Life
InTarot for Change, writer Jessica Dore provides tools and interpretations to guide you down your card-reading path.
When I got my first deck, I spent about two years pulling one card every morning and evening.
Through that slow process ofgetting to know the cards, I also got to know myself.
That was exactly what I needed from the cards when we first got together.
Familiarity doesnt require fluency, but that will probably come, too, the more time you spend.
Choose a deck that you genuinely want to spend time with.
One that inspires humility, curiosity, a real wanting to understand.
Watch out for that.
How To Ask Questions In Tarot
Many traditional styles oftarot readingbegin with a question.
For instance, someone could ask, What do I need to be aware of right now?
What am I not seeing?
or What secrets do you have to tell me today?
How will you know when youve shuffled enough?
If Im pulling for myself, Im done when I feel settled.
Is their heart frightened, or lonely?
Do they need to be supported or frustrated?
Once I have a sense of that, I can stop shuffling.
Imagine that your energy is intermingling with them, and theirs with you.
If you feel fearful or anxious, notice that and know it is OK to feel that way.
I draw each card from the top, placing the cards facedown on the table as I pull them.
When its time to turn them over, I turn them all over at once.
Take the time to experiment and listen for whats best for you and the cards.
Many people like to assign past, present, future values to a three-card spread.
I, personally, shy away from chronological approaches to interpreting spreads.
I really cant speak to using cards to divine the future; thats just not what I do.
for each position in time.
But first, just notice.
What are you feeling in your body?
What memories are lighting up?
Whats your heart doing?
Which feathers are getting ruffled?
Where does the hair stand up?
If you think you know what a card means right away, well, think again.
As my old friend and artistRobert Tannenused to say, Think that you might be wrong.
When the cards dont make immediate sense, see if you’re free to be with that.
Whats the texture of the feeling when nothing resonates?
What about certain symbols strikes you as neutral, uninteresting, or void of meaning?
What about them bores you, shuts you down, or even gives rise to resistance?
These days Im a bit less hurried, more interested in a good thing that takes time to bloom.
Lay them out in a place that youll see them and see if they shape-shift throughout the week.
Make a habit of getting receptive to what wants to be seen rather than expecting revelations on demand.
And that can be life-altering.
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Excerpted from Tarot For Change: Using the Cards for Self-Care, Acceptance, and Growth by Jessica Dore.
Published by Penguin Life on Oct. 26, 2021.
Copyright 2021 by Jessica Dore.
