Tarot Inspire
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Development is no mystery, but the acorn is. Picasso said, ‘I don’t develop, I am.’ And the puzzle in therapy is not how did I get this way, but what does my angel want with me?” (p. 70).
The whole notion that we are not ourselves, but we are whom-we-are-to be is also covered in The Daemon: A Guide to your Extraordinary Secret Self by Anthony Peake, and as experienced by Marcus Katz in After the Angel: An Account of the Abramelin Operation (Forge Press, 2001).
The blast of the trumpet reverberates throughout eternity, and our lives likewise are in a sense timeless. The Day of Judgment is ever-presenting, it is an “everlasting day”. We walk in that moment effortlessly, and Tarot reading is another constant call to that remembrance.
When we journal a reading, we are making sense of a life lived backwards. We come to refer back to readings once the events they foreshadowed have occurred. We see new insight, new revelation. And this establishes sensitivity to our future calling. What is installed is what we predictive hindsight; the next reading we do has two voices – the voice we hear first as we look at the cards, and the voice we have been practicing, which tells us what they are likely to mean after the event.
It is this second voice from which we speak as an oracle. The voice that comes from the future place. We cultivate, orientate, gravitate towards this voice by constantly looking back over our readings, constantly comparing them. And eventually we do not require Tarot cards – we hear that voice in every moment and can only follow it.
The figures on the Waite-Smith image of this card make the signs of the Latin word LVX. However, this is only evident upside-down, from the Angel’s point of view. The light of our calling shines upon us so brightly we close our eyes to it. It is only by turning backwards, seeing our ongoing past as a shadow of that light, that we can make our way in the spiritual quest. We walk backwards and eventually fall into the Divine.
Creating Your Own Spiritual Tarot Text
Journaling is a popular approach to learning and developing with Tarot. In this section, we would point you to Bobbi L. Parish’s Create Your Personal Sacred Text, a practical and inspiring book. It provides a step-by-step guide to creating your own scripture, from your own experience of life, in your own words. This gives us a fantastic framework for working with our Tarot deck to generate our own sacred Tarot Text, divining our spiritual life.
We take for example here a brief method given by Parish to provoke writing when no inspiration can be found, a prompt for Tarot inspire! Parish suggests we ask ourselves to write, for example, about “sayings I have lived by”. We give here our method of plugging this into Tarot:
1. Consider the question/prompt
2. Write about what it means, personally, to you, in your own experience and your own words.
3. Select a Tarot card which embodies for you the response to the prompt (or alternatively do this step before step 2 and select the card first before writing the response).
4. Then generalize out from your personal response and create a paragraph which summarizes the meaning of this card now to others, in the widest sense possible whilst remaining true to the card.
5. Condense this paragraph into a “spiritual truth” of the card.
6. Finally extend that spiritual truth into an “Interpretative Meaning” at a spiritual level for the card.
The following example is from Tali’s Tarot Text:
Sayings that I have lived by.
My personal response: During my childhood I was bullied due to having Romany blood, I would be taunted either with the words “Gypsy, Gypsy Didakoi Gypsy” or be called “Kizzi” which was a book by Rumer Godden, about a half-Romany child Kizzi Lovell, who did not fit in with her peers.
I would run home to my mother who advised me to chant back at them, saying, “Sticks and Stones will hurt my bones but names will never harm me”. I lived by that saying, I trotted off to school, the taunting starting all over again and I responded with my mother’s advice… So did it work you may ask, did the children consider what I said, and think about their actions? No. So what was it all about?
Were they supposed to change their behavior? No, and you know now I look back and consider, that is fine, because the saying was for ME not them, I had to learn to harness a sort of “divine indifference”. Would it have been better if I had punched them on the nose? No, I can only change my reaction, my behavior.
My card for this is the 8 of Swords. This shows how one can be blind to the solution that is always there for you and in this case when I was bound by my own denial of victimhood. It is also an interesting card because it shows the essential nature of bullying. I sometimes see this card as a woman who has been left by friends playing a game – and she thought it a game too. Now she has been left for it has turned into something else, but she does not realize this. This is often the nature of bullying from the victim’s point of view, I feel.
Spiritual Truth: You are your own workshop.
[See also our description of this card in the Spiritual lessons of the minors]
The Interpretation of this card then in the light of the above, whilst you felt surrounded this is not a child’s game, but something far more profound, it is something which you will return to time after time to remind you that you must take responsibility for yourself, stop cutting yourself off. The Swords that surround you can be your salvation and undo that what is binding you to the situation, or they can be picked up and your words used against you.
Other prompts given by Parish (pp. 160-1) also include:
Patterns in my Life
When I look in the Mirror
A Place where I always feel close to Spirit
For reference, useful books on the nature of bullying, particularly in the workplace, which Marcus uses regularly in his NLP workshops, include:
The Sociopath Next Door, Martha Stout (New York: Broadway Books, 2005)
Dealing with People You Can’t Stand, Dr. Rick Brinkman & Dr. Rick Kirschner (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002)
In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People, George K. Simon, jr. (Little Rock: A.J. Christopher & Co, 1996)
How to Escape the Messiah Trap, Carmen Renee Berry (New York: Harper Collins, 1991)
Tarot and Inspiration
This idea of connection is of course very relevant in divination, literally, from the Latin, divinare, “to be inspired by a God”. The breath can also be seen as an important part of divinatory practice, as the word inspire indicates – it literally means to “breath in” as well as inspiration being seen as “the authority to receive and communicate divine truth”.
Many books make a great deal of intuition and Tarot readers often talk about the place of intuition versus non-intuition and so forth. I consider this somewhat misleading. Intuition is merely knowledge of something without the accompanying conscious knowledge of how that knowledge was derived. It cannot be done about something of which you have no knowledge! So a surgeon may intuit the right thing to do during heart surgery, without knowing how he came to a particular decision, but a shop assistant will not be able to do likewise – in surgery. Therefore, intuition is a skill that comes with practice, and knowledge – experiential or learnt. It can also be taught. Inspiration is a far more compelling concept and aim; to provide truly inspirational readings, with or without intuition - it doesn’t matter.
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
The divine love that binds the universe is depicted by a number of cards in the Tarot. In fact, we can say – like learning – love is a concept that is inherent in every image. We can see it in the Lovers, the 2 of Cups, the romantic gaze of the Page of Cups – love is everywhere in the Tarot. However, we got to consider this recent Valentine’s Day how it was that the Major Arcana spoke of Love. We considered that love itself was always in relationship, the lover and the beloved – so we took our ears and listened to how each of the Majors loved their next neighbor. It formed a tunnel of love, a procession of hearts
, and we saw too that this ring could be formed in a myriad number of ways throughout the whole deck.
In this, we take a trip as the Tarot tells in how many ways we love thee – in fact, 78 ways. Each card has a profound measure of love which can be discovered when they get together in the tunnel. We shall listen in as each card tells the next in what way its qualities reflect love.
And of course, this insight gives us useful information when reading relationship questions. In relationship, the cards themselves are transformed – the Emperor is actually here a card of “equality” not “dominance”, the Empress is a radically transformative card when seen through the eyes of love … prepare for some surprises in the Tarot tunnel of love:
… so, why does the Fool love the Magician?
The Fool
I love you because you bring me back from the edge.
The Magician
I love you (says the Magician to the High Priestess) because I can never reveal the depths you conceal.
High Priestess
I love you (she says to the Empress) because you turn me inside out.
The Empress
I love you because you are my equal.
The Emperor
I love you (he says to him) because you can come out.
The Hierophant
I love you because you have what I can never admit to.
The Lovers
I love you (they say to it) because you can go beyond even love.
The Chariot
I love you (it says to them, both woman and lion alike) because you can pull apart.
Strength
I love you (the Lion roars) because you do not need another.
The Hermit
I love you because you have no responsibilities to others.
The Wheel
I love you, says the Wheel to Justice, because you align me to the journey.
Justice
I love you, because where I am blind, you see.
The Hanged Man
I love you, because you are my release.
Death
I love you, because you and I are the same.
Temperance
I love you, because you are not me.
The Devil
I love you, because you are all that I accomplish and fulfil me time and again.
The Blasted Tower
I love you because when I am gone, you are here.
The Star
I love you, says the Star to the Moon, because we share the sky in our difference.
The Moon
I love you, says Moon to Sun, because you give all that I can receive.
The Sun
I love you, because you complete what I began.
The Last Judgment
I love you, because you remain.
The World
I love you, she says to the Fool, because you recognize me.
You may wish to try this with your own decks – each has a surprising story to tell in the tunnel of love. As it is said, love gives us new eyes.
And for a Tarosophy “engage life” version: Take the Majors, go to your partner or do it for yourself. Each take a card. Look at each other. Read what it says from the list above.
The Circle of Oracles
If we allow the Tarot to talk to us, through a group of oracles, how does it tell us of its gift, and what does it tell us to remove from our lives – what blocks its voice? We carried out an online exercise with over forty Tarot readers and students to hear the voice of the Tarot.
Here is what we asked of people – and a method you can use yourself:
Take a deck. Shuffle whilst considering your role in life as an oracle - as a Tarot reader - as a priest or priestess - as a seer. Turn the deck face up and carefully go through the cards until you locate the High Priestess. The card above her is "on the bright pillar", the card below her is "on the dark pillar".
Now compose a piece of text as follows:
"I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is [name of card] and on my dark pillar is [name of card]. I offer [interpretation of bright pillar card] as my gift, and remove from this place [interpretation of dark pillar card as a negative state]."
When we wove this spell on our Facebook group, here is what a circle of oracles sounds like together, speaking from pillar to pillar. Imagine our oracles dressed in the lushest of robes, in a misty and vast Doric temple … and hush, listen as they speak …
Marcus Katz: I am in the circle of oracles. on my bright pillar is the 2 of Wands and on my dark pillar is the 9 of Cups. I offer a vision of an elevated world as my gift, and remove from this place all self-satisfaction in that service.
Spike Andrews: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the four of Cups and on my dark pillar is the Chariot. I offer stability as my gift, and remove from this place all mental boundaries.
Nadine Roberts: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the King of Pentacles and on my dark pillar is the Knight of Swords. I offer the reassurance of generosity and reliability as my gift and remove from this place all insensitivity and intolerance of others.
Tali Goodwin: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the 7 of Wands and on my dark pillar is the King of Pentacles. I offer steadfastness in adversity by transforming incoming energies as my gift and remove from this place all control over dominions.
Michele L. Wolf: I am in the circle of oracles...On my bright pillar is the 10 of Swords and on my dark pillar is Strength. I offer light at the end of the tunnel and an end to struggle as my gift. I remove from this place the urge to control by force those around me and my surroundings.
Jac Alexis Ang: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Queen of Swords and on my dark pillar is the Queen of Wands. I offer impartiality and clarity of mind as my gift, and remove from this place all self doubts
Fortune Elkins: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Ace Batons and on my dark pillar is the Fool. I offer a secure career prospect as my gift and remove reckless speculation from this place.
Cally Palmer: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is Ace of Wands and on my dark pillar is The Hanged Man. I offer an up surge and initiative for a new undertaking as my gift, and remove from this place and sacrifice things from my life to make way for this other new endeavor.
Lynne McGee: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Ten of Pentacles and on my dark pillar is the Nine of Wands. I offer a strong united healthy future and full support for my family and I remove the exhaustion, anxiety and fears that these events may occur again.
Carina Arveklev: I am in the circle of oracles, on my bright pillar is the Tower and on my dark pillar is Two of Swords. I offer ability to stay calm when all seems to crumble and fall around you as my gift and I remove all feelings and thoughts that are not your own.
Tara O'Brien: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Ten of Cups and on my dark pillar is the Fool. I offer the joy that comes from living/realizing your dreams through love and service and I remove from this place naivety and foolhardy gullibility.
Steph Myriel Es-Tragon: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the 2 of Pentacles and on my dark pillar is the Blasted Tower. I offer the joy in sharing resources and creative work as my gift and remove from this place the fear regarding rapid unexpected change.
Kareena Narwani: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Empress and on my dark pillar is the 5 of Pentacles. I offer creativity, fertility and love as my gift and I remove from this place loneliness and sorrow.
Janine Worthington: I am in the circle of oracles on my bright side is the king of cups and on my dark side is the death card...I offer impartial emotional guidance and a shoulder to cry on and remove from this place the fear to follow your path and change one’s life for the better
Camelia Elias: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the Roy de Couppes and o
n my dark pillar is Le Bateleur. I offer responsible love as my gift and remove the seducer from this place.
Catherine Chandler: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is the 4 of Pentacles and on my dark pillar is the 7 of wands. I offer a vision of fruitful harvest from your own endeavor, guided by a greater source and remove from this place the possible overbearing insistence of a different force wishing to join with you that could shake your foundations.
Richard Abbot: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is Justice (XI) and on my dark pillar is The Magician (I). I offer an understanding of cause and effect and a balanced perspective as my gift, and remove from this place narrow personal desires and notions of instant gratification.
Claire Galvin: I am in the circle of Oracles. On my bright pillar is the Queen of Wands and on my dark pillar is the Magician. I offer creative vision, true friendship and remove from this place conceitedness and self sabotage.
Jeffrey M. Donato: I am in the circle of oracles. On my bright pillar is Strength and on my dark pillar is the Knight of Wands. I offer the virtue of fortitude, and a patient willingness to work towards deciphering meaning for others as my gift, and remove from this place all expectation and destructive impulse. I tear down the subconscious barriers and help others to recognize their true natures.