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