Don't Look A (Tarot) Gift Horse In The Mouth!

You know, you can overdose on Tarot. Do so many readings that they all become meaningless. It's a bit addictive. Like having a hotline to The Source Of All Things that you can't stop pumping for information.

I am particularly susceptible to this danger after a relationship break-up and always know I have crossed the line when The Devil card keeps popping up. The Devil is for losers. For those who want someone (i.e. Tarot) to fix their problems rather than doing it themselves. For those who don't want to face reality. (Despite this, I'm quite fond of The Devil card, grateful even, but I'll leave the explanation as to why for another post.)

In my experience the best way to use Tarot is to do readings only when you feel a real need. You'll know when. And if you are doing readings everyday, which is good practice when you start out, just don't expect them to be deeply significant ones.

Have you ever looked a Tarot Gift Horse in the mouth like me?

Can Tarot cards be good and bad at the same time?

I've been thinking about what I said in another post about all Tarot cards having a positive and negative expression and wondering if that is really true. The cards can certainly be expressed in different ways but do they all have a good and a bad side? I thought we might explore this question a little using the Two of Swords which we looked at yesterday.

I subtitled this card: 'I don't want to think about it.' As I explained, it comes up when you're not ready to mentally explore some area of your life which is a bit of a can of worms. When you can't handle thinking about it. I would say that this is a negative expression of this card because in this situation you are being dysfunctional.

And the positive? Maybe it's when the card is trying to tell you that you don't need to deal with something right now. When it's giving you permission to withdraw from a situation because there is too much information for you to process. The problem in this case isn't with you, it's with some outside source. In this case you are the functional one.

Maybe rather than talking about positive and negative it would be better to talk about functional and non-functional expressions of each card.

What do you think?

Two of Swords: I Don't Want To Think About It!

Here is the Two of Swords card. A woman sits with her arms crossed over her chest. Both hands hold upright swords. Behind her, the sea, full of rocks. A blindfold covers her eyes.

She doesn't want to see. The arms crossing her chest protect her heart. Swords represent thoughts i.e. your attitude to a situation. The number two is black & white, yin & yang, opposites: You're in or you're out. The sea is emotions.

When you get this card there is something you don't want to think about. You have deep, rocky feelings about whatever the issue is and you're not ready to face them yet. Not ready to open yourself up emotionally.

I get this card a lot. I'm good at living in denial (it has its advantages!) What about you?

My Tarot Bible

This is the book I have turned to again and again over the last 20 years to help me understand the messages written in the cards. It is easy to read and easy to understand. For those who can't read the small print on the photo the book is called 'The Complete Book of Tarot' and was written by Juliet Sharman-Burke, an English woman. Even though it was published a long time ago (1985) it is the best Tarot reference book I have come across so far.

I found it in one of those New Age shops that proliferate in Melbourne. I feel so lucky to live in a city which caters to many different intellectual interests. Of course, there are those who would scoff at Tarot being seen as food for the intellect but I beg to differ.

I don't necessarily agree with all the interpretations. No one ever gets everything right. (Although Juliet is pretty darn close I reckon.) But that's why I have set up this blog. So that hopefully over time a community of people interested in Tarot will gather here to discuss the cards. It takes a village to do so many things!

So please, join me for a chat. You can ask anything, say anything. You know, Tarot related, let's not get personal. Do you have a Tarot bible? Is it a book, a person or an internet site? Please share.

Two Heads (Cards) Are Better Than One, Don't You Think?

The more Tarot cards you pull out of the pack the more refined the advice will become. But warning warning danger danger don't pull so many that the message gets lost altogether. Start slowly. Try two to begin with.

Let's have a look using cards we've talked about already.

Eight of Wands

The Star

Eight of Wands = Things happening. The Star = Time out. So when you get these two together it might be that the cards are telling you to take a break for a while from all the frenetic activity you've been engaged in i.e. Put down your work tools and read a book or go to the beach or catch up with some friends over dinner.

The Tower

The Star

The Tower = Reaching breaking point. The Star = Time out. This is what I was talking about in my last post. In this case the cards are telling you to retreat to a safe place to lick your wounds because you've been through a really hard time. Take a holiday. Maybe run home to mummy (I've done that even as an adult, lol.) Try not to loose yourself in booze.

Note that in the first reading there is an Everyday and a Lifelesson card whereas in the second both are Lifelesson cards. Thus you would expect the emotions and experiences to be much more intense with the second reading.

Now, what if the cards came out in reverse order? Ah, we'll leave that to a later post. Thoughts?

Why The Star is Underrated!

I've always had a problem with the definitions ascribed to The Star: calm, peace of mind, feeling hopeful. They sound kind of lame. But let's face it, a card that comes after The Tower and before The Moon in the Tarot deck is going be anything but lame.

This card doesn't signify a peaceful calm time in your life. Bollocks to that. Look at the picture. The woman is naked, completely vulnerable. The scene has an unreal air signifying a flight from reality. The Star is the place we go when it all gets too much, when we need time out. It is the fantasy world we retreat to while the storm rages outside. The waters we dip in to renew our spirit. It is sitting in the dark watching a movie bawling your eyes out after a break-up. It is heading to the coast for a surf after a fight with your girlfriend. It is locking yourself in your room to listen to music at top volume after being told off by your parents.

You are not just hopeful, you are holding onto hope with every fibre of your being while you drown in despair.

I've definitely been there. Have you?

Tarot Card Reading 101

There are a lot of 'official' Tarot card spreads you can use. My personal favorite is the 10-card Celtic Cross (I'll explain that in a later post). But you don't need anything fancy the first time you do a reading. Just ask yourself a question, shuffle the cards and when you feel ready pull one from the pack.

In order to understand the card's message you can:

(a) Look up its meaning in books or on the internet. There will be several to choose from.

(b) Meditate on the images in the card. There is lots to ponder in each one. See what pops out for you and focus on what that might symbolize.

Then (c) go with the meaning that 'feels right'. (I never said Tarot card reading was an exact science, lol.)

Have a go and share your experiences below.