If you missed the first part of this series you can find it here.

Our conscious mind only sees a part of the picture. In the shadows of the unconscious the keys to understanding the whole of a person can be found. In the underground cave the Hermit finds the light he is looking for, and, transformed by that light the Hermit may return to the world to fulfill his destiny. When people come in for a reading, whether they are conscious of it or not, what they are looking for is located in this shadowy realm. Helping clients find this deep understanding can be paramount in leading them to breaking negative patterns, or navigating their future.

In the last post we talked about how to engage the unconscious. In this post we will explore what kinds of things might surface in a reading to cause me to direct the reading towards the murky waters of the unconscious.

Court Cards
I know that many people find court cards to be one of the most challenging aspects of learning to read. There are many ways to look at them and they can cover a wide range of people, personality traits, and challenges in a reading. When a Court Card shows up, and I feel it is talking about someone in the life of the person getting the reading, I might ask them who this card reminds them of. The more challenging the card is in the reading in terms of its message for the person the more likely I am to encourage their understanding to come from within them.

Let me clarify with an example. Say the person is asking about their relationship, which the cards show to be pretty negative. If the Prince of Cups shows up in the past position I would ask them if it reminded them of anyone. If they say no, I’d start to talk about the Prince and his troubles- addiction, violence towards women, etc. I would start gently and move towards the more traumatic parts of his nature. Almost always a point will arise where the client will recognize some previous abusive situation they have been in and usually draw the line between that past situation and their current one. Their unconscious has made the connection with their conscious and now they are open to whatever advice the cards might have about moving forward.

Now some folks might suggest just coming out and saying “Well here you are in an abusive situation again.” You can if you are sure the client can handle it. I certainly have used that approach. However, if it seems that the person has not drawn the connection already it can be hard on them to just toss that out there and easily create a blockade instead of clearing the road. Especially, if the part of them that is in denial is working hard to prevent them from making changes.

Failing to connect with the message.
Sometimes when I talk about a card in a reading the person comes back by saying that I am wrong. At this point I will often switch to questioning them to see if it is me that is off, the language I am using, or the person’s perception of the situation. Often, people will deny something and when you ask them about it their language will show that the reading is not wrong, but they don’t want to admit to themselves it is true. This is where the reader gets to play psychotherapist and detective all at the same time.

So let’s say we are reading for a person about their relationship – which they say is going great – but the card that falls for it is the 8 of Cups - Indolence. This card says that things are stuck, that perhaps the communication, love or sex life has become stagnant – maybe all three. It also suggests that the person getting the reading is not being open about their feelings – either because they don’t know them, or are afraid to speak up. Here is how the conversation might go:

Me: So it seems things are not flowing very well in your relationship?
Them: Nope its great we are really happy.
Me: Are you sure? The cards suggest that there are some problems.
Them: Nope.
Me: Ok… so tell me about them?
Them: We they are great, successful, busy, hard working.
Me: So what do you like about them?
Them: (pause) That they are successful and make lots of money.
Me: Do you see enough of them?
Them: Sure, I do… but well it would be nice to go out more like we did in the beginning.
Me: Have you talked about it with them?
Them: Well, they know. I think.
Me: You get lonely much?
And so on leading back to:
Me: So as I was saying the cards talk about the troubles in your relationship. I think they are a bit bigger than you first professed them to be…

And then I went on to the rest of the reading.

I think the simplest guideline to use for this technique is if you are blocked give it a try. You can be blocked in yourself, by the cards or, by the client. It could be deliberate or not, but by using this technique you can move forward and deeper.

Next post more questions, approaches and situations.

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Here is a sample of the new image I am using. It was inspired by the Empress in the Tarot.

I recently taught as part of a whole day Tarot Symposium in Toronto with 4 other presenters. It was a lot of fun all around. From left to right are Monica Bodirsky, Bev Haskins, Marilyn Shannon, James Wells and Me. As always learning and sharing gets me fired up and brings new ideas to the surface.

Using the unconscious in Tarot Card Reading.

At the end of the day we did an exercise, lead by Marilyn at Kingston Psychic, where we created a court card of ourselves. Not choosing one of the standard ones and recreating it, but creating a new card as if we were going to add one to the deck. The thing that struck me about this exercise was that in the limited time we had my conscious brain did not really enter into the process. It was rush-rush to get it done without a worry about the artistry, or really even a plan for what the finished product should look like.

When it comes to communicating with the unconscious we have to put aside the idea of there being a correct answer. What we are looking for is information plain and simple. The unconscious speaks more through dreams and symbols so we should take the info as a coded message and break it down, rather than take it literally. The image of myself as a card that I created is not telling me something in plain English, but it is speaking plainly in the language of symbols.

Now I often work on getting people to access their unconscious in readings and when teaching but it can be very hard. When I ask a person to say the first thing that comes to mind, it can generate the opposite effect. They hunker down, and start digging for this hidden intuitive feeling. In reacting slowly they almost always move past their intuition and get bogged down in thoughts, emotions or trying to get it ‘right’. Unless they have already developed the knack for it you almost have to trick them.

The biggest reason to try and drawn from the client’s unconscious is that the language it provides is often more readily reabsorbed later on. Put simply the metaphors it provides can drive the narrative of the reading. If they speak of monsters, war, shadows, darkness, animals, angels, ghosts or whatever else it creates a backdrop for the story of the reading – an epic battle against the monster of addiction, or living in a war zone for a bad relationship. We can use these symbols to give context to the guidance the reading provides.

I always prep the person by saying the following things:

• Just say the first thing that comes to mind.
• It’s not about being right it is an exploration.
• Trust it will help me help you, even if it does not make sense right away.

For the purpose of this article lets focus on asking them “Who does this card remind you of?” Then try applying the following techniques:

• Ask questions quickly and move along if there is no answer
• Accept I don’t know
• Come back to the question later
• Ask them to stand up and walk around
• Rush their answer. Prompt, cajole, and prod them with comments and words.
• Ask them a list of people as fast as you can.
• Make a joke and then come back to it.

Use your judgment in doing this process as some people can get shut down. As the reader you have to be flexible and fast on your feet.

In the next posts we will get into some of the benefits of this approach, what kind of questions to ask, and some examples of it in action.

A little while back I wrote a post about what to do when you get lost in a reading or don’t know what a card means. This week it happened to me in pretty stellar fashion so I thought I’d share how I got myself out of the block.

I was reading for a client recently about how to deal with an institution. It was a reading all about advocating for their own rights in the face of being processed and not having their story heard. I am sure we have all run up against the machine of bureaucracy when trying to sort out problems with big companies. I get really frustrated when the person on the other end of the line says, “The computer won’t let me do that.” It may be true, but it sure doesn’t make me happy to hear it.

On to the Monkey business in this story…

The Magician appeared in this reading to talk about actions to be taken to get the best results. If you look at the Magician in the Thoth deck you will find a monkey hanging out with him. You might have to look close in some variations as he is sneaking around in the background. Crowley, in the book for this deck, says of the ape that this little fella’s job is to distort the word of God. The Magician speaks the word of God and his primate cousin distorts it so that the truth is hidden. The whole business is like playing broken telephone.

I don’t often find myself stuck on a card these days. I ran through the common meanings that often surface with this card – exerting your will, balancing inside yourself, using truth and illusion to achieve your results, or the persons power to manifest things. BUT… the Monkey just kept staring at me. Perhaps its because Monkeys stole my lunch once but I just started to get a bad feeling about it. I tried to think it out to no avail, so finally I asked him straight out. The conversation went something like this:

“Okay Monkey Man is the client not being clear in their communication?”
“Oook, ook”
“Two ‘ooks’ for yes, one for no?” I asked.
“Ooo aaaahhhh”
“Okay I am on the wrong track, are their emotions getting in the way?”
“Haaa haaa”
Starting to feel a bit silly for talking to a picture of a Monkey I thought “Okay you are being too heady about all this.”
Out loud I asked politely “What do you have to say in this reading Mr. Cynocephalus Ape?”
In a charming voice the answer came “You are not hearing what I have to say, because they are not hearing what she has to say.”

So there it was, the institution was distorting the communication between my client and their service provider. This was something I knew about dealing with, and luckily, the card itself conveyed the solution. The magician is the master of truth and illusion, and as such, knows when he is not being understood. By accepting the reality of the broken telephone, the client could focus on checking the feedback loop to ensure accurate communication. It’s a perfect setting for asking the question like “Can you repeat back to me what you heard me say?” and other techniques like it to get the wax out of the ears, or in this case the institution out of the way, and get on to communicating as two people intent on finding a workable solution to the problems at hand.

Oooook Ooook…

Got some monkeyshines of your own to share? Jump in by posting a comment.

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Okay, it’s true I did not poll a community of rats to find out what they think, however, some really smart people did research with them that is relevant to a question I run across a lot as a reader–“Is it better to know, or not know, that something bad is going to occur.”

I was listening to a Radio Lab podcast on stress, which you can find here. They get to interviewing (@45:33min) a man by the name of Dr. Robert Sapolsky who was doing tests with rats to look at their stress and to see what helped them with it. The set up goes that two rats get zapped and one of them is given a coping mechanism. The coping mechanism that caught my attention was that being given a warning helped reduce the stress of the experience. In other words, if you know something stressful is coming you will handle it better. Now as people we don’t usually get a light that flashes to warn us that something unpleasant is going to happen, but we can get a Tarot reading. In this reading we can be given a warning that can help us handle the stress better – even if we can’t change the outcome. In fact, because we are not rats in a cage, a reading can even help us alleviate or avoid a negative situation all together.

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I have not gotten my latest post out on time. Unfortunately, my youngest brother passed away unexpectedly in October and I have found it hard to focus on this project. I have somethings I am working on but don’t feel like putting up half finished ideas or junk out for all to read.
Thanks for understanding.
~ Andrew

This meditation came out of an advanced Tarot class I ran last year. We explored the relationship of different cards to each other based largely on the Tree of Life. This meditation focused on the four paths that cross the abyss - the boundary between the unmanifest spiritual plane and manifest plane. If you think of this as what happens right after the big bang you have an idea of where they come from. Try laying the cards out in front of you and looking at them as you go through. If you have a friend read it for you that might be even better.

The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers & The Chariot

You find yourself standing in a room from which there are 4 doors. The first leads outside and as you walk out you see a throne facing out to legions of soldiers. You sit and assume your position as their leader. They await your commands. What will it be for them and you today? Is it time for war? You turn to the side and look inwards. With this inner sight you connect to your inner light. This light is the light of the universe. From its wisdom you discern the best path to send your subjects on. You give your orders and troops move out to fill them. People come and kneel before you asking you to resolve their conflicts and relying on this inner light you pass your decrees. When your work is done for the day you retreat to the inner room behind the throne.

You return to the center and look to another door. This one leads out to a chapel where a couple waits to be wed. You change your garb and head out to fulfill your role. You speak the words of union and look into the hearts of the pair standing in front of you. Turning inwards to the eternal light of love you connect with this energy. It pours from on high into you and out into the couple eagerly awaiting this moment. Words flow from you about commitment, union, love and the labour that feeds it. In your heart you know they only grasp a small portion of what you say to them. Time will tell if they will nurture this day into a lasting life or not. Everyone cries with joy and hope at the culmination of the ceremony. You withdraw once again back to your chambers.

You turn to look at the third door and hear a knock. A seeker on the path has come to deepen their connection with the light. You open the door and they wait blindfolded and bound. You bring them in and ask them what they seek. Opening yourself up to the light you feel it fill you. It guides you as you move through the ritual. A part of this light you gift to the initiate. You free them from their bonds knowing that they will never see anything the same again. You introduce them to their selves and grant them words of wisdom. They depart in awe at what has come to pass and you take some time to center yourself again.

At the end of your day you prepare to do a ritual to balance and recharge yourself. First connect to the source. Then you circle slowly to each of the four directions calling up its guardian. Before each you ask be to balanced, cleansed and rejuvenated. With each you feel a greater sense of harmony and clarity about the direction in which you are headed. You return to the center and sit cross-legged on the small cushion. Around you stand the four elemental guides. They resolve from form to motion and you find yourself sitting perfectly still in the middle the whirling of the universe. Within you arises a familiar certainty of where you are going and what you must do with your life.

Please share your experience of this meditation in the comments with me. It really helps me get better to hear how these explorations work for people.

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This meditation came out of an advanced Tarot class I ran last year. We explored the relationship of different cards to each other based largely on the Tree of Life. This meditation focused on the three paths that originate in Kether - the first emanation from the primal unity. If you think of this as what happens right after the big bang you have an idea of where they come from. Try laying the cards out in front of you and looking at them as you go through. If you have a friend read it for you that might be even better.

The Fool, Magician and Priestess
You open your eyes and find yourself in a field of grass and flowers under a clear blue sky. The tall grasses around you gently swirl in the breeze. Looking around you can see nothing but the seeming infinite expanse of fields, grass and flowers. You feel calm and at ease here. The wind seems to open a path through the grass and gently pushes you towards it. Following this opening you find yourself navigating through the fields. In front of you there is a small bush with bright yellow flowers covering it. Fascinated by it you find yourself drawn towards it. As you near you are greeted by its fresh scent. The yellow of the flowers, the green of the leaves all seem brighter and brighter the more you look at it.

You reach out to touch it and suddenly there is movement. It is not the wind this time but the movement of a butterfly spreading its wings and taking flight. With wonder you follow its flight, at first with your eyes, and then with your feet. The butterfly takes a winding path circling in on itself, first closer, now farther. Paying no heed to your surroundings you are drawn after it. Like dance partners the two of you ride the winds like music.

A rustling in the tall grass grabs your attention, yet you turn your attention back to the butterfly. With glee you follow it dancing through the grass. Another movement and this time a sound brings you out of your reverie. What is there in the grass with you? Moving away from the unseen presence you head in the opposite direction. Hearing the sound of something following you, you pick up the pace. Behind you a large cat emerges from the grasses. You start to run and it follows. A hill rises in front of you and you bolt up it, tumbling off the hidden precipice on the other side into the darkness.

You find yourself floating in space. Calm and serene. A light come from inside you and as you turn your attention to the darkness you see many stars dotting the infinite expanse. Aware of the power of the light within you words form on your lips and find the darkness being clothed in images. People, places and things fill up the space that the darkness once occupied. Within each of these you are aware of the star – the spark of the divine – within all that you see. It surprises you that they are not aware of this truth.

You watch the movement of these stars as they move through their lives. You watch as needs and fears drive them to action. Their actions seem endless driven by the outside forces impacting on them. Turning inward you feel needs of your own, and as you perceive them you give them names. Naming hunger food appears, naming love a companion joins you, naming wealth opportunity and money flow towards you. You walk among them but no one sees you. You pass by stores, homes and buildings. You find a quiet place to sit with your thoughts and turn your attention inwards.

A building is raised around you but you pay it little mind. People come and kneel before you uttering their hopes and fears, their prayers and requests. From within you feel the swelling of your connection with the source. Silently you sit and commune with the source of all. Within each of those who come before you see the spark that permeates all creation.

From within or is it above you understand what each truly needs. You whisper to them the solution to their troubles but few hear. You lend them of your light but few feel. You speak to them of the infinite nature in each of them but the still hate and fear. They bring you flowers and gifts and you sit there silently. Always in touch with the source, always in touch with the world.

Please share your experience of this meditation in the comments with me. It really helps me get better to hear how these explorations work for people.

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More often than not clients have internal obstacles that are stronger, or perhaps even responsible, for their external challenges. They come to a reading asking for help dealing with their boyfriend, their boss, their luck, or whatever. Though the discussion certainly covers what is going on in the world, the reading – in the end – becomes about what they can do to let go, move on, change what they are putting out into the world. It becomes about what is going on inside them and how that interacts with the world.

The gateway into figuring what needs to change comes from asking the client the right questions and looking for what aspect of their lives is inconsistent with their goals. My favourite question is, “What is the most important thing to you?” By getting them to name their core goal it becomes much easier to see where they are stuck in other areas. I know that hierarchy can be a dirty word, but having a sense of what part of your life is more important, and which is not, is crucial to sorting out these internal blocks. If your goal is your career, then anything else that gets in the way needs to be dealt with as less important. If the goal is peace – then anything or anyone that does not bring peace to your life needs to be removed.

More often than not these internal blocks have their roots in the horrible monster ‘should’ – this beast in the number one block between people and their happiness. I should work on this relationship, I should want to make more money, I should want to do this or that. Should is a monster that keeps us tied to what makes us unhappy. If you look at the devil card it might as well say should on the chain holding the unhappy couple in place. If we are caught up in ‘should’ than our true path will be obscured by expectation. We have a harder time seeing what is. Our decisions are less clear because of the obscuring power of expectations.

What is your should?
Along our path we all incorporate some element of ‘should’ into our decisions. This exercise is geared at revealing what the hidden ‘shoulds’ are, so you can make a deliberate choice to keep them or not. This process requires you to work directly with your subconscious by answering the questions as quickly as possible. This is a very intuitive way of working with the cards and yourself so don’t get caught up in what the cards mean, or being too intellectual about the process.

Get yourself all set up before you begin. Shuffle your deck and lay it on a table with a pen and paper beside it.

READY
SET
GO!

What is the one thing you want more than anything?
Write it down

What are you doing to support it?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

What are you doing that works against your goal?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

What would shorten the journey to your goal?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

What do you need to do more of?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

What kind of help do you need?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

Where can you find this help?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

What’s the next step?
Flip a card and write down the first thought that comes to mind.

Don’t worry about writing out the questions or cards as you go you can do that afterwards. Don’t worry about being right, just focus on listening to and being open to the first thought that comes through. Just stay in the flow and allow the process to unfold.

After you have gone through once, you can review your answers and draft a secondary set of questions to help you go deeper and further. Be sure to avoid questions that involve why and focus on actions and beliefs.

And for goodness sake, don’t let ‘should’ find it’s way into your questions.

Do you have something to say? Jump in by posting a comment.

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So this list is designed for two uses:

1. It will help folks who are just starting to read tarot in solidifying their understanding of the cards and
2. It will give them a tool to use when the meaning of the card slips out of mind.

Even with 23 years of reading under my belt I sometimes hit a card in a spread and am unclear about what it means for the reading. When this happens I find myself asking what is its message or its relationship to the rest of the reading.

I use the following techniques to help me ferret out the meaning of the card or its significance in the spread. Keep in mind this is a tool to tap intuitively into what is going on. It can be very helpful, but knowing what the cards mean traditionally is still important.

1. If there is a person in the card where are they looking? If they look backwards think about the past, if they look at another card in the spread think about the relationship between the cards. If they are looking up think spiritually, if they look down think materially.
2. Look at the colours and see if other cards in the spread have the same colours. Think about what the relationship between those cards or positions that are linked by colour.
3. Talk about a related idea to the number on the card. Using numerology, Qabalah, or Astrology to gateway into the card.
4. Ask the person getting the reading how they feel about the card.
5. What is going on in the background of the card? Sometimes it’s the couple in the background, or the dog, or the flower, that is more important than the image in the foreground.
6. Talk about the energy of the card. Does it move? Is it static? Blocked?
7. Tell a story from your life that this card triggers.
8. Is this card a progression or regression from another card in the spread? If the 5 of wands falls after the 4 go back and talk about the other card again and think about the pattern.
9. Look at the client and ask about how they are doing with the reading? Are they nervous, skeptical, relaxed? etc
10. Flip the next card in the spread and come back to the confusing one later.

Just keep relaxed and it’ll come to you.

Do you have something to say? Jump in by posting a comment.

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I promise never to sell, spam, or abuse your contact info. You can unsubscribe at anytime. ~ Andrew