About The Tarot

THE TAROT

The TAROT is made up of 78 cards. The Major Arcana, or trumps, comprises 21 of
the cards. They bear allegorical images and titles. They symbolize "the big
picture". They are in numerical order as a journey through life starting with
the fool and ending with the world. The rest of the deck is made up of the MINOR
ARCANA. They comprise four suits: the swords, wands (staves or batons), cups,
and pentacles (coins). They are made up basically like a regular card deck. Each
suit has four court cards: princess (traditionally page), prince (traditionally
knight), queen, and king. The numbered cards are ACE (1) through 10. The minor
arcana focuses on ourselves as we exist from day to day. They deal with our
personal lives, our ambitions, hopes, fears, and relations to each other. The
major arcana has implications of the individual and the minor focuses more on
the world at large. The major and minor arcana both work together to form a
whole, or a continuum. Below is a list of the traditional cards---both the major
and minor arcana.

Major Arcana:

0 The fool, I The magician, II The priestess, III The Empress, IV The Emperor, V
The hierophant, VI The lovers, VII The chariot, VIII Justice, IX The Hermit, X
Wheel of Fortune, XI Strength, XII The Hanged Man, XIII Death, XIV Temperance,
XV The Devil, XVI The Tower, XVII The Star, XVIII The Moon, XIX The Sun, XX
Judgement, XXI The World.

Minor Arcana:

Suit of wands:

Ace of wands, two of wands, three of wands, four of wands, five of wands, six of
wands, seven of wands, eight of wands, nine of wands, ten of wands, princess,
prince, queen, king.

Suit of cups:

Ace of cups, two of cups, three of cups, four of cups, five of cups, six of
cups, seven of cups, eight of cups, nine of cups, ten of cups, princess, prince,
queen, king.

Suit of Swords:

Ace of swords, two of swords, three of swords, four of swords, five of swords,
six of swords, seven of swords, eight of swords, nine of swords, ten of swords,
princess, prince, queen, king.

Suit of Pentacles (coins):

Ace of pentacles, two of pentacles, three of pentacles, four of pentacles, five
of pentacles, six of pentacles, seven of pentacles, eight of pentacles, nine of
pentacles, ten of pentacles, princess, prince, queen, king.

SPREADS

The way to do readings is through spreads. Spreads can be very easy, with one
card, or can be very hard and complicated. I will go over some of the basic,
easier spreads you can use. To prepare for the reading, make sure you are in a
calm, relaxed state. Do not do a reading if you are depressed or hysterical.
Pick a calm, quiet spot where you will not be disturbed. You may shuffle the
cards anyway you want, and after a while, may find that you pick up a certain
style in doing so. On all the spreads below, start by taking the first card off
the deck and place it face up in order that you see the spreads laid out. In
other words, do not take the first card and place it in the fourth card spot. To
read the cards, either do it one at a time as the cards are turned over, or wait
till all cards have been laid out and read the cards like a story.

The Time spread:

This spread is good for beginners because it only involves four cards. Before
you start this spread, have a clear question in mind. It does not have to be a
yes or no question, but it should be specific.

Card 1: The Past

This card will tell what has happened to lead up to the question being asked. It
can refer to events in your childhood but will more likely refer to things
directly related to the question.

Card 2: The Present

This card tells how your situation stands at the moment. It might refer to some
feelings or Something you have that you did not want to admit or show something
that might have caused your particular question.

Card 3: The Future

This card will show how it expects things to work out in the near future.

Card 4: Action

This card will show what you may do to either encourage the outcome or change
it.

Books in PDF format to read:

Dom Antoine Joseph Pernety - A Treatis On The Great Art
Michael Smith - Ways Of The Asatru
Aleister Crowley - The Zodiac And The Tarot
Pyotr Demianovich Ouspenskii - The Symbolism Of The Tarot
Samuel Liddell Macgregor Mathers - The Tarot

Zodiac Tarot Horoscope

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Seven of Pentacles: Good news arrives. You are creating your own sense of success or failure. If you want more than you have received - prove it and create a new path for yourself. Help is on the way. Financial good news nears. Hard work. Clever process. Material Progress. Growth, Money. Rewards are due, make your last minute adjustments to ensure profit. The tools for transformation are in your hands. You are responsible for your life, and your determination and stamina will keep your life and business fruitful. Ingenuity. Slow progress, but profitable. You've sown your seeds, now you can rest and see what begins to sprout from all of your effort. You shall reap what you have sown.

LEO (July 23-August 22) Five of Cups: All is not lost. Worry. Regret. Crying over spilled milk. Disillusionment. A relationship or partnership doesn't fulfill it's potential. Don't make the situation or your feelings bigger than they are. Turn to self for the love and sympathy that you are searching for. Look for the positive in what you are experiencing now. Let go of what is not real. Bitterness during a struggle to release. making a mountain out of a molehill. Only the weak spots are gone, you still have much to be grateful for. Love the one you are with. Grieving memories. A great strength is found as you let go of that which you hold on most to. Release the negativity, so that new trust may be found. Holding on to what isn't working anymore. Detach from the unsolved issues and look for new inspiration.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22) Ten of Cups: Joy. Looking for a reason to celebrate with loved one. Trust is restored. Triumph. Love. Tears of triumph. Motivated by the love of others. True friendship. Contentment. Tender moments enjoyed. Money doesn't buy love. Home is where the heart is. Spirituality. Finding faith. True wisdom is ours. Reflections of kindness. Dancing beneath a waterfall. Dreams are fulfilled. Positive feelings. Filled with great peace and comfort. Love from they neighbor. Good surroundings. An end to a long cycle. Showered in affection. Emotional bliss. Your wish has been granted. Cleansing the pain. Seeing rainbows after the storms. Togetherness. Swelling with goodness. Enjoyment from the simple things in life. Sweet endearments. A spiritual river flows through us.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22) Three of Wands: Enterprise. Figuring out a plan. A new direction. Follow new clues. Adventure that becomes our inner calling. Negotiations. Expansion. Ideas present new foresight. We figure it all out now, and there's no turning back. Getting the assistance we've been asking for. Possible partnership or relationship. Practical journey. Successful business adventure. Professional communications. Collecting our thoughts as we grasp our future. A spiritual direction. Travel. Knowing what we want to do now and we're going for it. Mapping out a new location. Creating a business from a hobby or talent. Opportunities arrive. Becoming open-minded and seeing a new perspective. Foresee potential issues. Mental strategy. 'I just know, and I'm trusting it'. Our ship finally comes in. Giving back to the world. Let go of inhibitions and see where it takes you.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) Four of Pentacles: Holding on too tightly. Hoarder. Inability to let go. Stale, but safe. Protected. Holding onto great strength and power that we have created. Mold grows as nothing is shifted. Creating our own prison. Growth in finances, that keep you locked into yourself. Look for a way out, or a for a small window of opportunity. Knowing you have the ability to open and close doors. Miserly. Scrooge. Refusal to stray beyond our own four walls. We reflect the world we have built. Choosing to be cheap. Unable to see what is ahead. Dependent on experience and spirituality. You are not alone. the key to happiness exists within your heart. Tough cookie. Security matters. Lacking vision by our own walls. Lacking flexibility. Can't think outside the box. Won't think outside the box. Desperate, but not serious enough to create change. Locked in our own world. Attachment to material things. It's all about what I have, and not what I share. Barriers are from our own doing. Obstacles and walls exist only in our minds.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) King of Pentacles: Man of great wisdom. Reliable. Savvy business skills. Being rich with spiritual and material gifts. Helpful individual. Steady progression. Owning up to responsibility. Doing the right thing. Sensual savoring of appreciation. Take the no-nonsense approach. Dependability. Trust is developed. Receiving an endowment. Friendly handshake. Help comes in. Generous assistance and support arrives. Honorable and unshakable individual. Financial advisor. Being accountable brings strength and honor. Decisions made from integrity. What is touched, turn to gold. A competent individual. Mature behavior enhances our power. Knowing what is best for others, as well as for ourselves. Taking care of family and friends. Sharing of our wealth. Enjoying a successful period in one's life. Accomplishment and success arrives. We get what we worked hard for. Achievement, good reputation, and substantial earnings. Favorable benefactor. Play it smart now. Successful projects. We're someone that everyone counts on. Good news financially.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) Nine of Swords: Choosing solitude. Paranoia. Darkness falls upon us. Afraid of the night. Nightmare. You are making your own misery. Living a nightmare that exists in your mind. Feeling threatened. A cycle is about to end. Endless suffering creates a feeling of being trapped. Threats and fears become overbearing, forcing us to react. Worries over tomorrow overwhelm us. Fear that we may be revealed in some way. Sleep deteriorates. Agitation. Unable to separate the nightmares from reality. Afraid of being judged, criticized. Secrets do not become you now. Fear to anger, to fear, to anger. Hiding in our own darkness. Negativity is feeding from our fears. We're worried about what others will think. Trouble always finds me. We think that people care too much about our private affairs. Our past still haunts us. We seclude ourselves. Waiting for the worst to happen. Be careful of what you believe now. The boogie man is under your bed.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) Queen of Swords: Perception and quick-wit is delivered. Pay attention to all that is around you. Commanding. Listen to what is being said, but also tune-in to what is not being said. Have your 'thinking cap' and 'listening ears' on in order for your vision to become crystal clear. Unprocessed information or interesting news comes your way that helps steer your direction. Communicating keeps you mentally active and quick, allowing you to become clever, confident and brave in your presentation. Assumption and avoidance confuse you from reaching your goal. Dominance. To separate the nonsense from the facts... you must ask the right questions, to get the right answers.

PISCES (February 19-March 20) Ten of Wands: You are choosing the harder path all on your own. Integrity and honor is a lonely road. Too much success. Overloaded. Burdened by choice. Holding the torch. Creating a strong backbone. I'm right and everyone else is wrong. Responsibility and stamina is strengthening self-respect. Fires burning strong. Feeling a heavy weight when doing the right thing. Martyr complex. Assuming that the world depends on us. Courage and righteousness. Coming to an end of a cycle. Holding great strength. Showing others what we are truly made of. Great spirit. Overworked. Holding the weight of the world on our shoulders. Willing to take on the whole crowd. Bearing great pain is building character. The journey is almost finished. Nothings is going to stop you. When all bets are against you, you are the one who pulls through and has the last laugh. Proving yourself to others. Dependent on winning for self-esteem.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Four of Wands: The wheel is turning again. Celebration. Good structure. Fruits of labor. Enjoying the good life. Possible romance. Rest. Hard work pays off. Loyalty. Home is where the heart is. Trying and succeeding. Defending and protecting what's right. Super hero. A happy workplace. What to do with all this energy? Coming to the rescue. Good intentions come from a strong heart. Harmony. Possible promotion. A fire still burns. Satisfaction. Harvest. Powerful love. A happy home. Liking who you are becoming. Contained within your own positive world. Passion is contained. Settling an old score. Pride and honor. A wedding. Secluded and happy. Strong barriers. Display of commitment. Looking for a new home. Receiving an invitation. Walls of love. Building a new resting stop. Being a good neighbor. Cycle completed and moving on to next project. Prosperity. Happy organization. Blessings. Great heart. relying on your own light.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Eight of Swords: Avoiding the painful truth. Censorship. Strained. Unable to make a move. Restriction causes self-doubts. Crisis. Seeking perfection. Social paranoia. Frightened of getting hurt. Flaws imperil our growth. Paralyzed with fear. Mentally challenged. Physically challenged. Seeking approval from others to determine success. Seeing obstacles and problems that don't exist. Foreseeing issues. Critical care. Creative block. In constant conflict with ourselves. Bondage. Indecision. Feelings of being trapped. Creating our own prison. Internal empowerment available if you seek within. Writers cramp. Disliking crowds and craving solitude. Afraid to face fears. Can not make a decision. Stage fright. Wrongdoings. No matter which way you turn, you see another hurdle to cross. Criticism and judgment hurt now. Loss of confidence. Feeling incompetent. Self esteem damaged.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) The Hermit: Searching for the truth. Choosing solitude to escape the noise. Divine light. Spiritual grounding. Prayers. Finding our true inner light. Dependence on higher knowledge. Home with nature. Meditation. Be still now and listen to your surroundings. What everyone thinks of me is none of my business. Sign of help ahead. Silence is golden. Wisdom. Getting therapeutic counseling. Professional therapy. A book filled with powerful knowledge. Stars speak to you. Metaphysical practice. New age. Great wisdom. Centering within ourselves to find answers. Self-knowledge. Tree hugger. The night sky tells us a story. Grounding. Lone wolf. Happily secluded at home. Blending in with he scenery. Ain't nobody else's business but our own. Illumination. Fascination with mountains. Candle in the wind. The key is good listening. Living the simple life. Studying the past to understand our present and tomorrow. Inner guidance.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Richard Johnson - The Zodiac Stellar Stories
Aleister Crowley - Rosa Coeli
Yogi Ramacharaka - Yogi Philosophy

Wisdom And Knowledge Of The Tarot

My journey with the Tarot began in September of 1984. At this point in my life, I was already aware of the fact that I was sensitive and I had intuition. I was also aware of the fact that I was having intense emotional life experiences. With this little bit of awareness and understanding, working with a counselor, to assist me in better understanding some of my earlier life experiences, would be the very thing that would open the doors to my path: the New Age.

Prior to these doors opening, I had just started a job, as a receptionist and had met and made friends with a very like minded and gentle soul. As my new friend, was already aware of energy and being psychic, because she had noticed energy around me, she would begin sharing stories of a psychic and magical nature. To say I was intrigued and wanted to hear more, is putting it mildly: the stories continued. Because she had been sharing psychic stories, I had asked if learning about psychic abilities could be learned and her answer was yes. Soon "L" would become my mentor on this psychic New Age journey.

This is when I stepped into the "New Age" and was introduced to the Tarot. Well now "L" truly had my attention. I felt strongly pulled to the Tarot and wanted to learn about each card and learn how to do readings and read for others. The urge was very strong, considering that I was a newbie on this path...so, I followed the path.

It would be during my journey on this new found path, that I would notice my life changing and my emotions amping up quite a bit more. As there was no information about meditating with the Tarot for these changes, I found myself drawn and guided to do this anyway. As my experiences continued to amplify, the Tarot became a guide and a teacher, for the deeper insight and understanding for these life changes. I also began to notice that the more I taught psychic/intuitive development, along with the Tarot, the stronger my connection to my awareness became.

It would be during this time that I began utilizing each card during breathing meditation, to bring deeper wisdom for the changes taking place in my life and changes taking place in my relationships with family and friends.

I began learning, that after meditating with each card, to bring peace, awareness and understanding to my life, I found myself feeling better and although I couldn't change the experiences happening in my life, or couldn't control others, I began learning how to reframe and communicate in a clearer and healthier manner.

For me, the Tarot, as a tool for mediation, in this new time of awareness, was the greatest of teachers and the greatest of gifts. For at the beginning of my journey, I had great difficulty in verbalizing and sorting through my feelings and emotions, especially before I understood that I had the ability to feel and sense emotions and feelings from others.

This has been a truly wild, inspiring and sometimes very exhausting journey and yet, when I look back how my awareness evolved and grew in understanding, just by learning and meditating with the Tarot: the gifts of awareness were priceless. The Tarot, as a tool for meditation is the best gift we can give to ourselves, in learning how to feel below the surface, from a place, where our soul knowing and heart wisdom can better guide us.

The Tarot as a tool for mediation is worth the journey of new discoveries, evolved awareness and deeper growth, in the changes that we are beginning to experience. From all that I learned, and although feeling a wee bit tired from this journey, I am thankful that I had this opportunity to learn about the deeper meaning of life, through my experience with the Tarot.

So, if you have an open heart and a flexible mind to consider something new, the Tarot, as a tool for meditation, growth and better understanding for life, can become a great teacher and a guide on your life journey.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Max Heindel - The Message Of The Stars
Aleister Crowley - The World Of Tarot
Christine Payne Towler - The Continental Tarots

Why Tarot Cards Work

I have been utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot since 1984. As shared in another article on the Tarot, not only did the Tarot make itself known to me, during various stages and changes in my life, but my great grandparents, on my fathers' side, were a travelling band of gypsies, who did readings and palmistry, back in the early 1900's.

You figure, sooner or later, this kind of energy is going to find a family member, to continue to bring this energy forward.

For my husband, 18 year old daughter and myself, this week has been a very crazy and wild emotional ride for us. Normally for us, we shift through our emotional surfs, individually. Somehow, someway, this week we are all shifting together. And along with this shift, our sleep patterns are completely off. Being a conscious empath, an intuitive and a teacher, guiding us through our wild emotional surfs, it means that when our human emotions are amped up more than normal, whatever is normal for us, it means that we have to pay extra attention to our moods and our highs and lows. It also means that anything we read, that supports our wild emotional surfs, that logically, this clear information becomes our guide during the surf, not our wild and amped up emotions, or the ideas our egos might have about the shift.

It is safe to say, that we are in the energy part of our journey now and for this part of our journey, emotions and moods move very quickly. Well last night, our energies were all amped quite a bit. As we continue to use the Tarot, as a guide for these wild emotional surfs, my husband proceeded to pull the cards and do a layout, just to see how the energy was moving.

In the beginning, when doing readings, I continued to utilize the layouts for a reading, and at times still do. I don't remember what all the cards were, however, there were 4 major arcanas, 4 minor arcanas; these cards were all positive in energy. However, the last 2 cards in the layout were strife and oppression. Humanly, I thought well great. Energetically, what the cards were really sharing with me, was a confirmation that attention to detail, for our shifting emotions, required extra special attention and care. That although the other cards in the layout were positive and sharing what was to come, that we were not there yet and that we were to continue clearing our emotions, integrating balanced and appropriate awareness to our shifting emotions and maintain our center, regardless of how
our buttons were being pushed, humanly speaking, that is.

The Tarot has been a part of our lives for more than 20 years now. Even after all this time and how the evolution of my own awareness has grown and evolved, I continue to have great respect for the wisdom that the Tarot shares and continue to be in awe and amazement, as to how we are forever guided into moving forward, within our journey, for our life changing experiences.

When we suspend labels, ideas and preconceived notions about the Tarot, there is a whole other story to tell. The Tarot has taught us how to utilize them as an energy, to continue to search deeper, for the true meaning of each life experience. I admit, in the beginning, I used the cards in the standard, book learned way. However, for me being highly intuitive and empathic, the Tarot took me on a deeper inner journey, for intuition became my guide on this journey.

There are many wonderful books on the Tarot and if you allow your intuition to guide you on this journey, the Tarot can and will guide you to the evolution of your own understanding. When I began my Tarot journey, back in 1984, I could never have imagined, at that point in time how this awareness and understanding would evolve. I began to notice that the more that I utilized the Tarot, the more this awareness would naturally and normally integrate itself into my daily life. Each time a level of understanding was completed, another book on the Tarot would teach and guide me how to go deeper.

I understand that for a long time, the Tarot and the idea of the Tarot had its negatives surrounding it. I am thankful, that when it was my time for this journey of discovery, it was the right time and I had the opportunity to grow in my understanding on this journey.

When given the chance, the Tarot cards work in teaching us how to go beyond the face value of an experience and get to the root knowing and understanding, for the purpose of our life changes and how to bring better information forward.

The Tarot cards work in bringing wise and amazing insight to our life changes and life experiences and guide us in building that trust to our inner voice and wisdom.

The Tarot becomes our journey for our inner discoveries.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - All About Wicca And Witchcraft
Aleister Crowley - Al The Comment Called D The Djeridensis Working
Aleister Crowley - Thoth Tarot Deck
Aleister Crowley - The Cephaledium Working
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards

What Is Your Tarot Learning Style

I am often asked what is the fastest and easiest way to Learn to Read Tarot cards, to absorb the meanings and definitions and to understand the spreads as quickly as possible.

The answer to that question really depends on How you Learn things in general?

There are 3 main learning styles. They are called Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic (don’t be put off by the names). Simply put, this means do you learn best from things you SEE, what you HEAR or how you FEEL about something.

Visual People

Visual people like materials they can SEE. If you are visual you will probably enjoy LOOKING at the cards themselves and noticing the details.

You will probably like books with more PICTURES than words and you are likely to find VIDEO (either streaming online or as a DVD) very useful.

You are likely to be a fan of VIDEO and PHOTO SHARING sites for learning new things and probably love COLOUR.

You may be quite observant and notice the smallest of details. Most Tarot decks are very rich in colour and symbolism and there is usually plenty to SEE.

When you are choosing a deck of Tarot cards, make sure you choose one that appeals to you VISUALLY. You may need a deck where the PICTURES tell the stories, so a good choice would be one of the Rider Waite decks, as the pictures tend to be clear and easy to understand.

You might be best avoiding decks that look more like traditional playing cards or which are purely symbols because you may find them harder to get on with.

Auditory People.

If you are an auditory person, you learn primarily by what you can HEAR. You may not be a big written note-taker, however you absorb material by LISTENING.

Auditory people often make good mimics as they can accurately copy the sounds of someone or something.

You probably prefer CDs or AUDIO BOOKS or AUDIO DOWNLOADS or taking part in teleseminars where you can interact with others by SPEAKING.

A good learning tip for you would be to LISTEN to audios books or audio versions of your favourite course as you are doing other things.

If you have a favourite Tarot book or course, it may be a good idea for you to READ it aloud yourself and RECORD it, so that you can LISTEN to your own voice and REPEAT things aloud in your own voice.

When you get a deck of cards, it can be useful for you to talk through (prefereably aloud) what you can see going on in the card.

Kinesthetic People.

This means you learn by FEELING and TOUCHING. You are likely to rely a lot on your intuition and gut feeling in making decisions and tend to go with things that make you FEEL good.

You like to have something you can physically TOUCH, whether that is a MANUAL or a BOOK or HANDLING your deck of TAROT CARDS.
When you pick up a card, you are quite likely to get an immediate FEELING REACTION to it.

For learning, you may choose a Physical COURSE or WORKSHOP where you can EXPERIENCE and INTERNALISE the learning. You can also GET a FEEL for the teacher and the other people there.

You will probably do well with any deck of cards, as long as you feel comfortable with it. You are likely to be a person who could do very well with SYMBOL based cards because you will probably get an immediate FEELING about the cards and will not really need to have pictures to trigger off your INTUITION.

Which Style are You?

Most people are a mixture of a couple of styles, with one being more dominant than the others.

When you are thinking about Learning the Tarot, it is important to consider your learning style when choosing resources to help you.

If you work with your dominant Learning Style, you will learn a lot faster and your journey will be much more fun.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - What Is Wicca Article 2
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards
Aleister Crowley - Concerning Blasphemy
Anonymous - Pentagram Meaning And History

Top Learn Tarot Card Readings Secrets

Where to find tarot lessons? Online courses, independent teachers, books and web sites make choice options for anyone who wants to learn tarot. Debates do exist about these learning methods; a learner can understand the card meaning in context, identify symbols and even memorize representations. The choice of the deck is very important for those who want to learn tarot easily and without too many challenges along the way. Pick only those cards with suggestive illustrations so as to process the complex combinations and understand the steps.

The card design is incredibly relevant in relation to the learner's ability to grasp something from the card context. Vivid colors, clear representations and anything logical in the realm of the visual facilitate the learning process; the subject often becomes apparent only by a close look at the picture or the graphics. This is actually the great trick behind the various ways to learn tarot; there is not one single method, but dozens, and each can be particularized according to the person interested in the study. Thus, the Rider Waite Tarot deserves in many users' opinion the title of the best illustrated decks for beginner and advanced purposes.

Some people start to learn tarot by taking a simple basic tarot course. Some such materials are free of charge and actually aim at giving you the tools and meanings to understand cards and layouts. Some things are being the reach of an uninitiate, and if you don't have the ounce of talent necessary you may never learn tarot well. The events, the characters and symbols thus alternate greatly from one reader to another. Hence, counseling and competence in further tarot reading remain accessible only to some very skilled people.

Every teacher will tell you his/her tricks during the classes, but in time you'll see how many secrets remain untold. Thus, you can come to identify and remember the meanings of only thirty-nine of the fifty-six possible interpretations. In fact, remembering the meaning of every card is the very tarot learning basis, and you may have the chance to refer to books, guides and Internet informative pages to study just as you did in the school days. Shortcuts are waiting for you to discover them, and sometimes you don't know how well the tarot skills are getting built. Good luck!

Books You Might Enjoy:

Benjamin Rowe - Chymical Wedding Of Christian Rosenkreutz
John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets
Aleister Crowley - His Secret Sin

The Psychology Of Tarot

I want to start by telling you what I am not. I am not a new age guru, I hate those guys. I think they are phony, pompous, and banal. Nor do I believe in religion, astrology, fortune telling, or crystals. For the most part I look to science for answers to my deep questions not religion. The point I’m making is I am not your typical tarot enthusiast.

I am not ashamed to admit that tarot has become an important tool of self exploration. Tarot has given me a deeper understanding of myself. Since I started reading tarot I’ve discovered meditation, became a vegetarian, and I understand more of what I want out of life. I have searched my emotions further than I ever have before and because of this I see my world differently.

Having said that, I do not feel tarot cards need to be in any way mystical. Because tarot communicates through images, it helps you think in terms of symbols while forcing the analytic part of your brain to form explanations for those symbols. It is probably more like how the mind works in a dream state.
For me this has resulted in an awaking of sorts. When I pull a tarot card its image compels me to form meaning. I think about the card and what advice I can glean from it or how it could apply to my life. To accomplish this I must examine my emotions, thoughts, and experiences deeply; in essence become my own therapist.
It is my opinion that the deeper you explore yourself the more self reliant you become. You find that you have the solutions to your own problems. You realize that you have a higher tolerance for the drama of life. Tarot for me has been a catalyst for this sort of self discovery.

The key is to have a clear, analytical, but open mind. Don’t fret about a negative card or constantly ask about what is going to transpire in the future. The future, what ever that is, will happen in its own time. Use the tarot cards for the present. Focus on questions about how to overcome obstacles and setbacks now.
To get started you need to find the right tarot card deck. I like the Thoth deck because it is full of beautiful imagery and esoteric symbolism. Follow your instincts when choosing. Make sure you purchase accompanying books about tarot as a guide for interpretation. Also there are plenty of online sites that will make understanding tarot easier. I Personally like http://www.angelpaths.com because it provides self affirming interpretations.

After you gain a solid foundation in reading tarot, try coming up with your own meaning for the cards. You might find that your truest personal thoughts and feelings will bubble to the surface. This might be painful at first, but it will also be cathartic. For me exploring my own pain helped me see myself and others in a more accepting light.

It is important to remember that making greater sense of your life can be approached in many ways. Don’t be quick to judge the merits of anything on face value. A mind that is open but discerning has the possibility for great insight. Tarot for me is another tool for my own search of meaning. Maybe it could be one for you as well.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Arthur Edward Waite - The Pictorial Key To The Tarot
Phil Hine - Aspects Of Tantra
Edna Kenton - The Book Of Earths
Aleister Crowley - The World Of Tarot
Aleister Crowley - Psychology Of Hashish

Tarot And Politics

Lately, I’ve been thrown off balance by the number of tarot readers who venture into politics online. Today, someone I admire greatly for her kindness and generosity promoted a Deepak Chopra essay on Sarah Palin that was so vitriolic and mean-spirited that it literally took my breath away.

You can go read Chopra’s work for yourself, if you like. It’s a pretty straightforward attack on conservatives. Chopra writes that Republicans represent the shadow side of life, and he says that Republicans base their opinions on fear, rejection, hostility to change, and narrow-mindedness.

Here’s what the tarot community needs to remember, though: Half of this country is conservative. Half of this country regularly votes Republican. Half of the people you meet in everyday life lean toward the right, and half of the people who might be interested in learning or reading about tarot could very well disagree with you politically.

What’s more, no conservative would ever agree with Chopra’s assessment of their beliefs — and no conservative could ever feel comfortable confiding in a tarot reader who publicly suggests, as Chopra does, that Republicans are a demoralizing force who exhort others to obey their worst impulses.

On a practical level, I’m always shocked when tarot readers attack conservatives. As a professional tarot reader and an author, I don’t think I can afford to antagonize half of my prospective clients and readers.

I also think that political attacks cross an ethical boundary we need to recognize. Most of us would never demean a client based on religious beliefs or cultural differences. We go out of our way to be non-judgmental when it comes to other characteristics that define us as individuals, like race and sexuality.

For some reason, however, political opinions don’t fall under the same umbrella of compassion and protection. In fact, politics seem to be the only arena in which tarot readers regularly feel free to make insulting remarks about other people; you can hardly go to a tarot conference or symposium in which most of the speakers don’t make disparaging jokes about conservatives and Republicans.

I don’t think we should keep going down this road. It’s not healthy on a personal level, to feel either on the defensive or on the attack.

It doesn’t suit us professionally, either. As tarot readers, we’re already marginalized enough. A lot of us even know what it feels like to be demonized for our beliefs. We face an uphill battle when it comes to gaining respect from the general public — and we don’t need to go looking for people to hurt or offend.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Marcus Bottomley - Nine Proven Magical Rites
Anonymous - Wicca Beliefs And Practices
Sepharial - A Manual Of Occultism
Archmage Bob Andrews - Old Witchcraft Secrets

Tarot Numerology Sixes

The tarot can be understood better if the underlying numerology is understood. Cards of the same number in different suits and in the Major Arcana have similar meanings derived from the following qualities...

Corresponding - Major Arcana - The Lovers

Major characteristics: Harmony within flux, Justice, Balance Restored

Also: Equilibrium, fairness, peace, appreciation, reward, values, benefits from behavior, naive balance.

This is the number of the moon.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Charlotte Fell Smith - John Dee
Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Christopher Siren - Sumerian Mythology Faq
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century

Tarot Numerology Nines

The tarot can be understood better if the underlying numerology is understood. Cards of the same number in different suits and in the Major Arcana have similar meanings derived from the following qualities...

Corresponding - Major Arcana - The Hermit

Major characteristics: Nearing the end, The final stage, Preparation for transition, Dreams, Mysticism

Also: Attainment, Summing up before the completion of a cycle, bringing matters to a close, creative energy, compassion, wisdom, understanding, service, courage, mastery.

Think "ten minus one" for being almost there.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Christopher Siren - Sumerian Mythology Faq
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century
Sepharial - Astrology And Marriage

Tarot Meditation On Pentacles

In most Tarot decks based on the classic Rider Deck and those modeled after that design, the suit of pentacles is the suit that speaks of business and money. In the 3,7 & 8 of pentacles, we see images that feature a person who is focused on their work, is proud of their accomplishments and gains some recognition for their efforts. The 3 might also depict an artist who is the beneficiary of a patron of the arts.

In the 2 of pentacles we see a person in the midst of weighing his choices and making a decision. The 4 of pentacles shows a person who can either be seen as miserly or as a person who keeps a close eye on their money and uses it wisely. The 6 of pentacles presents a person who is generous, acting as a philanthropist who acts out of charity.

While looking at some of these images, we are prompted to consider important questions. Am I doing work that I enjoy doing? Do I feel like I get appropriate recognition for my work? Am I satisfied with my compensation? Am I giving anything back to others through the work itself or through the money earned? Do I manage my resources wisely?

If I am not answering yes to most of these questions, am I seriously considering my options? If I am not happy in what I am doing, how can I make changes that will get me into a position where I can do more of what I love? Am I conscious of how I use my resources? What can I do to bring my experience of work and money into harmony in my life?

Books You Might Enjoy:

Aristotle - On Dreams
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Anonymous - Divination Spreads
Anonymous - Protection Of Space

Tarot Journey With The High Priestess

The High Priestess represents the principle of intuition, self trust, self resourcefulness. She represents balance. This archetype reminds us not to hand our power away and to have equal balance in our strength and our vulnerability.

Many years ago, almost a lifetime ago, as I write about The High Priestess, because my husband and I were generating so much empathic and intuitive energy between us, we began experiencing a complete dismantling of outdated and old ways to approach our life.

It is safe to say, that the veils, that had kept us so protected and innocent to these life changes, were now being torn apart, for truth, from deeper under the surface to everyday life, would ground and anchor itself, in the path that we were walking.

The Tarot Cards, would become a much needed guide for these changes. It was at this point, that I began working with the energies and insights of the Alleister Crowley Tarot. Yes, I am aware of what has been written on Alleister, however, as an awakening full blown empath, I needed to work with a specific energy, that would teach and guide me, to the wild emotional surf, that had become our life.

We had been living in a place, where the energies were very scatterd and very dense. We had not figured out or discovered that we were stepping into the ascension process and being in dense and scattered energies, was a process for clearing and connecting our energy to soul blueprint and bringing much needed energy to the area and place that we were living.

It seemed that the longer we were in different environments, because I was learning how to read patterns of energy and learning how not to take it personally, any negatives that were coming to the surface, I felt a tremendous amount of fear and panic setting in. Fear that we had screwed up our lives by listening to our intuition. Fear that we would never learn or come out of this path, that was not well traveled or even discovered yet.

I felt panicked and lost enough, that even though I am a Tarot reader, with empathic abilities and high intuition, I was no good to myself or the awakening process, that had become our lives. I did it!. I went for a psychic reading.

Well, of course, the reader picked up on my energy and asked me why on earth I was talking to her for a reading, with the energy that I was floating in and still trying to figure out how to generate. Not to be forgotten, I was still pretty new to this journey and had not yet figured out, that the many life experiences heading my way, would eventually teach me and to utilized Tarot insight, intuition, breath and awareness, constantly and consistently, until this new way of thinking would root and anchor into my life.

As I was not looking for predictions or outcomes, but a way to figure how to tap into my awareness, I explained a little bit about what was going on and she proceeded with a Celtic cross layout. To this day, I don't remember what the other cards were in the layout. However, when she got to the position of fear, The High Priestess was there in all her glory. The focus became about the High Priestess in the fear position.

She could not get over seeing the High Priestess in the fear position.

She had never seen something like this, in the years that she had been doing readings.

All she could do was ask; "woman, what on earth are you doing with your energy, why aren't you listening to your intuition and why on earth are you handing your power away? Well, OK, I was still young and new to the unchartered territory that had become our life and the journey that we didn't want to take, but had to take it anyway.

Well, after those words, I felt myself come back into my body and felt myself snap into appropriate awareness.

From that day forward, whenever a negative, a challenge and an obstacle was on the horizon and getting ready to be transformed and transmuted into a state of awareness, I would breathe deeply and connect to the energy of the High Priestess, to guide me along the way.

Each Tarot card, in a deck represents and generates its own energy. When we begin a journey, that has never been traveled before, the road less taken or not taken at all, the only thing we have as our guide is our intuition and all things that teach us how to focus and connect to our intuition.

It has taken 18 years to complete the many levels and paths of this journey, the High Priestess, certainly did become my guide and teacher on this ascension process and journey of awakening. At the beginning of this journey, having never come across anything empathic, or how to connect emotions to our intuition, I was and we were scared beyond our imaginings.

As with everything, with constant and consistent practice, the tools for intuition and the Tarot, taught us how to go within and stay connected to our breath and our awareness. No, it didn't happen overnight, it was a learned practice, that needed constant application to our life experiences.

To this day, whenever my energy gets stuck and confusion sets in, one of the many things that I remember now, is that the stuckness represents new information and new energy setting into my life and that staying connected to my breath and remembering to connect to the higher energies of the High Priestess and allow for the natural connection and integration process to unfold, in due time, everything begins to make sense.

This was my journey with the High Priestess, one that will continue to be a guide on my path.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Margaret Alice Murray - The Witch Cult In Western Europe
Aleister Crowley - The Winged Beetle
Arthur Edward Waite - The Hermetic Museum

Tarot Cards Judgment Or Aeon

In the Alleister Crowley Thoth Deck, this card is called The Aeon. This card represents the essence of good judgment or discernment. As I have been utilizing the wisdom and gifts of the Tarot since 1984, and have had many different styles and types of Tarot decks, as I was so awed by their beauty and wisdom, I would soon discover how the Tarot could evolve into deeper awareness and understanding for the many life changes, that I faced and that we face in our lives.

Aeon, through the definition in a dictionary, represents a long period of time. In the Alleister Crowley Deck, the card Judgment/Aeon represents and offers us the opportunity to look at the whole picture. If considering the picture of this card, the inner woman, has the ability to touch the earth and reach for the stars. In essence, she offers us the right use of our inner creativity, that brings positive aspects to other areas of our life. This card and its energy also offers a balance of our inner and outer life, our male and female, our action and feeling, our personal and professional. This card also teaches and offers opportunity for growth when judging ourselves or each other.

When this card is present in your reading, if this card comes in a reversed position, this reversed position is showing where we are placing judgment on ourselves, or with another. If this card comes into your reading in a upright position, either you are working toward balance and integration or you have succeeded in learning about balance and integration for all aspects of your life.

As always, whether with this card, or other cards in the Tarot, when looking deeper into each individual card, the Tarot has this amazing ability to share and guide us toward greater insight in the changes, that we do experience in our lives.

As I have been utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot since 1984, I have undergone many life changes and experiences. Prior to my understanding that I was walking the path of ascension, I was walking an awakening journey.

In the beginning of my journey, although I could understand concepts and situations in my mind, I was very unskilled in successfully verbalizing what was in my head.

Once I began my journey for learning the Tarot, doing consultations and teaching the Tarot, I was on my way to accessing deep intuitive awareness. 27 years later, I am very thankful, that although some of my learning was at times challenging, I cannot imagine not having the wisdom, guidance and insight of the Tarot.

Judgment/Aeon ~ this card is an excellent card to work with when we are looking to bring balance and integration into our lives.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Robert Bruce - Treatise On Astral Projection
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
Anthony Griffin - An Astrological Judgement Touching Theft
Ea Wallis Budge - The Book Of Gates Vol Ii
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles

Tarot Cards Do They Work

Do Tarot cards work? Yes, they do. I was introduced to the Tarot, back in the early 80's. The first time I saw them, I immediately felt drawn to them. The energy of the cards, felt as tho' they had been with me in like forever. I was 27, when the cards were introduced to me a second time. Prior to seeing the cards in the 80's, my first husband had had a deck, wrapped with some other neat stuff from the 60's and prior to that, I had had many dreams about a caravan of gypsies, traveling through Europe, with their colorful tents and their unusual and unique way of life, stopping off to different villages.

Now, how on earth would this little sharing signify that the Tarot cards work? It turns out that the dream of the traveling gypsy caravan was actually my grandfathers' adopted parents and family doing the traveling. They were a psychic band of gypsies that did fortune telling and palmistry, for each town they visited. I had been having this dream, on and off for a few years, until one day, while recuperating from knee surgery, I was telling my mom about my dream and she informed me of my grandfathers' life, when he was a kid. Imagine my surprise!

My grandfather’s adoptive mom was the one that did card readings and palmistry. My grandfathers life, was very hush, hush back in those days, those days being the early 1900's. For me, back in the 70's, the timing of talking about the Tarot was just not right. Obviously, I was in awe, but would soon forget about the dreams, until 7 years later, when I got married and my husband and I were unpacking and out came the deck of cards: the Rider Waite Tarot. Again, the cards made their appearance and were put away and forgotten. Finally, in 1984, the cards made another appearance in my life. I was 27 and it seemed like the timing was right.

The Tarot is a journey of consciousness and of wisdom, that shows us visually and energetically, the creative ideas and levels of consciousness that appear to us in our life experiences.

The Tarot, and the energy and essence of these cards were determined to be a part of my life. I was born into an Italian/Catholic family in this life and so logically and humanly, the Tarot was not a topic of conversation that would take place in my home life and yet, as an empath, with a high level of intuition, the Tarot was going to become a part of my life, no matter what.

The Tarot cards work, however, not in the way that I logically thought they would. In my teens, 20's and very early 30's, I always felt very overwhelmed by everything I was feeling. I would sense and feel life around me, and had to play catch up, with myself in learning how to put it to words. I began to notice, that once I learned the meanings of the cards and began doing readings for others, I was able to tap into my intuition and find the words to the feelings that needed expression. Now, as I look back on this 25-year journey, it all makes perfect sense

The Tarot worked for me in the way, that it opened my logical mind and expanded and evolved my perceptions. It taught me and guided me in how to step out of logic, yes, I continue to be very logical and practical, however, my intuitive sense is my guide on my journey.

The Tarot works in teaching us how to go deeper under the surface to the visual of life. It teaches and guides us into discovering the purpose and nature of life changes.
Yes, there are times where the energy of a reading will present the potential of something coming to pass, however, for me; my journey was more of a discovery for understanding the subtle happenings under the surface to everyday life.

It is safe to say, that the Tarot works in connecting our emotions, feelings, the metaphysical and the spiritual; bringing our life and the deeper meaning, into balance and a better understanding; to live a more heart centered and soul-guided life.

When we are ready to step out of the everyday norm and follow the promptings of our heart, the Tarot works in bringing amazing new discoveries and insights to our life, that we may not have had the chance to discover.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
Paul Foster Case - The Life Power
Aristotle - On The Soul

Tarot As Entertainment

When I used to work in the Renaissance Fair, Tarot readers were classified as entertainers, along with the musicians, actors, jugglers, dancers and clowns. That did not offend me. I love to meet people and read for them in any circumstance, and if it is a festive one, that is fine with me.

Over the years, I have also been hired to entertain guests at parties in people's homes, at company events, as well as festivals and fairs. I am not offended at all if people want to think of Tarot as a form of entertainment. After all, their is pretty convincing evidence that Tarot originated as a set of playing cards with the part of the deck containing the more obviously spiritual references added some time later.

Today, Tarot and playing cards are considered two different things, although there are readers who can read with playing cards, and some people who play games with Tarot. It is fine if people want to be skeptical about what they get from a reading and it serves as a conversation starter among a group of guests. That still serves a useful purpose. And more than one skeptical person has come back to me later to confide that something that came up in a reading that they thought was irrelevant or incorrect later turned out to have a lot of validity.

Just like the court jesters, sometimes truth is easier digested when the reader mixes it in with an adventurous story, a dash of humor or some beautiful art.

After all, are we not the main characters in our own stories, the stories of our lives? Wherever certain events and characters fall on the scale of things between happy, sad, tantalizing or heroic, looking at the possibilities is always entertaining. Bear in mind that some people may prefer scary entertainment, erotic entertainment, foolish entertainment and mysterious entertainment as well as mythic and adventurous entertainment.

It's all in the cards.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Josh Norton - Charging An Enochian Tablet
Richard Weiss - Recipes For Immortality
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Charles Webster Leadbeater - Clairvoyance

Something About Tarot Card Meanings

Profound symbolism and unique tarot card meanings represent the elements for which tarot is one of the most well know arts of the occult. If in the old times people believed them to be very accurate in predicting death, political changes, love affairs, incredible wealth and personal ruin, things prove quite different nowadays, although the symbols are taken a lot more lightly. Tarot card meanings have become epitomes, but when investigated in context they simply give birth to a combination of elements that could or could not refer to your life or influence it. Although prediction was the initial purpose, entertainment has definitely become the main role of this future-telling art.

The most impressive tarot card meanings and symbols can be uncovered and investigated in the cards of the Major Arcana, they also carry the name of trumps. The magician, the fool, the hermit, the emperor, the queen, the hanged man, the devil or the hierophant represent the main figures in the spiritual and real realms. In the Minor Arcana the tarot card meanings substitute in fact the instances or the elements that refer to common daily life events, and these actually represent the ancestors of modern playing cards.

The four elements of the alchemy support the Minor Arcana suits, and they prove just as relevant as the complex figures designed in the Major Arcana. The cups are designated under the influence of the water element, the wands reflect the passion and courage of fire, the swords get represented by air and the pentacles stay firmly on the ground, tributary to the earth element. Thus, if some tarot card meanings relate to emotional affairs as it is the case with the fire element, the air keeps the interpretation in the realm of logic thinking while the earth brings material reality closer.

Tarot card meanings will often appear stirring and surprising in the very evocative essence of the symbols and pictures. Images have always been able to convey feelings, emotions and ideas, and we all have a huge visual repository in the deep mind layers. This represents one possible explanation for the effect tarot card readings trigger in people; a person who has never seen a tarot deck will show admiration for the symbols, designs, prints and figures combined in a very complex structure. In alternations, the graphic representations gain a striking dimension which is why the tarot card meanings charge with more significance layers.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Cave Of The Ancients
Ophiel - The Art Practice Of Caballa Magic
Peter De Abano - Heptameron Or Magical Elements
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards

How To Do A Tarot Card Reading

Tarot Card Reading is Simple.

1. Gather Items
Gather together all the items you will need to do your reading, including tarot cards. You want to stay put once you start your reading.

2. Set the Mood
Before you start your tarot reading, consider lighting candles and incense, quietly meditating, or taking some slow deep breaths. This will help you get centered and open. It also creates a sacred space for your tarot reading.

3. Decide on Your Reading Focus
The focus of your tarot reading can be a question or an issue. The key is to choose a question or issue that is very specific. However, you can also do an open tarot reading, where you do not have any question or issue in mind at all -- you simply want to see what the tarot cards reveal to you.

4. Connect with Your Tarot Cards
Once you have your question in mind, begin shuffling the tarot cards in any way you feel called to. This is when you focus on connecting you, your question, and the tarot cards. This connection will help bring you a clear tarot reading. You can also cut the cards, once you feel ready to stop shuffling.

5. Lay Out Your Tarot Cards
Beforehand, you should have a layout chosen for your reading. Tarot reading layouts can be found in books or online. You can also create your own tarot layout. After you have shuffled and cut the cards & feel as though it is time to layout the cards, do so.

6. Interpreting Your Tarot Card Reading
You have many options. Some tarot decks come with books that contain interpretations for each tarot card. It is acceptable to use the book to understand the tarot cards. However, you have other options for reading tarot layouts. You can look at the artwork on each tarot card, seeing it as a picture-show about your question. You can use symbolism and interpret each tarot card. You can rely solely on your intuition, & let your inner voice tell you what each tarot card means. Or, you can see the tarot cards as a story, with the first tarot card the beginning of the story, and the last tarot card the end. It is important to look at each tarot card individually, and at the layout as a whole. In other words, get two perspectives--see the "forest" and the "trees".

7. Further Interpretation
If there are parts of your tarot reading you do not understand, or parts you want more information about, you can layout more tarot cards. For instance, if you don't understand the third card in your layout, you can lay a new tarot card next to it, asking for clarification. Or, if you understand your tarot reading, but have another question or concern, pull a tarot card or two to focus on the additional information.

8. Remembering Your Tarot Reading
You might consider keeping a tarot reading journal where you record each tarot reading you do. List the date, question, and each tarot card in the layout. The benefit of recording your tarot reading is that you can go back later and reread what your tarot reading contained. It also becomes like a diary of your life. If you do not want to do this additional work, you can stay in the moment with your tarot reading and choose not to record it.

9. Ending Your Tarot Reading
End your tarot reading slowly and respectfully. Thank the Universe (or anyone else) for the gui dance you received and pick up your tarot cards, mixing them back in with the deck. You may say a few words to end your tarot reading and clear the tarot cards of the your old question. The idea is to put away a tarot deck that is clear of energy from the last reading, so that when you do your next reading, you are starting fresh. Put your tarot reading supplies (deck, candle, and anything else) away as if you are ending a sacred ritual.

10. Getting Back to Reality
When you do a tarot reading, you are working in sacred space. You are healing yourself and connecting with spirit. Once you're done, you become re-engaged in mundane life. Make sure you are fully present and back in your body before you go back to doing things like driving a car or making dinner. You can shake your body, stretch, take deep breaths, and do other things that clear the energy of the reading event from your body.
Author's

Books You Might Enjoy:

Donald Tyson - Portable Magic Tarot Tarot In The Only Tool You Need
Benjamin Rowe - A Short Course In Scrying
Robert Anton Wilson - Prometheus Rising

Five Traits You Will Want In A Tarot Reader

I am a professional tarot reader who has been working with the tarot cards for almost twenty years. I’ve found that there are all kinds of readers out there, running the gamut from mediocre to excellent. What is the difference between a “just average” reader and an outstanding one? I believe it comes down to five essential traits. Here’s what to look for:

1. Practicality. Although tarot cards use an old and esoteric system to divine the future—and so much more—many of the questions clients ask have a basis in their everyday lives. A practical reader listens to what the client wants to learn and provides clear, down-to-earth answers. Being practical also means knowing that it is difficult to take notes and pay attention to a reading at the same time. So, a reader might provide a recording of the session to the client, for example.

2. Flexibility. In my opinion, no reading—and the advice that comes from it—is set in stone. I personally am a big fan of free will. My own philosophy is that the cards show the influences and most likely outcome if the client continues to carry on in the same way without changing his or her behavior. If the influences or outcome are not desired, the client can make a concerted effort to change and this may go a long way to shift “fate.”

3. A sense of humor. No one wants a doom-and-gloom reading. Even the most traditionally so-called negative cards have positive lessons incorporated in their themes. It certainly helps to focus on the positive while still remaining realistic. Ultimately, an outstanding tarot reader becomes an ally for the client, often opening up new realms of possibility that haven’t been considered before. One excellent way to deliver new information can be with a gentle sense of humor. While readings are not a place for stand-up comedy, laughter can help calm down an anxious situation.

4. Straightforwardness. Wishy-washy or vague answers have no place in a reading where time may be limited while questions might be plentiful. Friends and family might beat around the bush when asked for advice, but clarity is precisely what the client wants from a reader. More can be gained from a tarot reader who takes a firm stand and conveys strong messages than one who speaks in maybes.

5. Nonjudgmental thinking. Most folks get enough flack from the people around them, pressure from popular culture and even their own critical selves. The last thing they need in a reading is to be given the message that the client is somehow a faulty or “bad” person. An understanding tarot reader knows from his or her own experience—not just proficiency in the cards—that life is full of difficult choices and most people make the best decision they can under their own unique circumstances.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Naomi Janowitz - Magic In The Roman World
Hermes Trismegistus - Book Xiv Of Operation And Sense
Max Heindel - Teachings Of An Initiate
Hermes Trismegistus - Book X The Mind To Hermes
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards

Conducting A Tarot Reading

The very first time I came across the Tarot, Rider Waite Deck, I was 16 and the cards belonged to the man that would be my husband 5 years down the road. The very first time I saw the Tarot, I had no clue that I would one day learn about the cards and activate many levels of intuitive awareness along the way.

The very next time the Tarot entered my life, I was 27 and this time I had a very strong pull to learn about them and eventually read professionally and teach how to work with the cards.

When I began doing Tarot readings professionally, I would work with the Celtic cross layout and although I used this layout, I allowed my intuition and my empathic sense to guide me, for what was needed for my client in the moment. There were many times, while doing a reading, I would try to go back to the format of my book learning, however, found that being empathic, with high intuition, I had to allow my intuition to guide me, to reading, at a deeper level for each person.

While conducting a reading, my approach was a bit different, almost untraditional to the standard way for reading the Tarot. I noticed that when reversed cards came up in the reading for, or other cards like "Death, Devil and the Tower", panic would set in and it was then, that while conducting my reading, I found myself being guided to teach my client about the cards that came up in their layout, in a sense, assisting them, to tuning into their own inner knowing.

There are times in our lives, where life changes began to call us and at first, when these changes call for our attention, it is possible to experience fear and confusion about the changes. Having a reading conducted, to address these life changes, begin to sort through the confusion and bring much needed information to the process.

It has been 25 years and 1000's of readings, that I would eventually discover, that a reading is a two way exchange. It is my job and responsibility to be clear, open and receptive and present the information that will assist and guide each individual to trust in themselves and to share much needed insight for the clients life changes.

One of the many things that I discovered in the years working with the Tarot, is that our intuition and inner knowing, evolve and grow, to accommodate the life changes taking place on the planet, for each individual. In the past, when reversed cards were present in a reading, the reversed position was viewed as a negative. As my abilities grew and evolved, I began to notice that when reversed cards were present, I was taught and guided, to go deeper, to understanding the true purpose of what the reversed card wanted to convey.

Today, when conducting a reading for a client and a reversed card(s) is present, I now understand that the reversed card represents the shifting emotions, that the client is experiencing while in the middle of their life changes.

It is now, that I understand how to tap into and present new tools, to approach our shifting emotions, that become present in our life changes. It is now, through my own life experiences, when at times, I believed that change was a negative, however, when going deeper under the surface, for a more informed understanding, that the negative, was the possiblity to learn what was necessary and how to transform the negative to a new level of awareness. It is now, after my own life experiences, that when a client wants to understand why there are so many negatives, that I can present new tools, that transform the negatives, into new opportunities for growth.

Back in the day, at the beginning of my journey, reading professionally, although predictions were not a part of my reading, the readings were general. It is because of my life experiences and utilizing the Tarot, during intense emotional shifts, that the Tarot would become my guide and teacher, in bringing new understanding to evolving our emotions.

Conducting a reading ~ whether for life changes or shifting emotions, is an excellent way, to step out of the fear and confusion and learn how to go beyond, what we think we perceive on the surface of our life.

Conducting a Tarot reading today, is about bringing insight, understanding and awareness, to the deeper levels of our life.

A Tarot reading, when utilized with the deepest of respect, brings to each of us, the greatest gifts of insight on our journey.

Happy Journey.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Wouter Hanegraaff - Dictionary Of Gnosis And Western Esotericism
John Dee - Table From Liber Loagaeth French Version
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Saffron Robe
Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot
John Dee - La Tabula Sancta French Version

A Tarot Quiz

The Quiz

1. How many cards are in a standard Tarot deck?
2. How many cards are in the Major Arcana?
3. Name the 4 suits in a standard Tarot deck and what elements they correspond with.
4. Which card is said to journey through the Tarot?
5. What is the Tarot's connection to modern day playing cards?
6. Why is the Rider Waite is such a popular deck...what sets it apart from the others?
7. Define court cards.
8. Define Arcana.

The Answers

1. 78
2. 22
3. Wands-Fire ..... Cups-Water ..... Swords-Air ...... Pentacles-Earth
4. The Fool
5. In ancient days the Tarot went underground to avoid complete destruction by the churches. It was often disguised in a game form similar to today's playing cards.
6. Because it was the first Tarot deck to include pictures for the Minor Arcana rather than just numbered suites. It has since grown in popularity & is the number one selling deck.
7. Court cards are the Prince, Princess, Queen, & King
8. Arcana- mysterious knowledge, language, or information accessible only by the initiate.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Aleister Crowley - Magick
Israel Regardie - The Art Of True Healing
William Lammey - Karmic Tarot