You're seated in front of your first tarot reading. You've shuffled, cut, and laid out cards in your chosen spread. Your first thought is probably, “Now what do I do?”
When I first began learning the tarot, I sought the answer to this question everywhere—in classes, conversations, books, and practice. I was looking for the one, true way to interpret the cards. Of course, I never found such a system because it doesn't exist. Reading the tarot is an art, not a science. There can be no set rules that apply all the time because every person is unique. How could a set of formulas ever provide guidance that honors that uniqueness?
On the other hand, there are some ways to approach the cards that have proven valuable time and again. They work because they bring form and focus to intuitive responses. They provide a framework around which you can build the message of a reading.
In this chapter, I share some of the principles of interpretation that I have discovered. I offer these as guidelines to help you develop a feel for the cards and what they can show you. Take from them what works for you, and use them to create a tarot approach that is uniquely your own.
When interpreting a reading, you will go back and forth between sensing all the cards as a whole and examining each one individually. The two approaches reinforce each other, but eventually, you do have to clarify the meaning of each card. You need to understand its unique energy, so you can fit it into the whole picture.
There are three sources of meaning for an individual card:
1. Traditional Meanings
Each card has a set of traditional meanings that have built up around the card over the years. These vary with different tarot writers and teachers. My suggestions for each card are given in the Card Descriptions section.
2. Personal Meanings
Your personal meanings for a card are based on your tarot experience, background, personality, and intuition. This mixture changes over time and from reading to reading, and keeps the meaning of a card fresh.
Meanings can be triggered by a card's image. Your response to an image can often be quite telling. Details may seem to relate very directly to your subject. For example, in a reading about building a house, the document on the Three of Pentacles may strike you as a set of blueprints. The images on the Rider-Waite deck are particularly evocative. One major benefit of this deck is that there are images on every card.
The context of a card also contributes to its meaning. Context provides a framework and sets an interpretive boundary around the card. It helps you relate a card to a certain person or issue. There are three aspects of context:
1. Actual Situation
The circumstances of your life at the time of a reading always have an influence. You often begin a reading because of something happening at the time, so it is natural that features of the moment impact how you understand a card.
2. Position Meanings
If you are using a spread, the meanings associated with a card's position are key. These meanings are based on tradition, but they too can be affected by your experience and unique point of view. Some examples of position meanings are “the central issue” or “my environment.” Part Four on Tarot Spreads provides position meanings for the Celtic Cross and Flex Spreads.
3. Subject of the Reading
Each card reflects some aspect of the subject of the reading. Your interpretation will be guided by that understanding.
To interpret a card, you need to combine all these factors into some composite that makes sense to you. This is a fluid process. These areas seem separate, but in practice, they blend together, and your overall response just happens.
At first, you will probably rely heavily on the traditional card and position meanings, but gradually your personal reactions will become primary. You may not feel any reaction to a card, or perhaps just a mild one. Try to notice any quick thought, feeling, or image that comes to mind, no matter how slight. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help tease out the meaning of a card:
What feeling do I sense in the card scene?
What feeling do I sense in myself when I see this card?
Am I attracted, repelled, or neutral about this card?
What about the subject comes to mind when I see this card?
Does this card remind me of anyone?
What details seem important in this card, and why?
Let's say you're doing a reading with your main subject as the question: “How can I improve my chances of receiving a bonus this year?” You have decided to use the popular Celtic Cross spread and have drawn the upright Seven of Cups in position 5. The Celtic Cross is covered in depth in Chapter Nine, but for now, simply use the position 5 meanings on page 292 to follow along with this example.
You first note your reactions. Perhaps your glance fells on the cup filled with jewels. The figure in the foreground seems to be looking directly at this cup. You identify with him as he reaches out for treasure. This fits your question—you're reaching out for a bonus.
Now, look at the keywords for the Seven of Cups. They are wishful thinking, options, and dissipation. When you read through the actions, you are struck by the following:
kidding yourself about the facts
waiting for your ship to come in
lacking focus and commitment
These phrases suggest someone who is passive and unrealistic, who lacks the energy and desire for success. They reinforce the keyword of wishful thinking.
On reading over the meanings for position 5, you feel a pull toward:
your delusions and illusions
what you're obsessed about
what you've set your heart on
The sense of this card is beginning to take shape for you. It seems to be suggesting that you are too busy daydreaming and not acting constructively. The figure now strikes you as awed by the cup dangled in front of him. You decide this card represents for you at this time an attitude of unreasonable hopes and unproductive dreaming. This is your first feeling about the card. You may modify that assessment later when you examine the other cards.
Clearly there are other possibilities. You might have been struck by the array of delights floating in front of the shadowy figure. He seems to have many options, another meaning of the Seven of Cups.
There is never one right answer in tarot work! Both of these interpretations make sense. You may wonder how you can decide on the best meaning when there are so many possibilities. You must trust your intuition.
Your Inner Guide will give you hints that will lead you toward the ideas that are most important for you. An insistent thought may keep popping into your mind. You may circle around a meaning—thinking about it, moving off then finally coming back. When one meaning hits you with particular force, you know you're on the right track. This is the “Aha” reaction. An “Aha” reaction may not happen for every card, but when it does, you know it is important. These are the ways that inner knowing manifests.
Part Five contains a step-by-step procedure for interpreting a single card. It summarizes the ideas covered in this section. Try this procedure the next time you encounter a card that is difficult for you to interpret. See if the procedure helps you break through your block.
The benefit of a procedure is that it helps you avoid floundering during interpretation. The disadvantage is that a procedure can cause you to abandon your intuition for a rote system. You don't want your interpretations to become automatic. Practice with this procedure for a while, but don't depend on it.
COMBINING SOURCES OF MEANING
Practice blending card and position meanings. Choose a card from the deck. Read its keywords and actions, and try to get a feel for the card's essential meaning. Now, choose a position to work with from the Celtic Cross (pages 287 to 297). Imagine your card has appeared in that position in a reading. How do the card and position meanings work together to create a composite?
Write one sentence that sums up your interpretation. Select a possibility that appeals to you and makes sense. Your sentence doesn't have to relate to your life in any way as this exercise is simply for practice.
For example, let's say you choose the Emperor. The keywords for the Emperor are fathering, structure, authority and regulation. Some choices for the Emperor in position 1 of the Celtic Cross spread (page 288) might be:
The heart of the matter (position) is that there is too much structure (Emperor) in my life.
My present environment (position) is very regulated and controlled (Emperor).
Becoming a father (Emperor) is the primary factor (position) in my life right now.
These sentences are all different, but each one blends the meanings of the Emperor and position 1. In an actual reading, the most appropriate interpretation for you would become clear as you considered all the many factors of the reading.
Certain cards in the tarot naturally form into groups. The cards have unique meanings, but they also have a common identity with the other cards in their group. The two largest groups are the major and minor arcanas. The terms major and minor reflect the relative weights of these two groups.
A major arcana card represents an energy that is deep, strong, decisive, or long-term. The minor arcana cards do not carry the same weight, but they are still important. They chart the ups and downs of daily life and register changes in feelings and thoughts. These dramas are gripping while they occur, but they pass with time as new concerns take their place.
Compare the interpretation of two cards with similar meanings, but different weights—the Hermit (major) and the Eight of Cups (minor). The Hermit is the archetypal symbol of one who seeks truth and deeper meaning. He stands for the impulse to renounce superficial pleasures to seek understanding within. In a reading, the Hermit could indicate a strong urge to find answers. This is not a passing fancy, but a major desire that could last for some time.
With the Eight of Cups, your interpretation might be much the same, but, as a minor arcana card, this card implies the search does not have the same force. Maybe you've been a little bored at work, so you feel like chucking everything to make hats on the beach. You are seeking, but the urge is not yet a heartfelt desire.
You could draw a minor arcana card in one reading and then draw a major arcana card with a similar meaning in a later reading. What started as minor has become more important over time. Similarly, a major matter can fade and lose its urgency as circumstances change.
COMMON MEANINGS FOR MAJOR AND MINOR ARCANA CARDS
For every major arcana card, there is at least one minor arcana card with a similar meaning. These correspondences are given as Reinforcing Cards on the description page for each card. Look through the major arcana card descriptions to familiarize yourself with some of the reinforcing minor arcana cards. You will discover other card connections—sometimes surprising ones—as you develop your tarot practice.
Each ace represents the qualities of its suit in their purest form. An ace always adds something special to a reading. It stands out from the other cards as if in a circle of its own light. The images on the aces are all similar. A strong hand, glowing with energy, comes out of a cloud grasping the token of its suit. An ace “hands” you a gift that comes from some unknown source hidden in the clouds. The nature of the gift is symbolized by the suit token.
A wand is a strong, masculine object, alive with potent force. Leaves are growing as new life bursts forth. The wand reminds us of a magic wand used to perform miracles and create wonders. The gift of the Ace of Wands is creativity, enthusiasm, courage, and confidence.
A cup is an open, feminine object—a receptacle designed to hold nourishing liquids. Water pours from the cup showing there is a never-ending supply of refreshment flowing into the world. The gift of the Ace of Cups is emotion, intuition, intimacy, and love.
A sword is a weapon—a finely crafted tool to cut through any obstacle or confusion. A sword extends the power of its user to fight and prevail. It can wield a cruel force, but also a clean, sharp one. The gift of the Ace of Swords is mental clarity, truth, justice, and fortitude.
The pentacle is a magical sign for the mystery of nature and the everyday world. It is stamped on a coin, the token of material exchange. With money and raw materials, we have the wherewithal to make our dreams real. The gift of the Ace of Pentacles is prosperity, practicality, security, and the ability to manifest.
Aces are portals between the realms of the major and minor arcanas. They allow powerful, but impersonal forces to come into your everyday life. An Ace in a reading shows that its qualities are becoming available. An Ace is always interpreted as beneficial, positive, and life-enhancing.
An Ace can also represent a window of opportunity that is opening. The Ace tells you to pay attention, so you don't miss it. Think of an Ace as a seed of possibility that will grow given your attention and care. Look for the potential in every situation.
A relative once drew the Ace of Pentacles and the Ace of Wands together in a reading—a dynamic combination that says “Look for a real, creative outlet for your energies that will bring greater prosperity.” Several months later, she told me that—encouraged by this sign—she had pursued a challenging opening at her workplace and was now making more money with greater personal satisfaction.
THE ENERGY OF THE ACES
Place the four Aces in a row in front of you. Write the four keywords for each ace on four pieces of paper, and place them below the aces they go with. Concentrate on each ace until you feel you know it well. Look at the details on the cards, especially the suit tokens. Notice how each one captures the qualities of its ace. Try to get to the point where you can see an ace and immediately feel its powerful presence. The first keyword for each ace has force!
You probably have noticed that people tend to fall into types. Their traits cluster together in familiar ways. We sometimes give these clusters names, such as “loner,” “dreamer,” or “workaholic.” Psychologists have devised elaborate systems that categorize types of people. The popular Myers-Briggs is one such system.1
The tarot has its own system of personalities represented by the 16 court cards—the King, Queen, Knight, and Page of each suit. The key to understanding the personality of each court card is the combination of its suit and rank.
The King of Wands is creative, inspiring, forceful, charismatic, and bold. These are typical traits of the Wands suit. They are prime examples of its dynamic fire energy, but they also reflect the character of a King. Kings are active and outgoing. They want to make an impact on the world through the force of their personality.
The Queen of Wands is attractive, wholehearted, energetic, cheerful, and self-assured. These are also Wands qualities. This Queen is upbeat and lively, but she does not wield her personality as a force directed outward. Queens express their suits from the inside, setting a tone without imposing it.
Knights are extremists; they express their suit qualities to the maximum. Such excessive feelings and behavior can be either welcome or unwelcome depending on the circumstances.
The Knight of Pentacles has an excess of caution—a trait typical of the steady, conservative Pentacles nature. This Knight prefers to check and double-check everything. He always proceeds slowly before committing himself—the kind of person you would ask to fold your parachute or guide you through a minefield.
On the other hand, you could say the Knight of Pentacles is unadventurous. He will never double his money through a risky investment or propose a surprise trip to Paris on a whim. Such daring moves are not in his nature. You would have to check with the Knight of Wands for that!
The keywords for the Knights are word pairs (cautious/unadventurous). In readings, you must consider both views when interpreting a Knight. Does he represent a beneficial or harmful approach? The other factors (and your own honesty!) will help you decide.
Each page shows a happy child holding the token of his suit. He is fascinated by this plaything. The pages inspire us to enjoy their interests with them. The Page of Swords can represent the thrill of intellectual discovery or other mental challenges.
Pages also encourage you to “Go for it!” Children do not hesitate when they want something. They reach out and grab. If you want what a page is offering, don't be afraid. Seize the day!
If the Page of Cups is your daily reading card, and a fellow student smiles at you, take this opportunity for friendship. Strike up a conversation, or suggest getting a cup of coffee after class. This Page encourages you to bring love and sharing into your life.
In some tarot systems, the court cards represent people of a certain age and type. For example, the Queen of Swords is a divorced woman. I feel this way of looking at court cards is too limiting. Traits are not limited to certain groups. The King's style may be more traditionally masculine, but his approach is also available to women. Children are more often playful, but that doesn't mean that a Page must always represent a child.
A court card in a reading is showing you how a certain approach to life is or could be impacting the situation. There are several possibilities:
A court card can show a quality that is being expressed or seeking expression. It may be something that's valued, or something neglected. It may be an approach that's recognized, or one that's denied. The best interpretation depends on the subject, the other cards, and the situation.
Let's say you are trying to decide whether or not to enter into a business partnership and draw the King of Swords. You could interpret this card as a way for you to act in this situation—to be fair and ethical, to review everything carefully, and to articulate your needs.
A court card can also represent a particular person. If you look at a court card and say to yourself, “I know who that is!” then it could very well be that person. It may also represent someone of whom you are not yet aware.
Let's say you have met someone who is very romantic. You spend long hours together and connect on a deep level. In a reading, the Knight of Cups could represent this new lover, but, since he's a knight, you should look at this relationship closely.
What are you hoping to experience? You may be enjoying the romance, but are you also looking for dependability and commitment? The Knight of Cups is a signal to you that this relationship may be lopsided: abundant in intimate sharing, but deficient in other ways.
A court card can also reflect the general atmosphere. Sometimes, an environment seems to take on a personality of its own—one that matches a court card type.
You consult the tarot to find out about the group house you are planning to join. You draw the Queen of Pentacles. This card could be telling you that the atmosphere will be nurturing. Your housemates will be warm and generous with a sensible approach to problems.
On the other hand, you may meet someone in the house who is similar to the Queen of Pentacles, or you may be like her yourself in this situation. Such is the subtle play of the tarot!
SEEING COURT CARD QUALITIES IN PEOPLE
The more you understand your fellow humans, the more you will understand the court cards. Over the next few weeks, observe your relatives, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Consider celebrities, historical figures, and characters from books, TV and films. Ask yourself:
What qualities does this person have? Not have?
What qualities are helpful to this person? Not helpful?
What court card is this person most like? Least like?
How is this person unique—unlike any type at all?
What court card types are common in my life? Uncommon?
There is a game called Labyrinth that consists of a square box with a moveable platform inside. On the platform is a maze punctuated by little holes. The object is to move a ball from one end of the maze to the other without letting the ball fall into one of the holes. Knobs on the outside let you guide the ball by rotating the platform in any direction.
A simple game, but difficult in practice! The slightest miscalculation, and the ball goes down. If you lean the platform too far in one direction, you lose control. If you try to compensate too quickly, you lose control in the other direction. The only strategy that works is a patient shepherding of the ball along the path as you maintain a balance of movement and force in all directions.
I see in Labyrinth a metaphor for our navigation along the pathway of life. We travel from birth to death negotiating around the “holes” by continually balancing our approaches. We maintain steady progress forward by making countless life adjustments—first here, then there. Our actions offset each other in a dance that is sometimes delightful, often challenging.
The key is always balance. To achieve balance, we must know how to express all the energies available to us. Personal balance is never static. It comes from the ability to choose dynamically the option that will work in any given moment.
A tarot reading is a map of the counterbalancing tendencies that are operating at any one time. To read this map, you must understand the Law of Opposition—that any quality, once identified, implies its opposite. This is a basic principle of the material universe. The Fool discovers this principle at the very beginning of his journey when he meets both the Magician and the High Priestess. These two archetypes show him that nothing is defined in isolation, only as one pole of a balancing pair.
At the deepest level, opposition does not exist. There is just Oneness, but, in physical life, we perceive Oneness as broken up into countless different energies. These are the forces we navigate in our search for balance.
One way to discover balance issues is by looking for two cards in a reading that oppose each other. One meaning of the Eight of Swords is restriction—being trapped in an oppressive or limiting situation. If you ponder this meaning for a while, you realize that simply by acknowledging the idea of restriction, you imply the opposing idea of freedom—the breaking out of bonds and limitations. This quality is represented by the Four of Wands.
A reading containing these two cards could be showing the importance of the restriction/freedom issue. They define the ends of a continuum of experience from which you can choose the best balance point.
There are three types of opposing card pairs:
Certain cards form clear and obvious permanent opposites based on their traditional meanings. The Eight of Swords and Four of Wands are this type. The Magician and the High Priestess are another. The Magician represents action and conscious awareness; the High Priestess, nonaction and unconscious awareness.
You can create a pair between any two court cards or two aces. These pairs reflect the balance patterns that emerge when you contrast two suits or ranks. Consider the keywords for the King of Pentacles and the Queen of Cups.
The King of Pentacles acts outwardly (king) in an enterprising, adept way based on his interest in the material world (pentacles). The Queen of Cups has an inner focus (queen) that is emotional and intuitive based on her concern with feelings (cups).
In a reading, this pair could represent a conflict between two people—a can-do type who wants to get the job done, and a dreamer who first wants to see how everyone feels. This pair could also represent dueling qualities within the subject—perhaps a need to focus on worldly concerns vs a desire to concentrate on the spiritual. There are many possibilities. In Part Five I offer some ways in which the suits and ranks interact.
You can interpret any two cards as a pair, even if their meanings are not exactly opposites. There is so much meaning in every card that useful comparisons can almost always be made. Occasional pairs arise by chance in a reading, and their relationship lasts for only that one instance.
The Four of Cups shows a solitary man sitting under a tree. The Ten of Cups shows a happy family celebrating together. If the idea were meaningful to you, you might see these cards as defining the opposites of “being alone” vs “being with others.” This understanding might occur to you out of the blue as you think about your reading.
• • •
Two cards do not have to oppose each other to form a pair. They can reinforce each other. Both the Empress and the Nine of Cups suggest pleasure, sensuality, and physical enjoyment. Reinforcing pairs show that a certain energy is or could be having an extra impact. In a sense, the meaning is “doubled.” Sometimes we have to face circumstances in an unbalanced way for a while to achieve our goals.
In the Card Descriptions section, I offer some possible opposing and reinforcing pairs for each card. As you do your readings, pay attention to these pair dynamics. Gradually you will begin to appreciate the incredible way the tarot cards work together to reflect balance in the world.
YOUR BALANCE ISSUES
Identify a balance issue that is meaningful to you at this time. Here are some possibilities:
controlling—letting go
being free—being restricted
feeling joy—feeling sadness
creating peace—creating conflict
working—playing
risking—playing it safe
moving slow—moving fast
acting—waiting
coming together—moving apart
feeling victorious—feeling defeated
Find two cards that represent the opposite ends of your issue. You can use the keyword charts for the card meanings to help (pages 61 and 128–129). In the next few weeks, think about these cards from time to time. Are you closer to one extreme, or somewhere in the middle? Watch for these cards to show up in your readings.
A group is any set of cards with some common characteristic. The meaning of a reading is influenced by any groups within it. Here are some groups to look for in a reading:
The major arcana cards are potent archetypes with extra force and impact. If there are many majors in a reading, this group communicates a sense of heightened energy around the subject.
The aces represent positive and life-enhancing energies. A reading with more than one ace shows that new possibilities are present. The situation is bursting with potential.
Many court cards in a reading can suggest the involvement of many people or points of view. There are many “cooks in the kitchen” which can be helping or hindering to the subject.
You can get a sense of the overall energy character of a reading by noticing the number of cards in each suit. This tells you which qualities are dominant (more cards) and which are weak or absent (fewer cards).
Groups of cards are built into the composition of many spreads. Cards in these groups are placed together physically to emphasize their connection. Spread groups are especially noteworthy because the cards in them are designed to be interpreted according to the group meaning.
Certain cards in a reading can strike you spontaneously as a group. Let's say you've drawn the Sun, Three of Cups, and Four of Wands in a reading. These three cards all suggest high spirits and the joy of celebration. They form a group because of this common meaning.
EXERCISE: LOOKING FOR CARD GROUPS
Begin looking for groups of cards in your readings. Pay attention to spread groups and the distribution of suits. Consider the number of major arcana cards, aces, and court cards. Look for spontaneous groups of cards that are meaningful.
This section covers how to pull together the individual elements of a reading to create a tarot story. This is not an easy process to describe because storytelling is an art. Even though you can be shown a few techniques, in the end, you must develop your own style as a tarot artist. This is the challenge (and fun) of card interpretation.
First, I want you to set aside everything you've learned so far! Just disregard all those fancy principles. You've been exposed to much information about the cards, and I've only touched on the possibilities. Tarot books contain system after system for relating the cards to each other. This is fascinating stuff, but what is its real purpose? It's to find a way to release your inner knowing through the cards.
The techniques you've learned have been based on the idea that you must figure out what the cards are saying, but this is not really the case. If you think of a tarot reading as an object to be dissected, you will have trouble grasping its full meaning. A tarot story doesn't come from without; it arises from within. Your stories come from a part of you that is seeking expression and conscious realization.
Of course, I don't really want you to discard your tarot learning. The principles are valuable, but not because they hold the key to readings in themselves. They simply help you recognize what you already know. They draw you in so you can set up the circumstances to release your story.
The secret of creating a tarot story is getting from intellectual understanding to knowing, from a piecemeal grasp to a unified vision. To do this, you need to recognize and honor your feelings. Feelings in this sense are not moods or emotions. They are the language of your Inner Guide. They are the outward expression of a knowing that is deeper than thought. The main feature of knowing is a sense of rightness. You know your insights are correct when you feel complete and satisfied with them.
The best way I've found to release inner knowing is through stream-of-consciousness talking—saying your thoughts out loud as they occur, uncensored and uncontrolled. You make no attempt to organize or clean up your speech. You simply let the words come out.
This technique is effective because it bypasses the critical ego. It allows the wisdom of your Inner Guide to come forth spontaneously. You feel as if something within has been set free. Your first attempts will probably be awkward, but your stories will improve with practice. You will develop an ability to guide the flow of words without imposing your will on them. Sometimes insights will surface that completely surprise you!
It's not necessary to rush or talk continually. You can pause whenever you want, but avoid thinking when this happens. Simply wait patiently until you feel the impulse to continue. Sometimes repeating the name of a card a few times can help. Queen of Cups … Queen of Cups … Queen of Cups. After each repetition, wait to see if anything comes to mind in the form of a thought or image.
Sometimes your story will just flow. You will have no trouble fitting everything together. Other times there will be gaps and empty places. Certain cards will stay stubbornly obscure. The moment may not be right for you to fully grasp these cards, or all the pieces of the story may not yet be in place.
Don't be concerned if you can't always create a beautiful narrative. Sometimes knowing comes in fragments. Stay with a reading only as long as the effort seems worthwhile. A partial understanding may be all you need.
I once drew the Ace of Pentacles reversed in a position meaning “key factor.” I knew right away that this card was telling me not to focus on money or material concerns. This realization hit me as soon as I saw the card. Everything I needed to know was in that one Ace, so interpreting the other cards was not really all that necessary.
A good spread makes weaving the pattern of the cards easy. By following the spread's built-in structure, your story unfolds naturally. Each spread has its own character based on its history, form, and purpose.
Your tarot story ends when your stream-of-consciousness talking begins to wind down and come to a stop. A few stray thoughts may still occur to you, but the main theme will have been established. You will know the essential message of the reading.
Stream-of-consciousness talking is an effective style for me, but you may not like it. You may prefer to sit quietly and absorb the meaning of the cards. Some people like to write out their reactions or create charts that cross-correlate the cards in a systematic way. Each of us is different, and our approaches to the tarot will be different too.
I'd like to leave you with one final thought about tarot stories. Trust yourself and your intuition completely. Banish right now any concerns you have about reading the cards correctly. You really can't make mistakes. Your tarot realizations are always the right ones for you at a given time and place. They are meaningful because they are yours. Know you are truly connected to all that is. You can access an understanding that is far greater than your everyday awareness. Trust that this is so.
STREAM-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS TALKING
You can practice stream-of-consciousness talking anytime you feel comfortable speaking your thoughts out loud. (For most of us, this means being alone!) Say every thought as it occurs to you. The idea is to “hear” a thought inwardly and then vocalize it. As you finish speaking one thought, listen for the next one.
In the next few weeks, try this exercise whenever you can. Work toward being able to speak naturally with no sense of urgency. Try to get to the point where thoughts about the process don't intrude too much. This is not an easy state to achieve, but it is well worth the effort.
TAROT IMPROVISATION
In theater improvisation, members of the audience call out the names of a few objects, and the actors assemble a skit based on those elements. In this exercise, the cards are the elements, and you are the actor who must bring them together on the fly.
Shuffle and cut the cards in the usual way, and hold the deck facedown in one hand. Turn over the first three cards, and lay them in a row. Now, create a story around the cards. Don't struggle to come up with a clever scenario. Just allow any tale to unfold. In The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino,2 the characters tell their tales to each other using only tarot card images.
Now, if you like, lay out a fourth card. Incorporate this new one into the original tale. Continue developing the story by laying out new cards one at a time. The spirit of this exercise is spontaneous play. Stop if you feel any pressure or strain. If you prefer, you can set aside the first three cards and deal out three more for a new story.
You've probably noticed already that you do not feel neutral about your readings. You hope to see cards that are positive and encouraging. This is only natural. In my experience, people respond cheerfully to pleasant cards, but recoil in disappointment if a “nasty” one appears. Indeed, it is difficult to look at the Tower and accept it calmly. We don't want something scary to happen; we want the good!
In fact, the good and the bad are so mixed in life that these terms eventually become almost meaningless. If you were to get hurt in an accident, but then develop great inner strength during recovery, could you really say the accident was completely bad? If you were to be fired from your job, but then find a better one on the rebound, where is the positive and negative in this situation?
The cards in the tarot are not good or bad in themselves. They only describe certain energies or influences. It is up to you to use this information to make conscious choices about your life. Although the Tower can show a shattering breakup or downfall of some kind, you do not have to view this negatively. Sometimes an explosion of feeling or dramatic shakeup provides welcome relief, clearing the air and freeing up new energy.
It is your concentrated clarity about a situation that gives you the power to mold events along the lines of your choosing. This clarity comes from the wisdom of your Inner Guide paired with the fearless confidence you have in yourself. A reading does not deliver news to you as a passive victim, but as a powerful agent who can use that information creatively. It gives you a picture of the energy patterns in and around you so that you can work with them as you see fit.
Always remember the direction pictured in a reading is the one projected for now from all the influences of the present moment. If you can identify those forces, you can alter or encourage them as you wish. The future is never fixed. The outcome of your story is not a certainty, but a possibility. You can always embrace or change a direction provided you have the desire and courage to take the necessary steps. At the deepest level, you know what a situation is all about. Your tarot story simply lets you recognize what you know so you can act consciously.
Perhaps you are concerned that you aren't objective enough when reading the cards. You suspect that you only see in a reading what you want to see and not the “truth.” In fact, that's exactly the point! The tarot helps you find out what it is you do believe, so you can acknowledge it. Your unconscious becomes conscious. You can't interpret falsely, but you can fail to perceive all that is there. The tarot is a mirror that reflects your own consciousness back to you. As you learn, that mirror becomes clearer, and you perceive at ever deeper levels.
