Tarot *Stories*

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Sam	13 Jul 2002
Hello everyone. Today I discovered something with tarot cards that I absolutely love! Making up stories with the cards! I do this by shuffling the cards and then drawing one card, making up a section of the story for it, the reapeating the process over, 'til my deck signifies the story is over. It is soooooooooooooo fun!

divinerguy	13 Jul 2002
This is definitwely an area where a non-Rider Waite deck would help out. Divinerguy

Kyrielle	14 Jul 2002
RWS actually works pretty well for me -- I occasionally do the same thing. Hours of entertainment, and you can make some pretty interesting stories. -- Kyrielle

SharonElizabeth	14 Jul 2002
There's actually a section towards the end of Tarot For Yourself by Mary Greer that describes how a fictional story could be developed out of a celtic cross reading. Cards one and two are the basic conflict. Card three is something the main character doesn't know, which is a the base of the matter. Card four is something from the past, five is what is on the main characters mind, six is what comes next, seven is the mc's self image, eight is the environment, nine is the lesson to be learned, and ten is the ending. I've always wanted to test out this but never got around to it.

the hermit	14 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by SharonElizabeth There's actually a section towards the end of Tarot For Yourself by Mary Greer that describes how a fictional story could be developed out of a celtic cross reading. Joan Bunning addresses the same exercise in her "Learning the Tarot" on page 89, "Creating the Story" using the Celtic Cross. She addresses story telling as an interpretive Tarot method several other times in the book. I used her exercise methods to help myself develop better story-telling abilities and recommend them highly, as well as Mary Greer's great work. I think both books/authors have good points to help both the beginner and the experienced Tarot reader improve their interpretive skills.

Jeannette	14 Jul 2002
Several years ago, I attended a tarot workshop hosted by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, who has published a number of original SF novels and short stories (although she's probably best known as a co-author of the famous "insider's view" book on Star Trek, Star Trek Lives!). Ms. Lichtenberg explained how she frequently used the tarot to help her in her writing, and for overcoming writer's block. In particular, she demonstrated how she implemented spreads using just the court cards to help herself understand how her characters might interact with one another in various situations. The use of tarot as a storytelling tool is another incredible facet of this multifunctional discipline, and one whose potential is sadly too often overlooked. -- Jeannette http://www.tarotgarden.com

mondk	14 Jul 2002
This is an exercise we have done in our metaphysical study group with several people. We shuffle the cards, then one person draws one and starts a story with it....then the next person draws a different one and continues the story with it and so on and so forth. It is a great way to learn the tarot and an even better way to become familiar with a new deck too!!! Blessings all, M.

Starfish	14 Jul 2002
Wow! I've never thought to personally try this. I've read about it and have seen it done in some of my email groups. Now to ponder which of my decks I would use this technique with. Thanks, guys! :T7W Starfish

Kiama	14 Jul 2002
My kid sisters love telling stories with the cards... I think it helps them alot with their creativity, and it is a good intro to the Tarot for kids,.... Kiama

fairyhedgehog	14 Jul 2002
I was part of a yahoo group which did a monthly story just like this. There would be an agreed list of participants, and each would take it in turn to draw a card, and tell the next bit of the story. Everyone used their own favourite deck and it worked really well. Maybe we could have a 'storytelling study group' where we do just that?

the hermit	14 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by fairyhedgehog I was part of a yahoo group which did a monthly story just like this. There would be an agreed list of participants, and each would take it in turn to draw a card, and tell the next bit of the story. Everyone used their own favourite deck and it worked really well. Maybe we could have a 'storytelling study group' where we do just that? Sounds like an interesting study group... I'd be interested... anyone else?

Sam	14 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by fairyhedgehog Maybe we could have a 'storytelling study group' where we do just that? that'd be fun! someone ask solandia!

Kyrielle	14 Jul 2002
I'm up for joining the group. -- Kyrielle

mondk	15 Jul 2002
Me too!!! It was such fun and sometimes quite humorous when we did it in group...it would be neat to try here as well, imo!!! Blessings, M.

lunalafey	15 Jul 2002
I started a story a while ago with my Legend deck, but it is not about the legend. I kept side notes as I noticed certain cards would appear at? a sycronized moment, ie the Sun on a Sunday, and right when the page for the last card ended with introducing the father. At the time I started this, I did not know that other people where doing it. I called my Tarot soap "As the Cards Turn" I should try and find it(stuff still in storage, ick)

Pollux	15 Jul 2002
Italo Calvino - a contemporary italian writer (died in the 80s) - wrote two books that he merged in one: The Castle of Crossed Destinies (containing the "Castle" and "Tavern" section). I think I am too repetitive, I also wrote something about it in a Visconti-Sforza thread (Decks section). BTW, he wrote the stories using the cards of a Visconti-Sforza and a Marseille deck respectively. Each card is a piece of the story. For example, once the Sun represented the dawn of the following day, another time it was Apollo as a child (look at the VS card); Cups pips were mostly considered as tables at a wedding; Swords as Amazons or Soldiers... In addition, he keeps telling the stories using the cards already layed, and considering both vertical and horizontal lines, and using the same card only once in the layout but as many times as the lines/stories it is crossed by: this way, each card has a different meaning in every story. I used the narrative approach described in Joan Bunning's too. And I am a big fan of it! :D

Jenny-Li	15 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by the hermit Sounds like an interesting study group... I'd be interested... anyone else? Definitely, I'm in! Jenny :D

Sam	15 Jul 2002
i'll e-mail solandia now, okay?

tabbycat	15 Jul 2002
(Waves hand in air) I want to play too! :D I have a novel based on the Tarot, The Book of Paradox by Louise Cooper, written in 1973. It has a brilliant back-cover blurb - 'The Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Flies... now, The Book of Paradox!' Sadly, it didn't achieve the same success as the first two books, which is a shame, because Louise Cooper is a pretty decent fantasy writer. Jilly

truthsayer	15 Jul 2002
the book "the wishing garden" uses a tarot card to name each chapter in the book. that chapter usually has something to illustrate the meaning of the card in real life. other decks are also mentioned. if you go to tarot passages, they review a few books that use tarot. i've been in tarot card story telling groups before. in the one i was in, everyone volunteered to do a specific card and tell a story about it. some of the things ppl would come up w/ were really interesting. one of the most original was about dinosaurs. i think organizing something like that would be difficult. but maybe a more loosely formed group would work. i know there would be cards everyone would want to do but i don't have a problem w/ that. creativity should be allowed to flow!

fairyhedgehog	15 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by truthsayer i've been in tarot card story telling groups before. in the one i was in, everyone volunteered to do a specific card and tell a story about it. I think it might be easier if you just have a running order, then each person draws a card 'at random' from their own deck when it is their turn. I've seen the same card appear twice, but it didn't spoil the story.

mondk	21 Jul 2002
Okay everyone that has posted here: Sam has started a thread for this in the general study forum. We already have a little story going for all those who want to participate. Sam: I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of passing this along to the others!!! Blessings, M.

Sam	21 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by mondk Okay everyone that has posted here: Sam has started a thread for this in the general study forum. We already have a little story going for all those who want to participate. Sam: I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of passing this along to the others!!! Blessings, M. no, not at all! actually, it's just another post closer to the tarot stories forum!!!

The Tarot *Stories* thread was originally posted on 13 Jul 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.