Tarot Numerology Aces Ones

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 Magician

Major Characteristics: beginnings, potential, upsurge of energy.

Also: The start of something, seeds, creative principle, new projects, fresh ideas, new challenges, initiation, excitement, inspiration, vitality, leadership, Independence, early stages of action, raw energy, creative power.

Books in PDF format to read:

Christopher Siren - Sumerian Mythology Faq
Ralph Blum - The New Book Of Runes
John Dee - Table From Liber Loagaeth French Version
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century
Solomonic Grimoires - The Emerald Tablets Of Hermes

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

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

What The Tarot Fool Can Teach Us About Love

One of the most common inquiries I receive as a Tarot reader is the question of Love: When will I meet Mr. or Mrs. Right? Although the Tarot often refers to future possibilities and potential outcomes, finding love is really up to each individual. The Tarot is a reminder that we are the instruments for our own destinies. We are like the Fool, embarking on a journey of self-development and self-growth. We have countless opportunities to carve our own paths and we are truly the masters of our own fates.

The Fool represents the individual that does not necessarily have courage, but does have the willingness to journey into the unknown. He is the risk taker, open and willing to explore new opportunities and directions. He personifies the child within, constantly trying new things and discovering new paths. His unbiased openness and vulnerability always enable him to learn something new. The Fool represents the potential in all things. He is there to remind us that anything is possible.

Unfortunately, as we experience life we distance ourselves from our inner Fools. Our perspectives and beliefs systems become shaded and biased. We become fearful of trying new things and taking risks. In love matters, we may have been hurt or disappointed. We no longer approach others with a vulnerable and open perspective. Instead, we are cautious and inhibited. We become afraid of rejection and criticism. We want to find love, but are apprehensive and tentative. So what does one do?

We follow the path of the Fool. The Fool is not concerned if he gets rejected or turned down. Instead, he happily tries again without concern, embarrassment or fear of failure. He does not care whether he looks ridiculous or foolish. If something doesn’t workout, he tries again. The Fool represents the part or ourselves that that does not care whether something is perfect or if we make a mistake. He is there to encourage us to continue on without hesitation or trepidation.

Finding love can be an adventurous journey. Tap into your inner Fool and allow the future to unfold. If you draw the Fool in a Tarot reading, it’s time to think outside of your box. Free yourself from feelings of self-consciousness and take some chances. Listen to your intuition and trust your process. The Fool reminds us that the journey can be just as rewarding as the end result. The true goal is to enjoy the trip.

To learn more about tarot card meanings and symbolism, please visit Carolyn’s free tarot guide.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Michael Harrison - The Roots Of Witchcraft
Ona - The Dark Forces
Walter Scott - Letters On Demonology And Witchcraft
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love

Two Of Swords Tarot Card Meanings In Love Tarot Readings

The Two of Swords is often associated with denial. It often indicates an impasse or stalemate. Its traditional imagery depicts a women holding up two swords while blindfolded. In this context, the blind fold is self-imposed. She has clearly chosen to remain oblivious to the environment that surrounds her. The Two of Swords is also associated to indecision or an inability to make an important choice. It is clear that she is avoiding an important truth. She has created a false sense of reality and is choosing to live in a state of oblivion. This reality offers her a moment of peace. However, this does not negate the existence of the necessity of choosing a new path. At some point, the weight of the Swords will become too much to bear and she will be forced to face the reality of the situation.

In terms of relationships, the Two of swords often reveals the barriers you have placed between you and your partner. This is the nature of the stalemate. You have emotionally shut down or the relationship has become resistant to compromise. In this case, there are often issues of inner conflict or confusion about the relationship.

The issues your relationship is struggling with will not be found through outside influences. The Two of Swords urges you to once again go inward. It is time to face your inner conflicts. To move beyond your current stalemate, balance must be restored. This is often achieved by exploring the past experiences that are influencing your current situation. The Two of Swords encourages you to get honest with yourself and with your partner. The ultimate goal is to communicate and speak your truth.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Israel Regardie - The Art And Meaning Of Magic
Cypress Knee - Delving Into The Faery Kindreds
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love

Timing With The Tarot

Establishing correct timing using the Tarot is subjective approach, some claim it can be declared accurately others insist that Astrology serves as a better reference. Keep in mind that when you are reading for someone that when you propose certain time constraints you may be limiting this person to develop solely within the alotted time frame. Some people want to know exactly what day they will meet their new lover or when they will find a new job.

In all actuality most of these people are shedding their personal responsibilities unto the reader to introduce elements into their own life. As a reader I do not create your future you do, I relate the projected outcome by factoring in the speed & trajectory of your current course. I tell my clients, "If you want a new job, then start filling out applications today, if you want a new man, leave your current one and seek another... you have my permission to create your own reality. Do not wait for my cues instead listen to your inner self. My readings will reveal whether or not this transformation is possible and the influences surrounding it, but ultimately you will have to be the one to take action. The future is not slated in stone in fact you make it what it is, so take the responsibility yourself to create the life you want."

I always encourage independence versus dependence. Some querents view a magic date (one that is provided by the reader) as a day when what they want just falls into their lap. This is the very reason that they do not have what they want...they have waited their entire life for others to lead their development instead of relying on self-motivation. Seize the day! On the other hand timing can be very productive when used with discretion. I've always felt that in my readings that I reveal the essentials & it is then up to my client to act in their best interests. A good reading does not require specific dates but guides the querent towards achieving their desires when "They" are ready. Everything else just falls into place.I recommend using the following Tarot spread to establish general time frames.

PPF

1 2 3 4

1 Past
2 Present
3 Future
4 Final Outcome


Books You Might Enjoy:

Benjamin Rowe - Xxxi Hymns To The Star Goddess
Benjamin Rowe - A Ritual Of The Heptagram
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Living With The Lama
Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot

Seventy Eight Degrees Of Wisdom A Book Of Tarot

Book: Seventy Eight Degrees Of Wisdom A Book Of Tarot by Rachel Pollack

This revised and slightly expanded version of two long sadly out-of-print books ("78 Degrees of Wisdom: Major Arcana" and "78 Degrees of Wisdom: Minor Arcana") is a welcome addition to any serious Tarot reader's library.
Although I wouldn't normally recommend this book for the Tarot beginner, I'd recommend it highly to serious students of Tarot wanting to know more about the many different meanings of Tarot cards. Some beginners might find Pollack's usages of the definitions of cards to be more than the superficial ones.

The two volumes of Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom have inspired a whole generation of tarot students. It has often been described by readers, booksellers, and teachers as the "Bible of tarot readers." It is also often cited as one of the landmark books in modern tarot, and it helped to launch the "Tarot Renaissance" of the 1980s. The two texts-one for The Major Arcana and one for The Minor Arcana--appear together in this volume, which is a reissue of the 1998 edition first published by Thorsons.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom draws on mythology and esoteric traditions and delves deeply into the symbolism and ideas of each card. It also gives the cards a modern psychological slant based on the pictures rather than a system of occult symbolism. This endlessly useful reference tool provides a concise history of tarot, introduces common spreads, and is a clear and readable book for both the beginning and advanced tarot student.

* Author is one of the most highly regarded tarotists in the world.
* The Major Arcana and The Minor Arcana brought together in one volume.

Going far beyond the "This one covers you" school, Pollack gives many different ways to interpret the meanings of Tarot cards, both from a spiritual viewpoint ("What does this card mean to you?") and a metaphysical viewpoint ("What does this card mean to the person you're reading for?"). It also allows for meditation and self-study of Tarot cards.

Although set up like a standard Tarot book, with chapters covering the Major Arcana, the Minor Arcana, and some readings, (including a sample reading or two) Pollack's definitions of the cards goes far beyond the ordinary superficial "Death means something in your life is going through a major change - you are about to stop one thing and start doing another." Each card has a picture - many from the Rider-Waite deck that most Tarot card readers start with, but some from other decks that you may not have seen. Each card has numerous definitions - and even some examples of what that card might mean when in certain placements in a Tarot card reading, both regular and reversed.

Unlike many contemporary authors on Tarot, Pollack subscribes to the notion that one can use the Tarot not only for Interpretation of current circumstances but for seeking advice. She describes how to cast the Celtic cross a descriptive tool which can be used to gain insight into a present situation. She also shares a layout she created that the reader can use to gain insight into possible courses of action regarding work situations.

I've no other books in my Tarot library that are more heavily thumbed than my old copies of the two "78 Degrees" books, and I was very glad that Pollack has found a publisher willing to not only reprint them, but allow her to revise them and include both books in one volume. Highly Recommended for serious students of Tarot. Of the many books I've read on Tarot so far this one is the best.

Buy Rachel Pollack's book: Seventy Eight Degrees Of Wisdom A Book Of Tarot

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Andrea Haugen - The Ancient Fires Of Midgard
Emmanuel Swedenborg - The Delights Of Wisdom Pertaining To Conjugal Love
Michael Ford - Midnight Circle A Commentary Of Azothoz A Book Of The Adversary
John Sebastian Marlowe Ward - The Higher Degrees Handbook

Telling The Future

The popular view of Tarot cards is that they "tell the future". That is the meaning of the popular synonym for divination, "fortune-telling". Any sort of question may be asked of the Tarot cards, which does not exclude telling the future. But that is not the only end to which the cards may be put.

When telling the future, the questions of predestination and psychic powers inevitably arise. If we can accurately read the future, then the future must already exist in some sense, and we must have some way of viewing it.

On the question of predestination, science and philosophy are inconclusive. Modern physics is clear that the world is not deterministic; there are many experiments with physics on a small scale that show nature to be probabilistic. Many things happen on the sub-atomic scale without any real reason, simply because it was more or less likely that they would happen and they wound up happening or not. This would seem to fly in the face of predestination; the future state of the universe depends on truly random and unpredictable events.

But these events may be truly random yet, in a sense, already have happened. Time may be viewed as a fourth dimension like our usual three spatial dimensions. If so, then one may take a static view of the universe's history, in which the whole of time is a static construct when viewed from without, that is, from a five-dimensional perspective. The exact nature of the "arrow of time" has yet to be clearly determined, and it is impossible to say now whether a higher-dimensional traveller would see the past as still with us and the future as already laid out.

The question of psychic powers is even more difficult. No such powers have ever been shown to exist in any replicable experiment; at best, such experiments barely squeak in under the margin of significance, and then only after averaging thousands of trials which are not individually significant.

Yet many people believe in them regardless, and these people erect theories to explain them. One of the more popular theoretical ideas of psychic powers is that the psyche somehow exists in a higher dimension. From a higher-dimensional viewpoint it might be possible to look out over the four-dimensional history of the world and see what is to come.

This is written in 1990 in San Francisco, and it seems rather telling to this writer that of the great events which have taken place recently -- the destruction of the Berlin Wall, the independence of Eastern Europe, the San Francisco earthquake -- none were foretold by psychics. One would think such momentous happenings would fairly blaze forth before a psychic eye, yet they didn't.

It is probably best to use a weaker form of the precognition idea, which does not involve a predestined future or psychic powers. Instead, the unconscious mind is viewed as having the power to perceive more or less where some events are heading, and to present its views on the subject -- which may be right or wrong -- through a Tarot reading. Of course, the conscious mind can also make some predictions based on its knowledge. The idea is that the unconscious mind is attentive to different factors and will make predictions the conscious mind could not.

Another "weak" form of precognition involves synchronicity. Events and Tarot readings are "riding the same waves", so one can cast light on the other.

Finally, it is best to take all answers about the future with a grain of salt. It is also wise to phrase questions in such a way that they ask for perspectives on what is happening and what has happened, and for guidance, rather than for outright predictions of the future.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Saffron Robe
Eliphas Levi - The Key Of The Mysteries
Ea Wallis Budge - Egyptian Ideas Of The Future Life
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Third Eye
Melita Denning - The Aurum Solis

Tarot As A Guide For Emotional Understanding

I began using the tarot back in September of 1984. I remember being fascinated by the tarot, when it was part of a movie theme and a psychic was doing a reading for a client. At that point, fascination was all there was...until, one day, while talking to a friend...we got onto the subject of things unseen...and then, pandora's box was opened. That story, in that moment, became my inspiration for learning the tarot. Little did I know, that my journey was about to begin. I spent a year learning the meanings and the layouts and in the meantime, between taking psychic development classes and doing readings for people here and there...I found my abilities of intuition and insight, developing and strengthening.

The cards were alive with color and life and meaning...well, ok...at least for me. It was a good time...I loved doing readings...I loved learning about other people, and being able to share something magical. And...then it changed. It seemed that the more that I used my newfound abilities and insights, I found I was activating a soul energy. The more I used my abilities, the more things began changing around me. It is only now, through my travels and many experiences, that I have discovered that it was all for a reason...healing and clearing the emotional timelines. I admit, when the experiences first began happening, I was completely unnerved. Could not find my way out of a paperbag...emotionally, logically, or with any sense of known intelligence. However, even during times of exteme emotional shifts, I still had a strong sense of intuition and knowing.

It was during the extreme emotional shifts, I found myself looking toward the tarot for a better insight, a better understanding, for what was happening on the inner levels, called emotions. It was a gut instinct, a hunch to use the tarot for understanding. At my point of awakening, there wasn't a whole lot of information, suggesting how to do this...and yet, it is amazing, what happens when intuition, becomes a guiding light, in your life. It seemed, at this point, the more I learned, the more intense my emotional experiences and awakenings became. It would be a few years, before I finally found some confirmation of what I was doing with the tarot. I gave up and surrendered using the tarot for psychic potentials and possiblities and began using the tarot, as a way to bring clarity, insight, healing and understanding, as to what was happening to relationships with my family and friends. It was a cutting edge approach...and yet again, I was being guided by my soul's wisdom.

The tarot is an amazing tool for deeper understanding. It teaches how to let go of the perceived patterns that we are taught, and consider, for a moment, the possibility that there is something more, to be learned through emotional pushes, which in reality are opportunities for growth. I found that working with Alliester Crowleys' thoth, was most helpful, as he spent lots of time, in the shadow part of human existence. As I developed a better understanding for using the tarot for healing, I found myself looking for other tarot teachings to assist in this very guided journey, I was waking up to. It was soon discovered, that if you knew how to see...depending on how far you wanted to dig for understanding and how comfortable you were to dig beyond the fear...there were many levels of cards to choose from. Using the tarot as a part of guided insight and wisdom, for a better understanding, is like diving into the deepest part of the ocean. In order not to drown in the fear of feeling, consciously feeling the shifting emotions, you must take a deep breath for your ego, your human self...allow the ego to float in the breath of awareness and dive.

So, the next time you are having an emotional experience, that is making no logical sense to you, ask the question for understanding, check the ego into the breath and take a chance and learn what is happening, on the inner realms of your emotions. For our emotions, once healed, are the very key to activating the key, to our soul's guiding light.

As always, it is by taking a step together, that we can do this, one breath, one step at a time.

Humanity is waking up and it is our time, to bring our Peace of Heaven back to Earth. For this to work, we must be present to do this.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Moses Maimonides - The Guide For The Perplexed
Richard Weiss - Recipes For Immortality
Scott Cunningham - Wicca A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner

Tarot And The Flat Earth Society

Imagine this: It is the year 1492. You are Christopher Columbus and you have just discovered that when you stand on the beach, you can see waves, but when you stand on a cliff you can see the ocean but no waves. Did the waves disappear? No, of course not. You simply changed your vantage point and that made you see a lot more.

This got you thinking. You noticed that when you approach a blind hill, it looks like the top of the hill is the end of the earth. But when you get to the top of the hill, you discover that the road continues into the horizon. This makes you feel really brave. You continue to walk, expecting to reach the end of the earth any day. But the road ends on another beach.

Now you are really curious. You build yourself a nice big boat, and you decide to sail on the sea until you either reach land or fall off the earth. A few months later you return triumphantly and tell people about the land you discovered. You even show them specimens of the strange fruit and animals you discovered on this distant land.

You do notice that people are initially in awe of what you tell them, but then they start to avoid you. When you go to town, they cross the street so as not to bump into you. When you want to visit them, you hear them tell their children to tell you they are not at home.

All this is a bit confusing, but you know your facts and nothing can change that. You have discovered that the earth is round and not flat.

Then you meet a new friend called Maggelan. He listens carefully to your tales and takes you seriously. He even goes a step further. He sails away, vowing to keep sailing in the same direction until he returns to the point of departure.

Meanwhile you have received some warnings from the church to stop spreading false dogma. You decide to keep a low profile until Magellan returns – and you wonder whether you will ever see him again.

Then, three years later, when your neighbours are talking to you again and the church is happy that you have stopped being a troublemaker, Magellan returns. He confirms your story that the earth is round.

Of course this makes you very happy, and you want to shout your discovery out to the world. You do notice the church men huddling nearby, but you are not so elated that you completely ignore them.

You hear some snippets of their conversation: “ . . . keep quiet . . . Ptolomy . . . that heretic Pythagoras . . must get fear back . . cannot have this . . . “

In the dead of night, you manage to sneak into the church. Your mission is to find out more about the conversations you overheard. You know that there are some books in the church, and you have learnt to read. You are hoping to find some of these books. But no such luck. You discover that there is a meeting of church officials.

Either way, by closing our minds to the things that we were taught to fear for no reason, we become spiritually poorer. The only way to open our minds is to challenge any obstacles and boundaries and find our own truth. The same people that describe tarot as “from the devil” are told in the Bible in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” For me this means use your God-given mind to explore, and decide what resonates with you. Do not hand the power of that decision over to another person who becomes stronger because you chose ignorance. And this means explore everything, not just the things that you are told to explore.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Cave Of The Ancients
Charles Haanel - The Master Key System
Edna Kenton - The Book Of Earths

Tarot The Five Of Pentacles

Understanding the meaning of the Five of Pentacles ~ In its most basic meaning, the Five of Pentacles is about worry and concern. Worry and concern for the outer aspect of our lives. It could be about finances, relationships, our well being.

Worry and concern can also affect our communication. Worry and concern can also affect our focus and connection to our present moment. Experiencing life challenges, can keep you focused in the past or future and then you are prevented from handling life's challenges as they come up in each moment.

Now, this may appear to be the downside of the Five of Pentacles. However, as we begin to evolve in our journey to inner knowing, the Five of Pentacles, in its shadow side, can also teach and guide us into feeling, understanding and bringing much needed awareness to the challenges at hand. It seems that this is pretty true for all cards in a Tarot deck.

I have been using the Tarot since September of 1984. When I was first introduced to the Tarot, I had no clue, knowledge or understanding for how the Tarot worked, much less how to read their insights and teachings. I began with the Rider Waite Tarot. It was pretty simple. There were upright positions and reversed positions. Now, I admit, it took me almost a year to learn the Tarot. Although I am empathic, with high intuition, I found an interesting thing happening as I was learning the Tarot. I was utilizing my logical thinking, in trying to understand an energy that was highly intuitive.

Trust me when I say, I was having my mini meltdowns about why I wasn't grasping onto learning the Tarot positions and their meanings. After a few months of doing it this way, I put the book away and began using my intuition to learn the Tarot. During this time, life was simple and changes hadn't made their presence known to me. By putting the book away, I finally began to feel intuitively how to follow the cards and utilize their insights as a guide.

But something began to happen, after 6 years of doing readings for myself and reading for others and teaching psychic and intuitive development, my energy and awareness began to change and life changes and challenges began knocking at my door. I found myself living in the energy of the Five of Pentacles; worry and concern. My finances, living environment and relationship began going through major changes;

I found myself living in the past and the future, because I had no clue about how to deal with these major changes in my present moment.

Emotionally, I was in despair. And then one day, while just shuffling the Tarot, I found myself asking questions about the changes that were taking place in my life and the cards really began speaking to me on another level; a more deeper and internal level. At first, I didn't grasp on to the logic of this, but kept going anyway. It was at this point that I was introduced to the Alleister Crowley Tarot, for it specifically journeyed into my shadow side; the part of me that had no answers or understanding.

25 years have gone by since my worries and concerns. I learned a lot. I learned how to utilize the Tarot for lifes inner journey and I learned how to access insight and soul wisdom when the going got tough. It wasn't an easy transition from logic to intuitive knowing, but the rewards were great in terms of inner learning and awareness.

So, if you find yourself having a reading and the Five of Pentacles comes up in your reading, or any card that pushes at your shadow side, have no fear, for this just represents a journey to the inner realms of your knowing, to guide you on your awakening journey.

Life changes are calling to many of us now. These life changes are pushing at our emotional boundaries and forcing us to feel what we may have pushed out of our sight or feeling space. It doesn't always feel good to feel these kinds of changes, but feeling is the key to healing, and the Tarot, for life changes and challenges can become a wonderful guide and teacher, in offering insight and wise counsel to these changes.

Yes, and all this from experiencing life changes and the Five of Pentacles.
Life definitely is interesting!

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
Anonymous - The Prayers Of The Elementals
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles

Tarot Reading Know Thy Self

Throughout time, man has been consumed with a need to connect with the spiritual dimension. We are driven to explore the mysteries of our very existence. For thousands of years, those who have yearned to live in harmony with the Universe have consulted with oracles and Gods. The most famous being the Oracle at Delphi. For centuries, many traveled to the Greek Island of Delphi to receive counsel from one of their oracles. Upon entering the temple, the words “Know Thy Self” were inscribed.

Although a great deal of advancement has occurred since the civilization of ancient Greece, we still seek to understand the meaning of our lives. In many ways, we are consulting with oracles all the time. These are our teachers, spiritual counselors, authors, artists, psychotherapists, grandparents, friends, etc. We are constantly attempting to discover who we truly are and as much as we seek out advice from others, the real guidance comes from within our own selves.

In Tarot Reading, the Tarot serves as an oracle. We consult with them to get “counsel”. The beauty, however, is that the Tarot is not a living and breathing entity. Rather it is a divinatory tool. A tool that is available to anyone who wishes to explore their own, inner world. Its energy comes from the energy we give it. It is there to disclose the secrets of ourselves that remain out of sight. The Tarot always provides guidance as to how we can achieve or manifest our goals. In tarot reading, the Tarot provides insight and new concepts. It is there to help us brainstorm, discovers what influences us and highlights situations that we may have been unaware of. Most importantly, the tarot offers one a new sense of awareness of who they are.

In a tarot reading, the Tarot never tells you what to do. It’s important to remember that you have your own will. You have the power to choose your own directions and behaviors. Rather than telling you what to do, the Tarot helps you to identify your feelings about the things that are going on in your life. When you consistently work with the Tarot, your own intuitive skills will improve. Making important decisions will no longer cause you anxiety or fear. You will inherently know what to do.

True divination is nothing less than seeking out the divine within all things. Tarot reading enables us to connect with ourselves, to humanity, and to the Universe. It is from this process, that we find the true magic and mysticism of this world.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Feeding The Flame
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Living With The Lama
Melita Denning - The Aurum Solis
Aristotle - On The Soul

Tarot Numerology Fours

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 Emperor

Major characteristics: Structure, Foundation, The Physical Universe

Also: Stability, order, predictability, solidity, tenacity, entrenchment, work, reality, manifestation, practical attainment, stagnation, logic, reason, power and control, the material world.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Austin Osman Spare - The Logomachy Of Zos
Aristotle - On The Soul
Christopher Siren - Sumerian Mythology Faq
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century

Tarot Numerology Fives

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 Hierophant

Major characteristics: Upsetting the balance, Struggle, a New Cycle, Challenge, Difficulties, Problems

Also: Disrupted stability, uncertainty, upset, change, disruption, shifts, adjustments, adversity, conflict, strife, disappointment, loss, missing out on something, competition.

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - Table From Liber Loagaeth French Version
Sepharial - Astrology And Marriage
Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Christopher Siren - Sumerian Mythology Faq
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century

Tarot Math Spreads

How clever is this idea from the Tarot Dame?

Tarot Dame’s Blog: Tarot Math Spreads

Here are a few spreads I put together a couple years ago, using mathematical equations.
1. A + B = C
Combining Card A and Card B will bring you the results of Card C.
2. A – B = C
When you remove the energy of Card B from the situation of Card A, you will get Card C.
3. A + B – C = D
When you remove the energy of Card C from the combination of Cards A and B, you will get Card D.
4. A – B + C = D
Remove the energy of Card B from Card A, then add Card C and you’ll end up with Card D.


Books You Might Enjoy:

Harold Macgrath - The Pagan Madonna
Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
Aristotle - On Dreams
Anonymous - Divination Spreads

Tarot Devil Death And The Tower For Transformation

I am writing on these cards, to once again, share with others, what these Tarot cards mean, during these very new and changing times. Recently, someone that had read my article on "The Devil" shared with me what had happened in a phone reading. In this reading, they were told that they had a dark cloud over them and was surrounded by evil.

Well, to say I felt outraged by this, was putting it mildly. First, this is truly a false representation for what these cards mean, now...during 2010 and how humanity is awakening to the inner calling of their life; soul blueprinted awareness. Back in the day, when readings were done for another, Tarot cards in reversed positions, or the Devil, Death and the Tower were seen as true evil and negativity. However, based on what my journey has been and based on how I was guided to understand; truly understand, from a deeper level of perception and awareness, this is ABSOLUTELY NO LONGER TRUE.

Back in September of 1984, a friend of mine grew up in metaphysical and psychic awareness. She would be the very first person to do my first reading and soon become a guide on my own awakening journey. In this reading, she had done the Celtic Cross for me. My ending card in this layout was the Death card. Well, even tho I had no idea of the meaning of these cards...I knew deep down, that this card did not mean death in the physical sense, but Death of change to relationships or a known way of life.

In this moment, prior to my awakening journey, I knew that there was something on the horizon for me. Once my journey began, Death, Devil, Tower and reversed positions became the theme in the readings that I would do for myself. The more change I was experiencing, the more these cards would appear in my readings.

As an empath, with high intuition, shifting through a lot of changing emotional highs and lows, I knew that I needed to learn how to clear myself. I knew that I needed to go deep within for the answers to my questions and the true meaning for these cards. This became quite the journey.

It is now 27 years later, and the insight and wisdom that were gained, through deep inner awareness, became my godsend and the light through the many changes, challenges and obstacles that required and requested understanding and awareness.

When choosing a reader; be very, very clear about the purpose of your reading. Predictions take away your right to choose or be in true inner alignment with soul knowing. Ask questions or read up on the type of readings available. Readers; whether they are psychically reading or tuning in to another level, do not have the right to tamper with anyone else's personal space in this way. Whether we are tuning in psychically, energetically or consciously, being in tune, as our way of life, means that we are here to uplift the energy, not scare the crap out of another with this way of reading.

Each one of us, whether we choose to learn how to tap into our heart knowing, wisdom or soul awareness, have our own blueprint to our life journey and a good reader will guide their perspective client to tuning into their inner journey.

Be picky; be choosy about how and where to put your energy for a reading. Because these days, when a reading like this is done to another, not only are you feeling your own fear about the lack of information that was projected, but the reader just projected their own unclear energy into your personal space and if your skills are undeveloped at this level, this very energy can send you off into a tailspin.

We are living in very different times now. We are being called to clear our imprinting, by bringing understanding and awareness to our experiences, not to get rid of them or forget that they are there, but to bring them into balance, alignment and healing.

We all have a voice of wisdom. Some of us are naturally tuned to this way of life and some are just waking up to this way of life. And trust me, what I have shared here is not sugarcoated or watered down, but has been a 27 year experience to truly learn how to keep searching and digging for absolute clarity to the purpose of the experiences we are having now.

This is your journey...choose wisely...ask questions and listen to your gut.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition
Tereza Burns - The Little Book Of Black Venus And The Three Fold Transformation Of Hermetic Astrology
Max Heindel - Ancient And Modern Initiation

Tarot Card Readings The Spread

When a tarot reading is done, the cards are laid out as a pattern in what is
called a spread.

There are many different types of spreads, ranging from those that comprise
of a single card to spreads that include all 78 cards of the deck. Some
spreads are only done with the Major Arcana Cards.

Which spread is applied is up to the reader and the particular type of
question or reading. Some spreads focus more on a specific type of
information.

An example of this is that a spread may be focused on a singular question,
while others are broader in terms, such as in ones outlooks and prospects in
regards to relationships, financial maters, etc...

One of the most common tarot spreads is the Celtic cross, it is used more for
those specific questions. This is the one I am going to cover in this
article.

It depends on the person giving the reading, but usually, prior to the
reading, the cards are shuffled by the person receiving it, also known as the
querent. The reason for this is that some say this carry-overs the person's
energy to the deck. The person, while shuffling, should also concentrate on
the answers they are after.

Some readers do it differently, asking the querent to cut the cards for them
after they have shuffled. Or in more traditional circles, a more complicated
sorting and separation of the cards is executed .

Card 1: Represents the Present.

Card 2: The immediate challenge confronting the querent. You will frequently
pull a hard card here, which will suggest an obstacle that must be overcome.
If you pull a "good" card here, analyse it carefully because it will still
represent a challenge.

Card 3: Distant past, foundation. This card should indicate the root of the
subject matter of the question

Card 4: More recent past, including events. This will indicate events taking
place, not necessarily directly associated to the question. For instance, if
a love affair going wrong Card 3 would show the root of why it is going wrong,
whereas Card 4 will show something that recently happened to reflect this.
You could see this as a "check comment" card - a way of seeing that the
reading is valid.

Card 5: The best that can be accomplished. This is directly associated to the
question. Note that this may not necessarily gel against Card 10 - it depends
whether you are able to get the best. However, a negative card here in all
probability signifies that it is worthwhile cutting your losses rather than
putting any more effort into the situation.

Card 6: Immediate Future. This indicates events in the next few days or week(
s). This reading does not cover months.

Card 7: Factors or internal feelings impacting the situation. Compare this
against Card 1 in order to understand underlying forces/trends. If there is
conflict between them this tends to indicate that the querent is going in the
wrong direction.

Card 8: Outside influences. People, energies or events which will affect the
outcome of the question and are beyond the querent's control.

Card 9: Hopes or fears around the situation. This may bring forth a card that
confuses us badly. Always bear in mind that hopes and fears are closely
entwined, therefore that which we hope for may also be that which we fear,
and so may fail to happen. Occasionally it is useful to draw a second card
for clarification after the reading has been laid, and to read the two
together.

Card 10: Final outcome. This is a fairly self explanatory card. However it is
worth saying that if the card comes up fairly ambiguous, once more it may be
worth drawing three extra cards to clarify. These should be interpreted
through the lens of Card 10.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - Divination Spreads
Yacki Raizizun - The Secret Of Dreams
Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised

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

Tarot 101 The Basics

The basics of the Tarot Cards 101 are a good way to develop psychic awareness. If you find yourself having a feeling about the Tarot cards when you see them, chances are a deeper level of you is calling to you for a journey of discovery. There are many ways to learn about the Tarot; the symbolism, each suit, their origin, or each card, separately and intuitively, by accessing your imagination. Yes, imagination is one way to activate psychic impressions.

Now, before diving in to learn everything all at once, try a little exercise, by writing down the different ways to learn about the cards and see or feel what your strongest impression is. Sense what you feel drawn to.

When we begin developing psychic and intuitive awareness, the Tarot is a good way to begin this journey. When learning anything of a metaphysical nature, logic becomes the observer and our imagination for creativity becomes the learner.

Consider the possibility, that there are many reasons why we pick up a Tarot Deck. Are we experiencing life changes in our relationships, or our jobs or our environments? Are we feeling like the job that we have, isn't offering enough opportunity to offer more of our creativity, or our abilities?

Or, are you picking up the cards to possibly learn more about your inner self, with the possibility of assisting others on their journey in life.

Tarot Cards are a good way to develop our intuition and our inner awareness. Yes, back in the day, as it was a different time, Tarot cards were about fortune telling and predicting outcomes and futures, however, this time now, for the life changes that everyone is beginning to experience, calls for a different approach to our life, a more inner approach for our life.

Keep in mind, that once we begin utilizing the wisdom and guidance of the Tarot, it begins to expand and evolve our perceptions and ways to bring resolution and solutions to our life changes. The Tarot is most definitely a guide to developing our intuition and can guide us on the journey for our life changes. And not to be forgotten, if we by chance find that we also are wanting more information and understanding about our emotions, the Tarot is an excellent guide, in teaching us more about ourselves on a deeper, inner level.

No matter how you feel drawn to the Tarot, take your time, have patience and practice, practice, practice. Eventually, the Tarot is about the wisdom and the guidance of our inner journey to life, and makes for a good teacher.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Jarl Fossum - Seth In The Magical Texts
Anonymous - The Laws For Witches
Aristotle - On The Soul
Arlo Bates - The Pagans
Amber K - The Basics Of Magick

Intro To Tarot

Modern Tarot decks are comprised of 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards in four suits, much like the standard playing cards we use for regular card games today. This 78-card deck is the widely-accepted standard. There are also many other decks that have varied styles and numbers of cards. These are generally called Oracle decks.

The origin of Tarot cards is no longer known. One strong held belief is that Tarot originated in ancient Egypt, spreading thence to the Greeks, and moved through the world by the Gypsies. There are still links to Egyptian, Greek, Roman and other early religions in modern Tarot. It is also generally believe that what we know now as modern Tarot came about in the 13th century, and while it shows obvious differences from that time, it still follows the same basic principals.

Tarot cards have had an arduous journey through history, at times only being allowed to nobles, occasionally sanctioned by the Catholic Church, and sometimes seen as something evil. Some, even now, believe Tarot cards to be something dark and evil. While this is not the case, Hollywood has taken hold of this idea and frequently presents it as such.

The cards of the deck are used to represent the different stages in the journey through life. The cards give their meaning in the different positions and corresponding cards in the spread. Each position in the spread has a meaning, and each card has a meaning as well.

The Major Arcana are generally seen as an important significator. If a Major Arcana card shows up in a reading, it means that is something you want to pay closer attention to in your life. Major Arcana cards represent the journey through life; the major points one may go through while traveling the path of existence.

The four suits that make up the Minor Arcana each have an overall meaning, and each individual card has a more specific meaning.

Cups, which coincides with the element of water, is associated with relationships and emotions and the development of feelings.

Wands, coinciding with fire, is the development of creative imagination and the challenges one meets through their life.

Swords which represents air, is the realm of the mind, looking at intellect and thoughts.

Pentacles, representing earth, is the material world and its reality, the resources the one will have or need on the journey.

Each of the suits contains 14 cards; ten numbered cards and four court cards. Day to day events are generally depicted in the numbered cards, whereas the court cards tend to indicate personal characteristics or stages of development. Tarot cards can be a wonderful tool to help you see into your life.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Aleister Crowley - To Man
Aleister Crowley - Chart
Aleister Crowley - The World Of Tarot
Aleister Crowley - Thoth Tarot Deck