My One Tarot Card Challenge
I love large, sprawling Tarot card spreads, often with two decks, where I let the cards lay on top of each other, deepening the spread, story and understanding.
Sometimes a client, or me if I am reading for myself, can get caught in the swirl of possibilities & potentials. Could I do this, or could I do that...reflections on how past hurts are creating present blocks...peeking into future paths if lives are lived with bold optimism.
I have come to realise that often two parts of my longer readings are really essential for a client to to make best use of a reading with me.
Reflection of the now.
I like to start with a reflection spread; whether of how the client is feeling about life in general, or reflecting a specific area of their life. This clear focus on the now allows me to know I have connected accurately, and the client to gauge my skill. It creates trust in me, and the process.
The focused advice.
The whole process of the Tarot reading is important, however giving my client a feeling of empowerment is essential. It is easy to be left feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start, perhaps even dwarfed by possibilities.
I like to end a reading with a clear and simple “What should I do know” spread. Three cards that offer practical steps for the client for that week (or month perhaps)
I was so impressed by clients feedback about how this end reading has helped them that I have started to do this for for myself.
I challenged myself, pull one card as a "What to do best card" and follow the action through.
I have been doing this weekly for a while now, sometimes focusing on myself, or my spiritual journey. Other-times my family or business
But always one card, offering a decisive action to do.
These mini spreads have been very insightful for several reasons;
Understanding the cards from a different perspective
When you are faced with one card (reading for myself I have stuck to this rigidly), and have to find an insightful and practical action from that card, it can be challenging. In a normal reading I pull another card to offer clarity or advice. With this exercise I have sat with the card, gazing & meditating until I have found the answer within the one card.
5 of swords This took quite a lot of mediating on, until I came to realise this was asking me to balance my (crazy and very harsh) left brain with my (exceedingly optimistic and floaty) right brain. So I did some more meditating in the following days- focusing on this- and noticed my stress levels go down.
Emperor An easy one for me, he often crops up as a need to pause, organise and plan!
Ace of pentacles The symbol that often absorbs me with this card is the gateway and path. It has come to represent stepping out of my comfort zone. With this card I was looking at business plans. I looked at which option I had consciously overlooked because it made me feel uncomfortable- and focused on that!
Easy to journal, and reflect upon
I am not great at keeping journals (I know it is a good thing to do). However having the simplicity of one card, a couple of actions to do inspired by that card, and then a chance to reflect upon how this worked out- has been really useful- and encouraged me to record the process.
At the end of the day tarot is a free-flowing book that reflects life. So looking at how the tarot has advised me in my life, and then how that has affected my life, has been a wonderful learning tool (about tarot, me & life)
Book learning is very useful, but the process of integrating Tarot with life is, I think, essential.
A useful exercise!
As well as deepening my tarot understanding, this process has helped me in daily life too. It has forced me to step out of my comfort zone, and to confront issues I would often have left.
After all- if you only pick one card, and have made a personal commitment to act upon it, it certainly creates focus and accountability.
What’s next…
I ask the Tarot what should my next action be in my business.
Answer; The 8 of swords. Fair enough, deep breath for that one. The tarot world is full of some simply inspiring and amazing individuals.
I am an over busy mum (my 4 kids are from 7 to 13, & all home educated), also training to be a shaman healer (and that is a life changing experience), with a stupidly small amount of time to study & write.
It can be overwhelming and intimidating sitting at my small desk in the corner of my bedroom blogging & writing about tarot (often stopping to deal with kids issues or stir the dinner). Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed by my own feelings of insignificance.
It seems the tarot is telling me to keep speaking my truth with gentle strength, that my self confidence will grow one small step at a time.
