Using Tarot at Work

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 28 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Moongold	28 Apr 2003
How do people use the tarot in their professional lives? I've sought advice through readings on particular situations e.g Marion helped very much with her interpretation of a work situation using Umbrae's relationship spread on a couple of occasions. I've sought insight myself but find an external viewpoint much more realistic. What do others do? Moongold

Aerin	28 Apr 2003
I've used Tarot in work situations quite a lot, examples are: As a project manager, to assess the issues surrounding the project that I need to tackle if it is to be successful. A simple past/ present/ future spread often gave me insights that were very useful, and that I then used to develop questions to ask clients. One project I did made me laugh - past = Devil, present = 8 Swords, Future = Tower - a project where the client organisation were desperate to keep the status quo and spent a lot of energy keeping in the same place. Before a coaching session, with the focus of how I can be most effective in the session - pulling just one card. If it is a phone session, I keep the card in front of me during the call Before a business meeting, to identify which issues I need to address and sometimes to help me to consider pros and cons of different options To enable me to clarify issues surrounding some of my business outcomes To write my essays for my psychology course :), I structure the question and spread around the essay question. That's great fun and very useful especially if I am stuck I always write my question around what I can do about something. I don't use it to work out what someone else is thinking unless they were to ask me. Aerin

biddy9	28 Apr 2003
Interesting ideas here! I haven't used the Tarot yet in my professional life but it could certainly be useful. I might give it a go on some of my projects, because some insight would be really helpful at the moment. Brigit

MeeWah	28 Apr 2003
I usually prefer to rely on intuition sans cards in determining what I am looking at regarding work situations, but in recent months, I have done one throw on a work situation & also asked for other opinions.. Since I work with a daily draw, I also try to see during the work day how the card(s) may be expressed. A couple months ago, work & other concerns led me to participate in a Tarot Journal Project at its ground level. It involves applying the weekly readings offered by the project folks & maintaining a Tarot journal. This has been very helpful in providing insight.

Major Tom	29 Apr 2003
Back in the days when I had a 'real' job I used tarot to analyse situations at work, particularly relationships with the people at work. These days my girlfriend often asks for a reading regarding her work situations. They must be doing some good - she's been promoted twice in the past year. ;)

Woodsong	03 May 2003
I frequently use Tarot in my work to get new perspectives on how to approach problems and situations. I usually get called in to help after all the normal solutions have been tried and have failed -- so trying the ordinary thing is usually a waste. I find that simple three-card "Subject-Verb-Object" readings help point out new approaches to try.

paradoxx	03 May 2003
My employment at an outsource call center (which shall remain nameless) provided me with the money to purchase my tarot cards and i used them there with excellent success. As long as i was not on a call with a customer i could do anything within reason at my desk. Since other employees would play solitare or do puzzles i would divine and relieve my stress through the pictoral tarot, sometimes with professional advise that helped sort out some of the issues being addressed to me. This may or may not be what the original question as about but should provide an interesting view point.

Marion	04 May 2003
I have used tarot to assess both work situations and interpersonal relationships at work. Usually the latter now I think about it. I do not take cards to work though.

lawguy51	05 May 2003
I'd say 80% of my self-readings are work related. I guess because my personal life is not something that I feel the need to see what's going on. I recall about the third reading I had from a clairvoyant and she got tired of all the work stuff she was seeing and said, 'enough about your professional life, let's see what's going on in your personal life'. She hesitated for a moment and then said, 'Nope, everything is fine there.' So, I guess it all depends in what part of your life is in flux and what part is stable. For me, my professional life is a roller coaster and I need all the assistance I can get, and my cards are a great help to me in that regard. Lawguy51

paradoxx	05 May 2003
when i worked the graveyard shift i was in the most powerful position to utilize the gift of tarot. further more, with that kind of high communication environment, the cards provided more than enough insight into the nature of the job in and of itself. What was the most enjoyable is when fellow coworkers, usually those who needed some encouragment, would ask for a reading. one time the justince card appeard and the young woman i worked with was informed that night that she needed to attend some legal matters or a warrant would be issued. the deck was the celtic dragon and it was one of the first readings. My supervisors loved me, i was one of the most balance and knowlegable people there, and i wasn't using their computers for entertainment so that pleased them a little. It was a unique working situation.

allibee	05 May 2003
I'm with Meewah on this one :O)

Khatruman	05 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Woodsong II find that simple three-card "Subject-Verb-Object" readings help point out new approaches to try. Wow, I have never heard of this use of the three card reading, but it is WONDERFUL!!! Here, in a nutshell, is the basic structure of the English sentence, the basic relationship that we Westerners use to understand the workings of the world: Something does something to something, the actor, the action, and the receiver. I am definitely going to try this one. Thank you, Woodsong! As far as the use of tarot at work, cartomancy has been brought to the business world, via Roger von Oech's Creative Whack Pack. Von Oech offers some interesting takes on Oracular techniques and created his own set of cards geared towards the business professional, with four suits (The Explorer, The Artist, The Judge, and The Warrior) and some thought provoking ideas. The cards focus more on stories rather than pictures, though they do have pictures. Plus they offer questions meant to brainstorm solutions to a given project or problem. Also, they may be a good, non-mystical, way of introducing the tarot to a professional setting for those ultra-professionals, MBA holders, who might scoff at this "mumbo-jumbo"

Alex	05 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by MeeWah I usually prefer to rely on intuition sans cards ...

Aerin	06 May 2003
...I always rely on my own intuition, I see cards as adding extra dimensions and information that I can use and triggering other intuitive connections. I would hate to rely on cards for anything, work or personal - I'm very precious about anything I use in life empowering me rather than my giving my power away to it. If that makes any sense. Aerin

raeanne	06 May 2003
Alex, The phrase “intuition sans cards” means using intuition instead of cards. The word “sans” means “minus” or “without”.

The Using Tarot at Work thread was originally posted on 28 Apr 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.