested by a dozen different Tarot experts. Thomson, Sandra A. Pictures from the Heart: A Tarot Dictionary. Puzzled by a symbol on a card? Look it up here for quick, accurate insights. Intermediate Reading DuQuette, Lon Milo. Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. This witty, knowledgeable commentary on the Thoth deck delivers an authoritative introduction to the cards. Greer, Mary and Tom Little. Understanding the Tarot Court (Llewellyn). Provides insights designed to enhance your reading of the court cards. Place, Robert. Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination (Tarcher/Penguin). Bob Place provides a readable, reliable, and engaging history of the Tarot and the RWS images. Advanced Books Crowley, Aleister. The Book of Thoth. Complex, scholarly prose reveals the detailed the symbolism behind Crowley's Thoth deck. Decker, Ronald, Thierry DePaulis, and Michael Dummett. A Wicked Pack of Cards (St. Martin's Press). This seminal work covers the documented history of the Tarot deck. Decker, Ronald and Michael Dummett. A History of the Occult Tarot (Duckworth). Detailed history explores how Tarot came to be used as a fortunetelling tool. Kaplan, Stuart. The Encyclopedia of Tarot, Volumes I - IV (U.S. Games). This series provides an exhaustive survey (and photos!) of Tarot decks past and present. O'Neill, Robert. Tarot Symbolism (association.tarotstudies.org). This dated but important work was, for years, the definitive text on the origins of the Tarot's symbolic images. The Association for Tarot Studies now offers reprints of the original, out-of-print book. Wang, Robert. An Introduction to the Golden Dawn Tarot (Weiser). Wang's book reprints important documents preserving the insights of the British occult society, The Golden Dawn. Decks The following decks make great additions to any collection. The Alchemical Tarot (Robert Place). The first edition of this exquisite work of art is out of print and hard to find, but the artists own reprint is available. If you see either one, snap it up. The Book of Thoth (U. S. Games). Crowley's masterwork, featuring art by Lady Frieda Harris, challenges beginners but rewards careful study. The Bright Idea Deck (Llewellyn). This approachable deck features bright colors, easy keywords, and contemporary illustrations. Medieval Enchantments: The Nigel Jackson Tarot (Llewellyn). This friendly deck incorporates vivid colors and engaging medieval settings for each illustration. The Osho Zen Tarot (St. Martin's Press). Bright colors, clever titles, and a dash of 80's nostalgia give this deck a unique voice. The Universal Marseilles (Lo Scarabeo). Released in 2006, this new version of the Marseilles deck adds delicate colors and fine shading to each illustration. The Universal Waite (U. S. Games). Colored pencils were used to tint this subtly re-colored version of the classic RWS deck. The Illuminated Tarot (Carol Herzer). These hand-tinted, psychedelic RWS images must be ordered directly from soul-guidance.com. Online Resources Aeclectic Tarot (www.aeclectic.net). Massive site offers book and deck reviews, forums, and great sense of community. Alida (www.Alida-Store.com). Overseas dealer offers mass-market, unusual, and rare decks, delivered quicklyeven to the U.S. American Tarot Association (www.ata-tarot.com). Inexpensive yearly membership has its privileges; check website for details. eBay (www.eBay.com). Decks and readings galore; take claims that decks are rare or hard-to-find with a grain of salt. Tarot.com. Get free three-card web-based readings, or detailed readings with automated interpretation for a price. Tarot Garden (www.TarotGarden.com). This online Tarot boutique offers rare and hard-to-find items often unavailable anywhere else. TarotTools.com. Find free ideas and applications for Tarot enthusiasts at every level, with an emphasis on practicality and results. Software Beautiful Tarot HD. The very best Tarot deck simulator for iOS devices (including iPads and iPhones). Le Tarot (www.letarot.net). Play the original game of Tarot against real and virtual competitors. MacTarot (www.MacTarot.com). Simple, inexpensive software performs very basic readings for Mac users. Orphalese Tarot (www.orphalese.net). Shuffle, deal, and share virtual decks on Windows-based machines. A Closing Word Your journey with the Tarot is just beginning! If you use these resources to further your study and dedicate yourself to reading the cards with integrity, the Tarot will be a wise and insightful companion for years to come. MARK MCELROY A GUIDE TO TAROT CARD READING 158 159