About the Author Kim Huggens has been studying Tarot since the age of nine, and is the

co-author of SolInvictus: The God Tarot (Schiffer ublications, !""#$ and the in-%rogress com%anion dec& istis So%hia: The Goddess Tarot' She lives in (ardiff, )ales, *here she *or&s as a veterinary rece%tionist %art-time to fund her university studies in Ancient History' She moved to (ardiff in !""! for her undergraduate degree in hiloso%hy, and also graduated *ith an +A in ,eligion in -ate Anti.uity from (ardiff

/niversity in !""#' Kim has given numerous tal&s and *or&sho%s on the sub0ect of Tarot, divination, aganism, and mythology in the /K, and regularly runs Tarot courses' She is a %racticing 1odouisante and Thelemite, and a member of the 2T2' She lives *ith her %artner and cat, and in her s%are time %lays (all of (thulu and 3ungeons and 3ragons, *rites short fiction, goes for *al&s in graveyards and *ishes she could translate Sumerian' To )rite to the Author If you *ish to contact the author or *ould li&e more information about this boo&, %lease *rite to the author in care of -le*ellyn )orld*ide and *e *ill for*ard your re.uest' 4oth the author and %ublisher a%%reciate hearing from you and learning of your en0oyment of this boo& and ho* it has hel%ed you' -le*ellyn )orld*ide cannot guarantee that every letter *ritten to the author can be ans*ered, but all *ill be for*arded' lease *rite to: +any of -le*ellyn5s authors have *ebsites *ith additional information and resources' 6or more information, %lease visit our *ebsite at: ***'Ile*ellyn'com

+AST7,I8G TH7 A,T 26 ,7A3I8G TH7 (A,3S KI+H/GG78S

This *or& is dedicated to every *illing Tarot student and to the constant 0ourney to*ard understanding and *isdom'

Ac&no*ledgments 9vii A 8ote about the Structure of the (ourse 9i9 Getting Started 99iii :' Introduction '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' : )hat Is Tarot; : )hat (an It 3o; < )hy Are =ou Here; > (hoosing a Tarot 3ec& > 3ec& ,evie*s :" )here to 4uy :: Ti%s for (aring for and Storing =our 3ec&: S%ills, (lum%ing, and 2ther Accidents :: 2%tional Home*or& :! 6urther ,eading :! !' The -anguage of Tarot ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :<

Tarot 2rigins: History and +yth in (onte9t :< The 8ature of Symbolism :? -earning Tarot 7ffectively :@ +yths Surrounding Tarot !? 2%tional Home*or& !@ 6urther ,eading !@ <' The +a0or Arcana: Introduction and rogress (ards '''''''''' !A The 2rder of the +a0ors: 8orms and 1ariants <" Ideas of Im%ortance <: Bose%h (am%bell5s +onomyth <! The Hero5s Bourney << " The 6ool <# I The +agician ?" 1II The (hariot ?< 2%tional Home*or& ?@ 6urther ,eading ?@ ?' The +a0or Arcana: 6eminine Archety%es ''''''''''''''''''' ?# Gender in the (ards ?# +aiden, +other, (rone, )hore, and 2ther 6eminine Archety%es ?A Goddess Archety%e S%read >" II The High riestess >! 3evelo%ing =our Intuition >> III The 7m%ress >@ C1II The Star >A 2%tional Home*or& @! 6urther ,eading @! >' ,eading Tarot: 4eginnings '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' @< The ur%ose of a ,eading @< The 2b0ectives of a ,eader @? The hysical rocess of ,eading @> =our ,eading Style @A Saying the +eanings Aloud #" -earning *ith 2thers: ractice ,eadings #: -ess Is +ore: The 2ne-(ard S%read #: racticing 2b0ectivity #! 2%tional Home*or& #? @' The +a0or Arcana: +asculine Archety%es ''''''''''''''''''' #> (arl Bung and the 6ourfold 3ivine +asculine #> The 6our 7lements, Suits, and (ourts ## 2ther +asculine Archety%es D: I1 The 7m%eror D! 1 The Hiero%hant D> IC The Hermit DD The 7lemental S%read A: 2%tional Home*or& A! 6urther ,eading A!

#' The +a0or Arcana: 1irtues and 1ices '''''''''''''''''''''' A< +edieval 1irtues in the Tarot A< Thelemic ,etellings A> CI BusticeE1III Ad0ustment AD 1III StrengthECI -ust :": CI1 Tem%eranceEArt :"? Alchemical ,oses :"# The Great ,ite Alchemy S%read :"D 2%tional Home*or& :"A 6urther ,eading :"A D' The +a0or Arcana: (yclical Things ''''''''''''''''''''''' ::: Abstract (once%ts in the Tarot ::: 6ate vs' 6ree )ill ::! =our 4irth (ard and =ear (ard ::< ,otary +ysteries, the S%hin95s ,iddle, and 7Fe&iel5s 1ision ::@ C The )heel of 6ortune ::A -a 3anse +acabre :!! CIII 3eath :!< CCI The )orld :!@ The )heel of the =ear Tarot S%read :!A 2%tional Home*or& :<: 6urther ,eading :<! A' The Tarot S%read '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :<< The ur%ose of the Tarot S%read :<< 3ifferent Ty%es of S%reads :<> re-)ritten vs' (reated S%reads :<@ Some (lassic S%reads :<D The 7arliest ,ecorded S%read :?< /sing ,eversals :?? 2%tional Home*or& :?# 6urther ,eading :?# :"' The +a0or Arcana: The 3ar& Side '''''''''''''''''''''' :?A The 3ar& Side: -earning Ho* to (o%e :?A 8egative into ositive: 4ecoming a roactive Tarot ,eader :>! The 3ar& 8ight of the Soul :>< CII The Hanged +an :>> C1I The To*er :>A C1 The 3evil :@! The /nder*orld S%read :@> 2%tional Home*or& :@@ 6urther ,eading :@# ::' The +a0or Arcana: )hat5s 2ut There; (In Here;$''''''''''' :@A As Above, So 4elo* :@A Astrology and the Tarot :#" The Sun and +oon in 8eo%latonism :#! C1III The +oon :#?

CIC The Sun :## CC Budgement :D" 1I The -overs :D< The Astrological S%read :D@ 2%tional Home*or& :D# 6urther ,eading :DD :!' (reating =our 2*n S%reads ''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :DA The 6eatures of a S%read :A" (reating a Sim%le, Short, ur%ose-3riven S%read :A: A 8ote on atterns and (ard ositions :A> (reating 2ther Ty%es of S%reads :A@ 6inding Ins%iration :AD 2%tional Home*or& :AD 6urther ,eading :AA :<' (ourt (ards: Introduction and A%%roaches '''''''''''''''' !": A 8ote on (ourt (ard Titles !"! 2ld-6ashioned 1ie*s of the (ourt (ards !"! /seful A%%roaches to the (ourt (ards !"> 7lemental Attributes of the (ourt (ards !"@ The 8ature of 7ach (ourt (ard !"D +4TI Ty%es and the (ourt (ards !:" Keirsey Tem%eraments !:: 2%tional Home*or& !:< 6urther ,eading !:< :?' (ourt (ards: (u%s and (oins '''''''''''''''''''''''''' !:> The (oins (ourt !:> The (u%s (ourt !:A Astrological Attributes of the (ourt (ards !!! /sing Significators !!? 2%tional Home*or& !!@ :>' (ourt (ards: )ands and S*ords '''''''''''''''''''''''' !!# The S*ords (ourt !!# The )ands (ourt !<! =our ersonal Tarot (ourt !<@ (ourt (ard 1ision 4oards !?" The G)here Am I;G S%read !?: 2%tional Home*or& !?: :@' The +inor Arcana: Introduction and (oinsE7arth '''''''''' !?< 8ames of Suits !?? The 6our )orlds and the +inor Arcana !?> Kabbalah and the +inor Arcana !?@ Kabbalah and the +a0or Arcana !?D 8umerology and the +inor Arcana !?A The Suit of (oinsE7arth !>" The ,esources S%read !>? 2%tional Home*or& !>>

6urther ,eading !>> :#' The +inor Arcana: +ethods for the +inors and (u%sE)ater'' !># ,ider-)aite and Thoth +eanings: Some 3ifferences !># Inter%reting the +inors-+ethods of A%%roach !>D +a0or Arcana, (ourt (ards, and +inor Arcana: 2ne 4ig Ha%%y 6amily !@" The Suit of (u%sE)ater !@< A ,elationshi% S%read !@D 2%tional Home*or& !@A 6urther ,eading !@A :D' The +inor Arcana: The +ind A%%lied to Tarot, and S*ordsEAir ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' !#: Intellectual Tarot !#: The Suit of S*ordsEAir !#? 7lemental Interaction in ,eadings !#A Astrology and the +inor Arcana !D" 2%tional Home*or& !D> 6urther ,eading !D@ :A' The +inor Arcana: +agic, the )ill, and )andsE6ire '''''''' !D# The Suit of )andsE6ire !D# Tarot for +agic !A! ath*or&ing the Tarot !A# /sing GKeysG: The +issing (ard in a ,un <"" The G)ho Am I;G S%read <": 2%tional Home*or& <"! 6urther ,eading <"! !"' The 3ifficult Huestions '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' <"> 3ealing )ith 3ifficult HuestionsEHuerents <"> -a*s on Tarot <"A =our Tarot 7thics <:" The ,eading Style S%read <:? 2%tional Home*or& <:> 6urther ,eading <:> !:' Ti%s and Tric&s )hen ,eading for 2thers '''''''''''''''' <:# (hatting Isn5t (heating: Interactive ,eadings <:# A +atter of Seating <:A Atmos%here and A%%earance <!" The +ind 4lan& <!! 2%tional Home*or& <!! !!' The 8e9t Ste% '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' <!< laces for 6ello* Tarot -overs <!< (ollecting Tarot 3ec&s <!? (reating =our 2*n 3ec& <!@ Going rofessional <!# A 6inal Thought <!# 2%tional Home*or& <!# 6urther ,eading <!D

A%%endi9 :: The 6our 7lements <!A A%%endi9 !: The Tree of -ife <<: 4ibliogra%hy <<<

+y dee%est than&s go to my friends Harrison, Simon, and Bon, *ithout *hom life *ould be so much duller and red *ine *ould not taste so good' I love you all truly' In %articular I give my gratitude to Harrison for his su%%ort, advice, guidance, and tea' +y heartfelt than&s go to my brothers and sisters in the Thelemic and 1odou communities-*ithout you all I *ould be lost' Than&s also to 3an elletier for the blunt %encil tric&I

This Tarot course is designed to enable you, the reader, to study the system of Tarot in a %ersonal and meaningful manner' It is suitable for readers of all levels of e9%erience, as it leads the reader from the very basic s&ills through to the more advanced to%ics concerning Tarot' )here %ossible, the reader is encouraged to %rogress through the course in order so as not to miss useful informationJ ho*ever, the lessons are designed so that they also have value as stand-alone studies' The %ace at *hich you study this course is entirely u% to you and should be dictated by your other commitments, your level of interest in Tarot, and your o*n learning style' Ho*ever, students in the %ast have found that t*o to four *ee&s bet*een lessons has given them %lenty of time to com%lete the o%tional home*or&, com%lete the e9ercises from the lessons, and e9%lore the themes from each lesson on a %ersonal, dee%er level' Ideally, you should only move on to a ne* lesson *hen you are ha%%y *ith your understanding of the %revious lesson' /nli&e many Tarot boo&s and courses, I have not given the lessons on the +a0or Arcana cards in chronological order (from ", the 6ool, to !:, the )orld$' I found that this order, *hile useful for readings and inter%retation, *as an unhel%ful *ay of learning the cards themselves, and thus the lessons on the +a0or Arcana are organiFed into themes' A set of three (and in one case, four$ cards is e9amined for each theme, serving to highlight this theme as it a%%ears in the cards, sho* the similarities and differences bet*een the cards, and to offer a means for the reader to e9%lore these abstract conce%ts' Alongside each set of cards are sections on techni.ues, s&ills, symbolism, s%reads, and useful tools that fit the theme' ,eaders may have already noticed that the +a0or Arcana lessons are interru%ted %eriodically *ith lessons concerning other to%ics-reading s&ills and creating s%reads, for instance' This is to allo* each reader a chance to not only learn about the cards but to begin from as early a stage as %ossible to %ractice the methods of reading' The o%tional home*or& and e9ercises found throughout the lessons *ill offer a means for the reader to %ractice these s&ills' The o%tional home*or&, activities, and e9ercises are an integral %art of this Tarot course' As suggested by their names, the home*or&KsL are not necessary, but they are the most effective *ay for the reader to integrate their ne*found &no*ledge from the lessons into their lives, their individual Tarot %ractice, and their understanding' The

same is true of the activities e9ercises, *hich are designed s%ecifically to introduce the conce%ts or s&ills in the lessons in a *ay that aids in the reader5s learning of them and eventual understanding of them' This course is not designed to 0ust be read through, and instead %uts the %o*er in the hands of the reader to develo% a %ersonal relationshi% *ith the cards and the system of Tarot' rimarily, this is because I do not *ant the students of this course to sim%ly %arrot *ords that have been %ut into their mouths by the lessons' I *ant the students of this course to ma&e discoveries for themselves, find out ne* things about their %articular Tarot dec&, highlight as%ects of their o*n lives and %ersonalities, and begin to create their o*n understanding and relationshi% *ith the cards' )hen this method of learning is em%loyed, it ceases to be an intellectual chore, and becomes a *onderful, engaging, and encouraging %ath of discovery and self-develo%ment' At the end of most lessons is a 6urther ,eading list for those *ho *ish to e9%lore that lesson5s s&ills, techni.ues, or theme further' 7ach student is encouraged *here %ossible to read *idely and e9%lore further than this course' This course, as *ith most things in life, *ill give to you *hat you %ut into it' -i&e learning any ne* s&ill, the more effort you %ut into ta&ing an active role in the learning %rocess the more .uic&ly and effectively you *ill learn, and the more fun you *ill have' This course is also designed so that it can be studied in %airs or grou%s of %eo%le, and indeed if you can find another interested %erson to do the course *ith you, you *ill find that you each benefit from the other5s %ers%ective, home*or& notes, ideas, and mista&es' In fact, this course has been taught to grou%s of u%*ards of ten %eo%le *ith great effect' 6inally, have funI The Tarot is a *onderful and versatile tool that *ill stand you in good stead for years to come, and bring you many en0oyable e9%eriences along the *ay'

To begin this course, you *ill need only a *illing mind and a noteboo&' A Tarot dec& is useful but not essential until -esson <J also at -esson < a Tarot 0ournal *ill be useful' 2nce again, the method of using a Tarot 0ournal is encouraged but not necessaryJ ho*ever, the e9ercises and home*or& *ill need a %lace to be *ritten do*n and stored for future referenceI

)hat Is Tarot; A standard Tarot %ac& consists of seventy-eight cards, s%lit into t*o distinct sections: the +a0or Arcana and +inor Arcana (GArcanaG from the -atin for G+ysteries,G therefore Gthe Greater +ysteries,G and Gthe -esser +ysteriesG$' The +a0or Arcana traditionally contains t*enty-t*o cards, numbered "-!:, and in many modern dec&s this numbering begins *ith the 6ool and ends *ith the )orld (some earlier dec&s give the 6ool as coming after the )orld, or variously bet*een the last t*o cards of the +a0or Arcana$' The +inor Arcana is s%lit into four suits, much li&e a %laying dec&, *ith suits of (u%s, (oins ( entacles and 3iscs are other common names$, S*ords,

and )ands (,ods and Staves are also common'$ In each suit there are ten numbered cards (:-:"$, and four (ourt (ards: age, Knight, Hueen, King (variations u%on these are common in dec&s'$ Ho*ever, the Tarot dec& is greater than the sum of its constituent %arts, and as such the .uestion G)hat is Tarot;G is further e9%lored belo*' M 7C7,(IS7 :': 79amine these statements about Tarot, and decide *hich you agree *ith most' 7ither rate them on a scale of :-:" (: N I agree *holeheartedlyJ :" N I couldn5t disagree moreI$ or %lace them into three grou%s: G(losest to my vie*,G G/nsureEnot a%%licable,G and G6urthest a*ay from my vie*'G :' GThe Tarot is of intense interest to the occult student because it contains an outline of Initiation'''G -(orinne Heline, The 4ible O the Tarot !' G'''Tarot images offer a frame*or&, guides and mile%osts on an other*ise uncharted and therefore frightening 0ourney'G -Irene Gad, Tarot and Individuation <' Tarot is a means of foretelling the future' ?' Tarot is a method of assessing the %resent and the %ast' >' Tarot is a s&ill that re.uires effort to learn' @' Tarot is an art form that re.uires imagination and creativity to use' #' Tarot is a gift that you are born *ith' D' Tarot is a fun *ay of %assing time, entertaining friends, and brea&ing the ice' A' Tarot is a %rofession used to ma&e money' :"' Tarot is a %ictorial re%resentation of all the stages of human develo%ment and all the e9%eriences shared by human&ind' 8o* as& yourself *hy you agree *ith some statements and *hy you disagree *ith others' )hat does this indicate about your o*n vie* of the Tarot and *hy you *ant to learn it; A %erson could conceivably hold all the above statements as true, but it is li&ely that you found certain statements to be not a%%licable to your vie*s rather than com%letely false' This is because each individual *ill a% %roach the Tarot *ith an idea of *hat they thin& it is and *hat they ho%e to gain from it, and certain %ers%ectives *on5t figure into that' 6or instance, you may *ish to learn Tarot sim%ly to do readings for yourself-in this case, statement A *ould be true for others (and therefore not false$, but not a%%licable for your %ur%oses' These statements also highlight a .uestion about *hether the Tarot is a s&ill that can be learned by anybody, *hether it is an art form that can be engaged *ith but not learned intellectually, or *hether it is a gift that you must be born *ith in order to use it' 79%erience has suggested to me that Tarot is something that can be learned by anybody *ho *ishes it, though Tarot is both a s&ill and an art form' I have seen many %eo%le taught ho* to use Tarot, suggesting that one isn5t born *ith it at all' =ou *ill also notice that t*o of the above statements consider Tarot as a form of initiation, or a symbolic and %ictorial re%resentation of life5s mysteries' This is a *idely held vie* by many Tarot readers, since each card re%resents an as%ect of human e9%erience that may occur in life: birth, death, love, 0ealousy, hatred, grief, *ar, trium%h, loss, change, balance, crime, friendshi%s, *or&, family, and more' +any %eo%le vie* the Tarot as a com%lete microcosm-a miniature re%resentation of this universe' 6inally, statements A and :" hint at a fe* of the many %ossible uses of Tarot, from fortune telling to fun and ma&ing money' All these *ays of using Tarot *ill be e9%lored throughout the course'

)hat (an It 3o; 7C7,(IS7 :'! 4efore reading ahead, ta&e a fe* minutes to brainstorm *hat you thin& Tarot can dofor yourself and for others' Some e9am%les might include highlighting o%tions, assessing *hich %aths out of a number of %ossibilities are most beneficial, e9%loring one5s feelings, and %laying games' +any Tarot readers *ill immediately thin& of fortune-telling *hen as&ed *hat Tarot can do' Ho*ever, it is an e9tremely versatile system of divination that has many other uses besides ta&ing a %ee& at our futures' Here are some *ays Tarot can be used (some more serious than others$: P 6oretelling the future P 79amining a %erson5s feelings about a situation or another %erson P Highlighting o%tions that *ere %reviously unclear or unseen P 4rainstorming a ne* business %lan, %ro0ect, or conce%t P Giving ins%iration and ne* ideas for a creative %ro0ect P (reating characters and storylines for fiction *riting P laying a game P 4rea&ing the ice at team building events P Serving as a mnemonic device for remembering other symbolic systems P 79%loring the events of the %ast and their influences u%on the %resent P (reating affirmations or rituals for daily s%iritual %ractice P 6orming mental door*ays to use for meditation and %ath*or&ing P 2ffering images for altars, decoration, and gifts P 79%loring one5s inner self and current situation P +a&ing decisions =ou *ill find, as you develo% as a Tarot reader, that you use Tarot in certain *ays more often than you use it in other *ays' This is natural, as your o*n reasons for learning and using Tarot, your s%iritual %ath, and your *ay of life *ill dictate *hat use the Tarot has for you' )hy Are =ou Here; It is im%ortant before you begin studying something to understand *hy you *ish to learn about it' Kno*ing your reasons for doing this course *ill allo* you to be a*are of *hich as%ects of Tarot a%%eal to you most, *ill allo* you to develo% your o*n Tarot reading style and methods of giving a reading, and *ill enable you to become a %roactive creator of your o*n learning, rather than a %assive reci%ient of information from a boo&' M 7C7,(IS7 :'< Ta&e a fe* minutes to note in a 0ournal your reasons for doing this course' =ou can be as %oetic or as straightfor*ard as you li&e, but try to thin& of this e9ercise as a *ay of creating a mission statement' (onsider *hat you *ant to have learned and be able to do by the end of the course' ,eflect u%on *hat as%ects of Tarot5s many uses most a%%eal to you, and also thin& bac& to the statements you agreed *ith strongly in 79ercise :':' Kee% this G+ission StatementG some*here you *ill have access to it every time you begin a ne* lesson in this course, and return to it every fe* lessons to chec& it is still valid' As you go through the course, you may find your ideas changing and evolving, so be a*are that the +ission Statement may re.uire a little revision as your understanding dee%ensI (hoosing a Tarot 3ec&

Although o*ning a Tarot dec& for this course is not necessary until -esson <, you may find it handy to have one before this so that you can begin to familiariFe yourself *ith the cards and the loo& of the dec&' =ou *ill also *ant to ta&e some care in choosing the right dec& for you, so if you start early you are more li&ely to have the dec& you *ant by -esson <' If you already o*n a dec&, consider ho* a%%licable it is to you as a %erson' A dec& may have been given as a gift to you, %assed do*n from one %erson to another, bought hastily, or sim%ly obtained such a long time ago that the o*ner has gro*n out of it' Since your understanding of Tarot *ill change over time, it is im%ortant to be %re%ared to retire a dec& if it no longer fits li&e it used to' 6or instance, if you converted from aganism to (atholicism, you may find that a dec& filled *ith agan symbolism, Goddesses, and Gods, is no longer useful to you and that you *ould %refer a dec& *ith more biblical symbolism or saints in it' Some %eo%le find the %erfect dec& for them on their first attem%t, *hile others may buy several dec&s before finding one suitable' This is %rimarily because being able to vie* an entire dec& before buying is e9tremely rare-they are &e%t sealed (and sometimes in loc&ed cabinets$ in boo&sho%s, and online revie*s *ill usually only sho*case bet*een three to ten cards from the dec&' =ou may find that the only cards you actually li&ed from the dec& *ere the ones online or on the bac& of the bo9, and you find the rest of the dec& abhorrentI 2*ning a fe* dec&s is natural, and you may even find that you desire more dec&s as your studies continue' )hen you are sho%%ing for a ne* Tarot dec&, some or all of the follo*ing factors should be ta&en into consideration' Art Style +any %eo%le are attracted to a dec& initially for aesthetic reasons, and indeed you *ant to en0oy the art*or& in front of you *hile doing a reading' 7ach %erson5s a%%reciation of certain art styles is different, and if you *ant a s%ecific school (im%ressionist, surrealist, cubist, re-,a%haelite$ you are li&ely to find a Tarot dec& out there to suit these tastes' If you &no* sim%ly that you %refer *atercolor art to oil %aintings, or %encil s&etches to stic& men, or collages to %hotogra%hy, you also have an idea of *hat your ideal dec& should loo& li&e-and once again, you *ill find %lenty of dec&s out there to suit your %reference (yes, there is a Stic& 6igure Tarot$' Ho*ever, a%%earances can be deceiving-the most beautiful dec& in the *orld may in fact be *rong for you, since it may clash *ith your beliefs, change something in the cards you consider fundamental, be too e9%ensive or too large' After choosing a dec& you consider beautiful, also consider the follo*ing features' The GSchoolG It Has (ome 6rom Generally s%ea&ing, most Tarot dec&s descend from a certain tradition or GschoolG of Tarot, based on a historical and highly influential Tarot dec& from history' These are the ,ider-)aite-Smith, (ro*ley-Thoth, and +arseilles traditions' The first is named after the ,ider-)aite tarot dec&, conceived by Arthur 7d*ard )aite and %ainted by amela (olman Smith in the early !"th century' Although this dec& in turn is ins%ired by the Golden 3a*n movement and therefore ta&es its meanings and much of its symbolism from it, it is the ,ider-)aite dec& that *as *idely %rinted and distributed' In %articular, many modern dec&s co%y directly or are ins%ired by the ,ider-)aite5s fully illustrated +inor Arcana' The (ro*ley-Thoth tradition originated in the :A?"s, *hen Aleister (ro*ley (another former member of the Golden 3a*n$ %artnered *ith -ady 6rieda Harris to create and %aint the Thoth Tarot, a dec& that not only contained the systems of Kabbalah and

astrology, but also e9%ounded the tenets of (ro*ley5s ne* religion, Thelema' The Thoth Tarot *as not %ublished until :A@A, but from then many modern dec&s too& ins%iration from (ro*ley5s ne* %ers%ective on the +a0or Arcana and the use of a mi9ture of Kabbalah, astrology, numerology, and elemental symbolism as a means of e9%ressing card meanings' The +arseilles tradition develo%ed over a number of centuries in continental 7uro%e from some of the earliest Tarot dec&s in e9istence' +ost of these dec&s *ere %rinted before the occult revival that gave birth to the ,ider-)aite and Thoth dec&s, and many of them *ere used for gaming %ur%oses rather than divination' As such, they mostly have non-illustrated G%i%G +inor Arcana, ma&ing them more difficult for a novice to read' The Tarot dec& you choose can be from any of these schools, but you may find it hel%ful to o*n a +arseilles Tarot, the Thoth Tarot, and the ,ider-)aite as a means of com%arison *ith any other dec&s you are using throughout the course' Ho* Traditional It Is Some Tarot dec&s stic& rigidly to one of the above traditions, almost to the %oint of being clones' Ho*ever, many *ill change things to varying degrees, de%ending on the creator5s vie*s, %ers%ectives, and understanding of the cards' ,emember that Tarot dec& creators are individuals li&e you, and therefore they e9%ress their o*n individual vie*s in their creations' The dec&s may differ *ildly from tradition, having different images, symbols, colors, card titles, order of +a0or Arcana, and card meanings' )hether you li&e these changes is u% to you, but be a*are of them *hen you choose a dec&-these features *ill be discussed in revie*s of Tarot dec&s online' SiFe of the (ards A little-considered factor in Tarot dec& choice is the siFe of the cards' +ost of us are accustomed to shuffling and handling a %o&er dec&, but this is considerably smaller than the average Tarot dec&' eo%le *ith small hands may find a Tarot dec& difficult to shuffle *ithout %ractice' There are some smaller Tarot dec&s available, and also some larger ones-the larger dec&s are often easier to read, meaning that little details are clearer and easier to inter%ret' The 3ec&5s Theme 3o you li&e baseball; There5s a Tarot dec& out there for you' (at lover; )hat about a dec& *ith these creatures in it instead of humans; Arthurian legend enthusiast; =ou5ll find %lenty of dec&s that attribute various legends from (amelot to the cards of the +a0or Arcana' +ythology buff; +arvel comics reader; H' ' -ovecraft fan; 3o you *ant a dec& that caters to homose9ual men and *omen; (hildren; +ost dec&s have some sort of theme, even if it is underlying, and you *ill often find it hel%ful to have a dec& that e9%lores something you already &no*' 6or instance, if you &no* the characters of Bean Grey or Gambit from the C-+en comics, you *ill better understand the cards they a%%ear in' The 3ec&5s ,eligion +any dec&s are created *ith a s%ecific religion or s%iritual %ath in mind, from (hristian dec&s using scenes from the 4ible to convey card meanings, to 3ruid dec&s using 3ruidic symbolism and conce%ts' There are Hindu dec&s, 4uddhist dec&s, agan dec&s, )iccan dec&s, (atholic dec&s, and moreI Some dec&s also em%loy symbolism or teachings from certain religions *ithout being e9clusively themed around that reli gion' If your understanding of the universe is greatly influenced by a religious or s%iritual tradition, you might consider a Tarot dec& that re%resents that tradition for you'

Are the +inor Arcana Illustrated; Some dec&s do not have illustrated +inor Arcana cards on *hich there are full scenes that convey meaning' A large number of dec&s from the +arseilles tradition do not have illustrated +inors but instead use G%i%sG-cards that de%ict ten cu%s in their image instead of a scene sho*ing the meaning of the Ten of (u%s' +any beginners find %i% cards e9tremely difficult to read, as the aid of imagery, symbolism, and color is not %resent' )EhatAre the 7lemental Attributes; As *ill be discussed in later lessons, many dec&s attribute an element to each suit of the +inor Arcana' Some dec&s differ on *hich elements they give to *hich suits, so be sure to get a dec& that fits your o*n vie*-other*ise you might find your idea of the cards in your reading differs from *hat the cards themselves are de%icting' )hatAre the (ourt (ards -i&e; The (ourt (ards are some of the most difficult cards to learn and develo% a relationshi% *ith in the %ac&' A Tarot dec& that has evocative and meaningful images in its (ourt (ards is essential if you have %roblems *ith these cards' An image of a &ing *ith a s*ord seated on a throne doesn5t convey much meaning, but *hen you see a chec&erboard and chess %ieces in front of him, a suit of %late armor, a sco*l, and other symbols, you begin to get the %icture' 8udityE7roticaE4ody A%%earance 6or some %eo%le, the body and its a%%earance in the cards is an im%ortant factor influencing their choice of Tarot dec&' 6or those *ho *ish to read for children or %eo%le *ho may be easily offended by nudity, it is *ise to chec& that the cards are free from overt nudity (though some cards, such as the Star, traditionally contain mild nudity$ or se9ual scenes' (onversely, there are dec&s available for those *ho *ant erotica and nudity a%%earing fre.uently' 2thers may be concerned about the body sha%es, siFes, and colors a%%earing in dec&s, *ith an increasing number of Tarot readers esche*ing the )esterniFed vie* of beauty and the tendency for dec&s to de%ict only 4arbie-doll *omen and muscular young men' ,ead revie*s of the Tarot dec&s you are interested in, and loo& at cards *herever %ossible to see if the dec& contains a more natural vie* of beauty or not' (om%anion 4oo& +any Tarot dec&s are accom%anied by a large com%anion boo&, *hich gives detailed analysis and e9%lanation of every card *ith s%ecific reference to that dec&' Such boo&s are useful in understanding *hy the dec& creator chose certain images, symbols, and themes, and are ideal for a beginner as *ell' Ho*ever, some dec&s are only accom%anied by a Glittle *hite boo&,G *hich gives basic meanings for cards, but not meanings s%ecific to that dec&' A com%anion boo& is not as necessary for dec&s that are close to the ,ider-)aite or Thoth, since there are doFens of boo&s *ritten about those dec&s already' Ho*ever for a themed dec&, the com%anion boo& o%ens u% a dee%er level of understanding for the reader' 3ec& ,evie*s ,eading revie*s of Tarot dec&s is one of the safest *ays to get a better idea of *hether a dec& you are considering is right for you' A good revie* *ill tell you about the %hysical dimensions of the cards, the art style, *hether the dec& has a com%anion boo& and the contents therein, *hether the +inors are illustrated, the order of the +a0ors, any significant changes made from tradition, and the overall theme (if any$' Although a dec& revie* does contain the revie*er5s %ersonal o%inion, you can usually find multi%le revie*s of the same dec&, giving you a more rounded %ers%ective'

There are a number of *ebsites that %ublish Tarot dec& revie*s, and many of them also have articles and information for Tarot enthusiasts' Here are some recommendations: Aeclectic Tarot (***'aeclectic'net$ )icce5s Tarot (ollection (***'*icce'com$ Tarot assages (***'tarot%assages'com$ )here to 4uy =ou can buy Tarot dec&s in many large boo&sho%s in most countries, and in any occult or 8e* Age store' Ho*ever, sho%s such as these *ill only be able to stoc& a very limited range of dec&s' If you *ant more choice (and usually lo*er %rices$, %urchasing Tarot dec&s online is the *ay to go' There are some e9cellent and highly recommended online Tarot retailers, including: Tarot Garden (***'tarotgarden'com$ offers thousands of dec&s available *orld*ide' Alida (***'alidastore'com$ a%%ears in Italian initially, but there are also o%tions available in 7nglish' Great for 7uro%ean dec&s and 7uro%ean buyers' Ti%s for (aring for and Storing =our 3ec&: S%ills, (lum%ing, and 2ther Accidents Tarot dec&s often come in a cardboard bo9' This bo9 is fine for storing a little-used dec&, but if you %lan on using your dec& fre.uently or carrying it around *ith you, you5ll .uic&ly discover the bo9 deteriorates' A cardboard bo9 also does little to %rotect against rain, s%illage, and lea&s in bags' So you might *ant to consider &ee%ing a home-based Tarot dec& in a sturdy *ooden bo9, a dra*er, or a beautiful bag' If carrying the dec& *ith you every day, a *ater%roof %lastic bag around a light*eight *ra% or cloth *ill %rotect the dec& from *ater and bum%s' Ho*ever, don5t be sur%rised if a *ell-loved dec& ends u% obtaining several stains-my reading dec& boasts a colorful s*irl of *ine, beer, 0uice, biro in&, bashed corners, dirty edges, and %erfume' 2ver time, you may find that the smooth %lastic coating on your cards no longer hel%s them run smoothly through your hands *hen you shuffle them' If you find your cards stic&ing in clum%s, a sim%le solution is to rub a %inch of talcum %o*der onto both sides of every card *ith a dry tissue' They *ill feel e9tra sli%%ery for a *hile after*ard, but eventually they5ll return to their %revious smooth shuffle' =ou or the %erson you are reading for might accidentally s%ill a drin& over your cards' )ith most drin&s this can be easily remedied if res%onded to immediatelysim%ly *i%e the cards off gently, and %lace them in a *arm %lace to dry' After*ard, %lace the dec& flat and %ut heavy boo&s on to% of it to flatten it out as the drying %rocess may bend it slightly' Some drin&s, such as red *ine, may leave a light stain if left too long or if it see%s into the edges-this is untreatable' If the staining is too bad, it might be time to get a re%lacement dec&' 2ther drin&s, such as orange 0uice, may leave a stic&y residue' The above talcum-%o*der tric& *ill *or& *onders after you have dried off the cards thoroughly' 2%tional Home*or& P Start loo&ing for a suitable Tarot dec& if you don5t already o*n one consider your current dec& and its suitability for your needs (go bac& to your G+ission StatementG$, and if you *ant a different dec&, start loo&ingI P In the ne9t lesson, *e *ill e9%lore the nature of symbolism, the language that Tarot s%ea&s in' So, before the ne9t lesson you should (if you have a Tarot dec&$ %ic& a card or t*o that a%%eals to you, and identify three symbols in it that stand out' If you don5t o*n a Tarot dec& yet, find a %iece of art*or& and do the same' )rite a note about this and have it ready *hen you begin the ne9t lesson'

6urther ,eading The 8e* Tarot: +odern 1ariations ofAncient Images, by ,achel ollac&, loo&s at ho* Tarot dec&s of the last decade have develo%ed traditional Tarot symbolism'

Tarot 2rigins: History and +yth in (onte9t There are many different versions of Tarot5s origins, some *ilder and more fantastical than others' )hile it is interesting and fun to learn about the history of Tarot, it does not add much to the reader5s ability to give a good reading' Having said this, it can often be hel%ful-es%ecially *hen using certain dec&s (such as the +arseilles Tarot mentioned %reviously$-to have an a*areness of the origins of the imagery and symbolism in the cards' This allo*s you to build a clearer %icture of the meaning of the card from the %ers%ective of its original %ainter' This is not as im%ortant if you are using a modern Tarot dec& *hich has very little symbolism similar to that found in the older, %re-occult revival dec&s' Ho*ever, it is *orth being mentioned in this course as it serves to highlight a very sim%le fact about the human need for symbols' Although it has no* been sho*n that Tarot5s most li&ely origin is from ,enaissance Italy as a game or %ictorial memory device, from the :#th century on*ard, even until the %resent day, %eo%le have %osited other origins' These include that the +a0or Arcana cards are from ancient 7gy%t and their images can be found inscribed on a long hall*ay beneath the s%hin9, that the ,omany gy%sies brought Tarot to 7uro%e on their travels, or that the Tarot is one of the last surviving remnants of the mysterious lost continent of Atlantis' (ertainly these ideas are far more romantic than the realityI To many %eo%le it seems strange that such a com%le9 dec& of cards could have develo%ed through a series of coincidences' It is this feeling that stays *ith us *hen *e endeavor to read the cards: the belief that the random occurrences and ha%%y accidents in life can be inter%reted and given meaning' In a similar *ay, humans have created myths and stories to e9%lain *hy the sun rises and sets every day, *hy the 8ile turns red annually, *hy the &angaroo lea%s, and *hy death befalls all life' Thus, it does not seem sur%rising that even *hen faced *ith the historical and archaeological evidence for Tarot5s real origins, *e still find %eo%le clinging to the more romantic theories' The history e9%lains ho* Tarot came about, but it doesn5t e9%lain *hy it still remains' This lesson ta&es a loo& at the language of Tarot-the *ay it conveys meaning to us, 0ust as *e try to convey Tarot5s meaning through myths of its origin, or the *orld5s meaning through stories' This language is almost universal in that anybody can %ic& u% a dec& and loo& at the images to gain an idea of *hat the card is saying to them' )hether or not that ascribed meaning is the same as somebody else5s meaning is beside the %oint-the gaining of meaning from the images is im%ortant' The Tarot conveys this meaning to us in a language called symbolism' The 8ature of Symbolism Symbolism can be vie*ed as a mental %rocess' It occurs *hen a %ictorial re%resentation or thing reminds us of another thing' The thing *e are reminded of is the Gmeaning,G and the thing that caused the meaning is the Gsymbol'G Thus, your country5s flag can be a symbol re%resenting %atriotism, but another country5s flag can re%resent other things' A flag in general can symboliFe victory or defeat, 0oy, %arades,

and much more' Sometimes the term GsymbolismG is a%%lied only to iconic images, and %eo%le often attem%t to vie* symbolism as a cross-cultural %henomenon, *ith many cultures a%%lying the same meaning to the same symbol' This is not al*ays the case, since it is clear that the mind can find meaning in even the most culture-s%ecific images or the least iconic (li&e an igloo, or a discarded tissue$' )hat is also clear is that things are not 0ust symbols: every image has another function, li&e re%resenting an a%%le, or the letter GA'G 4ut every image can become a symbol if the vie*er loo&s at it in that *ay' M 7C7,(IS7 !': Ta&e a %ad of %a%er and a %en, and either loo& out of the nearest *indo* or loo& around the room you are in' -et your eyes rest on something that stands out-don5t change *hat your eyes have fallen on even if it seems silly or ina%%ro%riateI )rite do*n in the center of your %iece of %a%er *hat that itemEimage is, and no* s%end at least three minutes thin&ing and brainstorming about it' P )hat does it loo& li&e; )hat color is it; )hat sha%e; P 3oes it remind you of something else in your life; P 3oes it remind you of a %erson; P 3oes it remind you of a story you may have heard as a child; P 3oes it evo&e a %articular feeling; P 3oes it ma&e you thin& of another itemEimage; 8o* loo& at your brainstorm' 3oes anything in %articular stand out; The things you have *ritten do*n are *hat *e call the GmeaningG of the symbol' 7ven if you brainstormed your dog, you may have given him a GmeaningG of love, loyalty, or com%anionshi%-because of the *ay he interacts *ith you and the attention he %ays to his master' 2bviously this means that your meaning for GdogG and my meaning may be .uite different: I may have been chased by dogs as a child, and therefore no* associate them *ith fear and aggression' This is the nature of symbolism: it does not e9ist on its o*n, but only through the eyes of the observer and inter%reter' Thus, it is entirely sub0ective' 7C7,(IS7 !'! 6ind the notes from last lesson5s o%tional home*or& *hen you %ic&ed a card from the Tarot dec& or a %iece of art*or& and identified three symbols in it' )ith each of those three symbols or images, do the above brainstorming e9ercises' )hen you are finished, com%are the symbols5 %ossible meanings' Are they similar; Ho* are they different; Try to see ho* they may fit together in that Tarot card or that %iece of art*or&' This is one of the first ste%s to reading a Tarot card' If you have another %erson doing this course *ith you, do this e9ercise alone but each using the same symbols' (om%are notes after*ard' )ere your meanings similar; Strong similarity is often found bet*een t*o %eo%le *ho live in the same culture or country, and *ith certain images that are more iconic than others, such as the sun or night-time' If your meanings *ere very different, ta&e a loo& at the brainstorming %rocess and try to see *here each of you derived your meaning-you *ill li&ely find that it *as informed by %ersonal e9%erience' It is these t*o factors-%ersonal e9%erience and culture-that are the most im%ortant in understanding the nature of symbolism' They inform the meaning of every symbol so strongly that it is almost im%ossible to as& somebody to analyFe a symbol e9ternal to their o*n culture and e9%erience' This should al*ays be &e%t in mind *hen reading,

es%ecially *hen reading for others *ho may have a very different bac&ground or cultural u%bringing from you' The above e9ercises are e9cellent for re%eated use throughout this course, and anytime in the future' If you ever find yourself stuc& in a reading *ithout any idea of *hat a certain card might mean, ta&e a fe* of the most %rominent symbols and brainstorm them' )hen you meet a card for the first time, e9amine its imagery' This is an e9cellent *ay to ac.uaint yourself *ith its basic meaning' -earning Tarot 7ffectively There are many techni.ues and methods you can use to ma&e your Tarot learning smooth and &ee% your later Tarot studies fun and useful' -i&e the above e9ercise, all of these techni.ues should be %ic&ed u% regularly even *hen you are years into your Tarot 0ourney' Some of the golden rules of learning Tarot, *hich you should remember during this course as *ell as after, are: P ,emember that you can never &no* everything about Tarot' It is a vast system that can al*ays be added to or understood on another level' P 7very no* and then a%%roach the Tarot from a beginner5s mind once more, to sha&e yourself out of old habits' P There is no destination on the Tarot 0ourney, but the 0ourney itself is %aramount' 7n0oy it, and don5t *orry about getting to the endI The Tarot Bournal The Tarot 0ournal is not only a fun and effective *ay to learn Tarot, but also to &ee% a record of your %rogress, ideas, notes, and discoveries' )hen studying Tarot, it is hel%ful to &ee% all your notes in one %lace' The Tarot 0ournal is the re%ository of the *isdom you receive through learning as *ell as e9%erience and %ersonal insight' If you already have notes from the %revious e9ercises, you might *ish to stic& them into a blan& 0ournal no* (%articularly the +ission Statement from the %revious lesson$ and ma&e this into your ne* Tarot 0ournal' =our Tarot 0ournal can be anything: a sim%le note%ad, a beautifully decorated blan& boo&, or a ring-binder' =ou may find it easier to use a ring-binder, as this allo*s you to organiFe notes into sections so you can easily retrieve information at a later date' Ho*ever, if you are aesthetically driven, you may find yourself more li&ely to use your 0ournal if it loo&s nice' =ou may also be more comfortable *ith ty%ing than hand*riting, and if this is the case there are several useful 0ournal %rograms you can obtain for a com%uter' Ho*ever, a com%uter %rogram *ill not be as useful for brainstorming e9ercises, collages, or your o*n s&etches' Things you might *ant to include in your Tarot 0ournal are: P (ard meanings: These can be ones you %ic& u% yourself during readings or that come to you randomly during the day' They can be ones you read in boo&s or on the Internet or meanings others have given to the cards' 6or this %ur%ose, you may find it hel%ful to devote a fe* %ages in your 0ournal to each card if you are using a bound boo&' If you are using a ring-binder, &ee%ing these notes together should be no %roblem' P ,eflections on the cards: This is an e9tension of the card meanings, and usually involves scenes from films, sections from boo&s, %oems or .uotes that seem a%%ro%riate to the card and hel% elucidate its meaning' 3id you *atch Star )ars and suddenly have an e%i%hany about ho* it related to 3eath; )rite it do*nI P ,eadings: If %ossible, record your readings so you can revie* them later and see ho* accurate you *ere' This is useful not only for 0udging your s&ill but also for

noting *here a card you inter%reted slightly incorrectly could have been inter%reted differently' P 3aily 3ra*: (See 79ercise !'?'$ P hiloso%hy: This includes reflections on *hat you thin& Tarot is, ho* it *or&s, its uses, abuses, etc' =ou *ill develo% this the more you study Tarot and it *ill be useful for you to *rite it do*n 0ust so you can get it clear in your o*n mind' P (orres%ondences: These include elemental, astrological, Kabbalistic, alchemical, or any other system of symbolism and ho* it relates to the cards' As *e *ill see in later lessons, there are lots of other symbolic systems that can be related to the Tarot' P Studies of s%ecific dec&s: If you have a fe* dec&s that you *ant to learn to use *ell, consider devoting a section of your 0ournal to each one' This *ay you can se%arate your study of the symbolism in dec&s that may be different in a%%roach' P Images that you feel reflect a card meaning %articularly *ell: These can be ta&en from magaFines or %hotos and collaged' P S%reads: This includes s%reads you create and s%reads you find in boo&s, from other readers, and on the Internet' Try to devote a section of your 0ournal to s%reads, so that *hen you need one .uic&ly you can easily find it' P 79ercises: Any e9ercises that you find hel%ful, such as those in this boo&, should be recorded so they can be loo&ed bac& on later' P 3ec& and boo& *ish lists: If you have been recommended a %articular boo& but can5t get it 0ust yet, *hy not 0ot it do*n in the bac& of your 0ournal and start a *ish list; Then at least you can remember *hat it *as, and you5ve got a handy list to give to family and friends come your birthdayI The Tarot 0ournal is highly %ersonal, and nobody else ever needs to see it' It can be a useful tool in your develo%ment as a Tarot reader, as it gives you a more engaged *ay of creating your o*n understanding of the cards' )ith time, your Tarot 0ournal may even become a boo& in its o*n right, serving to guide others along their Tarot 0ourney' ractice ,eadings ractice ma&es %erfect' There is no %oint during this course at *hich I *ill tell you that you no* &no* enough about Tarot to start doing readings' Ideally, you should start no*, even if you &no* nothing about the card meanings' 4y doing %ractice readings you are not really aiming to Gget the meanings rightG: instead you are aiming to familiariFe yourself *ith the %rocess of reading the cards' =ou are learning ho* to ma&e connections bet*een the symbols in the cards, ho* to %ic& out relevant information' =ou are learning to *eave the story into coherence, even if that story is com%letely inaccurate' 6or a %ractice reading, you can recruit a friend or family member *ho is sym%athetic to your interest' 4y e9%laining to them that you need a guinea %ig they *ill be far less 0udgmental about any lac& of e9%erience' Ho*ever, if you are still nervous about the idea of doing a reading for somebody, there are %lenty of other o%tions (so no e9cuses$: P ,ead for your cat or dog' P ,ead for fictional characters' As& about ho* they are feeling at %articular %oints in the story or their motivations' Also as& about the conclusion of the story, even if you already &no*-you *ill still be able to analyFe the card meanings effectively, and by &no*ing the conclusion you have a frame of reference to see ho* the cards interact *ith the actual truth' I highly recommend anything *ritten by Sha&es%eare as a fertile ground for characters-drama, t*ists, motivations, and mysteries' P ,ead for yourself'

7C7,(IS7 !'< (hoose a character from any story, film, %lay, or fairy tale that you are very familiar *ith, such as Sno* )hite, (inderella, -u&e S&y*al&er, 4ambi, or ,omeo' 8o* dra* a single card from your Tarot dec& for this character' Try to see this card as that character-*hat does the imagery and scene de%ict; )hat feelings are e9%ressed; )hat action; )hat symbolism; )hat does this say about the character you5ve chosen; 2nce again, it does not matter if you have no idea about the card meaning as given in a boo& or acce%ted by tradition' )hat is im%ortant is your gro*ing ability to ma&e connections bet*een the card symbolism and imagery, and the thing you are reading about' 4oo& -earning In our culture, it is natural to learn a ne* sub0ect or s&ill through instruction, and often that instruction comes from a boo&' )ith the invention of the %rinting %ress came the %ossibility of masters of arts, crafts, and sciences %ublishing their e9%ertise for %eo%le hundreds of miles a*ay to learn from' This brilliant movement for*ard in humanity5s develo%ment is utiliFed 0ust as much in the Tarot *orld as in any other, and I highly recommend every Tarot student ta&e advantage of it as much as %ossible' =ou may not be luc&y enough to find a re%utable Tarot teacher in your area for grou% learning or one-to-one classesJ the teachers you do find may be charging more money than you can afford to %ay' If this is the case (and it very often is$, a good boo& on the sub0ect is usually affordable, %ortable, and a%%roachable' =ou can di% into it *henever you *ant, at *hatever %ace you *ant, and do as little or as much *or& as you li&e' +any Tarot enthusiasts today scoff at the use of boo&s to gain card meanings, insights, and Tarot *isdom' +any believe that it is 0ust another form of dogma being %resented to the student' This vie* fails to see that the same can be true of in%erson Tarot tutors and other means of learning to use the cards' The dogma is not found in the *ritten or s%o&en *ord itself, but in the readerElistener5s *illingness to acce%t it as absolute truth' Therefore, I advise you to read as much on the sub0ect as %ossible from the very beginnings of your Tarot 0ourney' There are several brilliant and &no*ledgeable Tarot authors from the %ast fe* decades *ho have %assed their years of e9%erience on through the *ritten *ord' )hile no single *or& of an author should be acce%ted as the only truth, *hen you read a *ide variety of boo&s on the sub0ect you become a*are of the varied %ers%ectives and vie*s out there' This allo*s you to e9%lore all the o%tions, discover ne* %ossibilities you may not have thought of on your o*n, and develo% your o*n understanding of the cards' Ho*ever, a com%lete Tarot education is not found 0ust through Tarot boo&s, but through a *ide variety of other literature, such as novels of any &ind, the *orld5s classic *or&s, ne*s%a%ers, magaFines, etc' All of these serve to inform our *orldvie* and teach us *hat it is to be human' The more *e learn about the *orld around us, the environment *e are in, and the %eo%le *e interact *ith every day, the better our understanding of the conce%ts de%icted in the cards, and the more readily *e are able to convey these conce%ts to others' )hat if you5re not a big reader, though; That5s fine: *atch lots of filmsI )atch documentaries and ne*s %rograms' Go to museums and galleries' The more you learn about the *orld around you the better, no matter *hat media you use' 79ercises for Tarot -earning

The follo*ing e9ercises *ill aid you in learning more about the card meanings as *ell as im%roving your s&ills as a reader' They teach you to trust your intuition and thoughts on the cards, to rely less on boo&s and more on the cards themselves, and to connect the cards together to form a coherent reading, rather than vie*ing cards in a reading as isolated events' M 7C7,(IS7 !'?-TH7 3AI-= 3,A) The 3aily 3ra* is a techni.ue that is currently %o%ular in the Tarot community, and used by many %eo%le to great effect' The idea is to gain an understanding of each card of the Tarot one by one, and to ta&e note of ho* each card relates to your daily life' 8ot every Tarot reader uses this techni.ueJ many %eo%le don5t al*ays have the time to remember to do thisI If a 3aily 3ra* is too much, try a *ee&ly dra* instead' =ou *ill need some *ay of recording your 3aily 3ra* results every day, such as a Tarot 0ournal' 7very dayE*ee&, dra* a single card from your Tarot dec&' 8ote in your 0ournal: P =our first thoughts and im%ressions of the card P Any symbols or images that stri&e you or stand out P Ho* the card ma&es you feel 8o* analyFe that card in relation to your dayE*ee&' Some %eo%le %refer to do their 3aily 3ra* at the start of their day, in *hich case they may &ee% it in mind as they go through the day, %ic&ing u% *hat occurrences may be related to that card' 2thers %refer to %erform this at the end of the day, in *hich case they *ill sim%ly analyFe the card they5ve dra*n based on the %revious events' )henever you do it, *rite do*n notes in your 0ournal, including: P Ho* the card relates to your %lans for today or to *hat has ha%%ened today P Ho* the card relates to the %erson you *ish to beE*ere today P Ho* the card might indicate the %eo%le in your life today If you are doing this %ractice *ee&ly, you can also %erform a more in-de%th analysis on the card' Try to assess it in terms of %hysical, emotional, mental, social, and s%iritual as%ects: ho* did it relate to your %hysical, everyday life; Ho* did it relate to your feelings; Ho* did it indicate your mental state, thoughts, or %lans; Ho* did it reflect u%on your relationshi%s and community; Ho* did it relate to your inner sense of self; Q 7C7,(IS7 !'>-TH7 6I17 S78S7S Another method for a%%roaching a card that can be used throughout your learning is that of the 6ive Senses' This can be used in con0unction *ith the 3aily 3ra*, or on a *ee&ly basis, or *hen a card in a reading confuses you' Sight: Sit *ith the card in front of you and begin by loo&ing at it' )hat can you see; 3escribe (in your head or out loud, *hichever is clearer for you$ all the imagery, colors, scenes, facial e9%ressions, symbols, and items in the card' Hearing: Imagine you are in the scene you have 0ust seen and described' )hat can you hear in this *orld; )hat can you not hear; Smell: 8o* try to detect any smells from this landsca%e' )hether they are %leasant or %ungent, desirable or disgusting, let the smells of this card s%ea& to you' Touch: 8o* that you have built u% a clearer %icture of this card try imagining *hat the card feels li&e: not 0ust the scenery itself, but *hat %hysical feelings it con0ures u% in your mind' 3oes it feel rough; -i&e a *arm blan&et in *inter; -i&e a refreshing lemonade drin&; 6iFFy; S.uishy; Alternatively, be s%ecific: *hat do the 7m%ress5s robes feel li&e; )hat is it li&e to hold her hand or be embraced by her;

Taste: This can be the best %art of the cardI )hat does it taste li&e; 2nce again, you can be abstract (it may taste li&e salt on the sea air, your +um5s roast dinner, blood, tears$ or s%ecific (the 8ine (u%s of ale, the fruit offered to you by the High riestess$' M 7C7,(IS7 !'@-TA,2T ST2,I7S This game is best %layed *ith a grou% of %eo%le, but can also be done effectively on your o*n' It im%roves your understanding of the card meanings, but also trains you to lin& the cards together in a reading' If you are in a grou%: 7ach %erson dra*s a single card from their o*n Tarot dec&' 2ne by one, you tell a story together, beginning *ith the *ords G2nce u%on a time'''G and ending *ith the *ords G''' and theyE heEsheEit lived ha%%ilyEsadlyEnot at all ever after'G 7ach card is another cha%ter of the story and must continue on from *here the %revious card left off' If you are on your o*n: 3ra* bet*een five and seven cards from your dec&' The above rules a%%ly, but only you are creating the story' The stories you or your grou% create can be as *ac&y, serious, emotional, romantic, comic, or tragic as you li&e, and as you *ill see, they can change from romance to tragedy to comedy in the turn of a cardI If %ossible, try to %erform this game *ithout reference to any boo&s-0ust loo& at the card image and tell the story based on *hat you see there' A good ti%, ho*ever, is not to be shallo* *hen telling the story' If the Hueen of (u%s is the ne9t cha%ter, try not to resort to: GAnd then this .ueen holding a large cu% came along''' G Instead, consider *hat the .ueen loo&s li&e, *hat she5s doingJ thin& about ho* she may be feeling, *hy she is there, and *hat this card may mean based on that' Then *or& it into your cha%ter of the storyI 8o*, instead of a .ueen *ith a cu%, she is an emotional counsellor or a beautiful mermaid luring the hero *ith her siren song' +yths Surrounding Tarot =ou may already have heard many myths and su%erstitions related to Tarot, and you5ll almost certainly be *ondering *hich ones are fact and *hich are ones fiction' )e have already e9amined something of the Tarot5s history, *hich contains a number of myths that can be considered fiction, but other myths are less easy to label as GfactG or Gfiction'G This is because often they are based on beliefs or feelings rather than anything ob0ective' Here are some Tarot myths you may have encountered' +ethods of 2btaining a Tarot 3ec& Some suggest that only a dec& gifted to you *ill *or&' I have bought almost all my dec&s, and I am sure they G*or&'G I find that the idea that the magic is in the %hysical dec& itself rather than in the s&ill and ability of the Tarot reader leaves no room for im%rovement' 6urther, if *e all *aited to receive a Tarot dec& as a gift before beginning reading, some of us *ould be *aiting foreverI =ou +ust 4e sychic to 4e a Tarot ,eaderE=ou Are 4orn *ith the Gift of Tarot 2bviously, if you believed Tarot is a gift and cannot be learned you *ouldn5t be reading this boo&' As to *hether you need to be %sychic or not, this is a %ersonal belief' I don5t thin& I am %sychic' I may be intuitive, and *hen I use the cards I may be ta%%ing into something beyond myself, but the term G%sychicG is a %roblematic and overly sim%le e9%lanation of ho* Tarot *or&s' Storage and (are of =our 3ec& +any %eo%le believe you should not let others touch your cards and that they should be stored in a certain *ay (a blac& sil& cloth, a s%ecial bag or bo9, etc'$' This is %urely a %ersonal %reference' If you believe that your cards *or& for you because they are lin&ed to your energy through contact, then having others touch your cards may

interfere *ith that contact' If you don5t believe this, then having others touch your cards may not be a %roblem for you' The same a%%lies to the storage of your dec&' )hom =ou (anE(annot ,ead 6or It is often said you cannot read for yourself' I have found this to be true insofar as it is difficult to remain ob0ective and clear *hen reading for yourself, since you are too close to the issue at hand' =ou may color the reading *ith bias, or filter it *ith your desires or fears' Ho*ever, ob0ectivity can be learned and %ractised, and sometimes there5s nobody else to read for' 2thers believe they shouldn5t read for %eo%le they are close to: you may find your ob0ectivity failing if you are %articularly close to the %erson you are reading for' 7C7,(IS7 !'# There are many more su%erstitions and myths about Tarot' Ta&e some time in your 0ournal to note do*n any myths you have heard, and in %articular any su%erstitions or myths that you adhere to' 8o* as& yourself *hy you adhere to them' )hat %ur%ose do they serve; Are they useful to you; =ou may discover that you adhere to them only because you *ere told to' If this is the case, you are free to ditch them' 2r you may realiFe that there is a reason you believe that myth, and that it %lays an im%ortant role in your use of Tarot' The im%ortant thing is that if you hold beliefs about the cards, you should do so on an informed basis, rather than because somebody told you to' 2%tional Home*or& P The notes you have made from the above e9ercises may already be in a Tarot 0ournal' 2r they may be loose else*here' If you don5t already have a 0ournal, start one no*I P 4ased on the beliefs you hold about the Tarot, you can store your dec& in a *ay suitable to you' 6urther ,eading A )ic&ed ac& of (ards: The 2rigins of the 2ccult Tarot by +ichael 3ummett, Thierry 3e%aulis, and ,onald 3ec&er is an e9cellent and thorough study of the historical bac&ground of the develo%ment of the occult Tarot' It5s the seminal *or& on the sub0ect' A History of the 2ccult Tarot :D#"-:A#" by ,onald 3ec&er and Thierry 3ummett is a follo*-u% to A )ic&ed ac& of (ards, bringing the research u% almost to the %resent day, and charting the Tarot5s develo%ment in countries such as 4ritain and America' Tarot Tells The Tale, by Bames ,ic&lef, sho*s ho* readings can be done for fictional characters and sho*cases some e9cellent readings' ***'trionfi'com is a highly recommended site that contains a *ealth of information and continuing research' A little heavy at first if you5re a beginner, but you5ll learn a lot very .uic&lyI ***'tarothermit'com is a similar Tarot history research site'

This lesson is the first in *hich *e *ill e9amine the +a0or Arcana cards' )e *ill be loo&ing at the chronological order of these cards, but they *ill be studied instead in grou%s that have been organiFed based on common and shared themes' =ou *ill notice as *e continue our study of the +a0ors that I have devoted relatively little s%ace to card meanings' This is because I *ant to discourage you from sim%ly turning to a %age in this boo& *henever you are doing a reading: it is far more im%ortant that you inter%ret the cards based on the s%ecifics of the reading, s%read, .uestion, and your o*n intuition' As mentioned in the %revious lesson, *hile boo& learning can be hel%ful in develo%ing your &no*ledge and relationshi% *ith the cards, it should not be your %rimary method of inter%retation' )e *ill e9%lore the +a0or Arcana in a *ay that encourages you to ma&e 0ournal entries, do e9ercises, and ans*er .uestions' The three cards for this lesson-" The 6ool, I The +agician, and 1II The (hariot-all touch u%on the theme of %rogress' They s%ea& of 0ourneys and develo%ment of the self' The 6ool is the beginner and hero, the +agician the means through *hich he is given a direction and goal, and the (hariot the 0ourney he underta&es' The 2rder of the +a0ors: 8orms and 1ariants The +a0or Arcana is ordered numerically from " to !:, usually indicated by ,oman numerals' Totalling t*enty-t*o cards, it re%resents various abstract conce%ts and im%ortant %rinci%les in the universe that human&ind e9%eriences and interacts *ith' +ost modern dec&s have the same order of cards for the +a0ors: "' " The 6ool :' I The +agician !' II The High riestess <' III The 7m%ress ?' I1 The 7m%eror >' 1 The Hiero%hant @' 1I The -overs #' 1II The (hariot D' 1III Strength E Bustice A' IC The Hermit :"' C The )heel of 6ortune ::' CI Bustice E Strength :!' CII The Hanged +an :<' CIII 3eath :?' CI1 Tem%erance :>' C1 The 3evil :@' C1I The To*er :#' C1II The Star :D' C1III The +oon :A' CIC The Sun !"' CC Budgement !:' CCI The )orld This order is often said to tell a story that %asses through each of the themes of the +a0or Arcana in turn, and it is usually the figure of the first card-" The 6ool*ho is the traveler throughout this adventure, called GThe 6ool5s Bourney'G Ho*ever, this traveler can also be seen as re%resentative of each of us as *e go through life, or as *e go

through %hases in our lives' The +a0or Arcana in chronological order can re%resent any 0ourney, no matter ho* small or ho* big, and no matter *hat level the 0ourney ta&es %lace on: %hysical, s%iritual, mental, or emotional' Ho*ever, this order found in so many modern Tarot dec&s is largely arbitrary and did not e9ist in the earliest dec&s' (Some of the earliest dec&s did not have numbered +a0ors at all, indicating that either their order *as memoriFed by users or there *as none'$ The order *as created over the centuries and changed slightly after*ard to fit the occult revival5s *orldvie*, and it *as also tied in *ith other symbolic systems such as Kabbalah and astrology' In this *ay, the modern ordering of the +a0or Arcana is a tidy organiFation of the %rinci%les of the universe into a microcosmic ma%' +a0ors at all, indicating that either their order *as memoriFed by users or there *as none'$ The order *as created over the centuries and changed slightly after*ard to fit the occult revival5s *orldvie*, and it *as also tied in *ith other symbolic systems such as Kabbalah and astrology' In this *ay, the modern ordering of the +a0or Arcana is a tidy organiFation of the %rinci%les of the universe into a microcosmic ma%' )ith this in mind, it is im%ortant to note that you do not have to vie* the +a0or Arcana as GThe 6ool5s BourneyGJ nor do you have to a%%roach it chronologically' )hile the 6ool5s Bourney can tell us about ho* each card leads into another, it does not highlight the shared themes, similarities, and differences bet*een the cards' =ou may also find that the Tarot dec& you have chosen has a different order, *hich better fits that dec&5s theme' Also be a*are that the 6ool5s Bourney is more of a mnemonic device to hel% you remember the cards-you can have fun *ith it, %lay *ith it, and create your o*n version' Ideas of Im%ortance In a reading, you may sometimes find that most of the cards in front of you are +a0or Arcana (0ust as you may find they are mostly (ourt (ards or mostly +inor Arcana, or mostly S*ords$' Some %eo%le %lace great im%ortance on this, believing that because the +a0ors lin& to abstract, s%iritual conce%ts, a high number of them in a reading indicates that the events or .uestion at hand is e9tremely im%ortant or *ill %rove to be a turning %oint in the .uerent5s life' This may indeed be the case, and I have often found that large numbers of +a0ors indicate 0ust this' Ho*ever, this vie* neglects the fact that sometimes the +inor Arcana cards can re%resent the big issues of life as *ell' They may relate to the more mundane as%ects of life, but they can be 0ust as im%ortant and %ivotal in our lives as the abstract conce%ts of the +a0ors' lease do not fall into the tra% of bo9ing the cards into tidy grou%s li&e this-they are already ordered enough into their numbers and suitsI 2nce you begin to over-organiFe the cards, you5ll find your mind stic&ing to habitual inter%retations, causing your readings to become less intuitive and more formulaic and you5ll often miss the intuitive s%ar& that you need to get to the &ey of the reading' The biggest difference you *ill find bet*een the +a0ors, +inors, and (ourt (ards, ho*ever, is that due to the abstract %rinci%les in the +a0ors you may not immediately feel comfortable *ith them' erha%s you 0ust can5t get your head around the dee%er meaning of rebirth in CC Budgement, or %erha%s you aren5t .uite clear on *hat C The )heel of 6ortune has to say about fate, fortune, and free *ill' 3on5t *orry, this is natural' To understand such conce%ts ta&es time, thought, and e9%erience, and luc&ily the Tarot5s +a0or Arcana can hel% you on your .uest to find out about them' 8aturally, some %eo%le *ill have more e9%erience of nurture than others, and therefore *ill understand the meaning of III The 7m%ress better' This does not ma&e you a better or

*orse Tarot reader, 0ust somebody *ho still has something to learn about the universe' )hat *ould life be if *e &ne* everything about it; Bose%h (am%bell5s +onomyth )hat human beings have in common is revealed by myths''' -B2S7 H (A+ 47--, The o*er of+yth Bose%h (am%bell *as a famous mythologist *ho s%ent a lifetime analyFing *orld mythology for similarities, themes, and differences' His analysis has enabled us to see more clearly the idea that there is a common human e9%erience and a 0ourney that *e all ma&e throughout life-this 0ourney comes out in the stories *e tell' (am%bell studied *orld mythology, and from his research, created the conce%t of the monomyth' This is an over-arching story in most )estern myths (*ith some slight variations$' (am%bell said that it demonstrated )estern %eo%les5 common needs, desires, fears, and e9%eriences' This monomyth is sur%risingly similar to the idea of a G6ool5s Bourney,G and indeed it is often called GThe Hero5s 0ourney,G *ith a hero undergoing trials and tribulations until he reaches a conclusion: A hero ventures forth from the *orld of common day into a region of su%ernatural *onder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is *on: the hero comes bac& from this mysterious adventure *ith the %o*er to besto* boons on his fello* man' -Bose%h (am%bell, The Hero *ith a Thousand 6aces M 7C7,(IS7 <': 7ither on your o*n or *ith a grou%, ta&e a large %iece of %a%er and note do*n some common characters, stereoty%es, themes, events, and images that you might find in a bloc&buster movie, myth, or fairy tale' Some e9am%les to start you off are damsel in distress, antihero, and crisis' 8o* try to organiFe those things into the order they might occur in a story' 3oes the hero have an ins%iration or im%etus to get him started; )here does his crisis occur; )ho aids him and *hen; 6inally, ta&e a loo& belo* and read about (am%bell5s +onomyth, and see if yours *as similar' If it *as-great minds thin& ali&eI =ou have touched u%on the same themes that (am%bell did, indeed the same ones that Tarot readers across the globe ta% into every dayJ and you have discovered a %ossible G6ool5s BourneyG to a%%roach the +a0or Arcana *ith' If it *as .uite different, then you have created a G6ool5s BourneyG that better fits your understanding of 0ourneys and the human condition' 3on5t let the numbering of the +a0or Arcana %ut you off e9%loring this in the conte9t of the cardsI They may have numbers, but they don5t have to have meaning only in numerical order and in relation only to the cards immediately %receding and follo*ing them' The Hero5s Bourney (am%bell5s monomyth of the Hero5s Bourney is s%lit into three sections: 3e%arture, Initiation, and ,eturn' 3e%arture I' TH7 (A-- To A3178T/,7' GHel% me, 2bi-)an Kenobi-you5re my only ho%e'G -u&e S&y*al&er receives this message from rincess -eia, and it is the call to adventure that starts him thin&ing about his origins and a life beyond Tatooine' 2ther calls to adventure could come in the form of a threat to the %eace of the community, or the hero sim%ly falling into it accidentally' !' ,76/SA- 26 TH7 (A--' +any *ould-be heroes5 first res%onse to this call is to refuse to listen: they are scared, or too busy *ith their current lives to consider leaving' The hero immerses himself in everyday life, trying to ignore the call' (It too&

6rodo 4aggins eleven years after receiving the 2ne ,ing before he finally left the Shire'$ <' S/ 7,8AT/,A- AI3' )hen the hero finally acce%ts the adventure he is aided by a figure of authority and *isdom *ho %ossesses *hat a%%ear to be su%ernatural or e9traordinary %o*ers' 2bi-)an Kenobi in Star )ars, 3umbledore in the Harry otter series, and +or%heus and Trinity in The +atri9 are all e9am%les' ?' (,2SSI8G TH7 6I,ST TH,7SH2-3' 8o* the hero must move from his current *orld and *ay of life to a ne* one more in &ee%ing *ith the adventure' The threshold bet*een these t*o modes is guarded by an entity that can be hostile' Thus, 8eo enters the +atri9 for the first time and 6rodo 4aggins leaves the Shire beset by 4lac& ,iders' >' TH7 47--= 26 TH7 )HA-7' 8amed after the biblical story of Bonah5s tested faith, the hero5s %assing through the threshold above becomes a form of rebirth through a death-li&e e9%erience' He becomes rene*ed and ready to face the ne* *orld of the adventure' Initiation I' TH7 ,2A3 26 T,IA-S' Having %assed through his rebirth, the hero undergoes a testing %eriod, *here he faces a series of obstacles that test his *orth' These trials act to teach the hero im%ortant lessons and s&ills, and they are either overseen or secretly aided by the GSu%ernatural AidG figure' Thus, -u&e S&y*al&er is taught to trust his feelings *ith a light saber aboard the +illennium 6alcon, and 8eo s%ars *ith +or%heus in a simulation %rogram' !' TH7 +77TI8G )ITH TH7 G2337SS' The final trial is often de%icted as a marriage or %artnershi% bet*een the hero and a mother-li&e figure' This re%resents the hero5s mastery of life (re%resented by the feminine$ as *ell as the totality of *hat can be &no*n' )hen the hero is female, this becomes a male figure' Thus, -u&e first sets eyes u%on his sister (and initially, the ob0ect of his affections$, rincess -eia, and 0oins her in the ,ebel Alliance' <' )2+A8 AS T7+ T,7SS E T7+ TATI28 4= A 6A-S7 ATH' As above, if the hero is female, this tem%tation *ould be a man' Here, the hero reflects u%on the disunity of his understanding of truth *ith his e9%erience of the *orld, re%resented by a figure of the o%%osite se9 tem%ting him to a dar&er %ath' This tem%tation to*ards the G3ar& SideG can also be re%resented by a sim%le moral dilemma' So -u&e S&y*al&er learns of the 3ar& Side and its %o*er, and Harry otter is sho*n the dar& side of *iFarding society in the figures of the +uggle-hating +alfoys and 3eath 7aters' ?' AT287+78T )ITH TH7 6ATH7, 7ventually, the hero comes to reconcile the *arring as%ects of himself that have come to light follo*ing his tem%tation to a false %ath' This often comes in the form of a father figure that re%resents the o%%osing as%ect of the hero5s self' So -u&e S&y*al&er recogniFes that his father is a good man at heart and begins to attem%t to bring him bac& to the -ight Side of the 6orce, and 8eo recogniFes that his mentor +or%heus5s belief that he is The 2ne is right' >' A 2TH72SIS' The hero5s ego is destroyed, leading to an e9%ansion of consciousness' 2ften the hero5s idea of reality is changed, and he may gain ne* abilities, causing him to sacrifice himself for the greater good' At this %oint, the hero becomes godli&e, usually fulfilling a %ro%hecy' )hen 8eo is &illed by Agent Smith, he realiFes that death is an illusion' @' TH7 /-TI+AT7 4228' The hero is given the re*ard of his adventure-that *hich he set out to achieve' It may be the %rincess5s hand in marriage, fame, %o*er, s%iritual

*isdom, or the %hiloso%her5s stone' This re*ard can be ta&en bac& to the *orld he came from and used for its benefit' So Harry otter destroys a %art of 1olde- mort5s soul and saves the school and his friends' ,eturn I' ,76/SA- 26 TH7 ,7T/,8' 8o* the hero is called bac& to the real *orld, but has found bliss or com%letion in this ne* *orld' He does not *ant to return' Harry otter does not *ant to return to the +uggle *orld of rivet 3rive, and longs to stay in Hog*arts' !' TH7 +AGI( 6-IGHT' )ith this refusal comes o%%osition, and a chase or 0ourney to return the hero bac& to the *orld may ensue' The Hog*arts 79%ress shuttles Harry and his friends bac& home, the +illennium 6alcon destroys the TI7 fighters chasing -u&e *hen trying to destroy the 3eath Star, and 6rodo 4aggins and Sam*ise Gamgee are rescued by Gandalf5s eagles' <' ,7S(/7 6,2+ )ITH2/T' (losely lin&ed to the +agic 6light, the hero may need to be rescued by a force from his old *orld' ?' TH7 (,2SSI8G 26 TH7 ,7T/,8 TH,7SH2-3' The hero must no* go bac& through the threshold he came from, learning to acce%t his old reality as real and normal once more' Thus, the four hobbits *ho hel%ed destroy the 2ne ,ing, and *ho have seen so much of the *orld, return to the Shire and hel% deliver it from its ne* evil overlords' >' +AST7, 26 T*o )2,-3S' Having gained so much e9%erience and the /ltimate 4oon, the hero may no* %erceive and live in both the mundane and magical *orld' He may also bring his ne* understanding into his everyday life' @' 6,7732+ To -I17' The hero is finally able to besto* the /ltimate 4oon that he sacrificed so much for u%on his fello* man' This often a%%ears in a form of freedom for others-freedom from 3arth 1ader and the 7m%ire, freedom from the rule of Sauron, and freedom from 1oldemort and o%%ression' Archety%es Archety%es and stereoty%ical figuresEevents that may a%%ear in the Hero5s Bourney (as *ell as in the Tarot$ include: rincess, mother, father, sibling, enemy, antihero, sha%e-shifter, animal com%anion, descent into the /nder*orld, loss of friend, femme fatale, 0o&er, side&ic&, damsel in distress, labyrinth, gifts, aid, destruction of ego, initial failure, hag, *itchEsorceress' All of these figures may have a%%eared in your above e9ercise and in the Tarot cards' There is much more that can be said on the sub0ect of the monomyth and the +a0or Arcana' I have left this o%en for your o*n e9%loration and discovery, and urge you to loo& at this lesson often as you go through the boo&, ma&ing lin&s bet*een the +onomyth and the cards you are learning about' 7C7,(IS7 <'! Go through the +a0or Arcana cards' In your Tarot 0ournal, note do*n *hich %arts of the monomyth each card may most closely a%%ly to' Try to com%are this to the other +a0or Arcana, and see if you can s%ot any similarities and themes highlighted by this, or any evolution bet*een cards' Ho* do they flo* into each other; " The 6ool )e begin our study of the +a0ors *ith the traveler of the Tarot dec&: The 6ool' The eternal student, The 6ool re%resents the blan& slate u%on *hich the adventure and e9%erience is ready to be *ritten' As the number G"G this card holds the %otential from *hich everything is a %ossibility: it is the cosmic egg from *hich all is born' 4ecause

%ossibility is infinite, so the %otential of this card is infinite, but this can often manifest in chaos' /n%redictable, difficult to define, the 6ool can be seen as a blithely innocent and rash force s*ee%ing into somebody5s life, bringing *ith it ne* o%%ortunity' This card sha&es %eo%le out of old habits, a*a&ens them to ne* ideas, and heralds a time of %ositive change' It can also remind us that beginner5s mind-the act of a%%roaching something *ith the o%en, clear mind of a beginner eager to learn-is essential to learning and gro*th, no matter ho* much *e already &no*I Ho*ever, the 6ool can also bring *ith it foolishness, im%etuosity, and a tendency to rush in *here angels fear to tread' A tree that can fill the s%an of a mans arms Gro*s from a do*ny ti%J A terrace nine stories high ,ises from a handful of earthJ A 0ourney ofa thousand miles Starts from beneath one5s feet' --A2 TFu (2++28 S=+42-S Sun: 2%timism +ountains: A hard road ahead 3og or other animal, usually biting the 6ool5s clothing or body: An animal hel%er or a nuisance 4utterflies: 8e* beginnings, emergence 3ancing: Boy 4irds flying: 6reedom 0ester5s outfit'- 6oolishness, carefree )hite rose: urity Kna%sac&: Some baggage the 6ool may be carrying, or his resources; )inding %ath, crossroads: A 0ourney ahead (liffl%reci%iceEdanger that the 6ool is ste%%ing blindly into: ,ashness, naivety, foolhardiness' K7=*o,3s: otential, chaos, 0oy, laughter, ho%e, o%timism, idealism, ne* beginnings, ne* %ro0ects, travel, ne* 0ourneys, innocence, %urity, naivete, foolishness, carefree, careless, childish, childli&e, curiosity, s%irit, free s%irit, lea% for*ard I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: -u&e S&y*al&er from Star )ars, Harry otter from the Harry otter series, any hero *ho starts out as innocent, *ith an o%en mind: usually the %rotagonist' As A 7,S28: In a reading, this card may re%resent an ine9%erienced %erson, somebody ne* to the %ath they are treading' They may be trying to do something even though they don5t &no* very much about it' It could also sho* somebody *ho rushes into things *ithout first thin&ing them through' 2ften this %erson is also a 0o&er, the life and soul of the %arty, *ho *ill sto% at nothing to get a laugh' Sometimes this lighthearted attitude to*ard life holds this %erson bac&' M 7C7,(IS7 <'< P Ta&e the 6ool card from your dec&' In your Tarot 0ournal, *rite G6oolG in the center of a %age' S%end a fe* minutes brainstorming the title of this card' )hat does it remind you of; )hat does a GfoolG mean to you; )hat images does the *ord con0ure u% in your mind; P 2n another 0ournal %age, note do*n *hat you see in the card image-the symbols, colors, %eo%le, and creatures in it' )hat do they re%resent to you; )hat do they

suggest about the card; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P )here does my %otential lie; P 3o I allo* my %otential to become actual; P Ho* naiveEtrusting am I; P 3oes this card scare me, or does it evo&e %ositive feelings in me; P )hen have I rushed into something *ithout thought; P )hat e9%erience have I had recently *ith ne* beginnings, learning something ne*, and Gbeginner5s mindG; P If the 6ool *ere a %erson I &no*, *ho *ould it be; P Is the 6ool a*are of the dangers before him in the card (if there are any$; P Is the 6ool %ur%osefully moving to*ards the danger; If he is, *hat im%lications does this have; P )hat ha%%ens *hen he does reach the danger; P )hat led him to this %oint; I The +agician 2ur study of the +a0or Arcana continues *ith the +agician, re%resentative of the force and direction that gives the 6ool a goal, as *ell as the resources the traveler has at his dis%osal' This first card of the +a0or Arcana is symboliFed by the number G:,G a number signifying the sense of self, ego, GI,G and GI am'G The +agician is the direction of the energy from the 6ool5s chaos and %otential-he %oints his magic *and and the energy streams through it, guided to the +agician5s goal in the *orld' He uses energy, talent, s&ill, %ersonality, and the *orld around him as a resource to be ta%%ed into' This card re%resents the focused a%%lication of *ill and energy to*ard an achievement, 0ust as the +agician directs his energy through his *and to create magic' This card also re%resents the active %rinci%le of the universe that causes change and manifestation to occur' 2ften, the +agician can be seen as the first divine s%ar& that starts the creative %rocess or %uts you on the %ath to*ard manifestation' Ho*ever in older dec&s the +agician *as named G-e 4ateleurG (GThe BugglerG$ and he *as a street con0uror and con artist, %erforming tric&s for %assersby and using his s&ill to ma&e money' 4e*are the +agician *hen in a negative light: he has a fe* tric&s u% his sleeve, and his sleight of hand may %rocure his resources in a less than desirable fashion' As above, so belo*' +agic& is the Science andArt of causing (hange to occur in conformity *ith )ill -A-7IST7, (,2)-7= (2++28 S=+42-S )and: o*er, *ill, direction, energy, active masculine' ,ed and *hite roses: An alchemical symbol of masculine (active$ and feminine (%assive$, the interaction of *hich creates energy' 2ne arm raised to the s&y and one %ointing do*n*ard to the earth: The act of raising one arm to the heavens is symbolic of receiving the energy from above (GAs above'''G$ and transferring it through one5s body to the do*n-%ointing arm (GSo belo*'''G$, allo*ing the energy to become manifest in the *orld' A table u%on *hich is a dice cu%, s*ord, cu%, disc: The items on the magician5s table often re%resent his resources-usually the four elements in the conte9t of the Tarot suits'

-emniscate (infinity symbol$: Infinite %ossibility' K7=)2,3S: o*er, energy, direction, focus, *ill, goal, drive, magic, manifestation, resources, resourcefulness, dynamic, action, active, cunning, sleight of hand, tric&ery, s%irit descending into matter I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: GIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' 8o* the earth *as formless and em%ty, dar&ness *as over the surface of the dee%, and the S%irit of God *as hovering over the *aters' And God said, -et there be light, and there *as light'G (8I1 4ible, Gen' :::-<'$ God5s creation of the *orld sho*s the %rinci%le of the +agician in action' The magician G*ydion from the )elsh +abinogion also demonstrates this card: he uses cunning, magic, and resources around him (such as the flo*ers of the earth$ to give his son *hat his mother had denied him' Although *hat he does is tric&ery against his son5s mother, he uses his *ill and energy to ma&e manifest his *ishes' AS A 7,S28: This card could re%resent somebody *ho is highly s&illed at *hat they do and &no*s itI They are successful, %rofessional, highly communicative, and resourceful, and they &no* ho* to get things going and ho* to &ee% things moving' If something needs doing, this is the %erson to do it' Highly resourceful, they have a tendency to &no* the right %eo%le, best %laces, and the tric&s of the trade' Ho*ever, their ego is 0ust as great as their s&ill, and a Gme, me, meG attitude *ill often %revail' 8egatively, this card can sho* somebody *ho cannot be trusted: a devious, cunning, sly %erson *ith %lenty of tric&s u% their sleeveI M 7C7,(IS7 <'? P /sing a blan& Tarot 0ournal %age, s%end a fe* minutes brainstorming the number G:'G )hat does this suggest about this card; P Sit *ith your dec&5s +agician card in front of you' S%end some time e9amining the card and *riting do*n every symbol you find in it' 8o* thin& about *hat these symbols mean to you, and *hat they might mean in the conte9t of the card' P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' P ,ead 3efinitions and Theorems of+agic (see 6urther ,eading belo*$ and as& yourself ho* this relates to the +agician5s use of resources and %rocess of enacting his *ill' Huestions forBournaling P )here and *hat are my resources; Ho* do I access them; P Ho* do I a%%ly my *ill and energy every day; P Ho* focused am I; Ho* ambition-driven am I; P )hat are my long-term goals; 3o I &no* ho* I *ill achieve them; P Ho* do I move from the beginning of a %ro0ect or 0ourney to the com%letion of my goal; P 3o I have an action %lan; Ho* organiFed am I; P )hat does GIG mean to me; )ho am GI;G P Ho* do I feel about this card; 1II The (hariot The final card *e visit this lesson is 1II The (hariot, the archety%al .uest and 0ourney that a hero travels' rogress is inevitable and should be *elcomed, and the 0ourneys that *e travel as *e go through life are many and varied' There are little 0ourneys (li&e catching the bus to *or&$ and there are big 0ourneys (li&e traveling overseas$' There are also 0ourneys that do not ta&e %lace on a %hysical level but rather on an emotional, mental, or s%iritual

one (li&e moving from an old relationshi% to a ne* one, underta&ing an university education, *riting an essay, undergoing a s%iritual transition, or moving from grief to acce%tance$' The (hariot is the .uintessential .uest and 0ourney-it is (am%bell5s monomyth and it is the 6ool5s Bourney' 3e%icting a moving vehicle, this card can be seen as movement for*ardsand a*ay from' 1ictory belongs to the most %ersevering' -8A 2-728 428A A,T7 The rung of a ladder *as never meant to rest u%on, but only to hold a man5s foot long enough to enable him to %ut the other some*hat higher' -TH2+AS H78,= H/,-7= lato described the soul as a chariot dra*n by t*o horses, one blac& and one *hite' The *hite horse is noble and the blac& horse ignoble, thus they both %ull in different directions, causing %roblems for the charioteer' lato5s allegory also details the soul5s %light: the soul aims to rise and evolve, but loses its ability to %rogress easily' This ability is only regained after a long 0ourney, sometimes ta&ing a lifetime, sometimes ta&ing many ( haedrus, !?>c-!>?e$' 2ne might consider that if the charioteer *ere only to control the horses so that they %ulled in the same direction, %rogress *ould be .uic&er and smoother' (2++28 S=+42-S (hariot: The soul, the self' Horses: Sometimes t*o, blac& and *hiteJ sometimes four, for each of the four elements' Armor: The charioteer is ready and *illing to fight for his goals' -aurel *reath: 1ictory' ,oad'- The %ath traveled and the one about to be ta&en' (ity: /sually behind the charioteer, in the distance, signifying a 0ourney that ta&es you a*ay from the %ast and normalcy into something else' Sce%ter' 2o*er, command' 4arnacles: /%on the charioteer5s armor there may be barnacles, signifying his astrological association *ith (ancer' S%hin9: Sometimes s%hin9es dra* the charioteer5s vehicle' In legend this creature *ould not allo* a traveler to %ass *ithout ans*ering a riddle' The charioteer having control over these creatures symboliFes his control over his mental ca%acity' K7=)2,3S: rogress, 0ourney, .uest, evolution, movement, action, s*iftness, trium%h, victory, ambition, control, travel, search, goal, enthusiasm, %romotion, %ilgrimage I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: If the (hariot is the .uintessential 0ourney, then the .uest for the Holy Grail e%itomiFes this card' The Grail itself *as said to be unattainable by anybody not *holly %ure and innocent, and indeed only a fe* &nights (de%ending on *hich account you read$ caught a glim%se of the Grail on their .uest' Ho*ever, in the Grail stories more attention is given to the 0ourney than to the final attainment: it is the 0ourney itself that can be seen as the Grail, since it %urifies and sanctifies the .uesting &nights through challenges, trials, and evolution' As A 7,S28: The (hariot often signifies somebody *ho is al*ays active, continually striving to*ard a goal, setting their goal%osts even farther a*ay' It seems that this %erson is never ha%%y *ith actually achieving their end: instead they 0ust move on to the ne9t 0ourney, the ne9t adventure' A (hariot %erson has a sense of urgency about them and they demand immediate results, gro*ing im%atient *ith those

*ho cannot &ee% u%' 8egatively, a (hariot %erson can be ambitious to the e9treme, treading on toes and sto%%ing at nothing to achieve their goal' M 7C7,(IS7 <'> Ta&e a blan& %age in your Tarot 0ournal, and dra* a basic chariot' This chariot must have the cart, the charioteer, *heels, the road ahead, and the animals %ulling it' 8o* identify the follo*ing as%ects of your life *ith each %art of the chariot' P The road ahead re%resents the 0ourney you are on' )hat ma0or 0ourney are you on at this time of your life; P The charioteer is you' )hat role do you %lay in this 0ourney; Ho* in control are you; Ho* do you %ush yourself for*ard; P The cart is your su%%ort on your 0ourney' )hat carries you through; )hat gives you the strength to continue; P The animals are the forces that %ull you on*ard' )hat &ee%s you going; )hat drives you; )hat gives you energy; P The *heels are the %er%etual motion that flo*s' )hat as%ect of your 0ourney is easy and has its o*n life; )hat can you rely on to &ee% going even *hen you feel you cannot; Huestions forBournaling Ans*er the follo*ing .uestions in your Tarot 0ournal, *ith your dec&5s (hariot card in front of you' P )hat .uest am I on currently; )hat .uests have I underta&en in the %ast; P Ho* do I a%%roach a ne* challenge; P )hat drives me for*ard and &ee%s me moving; 3o I have continuous momentum in my life; P Ho* .uic&ly am I ma&ing %rogress; P )hat do the beasts %ulling the chariot suggest to me; P )here has the charioteer come from, and *here is he going; P )hat do victory and trium%h mean to me; )hen did I last e9%erience them; 2%tional Home*or& P -oo& at your dec&5s order of the +a0or Arcana' 3oes it differ from the traditional order; Ho*; 3oes the creator give any reasons; Ho* do you feel about this; P -oo& at the +a0or Arcana in order, and in your Tarot 0ournal try to see ho* the 6ool moves through each of the cards' 7ven if this is done in a basic fashion, identifying ho* the 6ool might change as he %rogresses *ill form the basis of a dee%er understanding later' 6urther ,eading lato5s (hariot Allegory (htt%:EE***'Bohn-uebersa9'comE%latoE%lato<'htm$ (ro*ley5s +agic& in Theory and ractice (htt%:EEhermetic'comEcro*leyEboo&?Edefs 'html$' ,ead G3efinitions and Theorems of +agic&G for further study of the +agician card' Tarot and the 0ourney of the Hero, by Ha0o 4anFhaf, for the 6ool5s Bourney' The o*er of+yth, by Bose%h (am%bell and 4ill +oyers, for more on the archety%es of the mythical 0ourney' The Hero *ith a Thousand 6aces, by Bose%h (am%bell, for the +onomyth and other theories'

The cards that *e e9%lore in this lesson are grou%ed together because each %ortrays a %o*erful as%ect of the Archety%al 6eminine that a%%ears in the Tarot' II The High riestess, III The 7m%ress, and C1II The Star *ill be studied in relation to mythical archety%es of the Goddess in her many forms (*hom *e briefly sa* in (am%bell5s monomyth in -esson <$' )e *ill also e9%lore a conce%t traditionally associated *ith the 3ivine 6eminine but *hich is not e9clusive to *omen-intuition' The develo%ment and use of intuition is a vital %art of any Tarot reader5s s&ill and should be continually im%roved' Gender in the (ards It must be noted that the terms G3ivine 6eminine,G GArchety%al 6eminine,G or GGoddessG are merely terms that identify figures traditionally %ortrayed as *omen in mythology' The fact that they are female in form is another symbol that the myth itself uses to e9%ress traits and attributes: GfemaleG is traditionally associated *ith certain traits, such as %assivity, nurture, creativity, and intuition' Ho*ever, it should al*ays be remembered that this female form in a story or myth is very different from *omen in the real *orld, 0ust as the male form in myth is different from real men' 8ot all *omen are %assive, nurturing, creative, and intuitive' 8ot all men are aggressive, logical, and controlling' )hen a female or male figure a%%ears in the cards, it is not to indicate %hysical gender, but rather the traits commonly associated *ith masculine and feminine' 7C7,(IS7 ?': 2n a blan& %age in your Tarot 0ournal, s%end a fe* minutes noting do*n some traits, activities, and attributes commonly associated *ith the terms GmasculineG and Gfeminine'G If %ossible, %air these traits so that they reflect o%%osites or mutual %airings (such as GactiveG and G%assive,G GcreativeG and GdestructiveG$' 8o*, ta&ing out the +a0or Arcana, set aside into one %ile all cards that %redominantly sho* a male figure, and into a second %ile all cards that %redominantly sho* a *oman, and finally into a third %ile all cards that sho* both genders or are unclear as to the figure5s gender' As& yourself the follo*ing .uestions' P )hy did the creator choose this gender for the card; P )hich traits in your list loo& a%%ro%riate for this card; 3o they match the gender of the card; P )hat does this gender in the card indicate for the basic meaning of the card-is it an active card, e9%ressing itself in out*ard actions (masculine$, or is it a rece%tive card, receiving and ada%ting to influence from e9ternal forces (feminine$; P )hy do some cards have more than one gender in them; )hy are some cards unclear; +aiden, +other, (rone, )hore, and 2ther 6eminine Archety%es ,obert Graves, Bose%h (am%bell, and (arl Bung have all %osited in different *ays that the side of the sacred that is GfeminineG (and e9%ressed in mythology in female form$ can be organiFed into various categories called Archety%es' In The )hite Goddess, ,obert Graves *rites about the e9istence of a Tri%le Goddess-+aiden, +other, and (rone-that *as *orshi%%ed by early man, and although his historical sources and

accuracy are dubious (he vie*ed %oetic ins%iration as a valid historical methodology$ his meaning and the mythical understanding are clear' The conce%t of +aiden, +other, and (rone can be *or&ed *ith as a model in relation to the three +a0or Arcana cards *e are discussing in this lesson, bearing in mind that the feminine form is 0ust another symbol used in Tarot imagery' In this model +aiden N C1II The Star, *a9ing moon, re0uvenation, youth, ho%e +other N III The 7m%ress, full moon, nurture, creativity, gro*th (rone N II The High riestess, *aning moon, *isdom, mystery, introversion The +aiden (Star$ is ever-young, beholden to nobody but herself' She re%resents continual rene*al, since she is ever-virgin' Her youth and vitality bring ho%e, o%timism, and healing' The +other (7m%ress$ is the bringer of life, ma&er of manifestation, the creative urge *ithin us all' The (rone (High riestess$ is the inner *isdom and self &no*ledge attained after e9%erience, the introversion necessary to receive that *isdom, and the mystery that *e all face until *e have reached this %oint ourselves' (arl Bung5s vie* of the 3ivine 6eminine (as the anima found in every man5s soul$ is fourfold rather than threefold, and e9%ressed in four ma0or female figures from *orld mythology: 7ve, Helen, +ary, and So%hiaEAthena' This fourfold vie* adds a fourth face to the Goddess found bet*een the +aiden and the +other, thus: +aiden N C1II The Star (7ve$ Seductress N 1III Strength (Helen$ +other N III The 7m%ress (+ary, mother of Besus$ (rone N II High riestess (So%hia$ Strength (other*ise called G-ustG in the (ro*ley-Thoth tarot$ *ill be e9%lored further in a later lesson, but the image of a *oman taming a lion-4eauty and the 4east-is a %oignant one for the seduction of the 3ivine Hero by the 3ivine 6eminine' It is also tem%ting to a%%ly the above fourfold vie* to the four elements and four suits of the Tarot' 7C7,(IS7 ?'! Ho* *ould you relate the four elements of 7arth, Air, 6ire, and )ater to this fourfold vie* of the 3ivine 6eminine; Ho* does this relate to the four cards above; )hat does it say about their basic meanings; The four elements and their relation to the Tarot *ill be further e9amined in -esson @' 2ther archety%es of the 3ivine 6eminine have been commented u%on by Bose%h (am%bell, (arl Bung, and others' These archety%es a%%ear so fre.uently in mythology, fairy tales, films, and literature that they become %art of the frame*or& of each story' In the same *ay, they can be seen as %art of the frame*or& of the Tarot' 7C7,(IS7 ?'< S%end a fe* minutes noting do*n some stereoty%ical (archety%icalI$ female figures from myth, film, and literature' To get you started: tem%tress, sorceress, and %rincess' (onsider *hat role they may %lay in somebody5s life, both on an everyday and %ivotal level' Kee% this list some*here accessible so that as *e go through the rest of the cards you might be able to see *here these archety%es fit into the Tarot' Goddess Archety%e S%read This is a fun *ay of e9%loring the feminine archety%es in the Tarot, *orld mythology, and *ithin yourself-regardless of your gender' I encourage you to do this s%read even if you are still shy about inter%reting the cards: the sooner you begin to get used to the %rocess of reading, the sooner you *ill im%rove' If you have to use a boo& to give

yourself a head start on the meanings feel free, but try your best to inter%ret the card images intuitively' If necessary, go bac& to %revious 79ercises !'? and !'> for hel% *or&ing *ith a %articular card'

(ard :' +other: )hat do you nurture; Ho* do you create; (ard !' 1irgin: )hat is a mystery to you; Ho* do you celebrate your image; (ard <' Siren: )hat attracts others to you; Ho* can you celebrate your se9uality; (ard ?' Sorceress: )hat do you control and mani%ulate; Ho* can you change your life; (ard >' )ise *oman: )hat do you &no* dee%ly; Ho* can you share your &no*ledge; (ard @' 6airy Godmother: )hat gifts can you give to the *orld and others; Ho* do others a%%roach you; (ard #' )ife: )hat are you married to; Ho* do you devote yourself to things; (ard D' Hag: )hat in you is ugly and terrifying; Ho* can you redeem this monster; (ard A' AmaFon: )hat *ould you fight for; Ho* can you develo% your courage and determination; II The High riestess )ith her inner *isdom, sense of mystery, secrecy, and intuition, the High riestess holds the same &eys to the inner *orld as the (rone archety%e of the 6eminine 3ivine' The High riestess comes closest to defining the means by *hich a Tarot reader receives insights and inter%retations of the cards in a reading' She is often seen as the

o%%osite %rinci%le to that of the active, masculine +agician: she is the %assive, rece%tive Gfeminine'G )hereas &no*ledge is %riFed in today5s *orld, this card re%resents the inner &no*ledge that comes through e9%erience and understanding rather than boo& learning' In this sense, the High riestess is the com%anion of the High riest (the Hiero%hant$: she re%resents gaining *isdom through intuition and inner %rocesses, *hile he re%resents gaining &no*ledge through learning from others and tradition' 4oth learning %rocesses are necessary' The greatest thing man can e9%erience is the mystery' -A-47,T 7I8ST7I8 The High riestess is the silence of true *isdom, and the ability to truly listen to others and the *orld around instead of trying to thin& of an ans*er' She is the ga% or %ause in a sentence, conversation, and %iece of music' She is also traditionally seen as guarding the e9it or entrance of the Tem%le of Solomon, thus she is a guardian of the threshold of initiation, the door*ay through *hich *e %ass to a%%roach our inner, silent core of understanding' (2++28 S=+42-S Torah: The High riestess may hold a scroll in her hands, often *ith GTorahG *ritten u%on it' The scroll is closed, indicating no need for the *ritten *isdom' )ater: A symbol of the %assive, rece%tive feminine, and of the flo* of intuition' 1eil: The High riestess often sits before a veil' )hat lies behind is a mystery' illars: /sually one blac&, one *hite, *ith the 7nglish or Hebre* letters for G4G and GBG on each one' These are the %illars of 4oaF and Boachim, the %illars that stand either side of the door*ay to the biblical Tem%le of Solomon' The ,ider)aite image, ho*ever, suggests that the High riestess is seated on the inside of the tem%le, guarding the e9it: she is an initiator, a threshold guardian' omegranates: A symbol of &no*ledge of the inner, dar&er, more mysterious self, follo*ing the myth of erse%hone5s descent into the /nder*orld' (rescent +oon: Another feminine, %assive symbol' The moon only gains its light as a reflection from the sun' (ro*n oflsis: +agic, &no*ledge, *isdom' 7.ual-armed cross: 4alance, four elements, %eace' (amel: Indicative of the Hebre* letter associated *ith this card' 8ight: +ystery, secrets, silence' K7=)2,3S: Intuition, mystery, secrecy, silence, rece%tive, %assive, feminine, flo*, inner *isdom, intros%ection, observation, reflection, %eace, calm, understanding, meditation, occult, %sychic I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: ossibly due to the %assive, .uiet nature of this card, characters from boo&s and films *ho re%resent the High riestess rarely come to the forefront of the story' Ho*ever, the clima9 of the film i sees the hero finally destroy his need for boo&-learned intelligence and give in to a %ersonal, inner, silent e9%erience' )e might also see the 2racle from the +atri9 trilogy in this card, *ith her ability to &no* the secret heart of every %erson, understand the flo* of the everchanging future, and receive messages' AS A 7,S28: The High riestess re%resents a %erson, regardless of gender, *ho is .uiet, retiring, and *ise' They have an ability to G0ust &no*G things they could not &no* through normal means' They may have an uncanny &nac& of &no*ing ho* others feel or thin&, finishing sentences for others, or coming out *ith gems of *isdom in everyday conversation, sometimes *ithout meaning to' They are good

listeners, calm, and o%en to all ideas' They soa& u% &no*ledge li&e a s%onge, and find 0oy in libraries, boo&s, and studies, %articularly occultism, religion, and s%irituality' Highly intuitive, they may be a Tarot reader, medium, or s%iritualist' Q 7C7,(IS7 ?'? P Ta&ing the High riestess from your dec&, identify any symbols that stri&e you' Are they different from the ones listed above; )hat do you thin& they mean; P S%end a fe* minutes brainstorming the *ords GIntuition,G GSilence,G and G,ece%tive'G )hat have you come u% *ith; Ho* does this relate to the High riestess; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' P ,ead Thunder, erfect +ind (see 6urther ,eading belo*$ and reflect on ho* this te9t e9%resses the conce%t of *isdom and silence' Huestions forBournaling P Ho* often do I find my o*n ans*ers, rather than listening to those of others; P 3o I fear the un&no*n and hidden; P Ho* develo%ed is my intuition; 3o I use it often and *ell; 3o I trust it; P Ho* do I absorb information; P )hat does my inner self *ant; )hat voice does it s%ea& *ith; P )hat is *ritten in the scroll the %riestess holds; P )hat is she doing in front of the veil; If I *ere to %ass through, *hat *ould I find; P Are there any myths, stories, legends, or figures from literature, history, fol&lore, or myth that e9em%lify the card5s meanings; 3evelo%ing =our Intuition =ou don5t need to be %sychic or clairvoyant to read Tarot' If you are %sychic or clairvoyant, then you may not need the cards at all to give readings, but these are very different readings from a Tarot reading' 4eing %sychic is not better than being a Tarot reader-it5s 0ust a different %rocess' So don5t *orry if you feel that, li&e me, you5re about as %sychic as a lam%%ost: all you need is intuition' 4eing intuitive is not the same as being %sychic or clairvoyant' The latter t*o are focused on %redicting *hat might ha%%en in the future, *hereas intuition is about seeing and identifying %atterns in the everyday *orld around us' Thus, intuition is an essential tool for Tarot readers, %sychics, and clairvoyants, as it is the medium through *hich *e receive the symbols and messages that need to be inter%reted or %redicted' The High riestess teaches us some of the main com%onents needed to o%en our intuitive ca%abilities: silence, rece%tivity, and intros%ection' Intuition does not come from somebody else5s &no*ledge or from an encyclo%edia, but from the inner dialogue you have bet*een yourself and the %atterns you discover in the *orld around you' The e9ercises belo* are designed to hel% you develo% your intuition and enable you to listen to it and trust it in your Tarot readings' 7C7,(IS7 ?'>-H2) TH7 STI(KS 6A-Ta&e several stic&s-lolli%o% stic&s, coffee stirrers, t*igs, anything long and thinI Hold them in your hand and then toss them gently to the ground' Ho* have they fallen; )hat sha%es have they formed on the floor; )hat do the sha%es mean to you; The stic&s should be unmar&ed, as it is the %attern they ma&e that is im%ortant' M 7C7,(IS7 ?'@-H7A3 I8 TH7 (-2/3S (hildren throughout the *orld have given their intuition a boost *ith this e9ercise' To do it, you5ll need a *arm, slightly breeFy day, a soft %atch of ground, and a friend' -ie

on your bac&s and loo& at the clouds in the s&y, and challenge each other to find the most elaborate sha%es and images in the clouds' 7C7,(IS7 ?'#-422K)2,+ Go to the nearest boo&shelf and %ull out a boo& at random' 2%en it to a random %age, and let your eyes rest on a random sentence' ,ead it aloud, and try to guess *hat it might mean on a different level' As& yourself, if a *ise (hinese sage *ere to %reface this sentence *ith G(onfucius says'''G *hat that *ould mean on a dee%, s%iritual levelI Q 7C7,(IS7 ?'D-6-A+I8G ,73 -ight a candle, or *atch a bonfire or hearth fire, and note ho* the flame moves' In *hat directions does it move; Ho* does it move; Ho* high does it burn; 3oes it crac&le, %o%, or hiss; -oo& into the embers if you have a hearthEbonfire, and see the images the hot coals ma&e as they heat and cool' -et your eyes rela9 and 0ust *atch, and images *ill come to your mind' III The 7m%ress 6ull of creative %otential and abundance, *e come to this card *ith thoughts of the +other archety%e in mythology and our o*n lives' 3ee% do*n, *ithin the core of our being, lies a creative %o*er, the ca%acity to create *hat is to be, and the urge to ma&e unremitting efforts until *e have given it sha%e in one *ay or another, either outside ourselves, or *ithin our o*n %erson' -B' )' 128 G27TH7 If any card re%resents man&ind5s ability and urge to create beyond need and imagine beyond necessity, it is the 7m%ress' She is the %rocess of creativity, the mother of our dreams and imagination, and the nurturer of our vitality and abundance of life' She is the door*ay through *hich ne* things come into being' The artist, %oet, author, and com%oser *ill be familiar *ith her as the %rocess *hereby ideas become reality' The 7m%ress can also be seen as the fertile 7arth +other, or the source of our ideas and creativity: the font of life that nurtures us as *e gro* and evolve, the force that recreates us and the universe every single second' She is fertility in all areas of life, as *ell as the lu9urious overflo* of resources, feelings, emotions, love, desirability, and care' The 7m%ress sho*s us universal love, and *e long to fall into her all-embracing bosom' (2++28 S=+42-S 1enus: The astrological sign for 1enus (also the symbol for any female of a s%ecies$ indicates se9uality, sensuality, and love' It also sho*s that the 7m%ress is the active feminine %rinci%le, as o%%osed to the High riestess *ho is the %assive feminine' The 7m%ress actively creates and nurtures' S*ans: 4irds that are said to mate for life, symboliFing love' Also a heraldic symbol in older dec&s' ,iver: 8atural flo* of life, *ater of life' 6ruit: 6ruits of one5s labor, com%letion of creative %rocess' Hearts: Another symbol of love and sensuality' (orn: Harvest, %roduce' (ushions, rugs: -u9ury, rela9ation' omegranates: 6ertility' regnancy: An obvious symbol of the creative %rocess, and one that em%hasiFes the fact that creativity involves full effort and hard *or& on the %art of the creator' 4ees: Activity, s*eetness, busyness, %roduction' 4reastfeeding: 8urture, care'

+oon: -in& to the feminine' Starry cro*n: /sually a cro*n of t*elve stars, indicating the Fodiac and therefore the cyclical nature of creativity, as *ell as the long time creation can ta&e' K7=)2,3S: -ife, love, vitality, fertility, virility, fecundity, ne* beginnings, creativity, creative %rocess, nurture, care, %rotection, harvest, hard *or&, sacrifice, birth, busyness, s&ills, ri%ening, abundance, %ros%erity I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: In the Harry otter series, the character of +rs' )easley e9%resses the mothering and the smothering as%ects of this card' 8ot only does she love and nurture her o*n large family, she also does so for Harry and other characters' She has a seemingly endless ca%acity for love and attention to*ard others5 needs, but sometimes those closest to her (such as her youngest son, ,on$ feel smothered by her affection' As A 7,S28: 3o*n to earth, sensual, creative, and *ith a boundless affection and love for others, the %erson signified by the 7m%ress &no*s ho* to manifest dreams into reality' They care about the needs and feelings of others, but this can sometimes lead to them forgetting their o*n needs' They are intensely imaginative, *ith an urge to create, and they are al*ays learning ne* crafts, hobbies, and creative s&ills' This %erson can also be broody, *ith a love of children and family' Q 7C7,(IS7 ?'A P In your Tarot 0ournal s%end a fe* minutes *riting about your e9%eriences of mothers, mothering, and nurture' )hat %eo%le have fulfilled these roles for you; Ho* have you done these things; Ho* do they ma&e you feel; ,elate this bac& to the 7m%ress card' P Identify some e9%eriences you5ve had *ith creativity and the creative %rocess' )hat started it; Ho* did it e9%and; Ho* did it end; )hat *as %roduced; Ho* did this feel; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat do I create in my life; P Ho* creative am I; P )hat have I created in the %ast; P 3o I nurture others, myself; Ho* do I do this; 3oes my GmotheringG verge on GsmotheringG; P Ho* often do I see %ro0ects through to com%letion and fruition; P )hen *as the last time I sa* the fruits of my labors; P )here else do the river, moon, and %omegranate symbol a%%ear in cards in my dec&; 3oes this lin& the cards in any *ay, and ho*; P Are there any %eo%le in my life that re%resent the 7m%ress to me; P )hat negative as%ects could be a%%lied to this card; C1II The Star As a card of healing and re0uvenation, as *ell as youthful o%timism and ho%e, the Star is most fitting as the +aiden as%ect of the 3ivine 6eminine' The starry night s&y is beautiful to behold, and this card comes in the +a0or Arcana after t*o e9tremely difficult and dar& cards: C1 The 3evil and C1I The To*er' Thus, the Star acts li&e a beacon of ho%e shining in the dar&ness, %romising rene*al, healing, re0uvenation, and the release of energy' It is a card of o%timism, *ishes, and high ideals-*e loo& for shooting stars to *ish u%on, refer to celebrities as Gstars,G and re*ard children5s best efforts *ith gold star stic&ers' The .uote above, from -iberAl

vel -egis (The 4oo& of the -a*$, highlights the divine nature that all human beings share, and it is this *e also see in the Star card: a recognition of our highest abilities as %artici%ants in the 0oy and miracle of incarnation' It is a call a*ay from the bestial and banal activities *e sometimes find human&ind reveling in, and a reminder of *hat great things *e are ca%able of, if *e only %ut our minds to it and thin& beyond this *orld' 7very man and every *oman is a star' --iber Al vel -egis As the s%rings return-regardless of time or man-so does ho%eI Sometimes but a tiny bud has to %ush u% through the hard shell of circumstance to reach the light ofaccom%lishment' 3o not give u% ho%eI -32,2TH= +I--7, (2-7 6or centuries, man has used the stars to navigate the *orld and discover ne* %laces' He has also created stories about the constellations, and %redicted the future u%on their omens' Thus, this card re%resents the realiFation of our highest %ur%ose and the direction of our s%iritual lives' (2++28 S=+42-S Stars: )ishes, ambitions, guidance, light, ho%e, realiFation, ins%iration' )ater: 6lo*, life, energy, healing, rene*al, also the subconscious or consciousness' ouring *ater: Healing, removing bloc&ages, cleansing' 8a&ed *oman: The bare essentials of the self, also comfort *ith self and freedom from e9ternal tra%%ings' 4ennu 4ird (7gy%tian %hoeni9$: /sed in (atholic imagery as a symbol of (hrist5s resurrection, and the immortality of the soul' Another symbol of rene*al and re0uvenation, and certainly one on a more s%iritual level' In the 7gy%tian 4oo& of the 3ead, this bird is closely associated *ith the sun rising out of the /nder*orld each night, and thus the God ,a, sometimes called G-ord of Bubilees'G 2ne foot in *ater, one on land: This symbol is found else*here in the +a0or Arcana, and can be seen as symboliFing the act of living in both the everyday and s%iritual *orld' A.uarius: The figure in this card is often in the %ose of the Fodiac sign of A.uarius: the *ater bearer %ouring *ater from t*o 0ugs into a %ool' A.uarius is the Fodiac sign of ne* a*areness, the 8e* Age, idealism, and ho%e' 8ight: 2ften this card is set at night *hen the stars are clearly visible' Sometimes it has to be very dar& for us to see the brightest lights' K7=)2,3S: Healing, ho%e, re0uvenation, s%irituality, ne* life, reflection, recu%eration, release, guidance, light in the dar&ness, o%timism, luc&, good fortune, blessing, *ishes, success, recognition of divinity I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: In most stories, you *ill find the Star card as an o%%ortunity for the %rotagonist to e9%erience the calm after the storm, and heal the *ounds and hurts they have suffered' It is also a guiding light, so the light of 7arendil that Sam*ise Gamgee and 6rodo 4aggins are given by Galadriel in The T*o To*ers*hich later %rovides light in a dar& %lace-is a good analogy' There is also a 8ative American Iro.uois myth of ho* the land *as burned by an evil fire s%irit, until the 7agle s%irit 2shadagea fle* across the land carrying an ocean on its bac&, dousing the fires and rene*ing the %arched earth' As A 7,S28: The Star %erson is a 0oy to &no*I They may have their head in the clouds a lot of the time, but they are a shining light in everybody5s lives' (onstantly

o%timistic no matter *hat faces them, they dream and ho%e and ma&e *ishes almost com%ulsively' They may be interested in s%irituality and the 8e* Age, al*ays loo&ing for ne* ideas and *ays of thin&ing' 79tremely o%en minded, the Star %erson embraces everything that comes their *ay *hich, given their sometimes innocent and naive belief that everybody else in the *orld is as o%timistic and *ell-meaning as themselves, can sometimes give %eo%le an o%%ortunity to ta&e advantage of them' Q 7C7,(IS7 ?':" P In your Tarot Bournal, brainstorm GStar'G )hat associations do you have for stars; )hat comes to your mind *hen you thin& of them; Ho* does this relate to the card; P )hat other cards in your dec& feature stars as a symbol; Ho* might they relate to this card; P =ou can also use e9ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P Am I ho%eful; 3o I hold high ho%es, or do I become %essimistic; P Ho* do I heal; 3o I bear old *ounds and grudges easily, or do I let go .uic&ly; P 3o I vie* myself as successful and luc&y; )here does this success and luc& lie; P )hat e9%eriences of luc& have I had; P )hat *as the last *ish I made; 3id it come true; P )hat forms can healing come in; 2%tional Home*or& P Try at least t*o of the e9ercises for develo%ing intuition, and record the results in your Tarot 0ournal' P +a&e a Tarot Bournal entry about one of the cards you studied' P )rite a Tarot 0ournal entry about a feminine archety%e in your life and ho* it has affected you' 6urther ,eading The 6aces of the Goddess, by -otte +otF, for more on the 3ivine 6eminine around the *orld' The )hite Goddess, by ,obert Graves' 3ubious history, but ins%ired the conce%t of +aidenE+otherE(rone' The Thunder, erfect +ind is a <rd century Gnostic te9t s%o&en by the feminine )isdom-for a further reflection of the High riestess' (htt%:EE***'gnosis 'orgEnaghammEthunder'html$'

)e interru%t our studies of the +a0or Arcana to ta&e a loo& at some of the first considerations of reading the cards' Ideally, you should be doing readings as early on in the course as %ossible, even if they are 0ust one-card readings as %art of your 3aily 3ra* e9ercise or Tarot 0ournaling' Therefore, *e need to e9amine some of the basics of %erforming a reading' The ur%ose of a ,eading 7C7,(IS7 >':

In your 0ournal, as& yourself G)hy do *e read Tarot;G )hat can a Tarot reading be used for; )hat &ind of .uestions can *e ans*er; S%end a fe* minutes *ith these .uestions, and then have a loo& at some of the %ossible ans*ers belo*' A Tarot reading can be used for %roblem solving, decision ma&ing, brainstorming, future divining, %resent assessing, fun, character analysis, %lanning, s%iritual insight, or ins%iration' ATarot reading can ans*er =esE8o .uestions and .uestions about *hat if''' ;, love, money, *or&, advice, %eo%le, travel, se9, family, environment, self-im%rovement, religion, hobbies, career ''' anythingI Ho*ever, there are some .uestions that you may %ersonally feel you shouldn5t ans*er, even though you are able to' The reasons *hy *e read Tarot are numerous and entirely individual' =ou *ill have an idea of *hy you read Tarot: this should be &e%t in mind and %ossibly added to your +ission Statement from 79ercise :'<' Similarly, the reasons *hy somebody may come to you for a reading, or *hy you may use the cards for your o*n readings, are as varied as the %eo%le themselves' 4ear this in mind *hen you do readings, as it ma&es you less 0udgmental of your .uerents and yourself' The 2b0ectives of a ,eader 8ot only do %eo%le (including yourself$ have an idea of *hat they *ant from a reading, they also have an idea of *hat they *ant from you as the giver of that reading' Although the %ur%ose of a Tarot reading may vary de%ending on the .uestion, the reader, and the .uerent, the ob0ectives of the Tarot reader are often the same no matter *hat' Although each individual may %lace a different em%hasis on these various ob0ectives, they are vie*ed as the most effective and ethical ob0ectives for a Tarot reader' P Accuracy: It is e9%ected that your reading is as accurate as %ossible' P Honesty: It is e9%ected that you tell the truth about the reading to the .uerent, and don5t t*ist or hide information' P 7m%athyESym%athy: It is e9%ected that you understand the .uerent5s vie*, character, %roblem, etc, even if it is not something you agree *ith' =ou are e9%ected to a%%roach the .uerent5s situation in a friendly manner' P 8on0udgment'P It is e9%ected that you do not 0udge the .uerent, their .uestion, or situation, as this *ill negatively affect the reading and your ability to communicate' P (omfort: If the honest and accurate reading is %ainful, you are e9%ected to ma&e it easier to absorb, being com%assionate' There are *ays of saying things that ma&e them less %ainful *ithout t*isting the truth' P AdviceEguidance: If the outcome in a reading loo&s bad, *hy not ma&e it better *ith some advisory cards; 3on5t 0ust %redict doom and gloom and leave the .uerent alone to *or& out ho* to solve the %roblem' P 7ffective listening: Sometimes %eo%le 0ust *ant to be heard' 3on5t interru%t your .uerents, offer a friendly and encouraging ear, and really listen' Accom%anying some of these ob0ectives are other res%onsibilities and ethical .uestions, *hich *e *ill e9%lore in -esson !"' The hysical rocess of ,eading There is a difference bet*een the %rocess of inter%reting the cards in a reading and the %hysical %rocess of %erforming the reading' This %hysical %rocess includes shuffling the cards, laying them out, forming them into a s%read, and other very minute details that *e other*ise do not consider' Ho*ever, it is im%ortant that you are confident *hen doing your readings, and &no*ing your favorite *ay of shuffling, dealing, and forming a s%read ma&es you more confident and adds to your individual reading style'

I often find that *hen I teach %eo%le to read and as& them to do a reading, they s%end the first fe* minutes (the %hysical %rocess$ as&ing if they5re doing it rightI This does not ma&e for a confident reader, so *e need to e9amine the very first things *e do *hen *e %ic& u% a Tarot dec& and begin a reading' Q 7C7,(IS7 >'! =ou may have already been doing one-card s%reads or a cou%le of the e9ercises in %revious lessons that involve s%reads' =ou may already have shuffled a Tarot dec&' 6irst, ta&e the dec& in your hands and feel the *eight and siFe of it' Ho* does it feel; If you are accustomed to shuffling a %o&er dec&, you may be sur%rised at the larger siFe of the cards' This is a standard feature of Tarot dec&s that allo*s the art*or& to be seen more clearly, but it can cause %roblems for readers *ith small hands' If the dec& in your hands is too big for you, consider getting a smaller one' Alternatively, 0ust s%end some time shuffling the dec& *hile *atching television or doing other handless tas&s, to accustom yourself to it' 6or this e9ercise, you may choose to as& a friend or fello* student to be your .uerent, %retending they have come to you for a reading' 8o*, shuffle the dec&' Shuffle it for about thirty seconds' Sto%I Ho* *ere you shuffling; Hand over hand; )ere you cutting the %ac& into small clum%s and reforming it; 3id you lay it on the table and s*irl the cards around; 3id you s%lit the %ac& in t*o and rifle it bac& li&e a %o&er dealer; As& yourself *hy you chose that form of shuffling-is it the one you find easiest and most comfortable; If so, great-stic& *ith itI 4ut if you shuffled that *ay because you thought it *as more fitting for a Tarot reader, thin& about ho* comfortable it is for you' Also consider if you *ish to use card reversals (*hich *e *ill e9amine later$ because if you don5t, mi9ing the cards on the table *ill result in some cards turning u%side do*n' Also, did you shuffle the cards yourself, or did you hand them to your .uerent to shuffle; This *ill be influenced by your beliefs about others touching your cards, and the rule of thumb here is that you should stic& to *hat you feel comfortable *ith' If you don5t feel you *ant others to touch your cards, don5t %ass them to the .uerent to shuffle' There is no uniform %ractice regarding this' 8o*, shuffle the dec& some more, and as& a .uestion (or alternatively, if you are doing this course *ith others, or if you can find a *illing guinea %ig, get somebody to act as your .uerent and have them as& a .uestion$' Sto%I 3id you as& the .uestion aloud; 3id you as& the .uerent *hat their .uestion *as; 3id you *rite the .uestion do*n; Some Tarot readers, *hen reading for others, %refer not to &no* the .uerent5s .uestion *hile others %refer to &no* it' This is a %ersonal %reference and de%ends on your read ing style: if you find it easier, even if it5s 0ust *hile you5re learning, to &no* the .uestion so that you have a format around *hich you can *ra% your inter%retation, that5s fine' After all, there5s a difference bet*een accurately inter%reting the 7m%ress as a creative %ro0ect, and accurately inter%reting the 7m%ress as the .uerent5s recently begun stage %roduction' If you *rote the .uestion do*n, you have the foundation for a reading record' )e5ve already loo&ed at the Tarot 0ournal in *hich you can &ee% a record of all your readings, so if you do this, don5t forget to *rite do*n the rest of the reading' =ou can also as& a .uerent to do this and ta&e notes during the reading, so that they can ta&e it home *ith them and reflect on it at a later date' This hel%s any advice your reading has given remain useful'

)hat &ind of .uestion *as as&ed; )as it general, such as GHo*5s ne9t *ee& going to go;G or *as it s%ecific, GHo* can I ace the 0ob intervie*;G The generality or s%ecificity of the .uestion *ill dictate *hat &ind of s%read you use, including ho* many cards, and also ho* you inter%ret the cards' 8o* it5s time to do the s%read' 6or no*, no matter *hat the .uestion, *e5ll do a three card ast- resent-6uture s%read' ic& the first card from the %ac& *ithout laying it do*n yet' Sto%I 6rom *here did you choose the card; The to% of the %ac&; The bottom; At random from the entire dec&; 3id you cut the %ac& into three %iles and choose the card from the to% of the first %ile; This is another %ersonal %reference, and none of them are better' =ou may find you use only one method, or you may find the method you use de%ends on the s%read' 6or instance, I usually ta&e the cards from the to% of the %ac&, but during certain s%reads I li&e to fan the cards and offer them to the .uerent to choose from' -ay the first card do*n on the table' 8o*, choose the second card and lay it do*n' Sto%I )hen you laid do*n the card, did you lay it face-u% or face-do*n; Again, a %ersonal %reference *ill dictate this: some readers %refer to see only one card at a time, and then after*ard lin& them all together, and so *ill %lace them all face-do*n before turning them over one by one' 2ther readers %refer to see all the cards at once and start *eaving the inter%retations together right a*ay' )hen you turned the card over, did you turn it from the bottom of the card and fli% it u%*ard; 2r did you turn it from right to leftEleft to right li&e you5d turn the %ages of a boo&; This choice is only %ertinent if you don5t use reversed cards, since turning the cards from bottom to to%Eto% to bottom *ill fli% the card image-most annoying if you other*ise have all the cards the right *ay u%I 6li%%ing the cards li&e %ages of a boo& negates this effect' 8o*, choose the final card and lay it do*n in the reading' Sto%I Ho* have you %laced the cards; Are they all in one straight line; Are they in a triangle; )hat sha%e have you formed *ith them; )ith a threecard reading such as this, it5s not so im%ortant, but if you have a larger reading you may *ish to form a %articular sha%e *ith the cards to ma&e it easier to inter%ret, more %leasant to loo& at, and to delineate grou%s of cards or cards that interact in some *ay' 2ften *ith a %remade s%read you5ll find a sha%e is given, but if you ma&e u% your o*n s%reads, or create them on the s%ot for each reading (e9amined later$, you5ll need to be more a*are of the format you5ve laid the cards in' 6inally, thin& about *hat this *ould be li&e if the reading *ere for a stranger instead of for yourself or your friend' As& yourself: 3id you do anything before you initially %ic&ed u% the dec& or began shuffling; 3id you ta&e a fe* dee% breaths; 3id you center yourself, do a visualiFation e9ercise to ground yourself, or contact your higher self; 3id you %ray; All these are %ersonal touches and if you are so inclined they can add a higher level to your readings' If you *ant to %ray before shuffling, there5s nothing to say you can5t-but you might *ant to do it silently if you have a .uerent *ho *ouldn5t a%%reciate it' =our ,eading Style As reflected above in the first minute of a Tarot reading, it is clear that every Tarot reader is different and has his or her o*n style of reading' This is u% to the reader5s

%ersonality, the &ind of readings they do, *hom they read for, and a varied mi9ture of their beliefs about the Tarot' =our o*n style of reading is li&ely to develo% over time, and it may also change drastically at some %oint to reflect a change in those you read for, your lifestyle, and more' Therefore it is im%ortant to remember that one5s reading style is an entirely %ersonal choice, and there is no single right *ay of reading the cards' =our style of reading *ill also affect much more than ho* you shuffle, deal the cards, and cut the %ac&' M 7C7,(IS7 >'< (onsider the follo*ing: P )hat &ind of readings do you %erform most often; 6un readings; roblem solving; 4rainstorming; S%iritual guidance; This *ill affect ho* you deliver your readings, the s%reads you use most often, and the length of time your readings ta&e' ,eadings for fun are li&ely to be shorter than readings for s%iritual guidance, and fortunetelling is li&ely to involve a different s%read than a .uestion about %roblem solving' =ou *ill also find that the &ind of readings you %erform most often influences ho* you inter%ret the cards generally, as you5ll use certain as%ects of each card more often than others' 6or instance, you are less li&ely to inter%ret cards as %eo%le during a brainstorming reading regarding a business %ro%osal, but more li&ely to see them as %eo%le during fortune telling' P )ho do you most often read for; =ourself; 2thers; 2lder %eo%le, younger %eo%le, *omen, men, other Tarot readers; This *ill also affect ho* you deliver your readings, as *ell as the .uestions you get as&ed most often' It may also influence the Tarot dec& you choose to use-you may ha%%en to &no* that many of the older %eo%le you read for %refer a certain dec&, or many of the younger %eo%le res%ond *ell to a brighter, bolder dec&' P Ho* big are your hands; This *ill affect the siFe of dec& you use, as *ell as ho* you shuffle the cards' P 3o you use card reversals; This *ill affect ho* you shuffle and lay do*n the cards, as *ell as ho* you inter%ret the cards' P 3o you hold %articular beliefs about the cards; (discussed in -esson !$' This *ill influence *hether you let others touch your cards in a reading, *ho shuffles the dec&, and may dictate any %re-reading rituals, %rayers, breathing e9ercises, or visualiFations you *ish to %erform' It may also influence *here you read and any accoutrements you have around you during the reading (candles, crystals, holy boo&, deity images, etc'$' Saying the +eanings Aloud A sim%le tric& for learning to read better right from the start is to say the meanings aloud' This is regardless of *hether you are doing the reading for yourself or for someone else, and regardless of *hether the reading is serious or silly' 3o not read the meanings from a boo& or 0ust say them in your head-you *ill find it more effective for learning card meanings and for accurately *eaving the inter%retations together if you tal& through it all' This may ta&e the form of thin&ing out loud, *here you don5t give the finaliFed inter%retation but instead tal& your *ay through each card individually and then tal& your *ay through ho* each card affects and interacts *ith the others in the s%read' 3oing it this *ay also means you *ill have to %ut the card meanings into your o*n language, e9%ressing them *ith your o*n manner of s%eech, rather than 0ust reading another %erson5s *ritten *ords' -earning *ith 2thers: ractice ,eadings

If %ossible, try to get together *ith other Tarot students or enthusiasts and regularly s*a% readings' 6rom this %oint in the course, you *ill be given several s%reads to use, and it *ould be great if you had a %erson to share them *ith' If you have no friends *ho are learning Tarot as *ell, you may *ant to consider going online to the many Tarot forums to find others *ith similar needs to yourself' Aeclectic Tarot 6orum (***'aeclectic'net$ has a subforum *here you can as& for %eo%le to do readings for in return for other readings or 0ust feedbac&' ,eading *ith others in this *ay, es%ecially if they are face-to-face, can be immense fun as *ell as useful for the learner, so don5t be afraid to ma&e an evening of it if you5ve got some interested friends: o%en a bottle of *ine, %ut some music on, share some food, and do lots of readings for each otherI =ou *ill also find that you %ic& u% some techni.ues or ideas from others, and gro* in confidence as a Tarot reader' -ess Is +ore: The 2ne-(ard S%read Although it *ould be logical to assume that having more cards in a s%read *ould give you more detail, for many Tarot readers the o%%osite is true' 7s%ecially *hen you are 0ust starting out, you may find that having more than three cards in a s%read divides your attention and s%reads your mind too thinly over the s%read, bloc&ing any detail you may need to be a*are of in the cards' 7ven advanced readers rarely %erform a s%read that has more than fifteen cards, and largely you *ill find that the .uestions as&ed during a Tarot reading can be ans*ered *ith only a fe* cards' The follo*ing 2ne-(ard s%read *or&s on the basis that it offers the reader a single image to focus on, one single meaning that can be e9amined in detail to get to the bottom of a .uestion and its ans*er' This s%read is also useful if you *ant a .uic& readingJ it is used for 3aily 3ra* e9ercises, and is e9cellent for self-reflection and affirmations' )HAT (A8 (A,3 I ,7 ,7S78T; P A =esE8o ans*er P Advice P rediction for the future 2ne-(ard S%read

P Ans*er for reflection P G)ho *ill be most influential in this venture;G P G)hat is the main obstacle bloc&ing my *ay;G P G)hat .uality is most im%ortant for me to encourage in myself at this time;G P GGive me an affirmation about my relationshi%s'G P GHo* *ill today go;G P GHo* did the intervie* go;G P GGive me .uic& advice about *hat to do no* in my novel'G In fact, any .uestion you as& can conceivably be ans*ered by one card' Ho*ever, if a .uestion has several com%onents (as some of the more com%licated ones do$ more cards may be necessary to e9amine those com%onents, and the various levels of the

.uestion' 4ut a single card *ill allo* the reader and .uerent to have a single focus for the reading, even though several cards may later be dra*n' racticing 2b0ectivity It is often said that one should not or cannot read for oneself' Some have translated this as meaning it is bad luc& to do so, and thus many beginners are stuc& for a means of %racticing readings: you are your o*n best guinea %ig' Ho*ever, there is a &ernel of truth behind this su%erstition-reading for yourself can be done, but is e9tremely difficult to do *ell because you are not an ob0ective reader' )hen you have such strong ho%es, desires, and fears affecting the reading, your inter%retation of the cards is li&ely to be *ar%ed by them' =ou may not get the *hole truth from the reading, nor are you li&ely to see the outcome clearly' 3on5t *orry, this is natural-*e are all human, and even the most e9%erienced Tarot readers may still suffer from the tendency to only see in the cards *hat they *ant to see' Ho*ever, ob0ectivity can be learned, so these are some e9ercises that hel% you gain ob0ectivity in your readings' They are not necessarily directly concerning an ob0ective mind, but encourage you to distance yourself from your biases' in your readings' They are not necessarily directly concerning an ob0ective mind, but encourage you to distance yourself from your biases' 7C7,(IS7 >'? This may seem silly, but it can be a lot of fun, es%ecially done *ith a fe* %eo%le' Sim%ly stand before your bedroom or house door and try to imagine you are not the inhabitant of the %lace but instead a guest *ho has never visited before' 8o*, ste% through the door and s%end ten minutes loo&ing at the features of the %lace-the items around, the decor, the activities and hobbies re%resented' As& yourself *hat the inhabitant of this %lace is li&e' )hat does their %lace suggest about them; 4e critical, be imaginative, and have funI If *ith others, do all this out loud as a discussion-you may find you end u% ma&ing fun of yourself, but this is from yourself, so should not be hurtful' M 7C7,(IS7 >'> This is usually not a recommendation I give to anybody, but 0ust once couldn5t hurt' S*itch the television to a tal& sho* Berry S%ringer al*ays gives %lenty of materialand instead of laughing at the guests or 0udging them, try (really tryI$ to see *hy they do *hat they do' 7ven if *hat they do is marrying their sister, believing in alien abduction, or running a cafe for dogs' 2nce again, this e9ercise *ill not give you :"" %ercent ob0ectivity, but it *ill encourage you to ste% aside from your biases and values *hen you vie* others' This is a necessity in certain readings' 7C7,(IS7 >'@ If you have &e%t diaries in the %ast, dig them out and read them' ,ead *hat your younger and more innocent self had to say, but vie* the *ritten *ord as having come from a com%letely different %erson' Ho* *ould you have guided that %erson; )hat advice *ould you have given them; M 7C7,(IS7 >'# )hen you do read for yourself, do your reading as normal and *rite it do*n' Then ta&e a second loo& at the reading, and *ithout the original .uestion in mind, try to reinter%ret the s%read com%letely differently' Ho* could each of those cards be different; (ould this reading be indicating something else; If necessary, ta&e out a boo& and see *hat meanings it gives-com%are the second reading *ith your %revious reading and note the differences' This is not to say that the second reading should then be follo*ed' =our first reading, from yourself and from your heart, is al*ays to be

ta&en above any boo& meanings since it *as born through your intuition' 4ut the second reading accustoms you to seeing *here your biases and ho%es have s*ayed the reading, and teaches you to see a *ide variety of meanings for each card' 2%tional Home*or& P -oo& bac& at the +ission Statement you created in 79ercise :'<' 8o* that you have a better idea of the ob0ectives of a Tarot reading and reader, do you feel you need to alter the +ission Statement; )ould you add anything to it or remove anything; P In your Tarot Bournal, start noting do*n thoughts about the &ind of Tarot reader you *ant to be' )hom do you *ant to read for most; )hat &inds of .uestions do you thin& you5d en0oy ans*ering; P +a&e a %romise to yourself that you *ill try to shuffle your cards at least once a day for a fe* minutes' The more you shuffle the dec&, the better you *ill be at shufflingavoiding any embarrassing misha%s *ith the cards during a readingI P Start doing a 2ne-(ard s%read every day as your 3aily 3ra* e9ercise (see 79ercise !'?$ P 4efore you start the ne9t lesson, find four items that re%resent one of each of the four elements (7arth, Air, 6ire, )ater$ and *rite about them in your Tarot Bournal' )hy did you choose those items; )hat do they re%resent about the elements;

In -esson ?, *e have already e9%lored the 6eminine Archety%es that can be found in the +a0or Arcana and so to accom%any that lesson *e *ill be e9amining the +asculine Archety%es in the +a0or Arcana no*' As *e *ill see during this lesson, these archety%es re%eatedly use the number ?, and so *e *ill also be loo&ing at other symbols in Tarot that come in fours: the elements, seasons, stages of the sun, suits, and (ourt (ards' +any of these, such as the four elements, *ill become e9tremely im%ortant in later lessons *hen *e a%%roach the +inor Arcana and (ourt (ards in more detail' (arl Bung and the 6ourfold 3ivine +asculine The S*iss %sychologist and %sychiatrist (arl Bung *rote a large amount of material concerning gender, men, *omen, and the %rocess of individuation *hereby the soul and %ersonality evolve and reunite *ith their lost self' As %art of this %rocess, Bung tells us that every man has a feminine as%ect to his soul (anima$ as *ell as his masculine self, and every *oman has a masculine as%ect to her soul (animus$ as *ell as her feminine self' The goal is to balance and unite the self and the soul in a sacred marriage' )hen these t*o sides of the self are conflicting, the %erson may become mentally ill, unbalanced, or unha%%y' Although *e should remember that gender in the Tarot is only a symbol, *hat Bung further *rote about the animus serves as an e9cellent symbol for the 3ivine +asculine, as *ell as for the four elements and the four suits of the Tarot' )arrior' The first stage of the develo%ment of the animus is the %ersonification of %hysical %o*er or %o*er in the *orld, a realiFation of the ability to act, and a desire to e9%lore the *orld around us'

-over: The second stage is the engagement *ith the *orld in a thorough, %assionate *ay' The animus at this stage gives itself u% entirely to e9%eriencing *hat comes its *ay, and %uts its all into everything it does' King'- The third stage is the consolidation of %o*er and ability, *here the &no*ledge and *isdom achieved from the %revious t*o stages are used to create, rule, and govern' This stage is also *hen the animus begins to master certain s&ills instead of sim%ly dabbling *ith them all' +agicianESorcererESage: The final stage is *here the &no*ledge, s&ills, and mastery achieved in the %revious three stages are ta&en *ithin the animus and used to achieve realiFation, mystical e9%erience, and understanding' This is the in*ard stage that brings about the ince%tion of ne* ideas and understanding' These four stages of the +asculine Archety%e or animus can be seen in ancient 7gy%tian mythology, in *hich the sun god, ,a, travels through the s&y on a boat (the G4oat of a +illion =earsG$ during the day' His 0ourney over the t*enty-fourhour %eriod is s%lit into four faces: Ke%hri: The scarab beetle that %ushes the sun u% over the horiFon at da*n' This face of ,a is the face of ne* beginnings and initial effort' ,a: The midday sun at its strongest, *hen the heat blaFesJ nothing can harm him' Atum: The setting sun in the evening, *hen he descends belo* the horiFon' This is the face of *aning %o*er but 0oy for the day 0ust gone' So&ar' The sun in the /nder*orld at nighttimeJ at this stage, ,a rides the 4oat of a +illion =ears through the *aters filled *ith demons *ho *ish the sun harm, trying to %revent its rising' The above t*o methods of loo&ing at the +asculine Archety%es can also be a%%lied to a %ro0ect: )arriorEKe%hri: The ince%tion of the idea, and the initial struggle to give it a good start' -overE,a: The rising strength of the %ro0ect, and the energy %ut into it to hel% it develo%' KingEAtum: The 0oy at the %ro0ect5s com%letion, and the consolidation of %o*er through success' +agicianESo&ar: The reflection or learning %rocess that ta&es %lace *ithin the %ro0ect5s creator no* that it is com%leted' A brief rest before beginning ane*' (onse.uently, *e can a%%ly these four faces and stages of the 3ivine +asculine to the four elements and the four suits of the Tarot' The 6our 7lements, Suits, and (ourts The four 7lements of 7arth, Air, 6ire, and )ater e9ist inasmuch as *e can e9%erience them on a basic level: *e can feel the fire *e ma&e at a cam%siteJ *e can breathe in air all around usJ *e can s*im in the *ater of the oceanJ and *e can %lant seeds in earth and let it run through our fingerti%s' Ho*ever, as anybody *ill &no* from basic chemistry lessons in school, there are in fact hundreds more elements that form the ma&eu% of the universe around us (such as hydrogen, magnesium, and lithium$, *hich also form the ma&eu% of these four elements' It is easier to vie* the four elements as meta%hysical and abstract conce%ts that sho* us the building bloc&s of the universe' These elements give us a handy fourfold vie* of the *orld around us that enables us to organiFe it into easily understandable forms' Hence, *e may say someone has a fiery tem%er, or an enemy may give you an icy stare-and *e &no* *hat these terms denote instantly' The four elements are 0ust symbols em%loyed by the Tarot to hel% us remember meanings and a%%ly the cards to our lives'

This is not a ne* idea' +any ancient Gree& and ,oman %hiloso%hers and %hysicians, such as Hi%%ocrates, believed that four humors or substances e9isted in the human body that, if balanced, created a healthy %erson' Their imbalance caused various illnesses de%ending on *hich humor %redominated' 6urther, these four humors *ere associated *ith the four elements' Today many %eo%le still believe that *e all have as%ects of our natures that are associated *ith 6ire, )ater, Air or 7arth, and as%ects of our lives corres%ond to these 7lements (*hich *e *ill see in %ractice in a Tarot s%read later$' 7C7,(IS7 @'I If you did the o%tional home*or& from last lesson, ta&e the item that you chose to re%resent 7arth and %lace it in front of you' ,ead bac& over your notes about *hy you chose that item and *hat it re%resents to you' )hy did you choose that item for this element; 6rom this, as& yourself *hat role the element of 7arth %lays in your %ersonal and everyday life, or in your surroundings' Ta&e a *al& outside, %referably in a green s%ace' 6ailing this, find a tree or some %lants' S%end some time *ith this green s%ace or tree loo&ing at it, engaging *ith it, ta&ing it into your senses' Ho* does it ma&e you feel; )hat thoughts does it bring to your mind; As& yourself ho* humans engage *ith 7arth and *hat it re%resents' M 7C7,(IS7 @'! 4rainstorm the element of Air' Ho* does it interact *ith human life; (onsider breath, music, hearing, *ords, song, shouts, sighs, o9ygen' Ho* does this element ma&e you feel; M 7C7,(IS7 @'< S%end some time doing something active-more active than usual for you' 3ance, 0um% u% and do*n, do some e9ercise, lift some *eights, or go 0ogging' )hile doing this, note ho* your energy levels rise and fall, %ea& and trough' 8ote any strains in your body, your mind, and feelings' Ho* does your o*n energy flo*; Ho* much %assion and *ill do you %ut into your activity; 7C7,(IS7 @'? If you are luc&y enough to live by the ocean, a la&e, river, or *aterfall, go visit itI S*im in the *ater (if it5s safe and legal to do so$, submerge yourself in it, listen to the flo* of the *ater' If you don5t live near a natural body of *ater, go to a s*imming %ool-it *on5t be as %eaceful, but you *ill still get something out of it' 6ailing that, ta&e a long bath' ,ela9 and feel ho* the *ater flo*s over your body' As& yourself *hat *ater means to humans, and thin& about both its %ositive .ualities and its destructive side' M 7C7,(IS7 @'> The four elements have their o*n .ualities and associations, but it is useful if you have a %ersonal understanding of each of them that comes from e9%erience and interaction' Try to &ee% a fe* %ages in your Tarot 0ournal free for each element, and *henever you gain a ne* insight into an element *rite it in that s%ace' =ou might also li&e to create collages of images for each element out of %ictures that you find symbolic, *ith matching colors, sha%es, etc' 7ach element is associated *ith a suit from the Tarot %ac& and a (ourt (ard' This denotes the nature of each suit and its main concerns or area of life that it covers' It also tells us valuable as%ects of each (ourt (ard, and as *e *ill see in a later lesson, the elemental attributes of the (ourt (ards alone can give us all *e need for inter%retation' 7arth N Suit of (oinsJ ages

Air N Suit of S*ordsJ Knights )ater N Suit of (u%sJ Hueens 6ire N Suit of )andsJ Kings So, the suit of (oins is concerned *ith the areas of life 7arth re%resents: the mundane, %hysical *orld, *or&, business, talents, money, trade, heritage, roots, health, and family' The suit of S*ords is associated *ith the element of Air, and therefore it is concerned *ith matters of the mind, mental ability, the intellect, *ords, studies, and conflict' The suit of )ands is ruled by 6ire, and governs matters of energy, drive, *ill, %assion, goals, se9uality, and ambitions' The suit of (u%s is associated *ith )ater, and therefore loo&s at our emotional lives, social relationshi%s, feelings, s%iritual lives, religious e9%eriences, and connections *ith others' It is *orth mentioning that in some Tarot dec&s the associations may be different, though usually you *ill only find the )ands and S*ords suits s*a%%ed so that )ands are given Air and S*ords 6ire' This is a %ersonal %reference, and you *ill eventually find *hich you %refer' Ho*ever, in this boo& *e *ill stic& *ith )andsE6ire and S*ordsEAir since it is more common and is the association given for the t*o main influential dec&s in the modern era, the ,ider-)aite and the (ro*ley-Thoth' 7C7,(IS7 @'@ The four elements don5t 0ust a%%ear systematically in the four suits and four (ourts' They are every*here in the Tarot, %articularly in individual cards' Their a%%earance or lac& of a%%earance in certain cards can give a lot of detail and symbolism for you to inter%ret' Ta&e the +a0or Arcana from your Tarot dec& and %ut them in order from " The 6ool to CCI The )orld' Go through the cards one by one, and identify the elements as they a%%ear in each card' P )hich element a%%ears most %rominently in the card; P In *hat form does the element a%%ear; P Ho* does the scene or character(s$ interact *ith the element; P Ho* elementally balanced is the card; 3o all four a%%ear, or 0ust one overall; P )hat elements does this card lac&; 8o* com%are the notes you have made for each card' As& yourselfP Are there any cards that share the same %redominant element or combination of elements; P Are there cards that have in common the symbols of an element or colors associated *ith an element; ' Ho* do you thin& these cards are similar; 2ther +asculine Archety%es If you5ve *atched a number of films you *ill be able to .uic&ly %in%oint masculine archety%es that don5t fit *ith the above four given by (arl Bung' They may include 6ather, (o*boy, Scoundrel, Tyrant, )ea&ling, 1ictim, 4est 6riend, 2%%ressor, Hunter, rofessor, and Hero' +ostly you *ill find that these roles are %layed by men in films, literature, and mythology-and in the Tarot as *ell' 4ut a *oman can e.ually %erform such roles in real life' 7C7,(IS7 @'# (hoose a classic film to *atch' It doesn5t have to be old to be classicchoose something *ell &no*n to the ma0ority of film vie*ers' Star )ars, The -ord of the ,ings, The +atri9, 3isney movies, Its A )onderful -ife, 7' T, or Highlander are all e9cellent o%tionsI )atch the film *ith a %ad of %a%er by your side, and note do*n any

masculine stereoty%es, roles, or archety%es that a%%ear' )hen you5ve finished the film, ta&e your +a0or Arcana from the dec& and com%are the cards to the archety%es you have collected' 3o they fit any*here; 3oes a %articular character remind you of a card; =ou may find that associating a card *ith a character from a film that you are familiar *ith is a useful %latform from *hich to launch into inter%retation and understanding' I1 The 7m%eror )ith his readiness to ta&e action and res%onsibility, and his association *ith the number I1 and therefore manifestation and stability in the material *orld, the 7m%eror is similar to the King archety%e discussed above, and can also be seen as a 6ather figure' The 7m%eror, *ith his *orldly throne, cro*n, sce%ter of %o*er, seated u%on a cube or dais, has the *orld at his fingerti%s' He is the ruler of all he surveys, as *ell as the one *ho brings order to it' He is number ? in the +a0or Arcana, and numer- ologically this is the number of manifestation and of creating order and rules out of the creative force and ra* materials of the number <-the 7m%ress' The t*o cards *or& in tandem, the 7m%ress bringing the life in its ra* and unta%%ed state, %roviding the creative urge and drive, and the imagination to conceive the idea, and the 7m%eror scul%ting this into something solid and material' He is the card that brings results' Action s%rings not from thought, but from a readiness for res%onsibility' -3I7T,I(H 428H27667, Ifyou have built castles in the air, your *or& need not be lostJ that is *here they should be' 8o* %ut the foundations under them' -H78,= 3A1I3 TH2,7A/ The 7m%eror is also a card of the active masculine *hereas the 7m%ress is the active feminine' Together they create life and matter' )here the 7m%ress is 1enus the 7m%eror is +ars, and his *arli&e, aggressive as%ect is clear in the suit of armor he is often de%icted *earing' 6or the 7m%eror matters must be faced *ith force' Ho*ever, this force is usually %ositive-*ithout force clay cannot be molded into a beautiful scul%tureJ *ithout force *ood cannot be sa*ed to build a house' 2nce the matter has resolved itself, and once manifestation has occurred, the 7m%eror ta&es res%on sibility and action for maintaining its order and solidity' He is the giver of rules and the holder of authority' (2++28 S=+42-S ,ed'- Signifies the active masculine %rinci%le' It is also the color of +ars and of fire, as *ell as alchemical sul%hur, *hich is the masculine element in the union bet*een masculine and feminine' 6ire' Activity, action' (ro*n: Indicates the 7m%eror5s rule and authority' He has %o*er over the matter at hand' ThroneEdaisEcube: The throne or dais not only signifies the 7m%eror5s rule but also the number ?' The throne is often cube-sha%ed, and the cube is the sha%e of matter and solidity' The fourth dimension in s%ace is time, and *here the number < is ra* material in matter, the number ? gives that material e9tension into reality' -ambEram: -in&s the 7m%eror to the Fodiacal 6ire sign Aries, a sign of action, masculinity, e9troversion, ruled by +ars, the ,oman god of *ar' 7agle: 6ar-sightedness, lofty ambition'

hallus: A gra%hic re%resentation of the active masculine %rinci%le, and the force and %o*er in the 7m%eror5s energy, as *ell as the e9tension of his *ill' K7=)2,3S: +asculinity, action, res%onsibility, foundations, organiFation, leadershi%, rulershi%, duty, solidity, matter, e9tension, ambition, fatherhood, virility, order, career, su%%ort, domination, determination I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: The 7m%eror a%%ears in a *ide variety of fairy tales or fol&lore as the *ise, fatherly benefactor of the hero' He not only gives a gift to the hero that enables him to continue his 0ourney, but also acts as a guide and rulegiver' This card can also be found, both %ositively and negatively, in the %olitical treatise The rince by 8iccolo +achiavelli' This boo& gives advice on ho* a government or %olitical leader can and should lead its %eo%le and control them, and e9%lores the different *ays %eo%le come to %o*er and the different methods they use to gain res%ect from their sub0ects' It is made clear in the boo& that those *ho use fear and o%%ression as their tools fall very .uic&ly (though these are indeed tools *hich can be usedI$, *hile those *ho use com%assion and 0ustice gain the res%ect of their %eo%le and therefore their su%%ort' In 0ust the same *ay, the 7m%eror rules fairly and 0ustly and thereby becomes more than a ruler: he becomes a father to his %eo%le' As A 7,S28: The %erson signified by the 7m%eror is fatherly, authoritative, and res%onsible, *ith an understanding of leadershi% and social dynamics *ithin a grou%' He &no*s ho* to organiFe and run a grou% of %eo%le' He is usually fair and com%assionate though he may not seem so at first, as he may a%%ear .uite cold and distant' His thoughts are usually clear and he ma&es decisions *ith little deliberation or hesitation' He can also be hot-tem%ered, ho*ever, and can act aggressively if his carefully laid %lans are th*arted' He is headstrong and career-minded, and &no*s e9actly *here he *ants to go in life' If anything stands in his *ay, he *ill not hesitate to remove that obstacle' 7C7,(IS7 @'D P Ta&e the 7m%eror from your dec& and e9amine the card carefully' Are there any symbols or images in your card that stri&e you that are different from those listed above; )hat might they mean and ho* do they ma&e you feel; P Ta&e a %age in your Tarot 0ournal and brainstorm the terms G-eadershi%G and G,es%onsibility'G )hat have you got; Ho* do the *ords and ideas you5ve *ritten do*n relate to the 7m%eror and to his role as a leader and father figure; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat are my res%onsibilities in life; P )hat are my duties in life; P )hat roles have I ta&en u%on myself; P )hat do I aim to achieve; P )hat have I achieved and *hat do I no* rule over; )hat am I confident of; P In *hat *ays do I set do*n foundations; Are they firm foundations; P Ho* do I organiFe myself; 3o I find this difficult or easy; P After reading The rince by +achiavelli, reflect in your 0ournal u%on the conce%ts of %o*er and leadershi%-both their %ositive and negative a%%lications' 1 The Hiero%hant 2ften de%icted as a %riest or %erson of religious authority, the Hiero%hant is not al*ays a *ell-received card by modern Tarot readers' Sadly, some %eo%le5s bad

e9%eriences of religious authority have tainted their vie* of this card, so it is *ise to be a*are of one5s o*n vie*s *hen studying it' 7veryone and everything around you is your teacher' -K78 K7=7S, B,' If the +agician is the )ord of o*er that causes the %rocess of creation to begin-the breath of God hovering over the *aters in the 2ld Testament-then the Hiero%hant is that )ord made 6lesh Besus in the 8e* Testament' He is the manifestation u%on 7arth of the 3ivine and the s%iritual realm (the title Hiero%hant is from the Gree& hiero%hany, meaning Gmanifestation of the sacredG$, and as such he s%ea&s *isdom *ith the authority of a higher %o*er' The Hiero%hant is the .uintessential teacher and *isdom giver, though his &no*ledge comes from received and acce%ted tradition as o%%osed to the inner *isdom and ins%ired &no*ledge of the Hermit *ho treads his o*n %ath' He is the messenger and the mediator bet*een man and God, but also the mouth%iece of the 3ivine, and thus a means through *hich the 3ivine can interact *ith the mundane *orld' The *isest have the most authority' - -AT2 (2++28 S=+42-S 4ulls: The astrological sign of Taurus' 7le%hants: +emory and age, bringing *isdom' entagram: Symbol of man and the five senses and therefore manifestation of s%irit in man' riestly garb: An out*ard sign of the Hiero%hant5s s%iritual authority' Acolytes: Students or hel%ers indicate that the Hiero%hant is a teacher and that his *isdom and &no*ledge is given to others instead of &e%t for his o*n use' Acolytes also acce%t the fact that he has authority over others because of his *isdom' Keys: /sually crossed, these &eys are those that the Hiero%hant holds and can give others, *hich unloc& gate*ays and doors into higher understanding' The Hiero%hant sho*s the *ay' illars: T*o %illars on either side of the Hiero%hant lin& him to the High riestess (in some dec&s he is called High riest$' Together, they re%resent different yet mutual a%%roaches to learning' 4oo&: A boo& signifies learning and &no*ledge, s%ecifically traditional, acce%ted &no*ledge, and the basis of tradition u%on *hich the Hiero%hant5s authority and *isdom rests' (hec&ered floor' Sometimes the Hiero%hant vie*s life as blac&-and-*hite, oneor-theother' Too much tradition and not enough initiative ma&e for a closed mind' K7=)2,3S: Authority, teaching, tradition, rules, reason, manifestation of God5s *ord, learning from tradition, faith, trust, belief, memory, conformity, dogma, *isdom, mediation, religion, advice I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: Besus has already been mentionedJ but 3umbledore from the Harry otter series and 2bi-)an Kenobi from Star )ars *ould be e.ually a%%ro%riate for the Hiero%hant5s role' 4oth figures are %aternal *isdom-givers for the %rotagonist, revealing mysteries and teaching them about the ancient traditions they have found themselves immersed in' They offer advice and sho* them the *ay *ithout forcing their choice' As A 7,S28: The Hiero%hant in your life is a blessing: this %erson is an e9cellent teacher, full of *isdom and &no*ledge and the desire to convey it to others' They

a%%ear to others as *ise beyond their years and ready to give advice *hen needed' They may also have the &nac& of saying 0ust the right thing at the right time to fill in the ga%s in a %uFFle or give %eo%le moments of realiFation' Sometimes the Hiero%hant can be an actual %riest, %riestess, or other %erson in s%iritualEreligious authority' They are often a figure in *hom you have recourse and trust' 7C7,(IS7 @'A P Ta&e the Hiero%hant card from your dec&' 79amine the card and highlight any symbols or images in it' Are they different from those listed above; )hat do they suggest to you; Ho* does the card image ma&e you feel; P 2n a blan& Tarot 0ournal %age, *rite do*n all the %laces, boo&s, %eo%le, and traditions that have given you *isdom and &no*ledge in the %ast' 6rom *here do you receive your *isdom; Ho* much trust do you %lace in this received understanding; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat rules are there in my life that I have to adhere to; P )hat traditions have I learned or currently %ractice; P Ho* do I res%ond to authority and those in %o*er over me or those more &no*ledgeable than myself; P )hat as%ects of the sacred manifest in my life; P Ho* do I vie* religion as o%%osed to s%irituality; Is it a %ositive or negative force; P 3oes my dec& change the card5s title, image, or associations; If so, *hy; P (hoose a religion of the *orld that has a sacred boo& u%on *hich its morality and lifestyle are based' ,ead that boo&' ,eflect in your 0ournal u%on ho* these s%iritual teachings affect our lives, their %ur%ose, and both their %ositive and negative effects' IC The Hermit In 4uddhist thought, it is %ossible to reach 7nlightenment and choose to stay incarnated for all your subse.uent lifetimes (instead of attaining 8irvana$ in order to hel% others reach their o*n 7nlightenment' This 4odhisattva figure uses his o*n inner light and shines it out for others to see, sho*ing them the *ay in the dar&ness of the *heel of samsara (incarnation$' Through his o*n s%iritual %erfection, e9%erience, and (more im%ortantly$ his actions, he acts as a beacon for others' )here the Hiero%hant is the 3ivine )ord, the Hermit is the 3ivine )or&' The miracle comes .uietly into the mind that sto%s an instant, and is still' -A (ourse in +iracles Ho*ever many holy *ords you read, ho*ever many you s%ea&, *hat good*ill they do you ifyou do not act u%on them; -TH7 3HA++A A3A Ho*ever, the Hermit is also a card of silence' )e cannot achieve *isdom through chattering and %artying' The seeds of *isdom are indeed so*n constantly *ithin us, but to allo* them to gro* *e must enter *ithin ourselves, alone, in the dar&ness, turning our inner light in*ard to illuminate ourselves' To do this, *e sometimes need to descend into the dar&est recesses of our souls, our Hades, and act as a %sycho%om% (soul-guide$ for ourselves in that dar&ness' (2++28 S=+42-S -anternElight: The light is that of s%iritual *isdom, but also of the sun' In the dar&ness of the under*orld this is the sun at midnight (Ke%hra$, its hidden, silent %o*er' This re%resents the Hermit5s inner 0ourney'

(erberus: The three-headed dog guardian of Hades is the Hermit5s com%anion and enemy' His %resence on the card indicates that the Hermit is in the /nder*orld' 2r%hic egg: A *inged egg *ra%%ed *ith a sna&e is an ancient Gree& symbol of rebirth into mystery religions, *herein s%iritual *isdom is attained' It is also the silent *omb and s%ermatoFoa that symboliFe creation, and from the silence of *hich all life is born' +ountain: The Hermit standing u%on a mountainto% indicates his lofty s%iritual achievement' Solitary: The Hermit is alone, and this is sometimes seen as loneliness' 4ut the 0ourney *ithin oneself can only be com%leted alone' 3ar&ness: Indicates the dar&ness of Hades and the inner self' Hand:: A symbol of the Hebre* letter yod, meaning hand or s%erm' The hand of the Hermit e9tends to others as a %sycho%om%, and the s%erm is the seed of s%iritual *isdom so*n *ithin' K7=)2,3S: Intros%ection, silence, .uiet, meditation, *isdom, %rivacy, solitude, loneliness, /nder*orld, inner self, giving of *isdom, %sycho%om%, hel%ing others through *isdom' I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: ,afi&i, the baboon shaman from The -ion King, is a good e9am%le of the Hermit' He is al*ays on his o*n and seems to have amassed a considerable amount of s%iritual *isdom' +ost im%ortantly, ,afi&i re%eatedly acts as a guide for the hero, Simba, *hen he is lost or does not &no* *hat to do' 4ut ,afi&i never tells Simba the ans*ers-only sho*s him the *ay using the light of his *isdom' AS A 7,S28: A loner *ho %refers his o*n com%any to that of others, the Hermit is a retiring, often .uiet and modest %erson' To others he may seem lonely, but his solitary nature allo*s him to *atch and learn from the *orld around' His silence enables him to fully integrate his ne* *isdom into his life' This %erson may come across as dee%ly s%iritual, *ise, and &een to guide others' M 7C7,(IS7 @'io P Ta&e the Hermit card from your dec& and e9amine it' )hat symbols a%%ear on your card; )hat do you thin& they say about the card; P Go some*here li&e a cafe or %ar&, and sit in silence' -isten to all the sounds around you' )atch the *orld go by' )hat did you hear; )hat sound does the river ma&e; )hat sound does the tree ma&e; )hat *as that smile for; Allo* all the e9%eriences, sights, sounds, smells, and colors to flo* into you and see *hat you learn from them' P 6or a *ee& or t*o (set yourself a duration you are comfortable *ith$ s%end a set amount of time %ractising meditation-ten to thirty minutes is a good time' This meditation should not be aimed at trying to clear your mind, but allo*ing your mind to run through its thoughts until it naturally reaches a silent state on its o*n' )hen your time is over, *rite do*n your e9%eriences and thoughts in your Tarot 0ournal' )hat has the Hermit5s silence brought you; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P Ho* do I co%e on my o*n; P Have I e9%erienced loneliness; )hen *as the last time I *as on my o*n; P Ho* often do I %ractice intros%ection; P )hat inner *isdom do I have; P Ho* do I e9%ress that *isdom to others; 3o I use it to hel% others;

P Ho* do I e9%erience my o*n inner dar&ness; )hat have been the dar&est times in my life and *hat *as the light shining through for me; The 7lemental S%read This classic s%read is based on the conce%t of the four elements and the attributes they have to our everyday lives' It is a sim%le and highly effective s%read that can be used for both general readings (to give an overvie* of one5s life at this time$ or for s%ecific .uestions' (ard :' 8orth, 7arth, (oins: The %hysical, everyday *orld' The body, health, and financial issues' (ard !' 7ast, Air, S*ords: The intellectual, mental *orld' (ommunication, %hiloso%hical %ursuits, academia' (ard <' South, 6ire, )ands: The s%iritual and energetic *orld' assion, drive, energy, magic' (ard ?' )est, )ater, (u%s: The emotional and social *orld' 6eelings, love, relationshi%s, emotions' (ard >' (enter, S%irit: The central issue, the s%irit, soul, and core of the life'

2%tional Home*or& P +a&e a Tarot Bournal entry about one of the cards *e have studied in this lesson' /se the Huestions for Bournaling and e9ercises as a starting %oint, and e9%and that to your o*n descri%tion of *hat you thin& the card means' P +a&e a Tarot Bournal entry about a masculine archety%e in your life and ho* it has affected you' 6urther ,eading -ord of -ight and Shado*: The +any 6aces of the God, by 3' B' (on*ay, for a modern a%%roach to the 3ivine +asculine' The )itches5 God, by Banet and Ste*art 6arrar, for the same reason'

The 6lo*ering ,od: +en, Se9, and S%irituality, by Kenny Klein' Although it relates solely to men, it *or&s if *e see the archety%es of )arrior, -over, King, and +agician as symbols' Sol Invictus: The God Tarot, by Kim Huggens and 8ic hilli%s, for a Tarot dec& e9%loring the many faces of the 3ivine +asculine in the cards' The rince by 8iccolo +achiavelli, for further insights into the 7m%eror card' Any sacred boo& for further insight into the Hiero%hant'

)e continue our study of the +a0or Arcana *ith three cards that not only form a trilogy of moralistic images from the (hristian era, but *hich have also received s%ecial attention from authors such as Aleister (ro*ley' These three cards *ere significantly changed in (ro*ley5s Thoth Tarot, and a large number of Tarot dec&s today have &e%t these changes to better reflect a ne* aeon of thought' This lesson *ill e9amine the reasons for these changes alongside the traditional vie*s of these cards, and ta&e a loo& at some related conce%ts of alchemy, the Golden +ean, and em%o*erment' +edieval 1irtues in the Tarot The three cards *e are e9amining in this lesson are 1III Strength, CI Bustice (as *e *ill see later, these t*o cards are sometimes given each other5s numbers$, and CI1 Tem%erance' Ho*ever, it is clear that these cards %layed a role in the original Tarot as a trio rather than as se%arate cards: throughout history *e see them forming a large %art of a list of G1irtuesG %rescribed to %eo%le from the ancient Gree&s to the ,enaissance' Therefore, *e can vie* them as moralistic, %rescri%tive, and an indication of the highest mar& of one5s character-from a medieval %oint of vie*' Aleister (ro*ley5s vie* on that fact *as mar&edly different, as is our modern vie*, as *e *ill see laterI The four (lassical 1irtues from ancient Greece (*hich also became the four (ardinal 1irtues of the ,oman (atholic church and therefore the medieval %eriod$ are: @ticato@@vri (di&aiosyne$ Bustice av@%sia (andreia$-6ortitude t%%@vri@t. (%hronesis$- rudence (<c$t%%o@@vri (so%hrosyne$-Tem%erance As *e can already see, the three cards from today5s lesson are %resent in this grou%: Bustice, Tem%erance and Strength (in many early dec&s G6ortitudeG *as used for the card5s title$' 2nly rudence is missing from the Tarot, although the earliest e9tant dec& does not have any card titles, so it is %ossible that the virtue *as given to a card but the image suggested something else to those *ho vie*ed it later' This term also has connotations of G%ractical *isdomG as o%%osed to Gintellectual *isdom'G So from a medieval moralistic %ers%ective, these cards may have had very significant associations: Bustice: The ability to be fair to allJ a fair trialJ the %rotection of the la* as *ell as adherence to the la*J %unishment for *rongdoers and re*ards for the virtuousJ

ob0ectivityJ moral rightness, ethics' This term also encom%asses the %ro%er ordering of %eo%le and actions in society' 6ortitude: In 7nglish, this *ord denotes something very different to the *ord GStrength'G 6ortitude indicates courage in the face of fear, %ain, and suffering' It is the ability to stand u% for oneself and for others, the force of *ill to %ersevere, and the %ractice of chivalry' 6ortitude is as much an inner characteristic as it is an out*ard %ractice to*ard others' GStrength,G on the other hand, may indicate might, firmness, rule over others, and %hysical ca%acity' Ho*ever, *e also tal& of Gstrength of characterG and Gstrength of *ill'G Tem%erance: Huite a com%le9 conce%t, tem%erance on the surface sim%ly indicates the ability to moderate one5s behavior so that one does not %ractice lac& of virtue or e9cess of it' It is a balance of one5s tem%erament or nature on an e9ternal level' It is associated *ith the ca%acity to control oneself and govern one5s feelings, a%%etites, and desires *ith the use of one5s *ill and reason' Tem%erance *as also discussed at length by Aristotle in 8icoma- chean 7thics' Thelemic ,etellings )hen Aleister (ro*ley created his Thoth Tarot *ith artist -ady 6rieda Harris, he significantly changed some of the cards to fit the %hiloso%hy and conce%ts of Thelema' (ro*ley felt that some of the cards *ere %ortrayed in an G2ld AeonG fashion, dis%laying values and virtues that *ere no longer a%%ro%riate for the da*ning 8e* Aeon' )e5ll e9amine each of these cards in turn, but &ee% in mind the traditional medieval conce%ts associated *ith them, for com%arison %ur%oses' Bustice: Ad0ustment This card in the old %ac& *as called Bustice' This *ord has none but a %urely human and therefore relative senseJ so it is not to be considered as one of the facts of nature' 8ature is not 0ust, according to any theological or ethical ideaJ but 8ature is e9act' 7.uilibrium stands a%art from any individual %re0udices K'''L In this sense, 8ature is unscru%ulously 0ust' It is im%ossible to dro% a %in *ithout e9citing a corres%onding reaction in every star' The action has disturbed the balance of the /niverse' -Aleister (ro*ley The conce%t of human 0ustice, re*ard, and %unishment has been removed in favor of a universal %rinci%le of 8ature (e.uilibrium$ and the %rocess by *hich e.uilibrium is maintained (ad0ustment$' (ro*ley therefore identifies this card as the feminine %artner of " The 6ool-the chaos of the 6ool and the order of Ad0ustment' He also associated this card *ith the 7gy%tian %rinci%le +a5at-the order and e.uilibrium of the universe, but more im%ortantly the sense of Gthe *ay things are'G 6urther, (ro*ley believed that this card could be vie*ed as using the conce%t of Karma insofar as it re%resents the cause and effect of the universe' Q 7C7,(IS7 #'I Ho* *ould you marry the t*o differing vie*s of this card; Ho* does human 0ustice relate to the universal %rinci%le of e.uilibrium; )hich vie* do you %refer for this card; Strength: -ust ''' it has been thought better to change the traditional title' -ust im%lies not only strength, but the 0oy of strength e9ercised' It is vigour, and the ra%ture of vigour' There is in this card a divine drun&enness or ecstasy' The *oman is sho*n as more than a little drun&, and more than a little madJ and the lion also is aflame *ith lust' This signifies that the ty%e of energy described is that of the %rimitive, creative orderJ

it is com%letely inde%endent of the criticism of reason' This card %ortrays the *ill of the Aeon' -Aleister (ro*ley The difference bet*een (ro*ley5s -ust card and the traditional Strength card can be illustrated by t*o formulas: that of St' George &illing the 3ragon, and that of 4eauty and the 4east' In the former, St' George &ills the dragon to save the damsel in distress, thus the *oman and the beast are &e%t se%arate, and the *oman is mild and %o*erless' In the latter, the *oman herself falls in love *ith the 4east, and *hile in some versions of the tale the 4east becomes a man due to her love, in others the *oman becomes a 4east as *ell' Thus, -ust relates more to the acce%tance of the bestial lust and vigor for life, rather than the denial and destruction of its %rimal force' (ro*ley5s version of the card has an added layer that e9%loits the (hristian image of the )hore of 4abylon riding u%on the 4east in the 4oo& of ,evelation, *hich forms the main image of the card' Here the card de%icts the Thelemic conce%t of 4abalon, the feminine %rinci%le of the /niverse *ho acce%ts all, into *hose cu% the mystic desires to %our his blood (a symbol of giving oneself u% to the 3ivine$' Tem%erance: Art This card re%resents the (onsummation of the ,oyal +arriage *hich too& %lace in Atu 1I KThe -oversL' The blac& and *hite %ersonages are no* united in a single androgyne figure' The e.uilibrium and counter-change are carried out com%letely in the figure itself''' -Aleister (ro*ley Instead of the medieval virtue %ertaining to moderation, (ro*ley sa* in this card an im%ortant stage in the alchemical %rocess, in *hich the o%%osing matter of masculineEfeminine, *hiteEred, not only 0oined together as in the -overs card, but further dissolved into one another to form a ne*, conglomerate matter' Thus, he renamed the card GArt,G a term also used for alchemy' The image on the card is of an androgynous figure bearing a mi9ture of symbolism from the 7m%ress and 7m%eror cards (sho*ing that the King and Hueentherefore masculine and feminine-have been united and dissolved into one$, mi9ing fire and *ater in the alchemical cauldron u%on *hich is the symbol of %utrefaction (a raven ato% a s&ull$' Thus, not only did (ro*ley have this card re%resent the union of one *ith the other, but also the universal solvent &no*n as 1itriol that com%letely dissolves all matter' M 7C7,(IS7 #'! In *hat *ay do you thin& the medieval virtue of moderation could be a%%lied to the alchemical %rocess that (ro*ley s%ea&s of; 7C7,(IS7 #'< 3o a bit of research on the sub0ect of alchemy' The Internet has a great variety of sources' In %articular, loo& u% the terms Gvitriol,G Gmarriage,G and G%utrefactionG in relation to this card' CI BusticeE1III Ad0ustment Bustice, sometimes numbered :: and sometimes D, %resents us *ith the image of a human figure %residing over the universe *ith the scales of balance and s*ord of truth' 2ften the figure is blindfolded, and hisEher ob0ectivity is clear' Here, the natural la* of the universe *ins out over the artificial la*s of man&ind (useful though they areI$' G8ature, red in tooth and cla*G cares little for morality or for e.uality, and al*ays moves for*ard to ad0ust itself to changing circumstances in order to maintain the e.uilibrium it needs to survive'

)ho trusted God *as love indeed And love (reation5s final la* Tho5 8ature, red in tooth and cla* )ith ravine, shrie&5d against his creed A-6,73, -2,3 T788=S28 It is not %o%ular for %eo%le to %hiloso%hiFe that certain things are Gthe *ay things are'G Ho*ever, this is the thrust of the BusticeEAd0ustment card: there are Gla*sG (though the human term is insufficient$ that govern the balance of the universe and *ill be enacted not through a human agent or an intelligent force but through continual cause and effect' The term GbalanceG is often a%%lied to this card, but it does not signify balance in the sense of t*o things being e.ual or balancing each other outJ rather it is in the sense of the natural flo* of the universe *or&ing around us' Ho*ever, at times the 0ustice card-due to its image-can indicate human 0ustice and 0udgments, though such 0udgments are often so ob0ective that they can feel cruel and harsh' (2++28 S=+42-S S*ord: The s*ord is a shar% and e9acting instrument, in this case re%resenting not only the s*ift reaction to an action but also the seemingly cruel *ay cause and effect *or&s' 4lindfold: GBustice is blindG is a common saying' It refers to ob0ectivity in a human sense, but in the non-human sense refers to the idea of G8ature, red in tooth and cla*'G illars: T*o %illars here may indicate the balance bet*een t*o %olarities' 6eather and heart: In 7gy%tian myth, after death one5s heart *as *eighed against the feather (symbol$ of +a5at-if the heart *as heavier it indicated that the deceased soul *as *eighed do*n by sin or sorro*, and *as thus devoured by Sebe&' Scales: A symbol of balance, and of ad0ustment, of *eighing u% both sides' Also a symbol of -ibra' 3uality: olarity and o%%osites that need a balancing %oint in bet*een' 7very binary has such a %oint' (ourtroom: A human reflection of 0ustice' (ro*n: The authority of the la* of cause and effect' Al%haE2mega: Another binary, these are the first and last letters of the Gree& al%habet' Together they indicate the com%lete encom%assing of the entirety of e9istence by the la*s of this card' K7y*2i*s: Bustice, balance, 0udgment, trial, retribution, re*ard, %unishment, truth, cosmic balance, +a5at, la*, cause and effect, ob0ectivity, e.uality, ad0ustment, &arma, fairness, choice, decision, %olarity, necessity I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: 2ne story of the great Hebre* King Solomon tells us of a dis%ute he resolved bet*een t*o *omen *ho both claimed maternity of an infant' Solomon as&ed each *oman to give her argument, but both *omen said the same-that they *ere the mother of the boy, and they loved him more than anything in the *orld' Solomon reached a solution he thought fair: the baby should be cut in half do*n the middle, and each *oman *ould receive half, since each *oman5s claim *as e.ually valid' At this, one *oman fell to her &nees before the King and begged him to let the other *oman have the child *hole-she could not bear to see him &illed' 6rom this, Solomon &ne* that she *as the true birth mother, for she *ould rather the boy live safely *ith somebody else than see him dead' Solomon5s decision *as cruel and s*ift, and demonstrates ho* im%artiality and ob0ectivity can bring about the natural order of things, but also ho* human feelings and rules can be crushed by this order'

As A 7,S28: I have found it a rare occurrence that this card indicates a %erson in a reading' Ho*ever, due to the image on the card it can sometimes signify a %erson %ractising la*: a 0udge, la*yer, or advocate' A Bustice %erson is usually ob0ective, cold, and a%%lies reason to all matters in order to achieve the most balanced decision' 2ften, ho*ever, this decision does not consider the feelings of others-such things are considered fla*ed and too frail to matter' 6or the 0ustice %erson, *hat matters most is reaching a conclusion s*iftly and logically' 7C7,(IS7 #'? P Ta&e the 0ustice card from your dec& and e9amine the image and symbolism' This card is one that is very often different bet*een dec&s, so carefully assess yours and see *hat you thin& of it' )hat symbols stand out; )hat colors; 3oes this version of 0ustice highlight human la* and 0udgment, or natural la* and cause and effect; P In your Tarot 0ournal, *rite about an incident in your life *hen you may have e9%erienced the blindness of cause and effect, or the shar% end of an ob0ective decision' Ho* do you feel about the 0ustice system in your country; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P In *hich other cards do %illars a%%ear; )hat do you thin& this re%resents for the meaning of the 0ustice card; P In *hat other cards does a s*ord a%%ear, and *hat does this mean; Ho* does this relate to the 0ustice card; P )hat does the conce%t of balance mean to you; Ho* do you e9%erience balance in your everyday life; P Is balance the natural order of things, or is the /niverse naturally unbalanced; P Have you e9%erienced a time of %rofound ad0ustment in your life; )hat ha%%ened; Ho* did you a%%roach the %rocess of ad0ustment; P )hat do you feel about the conce%t of Karma, or the -a* of (ause and 7ffect; 1III StrengthECI -ust In some medieval dec&s, this card de%icted Hercules battling the 8emean lion, and therefore indicated brute force and the su%%ression of the animal side of man' Ho*ever, the most %revalent image *as that of a young maiden taming a lion *ith a gentle hand, indicating the acce%tance and useful harnessing of the animalistic instincts' Thus, the Strength card re%resents the lust and vigor for life, the indomitable strength and %o*er of *ill, energy, and drive that %ushes us on*ard to greater heights and enables us to achieve our goals and dreams' A great deal of talent is lost to the *orld for *ant of a little courage' -S=387= S+ITH This card also re%resents, as (ro*ley5s )hore of 4abalon does, the *illingness to acce%t all that comes one5s *ay: every o%%ortunity and chance, every &indness, but also every %ain and disa%%ointment' 7ven these serve to teach us and ma&e us stronger' The Strength card is also a card of courage and the ability to remain steadfast in your beliefs and *ay of life in the face of adversity' 6inally, the beast that the maiden tames is an e9ternal re%resentation of that fierce nature that for some comes out easily and for others needs to be coa9ed out' It is better to &ill *as%s *ith honey than *ith vinegar' -78G-ISH ,217,4 (2++28 S=+42-S

-ionEbeast: The animalistic nature, the fierce *ill to live *ithin us all, the rising %o*er' Sometimes called the Kundalini ser%ent' )oman: The gentle nature, 4eauty as o%%osed to the 4east' -emniscate: The symbol of infinity and %o*er' 6lo*ers: 2ften decorate the maiden5s hair, highlighting her gentle nature' )hite: urity, innocence, but also the blan& into *hich all things can be acce%ted' ,iding a beast'- rovocative image of not only the taming but also the acce%tance of the beast' 4abalon: See c'ii (StrengthE-ust'$ above' K7=)2,3S: Strength, courage, inner strength, lust, *holeness *ithin yourself, conviction, &indness, gentility, strength of *ill, force, *ill%o*er, steadfastness, taming, beast *ithin I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: Angela (arter5s story GThe Tiger5s 4rideG is a retelling of the famous fairy tale 4eauty and the 4east' In the retelling, 4eauty is lost to the figure called G+ilordG in a game of cards by her father, and thus she is sent to live *ith him' -i&e 4eauty and the 4east, they fall in love, but 4eauty discovers +ilord5s true nature: he is a tiger *ho can transform himself into a human' 3es%ite this (or because of it$, 4eauty becomes his bride, but +ilord does not become human as in the fairy taleJ but instead, 4eauty becomes a tiger, e9changing her beautiful human s&in for that of the animal' As A 7,S28: 7nergetic, strong-*illed, forceful, *ith an outgoing %ersonality, the Strength %erson is a sight to beholdI They move through life *ith %assion and courage, ta&ing every o%%ortunity that comes their *ay and ta&ing life5s &noc&s *ith dignity and strength of mind' This %erson tends to be in control of any situation and is often a strong leader' They can also be e9tremely se9ual, reveling in their se9ual energy and channeling it (along *ith their other energies$ into their goal or focus' Q 7C7,(IS7 #'> P Ta&e the Strength card from your dec& and e9amine its image and symbolism' )hat figures are in the card; )hat relationshi% does this card %ortray bet*een the human and the beast, if there is any; Ho* do you feel about your dec&5s a%%roach to the issues of this card-does it match your o*n feelings; P In your Tarot 0ournal, brainstorm the term Ganimal nature'G )hat does it mean to you; )hat associations does it raise in your mind; 3o you vie* it %ositively or negatively; Ho* does this relate to the beast in the Strength card; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat forms does strength ta&e; )hat forms have you e9%erienced; P In *hat situations do you need these &inds of strength; P )here does your o*n strength lie; P Ho* do you face adversity and difficulty; P Ho* do you react to your animalistic nature; Are you comfortable *ith it; 3o you fear it; 3o you revel in it; 3o you use it or abuse it; P If you could describe your animalistic nature as an animal, *hat *ould it be and *hy; P 3o you identify more *ith the beast or *ith the human character in the card; P )hat areas of your life do you *illingly give all your %assion, lust, and vigor to; P Ho* does it feel for you to o%enly acce%t and channel your o*n strength and %o*er into the e9ternal *orld;

P ,ead Angela (arter5s GThe Tiger5s 4ride,G and GThe Taming of +r' -yonG (in The 4loody (hamber and 2ther Stories$' In your 0ournal, comment on these .uestions: Ho* do they tell the same story, and in *hat *ays do they tell a different story; Ho* do you see the t*o different conclusions; Ho* does this relate to the differing a%%roaches to the Strength card; CI1 Tem%eranceEArt )hat *as once se%arated from itself, s%lit into GoneG and Gthe otherG, naturally yearns to be reunited *ith the other' This is the mystery of the -overs card: GI am divided for love5s sa&e, for the chance of union'G Tem%erance is the follo*ing %rocess *herein the yearning is fulfilled and the o%%osing forces mingle together to create something ne*, and greater than the sum of its %arts' Here, the s%ermatoFoa and ovum unite and cause chemical %rocesses to occur *hich lead to cell s%litting, gro*th, and finally a ne* child' Here the red and *hite, the masculine and feminine, the fire and *ater, unite into the androgyne' All things in moderation, including moderation' 2ne foot in sea and one on shore: to one thing constant never' -)I--IA+ SHAK7S 7A,7, +uch Ado About 8othing 1isit the interior %arts of the earthJ by rectification you shall find the hidden stone' The Tem%erance card is one of immense creativity, but also of dissolution' The t*o forces that unite cannot do so if they remain *holly themselves-they must dissolve first' It re.uires us to brea& do*n the %olarities in our lives and bring them together' 2nce *e achieve a conglomeration of the dis%arate forces and influences, *e *ill find ourselves more %roductive and creative' +oderation is needed in this endeavor, insofar as too much of one %olarity and not enough of another causes the alchemy of our lives to fail' (2++28 S=+42-S 7agleElion: The eagle and lion are alchemical symbols for fire and *ater or masculine and feminine' In the early stages of alchemy, the lion is red and the eagle *hite-in the Tem%erance card they are o%%osite colors, sho*ing that they have ta&en on the each other5s .ualities' ,edE*hite: Symbols of masculineEfeminine, activeE%assive' +anE*oman: These do not indicate the %hysical gender, but the s%iritual .ualities of masculineEfeminine' 6ireE*ater: Another symbol of the %olarities above' 6ire is the most active, masculine element and *ater the most %assive, feminine element' Together they re%resent the %er%etual giving and receiving of energies in the universe' (auldron: It is in the cauldron-the divine *omb-that the uniting of the %olarities ta&es %lace' It also re%resents the earth, and therefore the alchemical %rocess illustrated in medieval te9ts as the 3ivine King and Hueen being buried beneath the earth to decayEdissolve into each other' They emerge from the tomb as an herma%hrodite' 4eesEsna&es: In the Thoth dec&, the 7m%ress *ears bees on her clothes and the 7m%eror sna&es' In the Art card, the herma%hrodite *ears both, indicating that the Sacred +arriage has ta&en %lace bet*een the t*o cards as 3ivine +asculine and 3ivine 6eminine' ,aven on s&ull: An alchemical symbol of the %rocess of %utrefaction and thus dissolution'

,ainbo*: In alchemy, after the %rocess of %utrefaction has ta&en %lace the alchemists observed a rainbo* of colors forming in their alchemical container' In modern dec&s, it also indicates the veil of ara&eth, *hich se%arates and bloc&s the s%here of Ti%hareth (4eauty$ *ith the highest s%here of Kerber ((ro*n$thus, the Tem%erance card brings the initiate to the highest achievement of Godhead' Arro*: Symbol of Sagittarius, and the arro* that %ierces the rainbo* veil of ara&eth, allo*ing the initiate to %ass through' Angel: The agency of the 3ivine %erforming the union, the higher selfJ a shado* of the Godhead that the initiate *ishes to obtain' Irises: A symbol of the Gree& messenger Goddess Iris, *ho *as traditionally associated *ith the rainbo*' (ro*nEsun: The Godhead that is being sought after the Sacred +arriage' The ultimate 2neness' K7=)2,3S: Tem%erance, moderation, alchemy, art, mi9ing, mingling, melting %ot, %olarities mi9ed, testing, mani%ulation, ada%ting, fluidity, fle9ibility, dissolution I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: (lar& Kent, the 0ournalist behind Su%erman, has to live t*o different lives' He lives in t*o different *orlds and manages to mingle the t*o revealing his identity as Su%erman' His life as Su%erman influences that of (lar& Kent, and vice versa' Ho*ever, he cannot allo* himself to give in to e9tremes, since by doing so he may accidentally give himself a*ay' 8aturally he has to moderate his life and his actions in order to carry on living in the t*o different *orlds effectively' As A 7,S28: The Tem%erance %erson dis%lays a moderation in life, %ersonality, and choice that can sometimes be so moderate it seems e9tremeI ,arely can they be found es%ousing one %hiloso%hy forcefully over another, for instance' They li&e to lead a *ell-balanced, holistic life' They can also be mystics intent on moving beyond duality and uniting *ith Godhead' Given their %roclivity for mi9ing differing things to create something ne* in the melting %ot of life, they ma&e e9cellent coo&s and ba&ersI Q 7C7,(IS7 #'@ P Ta&e the Tem%erance card from your dec& and e9amine the imagery and symbolism' 3oes your dec& focus more on the virtue of moderation than on the conce%t of alchemy and the cosmic melting %ot; Ho* do you feel about this; Ho* does your card illustrate these meanings; P In your Tarot 0ournal *rite do*n some e9am%les you can thin& of *here you or others have created something uni.ue by mi9ing t*o very different techni.ues, influences, ideas, etc' P Try ba&ing bread by hand for a bit of modern-day alchemy' 8ote ho* the tiniest dis%ro%ortion of yeast, *ater, flour, or heat can bring failure to the loaf' 4e a*are of the many %rocesses that are occurring as the ingredients react to each other in such a dynamic *ay' And then eat it *hile it5s still *arm-yumI P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' P To fully understand this card from the %ers%ective of the Thoth dec&, and get to gri%s *ith some of the more advanced symbolism, read as much as you can on alchemy, in %articular the imagery' See the 6urther ,eading list belo* for some suggestions' Huestions forBournaling P Ho* *ould you go about mingling %olar o%%osites; P Have you e9%erienced a need for alchemy in your life; )hat *as it; P )here do you most need to moderate your life; In *hat *ay;

P )hat %olar o%%osites e9ist *ithin your %ersonality; Ho* do they interact *ithin you and in your actions; 3o they *or& together or against each other; P In *hat *ay are you a melting %ot for the influences and forces in the e9ternal *orld; Ho* does this manifest; Alchemical ,oses =ou may notice in some Tarot dec&s the symbol of the rose recurring fre.uently, in different colors' The rose is a symbol used in alchemy to signify different states of being, and since many Tarot dec& creators *ere familiar *ith this symbolism it is useful to be a*are of it' ,ed: assion, love, vitality, masculineEactive energy, creativity in&: Gentleness, softness, than&fulness, friendshi%, the mi9ture bet*een red and *hite 2range: 7nthusiasm, fascination, o%timism, vital energy, confidence =ello*: (om%assion, conversation, 0oy, security, social affairs, the intellect 4lue: S%iritual longing, %romise of a %erfect *orld, the im%ossible )hite: urity, innocence, acce%tance, feminine or %assive energy, initiation 4lac&: 7nd of love, disaster, de%ression, death, illness, *ithered dreams Golden: (om%letion, %erfection of oneself, invocation, attainment The Great ,ite Alchemy S%read This s%read is ins%ired by the %rocess of alchemy in the Tem%erance card, and is a useful means of assessing yourself s%iritually, but can also be used to give ans*ers to s%ecific .uestions-es%ecially in cases *here t*o o%%osites or e9tremes are %ulling u%on you in a given situation' 2ne triangle in the s%read is the masculine, the other feminine' They unite in the he9agram' (ards :, <, and @ are masculine cardsJ (ards !, ?, and > are feminine cards' (ard :' +asculine: The essence of your masculine, active, giving, out*ard side' (ard !' 6eminine: The essence of your feminine, %assive, rece%tive, in*ard side' (ard <' +asculine: )hat your masculine self gives to your feminine self' (ard ?' 6eminine: )hat your feminine self gives to your masculine self' (ard >' +asculine: The negative as%ects of your masculine self

Great ,ite Alchemy S%read (ard @' 6eminine: The negative as%ects of your feminine self (ard #' (This can be :, !, or < cards$ The Alchemical )edding'- Ho* the masculine and feminine %arts of yourself can mingle to create something ne*' 2%tional: 7ighth card indicating the thing created through the Alchemical )edding' 2%tional Home*or& P 3o Tarot 0ournal entries for one or all of the above cards, in %articular focusing on your o*n reaction to them and ideas' P 6or ne9t lesson, thin& about the issues of fate vs' free *ill, and see if you can come u% *ith some ideas on the sub0ect' 6urther ,eading 8ichomachean 7thics, by Aristotle, is the origin of the Golden +ean giving rise to the medieval virtue of Tem%erance' 7udemian 7thics, by Aristotle-see above' The 4oo& of Thoth, by Aleister (ro*ley, is slightly more advanced, but essential for understanding the Thoth tradition' /nderstanding Aleister (ro*ley5s Thoth Tarot, by -on +ilo 3uHuette, is a sim%ler guide to the Thoth tradition, *ithout (ro*ley5s difficult *riting styleI +ore suited to beginners'

The 4loody (hamber and 2ther Stories, by Angela (arter, for the stories recommended in Strength' The (om%lete Idiots Guide to Alchemy, by 3ennis )illiam Hauc&, is an e9cellent starting %oint for those *ishing to learn about alchemy' The Alchemy ,eader, edited by Stanton B' -inden, is a more advanced guide to alchemy, containing all the source te9ts' htt%:EE***'levity'comEalchemyE is a *ebsite *ith %lenty of image galleries and great information'

Abstract (once%ts in the Tarot There comes a %oint in the +a0or Arcana *here the cards don5t seem to be indicating mundane e9%erience anymore' Instead they re%resent universal, abstract conce%ts and forces that many of us e9%erience only once, and *hich can also be a fearful idea for most %eo%le' This is not because they are genuinely %ainful or evil, but because they re%resent the un&no*n: CIII 3eath is the natural decay and destruction that *e must all %hysically undergo at the end of our lives, as *ell as the natural decay necessary in our everyday lives that urges us to let go of the unnecessaryJ C The )heel of 6ortune is chance, ris&, fate, free *ill, and the %er%etual stability of changeJ CCI The )orld is rebirth, endings and beginnings, dissolution and manifestation together' Such abstract conce%ts in the Tarot enable us to hold in our hands a more com%lete microcosm' Ho*ever, they can also be difficult to gras% *hen first learning Tarot, due to their almost other*orldly nature' 3on5t let this dishearten you or %revent you from learningI 7ven if such cards a%%ear in a reading and you5re stum%ed, don5t *orry-even the most advanced readers at times have mind blan&s and can5t see the relation to cards to a reading' The best advice you can ta&e is to %ersevere and 0ust do as many %ractice readings as %ossible-you *ill learn the card meanings better through e9%erience and recognition' 6ate vs' 6ree )ill The issue of fate vs' free *ill is one that every Tarot reader must face in the course of their develo%ment' =our vie* on the matter dictates your reasons for reading and your a%%roach to delivering a reading' 3o *e act freely from our conscious decisions; Are *e influenced by something elseother %eo%le, our genetics, our u%bringing, God; And to *hat e9tent do these influences affect us; Some %eo%le believe that a destiny or fate has been %lanned for us or given to us at birth, or that it develo%s as *e go through life' These %eo%le may believe that some force dictates ho* *e get to our destiny as *ell as the destiny itself, *hile others may believe that *e choose ho* *e reach the %re-%lanned fate' There are those *ho don5t believe in fate or destiny at all, but hold that meaning is given to our lives through our inter%retation and interaction *ith the *orld: *e create our o*n destinies through our choices' Some %eo%le believe a mi9ture of these things, for instance the %hiloso%her 1oltaire, *ho said: 7ach %layer must acce%t the cards life deals him or her' 4ut once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide ho* to %lay the cards in order to *in the game'

ersonally I feel that in order to read Tarot it is useful to believe that choice and free *ill e9ist to some e9tent: this allo*s our readings to go beyond foretelling fi9ed futures that cannot be changed, and therefore gives Tarot a %ur%ose' It allo*s us to gain insight into our li&ely %ath so that *e may change it if *e *ish' Ho*ever, it is also im%ortant to see and acce%t that our %ast has an effect on our %resent, in various *ays and to various e9tents de%ending on the action or situation' 7ffects al*ays have causes' Similarly, our %resent choices and actions *ill affect our futures, and thus the future is al*ays in motion' M 7C7,(IS7 D': Ta&e a *hile to e9amine your beliefs about fate, free *ill, destiny, and choice' In %articular, try to thin& about ho* your beliefs reflect u%on the *or&ings and use ofTarot' This may bring u% further ideas about *hy and ho* you read Tarot, and if you li&e you can revie* 79ercise :'<' (*here you created your +ission Statement$ and see if you *ant to change it or add anything ne*' =our 4irth (ard and =ear (ard Since this lesson *ill be dealing *ith cards of cycles, endings, and beginnings, it *ould be useful to e9%lore the conce%ts of birth cards and year cards here' /sing numerology in addition to Tarot, modern Tarot readers have created a means of calculating *hat *e no* call 4irth cards and =ear cards' Similar to Fodiac signs or numerological calculations regarding one5s name, they can be handy hints at a %erson5s character or the year they are having' 4irth (ardESoul (ard -i&e your sun sign and rising sign, the birth card is an indication of your overall %ersonality at birth and the influences u%on your character throughout life' To calculate your 4irth (ard add the month and date of birth (for e9am%le, Buly :#th becomes #E:#, so # R :#$ to the year of your birth (79am%le: # R :# N !?' !? R :AD? N !""D$' =ou then add u% the se%arate digits of the final number until you reduce it to a number less than !! (! R " R " R D N :"$ That number is the number of the +a0or Arcana card that is your 4irth (ard (8ote: !! N The 6ool'$ =ou *ill naturally find that your reduced number can be reduced further' 6or instance, ! R " R " R D N :", and: R " N :' airings and sets are: : N +agician ! N High riestess < N 7m%ress ? N 7m%eror > N Hiero%hant @ N -overs # N (hariot D N Strength A N Hermit :" N )heel R +agician :: N Bustice R High riestess :! N Hanged +an R 7m%ress :< N 3eath R 7m%eror :? N Tem%erance R Hiero%hant :> N 3evil R -overs :@ N To*er R (hariot

:# N Star R Strength :D N +oon R Hermit :A N Sun R )heel R +agician !" N Budgement R High riestess !: N )orld R 7m%ress !! N 6ool If your number is :" or :, it is sometimes assumed that you have the tri%licate set of +agician, )heel and the Sun, because : and :" are reduced versions of :A' If you have !: ()orld and 7m%ress$, the Hanged +an is vie*ed as a hidden as%ect, since it is an e9%ression of <, the 7m%ress' There are other formulas out there for calculating the 4irth card, and mostly they give the same ans*er' 6or e9am%le, your calculation could be done in %airs of numbers, as %er the Tarot School method' /sing the same birth date above: # R :# R :A R D? N :!#, :! R # N :A' Here, *e get the same tri%licity of +agicianE)heelE Sun, but from :A instead of :"' =ear (ard The =ear card tells us *hat &ind of year this *ill be for a %erson' /nli&e chronological years it does not begin at Banuary :st each year, but rather from the %erson5s last birthday' The calculation method is the same as above for the 4irthESoul card' So, for my !>th year on this earth I calculate: # R :# (3ate of birthday$ R !""D (=ear of last birthday$ N !"<! N # ((hariot$' I am also moving into another year # R :# R !""A N D (Strength or Bustice$' 8ote that you do not al*ays %rogress through the cards from :!!, as due to the mathematics you may have cycles' In !""<, I *as in an :: year, !""? a :! year, !""> a :< year, but !""@ *as a > year' R !""A N D (Strength or Bustice$' 8ote that you do not al*ays %rogress through the cards from :-!!, as due to the mathematics you may have cycles' In !""<, I *as in an :: year, !""? a :! year, !""> a :< year, but !""@ *as a > year' 8ame (ard )ant to &no* *hat &ind of name you have; 8umerology has, for centuries, been used to analyFe names and their nature' Since each +a0or Arcana card has a number assigned to it, *hy not add Tarot to the numerology of names; 7ach letter of the al%habet is assigned a number, and you sim%ly add the numbers of your name together to get a figure' 79am%le: K (!$ R I (A$ R + (?$ N :> N @' +y shortened name is 3evil R -overs' Ho*ever, my birth name (Kimberley$ is ?@ N :" N :, )heel R +agician' Since you *ill have different names in different areas of your life (birth name, full name, surname, ba%tismal name, %rofessional name, nom de %lume, nic&name, %et name, online alias '''$, you *ill have different %ersonalities in those areas' 7C7,(IS7 D'! (alculate your o*n 4irth, =ear, and 8ame cardsI =ou could also calculate =ear cards for the %revious fe* years and reflect on *hat ha%%ened during those years-does it relate to the cards you have calculated; (alculate *hat =ear card you *ill move into on your ne9t birthday' An internet search *ill reveal information on the =ear and 4irth cards and *hat the sets and %airings mean' In %articular, the Tarot School has some e9cellent notes (***'tarotschool'comE4irth(ards'html$' ,otary +ysteries, the S%hin95s ,iddle, and 7Fe&iel5s 1ision

There are a number of symbols common to the )heel of 6ortune and )orld cards that many dec&s retain no matter ho* different from the ,ider-)aite dec& they areI These symbols are %uFFling to the beginner since they have their origins in 4iblical history, ancient +eso%otamia, and Gree& mythology' -etters usually a%%ear around the *heel on the )heel of 6ortune card' Some inter%reters have connected the four elements, four suits, and four holy letters in the Tetragrammaton (fourfold name of God, =H1H$ to the four letters u%on the *heel' In medieval imagery, the G)heel of 6ortuneG is a fre.uently used motif' 2ften the *heel is de%icted *ith three male figures around its circumference: a &ing sitting ato% the *heel, a young man climbing u% one side to*ard the &ing, and an old man falling do*n the other side' 6rom each of their mouths come *ords, the &ing saying ho* it is great to rule, being una*are of mortality or the %recarious nature of his %ositionJ the young man saying he *ill be ruling shortlyJ and the old man lamenting ho* he once ruled but does so no longer' These three figures can also be related to the three ages of man in the S%hin95s riddle (belo*'$ In the 1isconti SforFa, Tarot these figures are four in number, *ith an additional very old man in *hite at the bottom of the *heel' The %rominent figure of the s%hin9 ato% the )heel of 6ortune is also an im%ortant symbol' The Gree& story of 2edi%us gives us an account of the s%hin95s %o*er to hold %eo%le at bay *ith riddles, the most famous one (*hich 2edi%us ans*ered correctly$ being, G)hich creature in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on t*o, and in the evening u%on three;G The ans*er is G+an,G *ho as an infant cra*ls on all fours, as a man in the noon of his life *al&s on t*o legs, and as an elder in the evening of his life uses a crutch' The story (*hich *as in circulation *ell before So%hocles %enned his famous %lays 2edi%us ,e9 and 2edi%us at (olonus in the fifth century 4(7$ also highlights the struggle bet*een fate and free *ill that is a common theme in Gree& tragedy' M 7C7,(IS7 D'< ,ead the story of 2edi%us, either in So%hocles5 %lay or online' )i&i%e- dia5s article retells the story and sho*s its develo%ment over time from *riter to *riter' As& yourself ho* you thin& it %ortrays man5s attem%t to be free of his destiny' Ho* do you feel about this; The s%hin9 has also been used by occultists over the centuries as a symbol of many things' GThe 6our o*ers of the S%hin9G *ere *ritten about by 7li%has -evi in the :Ath century, and further elaborated by (ro*ley in +agic& )ithout Tears' They have been ado%ted into many 8eo- agan traditions, and have found their *ay into the Tarot: around the )heel of 6ortune and the figure in the )orld card can be seen four strange creatures: a bull, lion, eagle, and man, sometimes *riting in boo&s, often *inged' (ro*ley *rites of the s%hin9 and these animals: It Kthe s%hin9L is thus a Gly%h of the Satisfaction and erfection of the )ill and of the )or&, the com%letion of the True +an as the ,econciler of the Highest *ith the -o*est, so for our (onvenience conventionally to distinguish them' This then is the Ade%t, *ho doth )ill *ith solid 7nergy as the 4ull, doth dare *ith fierce (ourage as the -ion, doth &no* *ith s*ift Intelligence as the +an, and doth &ee% Silence *ith soaring Subtlety as the 7agle or 3ragon' +oreover, this S%hin9 is an 7idolon of the -a*, for the 4ull is -ife, the -ion is -ight, the +an is -iberty, the Ser%ent is -ove' -Aleister (ro*ley, -iber Ale%h-3e 8atura Thus he also gives to the four %o*ers the four elements, and therefore the four suits of the Tarot: To Kno*: Air, S*ords or Air R +an

To )ill: 6ire, )ands or 7arth R 4ull To 3are: )ater, (u%s or 6ire R -ion To 4e Silent: 7arth, 3iscs or )ater R 7agle 8ote that the four symbols of the Tarot suits can often be seen on the table of the +agician card-*e can inter%ret him as %ossessing all four %o*ers as his resources' (ro*ley also identifies the s%hin9 (*hich is both beast and human$ as a symbol of the %erfection of the union of 4abylon and the 4east (see -esson #$, therefore somebody *ho has fully integrated all as%ects of himself' The bull, man, eagle, and lion a%%ear early on in history, *ith one reference found in the 2ld Testament' In the %assage on 7Fe&iel5s 1ision (7Fe&iel :::-:A$ four creatures (Hebre*: cherubim$ a%%eared to 7Fe&iel bearing *heels (Hebre*: o%hanim$, and each creature had four faces: that of a lion, a bull, an eagle, and a man' They *ere *inged and had hooves, and *ere bronFe in color' The *heels that the cherubim accom%anied develo%ed in later Hebre* thought to indicate the only constant in the universe: change' They became symbols of the ever-%resent movement and cycles of the *orld and the ever-changing nature of the universe and God' 4y the time of the 8e* Testament, they had become symbols of the four evangelists and the four Gos%els: +atthe*, +ar&, -u&e, and Bohn' Q 7C7,(IS7 D'? ,ead 7Fe&iel :::-:A and focus on the images of the cherubim and their *heels' (om%are this to the )heel of 6ortune and )orld cards' C The )heel of 6ortune The title of the )heel of 6ortune brings to mind ideas of ris&, fate, and chance' As *e go through life, *e rise and fall, succeed and fail, e9%erience u%s and do*ns, and *e don5t al*ays have control over them' )e also e9%erience the %o*er of change and the constant movement of the universe around us, *hether it be through the changing seasons, our aging, the births and deaths of family and friends, music suddenly sounding li&e noise, fashion evolving, or technology im%roving' Sometimes *e can feel li&e our *orld is rushing around us and *e5re trying to &ee% u% *ith it, being dragged along by the momentum' Sometimes *e also try to %revent change and sto% things from moving-anybody *ho has tried this *ill &no* ho* im%ossible it is' The only thing certain is change' Godgrant me the serenity to acce%t the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the *isdom to &no* the difference' The )heel of 6ortune tells us that the only thing in life that is certain is change' It reminds us that change is inevitable and constant' 4ut it also re%resents the *heel of samsara from Indian %hiloso%hy-reincarnation and suffering' If *e continue to revolve on the outside of the *heel *e *ill suffer, get diFFy, and get caught u% in everything' 4ut *hen *e move to*ard the center of the *heel-to*ard the infinitesimally small %oint that is also no-%oint, *e find ourselves rising above the mad rush around us' This card advises us to acce%t the constant change around us and acce%t our o*n changes, but also find the still, silent center that enables us to sto%' It also reminds us to ta&e ris&s, chances, and gamble a little *ith our security, and as&s us *hether *e are free or instead controlled by the hand of 6ortune turning the *heel u%on *hich *e ride' (2++28 S=+42-S )heel: (hange, movement, cycles'

6our creatures (cherubim$: See ,otary +ysteries above' Hand: The hand of 6ate' A symbol of that *hich *e cannot control, and the %er%etual cause of change' Human figures around the *heel: he &ing that sometimes a%%ears as been described aboveJ sometimes men and *omen are de%icted on the outside of the *heel, about to fall off the edge as a mysterious hand turns it-this indicates circumstances out of our control' ,2TA: See ,otary +ysteries above' S%hin9: See ,otary +ysteries above' Ser%ent and 0ac&al-headed figure, or mon&ey: 2ther*ise called Ty%hon and Anubis, together *ith the S%hin9 these figures re%resent the three Gunas of Hindu %hiloso%hythree forms of energy that cause change to occur' They are called Sattvas (dar&ness, inertia, and ignorance$, ,a0as (energy, fire, and activity$, and Tamas (calm, intelligence, and %assivity$' )here any one of these %redominates, change and movement continue' 3iceEcards: (hance, luc&, and gambling' Seasons: Some modern dec&s illustrate the %rocession of change through the movement of the four seasons, an evocative symbol of continual change that *e e9%erience every day' Sodiac: -i&e the seasons, the cycle of the Fodiac indicates %er%etual change in the universe around us' K7=)2,3S: 6ortune, fate, chance, gambling, ris&, change, movement, riddles, center-%oint, s%inning' I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: The story of 2edi%us trying to enact his free *ill in the face of fate is a good e9am%le of the )heel of 6ortuneJ similarly the Gree& tragedy of 2r%heus sho*s another mortal trying to ta&e ris&s and change the hand that fate has dealt him' 4oth stories end *ith failure on the %art of the mortals, but they %raise the fact that by trying to change things the mortals did achieve something' Although the end may have been the same, the %ath *as their o*n choice' As A 7,S28: Any %erson indicated by this card is a gambler, a ris&-ta&er, *ith a %ersonality and life as fluid as a *aterfall' They change e9tremely ra%idly, and others around them find it hard to &ee% u% *ith them' They also rush through life and their %ro0ects .uic&ly, but have a tendency to get caught u% in the change that is occurring around them and may find it difficult to focus' 7C7,(IS7 D'> P Ta&e the )heel of 6ortune from your dec& and e9amine the images and symbols' Has your dec& chosen to de%ict the cycles of change through natural symbolism, li&e the seasons and Fodiac; Through the ages of man; Through the biblical symbolism e9%lored above; Ho* does this fit the dec&5s theme; P ,esearch briefly the Hindu Gunas and ho* they are e9%ressed in everyday life' =ou can also research further the symbolism of the S%hin9: it has origins even older than 7gy%t or Greece' P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P Ho* much control do *e have over our lives; P 3oes 6ate govern our lives, or does free *ill; P Ho* *ould you define 3estiny; P )hat symbols do you see in the card, and *hat do they mean to you;

P )here on the )heel *ould you be; 2n to%, climbing u%, falling do*n, or at the bottom; P Ho* do you %erceive the 6our o*ers of the S%hin9; (Kno*, )ill, 3are, 4e Silent'$ P )hat do you thin& it *ould feel li&e to be s%inning on the outside of the *heel; )hat about on the very center-%oint of the *heel; -a 3anse +acabre -a 3anse +acabre (the 3ance of 3eath$ is a medieval 7uro%ean %ictorial allegory for the inevitable' It de%icts the %ersonification of 3eath (or many dead figures$ leading %eo%le from all *al&s of life, ran&, and age in a dance, calling them to death' This image is found throughout 7uro%e and *as %articularly %revalent during the 4lac& 3eath and other %lagues, since death *as so close to everybody' The image reminded its vie*ers that they *ould die no matter *hat they did in life, no matter ho* rich or %o*erful they *ere' 2ften, the figure of 3eath s%ea&s to those he is dancing *ith, admonishing them and telling them there is nothing they can do to avert their end' In the first %rinted TotentanF te9tboo& (a%%ro9imately :?@"$, 3eath addresses, for e9am%le, the em%eror: Such images may have given rise to the a%%earance of memento moris on headstones and in churchyards: s&ulls or s&eletons de%icted s%ea&ing to the reader, telling them, G)hat you are, *e once *ere' )hat *e are, you one day *ill be'G Such images as -a 3anse +acabre and memento mori, *hile frightening to loo& at, remind us that death and endings are inevitable' It is no sur%rise, then, to find in many Tarot dec&s that the 3eath card de%icts a s&eletal horse rider or Grim ,ea%er riding through a grou% of %eo%le from different %arts of society: a &ing, a %riest, a young *oman, and a child' 7ach meets death in a different *ay, but heEshe meets death nonetheless' CIII 3eath 8ot only does the Tarot tell us, through the )heel of 6ortune, that change is the only constant in the universe, it also tells us, through 3eath, that the end is inevitable' )hether it be the end of our o*n lives, the end of the /niverse, or the end of human&ind, everything meets death in the end' Ho*ever, the 3eath in this card is not a violent, destructive end: it is a natural decay that occurs around us all the time' (The violent change can be seen in C1I The To*er'$ 7very second, our cells are brea&ing do*n and being re%laced by ne* ones' In a seven-year %eriod, our entire body has s*a%%ed every cell and *e are biologically not the same' 3eath and decay are necessary for stability-*ithout them, s%ecies over%o%ulate, *aste matter is not %roduced or bro&en do*n' The decay of dead animals and %lant matter creates fossil fuels and fertiliFer for ne* %lants' The night &issed the fading day )ith a *his%er: TI am death, your mother, 6rom me you *ill get ne* birth' G -,A4I83,A8ATH TAG2,7 In a meta%horical sense, death is also necessary throughout our lives to initiate change and evolution' 1arious stages in our lives endJ our childhood ends to ma&e *ay for adulthoodJ 0obs *e no longer *ant (and sometimes 0obs *e doI$ end and often %rovide us *ith o%%ortunities for a career changeJ stale or destructive relationshi%s end freeing us from emotional %ain' 8ot all endings are *elcome, ho*ever, but if *e vie* them as o%ening u% ne* o%%ortunities, as removing obstacles and bloc&ages, *e can *or& *ith the changes and ma&e the most of them' (2++28 S=+42-S

3eathEGrim ,ea%er: A %ersonification of the forces of death and decay, common to nearly all cultures' Scythe: 3eath5s traditional *ea%on' Also used in farming to cut do*n larger cro%s so that they may be harvested-the death of the cro%s is necessary for further survival and cultivation' )hite horse: 6rom the 4oo& of ,evelation @:#-D, in *hich 3eath is one of the 6our Horsemen of the A%ocaly%se and rides a %ale horse' 6lag *ith *hite rose' )hite is the color of %erfection and innocence, and also of the state of nothingness that arises from decay' 3ying figures: /sually many %eo%le from different ran&s in society' 3eath comes to all' )ater' The elemental attribution of 3eath is *ater' It sometimes a%%ears in cards as a vast ocean or a river' As a river, it recalls the mythological river Sty9 across *hich the dead *ere ferried to the afterlife' +any cultures believe that the dead have to cross a great body of *ater or live beneath it' Scor%ionEeagleEser%ent: three different levels of the Fodiacal sign Scor%io (attributed to 3eath$' The scor%ion is the most mundane of the three, and due to the myth of it stinging itself to death if threatened, it re%resents the tendency of %eo%le to destroy themselves and give u% in the face of death or %ainJ the ser%ent is the second lo*est and re%resents %hysical se9ualityJ the eagle is the highest and has risen above the mire of attachment to the %hysical *orld' SunsetEsunrise: 3ifficult to tell a%art in Tarot art*or&, the sunrise and sunset indicate both endings and ne* beginnings, as *ell as another e9am%le of natural cycles' 4utterfly: The cater%illar builds a chrysalis around itself in *hich it is dissolved, and from this solution forms a butterfly, an e9am%le of rebirth' hoeni9' A symbol of rebirth, *hen the long-lived %hoeni9 dies it burst into flames, and a ne* %hoeni9 egg emerges from the ashes' K7=)2,3S: 3eath, change, mutation, stirring u%, destruction, cycles, seasons, endings, rebirth, transition, incubation, decay, release, metamor%hosis' I8 6I-+ A83 -IT7,AT/,7: A fol&tale from the 4ritish Isles tells us of a %ersonification of the corn or barley, Bohn 4arleycorn' It tells ho* three men came from the )est to cut him do*n, crush his body, dro*n him, and %o*der his bonesthey then turned the %o*der into bread and beer for the community to eat and drin&' In a )elsh tale, a young boy accidentally steals *isdom from the hag (errid*en, and she %ursues him across the countryside in a sha%e-shifting contest' 7ventually he turns into a grain of corn and she into a hen, and consumes him' Ho*ever, he gro*s in her belly and is born nine months later as the famous 4ard, Taliesin' As A 7,S28: A 3eath %erson is morbidI (onstantly a*are of their o*n mortality and that of everyone around them, they can often d*ell on the inevitable' They may also have a blac& sense of humor, but des%ite their morbidity they are immense fun to be aroundI Since they are a*are of the nearness of death, they ta&e every chance offered and try to hel% everyone around them live their lives to the fullest *hile they still can' Q 7C7,(IS7 D'@ P Ta&e the 3eath card from your dec& and e9amine the image and symbols' Ho* has your dec& e9%ressed the themes of the card; Is it frightening to loo& at or *elcoming; P ,ead The 4oo& of Taliesin in the +abinogion (a medieval )elsh manuscri%t$' Ho* does it reflect the theme of natural decay and acce%tance of death; Ho* is transformation %ortrayed in it;

P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat forms may death ta&e in your life; P )hat forms of death have you e9%erienced; P )hat symbols do you see in the card and *hat do they mean; P 3o any %hrases or sayings come to your mind *hen you loo& at this card; P Are there any symbols in this card that you see in other cards; Ho* do these cards lin&; P The numbers : R < add u% to ?, The 7m%eror' Ho* do these t*o cards relate; P )hen *as the last time you e9%erienced dramatic change; P In *hat *ays have you e9%erienced transition; CCI The )orld )hen *e reach the )orld at the end of the +a0or Arcana, *e also find the end of a cycle and the com%letion of everything' 4ut the )orld is not 0ust a card of endings and finality-it is a card of beginnings and manifestation' 7ach time you com%lete an act of creation, you focus a life force' And since life begets life, this energy see&s to enlarge its e9%ression through ne* creation' In this stage of com%letion, your being is ready for another act of creation' -,247,T 6,ITS 7very ending is also a beginning' In the %er%etual motion of the universe and the evolution of every individual soul and that of humanity is a cycle of endings leading to beginnings and beginnings leading to endings' +anifestation is a direct cause of dissolution, as *e see in CI1 Tem%erance (see -esson #$ and dissolution is the eventual result of manifestation' In a sense, the )orld card is not only this cycle of manifestation, but also the release from it, the dance of the tem%oral *orld and the lessons *e learn at the end of every cycle' The )orld re%resents the synthesis of all our *anderings and ne* e9%eriences: *e bring together all the elements into a solid foundation for further develo%ment' Accom%anying this is an irre%ressible 0oy and trium%h, an invitation to 0oin the eternal dance' (2++28 S=+42-S )reath: ,e%resenting trium%h, a *reath is often made of laurel' A laurel *reath *as the %riFe for the *inner of the 2lym%ics in ancient Greece' Herma%hrodite: (an symboliFe both the union and synthesis of all one5s as%ects and resources into a single understanding, as *ell as the dividing of one5s nature at the beginning of a ne* 0ourney' 6our cherubim: See 7Fe&iel5s 1ision on %age ::D' 6our elements: See 7Fe&iel5s 1ision on %age ::D' Tria9: In the Thoth dec&, this is a symbol of s%irit-a combination of all four elements' It indicates synthesis of all four to create a higher understanding' Bum%ing'- GBum%ing for 0oy'G The figure in this card is often de%icted lea%ing through the *reath that loo&s li&e a giant G"G- the number of the 6ool card' This sho*s that the end of the +a0or Arcana cycles naturally bac& to the beginning' Sic&le: The Fodiacal symbol of Saturn, the sign of endings and cycles' 3ancing'- +anifestation, the energy of the universe around usJ trium%h and 0oy' K7=)2,3S: (om%letion, success, victory, unity, integration, understanding, realiFation, divinity incarnate, Godhead, achievement, enlightenment, creation, cosmic dance, cycles, ne* beginnings, endings

I8 6I-+ A83 -IT7,AT/,7: In The +atri9, the %rotagonist 8eo reaches a final acce%tance and understanding of his role as GThe 2ne'G /%on death he realiFes that even death is an illusion (Gthere is no s%oon'''G$, and thus he is able to enact his *ill u%on the *orld in any *ay he chooses-in this case, sto%%ing bullets and entering the body of Agent Smith to shatter it' At the end of the film, 8eo has reached the highest state of s%iritual a*areness %ossible for that 0ourney' This heralds in a ne* cycle and the beginning of a ne* 0ourney, *hich he faces in the follo*ing films in the trilogy' As A 7,S28: This card less often indicates a %ersonality and more often indicates *here somebody is in their life' They have been *or&ing hard on a %ro0ectE0ourney for a long time, and they are no* at the end of it' They are *ise and &no* ho* to use all the energy and resources around them to create *hat they *ish' They are balanced individuals *ho %refer not to be tied do*n by society5s codes and conventions, and they have a very high level of understanding *hen it comes to s%iritual matters' Ho*ever, they realiFe that there is al*ays room *ithin themselves for evolution and they are al*ays searching for ne* insights and understanding' M 7C7,(IS7 D'# P Ta&e the )orld card from your dec& and e9amine the imagery and symbolism' )hat symbols stri&e you; Ho* do they ma&e you feel and *hat do you thin& this means in relation to the card; P Ta&e u% a %ro0ect, no matter ho* small' It could be something as sim%le as *riting a letter to a family friend or cleaning your house' It could be as dedicated as %ainting a %icture, creating a magical tool, organiFing an event, or learning a ne* language' Kee% a diary about your %rogress' )hen you have finished, celebrateI Have a %arty' Ho* do you feel about the com%letion; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> in relation to this card' Huestions forBournaling P Are there any symbols in this card that are found in other cards; Ho* does this lin& the cards; P Are there any %hrases, sayings, or *ords that come into your mind *hen you loo& at this card; P Ho* do you feel *hen you loo& at this card; P )hat does com%letion mean to you; P )hat are your e9%eriences of com%letion; P )hat is the highest goal for you; )here are you eventually aiming to be; P Ho* do you thin& human beings can achieve a realiFation of the 3ivine; P Ho* do you feel *hen you reach a state of sudden understanding and com%leteness; P )hy do you thin& that this card is associated *ith achieving the 3ivine, but also *ith the manifest universe; The )heel of the =ear Tarot S%read This s%read is designed for use as a G)hat5s in store for me this coming year;G s%read, but it is slightly different from the usual month-by-month round-u% s%read' Instead of having cards re%resenting each month of the year it focuses on the themes that *ill run through the .uerent5s life for the ne9t t*elve months, and can also be used at any time of the year' It highlights the cycles and 0ourneys, and the develo%ment of them in the .uerent5s life' This s%read is based on the agan )heel of the =ear' The use of the eight festivals here is a re%resentation of conce%ts, 0ust li&e *e might use the different gro*th stages of a flo*er to re%resent as%ects of our lives' 7ven though the s%read is based around

festivals that have associations *ith months of the year, this s%read does not address *hen the events are going to ha%%en' 6or this reading, I also found it useful to *or& out the .uerent5s =ear (ard, so that it tells you the general theme of the year' (ards :-<' )inter Solstice: =ule is the time of the rebirth of the Sun from the dar&ness of )inter, so these cards indicate *hat *ill be born into the .uerent5s life during this year, the ne* beginnings and %ro0ects, or the sudden birth of ideas, feelings, and as%ects of the self' (ards ?-@, Imbolc: This is the time of the first stirring of the earth from beneath the )inter sno*s, and the re&indling of the flame of life' These cards indicate *hat is in the very first stages of creation' (ards #-A, S%ring 7.uino9: This is the e.uino9, so it is a time of balance' These cards indicate *hat *ill bring the .uerent5s life into some sort of balance during the coming year, and &ee% the .uerent in balance and moving to*ards their goals' (ards :"-:!, 4eltane: This is a time for se9uality and %assion' These cards indicate the %assions that *ill influence the .uerent5s life this year, and ho* the .uerent5s life *ill gro* as a result' These cards also indicate *hat they *ill love most this year and give most attention toJ *hat *ill fertiliFe their life and ma&e them gro* during the coming year'

)heel of the =ear S%read (ards :<-:>, Summer Solstice: The Summer Solstice is the time *hen the Sun is at its %ea&' These cards indicate the .uerent at their %ea& in the coming year, and the %ro0ectsEeventsEideas that *ill reach their %ea& for the .uerent' It can also indicate the best %art of the year, the achievements of the year, and the full fruition of %lans in the .uerent5s life' (ards :@-:D, -ughnassadh: 2ther*ise &no*n as 6irst 6ruits, -ughnassadh is the beginning of the harvest' These cards indicate *hat *ill bear fruit this year in the .uerent5s life, but *ill not .uite be ready for a full harvest for a *hile' The re*ards are starting to sho* themselves, but they are not ready to be grabbed 0ust yetI

(ards :A-!:, Autumn 7.uino9: +ahon is the middle of the harvest as *ell as another time of balance' It re%resents bounty and 0oy, *hat *ill be bounteous in the .uerent5s life in the coming year, and *hat *ill bring 0oy and cause for celebration' These cards can also indicate the full harvest the .uerent *ill rea% from their %ast ventures and hard *or&' (ards !!-!?, Samhain: Traditionally this is the end of the harvest *hen the (elts culled their herds' These cards indicate *hat *ill die in the .uerent5s life this year, *hat *ill come to an end, and *hat they *ill cull from their life' (ards !>-!#, 4lessings: A nice *ay to end the reading is to ma&e three blessings from three cards' These cards can re%resent advice for the .uerent, or can indicate *hat is on the .uerent5s side during the year, hel%ing and &ee%ing him or her going' 2%tional Home*or& P erform a )heel of the =ear Tarot s%read for yourself or a friend' 3uring the reading, you may find that you begin to build u% a clear %icture in your mind as to the main theme running through the .uerent5s year' 2ften you *ill also be able to see this theme develo%ing as you go around the reading: you may see the theme reach its a%e9 at the Summer Solstice, or see the fruits of it at the Autumn 7.uino9' Try to develo% a coherent %icture of the reading' P +a&e a Tarot 0ournal entry for one or all of the cards studied in this lesson' erha%s you could try something a little creative: do a collage of some of the themes or symbols of one of the cardsJ ma&e a s&etch yourself of an image you thin& re%resents the cardJ *rite a %oem or hai&uI 6urther ,eading The Tarot School5s 4irth (ard notes are .uite in-de%th and a useful *ay of learning *hat the sets of cards mean (***'tarotschool'comE4irth(ards'html$' 2edi%us ,e9, by So%hocles, for an illustration of the )heel of 6ortune and the s%hin9 symbolism' 7Fe&iel :::-:A in the 4ible, for 7Fe&iel5s vision and the symbolism of the cherubim'

)e interru%t our study of the +a0or Arcana to s%end a lesson e9%loring the use of Tarot s%reads in readings' =ou have already come across a cou%le of sim%le s%reads so far, but it is easy to use Tarot s%reads *ithout &no*ing *hy' This lesson *ill discuss the advantages of different &inds of s%reads, the %ur%ose of a s%read, and some classic and modern s%reads for later use' )e5ll also briefly loo& at the use of reversals in your readings' This is the first lesson of t*o that loo& at Tarot s%reads, and *hile here *e *ill e9%lore only %re-created s%reads' -esson :! *ill focus on creating your o*n s%readsboth on the s%ot and for later use' The ur%ose of the Tarot S%read The Tarot s%read is a mainstay of most Tarot readers today' 7ven the most freshfaced beginner can %erform a sim%le ast- resent-6uture s%read, and &no*s roughly *hat each card %osition refers to' 2n the surface, a Tarot s%read merely loo&s li&e an attractive *ay of arranging the cards, but it has several other functions as *ell:

P A s%read, *ith its various %ositions, guides the direction of the reading' It is easier to direct the reading from the %ast through the %resent and through to the future on a coherent line of effect if you have a s%read that constructs this %attern for you' P A s%read gives you an e9tremely useful frame*or& for inter%retation of the cards before you: you may &no* *hat the Three of S*ords means, but do you &no* *hat it means in relation to this .uestion; A s%read can lin& the card meaning you5ve recalled to the .uestion at hand' P It gives you a frame of reference for the entire reading, not 0ust individual cards' A s%read often demonstrates a line of effect from %ast to %resent, or lin&s card %ositions to each other' This allo*s you to li&e*ise lin& the cards that fall in those %ositions *ith each other, thereby creating a more coherent reading overall' P The Tarot s%read can allo* you to highlight and focus on different as%ects or facets of the .uestion' This enables you to get to the bare bones of a reading and its .uestion, and *hen you &no* the root of the reading and .uestion you are better e.ui%%ed to address it' It also allo*s you to %ic& u% on further issues that may not have been e9%licit in the .uestion' )hen you can %ic& u% on these, you have an astounding reading in the ma&ing' P The *ide variety of s%reads available to you allo*s you to tailor the reading to the .uerent or .uestion more s%ecifically' This is even truer if you create your o*n s%reads' P )hile thin&ing about the s%read to use or ho* to create a s%read for that .uestion, you begin to more fully com%rehend and assess the .uestion and its many facets' P 3eciding on a s%read to use can form the basis of an effective communication bet*een you and the .uerent' P If you are creating a Tarot s%read for a s%ecific .uestion, the creation %rocess allo*s you to discuss the .uestion *ith the client and thereby formulate the .uestion into something suitable and %roactive' Having said this, a Tarot s%read is not essential for an accurate reading' Individual readers *ill have %references that affect their decision about *hether or not to use a s%read, as *ell as *hat &ind of s%read to use' Some readers find that dra*ing a fe* cards and sim%ly laying them do*n in a line is enough to be able to see the *hole reading5s meaning, but if you are a beginner you may benefit from using a s%read to structure your inter%retation' It is also %ossible for you to lay some cards do*n in any old formation, and decide *hat the card %ositions relate to after seeing the cards' Sometimes you *ill notice that the sha%e you have created fits symbolically *ith the .uestion at hand, or you5ll notice that there are, for instance, three feminine cards lined u% in a %articular *ay' 3on5t be afraid to ta&e these things as e9tra information from the universe or your subconscious' 3ifferent Ty%es of S%reads There is a *ide variety of Tarot s%reads available for your use' They can be found in boo&s, on the Internet, or %assed from %erson to %erson' In recent years of the modern Tarot revival, s%reads have %roliferated as readers all over the *orld try their hand at creating them' The s%reads vary from serious e9aminations of life5s %roblems to *himsical e9%lorations of one5s inner fairy, but no matter *hat the s%read you can be sure it has a useI -oosely, *e can se%arate this vast number of s%reads into four different categories: Small vs' -arge S%reads can vary from a single card to *hole dec&s, and sometimes (though e9tremely rarely and not to be recommended$ multi%le dec&s' Generally s%ea&ing

smaller s%reads are ideal for beginners, yet they are not basic s%reads: they are effective at giving in-de%th ans*ers' -arger s%reads ta&e longer to %erform, and can suffer from the disadvantage of having too many cards, meaning the reader lac&s focus on each card, creating a shallo* reading that s&irts the dee%er issues' ur%ose-driven vs' General Some s%reads are created for a multi-use function: they are designed for use *ith many different &inds of .uestions, regardless of the .uestion5s focus' 79am%les of this are the ast- resent-6uture s%read and the 7lemental s%read' 4ut some s%reads are designed for s%ecific %ur%oses, such as a ast -ife s%read or a s%read designed for ans*ering .uestions about a romantic relationshi%' (lassic vs' +odern There are certain s%reads that have been around for centuries and are in such common circulation that they have become a mainstay of Tarot boo&s and classes ever since' The (eltic (ross is a good e9am%le of a classic s%read: timeless, recogniFed the *orld over even by non-Tarot readers, and found in the bac& of almost every Tarot boo& availableI 4ecause of the nature of classic s%reads ho*ever, fe* %eo%le thin& to .uestion their usefulness' 2n the other hand, there are many modern s%reads that have been created in recent years and become e9tremely %o%ular' ersonal vs' Im%ersonal Some s%reads focus on the .uerent as an individual, e9amining as%ects of themselves, their %ersonality, and their evolution' Some %eo%le vie* these as Gs%iritualG readings, but I feel this term is incorrect' ersonal s%reads do not have to focus on a %erson5s s%iritual self, but instead are often concerned *ith issues of a %erson5s evolving emotional self, ho* they can im%rove, their relationshi% to their environment and other %eo%le, etc' Im%ersonal s%reads, on the other hand, ans*er .uestions about more e9ternal factors (although the distinction bet*een %ersonal and im%ersonal in this case is not al*ays clear-cut$ such as a 0ob, a business deal, other %eo%le, etc' 2ne could also vie* this category in light of 79ternal vs' Internal' re-)ritten vs' (reated S%reads +ost s%reads are %re-*ritten, and are found in boo&s and on the Internet' They are usually created by %eo%le other than ourselves, and can either be general or %ur%osedriven' There are thousands u%on thousands of %re-*ritten s%reads available, and more are being created every day by Tarot enthusiasts around the globe' Sometimes they are created for that %erson5s use and then %ublished for others to use, and sometimes they are created for fun based on a theme, li&e a national holiday or a boo&' These %re-*ritten s%reads can be useful if you find some that you use a lot, but often they are very s%ecific in their a%%lication' I often find that although I have access to a vast array of %re-*ritten s%reads, they are not al*ays suitable for my %ur%ose' Therefore, you may find that creating s%reads for your s%ecific %ur%ose or .uestion to be the more useful a%%roach' )e *ill fully e9%lore ho* to create s%reads in -esson :! but for no* *e shall briefly loo& at the advantages and disadvantages of using %re*ritten and created s%reads' A31A8TAG7S 26 ,7-),ITT78 S ,7A3S: P It ta&es very little time to find a %re-*ritten s%read, so if you are short on time and need something .uic&ly, you have thousands of s%reads at the other end of your Internet connection' P Some %re-*ritten s%reads can be considered classics, and they are classic because they are e9tremely *ell-designed' The 7lemental s%read, (eltic (ross, and Tree of

-ife s%reads are all e9am%les of *ell-loved and *ell-used s%reads that have a *ide variety of a%%lications' P Some %re-*ritten s%reads have been ins%ired by themes you might never have considered and can be a lot of funI Self-e9%loration s%reads and s%reads ins%ired by boo&s, television sho*s, mythology, and national holidays can be a great *ay to get some Tarot %ractice in if you don5t have a s%ecific need or .uestion' 3ISA31A8TAG7S 26 ,7-),ITT78 S ,7A3S: P =ou may find that no matter ho* hard you loo&, you cannot find a s%read that meets your needs e9actly' P The sheer number of %re-*ritten s%reads available ma&es it difficult to navigate the *ebsites and boo&s that contain them, ma&ing your search for a useful s%read more trouble than creating one yourself P If you are doing a %rofessional reading, it can loo& un%rofessional to find out the .uestion and then s%end ten minutes searching in boo&s or on the Internet for a suitable s%read' A31A8TAG7S 26 (,7AT73 S ,7A3S: P (reating your o*n s%read is a fun and imaginative %rocess that can brighten u% a dull afternoon' P A s%read created s%ecifically for a reading or .uestion can highlight s%ecific as%ects of the .uestion and allo*s you to focus on %arts of it as you see fit' P The creation %rocess *ith another %erson as .uerent serves to begin a discussion of *hat the .uerent *ants to as&, fully e9%loring the .uestion' 3ISA31A8TAG7S 26 (,7AT73 S ,7A3S: P A beginner may feel uncomfortable creating their o*n s%reads at first, and the lac& of confidence may adversely affect the creation %rocess' P S%reads created on the s%ot for a s%ecific reading often lac& beauty, since you rarely have time to s%end on the s%read5s layout or formation, focusing instead on the card %ositions' Some (lassic S%reads The follo*ing s%reads are commonly encountered, and can be used for a *ide variety of .uestions both general and s%ecific' They are highly versatile, es%ecially the smaller ones, so you can modify them slightly to fit your needs' )e have already loo&ed at the sim%le 2ne-(ard s%read in -esson >, and that remains a recommended s%read for nervous beginners as *ell as an e9cellent *ay of training yourself to see inde%th ans*ers in a concise and uncluttered manner' -i&e*ise the four-card 7lemental s%read has already been discussed in -esson @' The Three-(ard S%read and Its 1ariants This s%read is %robably the most versatile s%read around-0ust enough cards to %lay *ith, but not so many that it is difficult to navigate' These three cards can be almost anythingI Traditionally they re%resent ast resent6uture, as a continuum of cause and effect' This formula is useful if you *ant to find out ho* the .uerent got to the stage they are in %resently, and *hat *ill ha%%en as a result of their current actions' Ho*ever, there are other %ositions that *e can give to these three cards:

Three-(ard S%read P +ind, 4ody, S%irit P Situation, (hallenge, 2utcome P 2%tions :, !, and < P =esterday, Today, Tomorro* P Situation, Action, 2utcome P hysical, 7motional, S%iritual P Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis P +e, HimEHer, /s P +aiden, +other, (rone 7C7,(IS7 A': 3o a three-card reading for yourself or another %erson using one of the above o%tions' A sim%le and fun .uestion to as& might be G)here am I at the moment;G using the +ind-4ody-S%irit %ositioning, or G)hat can the +aiden, +other, and (rone archety%es teach me;G using the +aiden-+other-(rone %ositioning' M 7C7,(IS7 A'! Go bac& to -esson @, and %erform the 7lemental s%read for yourself or somebody else' (onsider each %osition as an area of your life-mundane, s%iritual, or emotional' 4ear in mind the elemental attributes of the cards that fall in each %osition-is a S*ords card in the Air %osition; 2r is an 7arth card dragging the element of Air do*n in your life or is it grounding it; that fall in each %osition-is a S*ords card in the Air %osition; 2r is an 7arth card dragging the element of Air do*n in your life or is it grounding it; The lanetary S%read This seven-card s%read is based on the conce%t of the classical %lanets of anti.uity: +ercury, 1enus, +ars, Bu%iter, Saturn, +oon and Sun' -i&e the 7lemental s%read, it is useful for assessing the different areas of your life generally, as *ell as for e9amining more s%ecific issues from different %ers%ectives' (ard :' Saturn: Initiation and &armic return, death and time' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of the inevitable' (ard !' Bu%iter: ,eligion and ethics, %hiloso%hy and gro*th' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of leadershi% and authority' (ard <' +ars: 6orce and self-authority, com%etition and ambition' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of the ego as an individual self' (ard ?' 1enus: -ove and beauty, harmony and union' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of ins%iration'

lanetary S%read (ard >' +ercury: The mind and intellect, *it and *ord' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of reason' (ard @' +oon: ,ece%tivity and emotion, dreams and rhythms' The issue a%%roached from the %ers%ective of the intuition' (ard #' Sun: (enter and vitality, consciousness and %ur%ose' The issue a%%roached as a synthesis of the above cards' 7C7,(IS7 A'< The above s%read seems .uite ordered, yet you *ill find it amaFingly versatile and changeable to fit your o*n ideas of the classical %lanets and their associations' 3o a little research in boo&s or on the internet for some other associations for these %lanets' 4egin to develo% an understanding of their significance in relation to each other and this %articular s%read' This *ill also be useful later in -esson ::' 7C7,(IS7 A'? erform a lanetary reading for yourself or somebody else' Try as&ing a .uestion concerning something in your everyday life-your career, relationshi%, a grou% %ro0ect, etc' It is often useful to vie* the cards in relation to each other-+ercury and 1enus can re%resent different a%%roaches of the mind to an issue (one from the intellectual %ers%ective, another from the ins%irational %ers%ective$' The S%heres of -ife S%read This ne9t s%read is one I created many years ago for use in those readings *here the .uerent doesn5t really &no* *hat they *ant to as&I 2ften, they are curious about Tarot or 0ust *ant the e9%erience of a reading, and a lot of the time they 0ust *ant a general overvie* of their lives in the %resent or the coming si9 to t*elve months' This s%read has the added beauty of being customiFable to the .uerent, as they are the ones *ho choose the s%read %ositions' There is no s%ecified layout for the s%read' 2nce the cards are chosen you can %lace them do*n in any formation you li&eI Ste% :' Shuffle the cards'

Ste% !' 6an the cards out as *ide as %ossible (this may ta&e some %ractice since a Tarot %ac& is .uite largeI$' Ste% <' As& the .uerent to choose three cards from the fanned dec&, saying *hat area of life they *ant to as& about, such as Gcareer,G Grelationshi%s,G or Gtravel'G Ste% ?' -ay those cards do*n on the table, and ta&e mental note or, if necessary, *rite do*n *hat area of life they relate to' Ste% >' ,e%eat the %rocess, as&ing the .uerent to choose three cards for each area of their life they are interested in' 3o this until the .uerent has no more areas to as& aboutI This may sound li&e the reading *ill go on forever, but you5ll find that most %eo%le don5t have that many areas to concern themselves *ith and *ill run out of steam after four or five sets of cards' Ste% @' 7nd the layout by as&ing the .uerent to choose three cards-these are the GSur%risesG that the .uerent didn5t thin& to as& about' (7verybody loves sur%risesI$ ,ead the cards as you *ould for a normal s%read' =ou *ill find that sometimes the cards indicate se%arate events or influences in that area of life, *hereas other times they need to be read together regarding a single event' -et your intuition guide you' 7C7,(IS7 A'> Try %erforming the above s%read for yourself or another %erson' Have fun *ith it, and don5t *orry about *hat areas of life you should or shouldn5t as& about-this is your readingI I5ve had serious .uestions regarding Gmy careerG and Gfamily life,G as *ell as not-so-serious ones regarding Gmy carG and Gthe ne9t %arty'G This s%read can also ma&e a useful monthly reading on to% of a 3aily 3ra*, since it allo*s you to assess at a *ide glance the various as%ects of your life' Try doing this in relation to the %ast month, and com%are it to your 3aily 3ra*s for that month' 2ther (lassic S%reads There are several other classic and much-loved Tarot s%reads, including the (eltic (ross, Tree of -ife, Sodiacal, and )heel of the =ear s%reads' Some of these shall be e9%lored in later lessons, as they use at least ten cards each and can become un*ieldy and intimidating' 4est to get as much %ractice in as %ossible *ith smaller s%reads before tac&ling these monstersI The 7arliest ,ecorded S%read +ary K' Greer has %in%ointed the earliest recorded Tarot s%read in an essay found in volume D, boo& :, of the *or& +onde rimitif, analyse et com%are avec le monde moderne (:#D:$, mainly *ritten but in %laces edited by Antoine (ourt de Gebelin' This essay, by G+' -e (' de +QQQG (-e (omte de +ellet$, is the second essay in the boo&' It is %erformed *ith t*o %eo%le, one given the t*enty-t*o +a0or Arcana cards and the other given the fifty-si9 +inor Arcana cards' 4oth %eo%le shuffle their cards, and the +inor Arcana %erson (%erson one$ lays do*n his cards face-u%, counting from Ace to :" and then age to King' If, *hen he counts a number (for e9am%le G#G$, the card he turns u% is the same number, it is laid aside' )hile this is ha%%ening, the +a0or Arcana %erson (%erson t*o$ lays do*n one of their cards face-do*n every time %erson one counts a card' The card that %erson t*o lays do*n *hen %erson one gets a match is %aired *ith that matched +inor Arcana and laid aside' Greer has this %rocess continuing until %erson one runs out of +inor Arcana cards to count, but the essay itself seems to suggest that %erson one should run through all their +inor Arcana cards three times over, reshuffling the discarded %ile each time' )hatever method you use, the result is a set of %airs of +inor-+a0or cards, *hich should be read together' These %airs could be inter%reted *ith the +a0or Arcana as the

main event, and the +inor Arcana as the after-effectJ more li&ely you *ill see ho* the %airs are formed and find a %attern yourself *ith each ne* reading' M 7C7,(IS7 A'@ Try %erforming this s%read' If you don5t have a second %erson, this can be done by yourself-but do so slo*ly so as not to lose countI In %articular, focus on ho* the +inor and +a0or in each %air relate to each other-are they different emanations of the same event or energy; Are they com%letely different facets of an issue; As& yourself *hy this %articular +inor and +a0or are together, and try to vie* them as a *hole rather than individual cards' /sing ,eversals A GreversalG is *hen a card a%%ears u%side-do*n in a reading' Some readers deliberately reverse some of their %ac& *hile shuffling to enable reversals, *hile others &ee% their %ac& strictly Gthis *ay u%G because they don5t use reversals' Those *ho use reversals find that a card5s u%side-do*n nature changes its normal meaning significantly' Ho*ever, there are as many *ays to read reversals as there are readers *ho use them, and some don5t use them at all' Some readers (%articularly those *ho use an intuitive a%%roach rather than a &ey*ord or mnemonic system$ find that they can glean *hat may traditionally be called reversed meanings from their cards based on other factors: surrounding cards, .uestion, .uerent res%onse, intuitive flashes, etc' (ertainly *e seldom read a card the same *ay t*ice, leaving %lenty of room for a reader to sometimes see a normally %ositive card li&e the Sun as a negative factor' )hether or not to use reversals in your readings is a %ersonal %reference that you *ill decide u%on *ith time and e9%erience' As your reading style and method of gaining meaning and inter%retation from the cards develo% and you begin to understand ho* you best do a reading, you *ill eventually settle into a comfort Fone regarding reversals' If you don5t *ant to use them, that5s fine-I often don5t' Ho*ever, it is *ise to be a*are of ho* you *ould read them if you did use them' =ou never &no* *hen one rogue card *ill a%%ear reversed, no matter ho* careful you areI M 7C7,(IS7 A'# Ta&e one of the +a0or Arcana cards *e have studied so far from your dec&' 79amine it closely' Ta&e a loo& at its &ey*ords and meaning earlier in this boo&, and consider these .uestions' P )hat *ould the o%%osite of these &ey*ords or meanings be; )rite this do*n' P Ho* might bloc&ing the energies of some of these &ey*ords or meanings manifest in somebody5s life; 6or e9am%le, ho* *ould the energies of creativity (7m%ress$ being bloc&ed affect somebody; )rite this do*n' P As& yourself if you thin& this card is %ositive, negative, or neutral' There are several *ays of a%%roaching reversals, and as usual they de%end on both your %ersonal %reference and your intuitive res%onse to the cards in the conte9t of the reading' 8e* *ays *ill al*ays become a%%arent to you as you gain e9%erience, but the follo*ing are a fe* methods of inter%reting reversals: P 2%%osite meaning to the u%right meanings: 6or instance, a card indicating success *hen u%right might be seen as failure reversed' This a%%roach is %roblematic ho*ever, since cards such as the Ten of S*ords (ruin$ *ould a%%ear to indicate the best e9%erience ever *hen reversedI This seems counter-intuitive for some of the e9tremely %ositive or e9tremely negative cards of the dec&' Ho*ever, sometimes an o%%osite meaning can be read from a reversed card' P 4loc&ed energy: The card still means the same as it normally *ould, but its reversal suggests those energies and influences are bloc&ed in the .uerent5s life: stifled,

une9%ressed, unable to flo* freely' As suggested in the above e9ercise, this can manifest in various *ays in somebody5s life-*ays that may become a%%arent else*here in the reading' P 3elayed meaning'- erha%s the card means everything it *ould *hen u%right, but its meaning is delayed in somebody5s life' They may have success, but it *on5t be for a *hile yet' P )orsened meaning'- Similar to the o%%osite meaning a%%roach, but every card sim%ly gets *orseI So the %ositive cards are less %ositive (though not necessarily com%letely o%%osite-an e9tremely %ositive card *ould still be .uite %ositive$ and the negative cards 0ust get *orse' P A different %ers%ective: erha%s the cards being reversed are 0ust urging you as a reader to a%%roach their meanings from a different %ers%ective, maybe sha&e your old reading habits u%' So, do you al*ays see the 6our of (oins as greed; )hen reversed it may be as&ing you to see it in a ne* light' The best *ay to come to gri%s *ith reversals is to use them' I advise you to s%end .uite a fe* readings using them until you have decided *hether you *ish to continue *ith them' Some %oints to consider *hen you ma&e your decision: P Ho* do you read; If you %refer to read using an intuitive a%%roach to the card images, you may find it difficult to read an u%side-do*n card because the images *on5t be clear' Ho*ever, if you recall card meanings intellectually or through a mind ma% or similar %rocess, you may find an u%side-do*n image does not bother you' An intuitive reader *ill also find that because their card inter%retations vary so greatly bet*een readings, one card image u%right can mean a number of different things, ma&ing the use of reversals to indicate 0ust a certain number of those redundant' P 3oes your dec& accommodate reversals; There are some dec&s that seem to *or& better *ith reversals than others, from the %ers%ective of images' There is even a dec& available that halves the card image so that one de%icts the u%right meaning and the other de%icts a reversed meaning (see the ,evelations Tarot by Sach )ong$' P 3o you read for others; And if so, *here are they seated during your readings; A .uerent sitting o%%osite you may find it difficult to understand reversals, since to them an u%right card is reversed and vice versaI 2%tional Home*or& Try to do the s%reads in this cha%ter for as many %eo%le as %ossibleJ if you have nobody to read for, try to do them for fictional characters from films and literature' ,ecord them in your Tarot 0ournal' 6urther ,eading Study on the Tarots, and on the 3ivination by the (ards of the Tarots, by +' -e (' de' +QQQ, for the earliest Tarot s%read as *ell as several other interesting :Dth century vie*s of the Tarot' 2nline translation into 7nglish by 3onald Tyson at htt%:EE***'donaldtyson'comEgebelin'html (includes first (ourt de Gebelin5s essay on the Tarot$' -earning Tarot ,eversals, by Boan 4unning' The (om%lete 4oo& of Tarot ,eversals, by +ary K' Greer' ,evelations Tarot, by Sach )ong, for a dec& that accounts for reversals in its images' (lassic Tarot S%reads, by Sandor Konradd, is a boo& of *ell-&no*n and useful Tarot s%reads' Illustrated Tarot S%reads, by Heidemarie ielmeier and +arcus Schirner' +ore Tarot s%reads, but includes %lenty of modern ones'

8ot all our Tarot readings are %leasant, and not all the futures *e see are *elcome' )e may stumble across negative emotions and outloo&s, and at times things can loo& so blea& that *e *ant to give u% and *ait for the bad to ha%%en' Similarly there are some cards in the +a0or Arcana that are a%%roached *ith fear and vie*ed as entirely negative' In this lesson, *e *ill e9amine the three dar&est cards in the %ac&-CII The Hanged +an, C1 The 3evil, and C1I The To*er-and their conte9t, as *ell as *ays of a%%roaching negative outcomes in readings and methods of turning an initially bad reading into something %roactive' The 3ar& Side: -earning Ho* to (o%e 7very Tarot reader must remember that bad or %ainful events can sometimes be necessary or can be %ath*ays to eventual good' (hildbirth is one of the most %ainful e9%eriences a *oman can endure, but is necessary to bring a child into the *orld' 79ams can be terrifying, but they are necessary to gain .ualifications for use in a career' Stage fright hits most %ublic s%ea&ers, actors, or %erformers, but gives them the adrenaline rush necessary to %erform, and reminds them to %re%are themselves' Thus, the %ainful e9%eriences *e sometimes see in the cards are not clear-cut' Ho*ever, *e also have a duty to our .uerents (and to ourselves$ to be a*are that some %ainful e9%eriences are 0ust that and nothing more' 4ad stuff ha%%ens to good %eo%le' Sometimes it can be avoided if *e &no* it is coming, but sometimes the only a%%roach is to minimiFe the damage by see&ing advice on ho* to co%e *ith it *hen it ha%%ens' 7C7,(IS7 :"': Imagine that a friend has confided in you regarding a difficult and %ainful illness they have contracted' They are loo&ing to you for comfort and advice' Ho* *ould you res%ond; )hat advice *ould you give them; )ould you: P Tell them it5s going to be o&ay; P /se %hysical contact to comfort them, li&e a hug; P 2ffer further hel% if needed; P -isten attentively and let them tal&; P Give them information that could hel%, if you &no* it; Any of the above is an e9cellent res%onse to your friend, and they are e.ually useful in res%onse to .uerents *ho have come to you for a Tarot reading *hich has turned u% some negative cards' They need a little change to ma&e them suitable for your .uerent, ho*ever, so: P Tell them that there are *ays of a%%roaching the situation that minimiFe the %ain' P /se body language to reassure them, such as eye contact, a smile, or o%en hand gestures' P 2ffer to dra* a further fe* cards to clarify the situation or give advice' P -isten attentively and let them tal&-this does not change' As *e sa* in -esson > some .uerents 0ust *ant to be listened to, and tal&ing themselves through the %roblem

can be 0ust as useful as the reading itself' True listening also means you do not 0udge the .uerent or interru%t them' P ,efer them to grou%s or organiFations that can hel% if the %roblem is something s%ecific' This might include medical %rofessionals, counselors, or charities' Q 7C7,(IS7 :"'! If you %lan to become a %rofessional reader or read for others in another ca%acity, it *ould be *ise to begin collecting contact details for services and grou%s that you may refer your .uerents to for s%ecific guidance or hel%' To start *ith, you should consider buying an address boo& and including in it the contacts of: P -ocal doctor services or health care services' This includes mid*ives, se9ual health clinics, family %lanning clinics, and home carers' P (ounseling services, such as thera%ists, career advice, suicide hel%lines, Alcoholics Anonymous, drug addiction hel% centers, and marriage counsellors' P 3e%ending on the country you live in and the ty%e of .uerent you read for most often, you may also need local services' I &ee% a list of student finance services as I live in a university cityJ local businesses, health food sho%s, and other similar services such as ,ei&i healers, s%iritual *or&sho%s, and boo&sho%s are also handy' 7ssentially, *hen you see something bad in the cards, you can use a fourfold a%%roach: :' +inimiFe the suffering of receiving the negative ne*s: =ou can do this through sim%le things such as your body language and method of delivery, tone of voice and your o*n reaction to the cards' !' ,eassurance: The .uerent must remain in a rece%tive, calm state so you can begin to hel% them' ,eassurance is &ey to this' Although you cannot state that the bad things *on5t ha%%en at all, you can remind the .uerent that it isn5t al*ays as bad as it seems, and things can be done to ma&e it easier' <' 3ee%er e9amination: This includes e9amination of the causes of the bad ne*s, as *ell as influences u%on the .uerent and the results of the bad events' Gathering this information is the first ste% to ma&ing sense of everything' ?' Advice and %re%aration: 3ra*ing further cards, or reading dee%er into the e9isting cards, can give the .uerent advice that relates to the information gathered in Ste% <' The advice can hel% the .uerent change their %ers%ective or attitude to something more %ositive, %re%are for the bad if it is unavoidable, or begin to attem%t avoiding the bad' 8egative into ositive: 4ecoming a roactive Tarot ,eader The traditional image of a Tarot reader is that of a gy%sy sitting in a dar&ened, incense-filled room, dealing out doom and gloom in her card readings' This image has been ado%ted by *riters, advertisers, and artists for decades, including B' K' ,o*ling in the character of the Hog*arts 3ivination teacher, Sibyl Trela*ney' Ho*ever, *e do not *ant to become that &ind of Tarot reader' )e do not *ant to %redict a blea& fortune and sit bac& *hile *e *atch the .uerent cry' )e *ant to become %roactive Tarot readers and give them the %o*er to change the outcome' /sing the advice above is an e9cellent start: by referring a .uerent to a grou% or organiFation for further hel% or advice gives them the o%%ortunity outside the reading to ma&e a difference and ta&e action into their o*n hands' 4y doing this *e silently remind the .uerent that the future in the cards is their future, not ours, and they have an active role to %lay in it' Another good *ay to get the .uerent involved and ta&e a role in their future is to give them something to do at the very beginning of the session' 3e%ending on your reading style, it could be one of the follo*ing:

P Shuffle the cards' P (ut the cards' P (hoose cards for the reading from a fanned dec&' P 3iscuss their .uestion thoroughly *ith you' P (hoose the dec& they *ant you to read *ith' P /se a %en and %a%er to *rite do*n the reading' P Ans*er .uestions about *hat they see in the card images, or ho* they feel in res%onse to them' P 79%ress ho* they feel or *hat they thin&' )hen the .uerent ta&es an active role in the reading %rocess, they are invested in it mentally and emotionally, ma&ing the communication %rocess easier and more o%en' The 3ar& 8ight of the Soul As discussed above, the nature of life and human e9%erience is such that %ainful e9%eriences can sometimes lead to a %ositive conclusion' In a %erson5s life they may e9%erience a %ain so acute that they feel as though they can go on no longer-this really is the end of the road' This can occur follo*ing a variety of events: brea&do*n of a relationshi%, death of a loved one, addiction, failure, sudden unem%loyment, s%iritual suffering, and more' The feelings associated *ith this state of mind can be found most clearly in the cards *e are studying in this lesson: the Hanged +an, the 3evil, and the To*er' The Hanged +an, in %articular, tells us that some %ain-%articularly s%iritual %ain-can be the 3ar& 8ight of the Soul, from *hich the soul is born ane* and liberated, or from *hich the soul can evolve to a higher state' GThe 3ar& 8ight of the SoulG is a term that emerged from the *ritings of the :@th century S%anish mystic St' Bohn of the (ross' It describes an almost universal theme of s%iritual desolation and loneliness e9%erienced by mystics and religious see&ers throughout time-it is a feeling of se%aration from the 3ivine' Ho*ever, this 3ar& 8ight is also used re%eatedly by mystics (such as +other Teresa and St' Therese of -isieu9$ to describe a suffering that brings them closer to God-they are divided from God so that they may e9%erience the ecstasy of union *ith Him' The 3ar& 8ight is also said to lead to higher s%iritual and mystical understanding or a religious e9%erience' The Hanged +an card bears an image of a man hanging u%side do*n from a tree, staff, cross, or %oles' It brings to mind an account of a 3ar& 8ight recorded in ancient Scandinavian mythology-that of 2din5s .uest for the ,unes' In the Hava- mal (GSayings of the High 2neG$ *e read:

2din5s *ounding and hanging from the )orld Tree recalls the crucifi9ion of (hrist that created a bridge bet*een God and man&ind in the (hristian tradition' Throughout the *orld *e find stories of terrible sufferings that lead to a mystical insight or 3ivine love' The Hanged +an card reminds us that sometimes suffering and sacrifice are necessary to enable further evolution' 6urthermore, it reminds us of the 3escent into the /nder*orld theme found throughout *orld mythology that s%ea&s of the soul descending into dar&ness in the service of the light' M 7C7,(IS7 :"'< 3o a little research on the themes of G3ar& 8ight of the SoulG and G3escent into the /nder*orldG in religious *ritings or mythology' Some ideas for starting %oints might be:

P erse%hone5s descent into Hades and 3emeter5s search for her P The above .uest of 2din for the ,unes P (hrist5s moment of doubt in the Garden of Gethsemane P K*an =in5s sacrifice and descent into Hell, and the subse.uent redem%tion of the souls *ithin M 7C7,(IS7 :"'? ,ead St' Bohn of the (ross5G 3ar& 8ight of the SoulG or some of the *ritings of St' Therese of -isieu9' They may give you a dee%er understanding of the e9%erience itself and the feelings of the mystic during it' 4oth should be available for vie*ing online in translation' CII The Hanged +an In some cases, suffering leads to understanding' )e sacrifice ourselves to a higher cause' 2ur mind, heart, soul, and body undergo torment and disillusion, doubt and distress so that *e might evolve, hel% others, discover ne* horiFons, and come out the other side into the light once more' In this *ay, the Hanged +an is a reflection of the 3yingE,esurrecting Godman found throughout mythology: the divine figure *ho dies or descends into the /nder*orld so that others may receive life, salvation, or the %romise of divine love' Besus, 2siris, 4uddha, 2din, K*an =in ''' in every account of this recurring theme *e see a common element of surrender: it is essential that at some %oint in the %rocess of this 3ar& 8ight of the Soul the figure surrenders to the e9%erience and undergoes a transformative e9%erience that %uts them in the hands of God' Thus, accom%anying this card are feelings of %o*erlessness, but those *ho are accustomed to control can learn a %otent lesson' 3isillusionment *ith yourself must %recede 7nlightenment' -17,828 H2)A,3 Ifyou only &ne* *hat dar&ness I am %lunged into' -ST' TH7,7S7 26 -ISI7/C Hanging u%side-do*n, the Hanged +an is not being hanged by the nec& until dead (although there is a strong %ossibility that traitors *ere %unished this *ay in medieval Italy$' His *orld has been turned to%sy-turvy, and he invites us to change our %erce%tions and loo& at everything differently' )ho is u%side-do*n-*e, the vie*ers, or the Hanged +an himself; 8otably, the 6rench title given to this card (Gle enduG$ is a *ord that lin&s to our G%endulumG-a hanging, s*inging device-but also to G%onderG-dee% thought' In occult dec&s, the card is given the Hebre* letter +em (G*aterG$, and thus the image of the Hanged +an himself gaFes do*n into the *atery abyss' This is a card of reflection u%on the self in the time of the soul5s greatest stress' (2++28 S=+42-S /%side-do*n: (hanging %erce%tion, feelings of being lostJ here the Hanged +an is descending into the /nder*orld, turning his bac& to God' 4ent leg: In many images the Hanged +an5s right leg is bent at the &nee and the lo*er leg is horiFontal, accom%anied *ith the Hanged +an5s arms being s%read *ide and %ointing do*n*ards' This %osture forms the symbol of a cross u%on a triangle-the descent of light into dar&ness in order to redeem it' Halo: An image of holy realiFation, sainthood, or s%iritual %urity' )ater: ,eflection, the Abyss' (ro*ley calls it Ga ba%tism *hich is also a death'G +oney falling: A recollection of the Italian %unishment given to traitorsJ coins recall Budas Iscariot'

S%ear: The *ea%on *ith *hich (hrist5s side *as %ierced, as *ell as that *ith *hich 2din sacrificed himself' 2din: The 8orse God *ho hung from the )orld Tree in sacrifice to himself so that he might gain &no*ledge of the ,unes' ,unes: See above regarding 2din' Tree: The )orld Tree from *hich the Hanged +an or mystic hangs during the descent' Also the a9is mundi-the universal lin& bet*een heaven and earth' (ross: The crucifi9ion' K7=)2,3S: +ysticism, mystical e9%erience, ne* %ers%ective, sacrifice, standstill, cutting a*ay, %hiloso%hy, religion, s%irituality, reflection, meditation, 3ar& 8ight of the Soul, descent, surrender, death of the ego, move to more s%iritual concerns, initiation I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: The film Stigmata sho*s the character of young, modern *oman 6ran&ie afflicted *ith the s%iritual illness of stigmata given only to the most %ious and holy (hristian mystics' The film, although fictional, gives an e9cellent account of the e9%erience of stigmata, and the feeling of union *ith (hrist at the time of his crucifi9ion' The *ounds of stigmata a%%ear s%ontaneously on the body of the mystic (and in this case, 6ran&ie$, and they sometimes lead to the death of the mystic' They are, ho*ever, described as both a blessing and a curse, since they are born from the dee%est love and union *ith (hrist %ossible' As A 7,S28: The %erson indicated by this card is a mystic, and often e9%eriences e9tremely intense s%iritual feelings-%articularly feelings of isolation, doubt, desolation, and se%aration from God, follo*ed by blissful union *ith the 3ivine' They may sometimes have a Gmartyr com%le9,G intent on suffering for the needs of others *hen there is no need' They can be dee% thin&ers, s%ending a lot of their time in reflection, meditation, or self-e9amination' They al*ays thin& differently from others-not because they are contrary but because their %ers%ective on the *orld is so different, informed as it is by their s%iritual e9%eriences' M 7C7,(IS7 :"'> P Ta&e your Hanged +an out of your dec& and e9amine it' 3oes your card sho* a %articular myth or deity associated *ith sacrifice or the 3escent into the /nder*orld; )hat symbols do you see that stri&e you; )hat might they mean; P In your Tarot 0ournal, note do*n *hat you thin& a G3ar& 8ight of the SoulG *ould feel li&e, *hat might cause it, and *hat might occur after it' Ho* *ould it change your %erce%tion of the *orld; Have you ever had an e9%erience li&e this; P )atch the film Stigmata' P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hy is the Hanged +an u%side do*n, instead of hanged by the nec&; P )hat is the nature of sacrifice; P Ho* do acce%tance and reflection interact *ith your s%iritual or mystical life; P )hat do you surrender to; )hat e9%eriences have you had of surrender and giving u%; Ho* did it feel; P )hat is your %ers%ective on the *orld; Ho* do you a%%roach it; P )hat bac&ground do you have that defines your vie* of the *orld; P (an you thin& of another %ers%ective that could be used; P )hich %ers%ective is correct; P Have you e9%erienced any &ind of initiation; )hat *as it li&e;

C1I The To*er )hereas the Hanged +an5s suffering leads to enlightenment and initiation, the suffering of the To*er is destructive and brings somebody to the lo*est %oint they can be' )hereas the destruction in the 3eath card is natural and often slo* and foreseeable, that of the To*er is un%redictable, sudden, and gut-*renching' It is here in the Tarot that *e find com%leted deconstruction, and the forced removal of everything no longer necessary in one5s life' The image of the to*er re%resents the sense of self, ego, and the lifestyle *e build for ourselves as *e go through life' It is our ambitions, our morals, our relationshi%s, and our stability' And it is com%letely destroyed by a bolt of lightning from above' 8o *ords can describe here the e9%erience of such com%lete and seemingly %ointless destruction' A crisis event often e9%lodes the illusions that anchor our lives' -,247,T 178I8GA -isten, " -ord of the meeting rivers, Things standing shall fall, 4ut the moving shall ever stay' -,A+A8/BA8 Ho*ever, this is an o%%ortunity to start from scratch, afresh, ane*' )hat has been destroyed *as unnecessary, or %oorly founded, so *hen you are ta&en bac& do*n to your lo*est foundations you can ma&e them stronger and build u% something better' The To*er card reminds us that if *e build structures on unstable and unsafe foundations they *ill crumble under the strain of the elements' 4ut much li&e the )heel of 6ortune and 3eath, The To*er card tells us that change is the only constant in the universe' That *hich *e so earnestly hold on to and long to remain stable *ill inevitably become sub0ect to the tides of change and the destruction of the universe at its most basic' (2++28 S=+42-S ,uined to*er: As described above, the to*er re%resents a structure in our lives that *e have %laced a lot of value on: the self, ego, lifestyle, religion, marriage, ambition' ,uined, it symboliFes our self-creation being destroyed by e9ternal forces' 6alling cro*n: Another symbol of the fall and destruction of the ego and self, as *ell as values and highest ambitions' -ightning: The Gbolt from the blueG that is used to describe both a curse from the Gods and a blessing of sudden enlightenment' In many cases, there is a fine line bet*een the t*o' 6ire: The fires of creation and destruction' 7ye of Shiva: In Hinduism, the 7ye of Shiva (called Bnana$ o%ens its fiery gaFe and burns this *orld to ashes, destroying the illusion of creation and revealing the truth of e9istence' It signifies the end of an age and an e9ternal force using destruction to %ush realiFation u%on somebody' 6alling %eo%le: The figures falling to their deaths from the burning to*er are a %otent image of destruction and suffering on a human level' 79%losion: 8ot only destruction, but also release' As *ith the 7ye of Shiva, *hen the false is burned a*ay, *e are left *ith a blan& slate' 3ove and ser%ent: in the Thoth dec&, these re%resent t*o different &inds of desirethe )ill to -ive and the )ill to 3ie' Together they indicate that life and death, destruction and creation are %hases of a single %rocess' (rumbling: The destructive %rocess itself'

)aves: )aves la%%ing at the crumbling to*er are a reminder that even the gentlest of forces (such as *ater$ *ill erode the *ea&est structures' K7=)2,3S: 3estruction, colla%se, crumbling, to%%ling, fall, %ainful e9%erience, reevaluation, false foundations removed, brea&ing of bad habits, loss, difficulty, sudden u%heaval, change, ins%iration, realiFation, brea&ing do*n of the ego I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: The %arable of the T*o 6oundations (better &no*n as GThe +an )ho 4uilt His House /%on SandG$ in -u&e @:?#-?A is an e9cellent e9am%le of ho* the e9ternal forces %laced u%on something that has %oor foundations can .uic&ly destroy it' The 2ld Testament story of the To*er of 4abel (Genesis ::::A$ sho*s ho* %eo%le have a tendency to build for themselves false structures in their lives as a means of %er%etuating their egos-and the terrible, inevitable conse.uences *hen these structures come crashing do*n' As A 7,S28: It is very rare that this card indicates a %erson, but if it does, it %oints to a very destructive and negative individual' They have a tendency to attac& others5 beliefs and values, or to try to %ut others do*n and criticiFe them' They are fiercely inde%endent, but may try too hard to force %eo%le to become more inde%endent themselves' This %erson certainly is insensitive and can be very blunt *ith their *ords, yet honest and truthful' Sometimes, ho*ever, the truth hurts, and *hile a To*er %erson is e9cellent at deconstructing their o*n and others5 *ea&nesses, %ersonalities, and %hiloso%hies, they may ta&e it too far and hurt %eo%le5s feelings' Q 7C7,(IS7 io'@ P Ta&e the To*er card from your dec& and e9amine it' Ho* does the image ma&e you feel; )hat does it suggest to you; )hat symbols stri&e you and *hat symbols are different to those listed above; P Ho* do you thin& you could read this card in a %ositive manner; Ho* *ould its themes aid a %erson; Ho* could somebody use the ideas of this card in a %roactive manner in their life; P 6ind and read the myths of Shiva and Kali (Hindu$' )hat .ualities are they associated *ith; )hat do their stories say about the To*er; P ,ead the story of Icarus, in 2vid5s +etamor%hoses 4oo& 1III::D<- !<> (G3aedalus and IcarusG$' )hat role did the ego %lay in this story; Ho* does 3aedalus feel at the end; Ho* *ould you have advised 3aedalus if you had seen the outcome of the story in a Tarot reading you *ere doing for him; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat is inside the To*er; P )hat has led to this destruction; P )hat do you thin& *ill ha%%en to the %eo%le *ho have fallen from the To*er; P )hat form may foundations ta&e; )hat are the foundations of your life; P )hat &ind of events do you thin& *ould cause the destruction of the To*er; P )hat e9%eriences have you had of sudden, %ainful change; )hat *ere they li&e; Ho* did you res%ond to them; P )hat %arts of you are created by your ego; Ho* could they be destroyed by e9ternal forces; C1 The 3evil The title of this card is both misleading and entirely a%%ro%riate' It is misleading in that the card does not re%resent an incarnation of evil that has an e9ternal reality and consciousness: it is not suggesting the e9istence of a truly evil being that tem%ts

humans to sin' Ho*ever, the term G3evilG recalls a number of things that can be a%%lied to this card: the little devil on our shoulder that gives us %ermission or e9cuses to commit bad or harmful actsJ to be a Gdevil in Kinsert %astime hereLG indicates you are %assionate and unsto%%able' 3emons are often seen as the o%%osite of angels, and this dichotomy can be seen in the Tarot as Tem%erance and The 3evil-the angel of virtue and moderation ne9t to the demon of tem%tation and e9cess' I can resist everything but tem%tation' -2S(A, )I-37 )e have nothing to fear but fear itself' -6,A8K-I8 3' ,22S717-T 4ecause the name itself often stri&es fear into the heart, and because of the e9tremely dar& a%%earance of the card, it has become associated *ith fear and the dar&est de%ths of the human %syche: the %art that is %rone to addiction, that *hich activates *hen *e are frightened and revert to an animal nature' It also re%resents the bestial force *ithin: not in the same *ay of Strength *here *e learn to ride the beast and harness its %o*er-but *hen that force ta&es over and *e are controlled by it, slaves to our lo*er %assions, fears, and e9cesses' Ho*ever, in many modern occult dec&s this card has become one of the %rimal force of creation and %o*er: the ra* animal nature *ithin us all calls us to find a mate and re%roduce, and reminds us to eat, drin&, slee%, and en0oy life' The 3evil can indicate the %assionate lust for life that can be useful unless ta&en to e9cess, *hen it becomes dangerous-leading to the Gdemon drin&,G drug addiction, nym%homania, and irrational fears that control us' (2++28 S=+42-S 3evilThe beast *ithin, a force of tem%tation and dar&ness' 6allen angel: As mentioned above, the 3evil can be vie*ed as the o%%osite of the angel in Tem%erance, thus e9cess instead of moderation, vice instead of virtue' (hains: These symboliFe the ties that bind us in our everyday lives: everything *e have chained ourselves to *hether it is through necessity or choice' They also re%resent addictions and burdens, slavery and o%%ression' Horns and tail: In many cards human figures are given horns and a tail, transforming them into animals' an: The *ild lust and thrust of life and %assion' (See 79ercise :" for more information'$ ,eversed %entagram: )hereas an u%right %entagram often symboliFes the rising of man to*ard God, or s%irit ascending out of matter, the reversed %entagram symboliFes the descent of s%irit into matter or it being tra%%ed in the mundane' 6ire: )hen *e s%ea& of torment, *e do so in terms of fireJ *e are Gon fireG *ith lust, for instance, and in the (hristian tradition the fires of hell torment sinners' /nder*orldEHell': These can be seen as meta%hors for the dar&ness of our o*n inner *orlds, our %syches at their most fearful or dar&' )e may descend into our %ersonal Hells during the dar&est times of our lives, and confront our o*n inner demons there' 2b0ects ofdesire: Indicate that this is a material card, *ith a strong em%hasis on the %hysical tem%tations of life' ,iches, se9, alcohol, %artiesJ everything that can be ta&en to e9cess and become a selfish addiction' hallus: The creative force of life, as *ell as ra* lust' GoatEram: Symbols of the Fodiacal sign of (a%ricorn'

K7=)2,3S: -ust, greed, anger, fear, hatred, aggression, lost, bound, im%risoned, tra%%ed, alcoholism, addiction, self-harm, substance abuse, descent, /nder*orld, dar&ness, inner demons, crisis, vicious cycle, bad habits I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: +ost boo&s or films have a re%resentative of this card, such as Sauron, the force of evil and leader of the bestial races in The -ord ofthe ,ings, intent on bringing a reign of dar&ness' He also manifests his %o*er through the 2ne ,ing, *hich *hen *orn grants the bearer a number of %o*ers that .uic&ly become addictive (li&e invisibility and the %o*er to see truly$' It also becomes almost too heavy to bear *hen *orn for an e9tended %eriod of time, yet the bearer becomes so %ossessive of it as it *ar%s their mind that they *ill readily attac& and &ill anyone to &ee% it' As A 7,S28: This is somebody *ho is the life and soul of the %arty, *ho &no*s ho* to en0oy life, and *ho does so to great e9cess' This %erson is usually a drin&er or smo&er, and may e9%eriment *ith a number of drugs' They are also e9tremely %assionate and lustful, and *ould usually describe their favorite hobby as se9I Ho*ever, this %erson ta&es drugs or alcohol as *ay to hide, re%ress, or forget about %arts of themselves they don5t li&e or because they are addicted' They may also be selfabusers and have a %essimistic or hedonistic vie* of life' M 7C7,(IS7 I"'# P Ta&e the 3evil card out of your dec&' It is li&ely, es%ecially if you have a modern dec&, that the artist has changed this card considerably to better fit the dec&5s theme' Is the 3evil no* an; The Horned God; (hains; The /nder*orld; )hat does this suggest to you about the card5s meaning, and ho* do you feel about it; P 4rainstorm the *ords GdevilG and Gdemon'G )hat have you got; Ho* do these a%%ly to the card; P =ou can use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' P ,ead Aleister (ro*ley5s GHymn to an'G )hat does it suggest about the more %ositive as%ects of the 3evil; Huestions forBournaling P )hat colors dominate the card, and *hat does this mean; P Ho* do you feel *hen you loo& at this card; P )hich character in the card do you most identify *ith; P )hat form can chains ta&e; P )hat form can addictions ta&e; P )hat addictions have you e9%erienced in your life; Ho* did you overcome them; Ho* *ould you overcome them if you haven5t yet done so; P )hat %arts of yourself have you re%ressed or &e%t hidden; )hy; Ho* *ould you feel to bring it out into the o%en; P 3oes this card remind you of any other cards in the Tarot dec&; Ho* does this relate to the card5s meaning; P Are there any symbols in this card that are also in other cards; )hat do you thin& this means; P )hat form do your dar&est %ersonality traits ta&e; The /nder*orld S%read This may not be the most %leasant s%read you can do, but it can be the beginning of transformation and self-realiFation' 4y highlighting your o*n shado*-self and inner dar&ness, you can begin to understand yourself more coherently' 2nly by understanding our inner demons can *e begin to be free of their control'

This reading is designed so that you can imagine yourself descending into the /nder*orld of the 7leusinian +ysteries, *here initiates *ere taught to drin& from the river +nemosyne (memory$ instead of -ethe (forgetfulness$ after death and thereby achieve liberation from Hades' (ard :' The (ave +outh: )hat is the %ath to my dar&ness; )hat o%ens the *ay for the monstrous side of myself; (ard !' The Inner Sanctum: In *hich area of my life does this dar&ness manifest most readily; (ard <' Hades Himsel5 6ace to face *ith my inner demon, *hat form does it ta&e;

/nder*orld S%read (ard ?' 3rin&ing+emory: Ho* can I begin to understand, acce%t, or heal this dar&ness; (ard >' Ascent: Ho* can I begin to redeem this dar& as%ect of my %syche and bring it into the light; (ard @' Sunlight: The outcome of this *or&' 2%tional Home*or& P )ith each of these cards, s%end some time *riting in your Tarot 0ournal about their %ositive .ualities' It may be hel%ful for you to begin *ith a com%arison chart, noting the usual associations of each card (*hich are largely negative$ and then ne9t to them *riting ho* these associations can be %erceived in a %ositive manner' P ,e-read the story of 2edi%us (see -esson D$' Ho* did the 2racle act that may have caused more harm to the characters; Ho* could the %ro%hecy have been delivered in a more %roactive *ay (remind yourself of this in -esson :"$; P +a&e Tarot 0ournal entries for one or all of the cards follo*ing the above e9ercises' P erform the /nder*orld s%read for yourself (not for another %erson at this stage-it can raise im%ortant issues'$ 6urther ,eading GHymn to anG, by Aleister (ro*ley, for the 3evil' (an be found online at htt%:EE ***'%oemhunter'comE%oemsE' Tarot Shado* )or&:P /sing the 3ar& Symbols to Heal, by (hristine Berre' +etamor%hoses 4oo& 1III: :D<-!<>, by 2vid, for the story of Icarus-an e9am%le of the To*er'

2ur final lesson on the +a0or Arcana e9%lores the cosmological as%ects of the Tarot' )e *ill e9amine the lofty, heaven*ard as%irations of the conce%ts embedded in the cards, as *ell as our relation to the *ide universe around us' )hat5s out there; )here are *e; )here are *e going; /nli&e %revious lessons, *e *ill e9amine four cards from the +a0or Arcana rather than three' As Above, So 4elo* The ma9im of GAs above, so belo*G has been in use for centuries, and describes a %ers%ective on the universe and the relation bet*een the realm of man&ind and the realm of the divine' It *as originally *ritten in the 7merald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus circa second century (7, a short treatise on the magical nature of the universe and the secrets of alchemical transmutations, *hich *as greatly esteemed by alchemists and %hiloso%hers throughout the ages' )ithin this short %hrase, an entire cosmology is contained: it says that the divine realm (*hich at the time included Gods, %lanetary forces, constellations, and other s%irits$ is reflected in the mundane *orld (in man&ind, the earth, and nature5s cycles$' The t*o realms are also called +acrocosm (large cosmos$ and +icrocosm (little cosmos$' In Tarot, magic, and alchemy, it is believed that *hat *e do in the +icrocosm can have a direct influence u%on the +acrocosm-this is the %rinci%le u%on *hich %eo%le %erform magical rituals' It is also believed that the +acrocosm can be re%resented in a +icrocosmic form-in models such as the Kabbalistic Tree of -ife and the Tarot' It is this fact-that the +icrocosm reflects the +acrocosm-that ma&es the Tarot a com%lete rendition of the universe (both its divine and mundane nature$ in miniature and *hich some %eo%le believe enables the Tarot to *or&' As *e *ill see later, many methods of ordering and understanding the universe around us have been %laced onto the Tarot' The Fodiac, moon %hases, %lanets, elements, and Hebre* letters of the Kabbalah have been added-*hich *e *ill e9%lore in detail later' This allo*s us to not only read the Tarot for mundane .uestions, but also to consult it in relation to s%iritual and magical %aths' Thus, you *ill see that the cards of the Tarot remind you of cosmic %rinci%les such as that of cause and effect (Bustice$, change (The )heel of 6ortune$, the 2ther Self (The -overs$, and illumination (The Sun$' Q 7C7,(IS7 ::': ,ead the 7merald Tablet of Hermes' =ou should be able to find several e9cellent translations online, in %articular on )i&i%edia' 3es%ite the centuries bet*een different versions of this short treatise, they are remar&ably similar' As you read it, consider ho* it relates to the conce%t of GAs above, so belo*,G and *hat this means for magical and s%iritual endeavors' Astrology and the Tarot Astrology is e9tremely %o%ular, and has been used since ancient +eso%otamia to foretell the future, chart the %rocession of time, and gain insight into a %erson5s nature' It is unsur%rising that it has been lin&ed *ith the Tarot for centuries (since the occult

revival$' Although being a*are of the Fodiacal and %lanetary associations of each +a0or Arcana card is not essential to read Tarot, &no*ing them is li&ely to give you a more rounded idea of some of the card meanings and their relation to the s%iritual realm' 7ach +a0or Arcana card is ruled by a Fodiacal sign or one of the %lanets, as follo*s: " The 6ool-/ranus I The +agician-+ercury II The High riestess-The +oon III The 7m%ress-1enus I1 The 7m%eror-Aries 1 The Hiero%hant-Taurus 1I The -overs-Gemini 1II The (hariot-(ancer 1III Strength--eo IC The Hermit-1irgo C )heel of 6ortune Bu%iter CI Bustice--ibra CII The Hanged +an-8e%tune CIII 3eath-Scor%io CI1 Tem%erance-Sagittarius C1 The 3evil-(a%ricorn C1I The To*er-+ars C1II The Star-A.uarius C1III The +oon- isces CIC The Sun-The Sun CC Budgement- luto CCI The )orld-Saturn If you remember that each suit of the +inor Arcana is related to an element, you also have three Fodiac signs associated *ith each suit: (u%s ()ater$: (ancer, Scor%io, isces (oins (7arth$: 1irgo, Taurus, (a%ricorn )ands (6ire$: Aries, -eo, Sagittarius S*ords (Air$: A.uarius, -ibra, Gemini Q 7C7,(IS7 ::'! /sing %rior &no*ledge or a little research on *hat each of the Fodiac signs and %lanets signifies, try to consider ho* that relates to the associated +a0or Arcana cards' 6or instance, *hat do you &no* about the %lanet +ercury; Hint: for the %lanets you may find it easier if you also consider the ,oman deities they get their names from' =ou might li&e to brainstorm some of the signs or %lanets: *hat does G1enusG remind you of; Sodiac signs have also been lin&ed to the (ourt (ards, and the system of decans and the associated Hebre* seventy-t*o letter name of God have been lin&ed to the +inor Arcana, *hich *ill be e9amined in further detail *hen *e reach the later lessons' The Sun and +oon in 8eo%latonism 4efore studying the Sun and +oon cards of the Tarot it may be useful to e9%lore some of the ideas surrounding these t*o celestial bodies, *hich *ere %revalent among

ancient %hiloso%hers-%articularly the 8eo%latonists, *ho had such a great influence u%on the develo%ment of magical thin&ing (and thus Tarot, astrology, and alchemy$' )e &no* that around the second to fourth centuries (7 it *as believed that the +oon *as a force of genesis, a gate*ay through *hich the soul had to %ass in order to manifest in a human body' 8eo%latonism already held that this *orld *as 0ust a %ale imitation of a G)orld of True 6orms,G and therefore this %rocess of genesis *as usually vie*ed as a %rocess that needed to be overcome' Thus, the +oon became an agent of illusion but also of life, a gate*ay to shado*' The Sun, conversely, *as vie*ed as an agent of illumination that burned a*ay the illusion of nighttime' Several %o%ular cults at the time revolved around a Sun-God such as the ,oman cult of +ithras' +ithras, the Hy%ercosmic Sun, van.uished the lunar forces in the sha%e of a bull ( or%hyry, a contem%orary *riter and 8eo%latonist, *rote that the bull *as a symbol of the +oon$ so that his follo*ers *ould be able to %ass bac& through the gates of the +oon and achieve a%ogenesis (the soul5s liberation$ from this *orld' Thus, the +oon *as a symbol of manifestation, illusion, shado*s, and imitation, *hile the Sun *as a %otent symbol of liberation, realiFation, illumination, and freedom' This dichotomy is made clear in lato5s (ave Allegory, found in ,e%ublic' In this allegory, there is a cave that contains hundreds of %risoners *ho have been born into such a lifeJ they are chained to a roc& staring at the blan& *all of the cave and have never seen the sunlight' 4ehind the roc& is a large fire, and the guards are ma&ing shado* %u%%ets on the *alls of the cave so that all the %risoners see is shado*s' They believe these shado*s to be the entirety of the *orld, and &no* no different' Ho*ever, one day a %risoner brea&s free, and stumbles out of the cave into the sunlight, *hereu%on he is blinded by the intense light he is unaccustomed to' )hen his eyes ad0ust, he sees his reflection in a %ool of *ater, and loo&s around him to discover that his %revious life *as a lie' In this allegory, the Sun is a force of illumination in com%arison to the dar& shado* of the lunar cave (in the +ithraic mysteries the cave *as a symbol of this *orld$ in *hich men5s souls are &e%t %risoner *ith illusion' 4ut the Sun also brings %ainsometimes the truth hurts' M 7C7,(IS7 ::'< ,ead lato5s Allegory of the (ave in ,e%ublic, 4oo& 1II' (an you see anything further it has to say about the SunE+oon dichotomy; 7C7,(IS7 ::'? 4efore *e begin to study these t*o cards further, ta&e some time to brainstorm your o*n ideas about the +oonESun dichotomy, and *hat it means to you' 3o you have a %articular s%iritual or religious bac&ground that informs your ideas of these celestial bodies and *hat they re%resent; )hat has your e9%erience of them been; C1III The +oon 4efore true realiFation can be attained, it is necessary for the soul to %ass through the dar&ness of the *orld' In order for the soul to achieve Godhead, it must first manifest into the mundane' In the .uest for self&no*ledge, *e must interact *ith the *orld around us, and *e find many e9am%les of figures *ho have become distracted from their .uest by the very universe they must engage in' This is not to say that this *orld is evil or bad, but that it is not the eventual aim of a s%iritual .uest: it is a *orld of hollo* shells, no matter ho* necessary' The +oon is a shado*-self of the Sun, and night time only hides the sunlight in another %art of the *orld-light is still %resent, but only reflected instead of direct'

2h, ho* %o*erfully the magnet of illusion attracts' -KA,- G/TSK2) As all diseases have t*o con0unct causes, one immediate, e9ternal and e9citing, the other constitutional, internal, and %redis%osing, so it is *ith 3reams, *hich are 3is7ases, or unbalanced States of (onsciousness, 3isturbers of Slee% as Thoughts are of -ife' -A-7IST7, (,2)-7= 4y moonlight, dece%tive arrangements are made' S%ies o%erate in shado*s, and starcrossed lovers meet in secret' The landmar&s and %eo%le *e &no* so *ell by day loo& very different in the moonlight-thus, truth does e9ist in this card, but only enough truth to inform a clever illusion or dece%tion' 4ut only after traversing the %ath of the +oon, its barren *astes, can *e find the source of the truth' (2++28 S=+42-S +oon: The celestial body itselfJ night, dar&ness, shado*J associated throughout history *ith lunacy, madness, lovers5 trysts, hysteria, and flu9' )olves: The call of the *ild, a call to madness and lunacy' 3ogs: The domesticated brother of the *olf, still retaining a little *ildness-the %otential for madness and the shado*-self is ever-%resent' To*ers: laced on either side of the %ath*ay they remind us of the need for balance in the %ath of the +oon: to stray too far to either side *ould be disastrous' )ater: 6lu9 and change: the tides of the ocean are controlled by the +oon, and it is believed that the *ater in the human body is controlled similarly' (rayfish: 7merging from the *ater, this crustacean re%resents human&ind emerging from the %rimitive ocean, the first stages of a*arenessJ it is also a Fodiacal symbol of isces' ool: This can be seen as a mirror in *hich the *orld is reflected: the +oon is a reflection of the sun5s lightJ a mirror reflects reality but not accurately' Anubis: The 7gy%tian guardian of the /nder*orld, the man-0ac&al that mar&s a transition %oint, and the entrance to the Shado*E+oon *orld' Gate*ay: A transition %oint, initiation into a ne* stage of understanding' 4lood'- In some cards this is s%ecifically menstrual blood, symboliFing hormonal changes and the nature of flu9, as *ell as the first stirrings of life (truth$ sho*ing the %romise of full life in the Sun card' Scarab: ,e%resenting the 7gy%tian Sun-God in his form as a scarab beetle, the form that is Ke%hra, the Sun in the /nder*orld at night-time' K7=)2,3S: 3ece%tion, deceit, tric&ery, fraud, sha%e shifting, flu9, emotions, fantasy, illusion, imagination, fear, confusion, lies, secrecy, half-truths, distraction, chaos, enchantment, intuition, instinct, tides, *ater, romance, flirting, seduction I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: The initial stages of lato5s (ave Allegory in ,e%ublic, (discussed above$ are an e9cellent illustration of this card' If *e vie* this card as the confrontation *ith the Shado*-self, then it can also be seen in Star )ars: The 7m%ire Stri&es 4ac&, *hen -u&e S&y*al&er confronts an image of his father, 3arth 1ader, in a mysterious cave' He battles him and &ills him, only to discover his o*n face staring bac& at him from beneath the shattered helmet' As A 7,S28: The +oon %erson is an e9%ert at dece%tion, hiding, and the creation of mas&s *ith *hich to %resent themselves to the *orld' They very rarely sho* their true %ersonality to %eo%le, and are e9%erts at s%reading gossi%, rumours, and halftruths' Ho*ever, their e9%ertise lies in finding the grains of truth to lend validity to

their fantasies' This card may also indicate somebody *ho lives most of their life in a realm of fantasy, half sane and half mad' They can be *ild, un%redictable, and everchanging, ma&ing them attractive to others' M 7C7,(IS7 ::'> P Ta&e the +oon card from your dec& and e9amine it' )hat symbols stand out for you; Ho* do you feel *hen you loo& at the card; ,ecord in your Tarot 0ournal your intuitive res%onse to this card' P S%end a month &ee%ing a 3ream 3iary' 7very night before you go to slee%, tell yourself you *ill remember your dreams' As soon as you *a&e u% in the morning, record the dreams you have had' At the end of every day, loo& over last night5s dream and try to inter%ret the symbols or events that a%%eared in it' 8ote, in %articular, ho* you engage *ith your night time self-*hat does your subconscious reveal to you in the half-language of dreams; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'>' P ,ead the collection of Grimm5s 6airy Tales' These fairy tales are some of the oldest *ritten versions of the %o%ular tales *e have been raised on, and they are dar&er, full of the fears of the childish subconscious' Ho* do you feel they re%resent the individual 0ourney through the manifest universe; Huestions forBournaling P )hat does the +oon (the body that orbits the 7arth$ mean to you; )hat does it re%resent; P Ho* has fear manifested in your life; P )hat does the conce%t of illusion mean to you; P Ho* have you co%ed *ith fantasy and imagination on a %ersonal level; P 3oes this card scare you or *elcome you; P 3o you gravitate more to*ards the *olf or the dog; )hy are these t*o animals on the card; P )hy is the %ool of *ater %resent in the image; P Are there any symbols in this card that are found in other cards; )hat does this suggest for the +oon; CIC The Sun The sun doesn5t really die every night, but is merely hidden on the other side of the *orld' Thus, after every dar&ness comes the bright light of a ne* day' 6or human&ind the sun gives us the light and heat necessary for survival and continued gro*th' It allo*s us to see beauty and go about our daily lifeJ *ithout it there *ould be no life u%on earth' 6or millennia it has also been a symbol of divine light and blessing, and as the center of our solar system it reminds us that the s%irit should be at the heart of all our endeavors' Ha%%iness is a state of mind' And ofall illumination *hich human reason can give, none is com%arable to the discovery of *hat *e are, our nature, our obligations, *hat ha%%iness *e are ca%able of, and *hat are the means ofattain- ing it' -A3A+ )7ISHA/ T This card is a re%resentation of illumination, realiFation, and enlightenment that comes after dar&nessJ it is the 0oy, ha%%iness, and bliss that come through selfa*areness and s%iritual evolution' Truth can often be %ainful, 0ust as staring at the sun *ill blind you, so this card can also bring harsh reality into focus' /sually the Sun brings *ith it 0oyful e9%eriences, and the &no*ledge of the soul and its *ill' It can

also be seen as the state of true innocence that comes from self-a*areness, *hich removes the need for falsehood, agendas, and *orry' It is a return to aradise' (2++28 S=+42-S Sun: The celestial body itselfJ light, life, ha%%iness, illumination, o%timism' (hild: Innocence, carefree, ha%%iness' A single child on a *hite horse is %robably a reference to the revelation of a Sun God in the (haldean 2racles' T*o children: The t*ins, li&e a single child, re%resent childli&e innocence and freedom' They may also be Adam and 7ve before the 6all, and in the Thoth dec& are a direct reference to the role of the (hildren in the Gnostic +ass' Garden: The Garden of 7den, %aradise' Also gro*ing things, life evolving' 4utterfly: (arefree, beautiful, and colorful, the butterfly re%resents the vibrancy of nature' )hite horse: ,idden by the childJ see above' 6lag'P (arried by the childJ see above' ,ose: /%on the flagJ this rose is usually *hite and therefore signifies the alchemical rose of %ure s%iritual attainment, innocence' Sunshine: Ha%%iness, 0oy, abundance' Sunflo*ers: Sunflo*ers move their heads to follo* the sun throughout the day' They re%resent o%timism and ho%e' 3ancing: Ha%%iness and 0oy, a vivid image of a human being reveling in life' 8udity: Innocence and libertyJ Adam and 7ve *ere na&ed before the 6all' ,ainbo*: In many traditions a symbol of God5s covenant *ith human&ind, a divine %romise' It is also %roduced *hen sunlight refracts through the rain-another symbol of o%timism and ho%e' K7=*2: s: 7volution, gro*th, enlightenment, truth, honesty, source, saviour, ascension, illumination, im%rovement, learning, e9%anding horiFons, harsh reality, e9%erience, a*areness I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: To*ard the end of The ,eturn of the King, follo*ing the destruction of the 2ne ,ing in the fires of +ordor, 6rodo is finally released from his burden and anguish' Having traveled for many months under the dar&ness of Sauron5s gro*ing %o*er and the evil influence of the ,ing, he is able to rest and gro* once more' His reunion *ith his friends is the bliss and 0oy of the Sun' As A 7,S28: This %oints to somebody *ho is %ossibly one of the most o%timistic %eo%le everI They are al*ays loo&ing on the bright side of life, and are constantly in a*e of life and creation' They are curious and in.uisitive, adore learning ne* things, and fill their lives *ith everything they en0oy' They are %hysically fit and healthy, and their minds are vibrant, constructive, and &een' This %erson may, ho*ever, become arrogant or egotistical *hen unbalanced, believing that the universe revolves around them' M 7C7,(IS7 ::'@ P Ta&e the Sun card out of your dec& and e9amine it' )hat scene is de%icted; Is it one of t*o children dancing; Adults re0oicing; A single child on a horse; 2r something else; )hy do you thin& this is; )hat other symbols a%%ear in the card that stri&e you or are different to those listed above; P +a&e a vo* to yourself: for one month you *ill aim to do at least one thing each day that ma&es you truly ha%%y, soothes your soul, and hel%s you gro* and learn' Kee% a diary so you can record *hat you do each day' Also note ho* it ma&es you feel, and ho* it affects other areas of your life'

P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'>' P 3o some research on the Sun in *orld mythology: is it associated *ith a %articular &ind of figure; )hat role does it %lay; )here does it stand in the cosmology of that culture; Ho* is it vie*ed; Huestions forBournaling P )hat ma&es you truly ha%%y; P )hat brings bliss and 0oy into your life; P Ho* do you celebrate; P Are you innocent; )hat does innocence mean to you; P Ho* do you channel ha%%iness into the *orld around you; P )hat *as the last e9%erience you had of a moment of realiFation; P )hat is the source of your gro*th and evolution; P 3o you feel you are still gro*ing as a %erson, or do you feel stunted; P )hat %arts of your life do you *ish to im%rove on; CC Budgement +an&ind moves ever on*ards in the %rocess of discovery and invention, and the more *e loo& outside ourselves to the universe around us the more *e understand and realiFe' 2ur evolutionary cycle of gaining ne* &no*ledge ins%ires in us, every no* and then, a rebirth of some &ind' )e may find ourselves outgro*ing a %articular s%iritual %ath and moving on to something more suitable to our current understandingJ *e may find that a certain mode of thin&ing is no longer useful' )hen this ha%%ens, *e undergo a rebirth li&e a %hoeni9 from the ashes, liberating ourselves from the shac&les of outdated habits, thoughts, and beliefs' +an is free at the moment he *ishes to be' -12-TAI,7 The title GBudgementG can be misleading, for this card does not indicate a %rocess of 0udging or choiceJ it instead refers to the (hristian GBudgment 3ay,G *hen the dead rise from their graves and the good souls achieve heaven' The image of the dead rising from their graves reminds us of the act of rebirth and leaving behind our bonds, liberating ourselves from ignorance' Aleister (ro*ley thought the title so misleading that he changed it to GThe Aeon,G indicating the %rocess *hereby man&ind %rogresses in his understanding of the universe-the change in acce%ted thin&ing from one %aradigm to another' (2++28 S=+42-S Angel: The angel Gabriel is said to be the one *ho *ill announce the coming of Budgment 3ay' 8ote that in the ,ider-)aite dec& and its derivatives this angel is in the same %osition (to%, center, in bet*een the male and female figures$ as in the -overs and 3evil cards' Trum%et: This instrument is usually blo*n by the announcing angelJ it also calls %eo%le to a*a&ening and stirs them out of ignorance' 6lag: /sually bearing an e.ual-armed cross, this can be a symbol of trium%h' ,esurrection: The dead being resurrected fully formed from their graves symboliFes the a*a&ening of the soul into %erfection, and the liberation of the alchemical hiloso%her5s Stone from the mundane earth to s%iritual attainment' ,ising: Similar to resurrection, the image of %eo%le rising u%*ard indicates a movement to*ard higher understanding, or the %rocess of rising above our bonds' Sunlight: This contains all the symbolism of the Sun card, above'

hoeni9: An ancient symbol of rebirth and rene*al, the %hoeni9 *as reborn from an egg that incubated in the still-*arm ashes of its dead self' It reminds us that our old *ays of thin&ing, *hile being transcended, %rovide us *ith the fuel *ith *hich *e can transcendJ all our %resent actions are based on %ast actions' 7mbryo: The ne*ly a*a&ened realiFation itself, being born and *aiting to become *hole' 4ro&en chains: An evocative symbol of liberation and freedom' (offins'- (an symboliFe old *ays of thin&ing or the mundane *orld that is being risen from' (auldron: The G(auldron of ,ebirthG is another form of the *omb in *hich embryos are nurtured until they are liberated from it' K7=)2,3S: ,ebirth, assessment, e9amination, change in outloo&, %ers%ective, or lifestyle, as%irations, s%iritual goals, transformation, ascent, freedom, liberation, healing, 0udgment, union I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: In The -ord of the ,ings trilogy by B' ,' ,' Tol&ien, *e are given the story of Gandalf the Grey and ho* he becomes Gandalf the )hite' )hen he sets out *ith 6rodo and his com%anions, he is Gandalf the Grey, a *ise and %o*erful *iFard' 4ut he sacrifices himself so that the com%any can esca%e the +ines of +oria *hen a 4alrog attac&s them, and during the fight in the de%ths of the earth he is almost &illed, his body burned, and his magical %ro*ess tested' 6inally, after &illing the 4alrog, he remains unconscious for a long time, before undergoing a transformation and esca%ing the %lace-no-%lace that he is tra%%ed in' /%on his return he becomes Gandalf the )hite, a *iser, more %o*erful *iFard *ho is closer to the ultimate reality than before' -i&e the %hoeni9, from the ashes he is reborn' As A 7,S28: This card rarely indicates a %erson, but *hen it does, it sho*s somebody *ho is dee%ly s%iritual, *ise, and *ho seems to have transcended the need to be bothered by society5s vie*s of them' Their daily life seems li&e one neverending %rayer, and all their acts are aimed at moving on*ards to higher understanding' Their ideas are never stuc& in one %lace, as *ith every ne* discovery they change' Q 7C7,(IS7 I:-# P Ta&e the 0udgement card out of your dec&' )hat is it called in your dec&; This is a card that is often significantly different de%ending on the dec&, as the (hristian imagery of the 3ay of 0udgment does not s%ea& to most Tarot readers or dec& creators' )hat image does your card sho*; Ho* do you feel about this; P Ho* do you thin& this card is different to that of 3eath; )hat subtle differences are there bet*een the liberation of 0udgment and the change of 3eath; Are they both the same &ind of rebirth; P ,ead some 4uddhist sacred te9ts in *hich 4uddha5s teachings are recorded' 6ocus in %articular on the as%ect *herein 4uddha teaches of liberation from the mundane *orld of suffering, transcendence, and non-attachment' It is not assumed that you agree *ith 4uddhist ideas about the *orld, but the teachings on the nature of liberation *ill give you an understanding of this card' P 79ercises !'? and !'> can also be used *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat does rebirth mean to you; P )hat rebirths have you e9%erienced in your life; P )hat ha%%ens after this;

P )hat things have you managed to free yourself from in the %ast; P )hat are your s%iritual goals; P )hat %arts of your self or your life do you feel need e9amining and changing for the better; P )hat symbols a%%ear in your 0udgement card, and *hat do they mean; P Ho* does the card image ma&e you feel; 1I The -overs At first, this card seems to be nothing more than a lesson on love bet*een t*o %eo%le' Indeed, it can indicate the forces of love and romance in our lives, since they are such %o*erful influences u%on us and the choices *e ma&e' 4ut the act of falling in love and entering into a relationshi% is an act of moving our %ers%ective from G+e, +yself, and IG to one of GI and ThouG-the recognition of somebody as a reflection of the 3ivine and of oneself' The ability to form relationshi%s is also the ability to yearn for the 3ivine' Ho*ever, the -overs card does not indicate the union of t*o %eo%le or forces, but rather their se%arate natures-for yearning cannot occur if the t*o are already 2ne' 6alling in love is actually a %o*erful e9%erience of feeling the /niverse move through you' The other %erson has become a channel to you, a catalyst that triggers you to o%en u% to the love, beauty, and com%assion *ithin' -SHAKTI GA)AI8 This card is the first stage in the solve et coagulum of the alchemical %rocess, first discussed in the Tem%erance card' It is the marriage bet*een t*o o%%osing and se%arate forces before they can begin to react *ith each other and become united in Tem%erance' Thus, this card can be seen as a re%resentation of the *orlds of s%irit and matter, 3ivine and mundane, interacting and reacting to each other' In mythical terms, this is also a card of recognition of the G2ther Self,G and a realiFation that this 2ther Self bears the same origins as ourselves' It therefore gives rise to a yearning to be united *ith the 2ther Self as a result of yearning for our origins' Similarly, it is often said that our chosen lovers act as a reflection for %arts of our selves, holding u% a mirror to our lives' 6or I am divided for love5s sa&e, for the chance of union' -A-7IST7, (,2)-7= (2++28 S=+42-S +anE*oman: Symbolically re%resenting the o%%osite forces of masculine and feminine, active and %assive, *hich yearn to*ard each other' 4rideEbridegroom: 6ollo*ing on from the above, the bride and bridegroom re%resent the uniting of the t*o se%arate forces' AdamE7ve: A 4iblical re%resentation of the above t*o symbols, but also a re%resentation of the %rocess of choice bet*een one thing and another thing: the %rocess of discernment and discrimination, the ability to se%arate things in one5s mind' Angel: 3ivine agency, and a recurring symbol throughout the +a0or Arcana' 6ireE*ater: 2%%osing forces, reiterating the symbolism of masculineEfeminine, activeE%assive' riest: The figure that %erforms the *edding ceremony that unites the bride and groom' Third *oman: In some older dec&s, a man has to choose bet*een t*o *omen' His choice can be a moral one, since some dec&s have the third *oman as a harlot in star& contrast to the first *oman, *ho is modest and %ure'

S%earEchalice: In many traditions, the unity of s%ear and chalice re%resents se9ual union or the %hallus and vagina' S*ord: The Kabbalistic letter for this card is Sayin, or s*ord, relating to the se%arate nature of the t*o forces, and the act of discrimination and choice or of division' Heart: A symbol of love, romance, and emotion' (u%idE7ros: The force that begets love and %assion in %eo%le' K7=)2,3S: -ove, relationshi%s, marriage, ha%%y relationshi%s, friendshi%, harmony, the 2ther, origin, return, recognition, union, reunion, integration, se%aration, %olarity, team*or&, sibling friendshi%, %assion, alchemy, se9uality I8 -IT7,AT/,7 A83 6I-+: In 7gy%tian mythology *e find the story of Isis and 2siris, the 3ivine sibling-lovers *hose relationshi% formed the model for both the marriage bet*een haraoh and his *ife and any common marriage' Their status as siblings highlights the fact that the -overs card can indicate a desire for return to one5s origins' 2ne %articular as%ect of the story tells ho* their 0ealous brother Set &illed 2siris and dismembered him, scattering the fourteen %ieces of his body throughout 7gy%t' Isis sought the %ieces far and *ide, and eventually succeeded in reuniting them all save one-his %enis, *hich had been eaten by a 8ile crab' To re%lace it, Isis fashioned a %enis from a reed and used this to conceive a son from her husband5s mummified cor%se' The story re%resents the *ay that other %eo%le can hel% us reunite the missing %ieces of our selves' As A 7,S28: ,arely does this card indicate a %erson' Ho*ever, it can suggest a cou%le or siblings, or a relationshi% bet*een t*o %eo%le based on very different %ers%ectives' Their relationshi% *or&s because of their differences, rather than in s%ite of them' 7C7,(IS7 ::'D P Ta&e the -overs card out of your dec&' 3oes your card de%ict t*o %eo%le; Three; )hat other figures are in the card; )hat do you thin& is ha%%ening; Is love or marriage de%icted; P If you can, get hold of a Thoth dec& by Aleister (ro*ley or find images of it online' Ta&e the 7m%ress, 7m%eror, -overs, and Tem%erance from the dec& and line them u%: *ho are the figures in the -overs; )hat symbols a%%ear in the Tem%erance card that also a%%ear in the -overs; )hat colors dominate; And *hat do you thin& this means; P =ou can also use 79ercises !'? and !'> *ith this card' Huestions forBournaling P )hat does the conce%t of integration mean to you; P )hat %rere.uisites do you thin& you need for a successful relationshi%; P )hat is love, and *hat are its effects on %eo%le; P )hat have been your e9%eriences of love; P )hat forms may love ta&e; P Have you had an e9%erience of recognition of GThe 2therG; P )hat o%%osing facets do you have in your self, life, and %ersonality; Ho* areEmight these facets be integrated; The Astrological S%read This Tarot s%read is large and can become com%le9, so it is advised only for .uestions that are e.ually as com%le9' It is not to be used for everyday .uestions, but rather as the yearly outloo& s%read or for very im%ortant issues' 7ach card %osition is assigned to one of the t*elve signs of the Fodiac and thus the associations of that sign'

Astrological S%read (ard :' Aries: ersonal a%%earances, ho* you a%%ear to others (ard !' Taurus: ,esources and values, both %ossessions and talents (ard <' Gemini: 7nvironment and %erce%tions: ho* you %erceive and interact *ith your environment (ard ?' (ancer: Home and nurture (ard >' -eo: (reativity, recreation and se9uality (ard @' 1irgo: Service, duty and health (ard #' -ibra: (oo%eration and o%%osition (ard D' Scor%io: 3eath and rebirth, &armic return (ard A' Sagittarius: hiloso%hy, s%irituality, diversity (ard :"' (a%ricorn: (areer, ambition and %ublic standing

(ard ::' A.uarius: Ideals, friends and allies (ard :!' isces: Surrender, sacrifice, secrecy 2%tional Home*or& P +a&e a Tarot 0ournal entry for one or all of the above cards' =ou can use the above e9ercises, or *or& *ith the cards in your o*n *ay' =ou might li&e to ma&e a collage of them, *rite a hai&u, or *rite a short story ins%ired by their themes' P Try the Astrological s%read for yourself or somebody else' To ma&e it easier, you should do some brief research on the Fodiacal signs and the areas of life they relate to, so you can relate this to the cards in more detail' =ou *ill %robably find that you begin to form your o*n ideas about the Fodiac and thus your Astrological S%read *ill be slightly different' P To %re%are for the ne9t lesson, thin& of three .uestions you might as& a Tarot reader' 6urther ,eading The 7merald Tablet ofHermes, available in several translations online, for more about GAs Above, So 4elo*'G ,e%ublic, 4oo& 1II, by lato, for the Allegory of the (ave (The +oon and Sun$' Grimm5s 6airy Tales, for an insight into the *eird and *onderful *orld of the subconscious as informed by the human imagination (The +oon$' Astrology for 3ummies, by ,ae 2rion, is an e9cellent introduction to astrology, very useful for the astrological symbolism of the cards'

)e have already e9%lored the nature of Tarot s%reads and ho* they can be used to create efficient and accessible readings for others and ourselves' Ho*ever, you may have already discovered during your %ractice readings that a %articular .uestion doesn5t seem to .uite fit a s%read you have been using from this boo& or some*here else' 2ne of the card %ositions is irrelevant or you don5t understand itJ the .uestion is too com%le9 or too sim%le for that s%readJ or there are too manyEfe* cards in the s%read' +aybe you have a s%ecific .uestion and you 0ust can5t find a s%read that fits the theme' At times li&e these, it is vital that you &no* ho* to create your o*n s%reads, so that you never need to rely on a boo& or the Internet again' M 7C7,(IS7 :!': ,e-read -esson > (GThe ur%ose of a ,eadingG$ and consider again *hat a .uerent *ants out of a reading' Kee% these things in mind *hen you create your s%reads later in this lesson, as they *ill hel% you decide *hat features need to be %resent in the s%read to best ans*er the .uestion' The 6eatures of a S%read )hat actually ma&es u% a Tarot s%read; If you5ve loo&ed at a number of s%reads by no*, you may have noticed they often share similar card %ositions, li&e GThe astG or GAdvice'G This isn5t 0ust a lac& of creativity on the creator5s %art, but sim%ly an ac&no*ledgement of the fact that many %eo%le *ho have .uestions *ant them ans*ered in certain *ays: they *ant information about *hat is ha%%ening no*, ho* it has become li&e that, *hat is li&ely to ha%%en in the future, and ho* they can

%reventEsu%%ortEma&e the most of it' 7ven in s%reads *here each card %osition is based on a theme (such as last lesson5s Astrological S%read$, the same issues are raised' 7C7,(IS7 :!'! 4rainstorm as many card %ositions as you can thin& of' 8ote that card %ositions do not have to be sim%le *ords such as G astG but can be an entire .uestion, for e9am%le: GHo* does this change affect my love life;G Some e9am%les include: P Ho* the 2ther erson feels P Advice P Short-Term 6uture P -ong-Term 6uture P Home life =ou *ill notice that these %ositions can be organiFed into categories: P Timeline: This includes G ast,G G resent,G and G6utureG and sho*s us ho* influences from the %ast have affected our %resent situation and ho* the actions and choices *e ma&e no* can affect the future %ossibilities' This category can also include month-bymonth timelines for yearly readings' P Advice: Sometimes a sim%le GAdviceG card *ill suffice, but often you *ill find that s%ecific &inds of advice are needed, li&e G)hat *ill ha%%en if 9 occurs;G GHo* can I res%ond %ositively to 9;G P Areas of -ife' There are a number of %o%ular s%reads out there that give a general overvie* of somebody5s life by individually e9amining different areas of life' In -esson A *e sa* some of those s%reads ( GS%heres of -ifeG s%read and G7lemental S%readG$' 2ften these s%reads have themes, such as the 7lemental S%read, *here life is s%lit into four areas based on the elements' P ersonal: These card %ositions are miscellaneous, and are often found in s%iritual or fun s%reads, li&e G=our strengthsG or GHo* you res%ond to obstacles'G 7ach s%read you create *ill need different &inds of card %ositions, de%ending on the s%read5s theme, the .uestion it has been created to ans*er, and ho* e9tensive you *ant it to be' (reating a Sim%le, Short, ur%ose-3riven S%read M 7C7,(IS7 :!'< In the last lesson, you should have recorded u% to three basic .uestions that you thin& somebody *ould as& a Tarot reader' (hoose one of the sim%lest .uestions you have *ritten-this is the .uestion *e *ill use to create your first, very basic, Tarot s%read' 4efore *e begin, revie* -esson A: G3ifferent Ty%es of S%reads'G 8ote that the s%read *e are about to create, because it ans*ers a s%ecific .uestion, is G ur%ose-3riven,G and *e are creating something sim%le, so ideally it *ill be a small rather than large s%read' :' The first ste% in creating a ur%ose-3riven s%read is to identify the different %arts of the .uestion' Something that seems sim%le on the surface, li&e GHo* is my relationshi% *ith C going;G may contain several %arts that need ans*ering in order to give a coherent and useful ans*er' It re.uires us to loo& at various as%ects of the .uerent5s life in relation to their romantic life' In this case, *e might need to &no*: P Ho* the .uerent feels the relationshi% is going P Ho* their %artner feels the relationshi% is going P )hat the .uerent needs from the relationshi% P )hat the %artner needs

P The role the .uerent %lays in the relationshi% P The role the %artner %lays P 79ternal factors affecting the relationshi% P Advice for the future P )hat *ill ha%%en in the future (short termElong term$ 6or your .uestion, *rite do*n as many %arts as you can thin& of, li&e aboveregardless, for no*, of *hether you thin& you5ll %ut them all into your final s%readI !' 8o* choose three to five of those %arts that you thin& *ould be most useful to a .uerent in a short reading' =ou might *ish to revie* -esson > (GThe ur%ose of a ,eadingG$ again and &ee% in mind *hat the .uerent *ants out of the reading' The %arts of the .uestion that you have chosen *ill become the card %ositions for your s%read, so you5ll need to ensure that they are *orded in such a *ay that they are %ositive and easy to understand' 6or instance, instead of GThe .uerent and their %artner,G you might have the %osition as GHo* the .uerent relates to their %artner in the relationshi%G or GHo* the cou%le relate to each other'G <' )hen you have done this, you *ill need to consider ho* a reading %rogresses from start to finish' )hat do you thin& it *ould be best to ans*er first; The .uestions about future events; The feelings of the cou%le; ast events; The order in *hich the cards are %laced on the table in a s%read is usually the order in *hich they are inter%reted, and for ease of understanding it is best to &ee% things in chronological order' Some things to bear in mind are: P ast events first, follo*ed by resent, and finally 6uture' P Give bac&ground before detail so that you have a bac&dro% on *hich to %lace the rest of the reading' 6or instance, you could have a single card %osition for GThe relationshi% in general at this timeG and give further detail later *ith s%ecific cards for G)hat the .uerent loves about the relationshi% at this timeG or G(hallenges facing the relationshi% at this time'G ast events are also classified as bac&ground as they have influenced the current events, and thus reading about them first allo*s you to see a causal lin& and %rovide information *ith *hich you can better understand the resent' P Advice comes last' An advisory card %osition is usually best inter%reted to*ard the end of the reading, as it can offer hel% relating to s%ecific issues that have been raised earlier in the reading' There5s no %oint giving the .uerent advice on something neither of you has seen yet' 4y reading the Advice cards last, you can a%%ly the advice more s%ecifically and therefore more %ractically' ?' 4y no* you should have a list of .uestion %arts, in order of ho* you5d a%%roach them in a reading' These are the card %ositions of your s%read, and you could lay them do*n in a straight line right no* and do the reading' In fact, many e9cellent and %ractical s%reads that ans*er s%ecific .uestions li&e this are created on the s%ot in front of a .uerent, and thus the reader *ill not have time to %ut the cards in a meaningful %attern' -aying the cards in a line from left to right and reading them as you *ould read a sentence in a boo& ma&es sense for a reading that moves from the %ast through the %resent (*ith all its considerations$ to things in the future' 8ot only does the reader find it easy to engage *ith the s%read, but the .uerent can also follo* it easily' >' As the finishing touch for your s%read, you could design a %attern in *hich to lay the cards' This can be fun and creative, and *ill de%end entirely on the .uestion you have as&ed and the *ay you have chosen to ans*er it' 6or instance, if you had chosen to ans*er GHo* *ill having a baby at this time affect me;G you may have a%%roached it by considering the varying as%ects of the .uerent5s life: emotional, mental, social,

s%iritual, %hysical' Such things may bring to mind a form of symbolism that you can use-in this case *e might thin& of the four elements *ith Gs%iritG in the middle, or a five-%ointed star' It is im%ortant to remember, ho*ever, that the %atterns of s%reads aren5t 0ust there to loo& %retty: they are there so that you can .uic&ly and easily see *hat card %osition ? or # is' If you are already familiar *ith the idea that 7ast is Air, and therefore the mental area of life, seeing a card %laced on the far right of a fourcard s%read *ill instantly tell you *hat it relates to' 7C7,(IS7 :!'? Imagine that the famous Italian lover, Giacomo (asanova, has come to you for a Tarot reading *ith a s%ecific concern: he is in love *ith the fiancee of another man, and *ishes to not only ma&e his feelings &no*n to the *oman but to eventually ma&e her his *ife' Giacomo *ants to &no* if it *ould be *orth the effort to *oo the lady or if his attentions *ill be shunned, or *orse-if the other man *ill find outI (reate a sim%le, three to five card s%read to ans*er his concerns' 7C7,(IS7 :!'> If you *ant more %ractice at creating short, %ur%ose-driven s%reads, you can try your hand at these .uerents and their .uestions: P A young, blonde, blue-garbed *oman *ishes to &no* *hat *ill ha%%en if she follo*s a *hite rabbit do*n a rabbit hole' P Three &ings from the 2rient are see&ing somebodyJ they are lost and need advice on ho* best to find him, as *ell as any advice you can give regarding the best gifts to bring him' P A *oman is sharing a house *ith seven men' She5s finding it difficult &ee%ing u% *ith the chores, as the men never hel% around the house and e9%ect her to do all the coo&ing and cleaning' She *ants to &no* ho* she can get them to hel%, and *hat *ill ha%%en in the long run *ith the housemates' P A middle-aged man and his *ife are having severe money %roblems' They can no longer afford to feed themselves and their t*o children, and need cash fast' The man *ants to &no* ho* best to alleviate their %roblems' Since it is li&ely that you *ill be creating s%reads li&e these for others during a reading, you5ll need to be able to create them .uic&ly and on the s%ot' Try timing yourself to see ho* long you ta&e-more than three minutes *ill create a bored .uerentI A 8ote on atterns and (ard ositions It is im%ortant to remember that some Tarot s%reads don5t have card %ositions at all' The ones for s%ecific .uestions are more easily inter%reted *ith %ositions, but sometimes a .uestion 0ust needs a general e9amination' In cases li&e this, it may be useful to 0ust lay out a chosen number of cards in any %attern you choose and read them as a *hole' This style of reading relies a lot more on your ability as a reader to see the lin&s bet*een cards in relation to the .uestion, and can therefore be more difficult' It can also act as a *ay of getting a general overvie* before deciding *ith the .uerent *hat s%ecific as%ects should be e9amined' )ith such readings you may find it hel%ful to use a s%read %attern, as it *ill act symbolically to hel% you dra* meaning from the cards *ithout s%ecific %ositions' 6or instance, a vertical line of three cards in a si9-card reading may stri&e you during inter%retation as building bloc&s on to% of each other, or a raising of consciousnessJ you may notice that t*o (ourt (ards from the same suit fall ne9t to each other li&e a cou%leJ three (u%s cards surrounding a (ourt (ard s%ea&s volumes'

This style of reading ta&es some %ractice, but the %rinci%les of recogniFing %atterns in your reading regarding the cards and their %ositions can be useful in s%ecific s%reads as *ell' (reating 2ther Ty%es of S%reads =ou may have noticed already that many of the Tarot s%reads online and in boo&s are not created for s%ecific .uestions' They may be general s%reads that can be used for a variety of issuesJ they may be fun s%reads ins%ired by a television sho*, sacred festival, myth, the natural *orld, everyday items, or the characters in a boo&' These &inds of s%reads can become something more than useful *ays of reading the cards: they can be methods of integrating a ne*ly discovered insight into your s%iritual understanding' They can also become beautiful gifts for somebody on a s%ecial occasion (such as a GThree 6airies S%readG for a ne*born baby, or a G8o* =ou5re ,etiredG s%readI$ +any of them *ill become solid favorites that you can use regularly for general readings or certain ty%es of .uestions' The creation of such s%reads *or&s on similar %rinci%les to those above for %ur%osedriven s%reads' =ou need to: :' Identify your theme and (if relevant$ the .uestion area, li&e the theme of G+ythical (reaturesG for a s%read about imagination, or the sim%ler theme of G(reative rocessG for a s%read about a *riting %ro0ect' !' As& yourself *hat as%ects of the .uestion area you need to &no* about, and *rite them do*n' (hoose a number of them that best suits your reading siFe (I *ouldn5t recommend anything larger than fifteen cards, ho*ever$' <' If necessary, choose some images, symbols, or other things lin&ed to your theme u%on *hich you can base your s%read %attern or the card %ositions' 6or e9am%le, a s%read based on the symbol of a s*ord could be in the sha%e of a s*ord-a card for the s*ord ti% could become GThe %oint of the ventureGJ a card for the s*ord hilt could indicate GHo* the .uerent gras%s the situation'G =ou may find it easier to dra* out an image that you *ish to form into the s%read %attern, and then add some card %ositions' )here those card %ositions are on the %icture can begin to suggest to you some useful %arts of the s%read' ?' 8ot all s%read sha%es and card %ositions are ins%ired by an image' Some s%reads are created around a conce%t, such as GThesis, Antithesis, Synthesis,G GThe 8ine -ives of a (at,G or GThe T*elve 3ays of (hristmas'G In cases li&e these, you should thin& of an sim%le sha%e that lends itself to the conce%t you are using-a circle of nine cards for the (at5s -ives, a (hristmas tree for the T*elve 3ays, or three cards in a ro* for Thesis, Antithesis, and Synthesis' Q 7C7,(IS7 :!'@ /sing the symbol of a tree *ith branches and roots, create a short fiveor si9-card s%read for issues of creative %ro0ects, li&e a novel or %ainting somebody is underta&ing' )hat other issues or .uestions do you thin& could be a%%lied to a treesha%ed s%read; 6or further %ractice at creating your s%read sha%e and %ositions, try your hands at these: P The rainbo* for a general s%read P A house (*ith *indo*s and doors$ for a s%read about something of your choice P 3orothy, the (o*ardly -ion, the Scarecro*, and the Tin +an for a self-reflection s%read 7C7,(IS7 I!'#

(reate a s%read ins%ired by this traditional 4ritish mag%ie rhyme: G2ne for sorro*, t*o for 0oy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, si9 for gold, and seven for a secret never to be told'G =ou can use it for a general reading, or anything s%ecific that stri&es you as fittingJ you can create it in any sha%e you li&e' )hen you5re finished, try doing the reading for yourself or a friend' 6inding Ins%iration =ou may be *ondering *here you can find ins%iration for such s%reads' There are doFens of boo&s available for you to loo& at for s%reads created by others (see 6urther ,eading$ and there are %lenty of truly creative s%reads online' Ho*ever, if you *ant to find ins%iration for yourself, try this: P 3o you find yourself dra*n to a %articular %antheon of deities or mythology; If so, you could use one of those deities as ins%iration for a s%read based on their associated myths, symbols, or attributes, li&e a Tri%le 4righid s%read, or a s%read using a number of deities to symboliFe different areas of life' P Are you &een on traveling; =ou could create a s%read for a %lace that you find very s%ecial or a sacred site: a Stonehenge S%read, a Sacred +ountain s%read, an 7m%ire State 4uilding S%readI P 3o you have a hobby such as gardening or coo&ing; )hy not create a s%read ins%ired by those %rocesses; A s%read for the yearly %rocess of %lanting, *eeding, tending, and harvestingJ a s%read for the coo&ing %ot filled *ith s%ices' P Are you a fan of a literary series such as the 3isc*orld novels or Harry otter se%tology; )hy not create a s%read ins%ired by some of the characters, or events, or %laces in them; A +irror of 7rised s%read, a 6our 6ounders of Hog*arts S%read, a 1arious laces in An&h-+or%or& s%read' P =ou can also find ins%iration in everyday life and ob0ects-loo& around and see things as symbols' 2%tional Home*or& P (reate at least one s%read Gins%ired byG something, using the suggestions in the %revious section' 4e as creative as you can, but try and &ee% the number of cards under ten, for ease of creation and use later' =ou may find this %rocess of s%read creation so addictive that you *ant to create more-%lease go aheadI The more you create, the better you *ill be at it' P (hoose a character from a boo& or film you are familiar *ith, and do a short reading for them on a .uestion of your choice, using a s%read created *ithin three minutes, on the s%ot' If you are still unsure about using the +inor Arcana, sim%ly use the +a0or Arcana alone-this is only for %ractice, after all' P In the ne9t lesson, *e5ll be e9%loring the (ourt (ards, so ta&e a little time beforehand to loo& through the si9teen (ourt (ards of your dec& (they are the four G%eo%le cardsG at the end of each suit, such as the King of )ands and the age of S*ords'$ 6urther ,eading 3esigning =our 2*n Tarot S%reads, by Teresa +ichelson' Tarot: Get the )hole Story, by Bames ,ic&lef (ontains information on ho* to create uni.ue and individual s%reads, as *ell as some s%reads by the author himself' Tarot forAll Seasons, by (hristine Berre' Has some interesting s%reads ins%ired by the agan )heel of the =ear' 8e* Age Tarot: Guide to the Thoth 3ec&, by Bames )anless' 8ot 0ust a guide to the Thoth dec&, this boo& has a s%read created for each of the +a0or ArcanaI

***'tarot%assages'com has a section for Tarot s%reads, several of *hich are created by the *ebmistress 3iane )il&es' As you read more boo&s on the Tarot, and %erha%s boo&s that accom%any dec&s, you *ill find several of them contain a fe* uni.ue s%reads created by their authors based on certain themes' These are also great ins%iration'

The si9teen (ourt (ards of the %ac& are often described as some of the most difficult cards not only to learn but also to inter%ret in a reading' Ho*ever, they are also some of the most %o%ular cards, as they are sometimes associated *ith the %eo%le around us, those *ho come into our lives, and ourselves' As *e *ill see in this lesson and the follo*ing, the (ourts are not 0ust %eo%le cards, but are far more versatile' M 7C7,(IS7 :<': It is best if you go through this lesson and the follo*ing lesson *ith the si9teen (ourt (ards in front of you' Ta&e all si9teen out of your dec&, and arrange them in order ( age, Knight, Hueen, King$ and according to suit, so that you can easily reference them as you study' A 8ote on (ourt (ard Titles If you have a nonstandard Tarot dec&, %articularly a dec& that has a theme, you may have already noticed that your (ourt (ard titles are not the same as those mentioned above' Traditionally, age, Knight, Hueen, and King *ere the titles used in noble and royal courts to denote ran& and station, and it is li&ely that in Tarot they *ere used to denote ran& for scoring in early Tarot games %layed throughout 7uro%e' Ho*ever, today many dec& creators have bro&en *ith tradition to ma&e it easier for readers to relate to these cards or to better fit their dec&5s theme' +any dec&s come *ith com%anion boo&s in *hich the e9%lanation of the change is e9%lained, so it is im%ortant that you read this so you are familiar *ith the title changes' This *ill %revent any confusion arising as you go through these lessons' =ou might also *ant to consider *hat the ne* titles in your dec& (if there are any$ might suggest for the meaning of that card-*hat do all the, say, Shamans, have in common; All the -earners; All the (hildren; 2ld-6ashioned 1ie*s of the (ourt (ards +any obstacles that %eo%le have *hen understanding these cards are caused by oldfashioned ideas about them that have become largely defunct *ith modern develo%ments in Tarot' ossibly the biggest %roblem is that these cards have medieval titles that most %eo%le do not relate to today: age, Knight, Hueen and King' (Some dec&s also have G rincessG instead of G ageG and G rinceG instead of GKnight'G$ Such titles may be useful *hen determining ran& or score in a game %layed *ith Tarot cardssuch as is %o%ular in 7uro%e-but they tell us very little about the card meanings' Therefore, *e need to be more considered in our a%%roach to these cards' 6ollo*ing are some outdated ideas about (ourt (ards that can hold us bac&' Gender

+any Tarot dec&s, es%ecially if they have retained the traditional titles of age, Knight, Hueen, King, or something similar, *ill de%ict their Hueens as *omen, and the Kings and Knights as men' They are li&ely to de%ict the ages as younger %eo%le of either gender' As *e have already discussed in -esson ?, %hysical gender in the cards is sim%ly another symbol that contains information about the attributes or energies of a card-thus, a *oman on a card may be indicating a %assive, rece%tive, flo*ing, or reflective nature' /nfortunately, many %eo%le-believing that these cards only signify %eo%le in reading-fall into the tra% of seeing all Hueens as *omen, all Kings and Knights as men, and all ages (usually, for Ggender e.ualityG$ as *omen' +any %eo%le believe that a King or Knight cannot re%resent a *oman, for instance' This is %roblematic, as it im%lies that only *omen can have the associations of the Hueens, and only men the associations of the Kings-*hich as *e &no*, in the modern *orld, is incorrectI Q 7C7,(IS7 :<'! -oo& at the (ourt (ards in front of you' Ho* has the dec& creator assigned gender to them; =ou may find that if you have a themed dec& (%articularly the theme of feminism or Goddesses$, it has all *omen for the (ourtsI 4earing in mind that gender is another Tarot symbol, as& yourself *hich cards have *hich gender de%icted on them and *hy' (an you see a %attern; )hat does this suggest for those cards; Age 6ollo*ing on from the gender %roblem in the (ourts, some %eo%le loo& at the age of the figures in the cards and use them as guidelines for *hat these cards can indicate' This theory says: Kings: +en over ?" Hueens: )omen over ?" Knights: =oung men ages: =oung *omen )hile in a fe* instances you may indeed intuitively see an older man in the King of S*ords during a reading, it is dangerous to say that only older men can be the Kings of S*ords or )andsI This vie* is as limiting as the gendered vie*, and *e must remember that *hile age has an influence u%on a %ersonality or lifestyle, it is not the defining feature of a %erson' hysical (haracteristics 4ased on old ,omany cartomancy techni.ues, some %eo%le a%%ly hair colors, s&in colors, and eye colors to the (ourt (ards, using the above age and gender assum%tions' So: S*ords: 3ar& hair, s*arthy com%le9ion, angular features, dar& eyes )ands: ,ed hair, fair s&in, light eyes, felineEleonine features (u%s: 4londeEfair hair, blue eyes, rounded, angelic features, %ale s&in (oins: 4ro*n hair, bro*n eyes, light s&in, s.uare features Anybody ta&ing a *al& do*n a main street *ill be able to s%ot a fe* %roblems *ith this a%%roach to the (ourt (ardsI 6irstly, *here *ould the girl *ith bright %in& hair be; )hat about that albino friend of yours; =our elderly, *hite-haired grandmother; In fact, anybody *ho is not (aucasian *ill be hard-%ressed to see themselves in any of the above descri%tions' M 7C7,(IS7 :<'< Ta&e a loo& at your (ourt (ards' 3oes your dec& de%ict %eo%le of different race; Some of the older dec&s or ,ider-)aite-based dec&s may only de%ict (aucasians,

even though they may only be a fe* years in %rint' Ho*ever, many modern Tarot dec&s recogniFe the multicultural nature of the Tarot community and the universality of human e9%erience, and de%ict %eo%le of many bac&grounds in their (ourt (ards' /seful A%%roaches to the (ourt (ards Having learned that the above a%%roaches to the (ourt (ards are shallo* and lac&ing in %ractical a%%lication, *e need to consider ho* *e should vie* these cards' 2bviously they can signify %eo%le (though not based on age, gender, or %hysical a%%earanceI$, and most readers vie* them as such' 4ut *hat ha%%ens *hen a (ourt (ard a%%ears in a Gho* you should a%%roach this situationG %osition; 2r a G*hat *ill ha%%en ne9t in my career;G %osition; At times li&e these, it is clear that the (ourt (ards should sometimes be inter%reted as other things: P ersonality attributes: aggressive, artistic, irres%onsible, rash, intelligent, sarcastic, or imaginative P A%%roaches to situations: %re%aredness, acce%tance, rece%tivity, or ada%tability P 7vents: learning a ne* s&ill, undergoing thera%y, or starting a ne* 0ob P 2utcomes of events P Advisory card P (areers: thera%ist, teacher, %olitician, farmer P Stages of develo%ment: learner, teacher, master P 6eelings: ha%%iness, de%ression, fear, antici%ation This leaves us *ith several com%le9ities *hen faced *ith (ourt (ards, both from an inter%retation %ers%ective and that of learning them and getting ac.uainted *ith them' Ho* does one &no* *hich as%ect of a (ourt (ard to read *hen it falls in a s%read; /nfortunately, your ans*er to this *ill lie in develo%ing your intuition and being able to see card inter%retations in relation to the .uestion and s%read conte9t' This is a s&ill you *ill develo% *ith time and %ractice, but having an intellectual understanding of various *ays you can thin& about the (ourt (ards *ill form a useful foundation u%on *hich you can base your inter%retations in a reading, and from there *or& out ho* best to read a (ourt (ard' )hat follo*s are some systems you can use to better understand and learn these cards, but they are only models that inform your understanding-one is not better than the other' -argely you can vie* them as fun *ays of dressing u% the cards and engaging *ith them' 7lemental Attributes of the (ourt (ards As *e learned in -esson @, each of the four suits of the Tarot are ruled by one of the four elements: 7arth ((oins$, Air (S*ords$, 6ire ()ands$, and )ater ((u%s$' +any authors, including Aleister (ro*ley, have also attributed an element to the four ty%es of (ourt (ard: age: 7arth (feminine$ Knight: Air (masculine$ Hueen: )ater (feminine$ King: 6ire (masculine$ 4y lin&ing both the attributed elements of the suit and the (ourt (ard figures, *e can get si9teen different %ers%ectives: age of (oins: 7arth mi9ing *ith 7arthEthe earthy %art of 7arth age of (u%s: 7arth mi9ing *ith )aterEthe earthy %art of )ater age of )ands: 7arth mi9ing *ith 6ireEthe earthy %art of 6ire age of S*ords: 7arth mi9ing *ith AirEthe earthy %art of Air Knight of (oins: Air mi9ing *ith 7arthEthe airy %art of 7arth

Knight of (u%s: Air mi9ing *ith )aterEthe airy %art of )ater Knight of )ands: Air mi9ing *ith 6ireEthe airy %art of 6ire Knight of S*ords: Air mi9ing *ith AirEthe airy %art of Air Hueen of (oins: )ater mi9ing *ith 7arthEthe *atery %art of 7arth Hueen of (u%s: )ater mi9ing *ith )aterEthe *atery %art of )ater Hueen of )ands: )ater mi9ing *ith 6ireEthe *atery %art of 6ire Hueen of S*ords: )ater mi9ing *ith AirEthe *atery %art of Air King of (oins: 6ire mi9ing *ith 7arthEthe fiery %art of 7arth King of (u%s: 6ire mi9ing *ith )aterEthe fiery %art of )ater King of )ands: 6ire mi9ing *ith 6ireEthe fiery %art of 6ire King of S*ords: 6ire mi9ing *ith AirEthe fiery %art of Air /sing these elemental attributes, *e need to consider ho* these elements interact (mi9$ *ith each other' )hat ha%%ens *hen earth is %laced in *ater; )hat ha%%ens *hen *ater is s%rin&led on earth; )hat ha%%ens *hen *ood (earth$ is %laced into fire; (onsidering these basic elemental interactions from our o*n e9%erience can hel% us get an idea of the elemental nature of the (ourt (ards' Similarly, each (ourt (ard figure is the GairyG or G*ateryG %art of the suit5s element, such as the *atery %art of 6ire' This suggests that every element has different *ays it can relate to the real *orld or act' In the case of the *atery %art of 6ire, *e see 6ire5s fluid movement, the beautiful dancing flo* of flamesJ in the case of the earthy %art of )ater *e see the %rocess of crystalliFation or the solidification of li.uids' 7C7,(IS7 :<'? Ta&e some time for each of the si9teen (ourt (ards and loo& at the elemental attributes as given above' (onsider not only ho* the t*o elements for each card interact in the mundane *orld, but also *hat the Gearthy,G Gfiery,G G*atery,G and GairyG %art of each suit means to you' It might hel% for you to revie* -esson @ for ins%iration and a reminder of *hat the elements symboliFe' )hen you have done this, a%%ly your discoveries to the (ourt (ards-*hat does it mean that the Hueen of )ands is the flo*ing and dancing of fire5s flames; In *hat *ay is the age of (u%s the crystalliFation of )ater; (ro*ley5s 4oo& of Thoth (%ages :>:-:#:$ serves to highlight the interaction of the elements in the (ourt (ards further, by assigning a natural occurrence to each based on the elemental attributes' Thus: age of (oins: The &ingdom, foundation age of (u%s: (rystalliFation age of )ands: 6uel of 6ire age of S*ords: 6i9ation of the volatile, materialiFation of an idea Knight of (oins: 6luorescence and fructification of 7arth Knight of (u%s: )ater5s elasticity, volatility, catalytic faculty Knight of)ands: 79%anding and volatiliFing of 6ire Knight of S*ords: ure Air, intellectual, fle9ible, and %enetrating Hueen of (oins: +other 7arth Hueen of (u%s: )ater5s %o*er of rece%tion and reflection Hueen of)ands:: 6luidity and color of 6ire Hueen of S*ords: Air5s %o*er of transmission King of (oins: +ountains, earth.ua&es, 7arth as giver of life King of (u%s: ,ain and s%ringsE)ater5s %o*er of solution

King of )ands: -ightning 6lash King of S*ords: ,ushing forth of *ind, the storm 7C7,(IS7 :<'> If you have a co%y of the 4oo& of Thoth, read the cha%ter on the (ourt (ards: it e9%ands on the above conce%ts' If not, s%end some time *ith each card considering these conce%ts, %erha%s meditating on them, or doing a little research on them from a scientificEchemicalEnatural sciences %ers%ective' The more you discover about these elemental interactions, the dee%er your understanding of these cards *ill becomeI The 8ature of 7ach (ourt (ard )e &no* that each ty%e of (ourt (ard figure bears an element-all the ages are 7arth, for instance' This immediately tells us that there is a shared nature to each ty%e of (ourt (ardJ all the Hueens have something in common' /sing the above elemental system, *e can easily create our o*n version of it that is easier to remember and more %ersonal' All the ages are 7arthJ therefore they all share the .ualities of foundation, manifestation, and fertile rece%tivity in *hich ne* beginnings are so*n' All the Knights are AirJ therefore they all share the .ualities of intellectual curiosity, movement, and transience' All the Hueens are )aterJ therefore they all share the .ualities of reflection, fluidity, rece%tivity, and the channel for flo*' All the Kings are 6ireJ therefore they all share the .ualities of %assion, activity, mastery, and ins%iration' )e also &no* *hat each suit corres%onds to: (oins: 7arthJ the mundane, %hysical *orld, money and business (u%s: )aterJ emotions, love, relationshi%s, and social life )ands: 6ireJ creativity, se9uality, the ego, the self, and s%irituality S*ords: AirJ the intellect, conflict, thought, and communication 4y %utting the suit associations and the (ourt (ard figure associations together, you can find some interesting reflections on the cards' 6or instance, the Hueen of )ands could be the channel of creativityJ the Knight of (u%s could be the .uest for loveJ the age of )ands could be the first beginnings of se9uality' /sing this system and the elemental system above can ins%ire you to thin& about the (ourt (ards in *ays other than as %eo%le' In %articular these t*o systems lend themselves *ell to events or *ays for %eo%le to interact *ith the *orld and others' 7C7,(IS7 :<'@ /sing the above, or your o*n, attributes for the suits and the (ourt (ard figures, *rite do*n some sentences li&e the ones 0ust given to describe each of the si9teen (ourt (ards' =ou can create more than one sentence if you li&e-you *ill %robably find you see a fe* that ma&e sense' 8o* consider ho* you5d inter%ret these cards, using those sentences, in a reading' +4TI Ty%es and the (ourt (ards The +yers-4riggs Ty%e Indicator (+4TI$ is a test that organiFes %ersonalities into si9teen different variations that measure %sychological %references in ho* %eo%le ma&e decisions and %erceive the *orld' It *as designed to e9%and u%on the theory of (arl Bung, *ho %ro%osed t*o different %airs of cognitive functions: thin&ing and feeling (both G0udgingG functions$ and sensing and intuition (both G%erceivingG functions$J these functions could be e9%ressed in an introverted or e9troverted *ay' +yers and 4riggs sorted these %sychological differences into four %airs, giving

si9teen %ersonality ty%es' The %airs are: 79traversionEIntroversion, SensingEIntuition, Thin&ingE6eeling, and BudgingE erceiving' 7ach of these is indicated by the first initial of the *ord, a%art from Intuition, *hich is indicated by G8'G Thus, the si9teen ty%es are formed into four-lettered abbreviations, for e9am%le 786B (79traversion, Intuition, 6eeling, and Budging$' M 7C7,(IS7 :<'# 3o a little research on the +4TI test and the meaning of each of the %airs and their subse.uent Gty%es'G Kno*ing *hat 79traversion, 6eeling, Budging, etc' indicate *ill enable you to more fully understand ho* the +4TI ty%es can be associated *ith each of the (ourt (ards' ,emember though, that this is not a historical lin& that should al*ays be made-it is 0ust another *ay of e9%loring these cards and understanding them on a variety of levels' The (ourts can be a%%lied to the +4TI ty%es thus: age of (oins: IST age of (u%s: IS6 age of )ands: I86 age of S*ords: I8T Knight of (oins: 7ST Knight of (u%s: 7S6 Knight of )ands: 786 Knight of S*ords: 78T Hueen of (oins: ISTB Hueen of (u%s: IS6B Hueen of )ands: I86B Hueen of S*ords: I8TB King of (oins: 7STB King of (u%s: 7S6B King of )ands': 786B King of S*ords'- 78TB =ou might also li&e to consider some similarities among the cards5 associations: all the Knights and Kings are 79troverts and all the Hueens and ages IntrovertsJ the suits of (u%s and )ands are 6eeling and the (oins and S*ords are Thin&ingJ Kings and Hueens are all Budging, Knights and ages all erceiving' Keirsey Tem%eraments Although the +4TI and Keirsey Tem%eraments are not directly associated *ith one another, 3avid Keirsey used the +4TI to ma% four tem%eraments: Artisans, Guardians, Idealists, and ,ationals' )e can clearly see ho* these could be a%%lied to the suits: All (oins (ourt (ards: Artisans All (u%s (ourt (ards: Guardians All )ands (ourt (ards: Idealists All S*ords (ourt (ards: ,ationals 6urther, Keirsey s%lit each tem%erament into t*o roles each, and s%lit these roles into a further t*o role variants each, resulting in si9teen role variants' In relation to the (ourt (ards they are: age of (oins: (rafter age of (u%s: (om%oser

age of )ands: Healer age of S*ords: Architect Knight of (oins: romoter Knight of (u%s: erformer Knight of )ands: (ham%ion Knight of S*ords: Inventor Hueen of (oins: Ins%ector Hueen of (u%s: rotector Hueen of )ands: (ounselor Hueen of S*ords: +astermind King of (oins: Su%ervisor King of (u%s: rovider King of )ands: Teacher King of S*ords: 6ield +arshal M 7C7,(IS7 :<'D ,ead u% on the Keirsey Tem%eraments to get a better understanding of the four tem%eraments, their associated roles, and the role variants' Ta&e some time to consider ho* the above role variants e9%ress or lin& to the (ourt (ards and your understanding of them so far' Ho* is the fiery %art of Air (King of S*ords$ li&e a 6ield +arshal or an 78TB; 4oth the +4TI and Keirsey Tem%eraments allo* you to e9%lore the (ourt (ards as %ersonalities *ith their o*n goals, ideals, li&es, disli&es, and manners of e9%ression' ,emember, ho*ever, that they are 0ust *ays of hel%ing you e9%lore these cardsyou don5t have to learn them by heartI In the follo*ing t*o lessons, *e *ill e9%lore other systems of loo&ing at the (ourts, and ho%efully by the time *e5ve finished studying these cards you *ill have an idea of *hich systems you %refer to use yourself' +aybe you *ill even have created your o*n system, using 79ercise :<'@I 2%tional Home*or& P Go through at least one suit of (ourt (ards (for e9am%le, the (u%s (ourt (ards$ and using the above systems begin to *rite do*n *hat you thin& these cards might mean in a reading' If you have time, try to do this for all si9teen (ourt (ards' 8ot only *ill you have something to com%are the u%coming inter%retations *ith, but you5ll li&ely find that these initial discoveries about the card meanings *ill stic& in your mind and come more readily to you *hen you are reading, as they are your meanings' P As advised above, try to read the cha%ter in the 4oo& of Thoth on the (ourt (ards' P =ou might also li&e to do more research on these cards by reading some of the boo&s on the 6urther ,eading list' 6urther ,eading /nderstanding the Tarot (ourt, by +ary K' Greer and Tom -ittle' The Tarot (ourt (ards: Archety%al atterns of ,elationshi% in the +inor Arcana, by Kate )ar*ic&-Smith' The Golden 3a*n (ourt (ards, by )' )ynn )estcott and 3arcy KuntF' Has line dra*ings for (ourt (ards from the Golden 3a*n tradition, along *ith an a%%endi9 of tables of corres%ondences for the (ourts' I also highly recommend Internet research for a .uic& introduction to the +4TI and Keirsey Tem%eraments'

In this lesson, *e continue our studies of the (ourt (ards' As you go through the lesson, thin& bac& to last lesson5s various a%%roaches to these cards, and as& yourself ho* some of the card meanings might lin& to these' lease also remember that the card meanings given here, as *ith those of the +a0or Arcana, are 0ust suggestions to get you started: you *ill undoubtedly discover more meanings yourself through e9%erience, %ersonal feeling, and study that you might %refer or add to these' The (oins (ourt )e already &no* that the suit of (oins is largely concerned *ith matters of money, the mundane *orld, everyday life, business, and %ractical matters' It is also concerned *ith our %hysical conte9t-our family or our environment' Thus the (oins (ourt can re%resent various *ays *e interact *ith or a%%roach this as%ect of our lives' age of (oins: 7arth of 7arthEThe Kingdom, 6oundationEIST E(rafter The age of (oins is the very first foundation u%on *hich *e can %lace all our %lans and %ursuitsJ it is the fertile soil *aiting to receive the first seeds, and it is the solid roc& beneath our feet' It may not seem li&e much, this tiny acorn or this minuscule seed, but from it great things gro*' This card can signify the beginnings of business %lans, a ne* 0ob, gro*ing finances, fertility, or the need for a stable foundation before moving for*ard' As a %erson, the age of (oins is .uiet, reflective, and %ractical, *ith immense %otentialJ yet *ithout ta&ing action on the natural resources and talents they have, they may find their %lans go no further than the beginning stages' The 7arthy %art of 7arth re%resents the foundation or beginning for *hatever the suit of (oins signifies' Since 7arth is fertile, it can also re%resent a*a&ening or the first stirring of the energies of the (oins suit: learning to coo&, budget, or maintain a householdJ becoming a*are of ho* to live every day' Knight of (oins: Air of7arthE6luorescence and 6ructification of7arthE 7ST E romoter The Knight of (oins is the reliable friend, steadfast &no*ledge, and a mind a%%lied to %ractical tas&s' It re%resents the necessity of hard *or& and a%%lication to achieve any goal, since the mind5s &een ideas and calculations are not enough to effect change in the *orld' Here is the %lough and horse tilling the fertile fields, the a*areness of nature5s cycles and seasons that allo*s for correct timing' As a %erson, the Knight of (oins can be slo*, seeming to others li&e a dullard-but his mind is sim%ly a%%lied to the tas& at hand so fully that nothing else can get his attentionI He is %atient, reliable, trust*orthy, and en0oys %hysical labor' The airy %art of 7arth also re%resents the .uest or search for *hatever is signified by the suit of (oins' This can manifest as a .uest for money to fund a venture, a search for a 0ob, career, or ne* homeJ more abstractly, it can be the search for stability in one5s life or a calling that one can be absorbed by' Hueen of (oins: )ater of7arthE+other 7arthEISTBEIns%ector Here is the flo* of bounty from the earth as a result of hard *or& and a%%lication' The Hueen of (oins is the nurturing, nourishing force in our life that cares for our everyday needs: our nurses, %arents, friends, chefs, %aramedics, and doctors' Here is 6lorence 8ightingale *ith her lantern and the &iss on the bruised &nee that ma&es it all better' This card is also the means or channel by *hich our finances and everyday

concerns can flo* in and out of our lives or be s%read around them-0ust as a river carries the rich alluvial soil that *ill later de%osit itself and fertiliFe the riverban&' This card often a%%ears in a reading to indicate ho* the flo* of one5s resources is moving: *hether it is bloc&ed or free, needs encouraging, is neglected, or is strong and healthy' As a %erson, the Hueen of (oins is %ractical, caring, nurturing, and %arental-they yearn to hel% others, heal bro&en bones, and ensure %eo%le are healthy' Sometimes they can seem selfless and altruistic, and indeed they may over*or& themselves to hel% others' They are often e9cellent coo&s, delighting in thro*ing dinner %arties and feeding %eo%le' In a reading, this card can %rom%t us to as& ourselves ho* *e nurture our lives and bodies' Are our everyday life and our mundane *orld healthy and thriving; )hat %ractical tas&s can *e underta&e to fi9 *hat is bro&en; King of (oins: 6ire of 7arthE+ountains and 7arth.ua&esE7STBESu%ervisor Here is the &ing in his castle, ruler of all he surveysI The King of (oins is rather li&e the boss or business o*ner, the lord or &ingJ he is the master of his realm' This card sho*s us com%lete control, integrated understanding, and mastery of the areas signified by the suit of (oins-finances, *ealth, business, health, and everyday life' It is the highest %oint of the (oins (ourt, and thus also sho*s us com%lete lu9ury, aesthetic (and culinaryI$ a%%reciation, and the 0oys of life' )here the Hueen of (oins is the %roduction and giving of bounty, the King of (oins is the consum%tion and en0oyment of it, the comfort that comes after the *or& is com%leted and the results are in' He is the moment *hen, after a long struggle to*ard a goal, it is suddenly com%lete and you e9hale *ith relief, dro% do*n into the comfy chair in front of the fire, and %our yourself a glass of brandy' As a %erson, the King of (oins is a true connoisseur and aesthete, but only *hen it comes to food, drin&, clothing, and his immediate surroundings' He can lecture for hours on the finer %oints of *ine vintages, and *ould ha%%ily s%end all his money on fine dining if given the o%%ortunity' He is never ha%%ier than *hen he is en0oying these things *ith his friends and family-of *hom there are manyI The King of (oins is an e9tremely li&eable, 0ovial character *ho laughs easily, gives freely and generously, and counts his friends highly' 7C7,(IS7 :?': /sing the above descri%tions (or any other meanings you have created yourself so far$, try to lin& each of the (oins (ourt (ards to a %erson you &no*-either in real life or a character from film and literature' 7C7,(IS7 :?'! Imagine you are at a dinner %arty *ith the (oins (ourt (ards for an evening' )hat *ould each be doing; Ho* *ould they be interacting *ith each other and the guests; Ho* do you feel about them; M 7C7,(IS7 :?'< The above descri%tions give %ositive attributes of the cards' )hat negative attributes do you thin& each of the (oins (ourt (ards has; (onsider *hat the %ositive attributes might become if there *ere too much of them, for instance' ,emember these or *rite them in your Tarot 0ournal, since the (ourt (ards do not al*ays fall into a %ositive %lace in a s%read' The (u%s (ourt The suit of (u%s is associated *ith the social as%ect of ourselves-our romantic relationshi%s and friendshi%s, the family *e choose (rather than the family *e are

born into$' It is also our emotional selves, our feelings, and our inner res%onses to events' The (u%s (ourt e9%lores the different a%%roaches to this' age of (u%s: 7arth of )aterE(rystalliFationEIS6 E(om%oser The age of (u%s is the dream, the intuitive state of mind in *hich ins%iration and ideas can be receivedJ this state of mind is %erfect for acts of divination, fortune telling, oracle, and %ro%hecy' It is also %erfect for those *ho *ish to underta&e creative endeavors-artists, com%osers, %hotogra%hers, novelists' 6rom this small, silent, rece%tive state of mind comes the s%ar& of divine ins%iration, and the crystalliFation of an idea, eventually manifesting in the %ro0ect' Some call it Gdivine ins%iration,G some call it Ggenius,G but no matter *hat, the age of (u%s is a visionary that gives substance and %hysical reality to these dreams and fantasies' This card reminds us to %ay attention to our dreams, our half-thought-out fantasies, and to use them as ins%iration for ne* %ro0ects and %aths in life' As a %erson, the age of (u%s is often naive, yet others %erceive them to be intense and mysterious' They are at once sim%le on the outside, needing fe* things to be ha%%y, yet com%le9 on the inside, re.uiring an immense amount of s%iritual and emotional in%ut to remain sane' They can also be %rolific creators of *or&s of art, music, and literature' Their attitude to life is one of rece%tivity: they %refer to observe and ta&e everything in, and rarely comment' )hen they do, ho*ever, the comments are %rofound and *ise' Knight of (u%s: Air of )aterE)ater5s 7lasticity, 1olatility, and (atalytic 6acultyE7S6 E erformer Here is our ,omeo, our &night in shining armorI The heartthrob and dreamboat that many of us dreamed about as teenagers breeFes into our lives, changes everything, and doesn5t necessarily stic& around for long' The Knight of (u%s is the *istful, romantic love for something-not necessarily another %erson, but sometimes the idealistic romance of an un&no*n %lace or %ath' This card urges us to %ush for*ard to*ard our ideals, holding them as the highest good 0ust as Galahad held the Holy Grail as the %erfect end' As the Airy %art of )ater, the Knight of (u%s is the .uest or search for all the things re%resented by the suit of (u%s: love, romance, relationshi%s, friendshi%, or s%irituality' It is also the mind a%%lied to these things, and as such can manifest as communication bet*een lovers, or the intellectual %rocess of learning about a s%iritual %ath' As a %erson, the Knight of (u%s is a romantic at heart, an idealist, al*ays loo&ing for something to fulfil them emotionally and s%iritually' 2ften they may become obsessed *ith something or somebody they are infatuated *ith, *ith their thoughts constantly focused on them' Hueen of (u%s: )ater of )itterE,ece%tion and ,eflectionEIS6BE rotector -oo& into the de%ths of a still la&e-does the *ater5s surface change to reflect the observer; As )ater of )ater, the Hueen of (u%s is the most rece%tive, reflective, intros%ective e9%ression of the suit of (u%s and the element of )ater-she is the reflective surface of a glassy la&e, the fathomless de%ths of the ocean, and the neverending flo* of the river' She is flu9 and change in res%onse to any situation-she *arns against remaining constant or stubborn' Since *ater nurtures all life on this %lanet, the Hueen of (u%s is a 8urturer li&e the Hueen of (oinsJ ho*ever, *hereas the Hueen of (oins nurtures the body and %hysical life, the Hueen of (u%s nurtures and cares for the heart, soul, and emotional life' As a %erson, the Hueen of (u%s does not seem to %ossess a %ersonality of her o*n, rather she res%onds and changes in reaction to her situation and others around her'

This is not a mani%ulative mas&-*earing, but sim%ly the nature of the Hueen of (u%s to com%letely reflect and receive e9ternal influences' They can be e9tremely emotional and easily hurt, ta&ing things to heart and being affected .uic&ly by circumstances' They are &ind, caring, and great listeners' +uch of their life goes on inside their heads, ho*ever, as their intros%ective natures often %revent them from acting in situations' The Hueen of (u%s %refers to change her outloo& rather than the e9ternal *orld' King of (u%s: 6ire of )itterE o*er of Solution, ,ain, and S%ringsE7S6BE rovider The King of (u%s is the fiery %art of )ater, and therefore the active %rinci%le of our emotions and feelings: the emotions that dictate our actions and have an influence u%on the e9ternal *orld' 3ue to this influence u%on things outside ourselves, the King of (u%s often re%resents active com%assion to*ard others, allo*ing our emotions to liaise *ith theirs in shared understanding' This can manifest in grou% thera%y, %sychothera%y, art thera%y, and any other &ind of emotional healing that involves an active %artici%ation and engagement *ith the inner self' Acts of com%assion are also re%resented by this card-counseling, charity *or&, volunteer *or&, and any aid or hel% given' As rain and s%rings, the King of (u%s cleanses and *ashes a*ay the dirt from our lives' Ho*ever, too much healing of others can begin to erode a*ay the solidity of our o*n emotions' As a %erson, the King of (u%s is li&e a *ise elder, dro%%ing %earls of *isdom almost carelesslyJ he is &ind, com%assionate, understanding, and em%athic, *ith a good ear for listening' He encourages active %artici%ation in one5s emotional state, and although he is emotional himself, he has learned not to get dragged under by the current of his feelings' He manifests in our lives as a father figure, favorite teacher, confidante, or trust*orthy old friend' He can also be a %eace&ee%er in fraught relationshi%s and conflict' 7C7,(IS7 :?'? /sing the above descri%tions (or any other meanings you have created yourself so far$, try to lin& each of the (u%s (ourt (ards to a %erson you &no*-either in real life, or a character from film and literature' Q 7C7,(IS7 :?'> Imagine that you are bac& at high school *ith the (u%s (ourt' )hat role do they %lay in the social dynamics of the class; Ho* do you interact *ith them; )hat *ould they be doing; )hat *ould their favorite sub0ects be; M 7C7,(IS7 :?'@ The above descri%tions give %ositive attributes of the cards' )hat negative attributes do you thin& each of the (u%s (ourt (ards has; (onsider *hat the %ositive attributes might become if there *ere too much of them, for instance' ,emember these or *rite them in your Tarot 0ournal, since the (ourt (ards do not al*ays fall into a %ositive %lace in a s%read' Astrological Attributes of the (ourt (ards )e have already e9%lored a number of systems for learning and inter%reting the (ourt (ards in a %revious lesson, ho*ever the astrological systems %rovide another means of integration' )e *ill loo& at t*o systems here, one very sim%le and one more com%le9' ,emember that these are 0ust mnemonic devices or *ays of e9%loring different as%ects of the (ourts-they don5t tell us everything about each card' They can be useful for choosing significators (see belo*$, but should not be used as the sole inter%retation of a (ourt (ard in a reading or as the only means of choosing significators'

The sim%ler Golden 3a*n attributes of the (ourt (ards to the Fodiac are as follo*s: 7ach of the (ourt (ards is given a Fodiac sign, and thus all the attributes of that sign' The four ages, ho*ever, are not given a Fodiac sign but instead an element that not only rules the suit but also three of the t*elve signs of the Fodiac' They can be considered as the seed of the element in the suits, or the ra*, unta%%ed element in its natural state, *hereas *ith the other (ourt (ards the elements are in relation to different energies or as%ects of human e9%erience' In this system, the Kings re% resent the 6i9ed Fodiac signs, the Hueens the (ardinal signs, and the Knights the +utable signs, and each of these .ualities has its o*n associations: 6i9ed'- The height of the element or season, stubborn, immovable, the drive and full force of that element or season (ardinal: 2riginally called Gmoveable,G the (ardinal signs of the Fodiac mar& a turning %oint in bet*een seasons +utable' Sitting bet*een t*o seasons, change and ada%tability, communication, and a desire to move for*ard As *e e9%lored in the %revious lesson, all the Kings have something shared bet*een them, as do all the Hueens, Knights, and ages' The recognition of 6i9ed, (ardinal, and +utable signs e9%resses this in another form' M 7C7,(IS7 :?'# Thin& of some %eo%le *hose Fodiac signs you &no*, and find *hich (ourt (ards they are according to this chart' (om%ared *ith the descri%tions above, do the cards5 attributions fit them; Also consider ho* the Fodiac attributes might relate not only to %eo%le5s characters but also to events, advice, and feelings' Ho* do these things correlate *ith the (ourt (ard descri%tions above and *hich you have created yourself; )ith the more com%le9 system of astrological attribution for the (ourt (ards, the cards are each lin&ed to three decans of the Fodiac' 7ach sign of the Fodiac is thirty degrees of a <@"-degree circle for the com%lete Fodiac' 7ach sign is subdivided into three decans, each decan ruling ten degrees of that %articular sign' A decan lasts about ten days, as a Fodiac sign rules about thirty days of the year' 7ach (ourt (ard re%resents a Fodiac sign s%anned bet*een t*o signs: the last ten degrees of the %receding sign %lus the first t*enty degrees of the current sign' Thus, the Knight of )ands rules the last ten degrees of Scor%io and the first t*enty degrees of Sagittarius, though the card energies are %redominately Sagittarius' )ith the above system, anybody born on the cus% of a sign may have found it difficult to choose a (ourt (ard, since conceivably they could have t*o (de%ending on the dates given in different boo&sI$' Ho*ever, here any %erson *ho *as born on a cus% could easily be classified as a s%ecific (ourt (ard' The follo*ing table sho*s the time of the year governing each card (although you *ill notice the ages are once again missingI$' A longer study of the astrological signs, and in %articular ho* the energies of one sign might mi9 *ith those of the ne9t to %roduce each set of three decans, *ould be useful for anybody *ishing to %ursue an astrological study of the Tarot further' /sing Significators A traditional (yet o%tional$ %ractice for readings is to choose a card that signifies or re%resents the .uerent in the reading, called a significator' 6or those *ho use it, this significator acts as a central focus for the reading, dra*ing the energies of the reader and .uerent to a central %oint' Although a significator could be any of the

seventyeight cards in the %ac&, most %eo%le choose (ourt (ards because they are in the habit of vie*ing them as %eo%le' There are many *ays to choose a significator for somebody' 6or some, the %referred method is to allocate one based on the above astrological systems: find out the .uerent5s birth date and allocate one from that' =ou might also li&e to try using a different system from the %revious cha%ter-*hy not find out *hat +4TI ty%e the .uerent is, for instance; Another method is to let the cards tell youI Sim%ly shuffle the %ac& and then let the .uerent (or yourself, if you are doing a reading for yourself$ choose a card at random' This method not only gives you a significator but can also form %art of the initial stages of inter%retation, as it might tell you about the current mental or emotional state of the .uerent, their %ersonality, or their current attitude, a%%roach, and %ers%ective to the situation being read about' )ith this you also have the added bonus of being able to %ull a significator that re%resents the .uerent in the situation being read about, since %eo%le tend to have a number of as%ects to their %ersonality' +any %eo%le feel dra*n to a %articular card *hen they first start learning Tarot' They may feel that it re%resents them on their dee%est level, and their relationshi% *ith that card *ill develo% over time and give them a more %ersonal inter%retation of it' +any readers choose such a card as their significator, since they feel it is such a large %art of their %ersonality' This is %articularly true of the +a0or Arcana (ards, since they evo&e strong feelings in everybody' 7C7,(IS7 :?'D (hoose a significator for yourself' /se any method you li&e, even if it involves going through the %ac& and %ulling a card you feel dra*n to *ithout &no*ing its meaning' )rite in your Tarot 0ournal *hich card you have %ic&ed and *hyJ or, if the card *as randomly chosen from the %ac&, *hy you thin& it came to you' If you have %ic&ed your significator through choice and a%%eal, try com%aring this to the significator you get *hen you use the astrological or +4TI systems' Is there a difference; )hich system *or&s best for you; /sually a significator %lays a minor role in a reading, being %laced at the center of the s%read so that it can be referred bac& to later' Ho*ever, choosing a significator gives you a chance to develo% a more intimate, %ersonal relationshi% *ith at least one cardand from one card, others *ill follo*' )hen you are able to see each card of the %ac& as re%resenting a different as%ect of your life, feelings, self, or e9%eriences, you *ill learn each card *ith more than 0ust boo&-reading' 2%tional Home*or& P 2nce you have identifiedEchosen a significator for yourself, try the same %rocess *ith friends and family members' This *ill enable you to lin& the cards to your o*n life, ma&ing them visceral and real rather than 0ust %ieces of te9t in a boo&' P 79%and the chart for the decan associations of the (ourt (ards by researching each Fodiac sign' 7ach (ourt (ard rules the last ten degrees of one sign and the first t*enty degrees of the ne9t-ho* do these t*o signs relate to each other; 6or instance, ho* does the smaller %art of Taurus influence the larger %art of Gemini, and ho* does this relate to the Knight of S*ords;

)e com%lete our tour of the (ourt (ards *ith the t*o GmasculineG and active suits)ands and S*ords-and *ith a closer e9amination of the (ourt (ards in relation to our %ersonal lives and inner selves' This lesson aims to sho* that these si9teen cards can become %o*erful focal %oints for magic, affirmations, and self-develo%ment-0ust as much as the +a0or Arcana' The S*ords (ourt Since the suit of S*ords is attributed to the element of Air (or sometimes 6ire-if you *ish to use an elemental system to get inter%retations for the cards, and choose S*ords to be 6ire, you may *ish to disregard the meanings given here and *rite your o*n$, the (ourt (ards *ithin it sho* us varying degrees and *ays *e can engage *ith our mental and communicative ca%acities' age of S*ords: 7arth ofAirE6i9ation of the 1olatile, +aterialiFation of IdeasEI8T EArchitect As the earthy %art of Air, the age of S*ords re%resents the formation of ideas into a coherent %lan or a %hysical reality' )hereas the age of (u%s materialiFes creative %ro0ects, the age of S*ords realiFes inventions and thought %rocesses into something concrete' This is the organiFational ca%acity of the mind too, and the ability to give order to unformed thoughts' Give the age of S*ords a descri%tion of the house you *ant to build, and he5ll start dra*ing u% blue%rintsJ e9%ress a *ish for something and he5ll immediately start designing it in his head, analyFing ho* it might be %ut together and *or&' Ho*ever, this card also e9%resses the ability to still the mind, focus it on the %hysical reality, and direct it to*ard a material goal' This can manifest in revision for e9ams, *riting on a deadline, com%leting *ritten assignments for *or&, etc' Since 7arth is also a fertile element, the age of S*ords can re%resent the beginning of ne* ideas and intellectual %ro0ects' It also advises brainstorming, careful %lanning, and a little rebellious thought to get to a final solution' As a %erson the age of S*ords is the eternal inventor, al*ays imagining ne* gadgets and giFmos, %olitical and social states, or methods of %rogressing' They have e9cellent organiFational s&ills, &een to ta&e the reins in a grou% that needs some stability to its %lans' =ou *ant a road tri%; The age of S*ords *ill rent the car, dra* u% the destination %lan com%lete *ith rest brea&s and fuel sto%s, and ma&e sure everybody is at the right %lace at the right time' This card also thin&s outside the bo9, and often has moments of true genius' Knight of S*ords: Air ofAirE ure Air, 6le9ible and enetratingE78T E Inventor As the airy %art of Air, the Knight of S*ords re%resents the &een and %enetrating mindJ ho*ever, *hile this card gives us %lenty of brilliant ideas (li&e the age of S*ords, verging on genius$, he lac&s the ability to focus or to bring them into being' The Knight of S*ords is the unfocused, random mind *ith a short attention s%an, %referring to move .uic&ly on to a ne* idea before the current one gets old and boring' This card advises us to &ee% our minds and ideas fresh, ne*, and e9citing, getting as much e9%erience and information as %ossible from many different areas of thought' This *ill limit de%th of &no*ledge, but for the %ur%oses of some %ro0ects this is not necessarily a setbac&' The Knight of S*ords en0oys .uesting for &no*ledge, but moves on*ard far too .uic&ly, sho*ing that he values the .uest itself more than the eventual end' To many he is the 0ac& of all trades (yet master of none$, &no*ing a little about everything-0ust enough to give him a strong o%inion on most matters, but not enough for this o%inion to stand under a little criticism' In a reading, this card

often indicates .uarrels and conflicts, and the act of rushing in *ithout thin&ing very much' It can also re%resent mischief or a .uest for &no*ledge' A Knight of S*ords %erson loves to hear himself tal&, constantly communicating *ith others and bragging' He may also be im%atient, rebellious to*ard authority, and eager to cause trouble' He disli&es being given orders by authority, and *ill refuse to carry them out-even if it is something he *ould have done under his o*n steam beforeI He can also be arrogant and audacious, yet .uic&-*ittedJ *ith a &een mind' At his best, he can be a rebel fighter for the cause of 0ustice and the o%%ressed, but at his *orst, his strong o%inions can lead to fundamentalism' Hueen of S*ords: )ater ofAirEAirs o*er of TransmissionEI8TBE +astermind Since )ater re%resents channels and flo* (and *ater flo*s do*n to*ard the river mouth$, the )atery %art of Air brings us the mind5s %o*er of communicating itself to others' It is also the mind5s elasticity and flo*ing freedom, and thus the Hueen of S*ords is the freedom to thin& and e9%ress oneself and one5s ideas' This card also re%resents the ability to bring forth in others the ca%acity for ne* ideas, clear thought, and intellectual understanding, and nurture their %hiloso%hies and outloo&s' The Hueen of S*ords re%resents oratory, %lanting the seeds of ideas in others5 minds *ith a fe* sim%le *ords or an ins%irational s%eech' It also signifies the ability to give clarity to one5s o*n thoughts and those of others, using communication and truth to remove and cut a*ay falsehood or delusion' The Hueen of S*ords advises us to clear our thoughts, communicate honestly *ith others, and allo* ourselves to s%ea& trutheven if that truth is cold or cruel' It also re%resents the nurturing of our o*n ideas and thoughts, and as such this card advises us to read *idely and learn as much as %ossible in order to gro* and develo% intellectually' As a %erson, the Hueen of S*ords is coolly confident, able to remain calm in most (if not all$ situations' She is an e9cellent %ublic s%ea&er and communicator, e9celling in careers and situations that re.uire communication s&ills' This %erson also en0oys teaching others, and has a *ay of tal&ing that ins%ires %eo%le and changes their understanding significantly' Ho*ever, %ut to the *rong use, this can lead to s%indoctoring and %ro%aganda' The Hueen of S*ords also refuses to bac& do*n from an argument if %rovo&ed, and *ill be a bitter o%%onent in any verbal or intellectual conflictJ she can be cruel *ithout realiFing it, her *ords hurting if she s%ea&s *ithout thin&ing' She never s%ea&s falsely, but the truth can be more %ainful than lies' She is rarely merciful, and sometimes lac&s com%assion and *armth because her mind is so focused on conveying the truth' King of S*ords: 6ire ofAirE,ushing 6orth of )ind, StormsI78TBI6ield +arshal The King of S*ords is the fiery %art of Air, the %o*erful thrust of the mind to*ards a goal or enemy, and the a%%lication and mastery of the mind at its most %o*erful' The rushing forth of *ind and storms is often terrifying, their sheer %o*er *rea&ing havoc and destruction' =et, if %ro%erly harnessed they can %rovide energy (such as *ind farms$' This card often indicates com%etition, leaders of conflicts, and a %o*erful thin&er *ho considers all as%ects before acting u%on something' )hen action is ta&en, it is s*ift, unrelenting, and unsto%%able' The slo* build-u% of the storm %ea&s and becomes a force of nature that is im%ossible to bloc&' The King of S*ords, therefore, advises careful consideration in all matters before action is ta&en, but also reminds us that abstract thin&ing does not *in the day' Action must be ta&en, and in order to be successful that action must be fueled by solid thin&ing and reasoning' It advises careful strategy, and if necessary a ruthless %lan of attac&'

As a %erson, the King of S*ords is a merciless, cold strategist *ith a one-trac& mind set on his goal' He does not set out to *in any %o%ularity contests, but instead sets out to *in battles of all &inds, using anything he can to his advantage' He is often aloof, cruel, and harsh-but also a fair and 0ust authority-not acting rashly, assessing all situations carefully, and acting s*iftly *hen com%letely informed' The King of S*ords may not have the best re%utation *hen it comes to friendshi%, and he is not a nice %erson-but he gets the 0ob done' In a reading he is often a boss, authority figure, or bureaucrat, and thus can also signify an obstacle in the .uerent5s life' M 7C7,(IS7 :>': /sing the above descri%tions (or any other meanings you have created yourself so far$ try to lin& each of the S*ords (ourt (ards to a %erson you &no*-either in real life, or a character from film and literature' 7C7,(IS7 :>'! Imagine you are interacting *ith the S*ords (ourt across a boardroom table, trying to come u% *ith some ne* ideas or advertising cam%aigns for a com%any' Ho* does each member of this (ourt react and interact *ith you and each other; )hat role do they ta&e in the discussion; Ho* do they e9%ress themselves; M 7C7,(IS7 :>'< The above descri%tions give a lot of %ositive attributes of the cards' )hat negative attributes do you thin& each of the S*ords (ourt (ards has; 2r conversely, *here negative attributes are given, ho* do you thin& these could become %ositive; ,emember these or *rite them in your Tarot 0ournal' The )ands (ourt The suit of )ands governs matters of energy, the self, se9uality, the ego, and creative %ro0ects' 2ften it can re%resent the action ta&en to ma&e things ha%%en or bring %ro0ects to com%letion' The )ands (ourt can be seen as the various stages of selfunderstanding and develo%ment, as *ell as a%%roaches to energy, se9uality, and the ego' age of )ands: 7arth of 6ireE6uel of 6ireEI86 EHealer As the fuel of the suit of )ands and all it re%resents, the age of )ands is the dynamic creative s%ar& that drives for*ard a %ro0ect or %ursuit' It is, ho*ever, still ra* and unta%%ed, and thus difficult to control' It may come into our lives in the form of a story idea that is unfinished and rudimentary, a flash of ins%iration for a %oem, the image in your mind5s eye of a finished %ro0ect *ith little or no idea ho* to get thereI As the first s%ar&s, the age of )ands re%resents all the e9citement and enthusiasm that comes along *ith ne* ideas and %ro0ects, as *ell as the ra* %o*er and energy needed to &ic&-start something ne*' Ho*ever, sometimes the age of )ands can indicate that although the enthusiasm and ra* energy is %resent, it is undirected and therefore can be dissi%ated .uic&ly before it gets the chance to form into something material' It can also re%resent the a*a&ening of an understanding of the self, the ego, or one5s o*n %assions and se9ual self' It advises us to become a*are of ourselves as individuals, our %assions, and our desiresJ it also advises us to learn to harness and direct our energies and enthusiasms to*ard something rather than 0ust letting them control us or en0oying them *ithout use' As a %erson the age of )ands has a firecrac&er %ersonality, enthusiastic, o%timistic, energetic, and bold, yet often so much that they cause trouble and start meta%horical firesI They start a number of ne* %ro0ects or %aths, and dro% them *hen their energy runs out or they have to %ut in hard *or&-they sometimes don5t understand ho* only energy and enthusiasm *on5t com%lete the tas&' )hile the age of )ands has many

great ideas, they rarely manifest them' They are also childli&e (or, negatively, childish$ and eager to try ne* things, but can also thro* tem%er tantrums if they don5t get their o*n *ay' They en0oy %laying 0o&es on %eo%le, and are fun-loving, but often at the e9%ense of others *ho get burned by the unbridled energy from this %erson' Knight of )ands: Air of 6ireE79%anding and 1olatiFing of 6ireE786 E (ham%ion Here is the .uest for thrills, the see&ing of adventure and danger, and the desire to %rove oneself, e9%eriment, and gain ne* e9%eriences' The Knight of )ands searches for these things not as ends in themselves but instead to get his latest buFF' This card re%resents fun, trying ne* things at least once (and some things more than onceI$ and e9%erimentation, %articularly *ith as%ects of the self, out*ard e9%ression of %ersonality, and se9uality' +any teenagers *ill e9%erience the Knight of )ands intimately, &no*ing him as their o*n need to e9%lore their se9uality, %ersonality, and %ersonal e9%ression through various means' This card grabs life by the horns, ta&ing every o%%ortunity that comes one5s *ay-regardless of *hether it seems li&e a good idea or notI If the o%%ortunity offers e9citement and fun, the Knight of )ands advises you to ta&e it, even if it is a little dangerous' 8egatively, ho*ever, this card5s thrillsee&ing a%%roach to life ma&es it %rone to being led do*n a dangerous %athluc&ily, a Knight of )ands %erson rarely has enough attention to remain on that %ath for longI As a %erson the Knight of )ands is eager to try anything ne*, a thrill-see&er and adventurer' The best *ay to get him to do something is to tell him he can5t or to dare him to' 79tremely sociable, the Knight of )ands can be the life and soul of a %arty or he can become a braggart, although his confidence shines through and he is more often than not an e9citing com%anion *ho *ill &ee% everybody on their toes' He loves telling stories (about himself$, and en0oys se9 of all &inds, though is often la9 in matters of %rotection and rational thoughtI The Knight of )ands rushes into a thing before realiFing it could be harmful, and once he does realiFe, he carries on out of arrogance or a desire for adventure' Hueen of )ands: )ater of 6ireE6luidity and (olor of 6ireEI86BE(ounselor The *atery %art of 6ire is the flo*ing, sensuous %art of the suit of )ands and all it re%resents' It is the nurturing of the self, the ego, and the %assions, as *ell as a channel through *hich these things can be e9%ressed and develo%ed' This is the %art of the self that &no*s ho* to a%%eal to others, ho* to face social grou%s, ho* to mani%ulate them into loving us, and *hich mas& to *ear at any given event' The Hueen of )ands often falls in a reading *hen the .uerent has issues or .uestions about their %hysical or social a%%earance and interactions, and it often advises that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can be e9%ressed through means other than a%%earance' The force of one5s %ersonality (charisma$ should shine through and s%ea& for itself, more so than a ne* hairdo or manicure' The Hueen of )ands also re%resents channels through *hich se9uality can be e9%ressed: the act of se9 itself, artistic renderings of beauty, aesthetic a%%reciation of the body, and the body5s movements in dance (*hich often mimic the act of se9$' It advises the .uerent to en0oy life as if it *ere a %arty, love and laugh often, and be o%en and free *ith one5s %ersonality, 0oy, and %assion' It also counsels us to come out of our shells, ta&e an active role in social interaction, become *armer and more sociable, and learn to ma&e the most of our best traits' As a %erson, the Hueen of )ands is charismatic, beautiful (though not necessarily %hysically$, sensual, and se9ual' She is *arm, often %laying the hostess or the desirable co.uette' She en0oys social encounters, %articularly %arties and dancing, and is .uite the social butterfly' At times she can become hedonistic, ho*ever, and

intimidating to those *ho are shy or nervous' 4ut at her best, she &no*s ho* to bring %eo%le out of their shells and ins%ire %assions of many &inds *ithin them' 1ivacious and confident, she is a 0oy to behold, and her %resence ma&es life that little bit brighter' King of )ands: 6ire of 6ireE-ightning 6lashE786BETeacher The brightest star in the cosmos, the flash of an e9%losion, and the glorious lightning flash racing across the s&y: the King of )ands is the finest e9am%le of charisma, 0oy, %assion, se9uality, and arrogance you *ill ever meet' Admired by many, his e9%loits are both daring and self-aggrandising, and he is hated by many as *ell' 4ut *hether he is loved or des%ised, he is al*ays res%ected' His social s&ills are incom%arable, his mastery and understanding of his self and se9ual %ro*ess un%aralleled, but he-li&e the Knight of )ands-en0oys danger for its o*n sa&e' He is a master charlatan, eager to be many things in his life *ithout the necessary re.uirements of dedication' This is not to say he is a 0ac& of all trades, ho*ever, for his %ro%ensity for mastering ne* s&ills and %ro0ects is brilliant, and indeed he e9cels at anything he attem%ts' The King of )ands often re%resents egoism, arrogance, %ride, individualism, overconfidence, and narcissism' Ho*ever, the King of )ands is alluring and intenseJ he advises the .uerent to live %assionately and *holeheartedly, act freely, and ta&e %ride in *hatever they do' The card also advises that admitting ignorance or ine9%erience at this time *ould be un*ise, and that the .uerent is more than ca%able of facing any situation thro*n at them' It may be time for the .uerent to be a little more selfish or confident in their o*n abilities' As a %erson, you can5t hel% but fall in love *ith the King of )ands' (harismatic, confident, active, and %o*erful, he ooFes %assion and se9uality' His energy is directed *holeheartedly into everything, although this can sometimes lead to burnout' His *ill is indomitable, his a%%etite for life never lac&ing and never satisfied' M 7C7,(IS7 :>'? /sing the above descri%tions (or any other meanings you have created yourself so far$, try to lin& each of the )ands (ourt (ards to a %erson you &no*-either in real life, or a character from film and literature' 7C7,(IS7 :>'> Imagine you are in a bar or club *ith the )ands (ourt' )hat are they doing; Ho* are they interacting *ith everybody and each other; )hat are they *earing; Ho* do you feel about them; 7C7,(IS7 :>'@ The above descri%tions give a lot of %ositive attributes of the cards' )hat negative attributes do you thin& each of the )ands (ourt (ards has; 2r conversely, *here negative attributes are given, ho* do you thin& these could become %ositive; ,emember these or *rite them in your Tarot 0ournal' =our ersonal Tarot (ourt The descri%tions and %revious e9%lanations of the (ourt (ards have demonstrated that these cards often indicate &inds of %eo%le or as%ects of somebody5s %ersonality, as *ell as *ays of a%%roaching a situation' /sing this &no*ledge, you can begin to develo% your o*n G ersonal Tarot (ourt,G vie*ing each card as a %art of our lifestyle, a%%roach, %hiloso%hy, and %ersonality' )here you have %roblems in a %articular area of life, *e can find out *hich (ourt (ard that area of life relates to and *or& *ith it to develo% a closer understanding of yourselves' 6rom this, you can create affirmations, rituals, and vision boards to create a %ersona you *ish to cultivate in a given situation, or a role you *ish to move into' The follo*ing e9ercises are merely suggestions, and

you should feel free to ada%t this information for your o*n %ur%oses or to better e9%ress your e9%eriences of each (ourt (ard and suit' 7C7,(IS7 :>'# In your Tarot 0ournal, ans*er the follo*ing .uestions about the (u%s (ourt, *hich re%resents emotions and our emotional selves' age of (u%s: The seat of your emotions' As& yourself *here the seat of your emotions is located in your life' )hat %art of your lifestyle do you attach the most emotion to; Ho* do you manifest your emotions; Knight of (u%s: The action of your emotions' Ho* do you out*ardly e9%ress your emotions; )hat use do you %ut them to; )hat are you searching for emotionally; Hueen of (u%s: The nurturing of your emotions' Ho* do you nurture and acce%t your emotional self; 3o you find channeling your emotions difficult, or do you find it easy to e9%ress them; King of (u%s: =our emotional strengths' )hat are your best emotional .ualities; )hat are the %ea& and strength of your emotional connections *ith other %eo%le; M 7C7,(IS7 :>'D In your Tarot 0ournal, ans*er the follo*ing .uestions about the (oins (ourt, *hich re%resents our %hysical reality' age of (oins: The foundations beneath you' Ho* do you lay do*n foundations or begin %ro0ects; Ho* stable are your foundations; Ho* do you a%%roach ne* beginnings; Knight of (oins: The a%%lication of s&ills' )hat s&ills and resources do you have; Ho* do you e9tend your s&ills and talents into your life and the lives of others; 3o you en0oy hard *or& or do you hide from it; Hueen of (oins: The nurturing of your %hysical life' Ho* do you a%%roach your diet and health; Is your environment a nurturing and healthy one for your body; King of (oins: The governing of the %hysical *orld' Ho* do you rule your life and organiFe it; Ho* do you rule your everyday activities; Are you a master of your environment; Are you in control of your daily life; Q 7C7,(IS7 :>'A In your Tarot 0ournal, ans*er the follo*ing .uestions about the S*ords (ourt, *hich re%resents our intellectual, mental, and communicative ca%acity' age of S*ords: The seat of ne* ideas' )here do you find your ideas; 6rom *hom or *hat do you learn; Ho* do you manifest your ideas into reality; Knight of S*ords: The %ursuit of &no*ledge' )here do you loo& for &no*ledge; Are you able to a%%ly your mind to gaining &no*ledge; 3o you thin& your mind is shar%; Ho* do you engage *ith your intellect; Hueen of S*ords: The communication of &no*ledge' Are you a good communicator; )hat do you have to say; )hat can you teach others; Ho* do you e9%ress your thoughts and ideas to others; King of S*ords: The action coming from &no*ledge' 3o you ta&e action on your thoughts and ideas; Ho* do your mind and intellectual understanding influence your actions; 3o you thin& before acting; Ho* do you %lan and strategiFe; Q 7C7,(IS7 I>'I" In your Tarot 0ournal, ans*er the follo*ing .uestions about the )ands (ourt, *hich re%resents our energy levels, %assions, ego, sense of self, and se9uality'

age of )ands: The foundation of the self' )hat is your sense of self or self%erce%tion founded u%on; Ho* do you 0udge your self-*orth; Ho* enthusiastic and energetic are you; )hat ins%ires you; Knight of )ands: The direction of energy' )here do you %ut most of your energy; )hat ma&es you %assionate; )hat %art of yourself do you *ish to develo% and see& a closer understanding of; Hueen of )ands: The nurturing of the %assions' Ho* do you nurture your %assions; Ho* do you channel and e9%ress to others your self and ego; Ho* do you share your %assions *ith others; Ho* do you engage *ith your se9ual self; King of )ands: The mastery of the self' Are you in control of your %assions, urges, and ego; Ho* do these things serve you; In *hat *ays could you gain control of yourself; 6rom these .uestions, you can create affirmations' 6or instance, if you have a 0ob intervie* coming u% and are *orried about being able to e9%ress your ideas to the intervie*er *ithout being nervous or forgetting something, you could loo& at the Hueen of S*ords and your ans*ers to the .uestions for that card, and create an affirmation for re%etition and meditation in the days before the intervie*: GI am a cool, confident communicator'G GI e9%ress my ideas clearly and efficiently'G An affirmation must be %ositive, em%o*ering the s%ea&er to ta&e action and effect change *ithin themselves and around them' Affirmations never use negative language' An e9am%le of a bad affirmation *ould be, GI am not scared'G This uses the negative affirmation and focuses the mind on the state of being scared' The subconscious is also notorious for missing the Gnot,G *hich translates the affirmation into GI am scaredGI A better affirmation *ould be, GI am courageous and brave,G or GI face challenges head on and overcome them'G Affirmations *or& best *hen formulated in the %resent tense: you must imagine that you are *hat you need to be no*, not tomorro* or ne9t year' GI *ill be a good communicatorG %uts the desired state into the future, ta&ing it a*ay from your current self' Since *e can only ever be our current selves, such an affirmation is useless' GI am a good communicatorG is better' Q 7C7,(IS7 I>'II Try creating some affirmations for each of the (ourt (ards, using not only the %revious descri%tions but also the ans*ers to the .uestions from the e9ercises' )hen you are a*are of ho* these affirmations can be created, and the as%ects of your life the (ourt (ards relate to, you can use them for %ersonal develo%ment *or& of all &inds' The %ossibilities are endlessI (ourt (ard 1ision 4oards A fun and re*arding e9ercise for learning about the (ourt (ards and yourself is to create a G1ision 4oardG for one or all of them' As *ith the e9ercises above, you can choose to focus on a single (ourt (ard that you feel either e9%resses you the most or that you feel relates to a %art of your life you *ould li&e to im%rove' 6or instance, if you felt that you *ere lac&ing creative ins%iration, you might *ish to create an affirmation for the age of (u%s, and as& yourself *hat ins%ires you' =ou could then create a GvisionG of yourself as you *ish to be, using the image of the age of (u%s as a starting %oint' 4egin by brainstorming some *ords that re%resent your vision for yourself, as *ell as any symbols or colors you feel e9%ress it' 8o*, using any artistic medium you choose-most %eo%le find collage is the best medium for this-create an image or %oster *ith this e9%ressed in visual form' =ou can have a co%y of the (ourt (ard you chose in the center of the image if you *ish, to act as a focal %oint, and it5s

good to have some of the associated affirmations *ritten on the finished %roduct' ut into the image all the %ictures, *ords, sni%%ets of %oetry, etc', that you can find that s%ea& to you of the vision you are creating' )hen you are finished, you *ill have a vision board' ut it u% *here you can see it every day or in the %lace that relates to your vision (office, study, bedroom, near a mirror, by your com%uter$, and loo& at it often' )henever you have need of that vision of yourself, recall in your mind the image you have created, and go over the associated affirmations in your head or out loud' This e9ercise is not only one of self-develo%ment: you can also use it to dee%en your understanding of the (ourt (ards themselves, and eventually you can create all si9teen cards as vision boards' 4y e9%ressing the card meanings as you see them, you are forcing yourself to thin& about them, %ut them into a symbolic language you understand, and %ut them onto something concrete' This is an e9cellent method of learning' And *ho &no*s, one day you may have the beginnings of your o*n Tarot dec&' The G)here Am I;G S%read ,emove the (ourt (ards from the rest of your Tarot dec& and set the others aside' S%lit these si9teen cards into four %iles according to their suit' =ou should have a %ile of (oins, (u%s, )ands, and S*ords' Shuffle each %ile se%arately and dra* one card from each' (oins: )here you are *ith your %hysical life and material reality (u%s: )here you are as an emotional being S*ords: )here you are as an intellectual, thin&ing being )ands: )here you are *ith your s%iritual life or self-a*areness =ou can also %erform this s%read from a different %ers%ective: (oins: )hat attitude you need to ta&e to your current %hysical reality and everyday life (u%s: )hat attitude you need to ta&e to your emotional and social situations S*ords: )hat attitude you need to ta&e to your intellect and communication )ands: )hat attitude you need to ta&e to your %assions and energy levels 2%tional Home*or& P (reate at least one vision board for a (ourt (ard of your choice' P erform the G)here Am l;G s%read for yourself andEor others' )hen you have dra*n all the cards, go bac& over the various systems for the (ourt (ards and descri%tions and ta&e note of *hat they say' 3o you feel this is accurate for you; P If you really *ant to come to gri%s *ith these cards, it is im%ortant that you ta&e a loo& at your o*n dec&5s (ourts, s%ecifically loo&ing at the images, colors, and symbols in each card' )hat %oses are the (ourt (ard characters in; )hat are they doing; )hat are they surrounded by; )hat environments are they in; )hat are they *earing; Go through each of the (ourt (ards in your dec& and note do*n meanings you get from the images'

+a&ing u% the largest contingent of the Tarot %ac&, the forty numbered cards of each suit run from Ace to ten, for e9am%le, 7ight of )ands' They are called G+inor ArcanaG or Glittle secrets,G and they e9%ress everyday situations, feelings, obstacles, and e9%eriences' +any %eo%le vie* the +inor Arcana cards as mundane in com%arison to the abstract, s%iritual +a0or Arcana, and therefore vie* them as less im%ortant' Ho*ever, as *e all &no*, the %hysical *orld and our everyday lives %lay such a large role in even the most abstract of s%iritual develo%ments, and one *ithout the other removes the %ur%ose of either' Try not to thin& of the +inor Arcana as sim%le or lesser cards than those *e have studied so far' =ou may find as you go through them that you remember some +inor Arcana meanings very .uic&ly and others 0ust don5t seem to stic& in your mind: this is li&ely due to your o*n e9%eriences informing your receiving of information' 6or instance, if you have e9%erienced a friendshi% li&e that of the T*o of (u%s, you are more li&ely to remember *hat it means and inter%ret it easily in a reading' There are t*o different &inds of +inor Arcana that a dec& can have: i%s and illustrated +inors' The i% +inors are little different from a standard %laying dec& in arrangement, bearing only the number of the symbols of that suit u%on it (li&e five s*ords$' The illustrated +inors bear full images of %eo%le underta&ing activities-the 6ive of S*ords in this case might de%ict men fighting for five s*ords' )hich style you choose is a %ersonal %reference, but you *ill find it easier to learn the card meanings if you have images in front of you to 0og your memory and ins%ire inter%retation' Ho*ever, if you feel the i% cards are for you, there are some boo&s available that loo& at the meanings of the +arseilles dec&-a traditional historical dec& from *hich the i% tradition comes' =ou can a%%roach the +inor Arcana in various *ays using different systems (much li&e the systems for the (ourt (ards$' These systems are all o%tional, but you might find that learning about them (even if you don5t learn them *ell$ aids you in remembering some of the card meanings or %erha%s suddenly for even a single reading that system seems to *or&' 3uring this lesson, *e *ill loo& at the +inor Arcana using 8umerology and Kabbalah, but you may find that the meanings you get using these systems are slightly different from those given for the cards themselves' =our %reference, as al*ays, is %aramount' In the ne9t lesson *e *ill e9%lore further the difference bet*een Thoth-ins%ired and ,ider-)aite-ins%ired meanings for the +inor Arcana' 8ames of Suits I have been using the titles of (u%s, (oins, )ands and S*ords throughout these lessons because they are some of the more commonly used titles' Ho*ever, you may have noticed that the suit names are different in your dec&' This is fine, and merely sho*s the individuality of dec& creators around the *orld' 7verybody *ill have %references for *hat they call the suits, and you may find that, li&e me, your main reading dec& has suit titles different to *hat you call them *hen you are doing a reading and s%ea&ing about them (my main reading dec&s use G entaclesG instead of G(oins,G for instance$' There are a number of different titles for each suit, including: (oins: entacles, 3is&s, Stars, 3iamonds, Acorns, 7arth (u%s: (halices, Grails, Heart, 4ells, )ater )ands: Staves, ,ods, Staffs, Stic&s, (lubs, 6ire S*ords: Knives, 3aggers, S%ades, Air

+any themed dec&s *ill rename the suits to better fit that theme, and thus in one Tarot dec& (the Hallo*een Tarot$, the suits are Ghosts, um%&ins, 4ats, and Im%sI It is *orth considering the names of each suit and *hat they symboliFe to you, since that can act as a clue to the concerns and nature of that suit' The 6our )orlds and the +inor Arcana +any fourfold systems of organiFing the universe have been attributed to the four suits of the Tarot: *e have already been using that of the four elements of 7arth, Air, 6ire, and )ater' Ho*ever, it is useful to be a*are of others, since they add to our understanding, and in %articular one system (that of Kabbalah$ can form the basis for the meanings *e choose to use for the cards' 4ased on a modern esoteric understanding of the four elements *e can lin& the suits to an area of human e9%erience and everyday life' )ands: The self, ego, se9uality, creative endeavors and energy (oins: The %hysical, body, money, and daily life S*ords: The mind, intellectual and communication (u%s: The heart and soul, emotions, social relationshi%s, and s%irituality In Kabbalah, the Be*ish system of mysticism that for many centuries has been used and studied by students of the )estern +ystery Tradition (*hich the Tarot also %layed a %art in$, the universe is organiFed into a diagram called the Tree of -ife' This tree is s%lit into four G*orldsG that relate to different stages of manifestation-beginning at the most unmanifest divine s%ar& and ending *ith s%irit in matter' These four *orlds are lin&ed to the suits of the Tarot thus: )ands: AtFiluth, 6ireJ the *orld of emanations, archety%al *orld (u%s: 4riah, )aterJ the *orld of creation, intuitive *orld S*ords: =etFirah, AirJ the *orld of forms and ideas, intellectual *orld (oins: Assiah, 7arthJ the *orld of action, %hysical *orld /sing this system, *e could vie* the suits not only as se%arate entities, but as continuations of each other, beginning *ith the initial creative force and energy in )ands, *hich finds form in the *ombli&e creative urge of the (u%s suit to bring something into being' The suit of S*ords re%resents the intellectual understanding of the %rocess and the %rocess of formation itself, and finally the suit of (oins sho*s the action that comes from this, and the material reality' The four *orlds associated *ith the suits also invite us to thin& of each number of the +inor Arcana as the same conce%t but on a different level: for instance, all the Aces can be considered the seeds of the suit, but %lanted in different *orlds' )e e9%lore this idea further in the follo*ing section' Kabbalah and the +inor Arcana The Tree of -ife (see A%%endi9 !: The Tree of -ife$ bears ten s%heres (se%hiroth$, each of them corres%onding to a manifestation of the 3ivine, for e9am%le 4inah, the Great +otherJ (hesed, the %o*er of +ercyJ and Ti%hereth, the solar %o*er of harmony' 7ach of these ten se%hiroth is attributed to the +inor Arcana from Ace to ten: all the Aces corres%ond to Kether, the first se%hiroth, and all the 6ives to Geburah, for instance' These se%hiroth bear their o*n associations' :' Kether, meaning G(ro*nG: the first emanation of s%iritJ 3ivine s%ar&, unity, the highest' !' (hoc&mah, meaning G)isdomG: the GmasculineG %rinci%le involved in creationJ it ta&es the ra* energy from Kerber and e9%ands it' 3ra*ing a %oint from : to ! *e get a line, so (hoc&mah is a reflection of Kether5s unity: the divine creative *ord'

<' 4inah, meaning G/nderstandingG: the GfeminineG %rinci%le of creationJ it gives form to the creative *ord and brings it to manifestation' ?' (hesed, meaning G+ercyG: the love that unites' 6rom it come all s%iritual virtues' >' Geburah, meaning GStrengthG: the energy that creates, the *ill of the universe acting through natural la*s' @' Ti%hereth, meaning G4eautyG: the harmony and fulcrum of the universe and its forces, it mediates the divine emanation from the other se%hiroth' #' 8etFach, meaning G1ictoryG: the emotions, intuition, and reflection' It %erceives and receives *ith a sense other than intelligence' D' Hod, meaning GS%lendorG: the intellect, giving meaning to thought through language' A' =esod, meaning G6oundationG: the %urifier of the emanations and connects the energy of the other se%hiroth to the lo*est s%here' :"' +al&uth, meaning GKingdomG: the %hysical *orld, stability' In Kabbalistic Tarot, all the Aces corres%ond to Kerber, all the T*os to (hoc&mah, all the Threes to 4inah, and so on' Thus each card of the same number has something in common *ith its fello*s' )e can use this to gain +inor Arcana meanings by uniting the .ualities to the se%hiroth *ith those of the four elements or the four *orlds of the Tree of -ife' 6or instance, the Si9 of (u%s *ould be Ti%hereth in )ater or Ti%hereth in 4riah: a harmoniFing of the emotions, and a mediator for the intuitive forces of creation' In many Golden 3a*n dec&s, you *ill find that the +inor Arcana (ards bear titles as *ell as suits and numbers: these titles are given to reflect the Kabbalistic corres%ondences of each card' If you *ant to use a Golden 3a*n dec& or a Thothbased dec&, I highly recommend you study the Kabbalistic Tarot thoroughly so that you can understand *hy the +inors have certain meanings' 4e a*are, ho*ever, that some of these meanings differ from the ,ider-)aite-based dec&s that don5t *or& *ith the Kabbalistic system' M 7C7,(IS7 :@': /sing the Kabbalistic associations for the elements, the four *orlds, and the se%hiroth, *rite do*n *hat you thin& the follo*ing +inor Arcana (ards could mean: P Ace of )ands (Kerber in 6ireEAtFiluth$ P Three of (oins (4inah in 7arthEAssiah$ P Si9 of S*ords (Ti%hereth in AirE=etFirah$ P 8ine of (u%s (=esod in )aterE4riah$ P Ten of (oins (+al&uth in 7arthEAssiah$ P T*o of )ands ((hoc&mah in 6ireEAtFiluth$ P 6ive of S*ords (Geburah in AirE=etFirah$ 3ue to the consecutive nature of the se%hiroth, the +inor Arcana in this system can be vie*ed as beginning at the Aces of each suit *ith a single, united seed or ra* s%ar& of the element and %rogressively e9%anding and dividing into more manifest forms of their suit' Kabbalah and the +a0or Arcana The +a0or Arcana also has Kabbalistic symbolism: the ten se%hiroth on the Tree of -ife are lin&ed to each other by t*enty-t*o %ath*ays (see A%%endi9 !: The Tree of -ife$' 7ach of these %ath*ays corres%onds to a letter of the Hebre* al%habet that bears its o*n meaningsJ these %ath*ays also sho* the e.uilibrium of t*o se%hiroth' Given that there are t*enty-t*o +a0or Arcana cards, it is not sur%rising that these t*o

systems have been 0oined together' A large number of modern dec&s ta&e ins%iration from the Kabbalistic associations of the +a0or Arcana, in %articular the Thoth and Golden 3a*n-based dec&s (*hich is *hy you *ill often see Hebre* letters on the cards$' )hile a study of the Kabbalistic associations of the +a0or Arcana is *orth*hile and highly recommended, there is no room here to give enough time and s%ace to itJ brief descri%tions *ould only serve to com%licate a beautiful system, since its %o*er is in its finer detail' I have therefore only mentioned it here so that you have a conce%t of the Kabbalistic Tarot as a coherent *hole' Ho*ever, *hile the Kabbalistic associations of the Tarot are useful for understanding the Tarot as a s%iritual and magical tool, they are not necessary if you *ish to use the cards for divination, fortune-telling, games, or results magic' Q 7C7,(IS7 :@'! If you are interested in the Kabbalistic symbolism of Tarot, chec& out the 6urther ,eading list at the end of this lesson and do some research to develo% your understanding' This is %articularly recommended if your chosen Tarot dec& is Thothor Golden 3a*n-based' I also recommend reading more about the +a0or Arcana associations *ith the Hebre* letters, as they are com%le9 and re*arding to study, highlighting the s%iritual and magical %ers%ective found *ithin the cards' 8umerology and the +inor Arcana In a similar system, 8umerology is used to give meaning to the +inor Arcana' -i&e the ten se%hiroth, the nine %rinci%al numbers and the number ten (the number of com%letion after the first nine$ are given attributes: :' 4eginnings, unity, leadershi%, individuality !' 3uality, %artnershi%, union <' (reativity, fertility, artistry, communication, interaction ?' +anifestation, foundation, stability >' (onflict, imbalance, testing, action @' Harmony, love, balance, reaction, flu9 #' S%irituality, a*areness, dreams, consciousness, thought D' o*er, sacrifice, re*ards A' (om%letion, 0oy, success, catharsis as *e move to*ard rebirth :"' ost-com%letion, the goal achieved, moving to*ard rebirth and a return to : (ou%ling these numerological attributes *ith those of the four elements, *e can create some useful and easy to remember +inor Arcana meanings' M 7C7,(IS7 :@'< /sing the numerological associations given above *ith those of the four elements for each of the suits, *rite do*n *hat you thin& each of the follo*ing cards could mean' P 6our of )ands P 6ive of (u%s P 8ine of S*ords P Ten of (oins P T*o of (u%s P 7ight of )ands The Suit of (oinsE7arth The follo*ing meanings are for ease of reference only' It is highly recommended that you develo% your o*n inter%retations through e9%erience, study, and intuition' =ou *ill find it easy to read the +inors if they have illustrations, as the images *ill give

you clues regarding their meaning' /se these as a basis for your inter%retations at first, and allo* &no*ledge and e9%erience to augment your intuitive res%onse to the images as you gro* in confidence' Ace of (oins The foundation of all material things, the seed *aiting to be %lanted' 8e* beginnings, ne* goals and material %ro0ects' 6rom tangible foundations come tangible results, and the Ace of (oins re%resents these: material comforts, money, good for tune, and recognition from friends are all indicated by this card' In a reading, the Ace of (oins indicates a fruitful time ahead for the .uerent, *here they can start %utting do*n the foundations for any endeavors they underta&e' T*o of (oins The %hysical e9change of money, trade, and favors is indicated by the duality of this suit of 7arth' It can also re%resent natural change and flu9 in the *orld around us, as *ell as the balance of our everyday lives and tas&s-not easy for many %eo%le *ho have families, careers, %ro0ects, s%iritual lives, and hobbies to fit into a single dayI 2ften the card of struggling students or single %arents, the T*o of (oins advises us to budget carefully and *al& the fine line bet*een feast and famine' Three of (oins Since three is the number of creativity and interaction, the Three of (oins is the creation of material *or&s through a%%lication of s&ills and understanding' The master craftsman com%letes his *or& and is %raised by friends and family' It5s time to %ut your s&ills and talents to good use' 6our of (oins The most material of the numbers in the suit of 7arth has both %ositive and negative connotations: it can be seen as the foundation of %o*er in the %hysical *orld, a consolidation and %rotection of one5s resourcesJ it can, ho*ever, also become greed and selfish acts, hoarding %ossessions for their o*n sa&e and refusing to share *ith others' Sometimes this card advises the .uerent to save for a rainy day and be frugal' 6ive of (oins An imbalance occurs after the balance of a foundation has been formed, and in this case money and similar issues of our daily lives are suddenly *rong and moving in the *rong direction' 6inancial *orries, monetary loss, and %oor %hysical health are indicated by this card, as *ell as isolation from others due to these %roblems' Si9 of (oins The number of mediation ensures that the associations of the suit of (oins flo* in the right direction' Success in an endeavor is indicated by this card, and re*ards given for good efforts' Human morality and 0ustice systems can also be seen here, and acts of charity and generosity are indicated' The .uerent is advised that their actions have very real effects and that they *ill receive energies and results bac& accordingly' Seven of (oins Some %ro0ects ta&e time, %atience, and a gentle touch, 0ust as gro*ing %lants does' )hen the seeds have been %lanted, the %lants must be *atered regularly, tended, *eeded, sometimes trimmed, %rotected from slugs, and finally-after many monthsthey are fully gro*n' The Seven of (oins reminds us that the effort *e %ut into the %resent may not have results for many months or years to come, and that *e should a%%roach any situation *ith %atience and care' 7ight of (oins

)hereas the Three of (oins is the +aster (raftsman, here *e have the a%%rentice' The learning of ne* s&ills and talents is %redicted by this card, and the .uerent is advised to see& out ne* *ays of %utting their natural abilities to *or&' erha%s it5s time to see& a ne* %rofession, %ic& u% a ne* language, or learn ho* to coo& Italian; This card also s%ea&s of learning from a teacher or master, and of being %re%ared to %ut effort into something to ma&e it *or&' 8ine of (oins )hen the hard *or& has been %ut into a %ro0ect, you5ll eventually com%lete it' The moment of com%letion is all yours, and you can en0oy it as a result of your labor' This card re%resents all self-made men and *omen, including %eo%le *ho set u% their o*n businesses' Here is the .uerent %utting in the effort on their o*n, *ithout the need for anybody else, and en0oying the re*ards at the end' Ten of (oins 2ur %hysical environment and the seat of our *ealth can be found in this card: our homes, our *or&%laces, our immediate family' The Ten of (oins also re%resents inheritances, *hether they are monetary or through genes, and the conce%t of the nuclear family' ,es%ect for elders, tradition, and comfort are indicated, and the .uerent is reminded that their immediate surroundings have an effect on other %arts of their life' Q H/7STI28S 62, B2/,8A-I8G Ans*er the follo*ing .uestions in your Tarot 0ournal' P )hat is your immediate environment (or the environment you s%end most of your time in$ li&e; Is it comfortable; 3oes it %romote a healthy body; (Ten of (oins$ P 3o you &no* of any figures (fictional, historical, or %ersonal ac.uaintances$ that could be described as Gself-madeG or self-reliant; )hat have they done to become that; (8ine of (oins$ P )hat ne* s&ills *ould you li&e to learn, and *here *ould they lead you; (7ight of (oins$ P )hat have you e9%erienced that didn5t come to fruition for a long time; Ho* did it feel; 3id you feel li&e it *as hard *or& all the *ay through; (Seven of (oins$ P )hat role does morality %lay in your life; Ho* do you feel society re*ards and %unishes; (Si9 of (oins$ P )hat can cause financial difficulties; Ho* do *orries in daily life come about; (6ive of (oins$ P 3o you consider yourself frugal; Greedy; Selfish; Ho* do you save money; In *hat *ay do you consolidate your %ersonal %o*er; (6our of (oins$ P )hat %ro0ects have you com%leted in the material *orld; )hat great art*or& have you underta&en; 3o you thin& you *ill create a +agnum 2%us later in life, and if so, *hat *ould it be; (Three of (oins$ P Ho* do you %lan your everyday life; Are you a careful %lanner, or do you al*ays feel lost and unbalanced; )hat are your main %riorities, and ho* do you 0uggle them; (T*o of (oins$ P )hat do you feel is your most stable foundation at this time; (Ace of (oins$ The ,esources S%read This s%read highlights the resources that the .uerent can use-either for a s%ecific %ur%ose or in general life' It is ins%ired by the conce%t of the 6our of (oins, in %articular the Thoth dec& image, *hich de%icts four to*ers at each corner of a mighty

fortress' The 6our of (oins raises .uestions about ho* *e use or abuse our resources, and *here our %o*er lies' (ard :' 7arth: )hat %hysical resources do I have at my dis%osal; (ard !' Ho* can I best use these %hysical resources; (ard <' Air: )hat intellectual resources do I %ossess;

,esources S%read (ard ?' Ho* can I best use these intellectual resources; (ard >' 6ire: )hat %arts of my %ersonality and self can be used to em%o*er myself; (ard @' Ho* do I best use my %ersonal resources; (ard #' )ater: )hat emotional resources can I call u%on at this time; (ard D' Ho* can I best use these emotional resources; 2%tional Home*or& P 4efore moving into the ne9t lesson, loo& through the +a0or Arcana and identify any cu%s or similar vessels that you can find' 8ote *hich cards they a%%ear on and &ee% this *ith you *hen you do the ne9t lesson' P erform the ,esources s%read for yourself andEor others' At this stage, you should be familiar *ith many of the cards: you are *elcome to refer bac& to card meanings in this boo& if you are unsure, but try to let yourself find the meaning through loo&ing at the symbolism in the cards and follo*ing your intuition' At this stage, you should also be accustomed to lin&ing the card meanings to the .uestion and to other cards in the s%read' P )rite Tarot 0ournal entries for at least three of the cards from the (oins suit' 3on5t forget to use some of the e9ercises from %revious lessons to a%%roach them, including 79ercises !'? and !'>' 6urther ,eading +ystical Habalah, by 3ion 6ortune, is an e9cellent analysis of the ten se%hiroth and their many as%ects'

-iving the Tarot, by Amber Bayanti' Throughout the boo&, the author a%%lies the Hebre* letters to each +a0or Arcana card, and gives a non-Kabbalistic analysis of their significance in the Tarot' The (om%lete Idiots Guide to 8umerology, by Kay -ager.uist and -isa -enard' 8umerology: Key to the Tarot, by Konrad Sandoor' Kabbalistic Tarot: Hebraic )isdom in the +a0or and +inor Arcana, by 3ovid Krafcho*, is more com%le9 than beginner5s boo&s, but goes into great de%th and is *ell *orth the effort' Tarot and the Tree of -ife: 6inding 7veryday )isdom in the +inor Arcana, by Isabel Kliegman, is an e9cellent Kabbalistic analysis of the +inor Arcana and (ourt (ards' Highly recommended and easily a%%roachable'

In this lesson, *e e9amine the suit of (u%s, and also loo& at some of the methods you can use to learn the +inor Arcana, develo% a dee%er understanding of these Glittle mysteries,G and inter%ret them intuitively in a reading' ,ider-)aite and Thoth +eanings: Some 3ifferences If you o*n a number of dec&s, you may have noticed that the +inor Arcana have very distinctive differences both in de%iction and meaning' 6or instance, *hereas the Seven of (u%s in the ,ider-)aite tradition has the image of a man dreaming of %ossibilities and fantastical adventures, the Thoth tradition gives the card the title G3ebauch'G This *ill only cause you %roblems *hen you are accustomed to one tradition and decide to try a dec& from the other tradition-you may find your intuition confused by the differing messages coming from *hat you have already learned and e9%erienced, and the images and card titles before you' The meanings used in this boo& are mostly ,ider-)aite-based, but my o*n e9%erience has also included the Thoth tradition and therefore some of the card meanings are a mi9 of the t*o *here a%%ro%riate' =ou *ill find it *orth*hile to study both traditions, as the more ins%iration you get for the card meanings, the more easily your intuition and memory *ill su%%ly you *ith accurate inter%retations of the cards in a reading' =ou can find ,ider-)aite-based meanings in most introductory Tarot boo&s, since the ,ider-)aite tradition is one of the easiest to learn' See the 6urther ,eading list at the end of this lesson for some recommendations' The Thoth tradition has some s%ecific boo&s that cater to it, usually studying the Thoth dec& alone' Again, the 6urther ,eading list can %ut you on the right trac&' Q 7C7,(IS7 :#': ,ead some meanings for the +inor Arcana in the Thoth-tradition from one of the boo&s recommended' (om%are these to those you have learned here and in other introductory Tarot boo&s' 3o they conflict; Are they com%lementary; Are they very similar; )hich do you %refer; )here they conflict or are slightly different, do you thin& you could find a *ay of mi9ing the t*o;

Inter%reting the +inors-+ethods of A%%roach =ou may feel that you need to learn by heart everything in these lessons in order to inter%ret the cards' Ho*ever, don5t forget *hat *e learned in -esson ? (GIntuition and the TarotGJ G3evelo%ing =our IntuitionG$' There are many *ays that you can read the cards *here they fall in a reading, and you *ill eventually discover *hich ones *or& best for you' Say )hat =ou See Sometimes the easiest method of inter%retation is to say *hat you see in the card images' As& yourself *hat each of the characters in the card is doing, ho* they are dressed, *hat their facial e9%ressions suggest about their character, and *hat environment they are in' articularly *ith the +inor Arcana, you *ill find that the intended card meanings have been e9%ressed through very sim%le symbolism or imagery: for instance, generosity is e9%ressed through the image of somebody giving coins to beggars' Symbolism As *ell as loo&ing at the *hole image, try see&ing out the symbolism in the cards' Instead of seeing a s*ord and considering it to be a sim%le re%resentation of the suit of S*ords, %erha%s as& yourself *hat that s*ord symboliFes' Although the stars on a card may suggest nighttime, *hat else can they re%resent symbolically; Try to vie* every image on the card as %ossibly having more than one meaning and you may discover layers of symbolism you *ould %reviously have ta&en for granted or missed' /sing a System Some of the systems *e have e9%lored and *ill e9%lore in the u%coming lessons %rovide frame*or&s *ithin *hich you can calculate card meanings, regardless of card image or intuition' )hile this may seem li&e bad %ractice at first, it can also act as a useful bac&u% for those moments *hen your intuition isn5t forthcoming, or the image isn5t saying anything to you' =ou *ill find that you have to ta&e a considerable amount of time to gras% some of the systems (li&e the Schemhame%horesch, *hich *e *ill e9%lore later$, and may have to refer bac& to a boo& *hile you5re still learning, but you *ill eventually remember the system and associations through %ractice' 79%erience 2ne of the best *ays to inter%ret the +inor Arcana (ards is to develo% a relationshi% *ith them through e9%erience' =our aim is to have, *hen you see a single card, a mindsca%e of associations a%%ear in your mind5s eye' )hen you see the 6ive of (oins, you *ill not only see the boo& meanings you may have learned, you *ill also see the systems you &no*, other images of the same card from different dec&s, that %aragra%h in a boo& you read that reminded you of the card, a film character you associated *ith the card, and more' All of these memories and e9%eriences of that card serve as ins%iration for your inter%retation, and give you a varied and diverse understanding of it' It also allo*s you to bring the card5s meaning into your real*orld e9%erience, causing you to remember it easily' M 7C7,(IS7 :#'! 6or the follo*ing cards, use t*o or more of the above a%%roaches and *rite do*n some of the inter%retations that come to mind' (om%are the results you get from each a%%roach' 3id one a%%roach ins%ire you more; Give you greater ins%iration; Seem easier; 3id you get the same results or very different; P 6ive of )ands P 8ine of S*ords P Ten of (u%s

P Three of S*ords P 6our of )ands P Ace of (oins +a0or Arcana, (ourt (ards, and +inor Arcana: 2ne 4ig Ha%%y 6amily )e should be a*are that the cards in the Tarot %ac& are not 0ust individual, se%arate entities: they have lin&s *ith each other' In %articular, the +inor Arcana can lin& to the +a0ors and the (ourts through numerology and imagery' 7very +a0or Arcana has a number, and these can be lin&ed to the numbers of +inors, for instance: P The four Aces are associated *ith I The +agician, C The )heel, and CIC The Sun' P The four T*os are associated *ith II The High riestess, CI Bustice, and CC Budgement' P The four Threes are associated *ith III The 7m%ress, CII The Hanged +an, CCI The )orld, and all the Hueens' P The four 6ours are associated *ith I1 The 7m%eror, CIII 3eath, and all the Kings' P The four 6ives are associated *ith 1 The Hiero%hant and CI1 Tem%erance' P The four Si9es are associated *ith 1I The -overs and C1 The 3evil' P The four Sevens are associated *ith 1II The (hariot and C1I The To*er' P The four 7ights are associated *ith 1III Strength and C1II The Star' P The four 8ines are associated *ith IC The Hermit and C1III The +oon' P The four Tens are associated *ith C The )heel of 6ortune and CIC The Sun' There are a number of *ays you can use these associations' =ou can vie* the +a0or Arcana (ards as an e9%ression of the same conce%ts found in their corres%onding +inor Arcana (ards, but on a more universal or abstract level, *ith the +inors bringing those conce%ts into an everyday conte9t' They are also useful mnemonic techni.ues for 0ogging your memory and ins%iration *ith the +inors during a reading: *hen you are already familiar *ith the easily readable and evocative +a0or Arcana (ards corres%onding to them, you *ill remember *hat ma0or themes are associated' P Aces (+agician, )heel, Sun$: 3ivine s%ar&, *ill, individuality, ego P T*os (High riestess, 0ustice, 0udgement$: 3uality, balance, e.uilibrium P Threes (7m%ress, Hanged +an, )orld$: 4irth, creation, rece%tivity P 6ours (7m%eror, 3eath$: 8ecessity, stability, activity P 6ives (Hiero%hant, Tem%erance$: S%irit in matter, duality imbalance and rebalance P Si9es (-overs, 3evil$: Interaction, love, res%onsibilities P Sevens ((hariot, To*er$: +ovement, advance, destruction P 7ights (Strength, Star$: 1ictory, ho%e, overcoming P 8ines (Hermit, +oon$: Solitary, *isdom, secrecy P Tens ()heel, Sun$: (om%letion, return, cycles M 7C7,(IS7 :#'< )ith the suit of (oins, *hich you are already familiar *ith, go through each card from Ace to ten and com%are each one *ith its associated +a0or Arcana (ards, considering s%ecifically some of the meanings and inter%retations you already have through the +inors (either from the boo& or else*here, such as your Tarot 0ournal$' Try also to loo& for shared symbols or recurring images-these may hint at im%ortant themes' As& yourself ho* the +a0or Arcana e9%resses the themes on a cosmic level com%ared to the +inor Arcana5s everyday level'

Another *ay of dra*ing lin&s bet*een the different cards of the Tarot %ac& is through shared symbolism' ,egardless of number, you may find that a +inor Arcana (ards contains an image that you recall from a +a0or Arcana (ards' This suggests a common conce%t, idea, or %ers%ective bet*een the t*o cards and can lead you to similar inter%retations and ins%iration as above' This techni.ue can also be used bet*een +inor Arcana (ards, or bet*een +inors and (ourts, or +a0ors and (ourts' 7C7,(IS7 :#'? /sing the follo*ing symbols, one by one, go through your dec& and %ull out all the cards bearing that symbol' 8ote them do*n and study them, as&ing yourself *hat they share and *hy' P Stars P +oon P (hildren P 4oat P 8ighttimeEdar&ness P (ube P 6ish This is also a method you can use during your readings to add another level of inter%retation, and allo* you to see the reading as a coherent *hole %ainting a %icture, rather than individual cards commenting on a different story entirely' The Suit of (u%sE)ater The suit of (u%s is associated *ith the element of )ater, and therefore our emotional selves and ability to feel, receive, %erceive, and create' It sho*s us as social creatures that can be affected by the actions and *ords of others, and as beings in a constant state of flu9' This suit also as&s us .uestions about ho* *e channel our emotions, ho* *e e9%ress our feelings, and ho* *e nurture ourselves s%iritually' )hereas the suit of (oins deals %redominantly *ith e9ternal events or *or&s, the suit of (u%s focuses on our assimilation of events on an inner level' M 7C7,(IS7 :#'> If you com%leted last lesson5s 2%tional Home*or&, you should have gone through your dec& and noted *hich cards bear cu%s or similar vessels on them' Kno*ing *hat the suit of (u%s can relate to, *hat do you thin& the %resence of such vessels in other cards signifies; Ho* are the energies of the (u%s suit e9%ressed in these cards; Ace of (u%s The image of a single cu%, held aloft or glorified in a beautiful setting, brings to mind the Holy Grail, a symbol of s%iritual attainment and union *ith God' It reminds us of the (atholic 7ucharist-the cu% bearing the blood of (hrist-and of the e9%erience of s%iritual union *ith a higher %o*er' Here is love in its highest, %urest form: com%assion and s%iritual love' The Ace of (u%s re%resents the realiFation of the love for something beyond us as the love of All, and in this realiFation comes utter 0oy, bliss, and ecstasy' In this card, the 0oy is so great that *e may feel li&e vessels that cannot contain it all com%letely, and let it flo* out into the *orld' T*o of (u%s If cu%s are sometimes a symbol of the vessel for the soul, of our emotional selves, then t*o cu%s coming together re%resents a 0oining of t*o hearts' This is %robably not limited to a se9ual union, but instead indicates a relationshi% bet*een friends that is so strong it can move mountains' The bonds of friendshi% are healing ones, nurturing

ones, and su%%ortive ones, and as such the T*o of (u%s can re%resent the mutual su%%ort bet*een t*o %eo%le' Three of (u%s -i&e the Three of (oins, the Three of (u%s-numerologically s%ea&ing-relates to something manifesting' In this case, the manifestation is an emotional one that suggests the .uerent has a cause to celebrate a ha%%y event in their lives' 6amily reunions, %arties *ith friends, anniversaries, *eddings, baby sho*ers, and more are all re%resented in this card' The Three of (u%s sho*s us the many *ays in *hich *e create ceremonies, rituals, %arties, or traditions to celebrate things that give us 0oy' In an advisory %osition, this card often advises the .uerent to be more sociable and carefree' 6our of (u%s 6our, the number of solidity, manifestation and 7arth does not al*ays react *ell *ith )ater' The t*o elements create mud, and still *ater becomes stagnant' )hen our emotions and feelings are not allo*ed to flo*, or become stuc& on one thing, *e can become disa%%ointed, disillusioned, and des%ondent' In the 6our of (u%s, *e see boredom and dissatisfaction *ith one5s life, but *e also see this in the midst of great o%%ortunity and lu9ury' Sometimes *e become blinded by our o*n stagnation so *e cannot see the beauty of life around us, and sabotage our o*n *ell-being' 6ive of (u%s The 6ives bring imbalance to the stability of the 6ours, and *ith imbalances come loss, des%air, bitterness, and disa%%ointment' The 6ive of (u%s re%resents the grief and mourning %eriod *e feel *hen *e lose something or somebody, *hether that is a friend, loved one, state of affairs, 0ob, or sense of self' )ith every stage of transition comes a loss, and therefore a customary grieving %eriod' Ho*ever the 6ive of (u%s suggests that this %eriod may last over-long, ta&ing over the .uerent5s life and mind and blinding them to any %ossibility of life beyond loss' G(rying over s%illed mil&G is an a%t %hrase for this card' Si9 of (u%s All the fond memories and nostalgic feelings *e harbor are found in the Si9 of (u%s' The childish %leasures, innocent dreams, and the *ay *e *ere in younger daysvie*ed, of course, through rose-tinted glasses-can be a %leasant *ay of reminding ourselves of the sim%ler 0oys of life' This card re%resents a sim%le, unsullied %ers%ective on the *orld li&e that of a curious child *ith eager e9%ectations' 4ut it can also *arn us that d*elling on the %ast %revents us from living in the %resent and sha%ing our futures, and thus nostalgia must remain a mere %astime' Seven of (u%s In this card, *e see our *ildest dreams, our most fervent fantasies and desired *ishes' In the Seven of (u%s, *e build our castles in the air, dreaming u% entire universes *ith our imagination' 6rom this fecund faculty *e can choose a number of %ossibilities for %aths *e might *ish to %ursue, and thus this card can re%resent the nature of %ossibility and the choice *e must ma&e bet*een o%tions' Ho*ever, the nature of the imagination is such that the Seven of (u%s advises us to be careful *ith our choice: things aren5t al*ays as they seem' 2ur mind is masterful at du%licitous re%resentations, and *ith only a little change here or an airbrushing there you *ill %erceive something very different from reality' Here are the smo&e and the mirror' 7ight of (u%s Sometimes everything becomes 0ust too much for us and *e no longer *ish to be on our current %ath' )e dro% everything, sigh dee%ly, and sim%ly *al& a*ay' The 7ight

of (u%s de%icts the letting go of a %art of ourselves or our lives that is no longer useful to us, and moving on to %ursue more useful or interesting avenues' 2ften this manifests in a s%iritual or emotional *ay: it can indicate leaving a %artner, traveling to gain *isdom, or an alluring s%iritual %ath not ta&en' If negative, the 7ight of (u%s can also re%resent abandonment-%articularly of an emotional nature-and a need for esca%e that *ill not address the %roblem' 8ine of (u%s )hile the 8ines are all nearing com%letion and fulfilment, they are not .uite there yetI 8evertheless, they re%resent the feeling you get *hen you can see the finish line and you5re nearly there: 0oy, ha%%iness, laughter' The 8ine of (u%s re%resents all &inds of fun, and %articularly advises the .uerent to engage in life fully, laughing all the *ay' -aughter is, after all, the best medicine' This is the card of ending a long day, &ic&ing bac& on the sofa *ith a glass of your favorite beverage, breathing dee%ly and feeling e9tremely ha%%y *ith yourself' Ho*ever, it can also re%resent too much of a good thing: too much rela9ation can lead to failure in other areas of lifeJ too many favorite beverages can lead to drun&ennessI Ten of (u%s Sometimes, life really is this good' )hereas the Ten of (oins re%resents the family given to us by birth and blood, and our immediate environment, the Ten of (u%s re%resents the family *e choose and surround ourselves *ith' It is sometimes said that the modern family is made u% of friends rather than relatives, and certainly the Ten of (u%s su%%orts this' The com%lete fulfillment and ha%%iness, stability and safety of your closest friends, and the %ath you choose to *al&, are the fuel for your 0oy' The Ten of (u%s is also the fabled Gha%%y endingG that ma&es a sim%le story into a fairy tale' If the reading is about a relationshi%, the Ten of (u%s is one of the best cards that can a%%ear-it suggests the relationshi% is true, strong, based on trust, affection, love, and shared 0oy' Any endeavors or %ro0ects under this card are aus%icious, and *ill lead to a ha%%y conclusion' Q H/7STI28S 62, B2/,8A-I8G Ans*er the follo*ing .uestions in your Tarot 0ournal' P Ho* have you e9%erienced com%assion, to*ard others or yourself; (Ace of (u%s$ P (an you thin& of a %erson in your life *ho is a true friend; (T*o of (u%s$ P Ho* do you act at social gatherings; Are you o%en and easygoing; 2r do you feel nervous and closed; (Three of (u%s$ P )hat do you do *hen you are bored; Ho* do you act *hen you are stuc& in a rut; (6our of (u%s$ P )hat *ere you last disa%%ointed *ith; Ho* have you e9%erienced grief and loss; (6ive of (u%s$ P )hat is your fondest memory; Are you often nostalgic; (Si9 of (u%s$ P )hat are some of your dreams and fantasies, no matter ho* unrealistic; 3o you thin& any of them could ever be achieved; (Seven of (u%s$ P )hen you move onto something ne*, have you com%leted *hat you *ere doing first; Have you ever run a*ay from something; Have you been on a s%iritual 0ourney or %ilgrimage; (7ight of (u%s$ P )hat *as the last thing that made you laugh; )hat do you find funny; Ho* do you en0oy your free time; (8ine of (u%s$ P )ho is your chosen family; Ho* do they ma&e you feel secure; (Ten of (u%s$ A ,elationshi% S%read

Issues of love, romance, and friendshi% are some of the most commonly e9amined areas of life in a Tarot reading' 2ur emotional lives have the ability to affect so many other %arts of life, even do*n to our health and life e9%ectancy, that it should come as no sur%rise that they also %lay an im%ortant role in most .uestions as&ed of a Tarot reader' The follo*ing s%read can be a%%lied to most relationshi%s, *hether they are romantic or 0ust %latonic, and should hel% to assess *hat both %eo%le *ant from the relationshi%, ho* they feel, and *here the relationshi% is going' (ard :' The nature of the relationshi% in the ast (ard !' The nature of the relationshi% in the resent (ard <' )hat the .uerent needs from the relationshi% at this time (ard ?' )hat the %artner needs from the relationshi% at this time

(ard >' )hat the .uerent brings to the relationshi% (ard @' )hat the %artner brings to the relationshi% (ard #' The strengths of the relationshi% (ard D' The areas that the relationshi% needs strengthening in (ard A' The direction of the relationshi% in the 6uture 2%tional Home*or& P (hoose at least three cards from the (u%s suit and a%%ly a myth, story, fairy tale, or film sectionEcharacter to each of them' articularly focus on things that you thin&

demonstrate the meanings of the cards you have chosen, rather than choosing them sim%ly because the imagery is similar' )hen you can relate the meanings to something you are already familiar *ith, you5ll find further ins%iration for inter%retation' P erform the ,elationshi% S%read above for yourself or a friend' If the relationshi% bet*een the t*o %eo%le is %articularly strong, you might *ish to %erform the s%read for them together, so that you can facilitate discussion' P )rite a Tarot 0ournal entry for at least t*o of the cards from the (u%s suit, using 79ercises !'? and !'>' 6urther ,eading !: )ays to ,ead a Tarot (ard, by +ary K' Greer, is an e9cellent loo& at the various a%%roaches you can ta&e to the cards, including the +inor Arcana' Aids in inter%retation' /nderstanding Aleister (ro*ley5s Thoth Tarot, by -on +ilo 3uHuette, is a great guide to the Thoth Tarot meanings, *hich have given rise to many other dec&s that have retained the same meanings' /seful for com%arison bet*een Thothbased and ,ider-)aite-based dec&s' The ictorial Key to the Tarot, by Arthur 7d*ard )aite, *as *ritten by the designer of the ,ider-)aite Tarot' /seful for understanding the highly influential ,ider)aite tradition of meanings, and for com%aring this *ith the Thoth tradition' The /nderground Stream: 7soteric Tarot ,evealed, by (hristine ayne-To*ler, is an e9%loration of the historical and esoteric systems associated *ith the Tarot' /seful for loo&ing at different *ays to a%%roach the cards'

In this lesson, *e continue our study of the +inor Arcana *ith the suit of S*ords' )e5ll e9amine one of the more com%le9 systems of attributes for the +inor Arcanathe Schemhame%horesch-as *ell as loo&ing at some of the academic research on the Tarot, in &ee%ing *ith the theme of S*ords: the mind, intellect, and communication' Intellectual Tarot 6or many %eo%le, to believe in the Tarot is to be illogical and silly' Ho*ever, a great number of highly intelligent %eo%le use and study the Tarot from a variety of %ers%ectives, and many of them a%%ly their &een minds to the academic study of ho* it *or&s, *hy it *or&s, and its history and symbolism' The Tarot is not 0ust a solid %ac& of cards that one learns ho* to use and believes in-it is also a conce%t that is ever-changing as ne* theories and research come to light' The research on it is 0ust as e9citing and cutting-edge as in any other intellectual arena, and it is good to remain u%-to-date *ith some of it if you *ant to understand the Tarot from a %ers%ective beyond sim%ly GIt *or&s, I use it'G The Association for Tarot Studies )ebsite: htt%:EEassociation' tarotstudies' orgE

This *eb-based center for Tarot research has been running since !""!, sustained and masterminded by Bean-+ichel 3avid, a foremost %layer in the current Tarot research climate' The *ebsite has its o*n ne*sletter that is released every month, and al*ays features an original, insightful, and *ell-researched article' revious articles have included G8otes on the /se of Indirect Suggestion in Tarot ,eadings,G by 7nri.ue 7nri.ueF, G etrarch5s Trium%hs and the (reation of Tarot,G by ,obert +ealing, and GThe I-(hing and the i% (ards of the Tarot,G by Bean-+ichel 3avid' The sub0ects covered range from cutting-edge history to analysis of the cards and methods of reading' The ne*sletter is free and ma&es e9cellent reading' The *ebsite also has lin&s to a number of Tarot resources, including forums, courses, lin&s to organiFations, and event listings' 4oo&s +any boo&s on Tarot sur%ass the introductory stages and are aimed at more e9%erienced readers and those *ith an academic interest' Such boo&s are useful as they develo% our o*n ideas and ma&e us a*are of a great number of different *ays of a%%roaching the Tarot as a %henomenon or conce%t' Some recommended boo&s can be found in the 6urther ,eading at the end of this lesson' Sources of the ,ider)aite Tarot Symbols )ebsite: htt%:EE***'tarot%assages'comEold moonstruc&EoneillE (ollected and researched by ,obert 258eill, this *ebsite is an e9cellent *ay of finding out *here the symbols in the familiar ,ider-)aite Tarot %ac& come from' 8ot only are *e told *hich older dec&s )aite too& the ins%iration for his dec& from, but much of the symbolism is elucidated and e9%lained to allo* for inter%retation, but *ith a*areness of the historical conte9t' 3r' ,obert 1' 258eill Tarot -ibrary )ebsite' htt%:EE***' tarot' comEabout-tarotElibraryEboneillE Another collection of *or& by ,obert 258eill, this *ebsite gives thorough e9%lanations of some of the earliest Tarot images and symbols, and uses them as a basis for inter%retation' /seful for a*areness of historical conte9t, and it can also e9%lain some of the modern card images as *ell' The *ebsite goes on to e9amine the historical develo%ment of the occult and magical Tarot, Tarot and its %ossible lin& to the (athars, and other influences u%on the Tarot5s develo%ment' 79tremely interesting reading' 6orums There are some *eb forums that %articularly focus on an intellectual understanding of the Tarot and its symbolism, %articularly from a historical %ers%ective: P htt%:EEforum'tarothistory'comE-Tarot history forum' P htt%:EE***'aeclectic'netE-Has a Tarot history and iconogra%hy forum' P htt%:EE***'tarotl-home'elysium'com'arE-Tarot -5s forum, *hile also including room for beginners and the %ractical use of the Tarot, encourages scholarly and academic a%%roaches to the cards' M 7C7,(IS7 :D': If you have access to the Internet, ta&e a loo& at the Sources of the )aiteE Smith Tarot Symbols *ebsite, and the Iconology sections of the 3r' ,obert 1' 258eill Tarot -ibrary' (om%are the e9%lanations of symbols on these sites to the symbols you have in your %ac& of cards' 3oes your dec& have any of the symbols mentioned; 3o you feel you can a%%ly the research to these symbols in a *ay that im%roves your understanding of the cards; Ho* does this affect your inter%retation of each card;

M 7C7,(IS7 :D'! In the bac& of your Tarot 0ournal, start &ee%ing a bibliogra%hy of the boo&s, articles, or magaFines that you have read to aid you in your Tarot studies, even if they are not directly Tarot-related' 6or instance, if you read (hocolat, by Boanne Harris, it may have ins%ired you to higher understanding of the nature of intuition' This should be recorded, *ith a .uic& note ne9t to it of ho* it hel%ed you, so that later you can loo& bac& at your 0ourney of discovery, retrace your ste%s, or recommend boo&s to others' The Suit of S*ordsEAir The suit of S*ords is commonly associated *ith the element of Air, the element of the human mind, %o*ers of com%rehension, and ability to communicate' Thus in the S*ords cards *e often see the *ays in *hich *e a%%roach everyday events from an intellectual %ers%ective, or ho* *e begin to ma&e sense of things logically' These cards often also deal *ith the %rocess of discovery, research, .uestioning, and the a%%lication of logic to find a solution' Ho*ever, due to the nature of s*ords many of these cards also demonstrate conflict bet*een %eo%le or conclusions' Ace of S*ords This card is the a%%lication of mental ca%ability in its %urest form: logic, %hiloso%hy, &no*ledge, and science' 4attles of *ord and *it rather than s*ord against shield are sho*n here, and *ith this card any debates or thoughts that occur ta&e %lace under the eyes of So%hia, Goddess of )isdom and %atroness of %hiloso%hers' )hen the Ace of S*ords a%%ears in a reading, it brings a .uic&, logical solution to a %roblem, but not necessarily a %leasant one: this card leaves little room for emotion or feeling, since these can often cloud 0udgment' The Ace of S*ords also cuts a*ay useless ideas or illogical modes of thought, and urges us to clear and thorough communication to ma&e our ideas evident to others' The Aces in the Tarot often re%resent the transforming of %otential into action, and in this case *e transform ideas into action using &no*ledge, intellect, communication, and *isdom' T*o of S*ords The number of duality in the suit of the mind reminds us of the %hrase Gto be of t*o mindsG about something' The T*o of S*ords %resents us *ith choices, o%tions, and a crossroads at *hich *e must ma&e a decision' /nfortunately, this decision is unli&ely to be an easy one, as *e only have certain facts about each o%tion: *e feel li&e *e are caught bet*een the devil and the dee% blue sea, bet*een a roc& and a hard %lace' 8evertheless, one cannot stay in t*o minds forever, so the T*o of S*ords reminds us that a decision must be made, sooner rather than later' Three of S*ords 2ne of the more common images for this card is that of a heart being drenched *ith heavy rain, %ierced through *ith three s*ords' This image %rovo&es a strong reaction, and immediately suggests inter%retations of heartache, love triangles, %ain, and hurt' 2n one level, the Three of S*ords can re%resent the hurt and %ain *e cause ourselves if *e over-thin& our emotional lives, or %erform %ost-mortems on emotional res%onsesJ on another level, it can sho* us the grief *e feel *hen others use their *ords to hurt us *here is hurts the most: the heart' The rain *ill *ash a*ay the blood, and one day the hurt *ill go a*ayJ but until then, tears must be shed and the hurt must be allo*ed to ta&e its natural course' 6our of S*ords Sometimes in life everything seems to get on to% of us, and *e *orry so much that *e become ill, both %hysically and mentally' /sually the best cure for this is a brea& from troubles, difficulties, and the %ressures of everyday life' This is *hat the 6our of

S*ords is: a rest from it all' As such, this card re%resents a sus%ension of activity, a time *hen *e reach a %lateau and don5t do much' It is a time of reflection, a %ause for thought, and time for recu%eration and solitude *hen *e can be alone *ith ourselves and not have to *orry about everybody else and our everyday troubles' It5s a time of seclusion and retreat during *hich *e can heal ourselves' 6rom the silent %auses come some of our most influential and ins%ired thoughts and %ro0ects' 6ive of S*ords The imbalance of the 6ives added to this suit brings us a conflict of %ers%ectives or *ords, unfair battles of rumors and false gossi%' It indicates that o%%onents in these battles are not evenly matched, one using tric&ery, deceit, and unfair tactics to better the other' It also suggests that the %eo%le involved in a situation are more &een to see themselves victorious than they are to create an amenable, reasonable solution among themselves' )hen ego is a%%lied to our mental %rocesses and conversations, mani%ulation and falsehood often ensue' As an advisory card, the 6ive of S*ords *arns the .uerent that somebody (or even themselves$ is cheating them in some *ay, or that conflict is going to arise from the situation shortly' Si9 of S*ords Titled GScienceG in the Thoth Tarot, and sho*ing a %erson being ferried across a river on a boat in the ,ider-)aite Tarot, the Si9 of S*ords re%resents the mental 0ourney through the labyrinth of discovery, beginning *ith the .uestion and ending *ith the conclusion ''' *hich leads to another .uestion' Here is the never-ending .uest for &no*ledge that ta&es us dee%er into our o*n minds and e9%ands our understanding' It can also re%resent other &inds of 0ourneys, including transitional %hases and rites of %assage' Seven of S*ords In the Seven of S*ords *e meet the thief and s%y, a truly dishonest and untrust*orthy character' This card often sho*s an image of somebody snea&ing a*ay clutching stolen goods in his arms and loo&ing very shady' The meaning of this card is very sim%le, and its main theme is theft' This theft may ta&e the form of %hysical theft of goods and money, but it can also suggest theft of ideas and somebody Gstealing your thunderG by ta&ing credit for your hard *or&' Along *ith this theft come dece%tion, mani%ulation, unreliability, and es%ionage' Sometimes the Seven of S*ords can also indicate %olitics and the machinations therein' 4usiness es%ionage is also suggested, and lies of all &inds indicated' 7ight of S*ords 7ights are sometimes seen as double-6ours, giving them added stability and manifestation' Ho*ever, in the suit of S*ords this can indicate the tra%%ing of the mind or feelings of being bound to something-sometimes un*illingly, sometimes through our o*n actions or *ords' 2ften this card suggests the .uerent is being held bac& by circumstances e9ternal to themselves, but that if they *ere to a%%ly their mind to the %roblem they might find a *ay out' In this card *e also find one of the biggest causes of %eo%le being held bac&: self-defeating attitudes' GI can5tG are the *ords s%o&en by this card, and those *ords can be the death-&nell for %ro0ects, ho%es, and freedom' 8ine of S*ords In the ,ider-)aite image, this card sho*s a %erson sitting u% in bed in the middle of the night, hands covering the face' The Thoth dec& titles it G(ruelty'G This is not a %leasant card' In here *e find our mind over-analyFing and bringing us fears, *orries, an9ieties, and the issues associated *ith them' All the slee%less nights s%ent *orrying

about *hat *ill ha%%en in the future, the insomnia brought on by an9iety issues, night terrors, mental illness, and the effects on other %eo%le' The cruelty can be caused by others, and sometimes this card *ill indicate a relationshi% in *hich one %erson is a victim rather than an e.ual %artici%ant' 4ut the cruelty is most often caused by ourselves, and the 8ine of S*ords urges us to see& hel% for our *orries' It also reminds us that sometimes our *orries are unfounded or do not reflect reality, and *e confuse the issue by ma&ing a mountain out of a molehill' Ten of S*ords Sometimes called the *orst card in the %ac&, the Ten of S*ords re%resents the ruin of everything the .uerent has been *or&ing for' )hereas the Ten of (u%s sho*ed us the ha%%y ending, the Ten of S*ords sho*s us the very unha%%y ending to a %ro0ect or relationshi%' This card foretells ruin and bac&stabbing, and suggests that the mind has sun& to the lo*est de%ths of des%airJ the body is in ruin, the heart is bro&en, and the .uerent does not &no* *ho they are, *here they are going, or *hat they *ant to do' 8othing is good, nothing is right' 4ut once *e get this lo*, the only *ay to go from here is u%' The Ten of S*ords often %resents itself as a %ossibility for self-analysis: *hen our lives have been ta&en a%art, *e can e9amine the constituent %arts and *or& out a more suitable %ath' Q H/7STI28S 62, B2/,8A-I8G P )hat do you regularly a%%ly your mind to; Ho* intellectual do you feel; (Ace of S*ords$ P )hat *as the last big decision you had to ma&e; Ho* did it feel; 3id you ma&e the right choice; (T*o of S*ords$ P Have you ever felt or caused heartache; (Three of S*ords$ P )hat do you do *hen you need to *ind do*n and recu%erate; (6our of S*ords$ P Have you ever cheated somebody; Have you ever been cheated; )hat *as the last conflict you *ere in and *hat caused and resolved it; (6ive of S*ords$ P )hat &ind of .uestions do you often as& about the *orld; Ho* do you go about finding ans*ers; (Si9 of S*ords$ P Are you a good liar; (Seven of S*ords$ P Have you ever felt tied do*n to something or somebody; )hat caused this; Ho* do you free yourself; (7ight of S*ords$ P Ho* do you react *hen you e9%erience *orry or an9iety; (8ine of S*ords$ P )hat is the lo*est you have ever felt; )hat caused it; Ho* did you recover; (Ten of S*ords$ 7lemental Interaction in ,eadings A useful techni.ue for gaining inter%retations in your Tarot readings is to a%%ly the %rinci%les of elemental interaction bet*een the cards' )e &no* that each suit is associated *ith an element, and in -esson @ *e also e9%lored some of the elements that can be found in the +a0or Arcana, and in -esson :< *e loo&ed at the elements in the (ourt (ards' Given these associations, *henever you do a reading you should be able to analyFe it elementally as *ell as in other *ays' )hen you have the cards in front of you, consider the follo*ing %oints: P Ho* many cards from each suit are %resent; This might suggest a %redominance of a %articular element and therefore a state of being or area of the .uerent5s life' P 3o the cards form any %articular sha%es bet*een them; 6or e9am%le, is there a triangle of S*ords cards; )hat does the triangle symboliFe; Are all the (u%s cards in the beginning of the reading;

P 3o you see certain elements %resent in the +a0or Arcana (ards that are also %resent in the +inor Arcana (ards in the s%read; This might suggest that the +inors %resent are a reflection of the +a0ors, or suggest a lin& in the inter%retation' P If you are %erforming a s%read that has elemental %ositions (for e9am%le, the 7lemental S%read$, are the cards that a%%ear in those %ositions balanced; Is there a 6ire card in the 6ire %osition; Alternatively, do the elements %resent interact *ith each other *ell; If a )ater card is in the 7arth %osition, it might suggest that the card is nourishing the things re%resented by that %osition, but if a )ater card is %resent in the 6ire %osition, it might suggest the things re%resented by that card are e9tinguishing those re%resented by the %osition' Astrology and the +inor Arcana In -esson ::, *e e9amined ho* the system of Astrology has been a%%lied to the Tarot, *ith %articular reference to the (ourt (ards and the +a0or Arcana' The +inor Arcana (ards have also been given astrological significance' )e have already seen that there are thirty-si9 decans in the Fodiac (each holding ten degrees of the <@" degree cycle from year to year$' In the Kabbalistic system &no*n as the Schemhame%horesch there are seventy-t*o holy names of God that reflect as%ects of Him and *hich are re%resented by angels, and so a %air of these namesEangels has been attributed to the thirty-si9 decans, and therefore to the thirty-si9 +inor Arcana (ards of the Tarot (*ithout the Aces$' These names of God have associations that reflect the nature of the +inor Arcana, %articularly in the occult Tarot tradition such as in the Thoth Tarot:

Q 7C7,(IS7 :D'< 6or the follo*ing cards, com%are the meanings you have created or come across in this boo& or other sources *ith the %air of names given to them by the Schemhame%horesch table above' As& yourself if you feel these names add to your understanding of the cards or highlight a %articular nuance of meaning' P Si9 of (oins: 8emamiah (-ovable$, =eyalel (Hearer of (ries$ P Seven of )ands: +ahashiah (See&s %rotection$, -elahel ( raise*orthy$ P T*o of )ands: 1ehuel (Great and lofty$, 3eniel (+erciful Budge$ P T*o of (u%s: Ayael (3elights of the sons of men$, (havuyah (+ost liberal giver$ P Ten of)ands: ,eyayel (79%ectation$, /mael ( atient$ -in&ed to this, the Golden 3a*n system of the Tarot has each +inor Arcana card as an e9%ression of the force of a given %lanet (let5s say Bu%iter$ *ithin a decan of the Fodiac (+ars e9%ressed through the first ten degrees of Aries$' This allo*s us to analyFe the +inor Arcana in terms similar to those of the (ourt (ards and +a0or Arcana, and %rovides us *ith an abstract conce%tion of the +inors that can remain o%en until a reading *hen that conce%t can be a%%lied s%ecifically' These attributes are as follo*s:

These attributes %resent the +inor Arcana as a series of subtle interactions bet*een %lanetary and Fodiacal forces' =ou can gain ins%iration for your card inter%retations by using your &no*ledge of the %lanetary associations and Fodiacal re%resentations' M 7C7,(IS7 :D'?

/sing the table above, analyFe the follo*ing +inor Arcana cards, focusing %articularly on com%aring your already %erceived inter%retations *ith those you gain from the table' =ou might already be a*are of the forces e9%ressed by each %lanet and Fodiac sign from %revious e9ercises in -esson ::, but other*ise do a little research on the Internet or in an introductory boo& on astrology to familiariFe yourself *ith them' P 6ive of (u%s (: Scor%io-+ars$ P 6our of )ands (< Aries-1enus$ P T*o of S*ords (: -ibra-+oon$ P 7ight of )ands (: Sagittarius-+ercury$ P Seven of (oins (< Taurus-Saturn$ If this system seems to give you results that you find useful, you may li&e to go through each of the +inor Arcana cards in turn and a%%ly it, creating you o*n system of inter%retations based on it' 2%tional Home*or& P 6or at least three of the +inor Arcana from the suit of S*ords *rite a Tarot 0ournal entry, using 79ercises !'? and !'>' P 4efore moving on to the ne9t lesson, *rite some notes about your %ersonal vie* of: P )hat magic is P )hat *ill is P Ho* you use your *ill%o*er P Ho* you effect change in the *orld around you 6urther ,eading 7ncyclo%edia of Tarot volumes :-?, by Stuart ,' Ka%lan' (ontains articles, historical research, and a vast number of catalogued Tarot dec&s *ith images and descri%tions' A great *ay to &ee% u% *ith the ne* dec&s being added to the mar&etI The Story of the )aite-Smith Tarot, by K' 6ran& Bensen' An e9cellent historical loo& at the develo%ment and birth of the ,ider-)aite Tarot %ac&' =eats, the Tarot, and the Golden 3a*n, by Kathleen ,aine' A historical e9amination of the esoteric activities and *ritings of )illiam 4utler =eats, the *ell-loved Irish ,omantic %oet of the :Ath and !"th centuries, and his activities in the magical order of the Golden 3a*n and the Tarot' Tarot Symbolism, by ,obert 1' 258eill, is a collection of *ritings on the history of the Tarot, %articularly focusing on its symbolism'

2ur final foray into the +inor Arcana ta&es us to the suit of )ands, and the magical a%%lication of Tarot' )e5ll also e9%lore the use of Tarot as a s%iritual tool for selfa*areness and develo%ment' The Suit of )andsE6ire

The suit of )ands is commonly associated *ith the element of 6ire, the element that governs our %assions, sense of self, ego, drive, energy, *ill, and magicalEs%iritual selves' +any of the cards also sho* the creative %rocess in action and the manifestation of our *ill on both ourselves and the *orld around us' Ace of )ands The number of beginnings in the suit of energy and *ill brings us a %o*erful e9%losion of drive and %assion' In the Ace of )ands, *e find the first divine s%ar& that &ic&-starts creation, the first seed of a creative idea that drives us for*ard and begins the creative %rocess, and the first &indling of a sense of self' Here also is the ra*, unta%%ed energy needed to &ee% things moving, and the directed *ill in the stages before a definite goal is set' In a reading, the Ace of )ands suggests the .uerent has no shortage of energy, and if they need to get something done they *ill have no %roblems' T*o of )ands )hen the number of duality meets the suit of )ands, *e find the second %art of the creative %rocess: %utting an original idea together *ith a goal, dra*ing a line from beginning to end and creating a %lan of action' In the T*o of )ands *e see organiFation of a creative %ro0ect, form being given to an idea, and all %ossibilities considered' Here also is the .uerent as the ruler of their creative and magical energy, e9erciFing their control over their %ro0ects' The T*o of )ands is a good card for any business%erson or business endeavor, career, or creative %ro0ect as it suggests careful %lanning and foresight combined *ith drive, *ill, and desire: an unbeatable combinationI Three of )ands Three is the number of action, being the direct result of one and t*o' )hen an ins%iration is given form through %lanning and a%%lied effort, it re.uires action to manifest as a result' In the Three of )ands, *e find ins%iration ta&ing hold of one5s life, ins%iring further %ro0ects and goalsJ it can also indicate team*or& and other %eo%le5s energy and drive being added to a %ro0ect or endeavor' The Three of )ands advises the .uerent to ensure they a%%ly their *ill and energy to a goal, rather than 0ust %lanning it or being ins%ired' In some senses this card can also be seen as %ractical ins%iration rather than intellectual or s%iritual ins%iration: the &ind that ma&es you 0um% out of your chair, grab your artist5s tools, and start creating immediately' 6our of )ands In the 6our of )ands, *e see the beauty of com%letion-the results of our ins%iration and a%%lied *ill, and the celebration that can be en0oyed after*ard' This card is reminiscent of Harvest 6estivals or Than&sgiving 3ay, *here a community gath ers together to celebrate its achievements and %eo%le, and *hen than&s are given for all that has come to them over the %ast year' An im%ortant %art of this card is the gratitude *e must feel *hen *e have com%leted a %ro0ect or seen the harvest of our efforts, and *e must not forget the %eo%le *ho hel%ed us along the *ay' The 6our of )ands advises us to feast, en0oy the re*ards of our labor, and give gratitude to ourselves, others, and the universe that enabled the %ro0ect to reach manifestation' 6ive of )ands This card often de%icts a battle raging bet*een five %eo%le *ielding .uarterstaffs' +any %eo%le confuse it *ith the 6ive of S*ords since both sho* conflict of some &indJ ho*ever, *hereas the 6ive of S*ords sho*s conflict in *hich one %arty is cheated, the 6ive of )ands sho*s a conflict that is fair, sometimes ta&es %lace on an

inner level, and is only a testing ground for later difficulties' Here is the s%arring undergone in intensive combat training, the com%etition against school friends in s%orts, and the %ub .uiF on a 6riday night' Healthy com%etition and conflict train our minds and bodies, and can act as a catalyst for change and initiation' Sometimes the conflict sho*n in this card is sim%ly for %lay, and the *inner is already decided' The 6ive of )ands advises the .uerent to ta&e a %ositive a%%roach to com%etition, and use it as a means to im%rove their techni.ue and understanding' Si9 of )ands )hen the battle is fought and the day is done, the hero can ride home on his horse to the *aiting, *elcoming, cheering cro*d eager to celebrate his brave deeds' The Si9 of )ands re%resents the victory *e e9%erience *hen *e achieve our goals and overcome an obstacle-it is the marathon runner reaching the finish line, and the last fe* *ords of a dissertation' This card also sho*s us the acclaim *e receive from others after a 0ob *ell done: a raise at *or&, to% grades, congratulations, and %ositive feedbac&' At times the Si9 of )ands also indicates a %romotion' 2n an inner level, this card sho*s us the feeling of being on to% of the *orld, com%letely invincible after a great achievement' It sho*s confidence in oneself and a belief that anything is %ossible' Seven of )ands Another card that often de%icts a conflict ta&ing %lace, the Seven of )ands only sho*s a single main figure being beset by assailants on all sides, *ho may or may not be seen' This indicates a time *hen the .uerent must stand u% for *hat they believe in and face o%%osition against the odds' Their %osition is *ea&, they are lo* on energy and finding it difficult to &ee% u% *ith something, but %erseverance is the only *ay to %ossibly *in in this situation' To give u% no* *ould be certain loss, but to %ush on*ard-*hile not guaranteeing victory-*ill certainly im%rove the chancesI 6urther, the Seven of )ands sho*s that the .uerent has very little left to lose by ta&ing a chance, but everything to gain if they succeed, so courage is the best %olicy' Sometimes this card suggests that the .uerent is undergoing some form of bullying or %ressure from others, and that they feel they are the *ea&er %ersonJ only standing u% to these %eo%le *ill %revent further difficulties' 7ight of )ands Here is energy and drive shooting forth into the universe at an alarming rateI The 7ight of )ands is a card of lofty ideas, momentum, and %assionate ambition' The Thoth dec& calls it GS*iftness,G suggesting fast %rogress through a %ro0ect, evolution, and an inability to stic& to one %lace or tas& for very long' This card sho*s an ambition that is useful but can lead to hubris and overe9ertion: the .uerent, *hen ta&en u% by the momentum of their energy and ambition, may not realiFe *hen they need to sto%, and *ill &ee% climbing higher and higher' The story of Icarus, *ho fle* too close to the sun, is %articularly a%t here' This card suggests that the .uerent may be %utting too much energy into too many things in their life, and needs to rela9 and let a fe* things go before e9haustion &ic&s in' Ho*ever, this card bodes *ell for most %ro0ects and suggests com%letion and achievement *ill arrive sooner than e9%ected, and that events surrounding the .uerent *ill %ush things for*ard ra%idly' 8ine of )ands This is the calm in the eye of the storm' 2ften *e find that *e strive through one difficulty only to be given rest for a little *hile before facing a ne* onslaught, and *e don5t feel ready or recu%erated enough for it' The 8ine of )ands is that brief %ause bet*een trials, the o%%ortunity to gather as much strength as %ossible before returning to the fray' The Thoth dec& calls it GStrength,G and it re%resents the strength of energy

and self needed to %ersevere and re-enter difficult situations' It is also the *ill to %o*er that drives us for*ard and, given the o%%ortunity, can become an unsto%%able force to contend *ith the *orld and its obstacles' Ten of )ands The Ten of )ands sho*s us *hat ha%%ens *hen *e have an e9cess of %ro0ects, duties, and res%onsibilities: burdens *eigh us do*n and *e become e9hausted' It also re%resents the conse.uences of the choices *e ma&e or the actions *e %erform, and ho* some conse.uences may *eigh heavily on our shoulders' At times this card indicates somebody *ith a martyr com%le9, eager to shoulder more res%onsibilities, guilt, burdens, and tas&s' 3ue to the nature of the )ands suit, the Ten of )ands often manifests as the .uerent5s energy and creativity causing them to start too many %ro0ects and endeavors, %utting themselves under a great amount of stress and %ressure to get them com%leted' Sometimes this is necessary, but the Ten of )ands *arns the .uerent that %rolonged stress can only have negative conse.uences' Q H/7STI28S 62, B2/,8A-I8G P Ho* do you begin %ro0ects; (Ace of )ands$ P Are you a good %lanner; Ho* have you organiFed your creative life; (T*o of )ands$ P )hat has been your e9%erience of team*or&; Are you good at ta&ing action u%on your ins%iration and %lans; (Three of )ands$ P 3o you have a community; )hat do you have to be than&ful for; (6our of )ands$ P )hat has tested you in the %ast; Are you a com%etitive %erson; (6ive of )ands$ P )hat have you achieved that you are %roud of; )hat as%ects of your %ersonality do %eo%le com%liment you for; (Si9 of )ands$ P 3o you have something in your life that you5d stand u% for in the face of o%%ression and difficulty; (Seven of )ands$ P )hen you ta&e action, is it slo*ly or *ith force and s*iftness; Ho* do you thin& you could slo* do*nEs%eed u% your %rogress; (7ight of )ands$ P Ho* strong is your *ill%o*er; (8ine of )ands$ P )hat are your burdens; )hat res%onsibilities do you have; 3o you have any %ro0ects; 3o you feel you ta&e on too much or not enough; (Ten of )ands$ Tarot for +agic If you com%leted the last lesson5s o%tional home*or&, you *ill have some notes about your feelings, ideas, and e9%eriences of magic, *ill%o*er, and ho* you effect change in the *orld around you' ,evie* those notes, because they *ill form the basis of your understanding of the fundamentals of magic using the Tarot' The sub0ect of magic is a vast and com%le9 one, and *e do not have room here for even a basic introduction to it' If you *ant to learn more, chec& out the 6urther ,eading list' 6or a basic foundation, *e *ill be using a definition of magic given by Aleister (ro*ley: T+agic& is the Science and Art of causing (hange to occur in conformity *ith )ill' G Although this definition can be a%%lied to most mundane acts as *ell as acts of magic, in most cases it should be ta&en in the conte9t of a ritual or tranceli&e state' 8ot everybody believes in magic, and if you are one of those fol&s, then you are free to move on to the ne9t lesson *ith no loss' Ho*ever, for many %eo%le Tarot is directly lin&ed to their magical and s%iritual lives, and is not 0ust a tool for divination and fortune-telling but a %o*erful system of symbolism that e9%resses certain magical tenets about the universe, such as GAs Above, So 4elo*G (see -esson <, The

+agician$' Some Tarot readers use the cards as a tool in their magical %ractice and results magic' There are a number of *ays in *hich Tarot can be used magically, and *e5ll cover only a fe* of them here' As you develo% further your ideas on Tarot and magic, you *ill certainly find *ays of *or&ing *ith both that suit you' Affirmations )e have already e9%lored the use of affirmations in -esson :>-=our ersonal Tarot (ourt' Affirmations are %ositive statements that can be remembered, re%eated, and meditated u%on in order to convince your mind that they are true, thus bringing about change in your %syche' Although *e have only used them in con0unction *ith the (ourt (ards, affirmations can be created *ith any Tarot card in mind, and these affirmations used as %arts of larger rituals and s%ells' M 7C7,(IS7 :A': Shuffle your dec& and dra* a single card from any*here *ithin it' As& yourself ho* this card relates to you at this time and *hat it has to teach you about yourself and current feelings' 8o*, revie* 79ercise :>':" to :>'::, *ith their descri%tions of ho* to create affirmations, and create some suitable ones for this card' Altar ieces, 3evotional Images +any %eo%le *ho %ractice magic *ill set u% tem%orary or %ermanent altars for various %ur%oses' These altars are sometimes seasonal, and used to celebrate religious festivals or yearly changes' They can be devoted to a %articular deity to receive offerings, %raise, or meditationJ they may be created for a %ur%ose of results magic' )hatever the reason for creating an altar, the Tarot %rovides a treasure trove of images that can be used u%on it' +any of the Tarot images have symbolism that can be found mirrored in religious traditions, holidays, and deities throughout the *orld, and they evo&e a strong res%onse in those *ho behold them' It is common to find Tarot cards used in this *ay u%on )estern altars, %articularly agan ones' S7AS28A- (HA8G7S' If you are celebrating a time of year, such as the Summer Solstice, and creating an altar to reflect the seasonal changes of that religious festival, you might choose a Tarot card to reflect these changes in the *orld around you' =ou might also find that the e9ternal changes have an effect u%on you internally, and thus you might choose a Tarot card that reflects your feelings at this time' These cards *ould be %laced u%on the altar as significators for both yourself and the time of year, and act as a *ay for you to consciously analyFe *hat ha%%ens to you every Summer Solstice, ho* the seasonal changes are affecting you, and ho* this is manifesting in your life' Q 7C7,(IS7 :A'! (hoose a religious festival that you are familiar *ith (even if it is something as common as (hristmas or Hanu&&ah$ and thin& about *hat that festival or time of year means to you' Ho* does it affect your everyday life; Ho* do you res%ond to it; )hat do you do at this festival; 4ased on these reflections, choose a card from the Tarot %ac& that you thin& e9%resses both the conce%t of the festival as *ell as your %ersonal feelings about it' )rite in your Tarot 0ournal your reasons for choosing this card-you may find that you gain ne* insights into the card as *ell as the festivalI 3712TI28A- I+AG7S' If you *or& *ith, revere, or *orshi% a %articular deity, you may *ish to create an altar (either tem%orary or %ermanent$ u%on *hich you can %lace images of that deity or things that remind you of himEher' This is a %ersonal matter, and some %eo%le may feel that %lacing Tarot cards on the altar of certain deities *ould be tantamount to sacrilegeJ ho*ever for others, it is a natural activity' 7C7,(IS7 :A'<

If you *or& *ith a deity, heroic figure, or saint, thin& about some of their attributes, stories, and symbolism' (hoose a card from the Tarot dec& that you feel re%resents this best' )hy have you chosen that card; Is it for the symbolism, the card meaning, or something else; If you *anted to, you could get a co%y of this card and %lace it on any altar you might have, or use it in other *ays to remind you of the deity: incor%orate it into a collage, 0e*elry, &ee% it in your diary, decorate it and use it as a shrine in itself, and more' The %ossibilities are endlessI ,esults +agic 6or magic %ractitioners %erforming a s%ell (also called results magic$ to bring about desired changes is common%lace, and is used alongside mundane action to increase the chances of reaching a goal' There are as many *ays of creating and %erforming a s%ell as there are %eo%le *ho do it, so these are 0ust a fe* *ays in *hich Tarot cards can be used to augment a s%ell or act as %art of it' P Images of desired outcome or goal: 6or instance, if you *ere %erforming a s%ell for resolving domestic difficulties, you might choose the Ten of (u%s to re%resent your goal: a ha%%y, loving family' In a *ay, this is li&e creating an affirmation but *ith an image instead of *ords (though affirmations could be used at the same time$' This card could then be focused on and remembered clearly during the magical *or&ing, so that the goal is al*ays %resent' P Talismanic images: A card (from an incom%lete, old, or bro&en dec&$ could be used to create a talisman for a %ur%ose' This card is %laced u%on an altar during the magical *or&ing, and *hen the energy has been raised or invo&ed it is driven into the card' This is then &e%t *ra%%ed in blac& sil& (to &ee% the energy in$ and *orn near you (maybe in your breast %oc&et$, &e%t near your %lace of *or& (a com%uter des& dra*er$, or brought out for later magical *or& *ith a similar %ur%ose' P 3ivination: =ou can use your s&ills as a Tarot reader to divine *hether the use of magic in certain cases *ould be advisable or not' 3ra*ing only a fe* cards not only sho*s you factors you hadn5t considered, but could sho* you the outcome and effects of %erforming the s%ell, and anything that it is of your control' This is %articularly recommended if you are emotional or u%set *hen considering %erforming a s%ell, or if the intended magic is com%le9 and abstract' ,ituals Tarot can also be used in a variety of *ays during ritual, as *ell as for ins%iration for large rituals and grou% rituals' As *ith the S%ells above, the *ays they can be used are entirely de%endent u%on the individual and their %ractices, so these are 0ust a fe* suggestions' P ,e%resentations of the elements: In many agan rituals, the four elements are called u%on to add their blessing or %o*er to the ritual and %artici%ants' 2ften, the four directions (8orth, South, 7ast, )est$ are lin&ed to an element, and in the ritual s%ace these directions might bear re%resentations of each element-a candle for SouthE6ire, for e9am%le, or a gro*ing %lant for 8orthE 7arth' Ho*ever, you could also use the four Aces of the Tarot, the four suits, the ages, etc', as re%resentations for these elements' P Grou% discussionEs%ell *or&ing: In a grou% ritual, it is al*ays nice to have everybody %artici%ating' Tarot cards can %rovide an e9cellent *ay of starting grou% discussion, giving %eo%le a blessing to go home *ith, and more' 6or instance, at the end of the ritual, everybody might be invited to choose a card from the %ac& and the grou% can reflect u%on this and ho* it relates to that %erson' They are then given a thought or blessing to ta&e home *ith them (giving the card itself bac&I$ that they can

remember the ritual *ith' In discussion, the card chosen by each %artici%ant can form the basis of somebody5s thought and act as ins%iration for the direction of the discussion and self-reflection' P Archety%al images: +ystery %lays are often used in grou% rituals, sometimes based on myths and therefore Gods and Goddesses, *ith %artici%ants in the ritual ta&ing roles' Ho*ever, the +a0or Arcana of the Tarot could be used as ins%iration for figures or stories for a mystery %lay' 6or instance, somebody could dress as the bountiful, motherly 7m%ress during a agan -ughnassadh (harvest$ festival, and interact *ith the %artici%ants or give a s%eech, or even lead the ritual' I have also heard of Handfastings (*eddings$ *here %eo%le dressed as each of the +a0or Arcana have given %articular blessings or short s%eeches to the ha%%y cou%le' ath*or&ing the Tarot ath*or&ing is a techni.ue for visualiFation and meditation that allo*s the user to e9%lore and evaluate their self, their relationshi% *ith the universe around them, other %eo%le, and the symbolism that ma&es u% the divine nature of the *orld' Although some %ath*or&ings ta&e the form of guided meditations, *here one %erson leads the user through visualiFation *ith descri%tions and commands, %ath*or&ing *ith the Tarot most often ta&es the form of ste%%ing through an astral door*ay to allo* for free interaction *ith the s%iritual landsca%e *ithin' )e are already familiar *ith the idea that the Tarot cards-%articularly the +a0or Arcana-e9%ress universal, archety%al conce%ts and s%iritual truths about our nature and our relation to the universe around us' 4y %ath*or&ing *ith the Tarot, *e can develo% a dee%er understanding of these &ey conce%ts, becoming more a*are and conscious' This techni.ue is also used by Kabbalists *ho *ish to %ath*or& the t*enty-t*o %aths of the Tree of -ife-the t*enty-t*o +a0or Arcana, being lin&ed to these %aths, become handy door*ays that connect us to these %aths, *hich can also be vie*ed as %aths in the subconscious' 4y %ath*or&ing *ith the Tarot, *e also dee%en our relationshi% *ith the cards themselves, since the *ay in *hich *e interact *ith them *hen *e have entered a %ath*or&ing enables us to understand the conce%t embedded in the card5s symbolism, and ho* that conce%t and card relate to us %ersonally' So much insight can be gained from %ath*or&ing that I highly recommend any Tarot student %erform a %ath*or&ing for each of the +a0or Arcana and record their results in a Tarot 0ournal' +ethod In order to %erform a %ath*or&ing, you need to find yourself some time *hen you *ill not be disturbed for at least thirty minutes, and a s%ace *here you can sit .uietly and comfortably' -ie do*n if you have &nee or bac& %roblems' =ou *ill %referably dar&en the room so that it is only dimly lit (allo*ing your eyes to rela9$, and thus you might find that night time is the best time for this' rior to entering your s%ace, you *ill have chosen a card you *ish to %ath*or& and &ee% it on hand' This card must be &e%t in a %lace *here you can easily see it, and you *ill need to have its image memoriFed as clearly and accurately as %ossible' 4efore you begin, if you *ish, you can %reface the %ath*or&ing *ith a cleansing or %rotective ritual of your o*n, but it is not necessary' )hat is necessary is that you sit or lie do*n comfortably in a %osition you &no* you *ill be able to maintain for at least t*enty minutes, and close your eyes, breathing dee%ly' )hen you are sufficiently rela9ed, visualiFe (in your mind5s eye$ yourself sitting in your current %osition *ith your eyes *ide o%en, seeing the room around you' Ta&e in as much detail as %ossible' 8o* visualiFe yourself ste%%ing out of your body, rising

from it or a*ay from it, and moving around the room' 1isualiFe the card that you are %ath*or&ing in front of you, enlarged and big enough to be a door' See it as vividly as you %ossibly can, trying to remember as many details as %ossible' )hen you have done that, reach out and see a door handle forming on the card' Turn it, and o%en the door, letting the card s*ing out*ard and to*ard you, revealing a *ay through' 6rom here, you5re on your o*n' The landsca%e or vision you find beyond the door *ill vary greatly from %erson to %erson, but should retain an essence of the card' =ou may interact *ith the landsca%e and figures *ithin the door*ay, and *al& any %aths you find, as&ing .uestions of the figures and receiving ans*ers' 2ften you *ill discover tas&s set before you or obstacles to overcome: these re%resent bloc&ages or tests you must remove in your o*n subconscious regarding the conce%ts contained in this card' )hen you feel you have com%leted your %ur%ose here, return the *ay you came, e9it through the same door, and ensure it is shut behind you' See your body sitting in the same %osition, and re-enter it, allo*ing yourself a fe* dee% breaths and slo* muscle movements before o%ening your eyes and returning to this *orld' Advice P This method can be e9tremely %o*erful, and if done correctly ta&es you onto the astral %lane, and enables you to form connections *ith different as%ects of that %lane and your o*n subconscious' It is therefore to be res%ected, and not sim%ly used because you5re bored one evening' Try to %erform a %ath*or&ing *ith a %ur%ose in mind, even if it is only to gain further understanding of a %articular card' P If you are serious about gaining insight about yourself and the Tarot cards, I recommend %ath*or&ing each +a0or Arcana card three times: the first time *ill introduce you to the conce%ts and trials *ithinJ the second time *ill allo* you to further your understanding and e9%lore any .uestions that came u% %reviouslyJ and the third time allo*s you to conclude your revie* and ensure you5ve understood' I recommend that you leave at least a cou%le of days bet*een each %ath*or&ing (%referably a *ee&$ to allo* the messages and insights to integrate into your subconscious' P Al*ays record your results' This can ta&e a *hile, and your memory of the %ath*or&ing *ill fade .uic&ly-es%ecially *ith some of the more abstract cards' Therefore it is *ise to have a 0ournal and %en ready for you to use straight after *a&ing from the %ath*or&ing' 4e as detailed as %ossible in your record, leave nothing out, even if it seems odd at the timeJ you may find it is revealed later' =ou can use these records for further %ath*or&ings and to chart your %rogress' P ath*or& the +a0or Arcana in order' This *ill allo* you to see the +a0or Arcana as a s%iritual 0ourney for the soul' =ou can %ath*or& them from CCI The )orld to " The 6ool or vice versa, de%ending on your a%%roach' If you are incor%orating the Kabbalah into your Tarot studies, I recommend beginning *ith CCI The )orld, since this relates to the %ath closest to our material *orld on the Tree of -ife, and therefore your %ath*or&ings *ill bring your subconscious bac& u% through creation to unity *ith Godhead' Ho*ever, if you are 0ust a Tarot reader you might li&e to see this as the 6ool5s Bourney, and thus *or& from " to CCI, vie*ing each card as a further e9%ansion of the universe' P If %ossible, do the %ath*or&ings in a small grou%' This allo*s you (after you have recorded your individual results$ to discuss *ith each other and gain insight' =ou *ill find that you receive sur%risingly similar results, and that your discussion highlights factors that you may not have understood *ithout being %rom%ted by others'

P 4e a*are that to underta&e %ath*or&ings for each of the +a0or Arcana is a long %rocess, and may bring u% %ersonal issues and bloc&ages in your life' It *ill initiate change for the better, but you must be %re%ared to tac&le things head-on' 7C7,(IS7 :A'? erform a %ath*or&ing using the above techni.ue for either CCI The )orld or " The 6ool (de%ending on your a%%roach$' ,ecord your results, and after*ards as& yourself ho* it has given you further insight into the card meaning and conce%t' /sing GKeysG: The +issing (ard in a ,un In larger s%reads (eight cards or more$, you may begin to notice a grou% of cards from a suit, or a run of cards from the +a0or Arcana' 6or instance, you may turn u% grou%s of (u%s, S*ords, and )ands cards, but absolutely no (oins cards' =ou may have the )heel of 6ortune, Bustice, Hanged +an, and 3eath' =ou may have Ace through 6our of )ands' )hen these grou%s or runs a%%ear they can often tell us more about the .uestion and .uerent than *e e9%ected, and should be added to the reading' =ou may also find that you have a consecutive run of cards, such as the Ace through 6ive of )ands, but one card is missing, such as the 6our of )ands' Again, this can be very telling' )hy is the 6our of )ands missing; This might be something missing from the current situation or the .uerent5s life' If there are no (oin cards %resent, the .uerent may be lac&ing something re%resented by that suit' =ou may find as you go through a reading that this missing card becomes the &ey to solving the %roblem at hand, since *hat is missing in our lives is often the cause of many of our difficulties' The G)ho Am I;G S%read The suit of )ands often raises issues about the nature of our selves, and our ability to act *ithin the *orld in accordance *ith our *ill and energy' The follo*ing s%read is useful for assessing our strengths, *ea&nesses, and %ersonality at any given time and can be used on a yearly basis for com%arison' (ard :' )hat ta&es u% most of my energy at time at the moment; (ard !' )hat as%ect of my %ersonality is most often used at this time; (ard <' )hat do I as%ire for at this time; (ard ?' Ho* might I achieve this goal; (ard >' )hat are my strengths; (ard @' )hat are my *ea&nesses; (ard #' Ho* can I use my strengths to their best effect; (ard D' Ho* can I transform my *ea&nesses and ensure they do not burden me;

G)ho Am I;G S%read 2%tional Home*or& P )rite a Tarot 0ournal entry for at least three of the )ands cards, using 79ercises !'? and !'> as *ell as your o*n techni.ues' If you *ish, you can do this for the entire )ands suit' P erform the G)ho Am I;G S%read on yourself or for another %erson' P 6ind a longer s%read (the (eltic (ross or Sodiacal S%read$ and %erform it for yourself or another %erson' 8ote s%ecifically if any grou%s of cards or consecutive runs of cards a%%ear in this s%read, and try to incor%orate *hat they might mean into your overall inter%retation'

P If 79ercise :A'? *as useful to you, try %ath*or&ing all the +a0or Arcana' This home*or&, due to the time it ta&es to %erform, is not a %rere.uisite for moving on *ith the final lessonsI 6urther ,eading Tarot Bourneys, by =asmine Galenorn, is a boo& that a%%roaches the +a0or Arcana as guided visualiFations' It comes *ith a (3 *ith the first three meditations recorded, but you *ould need to record the rest yourself or have somebody read you through them' A nice introduction to the +a0or Arcana, although it leaves little room for your o*n interaction' +agical ath*or&ing'P Techni.ues ofActive Imagination, by 8ic& 6arrell, is a useful guide to using %ath*or&ing as a magical techni.ue, not 0ust *ith Tarot but *ith many other symbols' +ore Sim%lified +agic: ath*or&ing and the Tree of -ife, by Ted Andre*s and agyn Ale9ander-Harding, a%%roaches %ath*or&ing from the Kabbalistic %ers%ective' Tarot S%ells, by Banina ,enee, contains a large number of results magic s%ells that can be used' It is no alternative for creating your o*n, but should ins%ire youI (reative 1isualiFation for 4eginners, by ,ichard )ebster, is an e9cellent introduction to im%roving your visualiFation techni.ue' Tarot and +agic: Images for ,itual and ath*or&ing, by Gareth Knight' ortable +agic: Tarot Is the 2nly Tool =ou 8eed, by 3onald Tyson' 7veryday Tarot +agic, by 3orothy +orrison' Tarot and +agic, by 3onald +ichael Kraig'

4y this time, you should have a good understanding of the card meanings, symbolism, and method of %erforming readings for yourself and others' Throughout this course you have been given e9ercises in *hich you can %ractice your reading s&ills, so you should be familiar *ith the *ay in *hich the cards can relate to each other, and ho* you can create your inter%retation using a *ide variety of sources' These last fe* cha%ters deal *ith the issues you might face *hen reading for others, some advice on ma&ing the most of your Tarot readings, and *ays you can further e9%lore Tarot to a more advanced level' 3ealing )ith 3ifficult HuestionsEHuerents The more readings you %erform for others, the *ider range your e9%erience of their .uestions *ill beI At first you might find that you get as&ed the same ty%e of .uestions over and over: G3oes C li&e me;G G)ill I get this ne* 0ob;G GHo* *ill my relationshi% *ith C turn out;G G)hat does my money situation loo& li&e in the future;G )ith many .uestions, you *ill gain an understanding of *hat %arts of the .uestion you need to address, and therefore be able to .uic&ly and easily create an onthe-s%ot s%read for the reading or use a time-honored favorite that you &no* a%%lies *ell to that .uestion' Such .uestions also come *ith very little difficulty and effort on your %art-aside from the natural effort of giving the reading'

Ho*ever, some .uestions are difficult, and some .uestioners more so' They might as& .uestions that are unusual and that sur%rise you' They might as& .uestions that are so emotionally loaded you find it difficult to relate the information to the .uerent' They might as& .uestions you 0ust can5t ans*er for legal or moral reasons' 6or instance: P Huestions about illegal activities P Huestions about activities you consider immoral P Huestions concerning situations that the .uerent should be a%%roaching other organiFations or %eo%le about, li&e the %olice, marriage counsellors, doctor, or hel%lines P Huestions concerning health and medical issues )hile some %eo%le may be ha%%y to give a reading regarding some illegal activities, certain illegal activities may re.uire the Tarot reader to com%romise their o*n code of confidentiality in order to hel% *ith criminal investigations or legal %roceedings' It is u% to you *hat .uestions you ans*er as a Tarot reader, but if at any time you feel the .uestion com%romises your innocence, you must end the reading and ta&e action as you see fit' lease remember that being given information in some cases can ma&e you an accom%lice to a crime, and it is *ise to re%ort the matter directly to a legal authority' )hen it comes to activities you consider immoral, you must be a*are of the .uerent5s need for aid on the matter' +orality is a sub0ective issue and if the activity does not brea& any la*s, it is not o%en to 0udgment from the %erson *ho is in the role of advisor and counselor' It is e9tremely im%ortant that even if you disagree *ith the .uerent5s %ers%ective, a%%roach, beliefs, or actions, you do not allo* your differences to adversely affect the .uality of your reading or your ability to communicate com%assionately and effectively *ith the .uerent' Try to %ractice ob0ectivity (see -esson >$ at all times' At times you may be a%%roached *ith .uestions that *ould be better ans*ered by others, and this is most often the case for health-related Tarot readings' These .uestions should not be ans*ered, and the .uerent should be advised to ma&e an a%%ointment *ith their doctor' In many cases, the ans*er can be gained more sim%ly through ta&ing a medical test rather than going to a Tarot reader' In -esson :", 79ercise :"'!, *e loo&ed at gathering contacts for grou%s, organiFations, and %eo%le that the .uerent can be referred to in cases such as this' As *ell as difficult .uestions you may have to deal *ith difficult .uerents' /nfortunately, not everybody *ho comes to you for a Tarot reading *ill be %leasant or stable, and thus you might meet: 7motionally 8eedy Huerents These .uerents rely on the Tarot reading to give them ho%e and comfort during an e9tremely difficult time' Such .uerents often become very emotional during the reading, and having a bo9 of tissues handy is useful' =ou *ill find that they *ant somebody to listen to them *hile they e9%ress their feelings, and this should not be a %roblem for an em%athetic and com%assionate Tarot reader, ho*ever you may find that this &ind of .uerent ta&es u% more time than you can give' It is u% to you to find *ays of gently ending the reading in a timely fashion and on an o%timistic note' 2bno9ious Huerents Some %eo%le can become hostile for a *ide variety of reasons, and it is very rarely the fault of the %erson on the receiving endI If this occurs, if you are made to feel uncomfortable by a .uerent or are s%o&en to disres%ectfully, you have every right to end the reading immediately and remove yourself from the situation' erforming

readings in a %ublic %lace minimiFes the chance of such an occurrence, but luc&ily it is highly unli&ely any*ay' 3run&EInto9icated Huerents )hile you may find that social events are a great *ay to get some %ractice readings in *ithout too much %ressure, into9icated .uerents can become difficult during more serious readings' It is a matter of %ersonal choice *hether you agree to give a reading to an into9icated %erson, but be a*are that if you do, your level of communication *ith them *ill be ham%ered and they may not remember the reading as effectively after*ard' Huerents in 3anger This is one of the *orst-case scenarios, and it is highly unli&ely you *ill be faced *ith it, but be a*are of ho* you might react 0ust in case' =ou may have a .uerent re.uesting a reading to hel% them in a dangerous situation: they may be e9%eriencing domestic, se9ual, or verbal abuse of some &ind, fear for their safety, or be contem%lating harming themselves' They may also fear for the safety and *elfare of somebody they care about' In these situations, a Tarot reading is not going to hel%' ,eferring the .uerent to somebody or some*here that can offer them safety and hel% is the only o%tion' As nice as it is to thin& of ourselves as su%erheroes and em%aths *ith enough com%assion to solve every %roblem, *e must not allo* these thoughts to misguide us' The Testing Huerent Some %eo%le come for a Tarot reading because they *ant to be im%ressed by your su%ernatural ability to see things nobody else could %ossibly &no* or to demonstrate your %sychic %o*ers' This is %robably your greatest test as a Tarot reader, as this .uerent *ill force you to overcome any niggling doubts or fears you may still harbour regarding your s&ill and be on to% form' Ho*ever, it may be necessary before you begin to e9%lain the difference bet*een %sychic ability and Tarot s&ill (unless you are a %sychic, in *hich case, no needI$' =ou *ill often find that by giving an e9cellent and insightful reading to this .uerent they leave *ith a more o%en attitude to Tarot as *ell as some good advice' Ho*ever, sometimes you may find that they are so shoc&ed by an accurate reading that they become dismissive and closed' This de%ends entirely on the nature of the %rediction, ho* it is delivered, and their o*n %ersonality' )ith the testing .uerent, you must gauge their res%onse throughout the reading to decide ho* to deliver it' Q 7C7,(IS7 !"': +a&e some notes in your Tarot 0ournal about the &inds of .uestions you *ould be unableEun*illing to ans*er *ith a Tarot reading, and *hy' Is it due to your moral code; A*areness of your country5s la*s; 2r %erha%s an e9%erience you have undergone that *ould com%romise your ob0ectivity; 7C7,(IS7 !"'! Try doing some fun Tarot readings for %eo%le at social events or %laces such as bars, night clubs, dinner %arties, and house %arties' 8ote the difference in their a%%roach to the reading and rece%tion of the information' 3id you find you had to change your reading style or communication methods to accommodate the conditions or .uerent; Ho* do you thin& it is different from reading for a more serious .uerent; )hich do you %refer; )ould you consider reading at these situations again; -a*s on Tarot )hen offering %rofessional readings (charging money for the service$ you need to be a*are of the la*s concerning Tarot in your country' In the /SA in !""#, -ivingstone

arish, -ouisiana, voted unanimously to ban any method of fortune-telling %erformed for money, and in the last t*o decades similar la*s have been voted on (yet not %assed$ in states such as 6lorida, 2&lahoma, and 8ebras&a' In the /K, %ractices such as Tarot readings, s%iritualism, seances, and com%lementary healing *ere %rotected by the 6raudulent +ediums Act of :A>:, *hich allo*ed %ractitioners, consumers, and the la* to distinguish bet*een genuine %ractitioners and con artists' Ho*ever, this act *as recently re%ealed and re%laced by ne* consumer %rotection regulations that leave all %ractitioners-even the genuine ones-o%en to legal action from disgruntled or dissatisfied customers' Such la*s and consideration of them come directly from a desire to %rotect consumers from fraud that is so easily committed under the guide of fortune telling and divination, yet it %laces the onus on the %ractitioner to %rotect themselves from allegations of fraud' In some countries (including the /SA and the /K$ it is necessary to %rovide a disclaimer before your readings, stating that the reading is Gfor entertainment %ur%oses only'G )hile this may u%set many readers *ho ta&e the Tarot seriously as a tool for self-im%rovement and advice, it %revents the .uerent ma&ing a com%laint that the Tarot reader5s %rediction *as *rong or fraudulent, as it *as for entertainment only' In some %laces, it is also re.uired that you chec& that your .uerent is not Gof a nervous dis%ositionG or suffering from a heart condition or mental health %roblem at the time of the reading' To avoid any difficulties on your %art, it is vital that you chec& u%-to-date sources for la*s on Tarot and fortune-telling in your country or state and remain a*are of them, as they can change' =our Tarot 7thics )henever you read for another %erson, even if no money is changing hands, you must a%%ly yourself to a code of ethics that has been created by you to reflect your style of reading, your %ur%ose for being a Tarot reader, and your limits and boundaries as a reader' This serves to guide you in difficult situations and can form %art of a code of conduct that can be *ritten do*n for %erusal by your .uerent, demonstrating to them your *illingness to ta&e the reading seriously and your trust*orthy nature' If you undergo certification from a Tarot organiFation such as the American Tarot Association or the Tarot Association of the 4ritish Isles, they may re.uire you to adhere to their code of conduct and ethics during your readings' This is so they can ensure all their trained readers are %roviding an ethical service to .uerents, and that they are being re%resented in a %ositive manner' (reating a code of ethics for yourself starts you thin&ing about various situations you may be faced *ith, and sho*s .uerents that you are an intentionally moral, thin&ing %erson *ith their best interests at heart' A good code of ethics can form a solid foundation of trust bet*een you and your .uerent' =ou might find it hel%ful to consider the follo*ing in order to begin forming your o*n %ersonal set of Tarot 7thics' ,eading for +inors )ould you read for somebody *ho is legally a minor; )ould you do so *ith a %arent or guardian %resent; Are you a minor; If the minor in .uestion is a family member or friend, you are less li&ely to consider reading for them unethical, but *hen the minor re.uesting a reading is somebody else5s child, the matter can get very difficult' I strongly recommend you do not %erform any readings for %eo%le legally considered minors unless you are their %arent or guardian, or have the %arentEguardian %resent during the reading' Ho*ever, some readers %refer not to read for any minors even if

they are family members or friends, due to the belief that they are not yet mature enough to a%%roach the reading sensibly and res%onsibly' If you are a minor yourself, you may ta&e issue *ith this and %refer to read for others of your o*n age' ,eading for +oney The sub0ect of ta&ing money as %ayment for readings has been mentioned throughout this lesson, and it is a %ractice *e are all li&ely to be a*are of' This sub0ect can cause contention among readers *ith different vie*s on the Tarot, so it is u% to you to decide *hat a%%roach you ta&e' Some readers believe that the Tarot is a gift *e are born *ith, and therefore to charge somebody for your s%iritual gift is immoral' Ho*ever, others believe that Tarot is a s&ill and talent that is learned, im%roved, and *or&ed on, and therefore to charge money for this s&ill is the same as %aying somebody for their art*or& or %aying a %lumber for unbloc&ing your sin&' Another a%%roach to acce%ting %ayment for readings is to use a barter system: you s*a% a Tarot reading for a haircut, meal, or favorI ,eading for 6riendsE6amily )hile it may seem natural to some to give Tarot readings to family members and friends (%articularly for the %ur%ose of %ractice$, to others reading for %eo%le they &no* *ell %revents them from %racticing ob0ectivity' It may be difficult to read the cards in an unbiased *ay for %eo%le *e &no*, or distance ourselves from their %roblems and give effective readings' Ho*ever, some readers li&e to use their &no*ledge of the situation to inform their inter%retations, allo*ing them to form a clearer %icture and %ut the cards into a s%ecific conte9t for the .uerent' ,eading about 2ther eo%le Sometimes a Tarot reader may be as&ed to give a reading to tell the .uerent *hat another %erson is thin&ing or doing, li&e GIs my *ife having an affair;G or GIs my friend hiding something from me;G It is natural to as& these .uestions, es%ecially if *e sus%ect something is being &e%t secret from us that *e thin& *e should &no*, but some Tarot readers thin& it is unethical to ans*er such .uestionsJ it is a&in to acting as a %rivate investigator or s%y' It is also necessary to as& the .uerent *hy they are unable to communicate *ith the third %erson and as& such .uestions of them, or to consider that there might be a very good reason that something is being hidden from the .uerent' +any Tarot readers regard it as a breach of the third %erson5s confidentiality and an infringement of their *ill and right to %rivacy to read for such .uestions' Ho*ever, other Tarot readers *ill read for such .uestions, and if the .uestions are *orded in a *ay that %uts the onus on the .uerent for action and %ositive communication *ith the third %erson, the reading can act as a foundation for resolving the underlying issues in the situation' ,e%etitive ,eadings Some .uerents have a tendency to return on a fre.uent basis for more readings, al*ays as&ing the same or a similar .uestion' This can be for many reasons, but mostly because they have yet to acce%t the truth of the situation in .uestion and ho* they must act to resolve it' They ho%e that the ne9t reading *ill tell them something differ ent, something they *ish to hear' 3ue to this .uite common %roblem, many readers %ut a re.uisite time %eriod bet*een readings for a .uerent-%erha%s once a month' This gives the .uerent time to integrate the reading5s message into their everyday lives and begin to ma&e changes, and ho%efully %revents them from becoming addicted to the Tarot or reliant on it' Ho*ever, many Tarot readers do not mind re%eating readings and disli&e refusing somebody *ho %robably needs hel% and reassurance'

+ani%ulative ,eadings I am sure that anybody *ho has read this far into the lessons *ould be considering the follo*ing, but it is *orth mentioning, since sometimes *e act li&e this *ithout realiFing it' In order to be an ethical Tarot reader, you must not use the Tarot or a reading to defraud %eo%le, con them in any *ay, or mani%ulate them' The obvious e9am%le is the reader *ho sees a terrible curse in the cards, a curse that only they can brea& and %rotect the .uerent from, for the reasonable %rice of U!,"""' Huite fran&ly, this action is des%icable and it %reys u%on the most vulnerable .uerents, abusing our role as advisor and counselor' Ho*ever, *e may find ourselves mani%ulating the reading subtly *ithout necessarily fraudulent intentions: if you are reading for a friend or relative regarding a choice that you have an o%inion on, you may find yourself inter%reting the reading in a *ay that su%%orts your o%inion' This is a very easy tra% to *al& into, so al*ays be a*are of your ob0ective a%%roach to the reading' If in doubt, try 79ercise >'#, GThe 2ther Side of the (ards,G during your reading' (lient (onfidentiality eo%le can sometimes tell a Tarot reader more than they *ould tell anybody else, es%ecially if they have not met the reader before' A Tarot reader is an im%artial force *ho re%resents destiny, the future, and the mystical as%ect of the universe, so it is naturally easier for a .uerent to reveal dar& secrets or feelings to us rather than a friend or family member' )e must consider the necessity for client confidentiality at all times' This %rovides that the Tarot reader (or anybody in a %osition to acce%t information from somebody$ should not reveal any information about the .uerent to anybody else, unless they have consent from the .uerent or a clear legal reason for doing so' The la*s on this sub0ect are changing ra%idly, so if you are ever in a %osition that you feel re.uires you to brea& this code, it is *ise to see& legal advice' 2ther*ise, this code should remain unbro&en, and you should not give your .uerent5s trust in you cause to *aver' This does not 0ust refer to revealing data about the .uerent (name, address, tele%hone number$ but also tal&ing about the content of the reading *ith others' 7C7,(IS7 !"'< /sing some of the suggestions above for areas to consider, start *riting do*n some notes in your Tarot 0ournal about your %ersonal Tarot ethics' )ill you read for children; Ho* old must a .uerent be before you5ll read for them; Are you comfortable reading for somebody more than once a *ee&; )ould you acce%t %ayment for readings, and if so, ho* much; )hat *ould you do if a .uerent confessed a crime during a reading; Ho* *ill you ensure client confidentiality; The ,eading Style S%read This s%read is designed to hel% you reflect u%on your style of reading, your style of communicating *ith the .uerent, and your a%%roach to reading for others' I find it useful to act as a foundation for analysis and im%rovement' (ard :' Ho* do I develo% inter%retations of individual cards; (ard !' Ho* do I develo% an inter%retation of the *hole reading; (ard <' Ho* do I communicate *ith the .uerent; (ard ?' )hat im%ression do I give to the .uerent; (ard >' )hat is my reason for reading for others; (ard @' )hat could I do to im%rove my reading techni.ue;

,eading Style S%read 2%tional Home*or& P erform at least five readings for other %eo%le, %referably %eo%le you don5t &no*' =ou can use any s%read you li&e, but try to focus on communicating the information effectively to them, and note ho* you create the inter%retation for another %erson' If %ossible, as& the .uerent for feedbac& after*ard' P erform the ,eading Style S%read and thin& about ho* you can im%rove your reading techni.ue or ma&e it more user-friendlyI P 6inaliFe your (ode of Tarot 7thics and &ee% it in a %lace you can see during readings or in your Tarot Bournal' 6urther ,eading (ounselling S&ills for 3ummies, by Gail 7vans, is a useful introduction to using basic counseling s&ills, *hich you can a%%ly to your readings'

6or many Tarot readers, the reason for learning Tarot is to read for others' +any readers *ish to %rovide a service for those *ho need it, and are &een to use their ne*found s&ill *ith the cards to hel% others' This lesson *ill loo& at some ti%s and tric&s for those *ho *ish to read for others, and *ill ho%efully ins%ire you to thin& about some as%ects of reading for others that you may face as you gain e9%erience' (hatting Isn5t (heating: Interactive ,eadings

A common misconce%tion about reading for others-es%ecially in a %rofessional conte9t-is that the Tarot reader is the one *ho should be doing all the tal&ing' )e are already a*are from %revious lessons that some .uerents 0ust *ant somebody to listen to them, but *e also need to be a*are that many of us are not %sychic and need some feedbac& throughout the reading to guide us' 2ur role as Tarot readers is not to im%ress %eo%le li&e a stage magician guessing *hat card the audience member holds in their hand, but to give them as accurate a reading as %ossible' Thus, chatting to the .uerent about their situation and receiving feedbac& to com%are *ith the cards is not cheating-it is im%roving the reading' A good Tarot reader *ill be able to see the %articular meanings of the cards in front of them and *eave them together to form a coherent story' 4ut an e9cellent reader *ill need to a%%ly this story to something s%ecific in the .uerent5s life in order to ma&e it relevant and therefore useful' Sometimes it is easy to see *hat as%ect of the .uerent5s life the reading is referring to (for e9am%le, a %redominance of (u%s card might indicate a relationshi% issue$, but at other times it is not so clear' At times li&e this, it is hel%ful to first give a brief summary of the meanings of the cards, and then as& the .uerent *hat s%ecifically the reading is referring to-if they *ant to tell you' Sometimes the .uerent does not *ish to tell you *hat the reading is about' This could be because they *ant to &ee% it %rivate, or it could be because they e9%ect you to be %sychic and instantly &no* *hat they are thin&ing' If either of these is the case, I li&e to tell the .uerent that I *ill read the cards for them and give e9am%les of ho* they could a%%ly to the .uerent5s life, but that I cannot a%%ly them s%ecifically or give s%ecific advice' This *ay the .uerent is a*are that my reading style changes to fit their a%%roach to the cards' =ou may find it hel%ful to as& the .uerent for clarification at certain %oints in the reading' 6or instance, you have given them the inter%retation of a card but are confused as to ho* it might fit s%ecifically into their .uestion' =ou could as& the .uerent if the card reminds them of something or somebody in their lifeJ you could sim%ly as& if *hat you have said ma&es sense' +any times you5ll find that although you are confused regarding the card5s %lace in the reading, *hat you5ve said has made sense to the .uerent and you need go no further' 2ther *ays of interacting *ith the .uerent during the reading include: P As&ing the .uerent ho* they feel about the reading' P As&ing the .uerent if they feel the reading is accurate' P As&ing the .uerent to loo& at a s%ecific card and identify an as%ect of the image that stands out to them-this image could %rovide a &ey to the inter%retation of that card in the conte9t of that reading' P As&ing the .uerent if they need further clarification regarding any as%ect of the reading-this could lead to further discussion and analysis of the cards, or to dra*ing some more cards to %rovide more detail' P As&ing the .uerent ho* they feel about a s%ecific card' P 4efore shuffling the cards, you may discuss their .uestion so that you can form it into something readable, clear, and s%ecific, and so that you can create or choose a suitable s%read to use for the reading' 4y clarifying the .uerent5s .uestion you can also clarify the later card inter%retations' 3iscussion during the reading *ill also enable the .uerent to as& any .uestions they need to regarding your inter%retation, giving them the best %ossible understanding of the reading' 4y as&ing them .uestions, you *ill also ma&e them an active %artici%ant in the reading, em%hasiFing their role in creating their future' This avoids

inadvertently ma&ing the .uerent believe that their future is entirely fi9ed and out of their control' A +atter of Seating )hen reading for others, *e are often in the %osition of advice-giver and counselor, and are %rivy to some of the .uerent5s dee%est fears and desires, and information they might not divulge to another %erson' Subtle factors such as body language can hel% reinforce and encourage trust and o%en communication, including *here each %erson is seated during the reading' +any readers sit o%%osite their .uerent *ith a table bet*een them' /nfortunately, this does not allo* the .uerent to see the card images the right *ay u%, unless you turn them to face them or %erform the reading u%side-do*nI It also %laces an instant bloc&age bet*een the reader and the .uerent' This can sometimes ma&e the t*o %eo%le feel li&e the reading is confrontational, or can encourage the .uerent to sim%ly sit and listen rather than interacting and discussing' )ithout card images to focus their attention, they may also not %ic& u% on the symbolism that you are referring to or their attention may *ander else*here' =ou may find it more effective for interactive readings to seat the .uerent ad0acent to you-you on one side of the table and the .uerent on the side ne9t to it' This allo*s you to have the s%read easily vie*able by both yourself and the .uerent, but also does not infringe on the .uerent5s %ersonal s%ace or comfort Fone-after all, you may be a stranger to the .uerent, so sitting ne9t to them may be too %ersonal' Atmos%here and A%%earance 6irst im%ressions are often the ones that stic& *ith us and form a large %art of our 0udgments of somebody' 4efore *e even s%ea& to somebody, *e ta&e in their a%%earance-*hat clothes they are *earing, their body language, their hair color and style, their gender' 4efore a %erson interacts *ith us, *e already believe certain things about them: a scruffy %erson may be less trust*orthyJ a *oman in a suit and carrying a briefcase seems colder and more efficientJ a man *ho is smiling and laughing *armly seems friendly and a%%roachable' Therefore, *e must be a*are as Tarot readers that ho* *e loo&, s%ea&, and act affects the .uerent5s 0udgment of us, and therefore their rece%tivity to the reading' Similarly, the location of the reading needs to be *elcoming for the .uerent so that they can immediately rela9 and be comfortable for the reading' Some things you should consider are: P )hat you *ear: /nless you5re reading at a ,enaissance 6aire or some similar event, dressing as +adame 3estiny or the Gy%sy fortune-teller is not recommended' This outfit ma&es it seem that you are not a serious reader, and the .uerent *ill be less inclined to listen to your reading or advice' =ou *ill need to be *ell %resented, so *earing clean and ironed clothes is recommendedI If your reading style is casual, interactive, and friendly, choose clothes that encourage this: a %air of 0eans *ith a smart to% or shirt, %erha%s, or a s&irt and s*eater' If you are reading to a certain &ind of clientele (artists, agans, your friends$ then you may *ish to alter your outfit to fit thatJ more colors for an artist, for instance' Similarly, if you are a *ell-endo*ed *oman, you may *ish to ma&e sure the attention of the .uerent is on the reading and not else*here: do not *ear a lo*-cut to%I P The reading table: )hat is on it; lease ensure before the reading begins that your table is clean and uncluttered-don5t read your cards on a surface covered in food from the night before or surrounded by em%ty beer cans' =ou might *ish to cover your surface *ith a tablecloth or s%read cloth, and %erha%s decorate it *ith a vase of

flo*ers or statue' Also consider %lacing the chairs *here you *ant them to be for the reading' P 2ther items: =ou may *ish to light a candle for the duration of the reading (for some this *ill form %art of their s%iritual %ractice before reading any*ay$, burn incense (though this can cause %roblems for some asthmatics$, and have a number of other divinatory tools at hand for the reading' This can include some other Tarot dec&s that the .uerent can choose from for the reading, or sets of runes, oracle dec&s, I (hing coins, and more' Some readers might also li&e to ma&e the .uerent feel comfortable by having a %late of coo&ies ready to be offered, a %itcher of *ater and t*o glasses, or facilities for ma&ing a hot drin& available' =ou might also li&e to have a bo9 of tissues ready and hidden a*ay 0ust in case' 6inally, having a %ad of %a%er and %ens out on the table for both your use and that of the .uerent *ill be handy' P =our location: =ou might *ish to read from home, and thus your readings might ta&e %lace at your dinner table in the lounge, &itchen, or dining room' =ou may need to consider if there are any family members in the house at that time, and if so *arn them that you *ill be %erforming a reading at a certain time, and as& them to refrain from coming into the reading area' =ou might feel safer (and rightly so$ reading in a %ublic area li&e a %ar& or cafe-choose a %lace that you &no* is friendly to Tarot reading, and if %ossible as& the %ro%rietor beforehand to ma&e sure it5s o&ay' If outside, chec& the *eather, and if it is *indy, try using small *eighted ob0ects to hold the cards do*n' Some ti%s that are recommended for every reading regardless of location or .uerent include: P Smile *armly *hen you greet the .uerent' P +a&e eye contact to sho* your interest' P 7nsure your voice isn5t too loud or too .uiet' P )atch your body language: don5t create a bloc&age by crossing your arms over your chest' 3on5t loo& bored by resting your head on your hand or staring into s%ace, or by maintaining a fi9ed smile' The +ind 4lan& 7very Tarot reader dreads it, and most Tarot readers have e9%erienced it: the moment *hen you turn over the cards and realiFe you have absolutely no idea *hat they meanI This mind blan& is a common occurrence for beginners because each Tarot reading is a little bit stressful *hen you are still not confident in your s&ills or &no*ledge' Bust li&e *hen you go into an e9am or 0ob intervie* and find your mind suddenly em%ty of &no*ledge, you may start a Tarot reading *ith a blan& mind' To add further difficulty to this situation, your .uerent is sitting *ith you e9%ecting your ensuing ans*er, so the cloc& is tic&ing and you begin to %anic' The mind blan& is natural' It can even be useful' )hen your mind is blan&, it is o%en and ready to receive information' /se this moment to loo& at the cards in front of you, breathe dee%ly, and loo& at the images' 3o not start thin&ing about the .uerent5s e9%ectations, only focus on the moment of stillness in your mind' Then, *hen you are calm and confident after this stillness, start tal&ing' Tal& at first about the cards and their images, their symbols' 3on5t relate their meanings to the .uestion yet-0ust tal& about them' This *ill start your mind bac& into its inter%retation gear and eventually you5ll start to see the meaning of the s%read' Another tric& that I *as taught by an e9%erienced reader is to start the reading *ith a blunt %encil and shar%ener by your %ad of note%a%er' After you5ve laid out the cards, %ic& u% the %encil and start shar%ening it, and use the time it ta&es to shar%en the

%encil to loo& at the cards and get over the initial %anic you have during that moment of uncertainty and mind blan&' 2%tional Home*or& erform some readings for other %eo%le-either friends or strangers-*ith an a*areness of the advice in the %revious sections G(hatting Isn5t (heating,G GA +atter of Seating,G and GAtmos%here and A%%earance'G After the readings have finished, *rite do*n some notes about ho* you felt each reading *ent' 3id you find these readings easier; 3id the .uerent res%ond readily; )as the .uerent interested throughout; )here *as their attention;

)e5ve finally reached the conclusion of the lessons, and you should have gained confidence in your reading abilities, &no*ledge of the cards and their meanings as *ell as their versatility, and s&ills for reading for yourself and others' Ho*ever, your learning should not be com%leted: the Tarot is a sub0ect that can ta&e a lifetime to learn about and, at the end, still have more to offer' Since it contains *ithin it a reflection of the mysteries of the universe and the human e9%erience, it *ould be im%ossible to ever &no* everything about it' =ou *ill also continue to gro* and develo% through e9%erience in the years to come, and ho%efully even ten, fifteen, thirty years do*n the line you *ill still be finding ne* techni.ues, a%%roaches, and as%ects in the Tarot' This cha%ter gives you some ideas about *here to go from here to continue your learning' laces for 6ello* Tarot -overs 2ne of the best *ays to continue im%roving your reading s&ills and &no*ledge of the cards is to discuss the Tarot *ith others' The Internet %rovides a number of e9cellent discussion forums that you can 0oin, *here you can discuss any as%ects of the Tarot, s*a% readings, buy, sell, and trade Tarot dec&s, read revie*s of ne* Tarot dec&s and boo&s, and see& advice from others' There are also online grou%s that organiFe realtime meetu%s and discussion grou%s' I highly recommend finding some discussion forums to 0oin, though your area may not have any grou%s that meet u% in %erson' =ou could, ho*ever, consider starting oneI Tarot 6orums P Aeclectic Tarot 6orum (htt%:EE***'aeclectic'net$ P (om%aritive Tarot (htt%:EEgrou%s'yahoo'comEgrou%E(om%arativeTarotE$ P Tarot (ollector5s 6orum (htt%:EE***'tarotcollectors'comE$ P Tarot for -ife (htt%:EE***'tarotforlife'comE%h%44<Einde9'%h%$ P Tarot - (htt%:EEgrou%s'yahoo'comEgrou%ETarot-E$ P Tarot History 6orum (htt%:EEforum'tarothistory'comE$ +eetu%s )ebsite: htt%: EEtarot' meetu%' comE These Tarot +eetu%s often consist of short tal&s, *or&sho%s, and %resentations from members of the grou% and visiting s%ea&ers, as *ell as a chance to s*a% readings *ith others, com%are dec&s, discuss the cards *ith fello* enthusiasts, and s*a% items' They are a great *ay to meet li&e-minded %eo%le as *ell' 3on5t be afraid to start your o*n +eetu% if you thin& your city has enough Tarot enthusiasts in itI =ou can do this

through the Tarot +eetu% Grou%s *ebsite, and by advertising at local boo&stores, coffee sho%s, art centers, and 8e* Age sho%s' (ollecting Tarot 3ec&s A number of Tarot readers also become Tarot dec& collectors' The reasons for doing so abound, and there are many suggestions from both collectors and non-collectors' +any noncollectors believe dec& collectors desire .uantity over .uality' 2thers thin& it is done for the art*or& and aesthetics %rovided by so many dec&s' Still others thin& %eo%le collect because they are still searching for Gthe oneG: the dec& that *e feel so dra*n to that *e can use it for readings forever' Indeed, for some collectors these may be the reasons, but they are not the only reasons for collecting Tarot dec&s' (ollecting dec&s allo*s you to build u% a mindsca%e for every card in the dec&' )hen you are familiar *ith fifty different 3eath cards, you may be a*are of subtle nuances from one dec& regarding the card that have not a%%eared in the current dec& being used for the reading' This hel%s *ith inter%retation and ensures that the reader does not fall into the bad habit of reading the cards the same *ay each time' )ith each Tarot dec& comes another artist5s inter%retation of the cards and their meanings, ne* symbols, ne* a%%roaches, and ne* as%ects for you to consider' (ollecting dec&s can also be useful for later *hen you might *ant to teach Tarot to others-it gives you a large number of dec&s you can ta&e to your classes or *or&sho%s for %artici%ants to use and %lay *ith' It can also be nice to have some dec&s for a .uerent to choose from at the start of a reading, giving them an active role in the reading' Ho*ever, Tarot dec& collecting can be highly addictive and e9%ensive, so you should be certain about your reasons for doing it' If your reason is to get a dec& collection larger than somebody else5s collection, then you5re doing it for the *rong reasonsI 2nce you start collecting, I5d advise starting small-buy only the mass-mar&et, *idely available dec&s that you thin& you5ll li&e' ublishing com%anies such as -le*ellyn, /'S' Games, and -o Scarabeo %ublish a *ide variety of dec&s every year, so there is %lenty to choose from' These initial dec&s might become your reading dec&s *hile you e9%lore their symbolism and ta&e on the cards' 7ventually you might gro* tired of buying mass-mar&et dec&s, and this is the time *hen you need to consider *hy you are collecting: are you collecting because you *ant to learn more and have a *ide variety of dec&s at your dis%osal; 2r are you collecting for the same reasons you might collect stam%s or +ing 3ynasty dinner*are; If the former, then %urchasing hard-to-find, out-of-%rint, and e9%ensive dec&s isn5t necessarily going to hel% you (unless the dec& in .uestion is %articularly attractive to you for reasons other than its high %rice$J if the latter, then you5ll need to consider s%ending a lot of money to %urchase some of the rarer dec&s' Such dec&s are investments, and it *ould be *ise to insure and %ro%erly store such a collection' I recommend buying some of your dec&s secondhand in order to &ee% the cost of your collection lo*' (ollections are rarely read *ith, so if you5re buying dec&s to loo& at them, study them, but not read *ith them, a secondhand dec& *ill %rovide you *ith those things *ithout the concerns some %eo%le have about reading *ith secondhand dec&s' (reating =our 2*n 3ec& )e have already e9%lored creating 1ision 4oards *ith the (ourt (ards in -esson :>, and it *as suggested then that these 1ision 4oards become the first cards in a dec& you create yourself' =ou can effectively use that 1ision 4oard techni.ue for any of the cards in the dec& and start creating your o*n right a*ay'

(reating your o*n Tarot dec& is an infinitely re*arding e9%erience and *ill im%rove your understanding and &no*ledge of the cards greatly' To create a single card re.uires you to assess its meaning on both a traditional level and a %ersonal level, and then translate that meaning into an image and set of symbols that you understand and can relate to' This translation %rocess not only hel%s you get the card and its meaning clear in your mind, but it ins%ires you to thin& dee%er about its many facets, and ho%efully discover something ne* in each card' 6or those *ith artistic talent, creating a dec& %oses less of a %roblem, but for those *ho have no s&ill in this area, it can %ose several ne* challenges' 6irstly, *hat medium should you use; =ou might li&e to try collage, since it doesn5t re.uire your o*n art*or&, but it is limited to the images you can find that have already been created else*here' hotogra%hic dec&s are also fun, and you can get friends and family members to %ose for the cards' =ou could even try collaborating *ith an artist *ho is also interested in Tarot to create a dec& together' (reating an entire dec& can ta&e years of hard *or&, so you may *ish to create a +a0ors-only dec& at first' 2r you might *ish to only create a fe* cards of a dec&, choosing cards that you feel you need to *or& *ith and understand better' =ou might also *ish to create a dec& based on a theme you are fond of to further e9%lore the cards as they are a%%lied to other areas of life' Going rofessional 2nce you have gained more confidence in your reading style and s&ill, you might *ish to start doing %rofessional readings' This could be as sim%le as %utting u% some flyers in a local health food or 8e* Age store for readings, and charging for those readings' =ou can do as many or as fe* readings as you li&e, and if you en0oy reading for money you could turn it into a %art-time home business' Such a move re.uires a lot of consideration and a little ca%ital, so it5s highly recommended that you do %lenty of research on starting u% your o*n business, and the %rices of other Tarot readers in your area' =ou5ll also *ant to try and get a niche mar&et if there are already a number of other readers in your vicinity' It5s not essential to go %rofessional to be a Tarot reader' =ou can choose to use your s&ill for only yourself, your friends, and your family' +any %eo%le don5t have time to be a %rofessional Tarot reader alongside all the other things they are doing in their lives' 4ut if you are &een to try it out, I highly recommend reading rofessional Tarot, *hich is on the 6urther ,eading list at the end of this lesson' A 6inal Thought +y dearest *ish is that this course is only a ste%%ing stone on a long and eventful 0ourney to*ard a greater understanding and higher *isdom' I *ish that you continue to learn more about the Tarot for many years to come, and that it %rovides you *ith guidance, insight, and a*areness' +ay you never sto% learning' 2%tional Home*or& P (reate your o*n Tarot dec&I P Boin at least one of the above Tarot discussion forums and get chatting' P (ontinue reading for yourself and others, and &ee% u% a 3aily 3ra*E)ee&ly 3ra* %ractice if you have one' P Kee% a Tarot 0ournal u% to date and in use' 6urther ,eading rofessional Tarot: The 4usiness of ,eading, (onsulting and Teaching, by (hristine Berre, is highly recommended before you begin to set u% any form of %rofessional

Tarot reading service' Also has e9cellent suggestions for Tarot teaching and *or&sho%s' The Aeclectic Tarot 6orum community Tarot dec&s, collaboratively created by forum members' Great ins%iration for your o*n dec&' (htt%:EE***'aeclectic' netEtarotE%ro0ectE$

7arth Soil, dirt, %eat, bric&s, houses, trees, forests, nature, the human body, the %lanet (olors: 4ro*ns, greens, blac&s Hualities: 6ertility, gro*th, trade, everyday life, survival, necessity, feminine, rece%tive, health, money, business, the land, food, nurture, gro*th, decay, grounding, %rotection, nourishment, home, loyalty Astrology: Taurus, 1irgo, (a%ricorn Season: Autumn Archangel: /riel )iccan symbol'- entacle +ythical creature: Satyr 7lemental: Gnome Air 4reath, *ind, song, shout, *ords, cries, o9ygen, the atmos%here (olors: 4lues, *hites, yello*s Hualities: (ommunication, learning, the mind, &no*ledge, ideas, invention, logic, *ords, letters, study, university, memory, change, teaching, *isdom Astrology: A.uarius, Gemini, -ibra Season: S%ring Archangel: ,a%hael )iccan symbol'- S*ord, athame +ythical (reature: egasus 7lemental: Syl%h 6ire (andles, lights, cam%fires, ovens, stars, the sun, forest fires (olors: ,eds, oranges, blac&s, yello*s Hualities: The energetic, drive, *ill, %assion, desire, ambition, trium%h, anger, aggression, %urification, ego, confidence Astrology: Aries, -eo, Sagittarius Season: Summer Archangel: +ichael )iccan symbol'- )and +ythical creature: hoeni9 7lemental: Salamander )ater Ta%s, baths, sho*ers, %onds, la&es, oceans, blood, bile, streams, drin&s, rain

(olors: 4lues, %ur%les, greens Hualities: The emotional, feelings, the heart, love, relationshi%s, social situations, blood, menstruation, healing, com%assion, intuition, %sychic ability, surrender, s%irituality Astrology: isces, (ancer, Scor%io Season: )inter Archangel: Gabriel )iccan symbol'- The (halice +ythical creature: +ermaid 7lemental: /ndine

Amberstone, )ald and ,uth Ann Amberstone' The Secret -anguage of Tarot' )eiser 4oo&s, !""D' Andre*s, Ted and agyn Ale9ander-Harding' +ore Sim%lified +agic: ath*or&ing and the Tree of -ife' 3ragonh*a& ublishing, :AA#' Aristotle, 8ichomachean 7thics' enguin (lassics, !""<' 4anFhaf, Ha0o' The Hero5s 0ourney' )eiser 4oo&s, !"""' The 4ible' The 8e* Standard 1ersion'

4unning, Boan' -earning Tarot ,eversals' )eiser 4oo&s, !""<' (am%bell, Bose%h' The Hero )ith a Thousand 6aces' 8e* )orld -ibrary, !""D' The o*er of +yth' Anchor 4oo&s 3oubleday, :ADD' (arter, Angela' The 4loody (hamber' enguin (lassics, :AA"' (on*ay, 3' B' -ord of -ight and Shado*: The +any 6aces of the God' -le*ellyn ublications, :AA#' (ro*ley, Aleister' -iberAle%h vel (CI'P The 4oo& of )isdom or 6olly' )eiser 4oo&s, :AA:' +agic&: 4oo& ?, -iberAba (+agic& 4&' ?$ (4&'?$' )eiser 4oo&s, :AAD' The 4oo& of Thoth' )eiser 4oo&s, :AAD' 3ummett, +ichael, Thierry 3e%aulis, and ,onald 3ec&er' A )ic&ed ac& of (ards: The 2rigins of the 2ccult Tarot' St' +artin5s ress, :AA@' 3ummet, +ichael, and ,onald 3ec&er' A History of the 2ccult Tarot' 3uc&*orth ublishing, !""!' 3uHuette, -on +ilo' /nderstanding Aleister (ro*ley5s Thoth Tarot' )eiser 4oo&s, !""<' 6arrar, Banet, and Ste*art 6arrar' The )itches God: -ord of the 3ance' hoeni9 ublishing, :ADA' 6arrell, 8ic&' +agical ath*or&ing: Techni.ues ofActive Imagination' -le*ellyn ublications, !""?' 6ortune, 3ion' The +ystical Habbalah' )eiser 4oo&s, !"""' Gad, Irene' Tarot and Individuation: A Bungian Study of (orres%ondences *ith (abala, Alchemy, and the (ha&ras' 8icolas-Hayes, !""?' Galenorn, =asmine' Tarot 0ourneys: Adventures in Self- Transformation' -le*ellyn ublications, :AAA' Graves, ,oberts' The )hite Goddess' 6aber and 6aber, :A#>' Greer, +ary K' !: )ays to ,ead a Tarot (ard' -le*ellyn ublications, !""@' The (om%lete 4oo& of Tarot ,eversals' -le*ellyn ublications, !""!' Greer, +ary K', and Tom -ittle' /nderstanding the Tarot (ourt' -le*ellyn ublications, !""?' Grimm, Bacob, and )ilhelm Grimm' The (om%lete 6airy Tales of the 4rothers Grimm' 4antam, !""<' Heline, (orrine' The 4ible and Tarot' 3e1orss and (om%any, :AD:' Huac&, 3ennis )illiam' The (om%lete Idiot5s Guide to Alchemy' Al%ha, !""D' Huggens, Kim and 8icholas hilli%s' Sollnvictus: The God Tarot' Schiffer 4oo&s, !""#' Bayanti, Amber' -iving the Tarot' )eiser 4oo&s, !""?' Berre, (hristine' rofessional Tarot: The 4usiness of ,eading, (onsulting, and Teaching' -le*ellyn ublications, !""<' Tarot forAll Seasons' -le*ellyn ublications, !"":' Tarot Shado* )or&: /sing the 3ar& Symbols to Heal' -le*ellyn ublications, !"""' Ka%lan, Stuart' 7ncyclo%edia of Tarot, 1ols' :-?' /S Games Systems, :A#D-!"">' Klein, Kenny' The 6lo*ering ,od: +en, Se9, and S%irituality' 3el%hi ress, :AA<' Kliegman, Isabel' Tarot and the Tree of -ife: 6inding 7veryday )isdom in the +inor Arcana' Huest 4oo&s, :AA#' Knight, Gareth' Tarot and +agic: Images for ,itual and ath*or&ing' Inner Traditions, :AA:'

Konraad, Sandor' (lassic Tarot S%reads' Schiffer ublishing, :AD>' 8umerology: Key to the Tarot' Schiffer ublishing, :AD<' Krafcho*, 3avid' Kabbalistic Tarot' Hebraic )isdom in the +a0or and +inorArcana' Inner Traditions, !"">' Kraig, 3onald +ichael, and +ary K' Greer' Tarot and +agic' -le*ellyn ublications, !""!' -ager.uist, Kay and -isa -enard' The (om%lete Idiot5s Guide to 8umerology' Al%ha, !""?' -inden, Stanton B' The Alchemy ,eader: 6rom Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac 8e*ton' (ambridge /niversity ress, !""<' -yle, Bane' Tarot' Hamlyn, :AA"' The +abinogion' Translated by -ady (harlotte Guest' 4oo& Bungle, !""#' +achiavelli, 8iccolo' The rince' 29ford /niversity ress, !""D' +ellet, +' -e (onte de' Study on the Tarots, and on the 3ivination by the (ards of the Tarots' Translation into 7nglish by 3onald Tyson' 2nline at htt%:EE***'donaldtyson 'comEgebelin'html +eyer, +arvin, and Bames +' ,obinson' The 8ag Hammadi Scri%tures: The ,evised and /%dated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Te9ts' Har%er2ne, !""A' +ichelson, Theresa' 3esigning =our 2*n Tarot S%reads' -le*ellyn ublications, !""<' +orrison, 3orothy' 7veryday Tarot +agic: +editation and S%ells' -le*ellyn ublications, !""<' +otF, -ottie' 6aces of the Goddess' 29ford /niversity ress, :AA#' 258eill, ,obert 1' Tarot Symbolism' 6air*ay ress, :AD@' 2rion, ,ae' Astrology for 3ummies' )iley, !""#' 2us%ens&y, ' 3' The Symbolism of the Tarot: hiloso%hy of 2ccultism in ictures and 8umbers' (reateS%ace, !""A' 2vid' +etamor%hosis' enguin (lassics, !""?' ielmeier, Heidemarie' Illustrated Tarot S%reads' Sterling, :AAA' lace, ,obert' The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and 3ivination' Tarcher, !"">' lato' haedrus' enguin (lassics, !"">' ,e%ublic' Hac&ett ublishing, :AA!' ollac&, ,achel' The 8e* Tarot: +odern 1ariations on Ancient Images' A.uarian ress, :AA:' Seventy-7ight 3egrees of )isdom' )eiser 4oo&s, !""#' ,aine, Kathleen' =eats, the Tarot, and the Golden 3a*n' The 3olmen ress, :A#@' ,enee, Banina' Tarot S%ells' -le*ellyn ublications, !"""' ,ic&lef, Bames' Tarot, Get the )hole Story' -le*ellyn ublications, !""?' Tarot Tells the Tale' -le*ellyn ublications, !""@' ,osa, Tina, and (hristine ayne-To*ler' The /nderground Stream: 7soteric Tarot ,evealed' 8oreah ress, :AAA' Snuffin, +ichael' The Thoth (om%anion: The Key to the True Symbolic +eaning of the Thoth Tarot' -le*ellyn ublications, !""#' So%hocles, The 2edi%us (ycle' Harvest 4oo&s, !""!' Tyson, 3onald' ortable +agic: Tarot Is the 2nly Tool =ou 8eed' -le*ellyn ublications, !""@' )aite, Arthur 7d*ard' The Key to the Tarot' ,ider 4oo&s, :AAA'

)inless, Bames' 8e* Age Tarot: Guide to the Thoth 3ec&' +errill )est ublishing, :AD#' )ar*ic&-Smith, Kate' The Tarot (ourt (ards: Archety%al atterns of ,elationshi% in the +inorArcana' 3estiny 4oo&s, !""<' )estcott, )' )ynne, and 3arcy KuntF' The Golden 3a*n (ourt (ards' Holmes ublishing Grou%, :AA@'