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

The Tarot As A Guide For Insight And Life Changes

Utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot for any kind of change offers many opportunities for growth and understanding, for the many levels of life, that we are now being called to live.

I have been reading the Tarot professionally and teaching for 25 years now. When I utilize the Tarot, for its wisdom and guidance, it is not with the idea, as the Tarot as the final judgement or outcome, but one as a guide, to see and sense how the inner energies of life are moving.

Prior to my metaphysical journey beginning, I was already very empathic and highly intuitive. And I have to say, I had a hell of a time verbalizing anything. There were times, I was so beside myself, with everything that I was feeling, that I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to put it to words, any of it. I spent a lot of time being and feeling very frustrated. It wasn't until I started traditional counseling, to heal and bring understanding and clarity to my own childhood traumas, that I was finally able to learn about psychic and intuitive awareness and begin my studies with the Tarot.

Whether the Tarot is read professionally or for ourselves, on a personal level, the Tarot teaches us how to get connected to clearer feeling and focus on what needs to be put to words. At 25, if anyone could have promised, that I would eventually experience relief with my abilities, I would have thought they were messing with me, however, relief has become my permanent sense of awareness. Not to be forgotten, the Tarot is not to be taken lightly. Whether we are studying the Tarot or metaphysics or spirituality, these modalites do change us. We begin a journey of growth and development, on an inner level.

When I began my journey with metaphysical studies and the Tarot, I began with the Rider Waite Tarot set; book and deck. It was a wonderful set of cards to start with. And it was a wonderful introduction to developing my already very intuitive side. I never had any preconceived ideas, that the Tarot was the outcome, for any decision that I needed to make, however, I would soon discover, that the Tarot, had the ability, to offer greater insight and teach and guide me, into focusing my logical mind, to be open, receptive and aware, to the inner promptings of my own inner knowing.

As this has been a 25 year journey for learning and discovery for me, 18 years with my husband and daughter, this evolution, came to us naturally. For everytime we worked with the Tarot for clarity and understanding, to the deeper patterning for a move, change in relationship or career change, the Tarot became a guide for the patterns of energy around the change and what was necessary for our learning experience.

How to plan career changes or life changes utilizing a Tarot reading. Whether you pull 3 cards or do a specific layout. Allow yourself to go deeper under the surface, for the understanding of the cards. Do you have reversed positions or negative cards in the layout? Reversed positions and negative cards are cards that represent a shift in our inner patterns of energy and emotions. How are you feeling about the change that is coming? When utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot for any kind of change, this is the time to ask the real questions. The tough questions, the questions that need asking. For any kind of change, this is the time to learn the most important of what you need to know. Any kind of change is about aligning to a deeper part of yourself.

Yes, by all means, utilize the Tarot for its insight, wisdom and guidance, however, you are the most important part of your decision making process and in the end, it is what is in your heart.

The Tarot, no matter the kind of change, will always offer another way, to connect with what is in your heart and your own inner knowing.

The Tarot is there as a guide, walking side by side on your journey, but it is not the answer to your question. In the end, it is your heart that speaks to you.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Richard Weiss - Recipes For Immortality
William Lilly - Anima Astrologiae Or A Guide For Astrologers
Paracelsus - The Treasure Of Treasures For Alchemists
Walter Scott - Letters On Demonology And Witchcraft

The Hermit Tarot Card Meanings In Love Tarot Readings

Traditionally, the Hermit is the seeker of truth and wisdom. He often represents the seeker’s journey into the unknown. The Hermit’s path is a shadowy one. The lantern he carries is symbolic of the mirror to our own selves. This is wisdom that is within in all of us. It is the power to see ourselves as we truly are.

Another common interpretation of the Hermit is the wise old man or advisor. In this respect, he is the messenger of truth, revealing the importance of forethought and circumspection. Since the Hermit can be a carrier of light, he is there to share his knowledge and light the path for others. He guides the seeker towards self-knowledge and self-acceptance.

When The Hermit is drawn in a love Tarot reading, he typically represents a need to pause. This is a time for evaluation. In terms of a relationship that has come to a crossroad, the Hermit encourages you to go within and find your truth. The Hermit may indicate that your focus on your relationship will need to shift. This is not the time to make your relationship a priority. You would be better served by allowing yourself the freedom to do some soul searching. Although there may be some loneliness, the ultimate goal would be a transformative experience. After a period of introspection, you may be willing to work things out with your partner. A new perspective and sense of purpose can add valuable information for both you and your partner.

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - General And Rare Memorials Pertaining To Perfecte Arte Of Navigation
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
Marcus Bottomley - Nine Proven Magical Rites
George Robert Stowe Mead - Apollonius Of Tyana.pdf
Nathan Johnston - The Devil And Demonism In Early Modern England

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

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 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 Eights

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 - Strength

Major characteristics: Power, Success, Progression to a new phase or cycle.

Also: Regeneration, a fresh sense of direction, completion of one stage of a project before moving on, setting new priorities, new ways forward, balance, stability, control, reorganization, enterprise, executive ability, harmonizing opposing forces, death of the old to make way for the new.

Thing "twice four" for strongly stable, and "seven plus one" for spiritually stable and wise.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Candlelight
Walter Scott - Letters On Demonology And Witchcraft
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 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 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 Card Meaning Made Easy

Tarot predictions and interpretation heavily rely on tarot card meaning without which they would not be possible; each card has a significance and a peculiar symbolism attached to it. What people don't get to understand is that the overall spread and the card combinations give the full tarot card meaning to define a certain life aspect. For instance, in the Rider Waite tarot, the tarot learner has to know the meaning for all the seventy eight cards in order to be able to read them. From the King and the Queen to the Fool, the tarot cards can be studied, analyzed and understood depending on the sensible nature of every user.

In time all sorts of changes became manifest in tarot card reading; for people who are no strangers to the Kabbalah or alchemy, the symbols similarity cannot pass unnoticed. Thus, all sorts of symbols have been added in time so that the present-day form of the decks is a very complex one. It is also common practice to complicate things even further by personalizing the cards and adding other subtle interpretations to the decks. Thus, many amateur philosophers have their own interpretations of the mystic representations in alchemy and the Kabbalah and they choose to add them to the cards.

The tarot card meaning greatly varies depending on the interpretation; thus, a single card can be given different explanations in relation with the position it occupies in the spread and the vicinity with the rest of the cards. Very often, according to the reader's own judgment and common sense, a tarot card meaning can prove little relevance for the question under debate and thus be discarded. While in the Major Arcana, the figures have very distinct symbolism, in the Minor Arcana the emphasis is on the four alchemical elements to which the cards correspond. Thus, the pentagrams stand for earth, the wands for fire, the cups for water and the swords for air.

In general lines, the tarot card meaning gives one a clue about the way he/she goes through the personal journey: sometimes one can even see whether one is on the right path or has strayed away. This tarot card meaning is obvious for the spreads in the Major Arcana where each card matches a certain life aspect: the fool stands for the beginning of a journey, the magician shows you the path towards wisdom, the high priestess speaks of self-balance, the empress points to pleasure, wealth and love, while the emperor represents claimed power and authority, and so on and so forth.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Harold Macgrath - The Pagan Madonna
Israel Regardie - The Art And Meaning Of Magic
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Sepharial - Primary Directions Made Easy

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

Reclaiming Yourself In Tarot Ancient Space

I have great respect for the Tarot and its meaning in my life as an expression of awakened consciousness. In a holographic universe, where I know that I am an unique articulation of the whole - particle and wave at one and the same time - revering my own potential - the Tarot is a reminder for the genius of whom I AM to become the more that I can become.

All meaning is context dependent. That is a given. So, while I have spent over 10 years contemplating the brilliance of the Tarot’s Major Arcana, it has only been in the last two years, that I have uncovered so much more of its relevance to my potential. WEL-Systems® is the quantum portal to my expanding Self-discovery. It is all very exciting! The Tarot, then, has become internalized and fully alive as a body experience for me, no longer captive to my intellect.

It happened, like a dragon awakened and released from her cave, untethered for elevating and unending flight, when I decided to change my mind about my expectations of mySelf, relative to cultural conditioning and family systems... and to choose to live my life for me, first. I figured that ‘selflessly’ doing for others in denial of myself, as I had been taught to ‘do’ over the course of my life, had not worked... ever... so, I simply chose to ‘be’ myself and to stop ‘doing’ what I had, until then, perceived as desired by others. I learned to say ‘no’ to what I did not want and ‘yes’ to what I did want. I chose to stop performing. I chose to stop ‘dying’ to be right, because the default to that was killing me... slowly and by degrees - the metaphor of death by a thousand cuts.

The Tarot was never meant to divine the future as an absolute; it has ‘lived’ throughout the ages to evoke intuition - what we know as our internal art and our internal science - and the awakening of potential in what we do not know that we do not know about ourselves. That evocation is the invitation to inhale our experience and to exhale our restructured reality. It happens in every complete breath.

There are 22 trump cards called the major arcana based on the 4 elements of creation - earth, fire, air and water. From these 22 trump cards descend another 56 cards that constitute the minor arcana. The 22 majors are the meta and non-linear perspectives for life’s natural creation, evolution and death; for starting, changing and stopping; for being, doing and having. The 56 minors speak to the finer distinctions of the 22 majors - as archetypal signatures for the energies of the four elements. Further, each of the 78 cards, defines numerology, as an organizing principle for living life large with intensity.

As Great Works each, I wonder if we ever remember the very genius of whom we are as Quantum Biological Humans™. As quantum beings, our ability to create is purely the by-product of remembering whom we are and choosing what we want to see in our worlds. The ancient Tarot is as relevant, now, to the truth of human evolution, as it was when it was first imagined into existence. What presents is never, ever, about what presents. Life as Metaphor. The Tarot speaks to the idiom, ‘Because I say so!’

Tarot is the ancient and enduring template for how we naturally create our lives elementally - crystalizing what we imagine [sight] for ourSelves [light] through open, honest, clear and direct declaration [sound]. Space, as its infinite paradigm, has been the invitation for the creation of a multitude of Tarot Decks... all expressions of quantum genius in human form. So, the Tarot is not about the Tarot; It is about the ‘game’ of life and then some. And, it is all relative to the ‘cards’ we choose to ‘play’; If we do not like the cards we’ve dealt ourSelves, we can change them. We have to choose, first.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Thirteenth Candle
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Cave Of The Ancients
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Wisdom Of The Ancients
Anonymous - Protection Of Space
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards

Online Tarot Readings Can Help You

A pretty popular form of entertainment, online tarot readings have become a real business for some people. Two types of services can be distinguished in the multitude of offers, there are free online tarot readings and other more special ones for which a fee is charged. Normally, many sites function according to a membership pattern and if you want to register as a member you have to pay. Who are the customers? Well, divination does attract lots of fans. There is a simple explanation behind the massive success of online tarot readings.

Troubles are part of our daily lives, and words like simple and non-complicated do not apply to regular existences; there are hundreds of moments in a life time when we long for guidance, and lots of people consider that a peek into the future could be helpful. Online tarot readings could seem like bringing clarifications to a foggy situation, one cannot help to question the reliability of tarot predictions. Even the sites dedicated to online tarot readings post disclaimers that one is not to base his/her decisions on tarot divinations since these function for entertainment rather than for real life purposes.

Actually you can trust online tarot readings as much as you believe in the personal horoscope you read in a magazine. Moreover, when you take tarot interpretations as fun, nothing harmful can come out of them. One further issue here deserves all the attention: most of the online tarot readings are generated by special softwares, and there is not a real person interpreting the deck for you. Thus, the card symbolism is in fact a random card spread with aleatory explanations. Sites with membership services will provide one-to-one tarot predictions, but these kind of readings take money out of your pocket.

Online tarot readings therefore differentiate themselves a lot from the face-to-face ones performed by tarot grandmasters. More energy transfer comes with direct physical contact which is why tarot interpretations could be a lot more meaningful in such cases than when performed online. However, the warning we've launched about trusting cards too much stays valid. It is wrong and irresponsible to change your life course on the basis of card predictions; take things lightly and you will neither be disappointed nor suffer some personal disillusionment because of faulty choice making.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Donald Tyson - Portable Magic Tarot Tarot In The Only Tool You Need
Nevrom Ydal - Preparing The Ritual Area And Yourself
Aleister Crowley - Rodin In Rime
William Blake - The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
Phil Hine - Oven Ready Chaos

Learn Tarot By Listening To Tarot

The more things change, the more they are the same especially when it comes to human behavior. So many things appear to be happening...and they are...and yet there are templates that overlay the events, patterns and sequences that the events fit into. The question is: Where in the pattern, the sequence, are we? What template are we in?

The more life experience an aware person has, the more likely he is to know what is happening and what will happen because he 'has been there and done that.' He is keen to the sequence, he knows what happens when you.... Life experience allows one to intuit the sequence, see the patterns, and know what comes next. Life experience is what tells us not to do the same thing and expect a different result. (Life experience is the reason tribal people usually honor elders.)

Individual tarot cards represent points in the sequence, represent places in the pattern. When you apply the scene the card represents to the question at hand, you 'put two and two together' intuitively, you realize what the pattern is that is developing in the question at hand, and hopefully you come up with four. You usually do. As President Lincoln said, nothing is 100% !00% of the time, and I take that personally!

The more you know tarot, the less simplistic your reading of it is. Nuances and details in abundance are to be had in tarot. And the way you know tarot is to listen to it. (That is the way to learn generally, isn't it?) If you ask questions you know the answers to, to discover what the meaning of the cards is, you are listening to tarot.

The nuances and the details appear when you reach the point in learning tarot that you perceive meaning in combinations of cards, not just in single cards. The more cards you combine in your perception, the more details you get. Eventually in your learning of tarot, you will be able to look at a 13-card spread or layout and immediately understand the gist of the answer, then you look at the cards that surround those theme cards and get the details. Not the other way around, at least part of the time, at least on a good day.

Seeing themes, seeing 'theme cards' is what allows you this quick overview. Life experience with tarot is the way to arrive there. (Someone who already knows and teaches you is of course a shortcut.) What you do when the overview, the gist, comes immediately (or quickly) to mind is notice that in the different areas of the spread appear cards that mean a similar or the same thing—let's say leaving, or delay, or taking action. Okay, now you know the answer is about that particular thing. Now you know the other cards are modifying the main theme.

If you are one of those now rare people who instinctively understands what the subject, verb and object of a sentence are: A similar process lies in the dominant and modifying cards!

That is the way to expertise in tarot.

A demonstration can be had by contacting the writer below for a reading of tarot.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Will Herberg - The Writings Of Martin Buber
Hermes Trismegistus - Book Xi Of The Common Mind To Tat
Benjamin Rowe - The Book Of The Seniors
Melita Denning - The Aurum Solis

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

How To Learn Tarot Facts And Tips

Who can one learn tarot from? Online courses, independent teachers, books and web sites make choice options for anyone who wants to learn tarot. The learning methods are also highly debatable; you could memorize the meaning of the cards, identify it in context or understand it by smart associations. Choose the deck carefully if you want to learn tarot the easy way. Simple illustrations as close to the symbolism of the cards as possible: this is what you need at the beginner's level, anything more complicate could ruin the whole learning process.

The card design therefore stays relevant for the speed with which you are capable to process the information. Vivid colors, clear representations and anything logical in the realm of the visual facilitate the learning process; you'll get the full picture out of the graphics and the card design as well. This is actually the great trick behind the easy ways to learn tarot; there are dozens of methods and each can be matched to correspond to personal interests. 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. There are things that nobody can teach no matter how determined to learn tarot you may be and this is the way the cards interact in the personal spread according to the various aspects of one's life. The events, the characters and symbols thus vary greatly from one reader to another. Hence, competence and counseling in further tarot reading remain accessible only to some very skilled people.

Depending who you choose to learn tarot from, all sorts of interpretation tricks will be revealed to you. Thus, there is a certain limitation in learn tarot services as nobody will tell you absolutely everything. In fact, remembering the meaning of every card still represents 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:

Ro Winstedt - Shaman Saiva And Sufi
Max Heindel - Teachings Of An Initiate
Stephen William Hawking - Space And Time Warps

How Long Does It Take To Learn To Read Tarot Cards

I am often asked this question and the answer is “how long is a piece of string?” It can be as long or as short as you want it to.

I have seen claims that you can learn to read the Tarot in a couple of hours from a book or a DVD. Yes, you can get a very basic grasp of the meanings of each individual card from doing this.

Often, though, what is lacking is an understanding of how the cards interact with each other or how their meanings alter depending on their position in different spreads.

The rapid learning works best if you are just looking at the cards and using them as a trigger for your psychic abilities.

Some people can do this quite easily and don't need to do anything further with Learning the card meanings. Other people can lack the confidence to trust their intuition to this level.

For anyone who has seen the film “The Golden Compass” or read the book it was based on, “Northern Lights” may remember Lyra with the alethiometer.

In the beginning she cleared her mind, focused on her question, spun the needle and as soon as it landed on a symbol, she got an immediate picture in her mind and often a strong feeling as to what it meant.

Everyone else who worked with the device had to learn and study the symbols to get an understanding of it.

I know that was the case for me. I needed to learn to read the cards and over time I came to trust the intuitive prompts.

For me it took many hours of practising with the cards, looking at the pictures, noticing any intuitive prompts I received and making a note of those in my Tarot Journal.

I had fun "playing" with them, until I built up a relationship with my cards and they spoke to me individually.

The time it takes to learn the tarot also depends on your reasons for wanting to learn and how much time you have available.

For many people it is such a passion that it becomes a life-long study. I have been reading tarot cards for 16 years and I still see new things in my cards. I might suddenly notice a detail that I have not been aware of before and this adds an extra subtlety of meaning to my cards.

Tarot has multiple layers to it. You can probably have enough knowledge to do a very simple reading in about an hour, just from reading the booklet that comes with the cards. However, for most people that does not give enough detailed information.

I have taught courses which were 2 hours a week over 6 weeks, and we found that was not really enough time to cover the cards and spreads in detail.

If you can spare a couple of hours a week to understand a new card and to see how that card interacts with previous cards, your knowledge and skills will build up very quickly.
The more you can look at your cards and practise with them, the quicker you become familiar with them and start to build your own personal relationship with them.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Solomonic Grimoires - The Book Of Secrets
John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets
Christine Payne Towler - The Continental Tarots