Tarot: The Great Communicator
Tarot is a tool that works in many ways. As an intuitive tool it opens us up to psychic understanding, and to the ability to hear our intuition.
As an interpretive tool it is a language of pictures that helps us make sense of our world. As a psychological tool, each card offers the opportunity to express our feelings and ideas.
As an archetypal tool it shows us our place in the great dance of life.
But in all cases, Tarot is a tool of communication.
Tarot fosters communication between the conscious and the subconscious. It allows communication between the world of the living and the world of the dead. It can give our spirit guides and guardians a voice.
On a more practical level, Tarot is a tool of communication that can be used for group building and group dynamics, brainstorming, and relationship building within a couple or family.
Use Tarot to Communicate Your Feelings
Here are some exercises:
Look through your deck, and think about the feelings that each card might describe. For instance, the High Priestess could describe a feeling of serenity, the Nine of Pentacles could describe security, the Four of Swords could describe tiredness.
Look through all your cards, and pick the one that seems to describe the way you are feeling at a particular moment.
Think about a person that you know well. Ask the question “How is this person feeling?” and pull a card at random. Does the card match you own impressions about the person?
In a group, have each person share a card that they feel best describes their current feelings.
When you are unsure about your feelings on a particular topic, ask the question “How do I really feel in my heart about this subject?” and pull a card at random.
Talk about the Cards
The card images themselves can foster communication.
When you are reading for someone, show them the most significant cards and ask them what they see in each picture. What they say, and what aspects of each image they relate to, can give a great deal of information.
When you lay out a spread, ask the querent to point out which image is most disturbing, and which is most appealing. This can give a great deal of insight. As an example, if a client is particularly disturbed by the Six of Wands, you may interpret that to mean that they fear their own success.
Communication for Couples
There are many relationship spreads to choose from, or you can design your own. When you read for a couple, consider the following:
When you read for a relationship, you are reading for three “people.” There are each of the partners, and then a third entity, which is the relationship itself.
If you do separate spreads for each partner, look to see how the cards compare. Are they concerned about the same issues? Do they show up in each others’ reading?
If you sense that the couple is not communicating well, you can have each partner pull a card at random and give it to the other. You will interpret the cards as “This is what I really need to say to you.”
Use the cards to help each partner set priorities, and communicate those priorities to each other.
Draw cards to describe the concerns the couple holds in common, such as kids, home, parents and money.
Tarot for Groups
Tarot can be used for group building and understanding group dynamics.
Here are some ideas.
If you are interested in seeing how a group of people relate to each other, pull one card for each person, and arrange the cards according to their hierarchy if there is one, or simply in a circle. See what cards come up for which people, and think about how they interact with each other. Try this exercise to get a picture of what happens in the White House, or what the dynamic was between the Beatles in 1970. Then try it with a group of which you are a part.
Have each person within a group pull a card to determine what that person brings to the group. Then, pull a card to see what each person needs from the group.
Have each person pick a card at random, and then give it to the person within the group whom they feel needs it most.
Have each person pick a card at random to answer the question “How could I serve this group better?” Have the group members discuss the findings.
Have each person choose the card they feel best describes them. Put the cards together and see how they work together.
Tarot for Brainstorming
You can use Tarot for brainstorming and creative planning, either as an individual or as a group.
Draw a card at random as a focus point for the beginning of a project.
Draw a card for each of the contributors to a project to see what they bring, good or bad, to the table. Alternatively, you can draw two cards for each- one being what they bring that is positive, and the other for problems and issues that they may bring.
When you have decisions to make along the way, pull one card for each option to help you weigh your choices.
When you have a creative block, pull a card and really think about its meaning and what it might be saying about your process.
At the end of a project, pull some cards to help you put closure to the project Ask questions like “What did I learn?” and “What will the lasting effect of this project be?
Communication with the Body
Tarot readers must be very careful about giving any health information. Always refer to a doctor, and refrain from using the cards to scare anyone!
However, the body may communicate its needs during a reading. Sometimes this will be in response to a question, other times the cards may appear in general spreads.
To get a sense of how the cards may speak to physical issues, go through the deck and think about each card in those terms. Here are some ideas that often work, see if they make sense to you, and if you can add to them:
“Female” cards, such as Queens, High Priestess and Empress may refer to feminine health issues.
The Wheel of Fortune may refer specifically to the menstrual cycle, or to mental disorders such as bipolar disorder.
The Nine of Swords and the Eight of Swords can refer to depression and anxiety.
The Two of Pentacles can refer to body parts of which there are two.
The Ace of Wands, especially reversed, can refer to erectile dysfunction.
Cups cards, in absence or abundance, could suggest the need for greater hydration.
Weight issues could be indicated by Justice and the Six of Pentacles.
Pregnancy can be indicated by Aces and Queens other than Swords, by the Nine of Cups and the Nine of Pentacles, and the Empress.
To get a sense of what is going on with the body/mind/spirit connection, try these:
Pull one card for each of the seven chakras.
Do a three card spread with one card for Body, one for Mind and one for Spirit.
Communication with Spirit
Tarot is a language that all spiritual beings inherently understand. Therefore, you can use the cards to communicate directly with those in Spirit.
Communication with Spirit can be as simple as pulling a card at random in answer to the question “What does the Universe want me to know right now?” Or, it can be as complicated as “What is my deceased loved one doing right now?”
When reading for those who have passed on, you have to bear in mind the spiritual orientation of the querent. As much as possible, frame what you see within their belief system by using terms that make them comfortable.
Here are some techniques to help you use the Tarot to communicate with Spirit.
Always ascertain that the person in question is indeed in Spirit. The living and the dead look pretty similar, except the dead often seem happier!
If you are trying to communicate with someone you didn’t know in life, start by pulling cards to get a sense of who the person was in life. Then is it easier to open up the channel and receive communication.
If you feel like you are receiving direct communication, say what you are receiving, even if it does not make sense to you.
You can pull cards to answer questions such as “How did this person feel about their death?” “Did anyone come to take them to the other side?” “Who are they now with?” Whom do they watch over?” “Do they plan to reincarnate?”
Encourage communication between the client and their loved one by asking “How can this living person best communicate with you?” and pulling some cards.
See if you can pass on a message by asking Spirit “Is there anything you would like me to tell this person?” and pull a few cards.
Sometimes it is helpful to do readings that communicate with or about spirit guides and guardians.
Let the querent ask “Who watches over me?” and pull some cards. Interpret them to help the querent know if it is a loved one, or an angel, or an ancestor, or some other sort of entity.
Pull cards to answer the questions “How can I communicate better with my guides and angels? And “What do my guides and angels want me to know?”
If you work with specific deities, angels or saints, you can ask questions of these entities and pull cards to receive the answer.
You can use the cards to help you discern which entities to call upon.
You can leave specific cards on you altar as a message to those in
Spirit, or even as a request for assistance from them.
Cards That Indicate People
All Tarot cards can indicate people. Some seem to do it more often then others. Of course the Court cards, and certain Major Arcana cards, are often people. Try looking through your deck and deciding what sort of people might be indicated by other, less obvious, cards.
For instance, the Three of Pentacles could indicate a craftsperson. The Eight of Pentacles could indicate an apprentice. The Eight of Wands could indicate a runner. The Six of Wands could indicate a competitive person. The Ten of Pentacles could indicate an ancestor.
Tarot and Psychic Development
Simply working with the cards will make you more psychic. Trusting you intuition and speaking your mind will make you a better reader. Here are other things to consider as you try to be a clear and open channel:
Pay attention to symbols. Don’t always take what you see literally. Learn how to interpret what you see.
Take care of the body. Sleep, diet and exercise are essential.
Mediate often.
Make sure that you breathe deeply and well.
Keep a journal of your readings, dreams and intuitions, and how they turned out.
