WEEK 7 - INTUITIVE TAROT READING
The Tarot is a set of 78 standardized cards that was originally used to play card games around the mid 15th century. But it is believed that somewhere in the 18th century, the Tarot began to be used for divination.
Tarot is excellent for reading energy, whether in the present, future or past.
Just like when I first started aura reading, with tarot, I felt like I had to know every single meaning out there for every single card. But after I memorised The Tarot Bible, my tarot readings just felt robotic, and sort of ‘meh’. So my guides reminded me that what the cards me to me (and particularly how they all feel together in that moment) is so much more important.
So with the Tarot. I say that it is important to understand the suits, the progression of the numbers, the major arcana basics, and the court cards… and then after that, simply use your intuition!!!
As well, some people choose to read the dead with cards reversed if they show up as such. That way of reading doesn’t resonate with me, so I have not included that here, but feel free to read Tarot with reverse meanings if that resonates with you (each card reverse is simply an opposite meaning of the card when upright).
THE TAROT DECK
The Tarot Deck consists of 78 cards, broken down into 56 Minor Arcana Card and 22 Major Arcana Cards. The Minor Arcana is further broken down into 4 suits (14 each of cups, wands/rods, swords, and pentacles). Many decks call the suits, or major arcana cards by new names, but they follow the same deck pattern.
Each suit has cards from 1-10, representing a journey from beginning to end (with 5 being the conflict or climax in the middle). And, there are also 4 court cards in each suit – a page, knight, queen and king.
CLEANSING YOUR DECK
In between readings, whether for yourself or others, you will want to cleanse your deck. As with any divination method, you can use smudge or incense, the full moon, or even by setting a clearing crystal on it (like selenite). Or you can simply hold your deck, and knock three times on it before and after each reading.
When I do Tarot Readings for clients, I like to have them shuffle the deck to put their energy into it, so I have them grab the deck, knock on it three times and then begin shuffling.
Many people believe that you shouldn’t allow others to touch your deck, nor should you buy your own deck. However, as with pretty much anything, I don’t really believe in “rules”. BEFORE STARTING A READING
Knock three times on your deck of cards to clear the energy from anyone else, or past readings. Or run them through the smoke from incense/smudge, but knocking is my preferred method (also if I am reading for someone else, I hand the deck over to them and have them knock on the deck before shuffling).
Shuffle the cards until you feel a sense of completion. It may feel like the cards start getting sticky, and seem to like where they are… or you just feel you are ready to go. Trust that.
Then place the deck down on a table, and with your non-dominant hand, split the deck into 3 (however it feels right). Then again, with your non-dominant hand, pile those 3 stacks back into one facedown stack however you are called to. If I am reading for someone else, I have them do all of this themselves. Then you are ready to read the tarot!
THE MINOR ARCANA
The Minor Arcana cards represent the energies (emotions, actions, behaviours, worries) of our everyday lives. These will generally make up the majority of the cards in any spread.
Each suit represents a different aspect of these energies.
WANDS/RODS – MATTERS OF ACTION SWORDS – MATTERS OF THE MIND
CUPS – MATTERS OF THE HEART PENTACLES – MATTERS OF THE MATERIAL
Every tarot reading will be a blend of some or all of these suits. Once the cards are flipped up, I like to start all readings by counting how many there are of each suit. This gives me a great idea of the theme of the reading. SUIT OF WANDS/RODS
-Matters of Action -Movement -Element Connection: Fire -Keywords: Passion. Creativity. Adventure. Confidence. Enthusiasm. Reactive. -Visualization: Throwing a Stick. Movement of a Fire. Moving Towards a Goal.
SUIT OF CUPS
-Matters of the Heart -Emotions -Element Connection: Water -Keywords: Relationships. Fulfillment. Reflection. Emotional Intelligence. Moods. Feelings. -Visualization: Filling Up a Cup with Tears (of happiness or sadness). Holding a Cup Close to Your Heart.
SUIT OF SWORDS
-Matters of the Mind (or even Battles of the Mind) -Thoughts -Element Connection: Air -Keywords: Decisions. Reasoning. Intellect. Anxiety. Stress. Justice. Ethics. Over-Thinking. -Visualization: Stabbing Yourself with Swords (hurting yourself by over-thinking). Feeling Threatened.
SUIT OF PENTACLES
-Matters of the Material -Security -Element Connection: Earth -Keywords: Money. Job. Safety. Abundance. Practicality. Physical Experience. Health. -Visualization: Coins. The Things You Do To Make Money and the Things You Spend Money On. THE COURT CARDS
The Court Cards generally represent the energies of other people bringing in their influence. They do have unique qualities reflective of their suit and rank (i.e. a king of cups is different from a king of swords and a page of wands is different from a queen of wands).
THE PAGE CARDS
A young, playful child-like energy. A symbol of naivety, spontaneity, and reckless-abandon. Full of possibility. Vulnerable and possibly insecure. Easy-going and outgoing. Can represent a male or female child-like energy full of energy and adventure.
THE KNIGHT CARDS
A wildly expressive, and immature teenage-like energy. Does not do anything in balance. Swings from one extreme to the other and definitely prone to excess, but does so with tons of spirit and energy. Can represent a male or female energy, but is always sincere and eager.
THE QUEEN CARDS
An experience-oriented, mature and intelligent energy. The Queen is, rather than does. She is relaxed, and enjoys life, expressing herself with ease. Can be male or female, but demonstrates a calm, feminine energy.
THE KING CARDS
An action-oriented, mature and authoritative energy. The King is assertive, strong, results-based, but guarded. He is a master in his particular suit. Can be male or female, but demonstrates a confident, masculine energy.
THE NUMBERS IN THE SUITS
The ace is the beginning of the journey and the ten is the ending. The higher the number, the more strong the suit energy will be influencing the meaning as well. Below are some general meanings for each number, but be sure to use the meanings that you came up with as well!
ACE – New beginnings. New opportunities. Unlimited potential. Time for a new start.
TWO – Opposing forces. Possible crossroads. Two distinct energies meeting.
THREE – A coming together of new beginnings and opposing forces. A challenge or goal. FOUR - A foundation. Something to continue building upon. A time to reflect or retreat.
FIVE – Conflict. Climax. Struggle. Sorrow and hurt. Challenge and competition. Defence.
SIX – Reflections after changes. Reflecting on motivations and memories. Moving away from or resolution of conflict.
SEVEN – A breaking down of what is so we can create what we want. A re-evaluation. Lingering wounds.
EIGHT – Retreat. Stuck. Vacation. Stillness. Feeling victimized or powerless. Hopeful. An unlimited (or even overwhelming) amount of the suit energy.
NINE – A huge amount of the suit energy. Completion or near completion. Won’t surrender or end feeling the strong suit energy.
TEN – A completion of a cycle. And new beginnings. End of a struggle. Changed forever. Huge realization and re-alignment.
THE MAJOR ARCANA
The Major Arcana expresses universal themes or archetypes (outside influences) as they relate to you. The more Major Arcana cards in your reading, the more major life events that are currently happening in your life and upcoming energy. *Note that in your deck, Strength and Justice may be switched. Use the meaning relative to each card and not where they are located in the Major Arcana.
Don’t forget to add in your own intuitive meanings for each of these cards based on what the numbers mean to you, and what imagery is on your cards.
Do not take the names of the cards literally (like the Death card). The are much more symbolic than literal!
0 – THE FOOL – Carefree and adventurous. Innocence. New beginnings and spontaneity. Free spirit. Not a time to be fearful before you leap…. Just jump.
I – THE MAGICIAN – The power of manifestation and creation. Achieving goals. Resourceful. Time to concentrate and take action. You have the power to get what you want.
II – THE HIGH PRIESTESS – Intuitive and mysterious. Represents the subconscious mind and higher powers. Make sure to listen to your higher self. III – THE EMPRESS – Feminine, nurturing and motherly. Fertile and abundant in all ways. Self-sacrificer. Empath. Tends to always take care of others before yourself.
IV – THE EMPEROR – Authority and father-figure energy. Someone to lean on. Structure. A solid foundation. Take control and dominance over the situation.
V – THE HIEROPHANT – A spiritual leader and mentor. Tradition. Rules or conformity. Staying true to your beliefs. You have been asking for help and are heard.
VI – THE LOVERS – True unconditional love energy, whether romantic or not. Family. Marriage. Self- love. Alignment of values. You have a deep-seated connection with someone.
VII – THE CHARIOT – Quickly moving through obstacles. Determined. Strong will power. Controlled. You will be victorious over life’s challenges.
VIII – STRENGTH – Courage and patience. Strong-willed. Compassionate. You may be challenged, but you have more than enough strength to deal with this.
IX – THE HERMIT – Introspective. A time for stillness and going within. Inner guidance will lead you. It is time to meditate, do some soul searching, and heal from within.
X – THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE – A turning point. A gamble. Karma. Destiny. A turning point. Life cycles and phases. You might be taking chances. It could go either way.
XI – JUSTICE – Seeking truth and fairness. Looking at things as black and white. Cause and effect. You are wanting to keep people (including yourself) accountable.
XII – THE HANGED MAN – Feeling stuck in a rut. Restricted. Self-sacrifice. Letting go. You are feeling hung and stuck.
XIII – DEATH – Forever changed. End of an era. If it does represent an actual death, it is someone who has already passed. You are completely transformed. A transition.
XIV – TEMPERANCE – Balance and moderation. Alchemy. Finding purpose. Transformation from negative to positive. You need to be patient and kind to yourself while healing.
XV – THE DEVIL – Habitual patterns. Addictions. Possible danger. Temptation. Self-sabotage. You need to heal your unhealthy habits and release yourself from the bondage. XVI – THE TOWER – A revelation. Upheaval. A disaster. Disruption and chaos. A breaking down of what is to make room for what is yet to come. A huge, sudden change. XVII – THE STAR – Hope. Inspiration. Spirituality. Encouragement. Renewed energy and movement towards your goals. Your dreams and wishes are coming true. A gold star.
XVIII – THE MOON – Fear. Illusion. But can also mean intuition. The elephant in the room. Insecurity. Anxiety. Our shadow self. The Moon represents the subconscious mind.
XIX – THE SUN – Positivity and warmth. Vitality and passion. All is illuminated. Outrageous fun. Walking on sunshine. Success. You are being recognized in the spotlight. Victory.
XX – JUDGEMENT – Self-judgement. Rebirth. Inner-calling. Absolution. Self-evaulation. You need to acknowledge so you can heal. Alignment with your higher self, and releasing the ego.
XXI – THE WORLD – Coming full circle. Completion. Accomplishment. Closure. Travel. Integration of healing. Things are coming together. You’ve really done well!
TAROT MEDITATION EXERCISE
Pull out a Tarot Card and just look at it. Reflect on the picture, the colours, the number, the images, symbols, directions, suits, feelings, impressions. What are all of the words or phrases you could use to describe this card?
TAROT ORGANIZATION EXERCISE
To strengthen your connection with your deck, and continue to allow your intuitive impressions about the cards to unfold, do this exercise regularly. Shuffle your tarot deck and then go through the cards face-up, reorganizing them and putting them into order with their suits (1-10, then court cards in order), and the Major Arcana in order. As you do this, allow any intuitive impressions and feelings about the cards to come through as well. You may also wish to set the intention for a card with an important message for you to pop out during this process as well.
TAROT JOURNAL
If you are really serious about your relationship with the Tarot, start a Tarot Journal. Make at least one page per tarot card. Write down or draw all of your meanings and associations for each card and add to it as needed.
*Remember, that as with any other divination method, we do not want to ask our Tarot Cards the same question more than once. If you are using a spread and asking a specific question, you must trust the answers that you get, or the tool loses its effectiveness TAROT TRICKS
Instead of putting cards in a traditional spread, you can use these tricks as well to do a reading for yourself.
-Need advice about how to handle a particular situation? Shuffle your deck and when ready, look through it for The Fool. Which card shows up before The Fool and which card shows up after? These are your advice on how to handle the situation from a fresh perspective.
-Are you searching for a new romance? Shuffle your deck and when you feel you have shuffled enough, look through the deck for The Lovers and The Ace of Cups. Once you find them, pay attention to all of the cards in between those two - these tell you how you are going to find new love.
-Wanting to start something new? Shuffle your decks and when ready, find the Magician card in your deck. Look at which cards show up right before and right after the Magician card - these tell you how you can manifest this new beginning.
-Doing some soul searching? Shuffle your deck, and when you feel good to go, find The Hermit card in your deck. The cards directly before and directly after are your messages about your introspection.
-Are you going through major life changes? Shuffle, and when ready find The World card in your deck. Look at the cards before and after The World, as these are your advice for this new chapter.
TAROT SPREADS
Although you can always pull one card at a time, the tarot is usually best used in spreads. The more comfortable you are with a given spread, the more confident you will be in interpreting the answers as you perceive them… so practice, practice, practice.
When reading a tarot spread, you not only want to look at what the cards mean by themselves (and where they are positioned in the spread), but also how they interact with each other. This is wear intuitive tarot reading really comes in! How do you feel about all of these cards together, and the story they are telling?
Here are a few of my favourite spreads:
-A 10 Card Spread (A Total Energetic Overview) – The Celtic Cross Spread
-2 X 3 Card Spreads – The Past, Present and Future Spread - The Spiritual Spread
QUICK TAROT GUIDE
THE MAJOR ARCANA
0 - The Fool New Beginnings, Opportunity, Innocence 11 - Justice Truth, Fairness, Cause & Effect
1 - The Magician Resourceful, Manifestation, Power 12 - The Hanged Man In a Rut, Letting Go, Sacrifice, Feeling Stuck
2 - The High Priestess Intuition, Mystery, The Subconscious Mind 13 - Death Life Changing Transformation, A Rebirth
3 - The Empress Fertility, Mother Earth, Nurturing 14 - Temperance Balance, Moderation, Alchemy
4 - The Emperor Authority, Order, Father-Figure 15 - The Devil Addiction, Bad Habits, Negativity, Bondage
5 - The Hierophant Spiritual Leader, Tradition, Morals/Values 16 - The Tower Upheaval, Disaster, Revelation, Crisis
6 - The Lovers Unconditional Love, Union, Harmony 17 - The Star Hope, Inspiration, Achievement of Goals
7 - The Chariot Will-power, Determination, Ambition 18 - The Moon Illusion, Fear, Intuition, Elephant in the Room
8 - Strength Courage, Patience, inner-strength 19 - The Sun Positivity, Warmth, Vitality, Success, Victory
9 - The Hermit Introspection, Inner Guidance, Meditation 20 - Judgement Self-Judgement, Absolution, Evaluation
10 - The Wheel of Fortune Turning Point, Change, Gamble 21 - The World Completion, Accomplishment, Coming Full Circle
THE MINOR ARCANA
CUPS Relationships, Emotions, Water WANDS Movement, Change, Fire
ACE OF CUPS New Relationships, Peace, New Relationship with Self ACE OF WANDS New Opportunity, Good News, Potential, Growth, A Creative Spark
TWO OF CUPS Partner, Attraction, Couple, Beneficial Relationship TWO OF WANDS Decisions, Potential, Waiting, Weighing the Options, Planning
THREE OF CUPS Friendship, Community, Celebration, Joy THREE OF WANDS Foresight, Preparation, Travel, Moving Forward
FOUR OF CUPS Contemplation, Dissatisfaction, Apathy, Comparison FOUR OF WANDS Harmony, Prosperity, Happy Family, Reunion, Celebration
FIVE OF CUPS Loss, Regret, Grief, Guilt, Remorse, Trauma FIVE OF WANDS Conflict, Competition, Struggle, Arguments, Being Defensive
SIX OF CUPS Nostalgia, Innocence, Reunion, Reminiscing SIX OF WANDS Progress, Confidence, Victory, Success, Recognition, Leader
SEVEN OF CUPS Illusion, Fantasy, Deception, Decisions, Wishful Thinking SEVEN OF WANDS Perseverance, Defiance, Standing Up for Your Beliefs, Stamina
EIGHT OF CUPS Withdrawal, Escape, Letting Go, Walking Away EIGHT OF WANDS Speed, Travel, Progress, Action, Hastiness, Exciting Times
NINE OF CUPS Fulfilled Wishes, Satisfaction, Greed, Success, Attainment NINE OF WANDS Resilience, Defeat, Ongoing Battle, Wounded, Drained of Energy
TEN OF CUPS Joy, Harmony, Destiny, Well-Being, Blessings TEN OF WANDS Carrying Burdens, Hard Work, Overloaded, Uphill Struggle, Challenge
PAGE OF CUPS A Messenger, A Fish Out of Water, A Dreamer PAGE OF WANDS Enthusiastic, A Bringer of Good News, Cheerful, Fun, A Fearless Extrovert
KNIGHT OF CUPS A Prince Charming, A True Love, Rose-Tinted Glasses KNIGHT OF WANDS An Adventurer, Brave, A Charming Hero, Being Swept Off Your Feet
QUEEN OF CUPS An Empath, Someone Who Has Your Best Interests in Mind QUEEN OF WANDS A Courageous Mother Energy, Optimistic, An Independent Person
KING OF CUPS A Master of Emotiona, Devoted, Relationship Mentor KING OF WANDS A Visionary, A Natural Leader, Controlling, Protective, Friendly, Honest PENTACLES Material Things, Physical, Money, Earth SWORDS The Mind, Thoughts, Decisions, Air
ACE OF PENTACLES New Start with Money/Health/Job, Wealth, Prosperity ACE OF SWORDS Brand New Ideas, Breakthroughs, Clarity, Making the Right Decision
TWO OF PENTACLES Balance, Adaptability, Juggling Finances, Partnership TWO OF SWORDS Choice, Stalemate, A Crossroads, Tough Decisions, Sitting on The Fence
THREE OF PENTACLES Apprentice, Teamwork, Learning, Growing, Collaboration THREE OF SWORDS Grief, Seperation, Heartbreak, Betrayal, Depression, Trauma, Sorrow
FOUR OF PENTACLES Hoarding, Stinginess, Possessive, Financial Security, FOUR OF SWORDS Rest, Recuperation, Overwhelm, Metal Overload, Self- Greed Protection
FIVE OF PENTACLES Isolation, Poverty, Hardships, Feeling Left out in the Cold FIVE OF SWORDS Conflict, Defeat, Surrender, Self-Sabotage, Fighting Back, Deception
SIX OF PENTACLES Generosity, Charity, Support, Sharing, Wealth, Valued SIX OF SWORDS Regrets, Calmer Waters, Moving Forward, Overcoming Hardships
SEVEN OF PENTACLES Results, Cultivation, Perseverance, Coming to Fruition SEVEN OF SWORDS Deception, Betrayal, Lies, Getting Away with it, Daring, Manipulation
EIGHT OF PENTACLES Hard Work, Education, Expertise, Ambition, Dedication EIGHT OF SWORDS Isolation, Victim, Feeling Trapped, Paralysed by Fear, Anxiety, Imprisoned
NINE OF PENTACLES Luxury, Gratitude, Wealth, Freedom, Indulgence, Success NINE OF SWORDS Despair, Anxiety, Insomnia, Overwhelmed, Remorse, Guilt, Unhappiness
TEN OF PENTACLES Wealth, Inheritance, Long-Term Financial Security, TEN OF SWORDS Defeat, Crisis, Backstabbing, Betrayal, Exhaustion, Martyr, Health Ruin, Bitter
PAGE OF PENTACLES Someone Bringing Opportunity, Loyal Young Person PAGE OF SWORDS A Curious Person, Someone with New Ideas, Chatty, A Gossiper
KNIGHT OF PENTACLES An Ambitious Worker, Someone Who Persists, KNIGHT OF An Impatient Fighter, Brave, Impulsive but Intellectual, A Responsible SWORDS Champion
QUEEN OF PENTACLES A Mature Down to Earth Person, Successful, Organized QUEEN OF SWORDS An Honest and Protective Person, Witty, Chatty, A Constructive Critic
KING OF PENTACLES A Successful Provider, Controlling, Dependable, Wealthy KING OF SWORDS An Intelligent Authority Figure, Disciplined, Someone who Like Routine