The Celtic Cross

I didn't draw a daily card today. Instead I did that personal reading I have been wanting and needing to do for myself. I have been really wanting clarification on a particular concern and situation.

I thought it might give readers of my blog some insight, as to how I approach Tarot and readings. The way I do a reading for myself is basically the same way I read for my clients.

As a Tarot reader you are continually learning through study, but with each reading comes more insight, and you are constantly honing your skills and intuition, developing a relationship with the cards. This is the reason  why I do a daily card draw, in order to deepen my relationship and understanding of the meanings of each card. Learning to read Tarot involves intuition, study, and skill. Intuition gets better with trusting it and practice, skill you are shown how, you try it, then you practice, and you are always studying and learning.

Memorizing the card meanings is pointless I believe, although this does not mean you don't end up remembering the meanings. But this comes from doing regular readings, more than from memorization. It's a good thing too, because my memorizing ability is like what I think Gerald Ford once said, 'I forgot what it was supposed to remember!' 78 cards to memorize? Forgetaboutit!

Before I do my readings, I say a prayer or invocation. Maybe light a candle. Everyone has their own personal routine or ritual in order to get focused and into a present mindfulness. Here is I think, a beautiful invocation I often say, called The Invocation of The Orchard. I know it is from the Cabala but I have no idea who wrote. it.

Invocation of The Orchard

     
 "I pass through this orchard remembering that what I may learn, and what may pass before my 
eyes will be for the purpose of healing the world, and bringing Unity into this dimension, into the plane of human awareness. This orchard is the transition point between the transcendant and the imminent - the abstract and the concrete.
My personal path can adapt and absorb this forest slowly, and as it sees fit. My basic personhood remains intact, while sampling the myriad forms and concepts in the grove. Drinking from the river of delights of the Creator's house, my own specific root into the infinite is a path of emanation along which I can safely and respectfully traverse.

"All the world is a very narrow bridge - but the point is to be fearless."

Sepher Malchus is the grounding point, where I am centered, and where I will return after contemplating the trees, springs, fragrances, and many-faceted gems in the enclosure. Sepher Malchus is the point of connection and return to my personal concrete reality and viewpoint, to my ideal stability."

*  Sepher Malchhus relates to the Earth.

When I am ready, I ask an open ended question, as opposed to a closed question, which would result in a simple answer, yes or no. I avoid starting the question with Will… When… and Should.

An example of asking an open ended question instead, this starts with What…, How… and Why.

i.e. 1. What has been blocking me in finding a new job and how can I release these blockages?

     2. What can I do to create the love life I truly desire?

And so, I had a general idea of what I wanted to ask, but I needed to get clear, and specific about my question. The more specific the question the more specific the reading.  I turned off the radio, sat down at my kitchen table, created a space,  I got relaxed and quiet. I tried to clarify my question as best I could, and shuffled the cards.

When I drew my 10 cards, and laid them out in the ancient Celtic Cross layout, I did a quick scan. My first thought was, oh frig, this isn't going to give me much information, and I felt a little down. This inner critic pops up every now and again. I ignored my negative inner critic and refocused. I began to further clarify and deconstruct the question. I got down to bare bones of what I was really asking, and I wrote the question  down in my Tarot journal.

The spread I use, the Celtic Cross, I find, enables me to tell the story of what the cards are saying, in depth.  Scanning the overall layout, I made note of the number of Cups, Swords, Wands, and Pentacles, Aces, Pages, Major and Minor Arcana, and made some initial connections between the cards. After looking at the meanings of each card in my mind, figuratively I could past or connect the cards together, like pairing or grouping the cards, i.e.  4 Swords , 3 Pentacles, 2 Pages etc., and relate each one in accordance to the meanings of the position within the Celtic Cross layout, as I've listed below

Position One - Signifcator
Position Two - What Crosses You
Position Three - What Crowns You
Position Four - The Base of the Matter
Position Five - Past Influences
Position  Six - Future Influences
Position Seven - Where You Find Yourself Presently
Position Eight - How Others View You
Position Nine - Hopes and Fears
Position Ten - Final Outcome

 I then began to carefully decipher, interpret, and connect the meaning of each card, one card to another, and as a whole, to tell the story of my reading. Oooo it was an interesting story too! But I dare not tell!


Without going into the details of my reading, because I don't think it is of any interest to any one but me, well  maybe one other person who shall remain nameless. However, I will share these two particular quotes I found, that really resonated with me, and I directly relate them to my reading. I think they will give you a feeling for my overall reading. and I think and hope you will be able to identify with, and relate to each one.

" Until we can receive with an open heart we are never really giving with an an open heart . "
                                                                                 
                                                                                - Brene Brown

" What's difficult in life is to stay centered when somebody does or says some thing that tempts us to close our hearts, because their heart is closed. That is hard. But that is also how we grow, We go through those circumstances in order to evolve into people who can hold on to out loving center no matter what the world throws at us. 
                   
                                                                              - Marianne Williamson

Intuition Is Your Soul

I am really working at developing my ability to do readings by way of my intuition. I have been studying the Tarot for going on nine years now. I was never interested in memorizing each individual card. This is not what makes the good Tarot reader, and is a very boring way to learn about Tarot. Besides, my memory has never been my strong point, and memorization is not learning.

Learning how to develop a relationship with the cards is the best way for me to grow, and develop confidence, as a reader. This is why I draw a card everyday and study it. I become more familiar with each card, and each time I draw the same card,  I see it from a different and deeper perspective. Repetition is the way to learn a skill. It's all about the practice.

It is important to challenge myself in ways that I would describe as being adventurous, that takes me out of my comfort zone, kind of like without a safety net, in that I am not relying so much on my workbooks or what I have studied.

Over the past nine years of learning about Tarot I have tried hard to use my intuition when doing readings, combined with what I have learned through study. I am now feeling I do not have to rely so much on the basic knowledge I have learned in hard copy, through my study, because it has become more internalized, and I can now begin to increase, and use the gift of intuition to interpret the cards. Everyone has this gift. It is not some sort of gnosis that only a select few have. We can all can develop intuition if we trust it. The more we trust our intuitive abilities, the stronger it grows.

Today I decided I would do a reading for myself, the Celtic Cross, completely intuitively. I wrote my the cards down, and each interpretation into my Tarot journal for future reference. I was specific in my question and I got specific answers. It isn't always easy to do a reading for yourself because sometimes it may be difficult to be objective, but I think if you can be objective, it is a great way to practice. I felt good about how a read for myself, as I think my intuitive reading was pretty accurate. I haven't looked yet at my Mythic Tarot workbook to compare what it says, with my intuitive reading.

Here are the ten cards I drew for the Celtic Cross reading. These interpretations are my immediate impressions of the cards. I'll add some more in depth information tomorrow for my own reference and practice. The reading covers a period up to six months.

1. Significator - Ten of Pentacles
I am thinking and longing for stability within my home life.

 2.Crossing Card - Four of Wands
 I am per-occupied with wanting and needing to find the strengths that Jason's friends brought to help him with his goal on the quest for the Golden Fleece.

3. Crowning Card - Nine of Cups
A card of the emotions, celebrating a relationship with myself

 4. Base of the Matter - Queen of Cups
I drink deeply from the cup of life.

5. Past Influences - Eight of Swords
I have been tormented by trouble and struggles in the recent past.

6. Forthcoming Influences - Nine of Pentacles
There is prosperity ahead. I will reap the rewards and recognition for my effort.

7. Where One Finds Oneself - Two of Wands
There is balance in my creative efforts.

8. View of Others - The Fool
Seen as open, positive and optimistic, taking on the challenges that lie ahead

9. Hopes and Fears -Six of Wands
I want the Golden Fleece. I want to grow, to be confident, and  to find adventure.

10. Final Outcome - Six of Cups
I am nostalgic about the past, I accept what has been, the way things are presently, this is what enables me to move forward

Two of Pentacles - Don't Give Up!

Here we see Daedalus who is at the beginning of honing his skills and reputation. He is putting his energy and efforts into several challenging areas at once. It is like juggling, but in whatever form it takes in life, these are all the challenges before us, and it is a developed skill that we need to build upon and has been an essential habit for me to maintain balance.

 I have to make my mind up to be determined, to get one step successfully completed, before I can move on to the next. If I try to skip a step I'll simply not be able to accomplish the skill effectively, and won't be able to reach the goal I have set for myself.

If I break things down one step at a time, I can channel the flow of creative energy, put it to work, and reap the rewards. It enables me not to feel over whelmed, to not be overcome with impatience, which leaves me frustrated, disappointed, and like I have failed. Unfortunately all of these negative feelings can quickly translate into guilt and shame, leave us feeling like we want to give up.

Don't give up! There are those who love us, want to help us to reach our goals, and to reach our dreams, if we will only ask for help.

Nine of Pentacles - Wisdom, Knowledge & Talent

What the Nine of Pentacles represents, I don't think I could ask for more in life, wisdom, knowledge and talent. I can find wisdom in many spiritual writings, and experience, it provides me with much instruction and knowledge.

Talent is something a little different in that we are not all equal in having the same talents. But we all have the capacity to develop skills, if we have the passion, and we work at practicing those skills to be learned. I think having a passion is more important than concerning yourself with talent.
Of course, being an artist, when I hear the word talent, I immediately relate it to creativity, which I believe everyone is born with, in some way or another, regardless if you consider yourself an artist or not.

I am very fond of the Nine of Pentacles, because it is a very positive and encouraging card, that speaks of achievement, recognition and reward for real efforts made.

The Nine of Pentacles is a very appropriate, and timely card for me today, for a number of reasons.
I'm finally, very soon, reaching the end of a twenty year mortgage, that I will be free of next month!
I have submitted two paintings for art exhibits coming up within the next two weeks.
Lastly, I am very excited, and encouraged about the beginnings of a new business I've started this year.

Eight of Pentacles - Apprenticeship - The Circle of Courage

 An apprentice must work hard at practicing his or her skill to learn their trade. It helps immeasurably if you are a quick study like the individual in the Eight of Pentacles. Advancement of your craft happens with conscientious effort and old fashioned hard work. The new ventures presented to you, will be rewarded through all your care, effort and dedication. Perfectionism is not the goal, but progress.

We all reach a stage in life often referred to as, a mid-life crisis. This juncture in life can be navigated successfully if we are willing to be open to new challenges, and work hard at learning, to acquire new skills.  
Life long learning accompanied with a positive and optimistic attitude, can not only improve our quality of life but can increase our life span as well. We can learn from one another.

I found out many years ago, the definition of what a skill is. First, someone takes time to demonstrates the skill to us. Then we attempt the skill, and follow this up, by disciplined regular practice, if we want to develop, and master the skill. I believe developing and learning a skill, regardless of our age, can lead us to a greater sense of well being and health as whole human beings.

It takes courage sometimes to change course and take on the challenge of a new skill, particularly one you know nothing about. You are not alone. There are many folks out there that have done or are doing just that. Seek them out, and find others who are like minded in following their passion. You will find a sense of belonging, community and fellowship. You then can in turn, be an example to another and help some one else learn something new,sharing with them what you have learned.