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Tarot Class by Michele

Introduction to the Tarot

The course will be generic in nature and will not be keyed to any

specific deck. As long as you are using a standard Tarot deck

with a theme that does not cause the interpretations to stray too

far from the traditional, you should be able to follow along. The

interpretations given will be simple, basic and have been culled

from many sources. They are by no means "the correct"

interpretations, but they will be based on the "traditional"

meanings. Feel free to jump in and share your insights and

interpretations as well.

I will not go into a long history of the Tarot here, too many

books are available which can discuss this topic much more

intelligently than I can. The standard Tarot deck which is

commonly in use today consists of 78 cards. They are divided

into the Major Arcana, The Minor Arcana and the Court Cards.

There are 22 Major Arcana or Trumps. These cards are thought

to represent the Higher parts of our consciousness and have

been linked with the Archetypes proposed by Jung, the 22 Letters

of the Hebrew Alphabet, The paths of the Tree of Life, The IChing
and the Runes among other things.

The Court Cards represent other people in our lives or aspects of

our own personality. The Minor Arcana are concerned with

the everyday, mundane affairs of day to day living such as

work, school, the home and relationships. The Minors consist of

four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. In various decks

these suits might be renamed, but they are usually recognizable.

Some of the more common alternate names are:

Wands - Staves

Cups - Vessels, Bowls

Swords - Crystals

Pentacles - Disks, Coins

Tarot can be used in several ways; as a means of divination, as

a tool for self discovery, as an aid to spiritual or esoteric study

or even as a game. Tarot is such a diverse medium that an

entire lifetime can be devoted to it's study.

The Suits

There are 4 suits commonly found in Tarot decks: Wands,

Cups, Swords and Pentacles. While they sometimes have

different names, the idea behind them is usually the same. If you

understand the meanings of the suits and have some knowledge

of numbers, you can read the Minor Arcana of any deck of

Tarot cards, or even playing cards for that matter.

I have included some basic astrological descriptions as the two

systems, Astrology and Tarot seem to complement each other. I

have also noticed that many Tarot readers incorporate their

knowledge of astrology into their interpretations and readings

and that many people who are interested in one are also

interested in the other. Since a great many people have some

knowledge of Astrology, I thought the descriptions might be

helpful in understanding the ideas behind the suits.

Wands: Wands can be described as the suit having to do with

energy, creativity, communication, action, passion, self

improvement/self development, spirituality and enterprise. If

you look at the suit of Wands in most decks you notice that most

of the cards show some type of action in progress, or someone

who appears to be reviewing or enjoying the results obtained

from a recently completed action. Action and energy are two

key words to this suit. Wands are usually associated with the

element of fire. If you know a little of astrology, think of the

personality attributes of the fire signs, the forceful Aries, the

flamboyant Leo and the honest and enthusiastic Sagittarius.

Additional attributes include:

Direction - South

Season - Spring (Vernal Equinox)

Masculine/Feminine - Masculine

Cups: Cups are associated with the emotions, the subconscious,

relationships and intuitive or psychic abilities. Most decks try to

convey emotions in this suit; happiness, love, boredom,

disappointment and dejection are usually represented and easily

identified. This suit is associated with the element of water and

like water can be calm and serene, or turbulent and rough.

Astrologically, the nurturing Cancer personality, the depth of

the Scorpio and the intuitive, dreamy Pisces could be applied.

Additional attributes:

Direction - East

Season - Summer (Summer Solstice)

Masculine/Feminine - Feminine

Swords: Swords are the suit of mental activity, rational

thinking, decisions, and intellectual pursuit. Because much of

the turmoil in our lives can be attributed to our thoughts, this

suit often depicts conflict and struggle as well. Looking at this

suit in most decks, one finds some of the more negative cards

depicting nightmares, craftiness, pain and restriction. Swords

are usually associated with the element of air. Astrologically one

can think of the Libran desire for balance, the contradictions

inherent in the Aquarian personality, and the Gemini's thirst for

intellectual stimulation. Additional attributes:

Direction - West

Season - Autumn (Autumnal Equinox)

Masculine/Feminine - Masculine

Pentacles: Pentacles are the suit associated with work, money,

crafts, the home, the physical body. Looking at this suit, one sees

craftsman at work, business being conducted, the physical

comfort and security of having material things and the physical

discomfort and pain of not having them. Pentacles are

associated with the element earth. Astrologically one can think

of Taurean practicality and love of home, the Capricorn's

financial and business prowess and the Virgo's industry, skill

and productivity. Additional attributes:

Direction - South

Season - Winter (Winter Solstice)

Masculine/Feminine - Feminine

Swords and Wands are usually associated with Air and Fire

respectively, however some writers have reversed these

attributions assigning Fire to Swords and Air to Wands. Emily

Peach does this in "The Tarot Workbook" and Ellen Cannon Reed

does as well in her deck ,"The Witches Tarot" and her two books

"The Goddess and the Tree" and "The Witches Tarot". Arguments

can be made for both points of view and you should chose

whichever attributions seems to fit best to you. The same is true

of the directions assigned. An alternative system for directions

taken from Astrology is: Wands - East, Cups - North, Swords -

West and Earth - South.

Tarot Notebook

Now is the time to make yourself a Tarot Notebook. Any

notebook will do. Personally, I like a 3 ring binder, which allows

me to expand as needed. As we go through the course, write

down what you have learned. For instance in today's lesson we

went over the suits, Set aside a page in your notebook for each

of the suits and write a brief synopsis of what we covered here

for each. Add any thoughts you might have or any insights

from Tarot books you are using. Should additional ideas or

information come to you in the future, go back and add them as

well. Over time, this notebook will become a valuable resource.

It will document your progress over time and be a source and

record of interpretations.
Aces

Aces represent the energy of each suit in its purest and most

concentrated form. They also represent beginnings, ideas,

commencement, opportunity, a fresh start, inspiration, a gift.

Applying the above to what we have covered in the suits gives

you the

meaning of each ace.

Ace of Wands - New energy, a burst of creativity,

beginning a self improvement program, the start of a

spiritual quest.

Ace of Cups - A new relationship ( romantic or

otherwise), awakening intuition or psychic powers, the

start of happier times.

Ace of Swords - New ideas, a new intellectual interest

or hobby, strength, power.

Ace of Pentacles - Beginnings on the physical plane, a

new job, a new home, the start of a period of prosperity.

Timing

Many readers use Aces as timing cards. If a question of

timing comes up during a reading, write it down and put it

aside. After the main reading is done, have the querent reshuffle

and cut the deck, then deal cards face up until you get an

Ace. The suit of the Ace will indicate the time that the

event is most likely to occur. Using the seasons from the

message on suits we have:

Wands - Spring

Cups - Summer

Swords - Fall

Pentacles - Winter

Yes/No

A method for answering yes/no questions uses Aces as well.

Shuffle and cut the deck while concentrating on the question.

Turn one stack over periodically while shuffling in order to get

reversals. Deal the cards until you get an Ace then stop. Deal a

new pile until you get another Ace. Deal one last time until you

get a third Ace. The direction of the Aces will give you your

answer. If two or more are upright, the answer is yes. If two or

more are reversed, the answer is no. Personally, I rarely use

Tarot to answer yes/no questions. I believe that the answer will

be correct for the conditions at that time, but as conditions

change, the answer may change as well. I prefer to ask

questions such as "what can I do to enhance my chances of...." or

"What am I doing that is preventing me from..." . This type of

question gives me some control over events rather than allowing

things to just happen to me.

Twos

Twos represent duality, balance, choices, interaction,

polarity, developing.

Two of Wands - A choice or balance in applying energy.

The first steps have been completed, and one must decide

where to apply energy from this point on. Control.

Two of Cups - Emotional interactions. Balance between

opposites. Love.

Two of Swords - Peace (hard won), a respite from

conflict, a tenuous balance. Compromise.

Two of Pentacles - Balance in practical matters; juggling

several tasks on the physical plane (home, work, hobbies,

recreation, etc.). Change.

Tarot Progression

Some readers see a progression though the Minor Arcana

with Aces representing a beginning, twos further development,

threes as planning, fours as practical attainment, fives as

unbalance, sixes as harmony, sevens as choices, eights as changes

and nines as conclusions. Tens are the ultimate

fulfillment of the suit and represent a transition which leads

back to the Ace. Various authors have assigned different

progressions to each number. Some are based on numerology

and some are not. If you are familiar with numerology, you can

apply some of its concepts to Tarot as well.

A Tarot exercise

At this point we have covered 8 cards. Pull those cards from the

deck, mix them thoroughly and deal them in face down in four

sets of two. Do not think of a question, this exercise is for

practice only. The first card in each pair represents the past and

the second, the present. Now turn over the

first pair and interpret the cards together.

Example: Two of Swords, Ace of Pentacles - You have just

completed a fairly tumultuous period. Things were difficult, but

you worked them out, achieved a balance and are about to begin

a period of material prosperity.

Do the same with the other three pairs. This exercise is designed

to get you used to the idea of reading groups of cards right

away. It should help you to see relationships between cards

rather than viewing each card in a vacuum. If you have time,

you should do this exercise every day, adding the new cards you

have learned to the group you use. If you like, remix and try it

again, you

can't do this one too often.

Threes

Threes represent creation, abundance, group activity,

building, planning, synthesis.

Three of Wands - planning, reflecting, aspiration

Three of Cups - Celebration, happiness, joy, sharing,

abundance, friendship

Three of Swords - Sadness, heartbreak, emotional pain,

sorrow

Three of Pentacles - creating, bringing into physical

reality, work.

Centering

Most readers do some type of centering exercise before

doing a reading. These exercises can be elaborate or very simple.

The method I use is in the latter category. Before doing a

reading I always shuffle the deck. While shuffling I ask

God/Goddess to guide my words and allow me to assist the

querent (or myself). Some people like to create an atmosphere by

lighting candles, burning incense or doing a short meditation

before reading. Whatever your belief system, it is best to

approach the cards from a feeling of calm, rather than in a

harried, distracted way. Pray, cast a circle, invoke the

God/Goddess, meditate, do deep breathing exercises, or do

whatever it is you do to get in touch with your center.

Tarot Exercise

Do the same exercise as yesterday, adding the threes and

making a third column for the future. Someone here in the

forum once recommended that you do all readings aloud, even

those done for yourself. I think that is an excellent suggestion

and recommend you do the exercises aloud as well. It is one

thing to recognize the meaning of a card in your mind and an

entirely different thing to articulate that meaning to another.

Reversals

In case you haven't noticed, I do not use reversals, however

many people do. You can take a book and learn it's

interpretations of reversals or you can take an easier approach

and chose one of the methods of reading them listed below:

1. A block in the upright energy of the card

2. A delay

3. A subconscious wish or desire

4. A hidden or surreptitious energy

5. A weakened version of the upright meaning

The opposite of the upright meaning (this is the method most

often seen in books, however there are exceptions. Some cards

have similar meanings whether upright or reversed. Refer to the

book for your deck when using this method to learn which cards

it does not apply to).

There are many other methods for reading them as well. The

use of reversals is not as prevalent as it once was. Many newer

beginner books do not include them at all, however you must do

what you feel most comfortable with. Arguments can be made

for both sides. If you decide not to use them, bear in mind that

each card has a full spectrum of meanings. For example, the

three of cups can mean merriment and celebration, but carried

to excess could mean drunkenness, or excessive partying.

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Fours

Fours represent stability, structure, order and practical

attainment.

Four of Wands - rites, inspiration, freedom, ceremony,

harmony, peace

Four of Cups - Boredom, apathy, discontent,

dissatisfaction, withdrawal, meditation

Four of Swords - regrouping, introspection, illness, time

out, rest

Four of Pentacles - holding on to ones possessions, thrift,

a reluctance to let go, insecurity, selfishness.

Undercurrents

This is a reading method I learned from another reader.

Whenever she does a reading, she throws whatever spread she is

going to use and then looks at the card left on the bottom of the

deck. She calls this card the undercurrent. The undercurrent is

what underlies the question. It is the atmosphere in which events

are taking place. For example if the querent had a question

about a relationship and the 4 of pentacles was on the bottom of

the deck, it could be interpreted as someone in the relationship

not wanting to let go. Perhaps for financial reasons (very

common), for selfish reasons, or for security reasons. It could be

an unconscious or unexpressed desire which the querent

him/herself is not even aware of. Depending on the rest of the

cards thrown, letting go might be the best thing. I find the

concept useful and use it in my daily readings.

Reading for Yourself

Many Tarot books and readers warn against reading for

yourself. The common thread in this argument is that it is

difficult to be objective and that one tends to see what one wants

to see rather than what is really there. That is a real danger,

however I think reading for yourself can be most

helpful, particular in seeing options that you might not have

come to on your own. You have to keep all possible meanings in

mind when reading for yourself and then decide which one fits

best realistically, not hopefully. Reading for yourself can help

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you change the outcome of a situation, by showing you where

things are headed presently and what you can do to change

them.

Daily Readings

I try to read for myself everyday. It gives me an idea of where

the day is headed and how things are going with me on an

intellectual, physical and spiritual level. I usually use one of the

two following spreads, depending on my mood.

Mind, Body, Spirit

I spread three cards from left to right, with the first

representing my mental state, the second my physical state and

the third my spiritual state.

Past, Present, Future

Again I spread three cards from left to right with the first

representing the recent past or events that have lead up to the

present, the second card representing today, and the third card

representing the near future. I sometimes use this spread in

reference to a problem I am working on or a project or situation

I am dealing with, whether at work or at home. It is short and to

the point. If I feel I need additional information, I just deal

more cards on the cards to clarify the one that is giving me

difficulty. For both spreads I also look at the undercurrent card.

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Fives

Fives represent change, unbalance, challenge , struggle, conflict,

breakdown.

Five of Wands - Competition, struggle, challenge to

authority or established order

Five of Cups - Disappointment, loss, failing to see the

good in a situation
Five of Swords - hurt, bruised ego, a small defeat, loss or

embarrassment.

Five of Pentacles - Worry, fear, financial loss, difficult

times, trouble, insecurity

Tarot Exercise

All readers have cards they dislike (some of them are fives <G>).

This exercise helps one see the full potential in every card. Chose

the 3 cards from the deck you dislike the most. Now brainstorm

and come up with five good or positive things about each card.

This is pretty difficult, but you might be

surprised at the things you come up with. The first few are

fairly easy. In the Waite-Smith 5 of cups for example, there are

still two cups left standing, all is not lost; the person in the card

has a warm cloak and good solid shoes, which seems to say his

physical needs are taken care of; there is "water under a bridge",

which suggests that whats done is done and that he should let go,

pick up his two remaining cups and get on with his life. I'm sure

you all can come up with others.

Sixes

Sixes represent Harmony, triumph, balance, a high point.

Six of Wands - Victory, self confidence, advancement,

well being
Six of Cups - Happiness, pleasant memories, ecstasy,

friendship, sharing

Six of Swords - Journey, passing through difficult times,

perspective, service

Six of Pentacles - Gifts, generosity, giving freely, an

exchange of energy

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Symbols

Tarot relies heavily on symbolism. Esoteric decks, such as

Thoth and to a lessor extent, the Waite-Smith make use of every

symbol on every card. This is why I always recommend you

purchase the book written specifically for your deck if one is

available. It will usually explain the designer's use of symbolism

in the deck. A dictionary of symbols is also an excellent tool for

discerning deeper meanings in the cards. It is especially useful

for decks which have no separate book available.

For an example where having the book enhances the

interpretation, let's look at the six of wands in "The Witches

Tarot" The card shows a woman kneeling in a forest clearing

with six branches on the ground before her in two horizontal

groups of three. If you look in the booklet that comes with

the deck you find "Illumination, realization of bigger things...",

but if you look in Reed's book "The Witches Tarot: The Witches

Cabala Two" you read that the branches are laid in the I-Ching

hexagram Ch'ien Ch'ien. This gives you further insight into

what the designer was trying to convey.

Using the Waite-Smith deck, let's examine the same card. We

see a man on a horse carrying a staff with a laurel wreath on

top. If we look up laurel in a dictionary of symbols we find

"Triumph, victory", so even if did not have Waite's book we could

get an idea of what the card meant from the symbolism

augmented by the picture, which also suggests a triumphant

march. If we were not sure of the type of wreath, and looked up

the word "wreath", we find "..glory, victory, supremacy..." which

still conveys the meaning. If you look in the bibliography of most

modern Tarot books, you will probably find at least one

dictionary of symbols listed. They are especially useful for

understanding cards that you have difficulty with.

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Sevens

Sevens represent reflection, inner work, the hidden, difficulties

or struggle

Seven of Wands - Self defense, holding a position, inner

conviction
Seven of Cups - imagination , fantasy, choices, illusion

Seven of Swords - deception, stealing, strategy, secret

plan

Seven of pentacles - waiting, patience, delay, efforts

paying off

Directions

I am listing directional attributes of the suits by various

authors. You should chose one that supports your personal

beliefs or which feels right to you.

Wands = South, Cups = West, Swords = East, Pentacles = North

(Vicki Noble, "Motherpeace Tarot", Mary Greer "Tarot for

Yourself", Connelly,

"Tarot a New handbook for the Apprentice", Jana Riley "The

Tarot handbook")

Wands = East, Cups = North, Swords = West, Pentacles = South

Wands = South, Cups = West, Swords = East, Pentacles = North

(Witchcraft)

Wands = East, Cups = North, Swords = West, Pentacles = South

(Astrology)

(Gail Fairfield, "Choice Centered Tarot"

Surprisingly, these were the only lists I could find. I thought

some of the older esotericists (Papus, et al) would have something

since they tended to like lists of attributes, but I didn't find

anything :(

Shuffling

To some this seems very elementary, but I see questions on

shuffling posted quite frequently in my on-line travels. In my

opinion, there is no right or wrong way to shuffle. I think the

important thing is to be calm, keep your question in mind, and

use whatever method you normally use to mix the

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deck. Some readers feel Tarot cards should never be shuffled per

se, but rather mixed by holding the deck in one hand and pulling

cards from various parts of the deck and re-inserting them with

the other over and over until you feel they are well mixed.

Personally I shuffle them like a poker deck, 3 or more times.

Why 3? I don't know, it just seems like a good minimum. I

usually shuffle 4-5 times, but never less than 3. If the deck is new,

I shuffle at least 11 times. I read somewhere that statistically

speaking, it takes 11 shuffles to get a 78 card deck in random

order. One day when I'm really bored,

I'll do the math for myself and verify this. If you don't use

reversals, you should be careful to keep the cards all in the same

direction. This is difficult with some decks, because it is

impossible to tell the direction from the back. Getting a few

cards reversed is not a tragedy, just flip them over. If you do like

to use reversals, turn one pile of the deck over once or twice

while shuffling.

Cutting the deck

I have read many different ways to cut the deck. The only one I

follow is to cut with your left hand. I deal with my right hand,

so I feel cutting with the left gives the deal some balance. I also

cut

into 3 piles. The most common admonition is to cut with the left

hand into 3 piles to the left. It works for me, but I don't doubt

some other method would work as well, this is just the way I

learned.

Large cards such as Thoth, Rohrig and Voyager present

problems to those with smaller hands. You can try shuffling

them from the sides, vice the long way. You can also try

swishing them around on a table (make sure it is clean <G>), or

on your bed. Like poker cards, Tarot cards wear with time. I

still have my first Motherpeace deck and while it is a little

"thick", I have not been able to bring myself to part with it. If

you read for others though, you probably will not make a good

impression with a deck so worn and fat that it is difficult to

shuffle. My old friend is reserved for my personal use

only.

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Another question that comes up is whether to deal the cards

face up or face down. I deal face up, because I like to get a feel

for the spread as a whole, but some people find it distracting.

They feel that they start forming impressions before they have

the whole spread dealt. Dealing face down avoids this.

I think that we sometimes get too tied up in the ritual and

"doing things right" and forget that Tarot should be a relaxing,

enlightening experience, vice a nervous ordeal because we are

trying to shuffle in a way we are not familiar with, trying to

remember the right way to cut, the proper

invocation etc. Relax, get the cards well mixed and read.

Eights

Eights represent balance, movement, order, change, giving and

receiving.

Eight of Wands - Energy, movement, activity, speed,

things happening quickly

Eight of Cups - Withdrawal, retreat, turning your back

on something and moving off into a different direction

Eight of Swords - Restriction, feeling blocked, feeling

ganged up on or attacked, frustration, waiting

Eight of Pentacles - Craftsmanship, productivity, putting

your affairs in order, mastery, being busy

Personality and Soul Cards

Contrary to popular belief, these concepts were not developed

by Mary Greer, but by Arrien Angeles in "The Tarot Handbook",

a book which does not get the credit it is due in my opinion. She

also presents several similar concepts in the book. such as growth

cards and growth cycles.

Personality Card - this card represents your expression in the

outer world, your talents, gifts, resources and how others see

you. To find this card, add your birth day, month and year

together. Example: Sept 9th, 1956 = 9 + 9 + 1956 = 1974 then add

the digits of the result together - 1 + 9 + 7 + 4 = 21.

This is your personality card. If it is a double digit reduce it

again: 2 + 1 + 3. This is your soul/spiritual card. The soul card

represents the deepest core of who you are. It provides an

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internal base of energy and natural resource for you to draw

upon for your personality expression. If the first

result is more than 21 like mine:

June 6th, 1956 - 6 + 6 + 1956 = 1968, 1 + 9 + 6 + 8 = 24 (note this is

more than 21), reduce it again, 2 + 4 = 6. This both my

personality and soul card.

First Impressions

When laying down a spread, it is useful to take a few

moments to look at the spread as a whole, before reading

individual cards. Is there a preponderance of one suit? Are

there several Major Arcana, or several Court Cards? These are

indications that you should keep in mind when doing the

reading. They are often clues as to what is going on. For

example, lets say the question concerns ones love life. You throw

the spread and see there are lots of pentacles, but not a cup in

sight. What does this mean? It could mean that material

security is a key issue in the relationship right then. It

could also mean that the person should be focusing on financial

matters right now, rather than the relationship. Perhaps

worrying about the relationship has led to them doing poorly at

work, or to spending more than they can afford to keep the other

person happy. Perhaps they are telling you that the issue is love,

but the thing that is really worrying them is money. Tarot

sometimes tells us what we need to know vice what we want to

know. You might want to ask questions to explore these issues

during the reading.

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Last Impressions

When I have finished interpreting each card in a spread, I like

to sum up the reading. I just review the overall reading,

pointing out the key points we covered. I always try to leave a

reading on a high point. Even if the reading conveys bad news,

I try to give the querent the tools to change events, based on the

reading. A reading should be empowering for the querent,

rather than a recital of things that may happen in the future.

The key words are =may happen=. We have the power to

influence and change the future.

Nines

Nines represent completion, conclusion, attainment, magic

Nine of Wands - Wisdom, experience, defensiveness,

wariness

Nine of Cups - Wishes coming true, fulfillment,

satisfaction

Nine of Swords - Nightmares, anxiety, mental stress,

depression, guilt

Nine of Pentacles - Abundance, material prosperity,

comfort, security, reward

Cycles

To me, nines represent the end of a cycle. An interesting idea

involving cycles is the Year card. Angeles Arriens first

proposed this in her book "The Tarot Handbook". Mary Greer

describes it her book "Tarot for Yourself" and derived a similar

system of her own in "Tarot

Constellations".James Wanless describes it in the booklet that

comes with the Voyager deck. I will be using his method here.

Per Wanless, the year starts for you on your birthday. There

are two year cards for every year. One is the card that

corresponds to your age. At birth you are The Fool. At one you

are The Magician. This cycle goes through 22 years and starts

again, so at ages 22, 44, and 66 you are The Fool. The other year

card is calculated by adding your birthdate to the current year,

then reduce, much like we did the personality and soul cards.

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For my birthday, June 6th it would be 6 + 6 + 1995 = 2007 = 9,

The Hermit.

For me this is a Star/Hermit year.

Tens

Tens represent the final culmination of each suit. The cycle is

complete and you are ready to begin a new cycle.

Ten of Wands - burden, responsibility

Ten of Cups - Joy, happiness, optimism, family

Ten of Swords - Sacrifice, hitting bottom, release, letting

go

Ten of Pentacles - Wealth , abundance, inheritance,

prosperity.

20

Numbers

At this point we have gone through all the numbered cards.

When we started with the Aces, I mentioned that different

authors assigned different qualities to each of the numbers.

Here are a

few for comparison:

Ca

rd

Noble Gordon Ozaniec

1 Gifts Beginnings, creation,

willpower

Unity

2 Balance Love ,harmony, cooperation,

polarity, duality, choice,

balance

Polarity,

duality

3 Synthesis Creation, abundance,

imagination joy, artistic

expression

Development,

growth

Stability Organization, structure,

discipline, work, order

Measurement

5 Struggle Freedom, progress, change,

courage, versatility

Motion,

adaptation

Exuberan

ce

Service, truth, responsibility,

beauty, harmony

Balance,
equilibrium

7 Inner

work

Spirituality, wisdom Creative

synthesis

Change Giving and receiving in

balance

Rhythm,

alternate

cycles

Completio

Completion, brotherhood

universal love

Transition

10 Transfor

mation

New beginnings Manifestation,

completion,

fulfillment
Noble, Vicki - Motherpeace Tarot, ISBN 06-066300-6

Gordon, Richard - The Intuitive Tarot, ISBN 0-931892-84-8

Ozaniec, Naomi - The Element Tarot Handbook, ISBN 1-85230-

488-X

21

Court Cards

Court Cards represent one of the greatest challenges to new

readers. I think this is because they force us to rely on our

intuition, and we are usually afraid of being wrong. I have

found though, that when I went against my intuition in an

effort to "play it safe", I was usually wrong and my

intuitive answer was the correct one.

Court cards obviously represent personalities, but whose? They

can be read as aspects of the querent, or as other people in the

querents life. One thing that helps is to ask the querent. As

readers we sometimes think we have to know all the answers

and feel shy about asking the querent for help, but the reading is

about the querent. Who knows better what is going on in that

person's life than they do? Should you come upon a Court Card

in a reading and feel stumped, describe the personality traits

associated with the card and ask the querent, "Do you know

anyone like this?" If the answer is no, then it would be safe to

assume that these are qualities the querent has manifested or

needs to manifest in this situation.

A few months ago there was a very interesting thread here on

Court Cards. If you participated, you will recognize the next

four lessons <G>. I would love to post the views of others who

particpated as well, as I gained some valuable insights into court

cards from them, however space precludes

this. You can get the whole thread from the library. It is a file

called "CC.txt". These posts are excerpts from the file with a little

new info added in. We will be covering the Pages and Knights

tommorrow and the Queens and Kings the next day, then on to

the Majors. Many Tarot books tend to gloss over Court Cards, or

to say they represent certain physical charecteristics. I disagree

with this approach. Because Court Cards give so many readers

difficulty, I am posting the views of several

Tarot authors as well as my own. You can look them over and

chose a way of dealing with them that feels right to you.

A Spread

It seems that many questions querents seek answers to involve

relationships. A simple spread that I find useful is called "The

22

Relationship Path Spread". It was designed by two friends,

Nina-Lee Braden and Patsy Haggerty.

13542

The cards are dealt in the pattern shown above. Should you

need more information on a card, don't be shy about throwing a

few more cards in that position for clarification.

Card 1 - How you see the other person

Card 2 - How the other person sees you

Card 3 - How you see the relationship

Card 4 - How the other person sees the relationship

Card 5 - Something about the relationship the querent needs to

know

Card 6 - Where the relationship is going

More Than One Deck

Most of the readers I know have several Tarot decks. The

reasons for this are many. Some collect decks. Some bought a

deck they found interesting at the time of purchase, but

subsequently found they didn't "click" with. Some learned to read

with a certain deck and then branched out on their own.

Acquiring a new deck is a scary business. For one thing, Tarot

decks are not cheap and you don't want to spend $14.00 and up

for something you will end up throwing in a drawer, not to

mention the large investment in time and study required to

learn it.

23

I recommend that when you are starting out you find a deck

you like and stick with it for a while, at least until you are

comfortable reading it without the book sitting by your side. If

you find the going rough, don't be tricked into thinking that a

new deck will be easier to learn. While this is sometimes the case,

particularly if you really dislike your current deck, more often

it is not. A new deck won't be any easier unless you have a good

base of interpretations to build upon. Once you have that, a new

deck can be exciting and can revitalize a "stale" period. Don't

feel you have to have the newest deck that everyone is talking

about. A Tarot deck is like a friend.

You don't (or at least shouldn't) discard old friends every time

you make a new one. I read with the Waite-Smith exclusively

(on and off) for almost 20 years. I branched out to Motherpeace

with much trepidation, remembering how painful it had been to

learn the Waite-Smith, but I found that it wasn't as difficult as I

thought it would be because I had a good foundation in Waite-

Smith. Learning my next deck was easier still. Remembering

that I have the rest of my life to learn made it much easier and
less stressful. You don't have to learn 3 cards a day, or even one

card a day. If you are following this course, print the messages

and go at your own pace. Spend a day on the Aces Lesson or

spend a week on it. No one is judging you, there are no exams.

Take your time, develop a rapport with your deck, record what

you learn and in a few months you will feel quite comfortable

reading Tarot.

Pages

Page of Wands - Active, energetic, enthusiastic, playful

and passionate

Page of Cups - Affectionate, dreamy, intuitive, sweet

Page of Swords - quick witted, takes risks, sometimes

brooding or thoughtless

Page of Pentacles - Practical, thrifty, wise for age,

physical

Pages are considered the children or young people of the deck. I

personally think they have many characteristics in common

with The Fool. They are inquisitive, impulsive, playful and

24

eager to learn. To me they indicate a person who has these

characteristics regardless of age or sex. In reading

for myself I interpret them as a need to utilize these qualities

(instead of being my usual serious self). I then expand on that

meaning by applying the qualities of the suit and their position

in the spread.

Mary Greer in "Tarot for yourself" says "Pages signal the need to

look into a matter - to study it, to be open to messages or new

ways and ideas. They act as catalysts for change".

Gail Fairfield in "Choice Centered Tarot" associates Pages with

risk taking. "With pages you are setting out to take the risks that

you've contemplated or avoided in the tens...you have all the

experiences of the ace through ten behind you, so your risk is a

calculated one, but there are no guarantees!" Most authors

attribute Pages to the element of earth (I do too), so they have

the attributes of that element as well.

Angeles Arrien in "The Tarot Handbook" says "..the Princess

(page) of any suit indicate(s) consciousness that is centered and

in the process of deepening...the suit will indicate where the

processes of centering and deepening are occurring."

Carl Japiske in "Exploring the Tarot" says the court cards are

"the 4 faces of the minor Arcana and they represent the

different stages of maturity the aspirant or The Fool attains as

he learns the lessons of the path. The Page represents the novice
in working with the energy of the suit. He is the student, the

learner, and cannot be trusted with any responsibility.

Whenever the Page appears in a layout it is an indication of

immaturity and the need to grow in understanding and

expertise."

Several authors state that the Page means a message, phone call

or some other type of communication. Most agree that it is a

young person as well.

25

Other Court Cards Systems

Some decks have different systems for their court cards. Two I

know of have key word systems and one uses the court cards to

modify other cards in the spread. "The Witches Tarot" by Ellen

Cannon Reed uses court cards as modifiers. When you get a

court card in a spread you deal another card on top of it which

will be modified by the Court Card. Her reasoning is based on

the Cabala. In Reed's system:

Kings represent the creative urge, (choosing the seeds to plant)

Queens represent taking the first step, (planting the seeds)

Princes represent the results of our planning taking shape,

(plants sprout and grow)

Princesses represent the final form, (harvesting what we have

sown)

For example "Queen of Cups is dealt, followed by the Two of

Wands. The Two of Wands represents ideas taking on

energy...,the Queen means the energy is at the concept stage - not

yet taking on form, but on it's way to formation." ("The Witches

Tarot", pg 149). Reed's system is quite different from any other,

but makes sense Cabalistically and certainly tames the messy

problem of

interpreting Court Cards.

Knights

Knight of Wands - Searching, spiritual, enthusiastic

Knight of Cups - Romantic, sensitive, caring, moody

jealous

Knight of Swords - Aggressive, communicative,

interested in ideas and their expression

Knight of Pentacles - Secure, stable, reliable, patient

To me the Knights are the querents peers. They are seekers on a

quest which I interpret to be finding their place in the great

scheme of things, therefore they are like most of us, who are on

the same quest.

26

Richard Gordon in "The Intuitive Tarot" states that "court cards

represent an individuals level of awareness, or their age (child,

adolescent, or adult)...(knights) represent theperiod of trying out

new ideas while still making quite a few mistakes, just as

adolescents do in their attempt to master

maturity."

Rosemary Guilley in "The Mystical Tarot" says that "court cards

reflect the influence of aspects of personality in our lives - either

from ourselves or other people:...Knight: Energy, Drive".

Paul Foster Case in "The Tarot" says that "Knights sometimes

represent the coming or going of a matter, depending on which

direction they face."

Mueller and Echols in "The Lovers Tarot" state "As warriors, the

knights symbolize strength, service, mobility, courage, victory

with honor, and acting as champions for high ideals. Always

ready to do battle with the forces to be overcome, knights

suggest action, sometimes hasty (knight of swords) which will

need to be tempered with with prudence or caution. Both men

and women can make good use of the constructive forces

symbolized by their knight cards."

Knights are associated with fire or air depending upon the

author (I associate them with air). At this point I'm trying not to

quote the same book/author twice <BG>, but if you are

interested in the views of a particular author, let me know and I

will post it if I have a reference.

27

Queens

Queen of Wands - Self confident, powerful, generous,

quick tempered

Queen of Cups - Nurturing, psychic, emotional,

empathetic

Queen of Swords - Articulate, critical, aloof, distant

Queen of Pentacles - Practical, trustworthy, earthy,

comforting

Queens in my opinion are women who wield some power over

the querent, whether positional or emotional. I see Queens and

Kings as very similar, though I feel Queens are more subtle in

their power. IMO men can be Queens and woman can be Kings

depending on how they use and wield their power.

Gareth Knight in "The Magical World of the Tarot" states that

"The Queens and Kings may represent older people according to

sex, but this is by no means universal...they represent people in

established positions of authority, but this may well be in the

totally domestic context of father or mother - or indeed

something that takes the place of father or mother. It could be a

company, committee, social worker or peer group."

Pamela Eakins in "Tarot of the Spirit" says "...all Mothers

(Queens) are related to the element of water. Regardless of the

suit in which they appear, although they are conditioned or

refined by the attributes of that suit, it can be said that all

Mothers personify the qualities of emotion and

understanding. The Mothers in their exalted state are

receptive, loving, and nurturing."

Eden Gray in "The Tarot Revealed" states "In readings, the the

King often symbolizes the spirit; the Queen, the soul; the Knight,

the ego; and the Page, the body." I found this interesting because

in "Mastering the Tarot" she uses the physical charecteristics

method and says they are people.

I'll stretch a bit here and discuss the Voyager deck. In my

interpretation, the Women of that deck are not the same as

Queens, but he has some interesting correspondences which I

28

wanted to include. In "Voyager Tarot, Way of the Great Oracle"

he has the following correspondences:

Woman of Crystals (swords) - The Priestess, Justice

Woman of Cups - The Moon, The Star

Woman of Worlds (disks) - The Empress

Woman of Wands - The Priestess, Strength He states "the

Woman cards are the human expressions of their

archetypical seeds, which are symbolized by the Major

Arcana Archetypes."

Tarot Exercise

One way to get familiar with the Court Cards is to personalize

them. This exercise Based on "Tarot for Yourself" may help you

to remember the Court Cards.

We each show several faces to the world each day. We are

mothers, fathers, co-workers, bosses, subordinates, siblings,

children, friends, students and teachers. We are viewed

differently in each of these roles. Divide a sheet of paper in half.

On one side write down the roles you play each day. On the

other side, write the court card which you feel corresponds to

this role.

Do the same thing for other people you know, friends and

relatives. For example, I see my favorite aunt as the Queen of

Swords. My current boss is a Knight of Wands, though my

previous boss was the King of Cups (he was also the Emperor!).

My husband is usually the King of Wands. My mother is usually

the Queen of Cups.

29

Kings

King of Wands - Forceful, domineering, risk taker,

creative, sets high goals

King of Cups - Romantic, charming, fun, sensitive

King of Swords - Analytical, intellectual, ruthless,

King of Pentacles - Down to earth. sensual, secure,

stubborn

Kings IMO are similar to Queens in that they represent someone

with power over the querent. They are different in that they

manifest the characteristics of their suits in a stronger, more

raw manner. They can be excessive, or heavy handed where the

Queen is usually more balanced and reserved.

Richard Gorden in "Intuitive Tarot" states that "Kings represent

a great deal of awareness, combined with an assertive nature, or

an adult man."

Sharman-Burke and Green in "The Mythic Tarot" writes "Kings

in all four suits are images of the dynamic, outgoing, directive

qualities of the particular suit. These powerful masculine

figures represent the full use of the energies of this sphere of life

in building and concretizing in the outer world."

Mary Greer in "Tarot Constellations says"...(court cards)

primarily represent the roles, masks or subpersonalities we wear

as our "identities" in life....The kings demonstrate their talents,

which are outer and public. They seem confident of their

expertise and secure in their positions. As a king

you administer, judge, take charge and handle your affairs

competently. You establish procedures and build empires.

Kings show where you have developed mastery, but also where

you can be inflexible, and where you think you have nothing

more to learn. Kings are much like the Emperor. They are

usually related to the element air, but may be considered fire by

some." I personally

consider them fire.

30

Other Court Card Systems

The Gill Tarot deck and the Voyager each use key words on their

court cards. They are as follows:

Voya

ger
Wands Cups Crystals Worlds

Child Seeker Feeler Learner Player

Man Actor Surfer Inventor Achieve

Wom

an

Sensor Rejoicer Guardian Preserve

Sage Seer Regenera

tor

Knower Master

Gill Wands Cups Swords Disks

King Innovatio

Inspirati

on

Intuition Concept

ion

Queen Reflection Contempl

ation

Reason Nurtur

e
Prince Aspiratio

Creativit

Action Constru

ction

Prince

ss

Transform

ation

Evolution

Control Growth

As can be seen from these posts, court card interpretations vary

greatly among authors and readers. My advice is to chose a

method that you feel comfortable with, master it and use it

consistently. There are several more court card interpretations

that I found interesting, but did not include because they were

too lengthy to explain adequately. Among them are Jana

Riley's interpretations in "The Tarot Book" which is

psychological (primarily Jungian) in approach and Rose Gwain's

"Discovering Yourself through the Tarot" which she describes as

"drawn from the traditional Tarot literature as well as

mythological and psychological sources...further amplified by the

I Ching". Many authors were not included because their

descriptions were too skimpy or were of the "physical

characteristics" school of thought, which is well known and need

not be repeated here.

31

The Major Arcana

The Minor Arcana and Court Cards represent the everyday;

our physical and emotional concerns, our environment, friends

and relatives. The Major Arcana represent our higher selves,

the spiritual and the outside forces that influence our lives.

Many Tarot authors consider the Major Arcana to be the only

important cards in the deck, relegating the Minor Arcana to

divination.

I have several books which address the Majors only relating

them to Psychology, Cabala, Numerology, Astrology, Alchemy,

the Bible and Christian Hermeticism. There are also many

Majors only Tarot decks available on the market. These are

usually what I call "art decks", but they highlight the fact that

the Major Arcana can stand on it's own. I have never seen a

Minors only deck <G>. Some authors recommend you do

readings with just the Major Arcana, though it has been my

experience that most querents seek answers to the everyday

problems they face, vice the spiritual ones.

Many beginning readers are somewhat afraid of the Major

Arcana. I have seen many posts saying "I got 6 Majors in my

Celtic Cross, what does it mean?". The Majors are nothing to fear.

To me they indicate that powerful forces are at work in the

situation, some of which may be beyond your control.

Knowing they are at work however, helps you prepare to deal

with them in the most effective way possible. Some of the more

frightening cards in the deck are in the Majors. The Devil,

Death, The Tower, usually present fearsome images which we

react to on a gut level. Again I want to emphasize that each

card has a full spectrum of meaning. The nurturing Empress can

be a maternal tyrant, The Devil has a fun side, and the drastic

change indicated by the Tower is often for the better in the long

run. Keep these things in mind when we discuss the Major

Arcana.

These interpretations have been kept brief and simple. The

symbolism of different decks varies according to how the

designer interprets each card. Each set of Majors has it's own

style and flavor. Use these interpretations as a jumping off

32
point for further study. Become familiar with the symbolism

and idiosyncracies of your own deck.

33

The Magician I

The Magician represents directing your energies to some

purpose. He is creative, skillfull, clever and capable. Most decks

show the Magician with the four suits somewhere in the picture,

most commonly on a table before him. They represent the four

elements, the tools he uses to make magic. When we think of a

Magician, we commonly think of the rabbit in the hat trick or

pulling a coin from ones ear; the illusion of pulling something

from thin air. The Tarot Magician does the same thing, only it

isn't illusion; he uses his knowledge, power, creativity and force

of will to transform the elements; to create. When you get this

card it is an indication that you are focused, confident, and

ready for the task at hand, or that you need to become so. It is a

time of creativity and purposefulness. The Magician is

associated with the planet Mercury (communication), the

musical note E and the color yellow.

Archetypes

The word archetype is used in conjunction with Tarot to

describe how the cards fit into a universal symbology. Carl

Jung developed the idea of the archetype as a symbol which all

human beings understand at birth. My dictionary defines it as

follows:

"2. (In Jungian psychology) an unconscious idea, pattern of

thought, image etc., inherited from the ancestors of the race and

universally present in individual psyches.". Some of the more

common archetypes are "the shadow" which represents things we

fear or wish to deny in ourselves; "The

animus/anima which is the internal representation of the

opposite sex (anima -female within a male, animus - male within

a female); "the wise old man", "the great mother", "the trickster",

and "the shaman". Per Jung, every culture, society and

individual recognizes these archetypical figures. They are in our

myths, our history and our legends. They have the ability to

elicit strong emotional reactions.

Tarot relies heavily on symbolism and pairing it with a system

like the archetypes was a natural. Do you need to understand

34

the archetypes and Jungian psychology to read Tarot? No you

don't, but learning this material will give you additional

insights into the interpretation and meaning of the cards. I

recommend you first master the basic meanings of the cards. If

you have a background in psychology and are familiar with

Jung, by all means use this knowledge to add depth to your

interpretations, but if you are not familiar with it, don't fret,

there are readers who know nothing about

archetypes and do quite well. The same can be said for Kabala,

Astrology, Numerology and other systems which are often

linked with Tarot. Learning them adds depth, but not knowing

them will not prevent you from being a competent reader.

Different Tarot authors assign different archetypes to the

various cards. I have seen the Magician described as an aspect

of the wise old man, an aspect of the trickster and as an aspect

of the shaman. Obviously any worthwhile discussion of this

subject is beyond the scope of this course. I am still learning

about this subject myself. I just wanted to mention it so that

when you hear the word archetype discussed in relation to

Tarot, you have some idea of what is being talked about.

35

The High Priestess II

The High Priestess represents inner knowledge and wisdom. The

card often shows a woman seated or standing between two

pillars, wearing a crescent Moon headdress and sometimes

bearing a scroll. She is wise, pure (virginal), and possesses

"hidden knowledge". Receptive and composed, she prefers

seclusion to the limelight, but she is willing to share her

knowledge should the student seek it. When you get this card it

suggests that you already have the knowledge necessary to deal

with what faces you. It may be buried deep within you and

may be difficult to call to the surface, but it is there. You may

be more receptive, intuitive, or in touch with yourself at this

time. The High Priestess is associated with the Moon (mystery,

intuition, compassion), the color blue and the musical note G#.

Significators

A significator is a card chosen from the deck to represent the

querent, whether it be you or someone else. Most commonly a

Court Card is chosen, but some people use a Major Arcana card

and some just deal a card randomly from the deck. Some spreads

require a significator, some do not. Personally, if a significator is

called for, I just deal a card from the deck into that position,

rather than choosing a specific Court Card. Whatever card falls

in that position represents me or the querent in relation to the

question at hand. I feel pulling a specific card from the deck to

use as a significator removes that card and prevents it from

being dealt into another position in the spread where it might be

more informative. Many readers feel a significator provides

focus to the spread however, and choose them carefully,

feeling that the deck will chose another card to convey the same

message if it is called for. In this, as in most things, you have to

chose what feels right for you.

A Spread

This is a general purpose spread from the book "Tarot and

Individuation", which has 78 spreads in the appendix. It is

similar to the Celtic Cross in scope, but is linear, allowing the

relationships to be more apparent, and shorter.

36

1234567

Card 1 - Distant past - the basic events and influences that

may have created the present outlook and attitude

Card 2 - Immediate past - recent events that may have had a

specific influence and may be on their way out;

Card 3 - Present influences - read with the previous card, it

indicates what may modify the present outlook;

Card 4 - Present obstacles, hazards - even if a favorable card,

in this position (it) may mean a diversion from the true goal;

Card 5 - Present outlook - usually an extension of cards 3 and

4, it often indicates the way the current situation extends into

the future;

Card 6 - Future influences - a summary of all the preceding

cards; shows the way they combine to create coming events;

Card 7 - Ultimate result; the culmination brought about by all

the preceding suggested interactions between past attitudes

and the present.

37

The Empress III

The Empress represents the maternal. The card usually shows a

woman (sometimes pregnant) in a lush field or garden scene.

She is fruitful, nurturing, creative and has an appreciation of

the finer things. She is indulgent and is in touch with herself

and her environment. When you get this card in a reading it is

an indication that you are or need to be nurturing or creative.

It is a time when you can bring ideas to fruition. The Empress is

associated with the planet Venus (love and beauty), the color

green, the

musical note F#.

Color

I have been including the color associated with each Major.

Most color correspondences are based on the Cabala, and they

work well in terms of Tarot. Yellow (The Magician) is a bright,

vibrant happy color; Blue (The High Priestess) is cool and

soothing; Green (The Empress) suggests fertility and

abundance. Colors have the ability to affect our mood and

thinking a few minutes about the color associated with each

Major Arcana card will give you clues about the mood of the

card.

38

The Emperor IV

The Emperor represents authority, a father figure, power,

leadership, building, protection, ambition, order, organization

and confidence. He is usually depicted as a stately looking older

man on a throne. When you get the Emperor, it indicates a need

to set things in order, to organize and plan how

to meet your goals. It could be a time when your ambitions are

driving you or are being felt more keenly than usual. You are in

a position to take charge and guide things on their proper

course. The planet associated with the Emperor is Aries (action,

assertion, courage), the color red, the musical note C.

Another Spread

This spread is a simplification of a 15 card spread. It is a good

general purpose spread which can be applied to a variety of

situation or be used as a general "where am I headed" spread.

The spread is laid as follows:

54

213

67

Card 1 - The Significator

Card 2 - Inner Situation

Card 3 - Outer Situation

Card 4 - Direction things will take without outside intervention

Card 5 - Potential alternative action (what you can do to change

the course of the situation)

Card 6 - Information which will assist in the decision making

process

Card 7 - Forces beyond control that can not be changed

If you have some time to spend, you can expand it to it's full 15

card configuration as follows:

13 9 5 4 8 12

213

14 10 6 7 11 15

Cards 1,2 and 3 remain the same, cards 4, 8 and 12 are read the

same way as card 4 was in the 7 card configuration, cards 5, 9

39

and 13 the same as 5 etc. If you use the larger version, remember
to look for the relationships between the cards.

40

The Hierophant V

The Hierophant is a teacher. He represents spiritual training

and discipline, convention, tradition and dogma. In older decks

this card is called "The Pope" (The High Priestess was called "The

Papess" or female Pope"). In most decks this card depicts a male

figure in religious robes, sometimes with followers around him,

sometimes not. When you get this card it could indicate that you

are bound in some way by tradition or orthodoxy. Perhaps it is

time to examine your belief system to see if it still serves your

needs. Perhaps you are seeking a teacher or leader, a new path

to follow. The sign associated with the Hierophant is Taurus, the

color red-orange and the musical note C#.

Qabala, Cabala, Kabala, Qabalah, Kabbalah

The Qabala is a system of Jewish mysticism. Eliphas Levi, a 19th

century occultist was the first to link the Tarot with the Qabala,

specifically linking the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet with

the 22 Major

Arcana. Subsequent occultists siezed this idea and expanded

upon it, including A.E. Waite of the Waite-Smith or Rider deck,

Paul Foster Case of B.O.T.A. (Builders of the Adytum) and

Aleister Crowley.

The major symbol in the Qabala is the Tree of Life. It is thought

to be a blueprint for the Universe. Most Tarot books have a

picture of the tree and I believe there is at least one available for

download in the library here on CIS. The Tree of life consists of

four worlds, each of which corresponds to one of the four

Hebrew letters in the symbol for the name of God, IHVH. The

four Worlds are:

Atziluth - The Archetypal World - This is the world of pure

Spirit or pure ideas. All other worlds originate here. It is

assigned the element Fire and corresponds to the letter I (Yod) in

IHVH.

Briah - The Creative World - This is the world where the idea is

given form or a pattern. It is assigned the element water and

corresponds to the first letter H (Heh).

41

Yetzirah - The Formative World - This is the world where the

pattern is given expression. It is assigned the element air and

corresponds to the letter V (Vau).

Assiah - The Active or Material World - This is the world where

the idea is given physical form. It also contains the unseen

energies of matter. It is assigned the element earth and

corresponds to the second letter H (Heh).

The four suits and the four court cards are assigned to the four

worlds.

Atziluth - Fire - Kings

Briah - Water - Queens

Yetzirah - Air - Knights

Assiah - Earth - Pages

Knowing these attributions will help you interpret the Court

Cards. The King of Wands for example is Fire of Fire (obviously

a Firery personality!); the King of Cups, Fire of Water etc. "The

Witches Tarot" takes the assignments one step further by using

the attributes of each world as the way the court card modifies

the card following it (if you go back to the lesson which discusses

the Witches Tarot system, you'll see what I mean.

42

The Lovers VI

The most obvious meaning of the Lovers is a relationship,

attraction or love, however this is only a secondary meaning of

the card. This card usually shows a couple with an angel or

Cupid overhead, however older decks often showed a man

standing between two women, looking as though he were

trying to chose between the two. This illustrates the primary

meaning of the card which is often overlooked. The Lovers

represents a choice. It can also represent the coming together of

opposites. When you get this card it indicates a choice. You

must use your powers of discrimination to unite or

chose between two opposing energies. Included in this is the idea

of relationships, which are also a form of uniting two different

energies.

The sign associated with the Lovers is Gemini (twins, duality,

synthesis), the color orange, the musical note D.

Qabala, Part 2

Each Major Arcana is associated with a Hebrew letter of the

alphabet, although different authors have made different

assignments. A common (though not the only) listing is given

below:

Card Letter Meaning

Fool Aleph Ox

Magician Beth House

High Priestess Gimel Camel

Empress Daleth Door

Emperor Heh Window

Hierophant Vau Nail or Hook

Lovers Zain Sword

Chariot Cheth Fence

Strength Teth Serpent

Hermit Yod Open Hand

Wheel of Fortune Kaph Closed or

Grasping Hand

Justice Lamed Ox Goad

Hanged Man Mem Water

Death Nun Fish

43

Temperance Samekh Prop

Devil Ayin Eye

Tower Peh Mouth

Star Tzaddi Fish hook

Moon Qoph Back of the

Head

Sun Resh Head

Judgment Shin Tooth

World Tau Mark

Each letter also represents a Hebrew word. These words are also

clues to the meaning of the card. The Lovers for example is Zain

or Sword. The sword is a tool of division or separation and is

viewed as cutting cleanly through to the heart of the matter. It

cuts off what is no longer necessary, thus it implies

a choice between what is to be kept and what is to be discarded.

Amber Jayanti calls it "the sword of discrimination".

44

Tarot Dreams

If there is a card you want to know more about on an intuitive

level, you can try dreaming about the card. Before you go to

sleep spend a few moments reading about the card you wish to

dream about. Pull the card from the deck and spend a few

moments looking at it. Close your eyes and try to recall the

details. Repeat if necessary until you feel comfortable that you

have an impression of the card in mind. Some people like to put

the card under their pillow. You may not dream of the card at

first, it might take several days of repeating this before you

have a dream which includes the card. You may not

be successful at all, but if you do dream of the card, record

everything that happens in the dream in your Tarot Journal.

The dream can give you some additional insights into the card

and what it means to you. The meaning may not be clear to you

at the time but don't fret, later events might shed some light on

the dream. That is why it is important to write it down.

Sometimes we dream of cards without trying. When this

happens I try to see how the card or cards play out in my life

over the next few days. I also pay particular attention to the

cards dreamt of if they show up in subsequent readings. Even if

we can not figure out what the dream meant, just trying to

interpret what the dream meant is enlightening.

45

The Chariot VII

The Chariot represents controlled force, discipline and victory.

It is a card of confidence, action and will. This card usually

shows an armored soldier riding a chariot pulled by two horses

or other creatures. He must push these creatures to their fastest

speed while maintaining control of them. When you get this card

in a reading it indicates controlling a situation though the

strength of your personality and will. You are marshalling all

your forces towards victory. It is a time for action and for

moving ahead with your plans. It can also indicate travel. The

sign associated with the Chariot is Cancer (tenacious,

compassionate), the color orange-yellow and the musical note D.

Qabala Part III

The tree of Life is divided into three pillars; Severity, Mildness

and Mercy. On the pillars are arranged the ten Sephiroth. They

are:
Kether - The Crown - Aces

Chokmah - Wisdom - Twos, Kings

Binah - Understanding - Threes, Queens

Chesed - Mercy - Fours

Geburah - Strength - Fives

Tiphareth - Beauty - Sixes, Knights

Netzach - Victory - Sevens

Hod - Splendor - Eights

Yesod - Foundation - Nines

Malkuth - The Kingdom - Tens, Pages

Each Sephiroth is on a pillar of the tree. They are arranged in

such a way that there are 22 paths between them. The Major

Arcana have been assigned to these paths. The Chariot for

example, is assigned the path between Geburah (Strength) and

Binah (Understanding), both of which are on the Pillar of

Severity. The Sephiroth are the underpinning of the Minor

Arcana interpretations. The fifth Sephiroth (Strength), is the

Sephiroth of destruction or tearing down. It's influence is seen

in the fives, which are all about strife and conflict, byproducts of

tearing down. Understanding the Sephiroth will help you to

understand why the Minors have the interpretations they have.

46
I will not bore you any further with the Qabala. As previously

stated, it is a subject to which one could devote a lifetime of

study on it's own. It does have a major influence on modern

Tarot, however and now when you hear the terms sephiroth, or

paths, you will have an idea of what is being discussed. If you

wish to pursue this topic further, an excellent book is "Living the

Tarot" by Amber Jayanti. This book incorporates the Qabala into

the interpretation of the Major Arcana in a clear manner, and

provides affirmations, personal anecdotes from Jayanti and her

students, and a series of questions for each Major card. Very

readable.

47

Strength VIII

Strength represents the ability to persevere in the face of

obstacles. It is about subduing the passions or delaying pleasure

for a higher goal. This card usually depicts a woman with a

Lion. She has no weapons, yet shows no fear or apprehension.

This card is not about physical strength, it is mental or spiritual

strength. When you get this card in a reading it can indicate

the need to face a situation and see it through to its conclusion.

You may need courage and mental strength to overcome

something. The sign associated with Strength is Leo (protective,

bold, passionate), the color yellow, the musical note E.

A Tarot Exercise

This exercise is just an expansion of the technique used to dream

about a card. Chose a card that you like. Look at the card

carefully and try to imprint the details of the card on your

mind. Close your eyes and see if you can recall the card in detail.

If not, try again. You may have to do this several times to get

all of the details. You will be surprised at the things you notice

when you do this that you hadn't noticed before. Once you can

recall the card in detail, put the card down and do something

else. Periodically throughout the day try to recall the card

again. You can carry the card with you if you like to check

your progress, or wait till the end of the day, try once more and

compare your results.

Once you can recall the card easily and in detail the next step is

entering the card. To enter the card recall the card in your

mind and place yourself in the picture. This may take some

practice, so don't be

disappointed if you have difficulty with this. Just keep trying. If

there is a person in the card you chose, try talking to him/her, if

not, just look around and enjoy the scenery. Note how you feel,

what the weather is, any sounds, smells or colors that stand out
or any other detail that strikes you. Write down what you have

observed. Again, don't be discouraged if this doesn't come to you

easily. It didn't for me either. I find I can do it best when I am

in a monotonous situation, like riding (not driving!) on a long

trip, or waiting for an appointment (I am usually early and

have to wait), or when lying in bed, before going to sleep.

48

49

The Hermit IX

The Hermit represents solitude, and inner work. The Hermit

has withdrawn from society in search of truth, whether it be

spiritual truth or the truth about himself. It can also represent a

teacher or a guide. In most decks, the Hermit is a solitary figure,

often on a road with a lantern to light his way. When

you get this card in a reading it can indicate a need to

withdraw, to take stock and review where you are going and

where you have been. It can also indicate a preoccupation with

details, a mastery of details, finding a teacher or guide or being

a guide for others. The sign associated with the Hermit is Virgo

(practical, productive, orderly), the color yellow-green and the

musical note F.

Soothing Time Out

This exercise is from "Tarot for Everyday" by Cait Johnson (pg

111). It is short, simple and comforting. You might want to sit on

your bed or in a comfortable chair. Breath deeply, close your

eyes and relax. Pull 3 cards from the deck at random and turn

them over. Look for pictures of the problem, advice on

remedying the situation and general comfort.

50

The Wheel of Fortune X

The Wheel of Fortune represents karma, cycles and destiny. It

can indicate a change in fortune for the better or worse. Most

decks show this card as a wheel of some sort, though the designs

around the wheel vary according to the deck. When you get this

card in a reading your luck may be ready to change,

usually for the better. It can mean a new opportunity is about

to present itself, or that an old project is about to take a turn. It

could indicate an unexpected windfall. This is a time to be

flexible and alert for new opportunities in order to take

advantage of them. The Wheel of Fortune is associated with the

planet Jupiter (good fortune, rewards, opportunities), the color

violet and the musical note A#.

The Celtic Cross

Yesterday I asked for each of us to draw a card as a

contribution to a Celtic Cross Spread. This spread has many

variations, so many that when one says they did a Celtic Cross, I

always ask them what positions they used. I am listing what is

believed to be the original Celtic Cross, by A.E. Waite and

some variations for comparison.

A.E. Waite "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot"

Significator

1. What covers him.

2. What crosses him. 3 10

3. What crowns him. 6 1,2 5 9

4. What is beneath him. 4 8

5. What is behind him. 7

6. What is before him.

7. Himself

8. His house.

9. His hopes or fears

10. What will come.

Mary K. Greer "Tarot for Yourself"

1. What covers - general environment or atmosphere

2. What crosses - conflicts and obstacles

3. What is below - The foundation or basis of the situation

4. What is behind - The past

51

5. What is above - your goals 5 10

6. What is before - the future 4 1,2 6 9

7. You as you see yourself 3 8

8. Your environment (home, work family etc.) 7

9. Hopes and Fears

10. The outcome

James Wanless "Voyager Tarot" (This spread is called the Whole

Self Mandala)

1. Spirit: Archetypal Personality

2. Head: Mental State

3. Heart: Emotional State 7

4. Legs: Physical State 2

5. Left Side: Feminine 9 5 1,3 6 8

6. Right Side: Masculine 4

7. Finances 10

8. Work

9. Home

10. Relationships

52

Justice XI

Justice usually indicates that a decision of some type will be or

needs to be made. It is a card of balance and equilibrium. In

most decks the card shows a woman holding a set of balancing

scales. Interestingly she is not blindfolded as the familiar statue

is. When you get this card in a reading it can indicate a decision

of some sort. It can also indicate that the querent will be the

facilitator or judge in some issue. This is a time to be fair and

even handed; to weigh all the options and consider carefully

before making a decision. The sign associated with Justice is

Libra (balance, harmony), the color green, the

musical note F#.

Group Reading

Whenever I lay a spread, I take a moment to look it over and see

if anything catches my eye. In the cards we drew, the first thing

I noticed was a lot of cups and wands, but only one pentacle.

Since the question is about a career change, I would expect to see

more pentacles. In the Celtic Cross spread, the

first two cards (what covers and what crosses) are usually the

most important cards in the reading. Lets look at them.

1. What covers her: the general atmosphere or environment - The

Hierophant.

Let's review what we know about the Hierophant:

It is a Major Arcana Card, so it could represent outside forces

beyond our control.

Convention

Tradition

Orthodoxy

A teacher, leader or Guru

Dogma

Examining one's belief system

Seeking a new leader or path

Associated with Taurus: secure, practical sometimes obstinate

and resistant to change

2. What covers her: obstacles or blocks in her path - 8 of Wands

53

Energy

Movement

Activity

Speed

Things happening quickly

We don't know what Carla's present career is is, but looking at

the first two cards in this spread we could say several things

about her present job situation:

The job is secure, probably pays well enough and she has built up
a support group or found a mentor. The workplace may be

traditional and the company has it's own ways of doing things;

it's own dogma so to speak. Carla may not be happy there, but

she has probably grown comfortable.

The obstacle is energy, movement, activity, and things

happening quickly. Perhaps Carla feels that things are moving

too slowly on her present job. She may not be advancing as

quickly as she would like. She may have ideas and plans for

which she can find no outlet. There is a block to her moving

ahead. Conversely this card could be interpreted as changes

taking place in the workplace which Carla finds unsettling.

Things may be moving too quickly and she might be having

difficulty adjusting. The traditions she has grown comfortable

with may be in the process of being replaced with new and

unfamiliar ideas. We will decide which interpretation fits best

as we interpret the rest of the spread.

54

In these two cards we have a conflict - the Hierophant is a

stuffy, slow to change card and the 8 of wands is a fast moving,

high energy card. Carla is in a position where she has to decide

which direction to take. This validates and gives some

background to her question: should she change careers?

Any other thoughts or interpretations would be welcome. We

are doing this as a group and the more ideas and points of view,

the better. Please share your thoughts on these first two cards.

A Tarot Tidbit

The Major Arcana represent many ideals which we can aspire

to. The serenity of the High Priestess, the creative will of the

Magician, and the inner work of the Hermit are just a few. If

there is a card which represents ideals which we would like to

nurture in ourselves, it is sometime helpful to take this card out

and place it where we can see it frequently during the day as a

reminder of our aspirations. You can simply lay the card on

your desk or work area, place it on your bathroom mirror, put it

on your refrigerator with a magnet, or even matte and frame it

elaborately. The idea is to place it where you will see it often

and to take a few moments when you see it to think about how

you can manifest it's qualities during the day. After a few days,

you will notice the card's qualities manifesting in your life more

and more. Do this as long as you like, and change cards when

you have noticed a change or can see the qualities in your day

to day life. This is a kind of mini-meditation which gives good

results over time.

55
The Hanged Man XII

The Hanged Man represents a state of suspension. It can also

represent self-sacrifice or martyrdom. Most decks illustrate this

card with a man (or woman) hanging by his foot from a tree. In

most decks, his facial expression is serene or even smiling. This

suggests that he is at peace with his position, even though it

appears awkward or painful to others. This card can mean

unconventionality, or marching to your own drummer. This is

a time when things seem to be moving slowly. You can allow

yourself to become frustrated by this or you can use this time

wisely. The planet associated with the Hanged man is Neptune

(gradual change, dreams, visions and self sacrifice), the color

dark blue, the musical note G#.

Group Reading

3. What is below - The foundation or basis of the situation - The

World

We haven't discussed this card yet, but this is a happy card, a

card of release, of unlimited potential. Taken in conjunction

with what we have so far, I would say Carla has outgrown her

present job and is ready to move on. She is feeling stifled

(Hierophant), impatient (8 of Wands) and longs for freedom to

express herself and fulfill her potential (The World).

4. What is behind - The past - Queen of Wands

This could be Carla, or it could be someone else. It is a woman

who is self confident, energetic, creative and enthusiastic. In the

past position this could represent Carla herself and the way she

used to feel about her job. It could also be someone who Carla

knew and respected at her job who is no longer there. I think it

is Carla herself though. It fits with the other cards that way (she

was enthusiastic, but no longer feels that way). When in doubt,

ask the querent.

5. What is above - your goals - 9 of Cups

56

This is the "wish" card. It represents satisfaction, and happiness.

Again in conjunction with the other cards it shows that Carla

wants a feeling of satisfaction from her work. She wants to be

doing something she loves, rather than just earning a living. She

also wants to be compensated fairly for it.

6. What is before - the future - 4 of Wands R

The 4 of wands is inspiration, harmony, freedom and peace. I no

longer read reversed cards, but when I did I interpreted them as

a subconscious wish, a block or a delay. In this case subconscious

wish doesn't seem to apply. The wish is obviously conscious as

shown by her goals. I would then interpret

this as a block or delay. Something is stopping Carla from

reaching her goal. We'll see if the other cards tell us what this

could be.

Tarot and Crystals

The list is from the book "Tarot for Everyday" by Cait Johnson.

Wands - Amber, carnelian, citrine, diamond, garnet, gold, ruby,

red tourmaline, tigereye, topaz

Swords - Agate, aventurine, feathers, mica, mottled jasper

Cups - Amethyst, aquamarine, azurite, moonstone, mother of

pearl, pearl, sapphire, seashells, selenium, silver, sodalite

Pentacles - Black Tourmaline, copper, emerald, fossils, geodes,

granite, green agate, green jasper, jade, hermatite, iron, jet,

lodestone, malachite,obsidian, onyx, peridot, roots

57

Death XIII

Possibly the most feared, hated and misunderstood cards in the

Tarot, Death represents change. It usually does not mean

physical death, though it can. It is about transformation,

renewal, breaking free of old patterns and structures,

metamorphosis, letting go and growth. Most decks illustrate this

card with a skeleton, riding on a horse looking like the grim

reaper. When you get this card in a reading, it means that you
are about to experience a change of some sort. It is time to move

on, to let go of the past and start fresh. This is not a card of

sudden, cataclysmic change, it is a slower, more gradual and

natural change. This change comes becomes you have been

headed in this direction for some time. It is the right way to go

or thing to do. Change is often frightening to us, but it is a

necessary and natural part of life. I view this as a positive card.

I think of it as a butterfly emerging from it's cocoon, or the

cycles of the seasons; each has it's own time and it's own purpose

and beauty. The sign associated with Death is Scorpio

(intensity,commitment, depth), the color blue-green, the musical

note G.

Tarot Ethics

This is a subject that is hotly debated, but is really quite simple.

As readers we have an obligation to tell the truth as we see it in

the cards. The querent has come to you because they want to

know something. I don't feel that it is my place to decide what

the querent can or can not handle. If I see negative things, I tell

the querent what I see, but I also look for ways the querent can

work with the problem to change or influence the outcome.

I often see questions about whether it is right to accept money

for reading, whether one should read for a 3rd party who is not
present, or whether one should discuss the 3 D's (death, divorce

and 'dultery (adultery)), if not specifically asked about them.

These questions must be answered by each reader based on their

comfort level. What I feel comfortable doing may not be what

you feel comfortable doing. The key is to do what =you= think is

right, not necessarily what you think is best (we tend to want to

spare the querents feelings and soften bad news), but what you

think you think is right in

58

accordance with your beliefs. I also think that readings should

end on a positive note. If you see bad things, tell the querent

what you see, but also tell them what they can do about it or

why things are headed the way they are. Give them the tools to

change. This is why reading the whole spread and

looking for relationships between the cards is so important. You

can show the querent how things got to this point, and where

they are headed if no change or action is taken. Knowing what

caused our present situation shows us how we can prevent it's

recurrence. We hopefully learn from our mistakes and you as a

reader are in an excellent position to point out things the

querent can not see because he/she is so close to the situation.

As for charging for a reading, I see nothing wrong with being

compensated for your time and effort whether it be by money, a

loaf of homebaked bread or in exchange for something else.

Tarot is hard work. You have invested a lot of time in study

and practice. To be compensated in some

way is only fair IMHO.

Bottom line, be truthful to the querent and true to your beliefs.

Reading for others is not always fun or comfortable. It is a huge

responsibility that should not be taken lightly. What you tell the

querent

will affect his/her life and probably the lives of those around

him or her. Keep this in mind.

59

Temperance XIV

Temperance represents a blending or melding together of diverse

elements or ideas. The card is usually illustrated with an angel

holding two cups and pouring liquid from one to the other. The

angel usually has one foot on dry land and one foot in the water.

This card is usually a good indication that you are handling

things well. You are able to take diverse elements and make

them work together to form a stronger whole. You are

adaptable, confident, flexible and are creating harmony. This is

also viewed as a card of healing, whether it be healing others or

yourself. The sign associated with Temperance is Sagittarius

(reconciling opposites, enthusiasm, optimism), the color blue, the

musical note G.

Group Reading

7. You as you see yourself - Queen of Cups

Questioner (Queen Water/Cups) Receptivity: She's open to the

flow of new ideas and will winnow them out using her intuition

and innate sensitivity. This *might* point to heading into a field

where she'll be able to use those traits as well as her compassion.

But I think it mainly relates to how she's

going to evaluate all the possibilities for change that the other

cards highlight.

8. Your environment (home, work family etc.) - 10 of Swords

8. The Ten of Swords portrays the way that people close to Carla

feel about the possible forthcoming situation. They are not happy

at all and feel that Carla about to make a grave mistake. They

are all very worried for her.

Tarot and Creativity

I believe that most people who are attracted to Tarot are

creative in some way. We are visually stimulated by the cards,

they capture our imagination and speak to us. Tarot has

certainly enhanced my creativity. Here are some suggestions

for combining your creativity with your Tarot studies:

60

Draw your own deck - This sounds quite daunting: 78 pictures,

but you don't have to draw an entire deck. Start by drawing

just your favorite cards. Try making a Majors only deck. If you

are like me and have difficulty with drawing even stick people,

you can color a deck rather than starting from scratch. The

following books have uncolored cards specifically designed for

you to color: "The Mythic Tarot Workbook", and "Living the

Tarot". These books both encourage you to color the pictures

provided for this purpose. You can also order a deck designed to

be colored which comes complete with instructions for doing so

from B.O.T.A. (Builders of the Adytum), 5105 North Figueroa St,

Los Angeles CA. They make decks in two sizes for this purpose.

You can also Xerox cards from books just for coloring.

Writing - You can write short stories about particular cards, or

spreads. You can try your hand at poetry. Just writing in your

Tarot journal is a form of creative writing.

Crafts - You can make your own Tarot deck bags, or create a

reading cloth, perhaps with embroidery or cross stitch. You can

decorate boxes to hold your cards, make Tarot dolls, or design a

Tarot card in quilt form.

Music - If you are musically trained you can try your hand at

composing Tarot Music. There is at least one tape of such music

on the market, though I have not heard it. Write a song about a

card.

61

The Devil XV

Another card that makes many people uncomfortable, the Devil

represents feeling bound, oppressed or limited. Most decks

illustrate this card with a fearful looking creature, part man

and part beast. There are also people in the card who are

chained or bound in some way. If you look closely though, the

people usually have a way to remove the chains. In the Waite-

Smith card for example, the couple's hands are free and the

chain is loose enough around their necks to be lifted over their

heads. They are bound because they chose to be. This card

represents self imposed limitations, often due to fear. The

Devil can also represent addictions, all of the seven deadly sins

(pride, greed, gluttony, lust, envy, wrath and sloth), and deceit.

We are often comfortable with our problems and faults; they are

familiar and safe. Breaking free entails venturing into unknown

territory. The Devil warns us to avoid excess, that many of our

limitations are self imposed and that we have the power to

break free and change things at any time. The sign associated

with the Devil is Capricorn ( practical, materialistic, serious and

cautious), the color indigo, the musical note A.

9. Hopes and Fears - 7 of Cups

Hopes/Fears (7 Water/Cups) Projections: I'm not sure whether

this is a hope, a fear, or both. But reality may not be as it

appears. Anything that looks too good to be true probably is.

Conversely, anything that looks awful is a cloud with a silver

lining.

10. The outcome - 7 of Pentacles

10. Finally, The Outcome - The seven of pentacles represents that

there may be a small financial reward if the opportunity is

seized, however this may well be at the cost of the present

stability and happiness which Carla has so far enjoyed.

This works well also.It could indicate that Carla has decided not

to make any decision. She may just content herself with

thinking about the change (7 of cups) and may put off or delay

making a move right now (7 of pentacles). A change may

62

jeapordize her present stability, but may be more rewarding to

her, if not financially, then at least in terms of her happiness.

Undercurrent - Child of Worlds (Page of Pentacles)

This card indicates that underlying these plans is a thought to

practicality. Carla is not going to do anything rash. She wants to

do work that will satisfy her creativity and be fulfilling, but she

is not the type to disrupt everything and everyone in this quest.

A Tarot Exercise

Over time we tend to change our views and interpretations of

each cards. We learn new things, hear other points of view and

perhaps experience the card in our lives. An interesting way to

see this is to chose a card and think about how this card applied

to us at various points in our lives; as a child, as an

adolescent, as a young adult and right now. At each point in our

life we see that what that card stood for is a little different. As

we progress in our studies and become more experienced and

practiced with the cards, we will continue to see an evolution in

what each card means to us. I would write this exercise in my

Tarot Journal and come back and look at it again in a few

months. See if you would change any of the experiences you

related to the card in light of your understanding at that point.

63

The Tower XVI

The Tower represents sudden change. This is not a natural

gradual change like Death, but a cataclysmic change which we

are often unprepared for. Most decks illustrate this card with a

Tower being struck by lightening, with people falling from it.

When you get this card you can expect events to happen

quickly, usually to fast for you to do anything about them.

Often associated with loss, this card can signal a change in

livelihood or lifestyle, a change in beliefs changes from nature (

natural disasters). My mother always says "everything happens

for the best". The changes brought about by the Tower are

usually uncomfortable and unsettling, but they are survivable

and will make us stronger. The lightening, burns off what is not

essential, forcing us to make a fresh start. I always believe that

the changes caused by the Tower are in some way necessary to

our growth. In the long term they help us, even though

it doesn't feel that way when they are happening. The planet

associated with the Tower is Mars (energy, action, self assertion,

heat, violence), the color scarlet red, the musical note C.

Tarot Paraphernalia

There has been a surge in the market recently of what I call

"Tarot Paraphernalia". I thought I'd mention a few of the things

available. Most of these items are from the "Pyramid Catalog".

Tarot Tray - A glass tray to sit your cards on. I don't know why

you'd want to do this, but if you do, it's available.

Tarot Stones - This is a set of 22 stones with simple glyphs

representing the Major Arcana. You pull the stones from the

bag to make your spread rather than use cards. The original

release of this item was on black Marble, but the newer version

is on a purple stone or stone-like plastic.

High Priestess Mousepad - This is a mousepad for your computer

desk with a picture of the Waite-Smith High Priestess.

Tarot Decoder - This item is not available in the Pyramid

catalog. It is a small piece of folding plastic with Tarot card

interpretations. There are wheels attached with cut-outs and

you rotate the wheel to the card you want to interpret and read

the interpretation through the cut out. I found it clumsy to use

and the interpretations trite, but it is available and it's easier to

carry than a book I suppose.

64

Tarot Card Tee Shirts - "Any image from the Rider-Waite deck

on a 100% cotton shirt! Full Color!" say the ad.

Tarot Card Counted Cross Stitch Patterns - Each Major Arcana

of the Waite-Smith deck is available separately or you can buy

the entire set.

Tarot Software - There is a quite a bit available. Commercial

programs include "Virtual Tarot CD", "Cyber Tarot" by Harper

Collins, a CD Version of Axis Mundi's "Cyber Tarot" and a CD

version of "World of Tarot". There are also many shareware

titles available including shareware versions of Axis

Mundi's "Cyber Tarot" and "World of Tarot" (both are available

here on CIS).

I have a nice assortment of other shareware titles as well

including an Egyptian Tarot Card reading program, a couple of

programs with original (though primitive) Tarot art and a nice

little learning tool that sits on your Windows Desktop as a small

icon. When you open it you can get the interpretation of any

card you need. It is not illustrated, but you can edit the

interpretations to suit yourself. It is sort of a memory aid.

Original Tarot Decks - There are a lot of limited edition Tarot

decks being produced. You need to subscribe to some Tarot

publications to find them though. I recently got a beautiful

black and white deck done from linoleum block carving. It is

from a limited edition of 120 and was only $40.00, cheap

for original art in signed and numbered editions, particularly

when you consider that you get 78 pictures (or 22) ,vice 1 for the

price. There are original decks and cards available here on CIS

as well.

65
The Star XVII

The Star is usually viewed as a positive card in any position in

any spread. The Star is a card of hope, renewal and inspiration.

In most decks this card shows a woman at the edge of a body of

water with a pitcher. There is usually a large star or group of

stars in the background. She always looks serene and

peaceful. It signifies good health, serenity and peace. It can also

represent spiritual enlightenment. It is the light at the end of the

tunnel. When you get this card in a reading it means a period of

optimism and well being. It is a card of looking to the future.

The sign associated with the Star is Aquarius (new ideas,

personal freedom, unconventionality), the color violet and the

musical note A#.

Group Reading

Carla was kind enough to give us some feedback and we seem to

have drawn the right cards for her in her present situation. She

had questions about the interpretation of the outcome. Now

that we have more information perhaps we should look at it

again. The 7 of pentacles can be a delay, a reward for work done

(reaping what you sow), patience or evaluating the results of

your work. Since Carla has just started this job, the 7 of

pentacles probably indicates her future. She will look back over
his period with pride and and a sense of accomplishment. Delay

is probably not the best interpretation here. With her comments

perhaps a better interpretation would be having her dream job,

yet being scared about whether she could do it (7 of cups) and

reaping the satisfaction of knowing that she rose to the occasion

and did a great job (7 of pentacles). I think the disruption of

stability still fits because Carla has probably had to make some

adjustments to juggle home, kids and the job. Because she is

obviously thrilled with her new job, she probably doesn't see the

changes as onerous. I would change my interpretation of the

Page of Pentacles accordingly. She has the practical skills

necessary to make this

transition smoothly and with as little disruption as possible.

Were we doing this reading face to face with Carla, we would

have been getting feedback throughout and could have made

corrections as we went. That is one of the disadvantages of non-

66

face to face readings. On the plus side, we have had time to

consider our interpretations carefully and at our leisure,

and to look at how the spread fit together as a whole. I have this

spread under the clear cover of my mousepad and have been

looking at it for several days. Tomorrow we will play with the

spread to see what else we can glean from it and we will

probably summarize it the next day.

Errata

The Celtic Cross is usually considered to be a long term reading

covering a period of six months to a year. Throwing this spread

everyday will probably confuse more than clarify what is going

on <G>. Mary Greer points points out some interesting things in

"Tarot for Yourself", though she doesn't really

develop them. Per Greer, card 2 links cards 4 and 6. I see this as

the things in the past that have led to or created your present

obstacle, and that coupled with this obstacle will lead to the

next turn of events if no action is taken change the course of

events. She also points out that card 1 links cards 3 and 5. I see

this as where you are coming from (card 3), where you are now

(card 1) and where you want to be (card 5).

I don't use significators, so I interpret card 1 as the querent. This

card is who the querent really is now, as opposed to card 7,

which shows how the querent views herself. Card 1 is her true,

inner self, card 7 is the face she shows the world. Another thing I

sometimes do is to deal cards for the last position until a Major

Arcana card turns up. These cards are all parts of the outcome

and by dealing until I reach a Major Arcana I feel I am reading

up to the point where the outcome can no longer be influenced

by the

querent; where things are out of her hands. I did not do that in

this spread in order to keep it simple. You can sometimes draw

quite a few cards before you get a Major. I use this method in

freestyle spreads as well, dealing cards for each position until I

reach a Major Arcana. This method can make a simple 3 or 4

card spread quite full and revealing.

67

The Moon XVIII

The Moon represents mystery, the subconscious, the unknown,

intuition and dreams. In many decks this card depicts a night

scene with two towers, two dogs, a lobster climbing out of the

ocean, and of course the Moon. Many people feel the Moon is a

somewhat sinister or negative card, but I prefer to

interpret it as getting in touch with your deepest self, facing

your fears and exploring the unknown. Many of us tend to shy

away from our subconscious. We are frightened of what we

might find there. When we have what we perceive as "negative"

thoughts we try to push them back down under the surface into

the subconscious. Perhaps we should examine them before we

shut them away. Try to

determine why we think these thoughts and what they might

mean. When you get the Moon in a reading it can indicate that

you are ready to explore the hidden aspects of yourself. You can

face your fears and examine them. This card can indicate

developing your intuitive or psychic powers, exploring your

dreams or fantasies, and exploring psychic realms by means of

O.B.E., channeling, past life regression or other means. This card

can indicate a highly emotional period when you may feel as if

you are being pushed or pulled against your will. Some interpret

it as deception or disillusionment as well. The sign

associated with The Moon is Pisces (perceptive, imaginative,

unworldly), the color red-violet and the musical note B.

Permutations

Another idea borrowed from "Tarot for Yourself" is

permutations. Permutation involve moving the cards from the

spread into different positions and re-evaluating them. She

presents several ways of doing this, but the one I use is probably

the simplest. Once you have read the spread, separate the

cards into 5 piles, one for each suit and one for the Major

Arcana. Then arrange each pile into numerical sequence.

When we do this with Carla's spread we get the following:

4 of Wands (R), 8 of Wands, Queen of Wands

7 of Cups, 9 of Cups, Queen of Cups

10 of Swords

7 of pentacles, Page of Pentacles

The Hierophant, The World

68

Viewed this way we see freedom and creativity blocked or

delayed (4 of wands R) and a high energy and a desire for things

to move more quickly (8 of wands). These are aspects of Carla

herself (the Queen of Wands).

Emotionally, Carla has dreams and hopes which seemed out of

reach (7 of cups), but which can be realized and satisfied (9 of

Cups). These may indicate Carla's emotions in this matter (Queen

of Cups).

Mentally she feels a need for release and to start fresh (10 of

swords)

Materially she wants to be rewarded monetarily, but that is

secondary to her desire for a feeling of accomplishment (7 of

pentacles). She has the practicality and stamina to make this

transition smoothly and not be carried away by fantasy; she is

also highly capable, even though she is somewhat a

novice in her present field (Page of Pentacles).

Finally she felt constrained in the past (The Hierophant), but

now feels free

(the World).

The many Wands and Cups indicate that this is important to

Carla on a spiritual and emotional level. Although she has

indicated that this job is a financial necessity as well, I think the

sense of accomplishment and self worth are even more

important to her. This is just one set of possible

interpretations. I like to do this at the end of a spread and use it

as a summary of the reading.

69

The Sun XIX

The Sun represents success, wholeness, joy, warmth, perfection.

This card often depicts a scene with a child or children. They

are usually laughing and there is a large sun in the background.

This card usually signifies the beginnings of a period of

happiness and good fortune. The Sun is associated

with the astrological Sun (energy, power, life), the color orange

and the musical note D.

Correspondences

Here are a couple of interesting correspondence lists from "Tarot

for Everyday" by Cait Johnson.

Tarot and Clothing (Fabrics)

Wands - any fabric with a golden metallic sheen or warm color.

Swords - Chiffon, gauze, batiste, anything thin, sheer or floaty.

Cups - Irridescent or shiny brocades, satin, silk.

Pentacles - Fake fur, heavy linen or cotton, leather, velvet, wool.

Aromatherapy

Wands - Allspice, amber, bay, carnation, cinnamon, clove,

frankinsence, ginger, honeysuckle, lemon, myrrh, orange,

sandalwood

Swords - lavender, mint, neroli, rosemary, sandalwood, thyme

Cups - eucalyptus, gardenia, jasmine, lavender, lilac, lotus, rose,

musk, sandalwood, violet

Pentacles - cedar, cypress, honeysuckle, patchouli, pine,

sandalwood.

If you are interested in Tarot and aromatherapy, Mary Greer

has written an entire book on the subject: "The Essence of

Magick". It also discusses herbology and Tarot.

Astrological Spread Variation

If you use the astrological spread (12 houses), you can get a much

more detailed reading by using the Majors approach I described

previously. Deal the cards for each house, then deal around the

circle into each house until you get a Major Arcana. Once a

Major appears in a house, stop dealing cards into it. Keep

70

dealing around the circle until each house ends in a Major

Arcana card. You can read the cards in each house as a single

group, or you can use each concentric ring of cards to represent

a time period; a week, a month, a season etc. This is my favorite

large spread which I usually do on New Years Day and my

birthday (since my birthday is in June, this works well).

71

Judgment XX

Judgment represents resurrection, choosing a new direction, a

judgment of some type (legal decision, arbitration), repentance,

apology, and possibly criticism. This card is often depicted with

an Angel blowing his trumpet and the dead rising from the

ground below him, reminiscent of "the last judgment".

When you get this card in a reading it can indicate that a

decision has been made or a course of action has been decided

upon. It could indicate that you have decided to make a

commitment to change, to repent or to right wrongs which you

have committed or which have been committed against you.

The planet associated with Judgment is Pluto (transformation,

changes, the underworld,

mysteries of life), the color red and the musical note C.

Creating your own Spreads

Many readers create their own spreads. You can do this by

modifying an existing spread, or design your own from scratch.

Gail Fairfield in "Choice Centered Tarot" provides some useful

guidelines for designing your own spreads, which I have

borrowed from for this lesson. First you have to decide

what you want to know in general terms. Tarot questions are

best framed with the words "what, why or how" rather than

questions that have yes/no answers. Once you have decided

what you want to know in general, break it down into specific

things you want to know about the general area. Then design a

spread to answer those specific questions. Determine the

number of cards you want for each question, the total number of

card the spread will contain and a shape for it if you like your

spreads to have a particular shape. I like to base spreads on a

"past, present future theme" asking what past events have

been important in this issue, where do things stand now and

where are things likely to head if no action is taken to change

them. I might also ask what I can do to influence events and

what effects those actions will have on the outcome. I might

throw from one to three cards for each question, with more

for clarification if needed. Fairfield provides the following

summary for designing a spread:

72

1. Discuss/brainstorm what the person wants to know in the

form of questions or issues.

2. Organize what they want to know in a list of questions or

issues.

3. Make adjustments to the questions/issues as needed adding

new ones or rewording what you have, until you and the

readee both feel that you have the appropriate questions and

issues identified.

4. Draw out a layout plan for addressing the issues and

questions, deciding how many cards should be allocated for each

one and deciding on a design shape that appeals to both of you.

5. Number the layout positions on your plan.

The Blues Spread

23

456

78

Card 1 - Who I am right at this moment

Cards 2 & 3 - Why I'm feeling blue - the actual events that have
made me feel this way or the thought processes which have led

me to this mood.

Cards 4,5 & 6 - Additional factors contributing to this mood -

additional issues that are contributing to this down feeling

Cards 7 & 8 - Activities for myself - things I can do right now to

improve this mood or take my mind off it

Card 9 - What I can look forward to or hope for - A thought

about the future to focus on, a dream or wish for the future.

Cards 7 & 8 are especially important for me because when I feel

down, my first

impulse is to go shopping! This spread has spared my checkbook

more than once

73

The World XXI

The World represents the closing of a chapter and the start of a

new one, completion, victory over obstacles, freedom, and

infinite potential. This card is usually depicted as a woman

dancing joyously in a wreath of some sort. When you get this

card in a reading it indicates that everything is falling into

place for you, things will come to a successful conclusion and end

on a positive note. The planet associate with The World is

Saturn (loyalty, self discipline, hard work), the color blue-violet

and the musical note A.

A few more Spreads

The Horseshoe Spread

24

15

1 - Present position;

2 - Present expectations;

3 - The unexpected;

4 - The immediate future;

5 - Long term future.

This is a short and simple spread that can be modified by adding

more cards to each position. This is one of many, many

Horseshoe shaped spreads.

The Six Card Cross

5 1,2 3

Cards 1 and two are laid out like the Celtic Cross, with card 2

crossing card 1.

1 - The role the questioner plays in the current situation;

2 - The true nature of the situation;

3 - What created it;

4 - How it affects the questioner;

5 - Where it can lead;

6 - The key to the situation.

Four Card Spread

74

34

1 - One aspect or force at work in the situation;

2 - Another aspect or force at work;

3 - Critical assessment of the situation or attitude toward it;

4 - Decision based on all factors; prognosis.

The 5 Pointed Star Prosperity Spread

24

65

1 - What the universe can contribute to the querent's needs;

2 - What can help the questioner be relaxed and at ease;

3 - What will bring prosperity and contentment;

4 - What will counterbalance the questioner's negative feelings;

5 - What can provide rewards, positive feedback, reinforcement;

6 - What prosperity could mean to the questioner.

75

The Fool 0

The Fool represents being open to new experiences, spontaneity,

curiosity, enthusiasm and innocence. The Fool is usually shown

as a youth on a journey, knapsack thrown over his shoulder on a

stick and sometimes ready to take a step off of a cliff. There is

some disagreement about the Fool's sequence in

the deck. Some authors feel it is card ), some feel it belongs

between cards 21 and 22, and some feel that it is unnumbered

and has no special sequence in the Majors. The Fool has faith

and trust in the Universe. He knows that he will be provided

for and that things will work themselves out along the way.

When you get this card in a reading, it indicates that you are

ready to embark on a journey of your own. You want to explore

the world and discover it's secrets. You are ready for a change

and open to new experiences and ideas. The planet associated

with the Fool is Uranus (tears down established systems,

individualistic, independent, progressive), the color pale yellow

and the musical note E.

Summary
This is the last lesson in the course, but I hope it is not the last

Tarot study you do. This course presents the ideas of myself and

others. If you continue your Tarot studies you will formulate

your own ideas over time which will be just as valid, in fact

more valid than the ones presented here or in any other class or

book. Tarot is a fascinating tool which will reward the time you

invest in study and practice by allowing you to get in touch

with yourself and the universe around you. There are so many

books, decks and ideas about Tarot that you can never exhaust

them or get through them all. I find

it a challenging discipline, but one that never ceases to fascinate

and amaze me. If nothing else, I hope this course has sparked

your curiosity and thirst for more.

© 1995/1996 Michele Jackson - email:

75131.2106@compuserve.com

76

Tarot Cards for Spells

INTRODUCTION

This page is not an introduction to the tarot for readings. It

is rather a manual for the person who tends to put the tarot

cards to use for spells. It is a how-to page where you will find

exact instruction on how to set up the tarot cards to get the

desired effect.

Most people know the tarot only as a tool for divination. Each of

the tarot cards represents a field of experience and/or a

function in life. In a tarot reading you shuffle the cards then you

lay them out in a specific manner such as the celtic cross method

or the tree of life method. Then you judge each card by its

posistion in the layout and how it relates to the other cards.

From this you can then divine important facts about the person

for whom you are reading.

All the following is about tarot spells.

When you give a tarot reading you channel energies from the

universe towards yourself. You use the cards as indicators of

what the universe tells you. If you do a spell with the tarot you

use the cards as energy filters. They represent the energies that

you are about to send off. I have

mentioned above that each tarot card is a archetypal symbol

that represents a field of experince or a function or an idea. To

combine tarot cards means to combine ideas. Consequently the

tarot cards are an ideal tool to creatively act upon your

universe in magical operations.

A magical operation is any action at a distance that involves

the use of structural links and life energy, or psychic power.

Therefore, to be effective in magical work, you need a source of

life energy, a psychic link to the target of your magical

operation (unless the target of the magical

operation is present), and a structural link that represents the

specific action that you desire. The success of every magical

work depends on these three key factors.

77

* The better the psychic link to your target is, the easier you

can influence it with a magical operation, or spell. Psychic links

for targetting are structural links that are near identical with

the

target. Hair and fingernails contain genetic code that is unique

for every individual, therefore, these items are an excellent

structural or psychic link to the target. This genetic code allows

you to connect with every cell in the body of the target person.

Clothing has a similar effect. This is so because clothing has skin

rubbings in it even after it went through the washer and drier.

Other good psychic links with the target are visualization, the

writing down of the name (which involves visualiztion), and

radionic settings. These psychic links are not of the identical

kind, but of an “equivalent nature.”

Equivalent structural links are an excellent substitute in

cases where near identical links are missing. Photos are

somewhat in between two extremes that we have just described.

There is more information on structural links in the course

Magic of the Future.

* For a strong effect of the spell, you need a strong source of

life energy. Many magicians create their own energy as they

need it. The creating of psychic energy, or life energy, is an

integral part of every magical ritual. Magicians use a variety of

methods to create life energy. These methods range from

chanting, dancing, sex magical practices, and processes of

visualization all the way to the sacrificing of animals. A most

effective way to generate life energy continuously is the Welz

Generator which we promote highly here (see Gadgets & Gizmos).

* The third, equally important, factor is the “energy filter.”

This energy filter is a structural representation of a desired

action or of an energy (entity) that works toward a desired

result. The structural link to the action, or energy filter, needs to

be a correct representation of the intention of the magician.

Otherwise the spell may not be effective or it may have an

unexpected outcome. (We will be using tarot cards as our

"energy filters").

78
For all these reasons, to be a good magician means years of

training, practice and study.

Many of the spell books on the market make the task of

casting effective spells seem easy. However all too often would-be

magicians get only meager results. This is so because they are

not capable of creating the psychic connection with the target or

they cannot generate a sufficiently large amount of psychic

energy for the spell.

With the invention of the WELZ GENERATOR this situation

has changed dramatically. Now even a beginner can cast

effective spells. The Welz Generator creates sufficient psychic

energy to lock on to the target, and to actively effect the

outcome of every spell AT THE TURN OF A DIAL!

To do magical work successfully you need to have the

following:

* A good structural link to the target of your work.

* A good power source for life energy.

* An appropriate filter that correctly represents the energy

that you send to the target of your work.

It is up to you to find a good structural link. It may be hair, a

photo, or a transfer design that the person whom you help

carries with him/her. For the life energy you have one of the
Welz Generators, or energy charged within some sort of battery

such as a crystal.

[Image] The Tarot Spells

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