Embodying the tarot as a living system is the most powerful way to touch the archetypal forces that affect, transform, and guide the journey of our soul’s evolutionary path. There is no doubt that in my twenty-five years of working with tarot that this system has benefitted me immeasurably, becoming a kind of mythic reference to help in navigating the mysteries that the human experience has to offer. Fusing this practice with ceremony will give you the opportunity to orient yourself on the path in relation to the elemental expressions of the minor arcana and open further to the profound teachings of the major arcana.
As your study of tarot deepens, I encourage you to find your own ceremonial, symbolic, and embodied ways to work with the cards and their teachings. Just as there are infinite combinations of cards, the tarot system is infinite in its expression through our lives. Using the Crowley deck as my main focus for the last fifteen years has laid the groundwork for a deep understanding of numerology, symbolic patterning, and astrological elements to bring forth the even more mysterious connection of the tarot to the Kabbalah, or Tree of Life system. You may find in your own working of the tarot similar connections to other systems and modes of studies.
Tarot is a powerful tool; once you gain some confidence and understanding, it can also be an invaluable aid to your friends, family, and eventually clients. I encourage you to practice reading with people close to you. Using cards is a wonderful way to learn the art of active listening, to gain endless valuable truths and insights about the human journey; at the very least, it is always a conversation starter. Tarot is way to dissolve boundaries between people and build a relational bridge between hearts and into the unseen mysteries. I truly hope this book is a benefit to your connections with others.