2 Great Benefits of Tarot October 29, 2008

Last night I did a birthday tarot reading for a dear friend who was celebrating her (third) 29th birthday.

Tarot is a funny thing- people go to it for answers, for advice, for clarity when things don’t make sense. And after almost every reading I do, I hear two things: “That’s kind of what I’ve been thinking” and “Wow, I never thought of [something] that way before.” This is one of the biggest benefits of tarot… it slows your brain down and makes you THINK.

For most of us, a little outside motivation is a good thing. So when you look down at the table, and the cards keep affirming things you already know, you think to yourself “heh, that’s the truth. Preach it.” But hearing it from somewhere else can also make it easier to do something about the situation. Tarot is like a good friend: it’s not afraid to tell you if you always get caught up with the wrong crowd, whether you should get off your duff and go work on this issue or that, or that you should maybe think about giving the credit cards a rest. You know deep down already what your friend is saying is true, but it seems so much simpler when they say it. Then you get that flash of understanding why something happens the way it does, reasons that might not have occurred to you before. So tarot creates:

Validation

We like to have our opinions reinforced… it’s human nature. So when your reader muses that your coworkers are cramping your style, or that maybe you really aren’t ready to start that big new project just yet, part of you leaps up and says, “heck yes!” because deep down, you know it’s true. A tarot reading will pick up on things that are important to you whether you’re aware of them or not. It can also draw your attention back to things that you know about yourself, but have maybe let slide in the rush of life. Seeing things you recognize puts them back in your conscious mind and makes you more ready to look at them objectively.

Insight

Affirmations are all fine and good, but you have to grow past your comfort zone to get anywhere. The second big thing about tarot is that when you see your situation in front of you, instead of carrying it around in your head, it helps you be more analytical. You become your own detective, looking for clues that might tie together different pieces of your puzzle. Being able to see your question in a new way gives you a chance to understand it in a whole new way, and THAT’S when you get those “aha” moments. When you can get out of your own way, your higher self is happy to help show you the connections. You see what other people have been telling you, you see what nas been nagging at the back of your skull, but now you get it. Not necessarily all of it, and certainly not all at once, but you’ll get the pieces you need to move to the next step. And isn’t that why you sat down and started asking questions?

Which is not to say that any random card will get you to that aha moment: the cards that get drawn are the cards that are supposed to be drawn, whether we want to see them or not. My clients will tell you that I won’t just sit back and tell people what they want to hear… none of us (me included!) get away that easily. But tarot points out the good stuff, and then helps us figure out what to do with the parts that aren’t so great. Because ultimately, we’re all the masters of our own fate.

Meet the Haindl deck. March 2, 2007

This is the Haindl deck, my current love. It’s no Rider-Waite, to be sure, but I’ve never been a traditionalist of any sort. It practically hurled itself off the bookstore shelf at me, even though I hemmed and hawed over a couple others. I have to work a little harder to read with it, but the easy way is never as good, right?

The artwork is subtle and serious, and though the images are unorthodox, it gives one a lot to work with. Each major arcana card also carries a corresponding Hebrew letter, rune, and astrological symbol, while each 2-10 minor has a hexagram from the I Ching. The only thing that bothers me about this deck is that the background is asymmetrical, so reversals give themselves away beforehand. Some people think the image (a rather odd eye) is disturbing, but I don’t have a problem with it.

Detailed reviews can be found here.

New Workshop Series Coming Soon… February 17, 2007

Due to popular demand, I’ll be starting an ongoing workshop series on the Major Arcana at the Seattle Metaphysical Library in downtown Ballard. Details are still being fleshed out, but it will meet weekly, early in the evening beginning in March. Seattle Tarot Meetup members are welcome to weigh in at the site. Not a member? Join!

Final info will be released next week.

Choosing your first tarot deck December 29, 2006

Here are some points to consider if you are choosing your first deck:

Choose a deck that makes you feel comfortable and secure, but also inspired. Since you will be spending a lot of time with your cards, you don’t want to pick a deck that strikes you as odd, unpleasant or boring. Later, you may seek out unusual decks for the challenges and insights they offer, but it’s better to start with one that attracts you. If a certain deck calls out to you, go with that one!

There is no official tarot deck. Decks come in many different forms, but the “standard” deck has 78 cards with 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards divided into 4 suits. Most decks are built on this model. You should probably stick with a standard deck to start so that you are familiar with the most common format.

Many decks are oriented around a theme. This is especially true of modern decks. Typically, the images, the names of the suits and the court card figures reflect this theme. If you choose a deck with a theme, be sure it is one that suits you and that has lasting appeal.

The Rider-Waite is probably the most common deck in the United States, and many tarot decks are based on it as well. Cards in these decks often have the same subject matter as the Rider-Waite, but are drawn with a different style and artwork. The Universal Waite is essentially a copy of the Rider-Waite, but with softer colors and less contrast. The Albano-Waite has bright, unusual coloration.

In some tarot decks, the pip cards, or numbered suit cards, all have unique picture scenes. In other decks, these cards simply show the suit symbol repeated the appropriate number of times (similar to regular playing cards). Some people like these symbolic decks, but for learning and memorization, it is often easier to have the pictures.

Some newer tarot decks have been created in the spirit of light-hearted fun. Two examples are the Halloween Tarot and the Silicon Valley Tarot. These decks are amusing, but not the best choices for deeper, more thoughtful tarot work.

-from www.learntarot.com

You can also find a detailed article on Aeclectic Tarot.

If you’re ready to go shopping, there are a few different places to look. A regular bookstore is more convenient for many people, but they probably won’t have a large selection. A local new age or magic shop will have more decks to choose from, but some people are nervous about going into one of these stores for the first time. Here are some local places to find tarot cards:

East West Bookshop
A terrific place! Friendly staff, enormous selection of decks and books, with demo decks for you to play with. My personal favorite. Open until 10pm on Fridays, if you just can’t wait.

Edge of the Circle Books
Cool local magic(k) shop in the Pike/Pine neighboorhood. Their website is down, but they’re open 12-9, seven days a week. (206) 726-1999.

Eco-Elements
Right in downtown Seattle. Closes at 6pm, earlier than most of the other stores listed, but easy to bus to from any neighborhood.

Quest Bookshop
A shop on Capitol Hill run by the local Theosophical Society. Extended hours on Friday and Saturday.

There are, of course, the old standbys of your local Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc. The larger locations will have a better selection. Amazon and some other online sellers also offer an excellent selection, but I recommend buying your first deck at a regular shop for two reasons: first, choosing a deck is a very personal process, and you will want to look at and handle as may decks as possible. Second, instant gratification! Why wait for the post office when you can take it home tonight?

Be ready to spend some time comparing decks when you get to the shop. If they have demo decks available, that is the best way to look. Check out the artwork to see what styles appeal to you most; some people like the bolder traditional look, while others are interested in more subtle images. The size and shape of the cards can be important too. Try to narrow it down to three, and then go with your instinct. You may also find yourself drawn to a style that you weren’t expecting- my most recent deck (not the one I went in to buy) nearly jumped off the shelf at me, and I carried the demo around for ten minutes before I just gave up and bought it.

And remember, the bit you may have heard about having to receive your first tarot deck as a gift is a myth. If you did, that’s great, but there’s no shame in “gifting” one to yourself either. Happy hunting!

~Shannon