A Tarot Exercise in Perspective

August 4th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

It’s always nice when the cards are obvious and answer our questions with images that clearly make sense. Like the 2 of Cups for relationship queries, or the Justice card for legal issues. But more often than not, it’s less straightforward.

To get used to reading cards from different perspectives, one of the best (and most obvious) things to do is practice.

Try this basic exercise … randomly draw a card from the deck and describe its energy from each of the following perspectives:
•relationships
•business
•politics

When I tried it, I got the 10 of Pentacles. Here’s my quick take …

10 of Pentacles - Riders Waite Smith Tarot

Relationships – The card shows a scene with many people in it, different generations and two species.  It suggests family and a recognition of lineage.

There’s a friendliness between the couple, and their positioning within the picture indicates a certain balance.

They’re literally standing on a threshold.  Maybe they’re getting ready to transition to the next phase, the new Ace and a new beginning.

A strong physical support network is an especially important aspect of this card. There’s power in the tribe.

Business – The 10 of Pentacles suggests wealth, a positive accumulation of physical goods, or prosperity of sorts. It points to a solid business base.

And it’s not only about money, though there are a lot of coins floating around. It’s also about a network of physical support that comes from family, friends and colleagues – our grander network, spanning all generations and maybe even species.

The card might be pointing to a family business, or that the support of one’s family or community will prove particularly helpful.

As a ten, it also suggests that something new is on the horizon that has a solid base to grow from.

Politics – As I’m writing, the big issue in the news is the US debt ceiling. The distribution of wealth has been a major focus of debate, and of course, it’s a main theme in this card.

Gold coins float all over the picture.  Are they rising or falling?  There does seem to be a slight accumulation at the top.  They could represent wealth, the debt, the GDP, or maybe the stock market?

There’s also a lot of people in the card, all engrossed in something or other.  The two younger people seem to be engaging in dialogue, while the older guy is focused on the dogs.

There’s a child there too, looking outside of the card, but holding on to his mother’s dress – could he represent the freshmen in the House? In that case, who are the others?

Many different points of view come together in this one scene, there’s a lot to consider. But as a ten, this card marks a culmination, or the end of a political cycle.  In a short while, a new one will begin.

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Try others themes as well – travel, school, spiritual path, whatever comes to mind. The idea is to get used to looking at the energies or ideas in the cards as they play out in different circumstances.

And have fun! Sometimes it’s the silliest of our descriptions that prove to be the most profound.

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Court Cards at the Disco

December 3rd, 2010 § 0 comments § permalink

Ok … so here’s an idiotic 48 second video of a pile of Gummy Bear Tarot cards, flashing lights, and people talking in the background. But it reminded me of an excellent Tarot exercise you can do to get to know the Court Cards.

Think about the different Tarot characters out together at a club. For instance, the Queen of Wands and Knight of Disks. What would the Queen be wearing? How about him? Could she be a cougar, would he be interested. What might they say to each other?

Or who do you think the King of Swords would arrive with? Would he dance? And that pack of Pages in the corner, are they old enough to be in here? What card would be the bouncer asking for ID?

The point is to get your characters to interact. Using the traditional meanings of the cards and your imagination, the images start coming alive. It’s easier then when you’re doing a reading and come across one of these characters in a spread.

You’ve already met them at the club and know how they acted there. Now look at the cards surrounding them and consider how they’d act in the situation the cards describe.

Of course you can try this exercise using any background: an office place, a family reunion, a meeting at the UN. The more you play, the more you’ll learn about the cards and how they get along. Go play now!

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