August 12, 2022

The second half of a dozen "Tarot Ideas" . . . .

Here’s the first half, in case you missed it! And just as a reminder—History, Mystery, and Lore was written for a broad audience, at a time when Tarot was not well known outside a fairly small community of interests. So these suggestions may sound overly simple in today’s more sophisticated information climate.

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7. Use the cards to explore and develop your "other" senses. Get into a relaxed frame of mind and hold one card at a time, face down, in your left hand. Don't try to “guess" which card it is—just let your mind receive impressions and, after a few' minutes, compare these impressions with the card you’ve been holding. My own impressions are usually of colors and shapes, but it’s also possible to have ideas or emotions which correspond to the meaning of the card. As you try this over a period of time, notice what works best for you and develop a personalized approach.

8. Use the Tarot images to “incubate” dreams. Dream incubation was used by the ancient Greeks as a method of healing, and in recent years there has been renewed interest in their techniques. To use the Tarot along these lines, select a card and look at it for a few minutes before turning out the lights at bedtime. Then try to construct a mental image of the card as you are falling asleep. When you wake up, record your dreams. (Be sure to have a notepad or recording device by the bed.) Connections between the card and your dreams may not reveal themselves immediately, so be patient. They may not be obvious either, so take a flexible and creative approach to interpretation.

9. Use the Tarot images as objects of imaginative meditation. One way to cultivate the imagination involves developing the ability to visualize—and the Tarot images are perfect for this practice, though they are too complex to work with at a beginning level. For a simpler starting point, the tatvas (a black oval, a blue disk, a silver crescent, a yellow square, and a red triangle) are often recommended. (You may find it helpful to create tatva cards for exterior visualization before working on the interior visualization; see Mary Greer’s Tarot Mirrors for more concerning the tatvas.) If you are successful in creating and sustaining mental images of the tatvas, try working with one of the Tarot images. First build in your mind the basic outlines of the image, then fill in the details. The object is to make the image as vivid as possible and to hold the whole thing clearly in your “mind’s eye” for as long as possible.

10. Choose a Tarot figure to accompany you through the day. This activity helps give personality and dimension to the Tarot characters, and will enrich your understanding of the cards. Just think about the chosen character as you make choices and decisions. What would the Empress or the King of Wands wear today? What would they choose for lunch? Which movie would they be likely to go to? 

11.Practice telling stories. Reading the Tarot is a form of story-telling. It involves the same flow of imagination, and the same aim of engaging the audience. So if you haven’t had much story-telling experience lately (or ever), persuade one or more children to let you practice on them. Start with well-known tales, then add embellishments—and when you are comfortable with being a narrator, have your audience suggest two or three random elements (a princess, a pizza, and a trip to the moon, for example) and improvise a story that weaves them together. Be sure you give equal attention to plot, characters, and themes as you tell your stories.

12. Read for strangers. If you are interested in Tarot readership, you will make the greatest progress by reading for people you don't know.  Since you have no conscious knowledge of their lives or problems, you will be forced to depend on the cards, and develop your interpretive skills. Volunteering to read for parties or events is one good way to find strangers, and teaching a free class is another.  [When I originally wrote this section, there was no social media, if you can imagine!  Today it’s easy to find strangers for virtual readings—perhaps to exchange with others interested in Tarot. But in-person experience has a lot of value, so find those opportunities if possible.]

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This is Note #11!

So the first August Experiment is done—but I’m planning a second round. Look for news over the weekend. And as always . . . . thanks for reading. C