Pathworking the Tarot

by Leeza Robertson

  Choosing Your Pathwork Deck

  Although technically any tarot deck will do for this sort of work, you may want to either go through your deck collection to find a deck that fits this sort of work, or buy a new deck. I myself have decks that I don’t read from but I do use for pathwork, spellwork, and journal work. These decks tend to have less traditional images and offer space for the imagination to take over. A couple of decks I enjoy using for this sort of work are the Gaian Tarot, the Raven’s Prophecy Tarot, and the Paulina Tarot. These decks are visually intriguing beyond their assigned tarot meaning. They offer a visual feast and let one get lost in the image itself. You will need to find one or two decks that do that for you, ones that just visually move you and draw you into the scene. What works for me more than likely won’t work for you, as each of us has our own level of visual sensitivity. Some people prefer softer images with more pastel colors, some like darker colors with high fantasy art, and others might want something somewhere in between. Only you will know what images you are looking for in a deck of cards. Most of you will more than likely already know which deck in your collection ticks all the boxes for you and offers itself intuitively to the pathwork process. If you are fairly new to tarot or don’t have a very extensive collection of decks, I encourage you to seek out a deck just for this work. Find groups on Facebook or Instagram where you might be able to trade decks, or take yourself shopping and find the perfect deck for your pathwork journey. It might even take you a while to settle into a deck. Just set your intention for the most aligned deck, see it arriving to you in the most perfect of circumstances, and before you know it you will have your very own pathwork tarot deck added to your collection.

  Okay, pick a deck of cards and let’s jump in!

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  The Major Arcana

  The cards of the major arcana follow a very unique sequence. They act somewhat like steps, each one leading on to the next, adding and building one’s skill set and one’s understanding of their place and purpose in the world. Yet life very rarely runs in the sequential order the major arcana offers up, so why is it important that we engage with the cards as if it does? Regardless of how you make your way through the twenty-two cards of the major arcana, you cannot escape the fact that they all have an influence on one another. There is a reason Death, Temperance, and the Devil are found hanging out together, just like the Star, Moon, and Sun. There is a story being told throughout these twenty-two cards and each step is a chapter in that story, carrying on from the chapter before it and paving the way for the chapter after it. The only card of the majors that does not seem to follow this rule is the Fool. The Fool seems separate from the rest, not really belonging to any one chapter, but rather acting as the main character that moves through the story, steps, and sequence of the remaining twenty-one cards. The Fool does this at their own pace, in their own time and their own way. The Fool does not seem bound to the same sort of rules the other twenty-one cards are bound to, which makes your relationship with the Fool that much more important. As you make your way through this chapter and land on each of the twenty-two steps, you will have to decide if you are the Fool, or if the Fool is someone outside of yourself that you are observing having this journey through the other major arcana cards. This decision will have an impact on how you, in turn, experience the other twenty-one cards. You will either see them as something that is happening to you or something that is happening outside of you that you observe but do not partake in. I should point out that there is no wrong or right way to engage with the twenty-two cards of the major arcana; just know that they are a system, a series of steps that are there to guide you in whatever way you personally feel is right for you. Nothing more, nothing less.

  0. The Fool

  The Fool is the start of a journey, be it through the remaining twenty-one cards of the major arcana or some other journey in your current life. The Fool embodies elements of spontaneity, innocence, faith, risk, and courage. The Fool is by no means a passive card; it is action-oriented, for you cannot begin anything without movement. However, there is also something beautifully still and calm about the energy of the Fool, for they have not yet learned how to fear the world around them. The Fool does not seem to be filled with the trepidation and doubts most seasoned travelers have. This innocence means the mind is calm and the heart is wide open. The mind is not racing to all the things that could go wrong, but instead is wrapped up in the heart’s song of what could actually go right. This is echoed by the number that the Fool is assigned—zero, full of untapped potential but also carrying nothing at all. This idea or concept that we can be filled to the brim with potential in all of its forms but empty at the same time is at the very heart of the meditation process. To be empty of fear, doubt, and ego and full of the divine or universal spark is what most meditators are striving for. In the Fool card, this state of being is as natural as breathing. There is no need to seek this feeling, for it is just by being the Fool that it is attained. This is something to ponder further as you make your way through the pathworking exercises.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  For this exercise, bring to mind the last time you acted in a spontaneous or impulsive way. Relax into the thought and bring the scene to the forefront of your mind. See it as if it were a snapshot in your mind’s eye. Taking another nice deep breath, connect with how you felt in the moment you decided to let your hair down, be a little reckless, and act without thinking. Don’t allow your mind to wander into analysis. You are the observer while you are undertaking this pathwork exercise, and you can do all the examination you want in your journal later. Right now just focus on how you felt while taking that leap. Don’t judge the feeling; just let it bubble up to the surface. Taking another deep breath, fast forward to the next day, the day after you were spontaneous or impulsive. Did you still feel good about how you acted, or did you wake up with buyer’s remorse? Again, do not spend a lot of time analyzing how you felt, just observe. Take another deep breath, then exhale deeply, letting it all go, as if you were pushing the air all the way down to and through your feet. Do this one more time to truly disconnect from the energy of the Fool and your journey.

  If you notice that you had a very positive reaction to your walk in the wild with the energy of the Fool, amplify it, take note of it, and journal about it. If you notice that you felt regret or shame, just take note of it and write about it after you have finished this exercise. Get your journal and start writing about your findings, keeping the Fool card with you at all times while you do the journal work.

  Intuitive

  For this exercise, you are going to talk your way through the Fool card. In other words, you are going to tell the story of the card as if you are the Fool. If you feel you need to record your ramblings, grab your phone and record them. I like to hook up my headset to my laptop and start my talk-to-text function, so that I can get a written account of my session with the Fool card. If you don’t feel comfortable recording your journey, that is fine; you don’t have to do it, but it is extremely helpful.

  Stare into your card and get a feel for the environment and landscape the Fool finds themselves in. Is your Fool on the edge of a cliff ? If so, does being that close to the edge freak you out? Describe the scene around you, even the weather. Don’t forget to mention if you have an animal totem companion and what you have in your knapsack. You might want to start this exercise by saying something along the lines of “I am the Fool who …”

  Let me give you a quick example using the Fool card from the Animal Totem Tarot: “I am the Fool who carries more than I need. I am the Fool who jumps into adventure without wearing sunscreen. I am the Fool who sees the clear blue skies and runs to come out and play.”

  Okay, now it’s your turn. I am the fool who…

  Wandering

  There is a Fool in all of us. We are all prone to wander through our lives in the Fool’s shoes at
some point. You know only too well what it is like to get caught up in the moment of something and forget about everything else. Time, food, money, your physical body … they all fade away when you find yourself having a Fool moment experience. For this exercise, see if you can tap into one of those moments today. See if you can identify when everything around you just fades out and you lose all track of time. Learning to tap into these moments is one of the first steps to finding the gaps in your physical experience and allowing your soul to take over. This gap moves you into a vibrational experience, a more transcended experience. The Fool is very much the first step to self-actualization. But just for today, see if you can identify the gap, the Fool moment.

  1. The Magician

  The number one card in the major arcana is the Magician, the card of the self-sufficient, fully equipped, magical creator. This card deals with elements of purpose, destiny, divine gifts, and, of course, magic. The Magician brings all the elements of the tarot together in one place: earth, air, fire, and water—all of the elements needed to create, sustain, and destroy life. That’s a lot to deal with in one card. The Magician is the next step up from the Fool, for here we see our Fool has learned some new tricks and is discovering how to tap into the energy of possibility and potential that was surrounding them in the previous card. I guess we could say that here in the Magician, the Fool has unlocked their talents and is now sorting through them to see which ones they might want to develop further as they continue their journey through the tarot world.

  So what skills and talents are on offer here? I do believe this is an important element of the Magician card, for we won’t all have the same skills, possibilities, or magic at our disposal. We each have different gifts or talents that will be available for us to explore, foster, and grow, and it is up to us to determine what they are. So look at your Magician card carefully, really connect with the image, and allow yourself to be open to seeing what gifts you are meant to explore. Your magic is unique and only you can unlock its true potential, so take your time as you step into the shoes of the Magician.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  Do you believe you are the creator of your own destiny, or do you believe that your life is out of your hands? These questions are fundamental to the Magician card. For the purpose of this exercise, let’s say you believe you are the creator of your life. Let’s say you consider this a powerful, self-affirming card and one that helps you focus on your divine gifts to create a life of joy, wealth, health, and love. Close your eyes and think about the last time you and you alone manifested something you really wanted into your life. Think about the people, conditions, and actions you had to meet and manage to pull it all off. Bring it all into your mind’s eye and hold that image. How does this image make you feel? What mindset did you have at the time this manifestation happened? Take nice deep breaths as you sit with this image and the feelings it bubbles up. Magnify this image, brighten it, make it as vibrant as possible, and affirm: “I see you, I remember you, I live you in every moment.”

  Slowly release the image and bring your awareness back to the room. This is a way of tapping into your unique magic, a way for you to see how your gifts and talents come together to create just for you. Remember not to judge any of this—just allow yourself to relive the moment and observe, and please leave comparison at the door.

  Intuitive

  Hold your Magician card out in front of you and just start talking your way through it as if you were the Magician. Start in the same way we did back in the Fool, only this time start with something along the lines of “I am the Magician who …”

  Let me give you an example: “I am the Magician who uses my gifts to benefit not only myself but all those around me. I am the Magician who knows how to play to my gifts and strengths. I am the Magician who is always in the right place at the right time with the right magical tool.” I think you get the idea. The purpose of this exercise is to get you comfortable with your magic, with your special and unique gift and power. Do the speaking exercise out loud until you run out of things to say.

  Wandering

  This is an exercise in channeling your cards. By making a psychic link between the figure in the card and yourself, you are opening the door for a direct dialogue. Don’t worry if you only get a couple of words or just a sentence. The more you do this sort of exercise the stronger the connection becomes.

  Place your Magician card in front of you, either on a table or desk. Pick up a pen and some paper. Gaze at the card and allow your eyes to wander over it, soaking in the image, the colors, and the design. If possible, stare into the eyes of the Magician. Pick up your pen and start writing whatever pops into your head. Just write for five to ten minutes, keeping your gaze on the Magician and never breaking your connection until you feel you are done and have written all you can. Even if you only get one sentence or a handful of random words, you have done well.

  2. The High Priestess

  The High Priestess is a bit of a mysterious card. The Priestess is considered high in stature, is elite in her education, and is the keeper of sacred knowledge. In more traditional decks she is also the protector and gatekeeper of the higher realms of wisdom and self-realization. However, she gives no clues whatsoever as to what she is actually protecting and whom she is protecting it from, though to look at a traditional version of this card, you would think it was whoever happened to cross her path. She is in many respects a high-ranking female guru, and all who come before her usually come with a question.

  So what is yours? What answers do you seek at the feet of the High Priestess? What knowledge are you hoping she will bestow upon you, and in all honesty, do you think you are worthy? I guess you are about to find out. Before you walk the path with the High Priestess you must first consider what it is you wish for her to tell you. Like all great spiritual gurus, she won’t just open up and tell you everything she knows. Instead, she will only offer that which she feels you need, and even that isn’t definite. So, what is the one most pressing issue or concern you have right now in your life? You only get one question per visit, so make it a good one. Once you have decided what your question will be, think about what you are willing to offer her as a gift, as you must first give an offering in honor of the Priestess before you expect anything in return. Now that you have both your gift and your question, you are ready to set yourself on the path to the High Priestess.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  In this exercise you are going to journey to the temple of the High Priestess. Pull the High Priestess card from your deck and place it somewhere you can see it and use it as a point of focus for your journey. Get comfortable, relax, and remember to breathe. Gaze at your card and focus on the temple, seeing yourself walking the path that leads to where your High Priestess is seated. Do your best to relax into the scene that unfolds before you, knowing that you can close your eyes at any time to zero in on your surroundings or focus your mental energy. As you walk the path to the temple, take notice of what surrounds it; notice whether there are people and animals or if the landscape looks barren or isolated.

  Keep walking until you find yourself at the door to the temple. Remember, you need to bring the High Priestess a gift, something you will give her in exchange for the information you seek from her. So make sure you have it ready as you knock and wait patiently for the guard. Hand your gift to the guard and wait to be granted permission inside. Relax even more and just allow the rest of the journey to unfold. Do not push it, force it, or reject it. If the guard allows you access, enter the temple and sit with the High Priestess. Allow your experience with her to unfold as it needs to.

  If you are not allowed in, that means the High Priestess believes that the answer you seek is already in your possession, so just take a moment to yourself outside the temple and look at whether you are holding anything in your hands or find something under your foot.

  When you feel you
r time is done at the temple, take some nice deep breaths and bring yourself back to your body and back to the space you are sitting in. Now that the journey is over, you are free to write about this encounter in your journal.

  Intuitive

  The High Priestess is an intuitive card. Connected to the Moon, the High Priestess wants you to consider that what you seek you already know. For this exercise, she wants you to tap into your own inner knowing and your own High Priestess and listen. Put your High Priestess card somewhere you can see it, then pick up a pen and some paper or open your laptop and create a new document.

  Ask a question out loud to the High Priestess and then just write down whatever you hear. You might hear it just inside your head or maybe a song or tune will float through your window at that exact moment. Keep the question in your mind, and keep your ears open. Do this for about two to four minutes. Set a timer if it helps you stay focused. When your time is up, read what you have in front of you. It may not be the exact answer you were hoping for, but it will be a mighty fine place to start. If you want to take this exercise one step further, take your findings to your journal.

  Wandering

  Would you know how to identify the High Priestess if you bumped into her on the street? I ask this because this archetype is a bit of a chameleon. Just like her counterpart, the Moon, the High Priestess can take on more than one face or phase. For this exercise, see if you can identify the High Priestess in your life. See if you can find her in your family, at your place of employment, and even in your home. Maybe the High Priestess is you. This archetype is hard to find in the wild, as sometimes she is one of the Queens, sometimes she is one of the Knights, sometimes she can even be one of the Pages. This exercise will help you learn to identify people who seem to have one foot in the physical world but their head in the spiritual realm. Your teachers, mentors, and spiritual wisdom-keepers never quite look the way you expect them to, so pay very close attention. Good luck, and don’t be surprised if you have to spend quite a bit of time playing hide and seek with the High Priestess.