The questions for my thesis project, all in one place.

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Sara	25 Feb 2003
Hey everyone, How's everything going? I haven't posted lately, been very busy with all my classes. Maybe after the semester is over I can return to being human, rather than a homework machine...sigh. I am so looking foreward to the end of the semester. This project is the only interesting thing I seem to be doing this semester. Anyway, When I found out about the paperwork I had to do, I was actually almost finished with research related questions, only had a couple more to go. I think I'm just going to post the entire list of questions here. If you've already answered them, you don't have to answer them again, unless you want to, or if you want to add anything to previous answers. If you hadn't responded before and want to participate by all means, feel free to. anyway, the question list is as follows: 1.How do you use tarot cards? Do you use them only for readings? Do you use them for meditation or related activities, such as pathworking? What about other ritual uses, if any? What is most important about tarot, in your view? 2. How do you define divination? What types of activities does it include? Is it restricted to readings? Does it include such activities as meditation on the imagery of the cards, dreamwork or pathworking? 3. What kind of spiritual path do you follow? How does your use of tarot relate to this? How do both relate to your life as a whole? 4. How did you find out about tarot, and why did you think it was worthwhile to study? 5. How did you learn (or how are you learning) to use the cards? What books do you use (or have you used) in association with the cards? Did you keep a tarot journal? Meditate on the cards? Other activities? 6. Do any of the characters or events portrayed on the cards have a particular significance to you? What is that significance? 7. Which deck (or decks) do you use? Why that particular tarot deck? Do you use different decks for different purposes? What purposes and why does one seem better for that particular purpose to you? 8. Do you associate any stories or spiritual events with any of the images depicted in the cards? Sets of cards? What do these stories or events mean in your view? 9.What is mythology to you? Can the tarot cards be viewed as mythological in nature? That's all of them, somewhat rephrased in some cases. Looking forward to hearing from people. Also, if you haven't already, could you please read the Informed Consent Document, which is in the second message here: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11848 For anyone new, since I'm asking questions for a research related project, I have to post a document outlining the nature of the research and who can participate. If anyone wishes to participate by email rather than on the posting board, let me know, my email address is sscaldw@ilstu.edu. Anyway, hope everyone is doing well, and hope to hear from people soon. Sara

jmd	26 Feb 2003
1. How do you use tarot cards? The ways I tend to use Tarot are mainly (but not solely) threefold: a) as tools to develop the imaginative faculty, thereby increasing one's sensitivity to the spiritual realms playing both within individuals and society at large; b) as tools of divination - ie, as tools which may unlock one's inner self to the small fragments of insights given imaginatively; c) as instruments of self development in understanding or deepening one's connection with history, symbology and creativity. [1 cont...] What is most important about tarot, in your view? Their capacity to render one more awake. 2. How do you define divination? I personally prefer to never quite 'define' terms which may thereby lose certain traits, but rather attempt to characterise certain pertinent aspects. As such, divination includes the opening of one's inner self to insights into a situation, including the situation's past, underpinnings, and future direction. 3. What kind of spiritual path do you follow? How does your use of tarot relate to this? How do both relate to your life as a whole? These seem to have already been answered above. If, however, a labelling (and thus box/pigeon-holing) is required, then I would probably characterise myself as an ethical individualist with gnostic, hermetic, and kabalistic inclinations. 4. How did you find out about tarot, and why did you think it was worthwhile to study? I grew up with it... As one of the principal tools of the occidental syncretic esoteric tradition, I do not think it can be avoided if one has those interests (neither can, for that matter, Kabalah and astrology). 5. How did you learn (or how are you learning) to use the cards? What books do you use (or have you used) in association with the cards? Did you keep a tarot journal? Meditate on the cards? Other activities? I suppose that I am continually learning about the cards and its inter-relationships. Certainly I have read quite a few books about the cards, have talked to numerous people, have meditated, have kept notes, and have written longer prose and verse - and, one of the greatest learning tools: have taught about the Tarot. 6. Do any of the characters or events portrayed on the cards have a particular significance to you? Each has, in various ways (Cf the History and Iconography section of the Forum). 7. Which deck (or decks) do you use? Why that particular tarot deck? Do you use different decks for different purposes? What purposes and why does one seem better for that particular purpose to you? Principally, I use Marseilles based decks - but I also use numerous others, especially the Crowley/Harris, RWCS, Gran Esoterica, and, for readings, Tarot Classic (a Marseille 'cousin'). 8. Do you associate any stories or spiritual events with any of the images depicted in the cards? Sets of cards? What do these stories or events mean in your view? As each card and sequence of cards are images, stories are, for me, not fixated - but may relate differently to various ancient Myth sagas, spiritual happenings, or social metaphor. 9.What is mythology to you? Can the tarot cards be viewed as mythological in nature? To my way of thinking, iconographic images transcend any particular mythological contexts they may be viewed from... ---------- As I have tried to address each and every question, the views expressed may be a little contracted - and may even appear to contradict earlier posts. In a nutshell, I consider the world to be essentially spiritual. Various spiritual beings act behind the scenes, and our own decisions, acts and thoughts impact upon the world. Tarot developed as an expression from spiritual impulses, and is a tool relevant at this stage of humanity's developmental phase.

ihcoyc	26 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Sara 1.How do you use tarot cards? Do you use them only for readings? Do you use them for meditation or related activities, such as pathworking? What about other ritual uses, if any? What is most important about tarot, in your view? Mostly, when I feel I need a "random" input into some creative process. I also use them for meditation, more on problems and people than for anything as organised as "pathworking," but mostly when I want an opinion that my conscious mind doesn't seem to be supplying. Quote: 2. How do you define divination? What types of activities does it include? Is it restricted to readings? Does it include such activities as meditation on the imagery of the cards, dreamwork or pathworking? Divination is asking for advice from a random or semi-random phenomenon, llike the shuffle and deal of the cards. Quote: 3. What kind of spiritual path do you follow? How does your use of tarot relate to this? How do both relate to your life as a whole? I am a pretty liberal Christian. I note that Bible characters and Apostles sought advice from Providence through casting lots, and I look at Tarot much the same way. Quote: 4. How did you find out about tarot, and why did you think it was worthwhile to study? I honestly don't remember. It was probably in a library book I read when I was very young. Quote: 5. How did you learn (or how are you learning) to use the cards? What books do you use (or have you used) in association with the cards? Did you keep a tarot journal? Meditate on the cards? Other activities? The books I like best on Tarot is Gareth Knight's The Magical World of the Tarot, but the book that probably taught me the most was Eden Gray's Complete Guide to the Tarot I do keep a notebook of my readings. I have more elaborate notes from many years ago when I was starting to learn. Quote: 6. Do any of the characters or events portrayed on the cards have a particular significance to you? What is that significance? I can't really think of any. I've seen them all so many times that I can't really say. Quote: 7. Which deck (or decks) do you use? Why that particular tarot deck? Do you use different decks for different purposes? What purposes and why does one seem better for that particular purpose to you? I strongly prefer "traditional" decks like the Fournier Marseilles, the Ancient Italian, and the Ancient Tarot of Lombardy. Those three decks are probably the decks I use the most often, though I am also quite fond of the sixteenth century Paris Tarot. The tradition behind these decks is important to me. Also, I like the fact that the simple and traditional Christian imagery in the cards has not been distorted by magical or pagan belief systems, all of which seem to stand on much less firmer ground than the tradition of the cards themselves. I use each deck fairly similarly. Quote: 8. Do you associate any stories or spiritual events with any of the images depicted in the cards? Sets of cards? What do these stories or events mean in your view? Only in the most straightforward way. The images on the cards I use are only on the trumps and court cards. I find them all so fairly self-explanatory by now that I don't feel a whole lot of need to associate them with stories. Rather, they can call forth any number of stories. It may be, instead, that I find myself feeling rather burdened at the prospect of writing them all down. That said, I do tend to associate the Pope (Hierophant) with the tale of the old fisherman who caught a magic fish; the Chariot with the Caesars. There are fairly straightforward associations with the Devil, or Justice, or Judgment. Quote: 9.What is mythology to you? Can the tarot cards be viewed as mythological in nature? I had three years of Latin in high school and four in college. Mythology, to me, means Greek and Roman mythology. Frankly, I make only the most superficial connections between classical mythology and Tarot; they seem to belong to two different worlds. There are, of course, echos of classical figures on certain Tarot cards. Those figures, though, were the ones that were still shared with the Christian culture they were made in. Tarot belongs to me with a historical, Renaissance world of princes and churchmen. This is the past I associate with Tarot, the interesting world where it was created. I don't see this as a particularly mythical place; it was an exciting and dangerous time to be alive.

Kiama	27 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Sara 1.How do you use tarot cards? Do you use them only for readings? Do you use them for meditation or related activities, such as pathworking? What about other ritual uses, if any? What is most important about tarot, in your view? I use Tarot mainly as a tool for guidance and problem solving, through giving readings to myself and others. The cards act as a platform through which myself and the querent can explore the issue(s) and situation, and of course the querent's own feelings about it, and what they would feel best to do next. I sometimes use them for meditation and pathworking, but also find them helpful to understand my own views about things. For instance, I will be looking at the High Priestess card, and will be thinking about it, and I will gain new insight into things such as Spirituality and femininity. A bit like Vipassana meditation I suppose. Oooh a difficult one... I would say that divination is any practice which helps you gain insight into situations, feelings, people, issues, or which brings you closer to an understanding of the Universe. I think... I would say I follow a Pagan path, though would class myself more as a Pagan mystic than anything else. I use Tarot in a spiritual context in order to gain insight into th eUniverse and life in general. The cards act as prompts for my mind to ask questions and start thinking in new ways in order to get closer to truth. A major part of my spiritual path is helping others aswell, and I use the cards to do that. I found out about it when I was 9, and picked up a book with my pocket money on a faily holiday, and read it religiously, aswell as looking through books about Tarot in the bookshop (Which I didn't buy cuz I couldn't afford them!) I finally got my first Tarot deck ater 3 years of studying and reading about Tarot, free with a teenage magazine 'Sugar'. From ther on, I became a Tarot-holic, giving readings to my friends, reading books about it, etc... When I was 14 I began earning money, so bought shed-loads of books and a couple of decks, and at 16, I found Aeclectic, got a better job, and started collecting decks. At first I just thought Tarot was a cool thing to do. When I grew up a bit, I realised how helpful it could be, and how much I enjoyed it, and I wanted to be able to help people. I also observed how much uderstanding I gained from my studies of Tarot, so continued it! I kept a Tarot journal for a little while, but have never been very good at keeping diaries, so gave up. I learned by reading for others alot, and by reading for myself. I made shed-loads of mistakes and learned through them. I also learned from others here on Aeclectic, and read quite a few books, mostly the books which accompany specifi decks. I meditated on the cards, and tried to create my own, and this helped me understand them immensely. And like JMD, I have taught Tarot to others, which has helpe dmy understanding alot. quote]6. Do any of the characters or events portrayed on the cards have a particular significance to you? What is that significance? [/quote] I am constantly finding new events and characters related ot the cards as my life progresses and I have new experiences. At the moment I have just realised that the 3 of Cups (Which I am creating for the SACT project here on Aeclectic) relates very closely to the Summer I just had, the last Summer where I coudl be truly happy and carefree befor emoving to Uni and setting up home, etc... It was teh Summer that I got the A-level results I had always dreamed of, and the day that I got the results back fits perfectly into the 3 of Cups. I mainly use the Robin Wood deck, though have nearly 110 decks in total, many of which I have used in the past. I use the Robin Wood cuz I love it personally, and because peopel I read for also love it and can easily relate to the images. I can use it for people of all ages, religions, etc, and they will all be able to see meaning in the cards. Though I do use different decks if the querent requests a specific one, for instance, my best friend loves the Celtic Dragon Tarot, and his spiritual path focusses around dragons, so I use that deck for him, because ti speaks to him much more than the Robin Wood. I often see the Major Arcana as one big spiritual journey, and can easily relate the mystical experience of peopel such as St Francis of Assisi and St John of the Cross to them. This is just cuz of my view of the Majors however. I think mythology is a set of stories which may or may not be literal, and which use the storyline in order to convey some sort of meaning or insight. Sometimes they may also just protray particular Gods, and virtues or vices generally accepted in the culture itself. The Tarot cards I do think are mythological in nature, simply cuz they get the same results as mythology, but they do it in a different way. And of course, thyology can be linked with Tarot so easily in order to convey the messages easier. Kiama

jlbvt	27 Feb 2003
Since I'm still so much of a novice at Tarot, I'm just going to give a little input on question 9. Yes Tarot is part of a long-standing and culture-spanning mythology. I think that Mythology and Religion are intertwined in a way that they cannot be seperated. They are one and the same. ;)

Alex	02 Mar 2003
1.How do you use tarot cards? Do you use them only for readings? Do you use them for meditation or related activities, such as pathworking? What about other ritual uses, if any? What is most important about tarot, in your view? I use them just for readings. 2. How do you define divination? What types of activities does it include? Is it restricted to readings? Does it include such activities as meditation on the imagery of the cards, dreamwork or pathworking? To me it's just trying to predict the future through readings. 3. What kind of spiritual path do you follow? How does your use of tarot relate to this? How do both relate to your life as a whole? I don't follow any spiritual path that I know of. My religion is called "science" and my church is called National Science Foundation. I can't really proclaim faith in anything else under the penalty of being shunned from my "church". 4. How did you find out about tarot, and why did you think it was worthwhile to study? I had an acquaintance reading for me in a party 10 years ago. She'd finished her first Tarot course and wanted to celebrate giving her first readings in that party. She predicted the end of my marriage, my trip to the states and the birth of my child, all in a 15 min reading with no privacy, lots of noise. I got impressed by that and decided "one day" I was gonna learn it. 5. How did you learn (or how are you learning) to use the cards? What books do you use (or have you used) in association with the cards? Did you keep a tarot journal? Meditate on the cards? Other activities? I starterd with the Mythic deck and book set.. Read a few books on cards meanings but now I can't find a book that says anything different than the others. I keep a journal but can't see much of a point to it. But I still keep it. 7. Which deck (or decks) do you use? Why that particular tarot deck? Do you use different decks for different purposes? What purposes and why does one seem better for that particular purpose to you? Mythic deck for personal questions, because I know it best. Spiral deck for daily cards and reading for others. I like the spiral because everyone seems scared, depressed or discouradged. It's a dark, pessimistic deck. But I can't use for myself because I tend to be pessimistic on my own, need no help from a deck on that. I also use regular playing cards when I'm in the mood and they work just fine. 9.Can the tarot cards be viewed as mythological in nature? No. I'm with jmd here. The images "transcend any particular mythological contexts they may be viewed from..." But some stories associated with the Tarot, like the "fool's journey" may be defined as mythological depending on the definition you adopt. Alex.

The The questions for my thesis project, all in one place. thread was originally posted on 25 Feb 2003 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.