Tarot "Rules"

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Khatruman	10 Mar 2004
I wanted to start a thread on an issue that is oft-times addressed in other threads and hopefully give a home for this particular type of issue, a thread which might later be referenced for future members who may be encountering concerns of this nature. In other words, a place to find a conglomeration of wisdom from the wealth of sages in our little community. Many people who are beginning to newly explore tarot and have found this wonderful site come in with questions generally about "rules" they have been told concerning tarot reading. They are generally very hard and fast "should's" or "shouldn't's" about storing cards, shuffling cards, laying out cards, reading rituals, placement of talismans, etc. Being new to the practice, they are susceptible to the advice given to them by others. Generally also, many of us more experienced readers give them similar advice: Relax. These rules and rituals that you have been told are not set in stone, play with ideas, techniques, follow instincts, meditate, write journal notes, etc. I know, being a teacher of writing, that this type of advice is sound. However, I also know that it is often scary for persons new to a practice to be told, "Hey, just relax and go with it." They worry tremendously about the possibility that they are doing it wrong. With all this in mind, I am asking all our wonderful teachers of tarot to offer their best advice on rules and rituals for beginner tarotists. Are there any important "rules" and/or rituals for one who is new to this study? What advice might you offer anxious beginners to assure them that their learning program is beneficial and that they aren't doing anything wrong? In what ways can they build confidence in their own abilities? As I said, I would like this thread to be a place to offer future new tarotists a reference point for much of the brilliant advice that lay scattered throughout this site. All you sages, step forward! :D

bec	10 Mar 2004
When I get the honor of being a teacher in tarot - I keep telling "my apprentice" There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good It is my believe that there are as many rules to tarot as there are readers who cares to make them - and no I dont see them as crucial for anyone to follow There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good I believe that either way you shuffle, turn, flip, tilt, throw the cards, in what ever spread paid for in form of a book or made up by your self, tarot works There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good I believe that whether or not you want to read with reversals or not, newbie or not, you can learn to do just that or you can decide not to - I dont believe readings are suffering valids either way There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good How your journal should look like, if you indeed should keep a journal, what it should contain There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good How to cleans your cards, keep your cards, what cards to read with, where to do readings and when doing readings for others There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good As I see the "basic-tarot-kit", the items we all seem to follow pretty strict is: Keep your deck in a beautiful bag of silk or cotton - or a wooden box Use a cloth of silk to lay the cards when reading And get that journal going for you :P rest is There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good that is my opinion anyway for what it is worth

firemaiden	10 Mar 2004
Tarot Rules from the Great Sage Firemaiden, discovered through many great trials and sacrifices: Shuffling: Do not shuffle your deck until you have unwrapped it. Relationships between the cards : if your cards start arguing amongst themselves, separate them. Listening to the cards: if they give you lip, turn them over... Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. Redundancy: do not allow your cards to make fun of you. If you ask "what is my problem" and they answer "a problem", or, "what is my goal in life" and they answer "a goal", or "what will give me strength?" and they answer "strength" or who is my future lover, and they answer "the Lover", give them a severe shuffling. Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around.

Astraea	10 Mar 2004
I know well the stifling fear of doing something wrong with the cards, because it inhibited my work with tarot for several years. Such fear often points to issues beyond the cards -- tarot is a focus for what many of us understand to be spiritual energies, and the fear of doing something wrong often reflects a reverence for those realms, coupled with a great reluctance to behave in any way that could be considered disrespectful of them. This fear and awe can be paralyzing, especially when it is mixed (as it often is, especially for those with conventional religious backgrounds) with guilt for working with the cards in the first place: A dualistic dynamic is thus set up, in which one views the cards as a tangible connection with the spiritual realm, at the same time that Divinity Itself is perceived to take a very dim view of them. I suspect that the same issues underlie fear of working with crystals, astrology, and most other forms of divination. For people who experience those feelings, I think that it helps to consciously invite Spirit into the divination process, perhaps through a prayer or other specially worded acknowledgement, asking for guidance and wisdom. These expressions need not be of an obsessive nature, but simple and direct and imbued with honest intention to act in ways that will be of service. With the passage of time, and through study and the acquisition of greater knowledge and understanding via books, introspection and forums such as this one, internal divisions tend to evaporate and, with them, fences built of fear. Increasingly, the cards are understood as extensions, not only of Spirit, but oneself -- and they thus become instrumental in healing the very splits that characterized the initial fear. Of course, there can be many other reasons behind the fear of doing something wrong with the cards, some of them having nothing whatever to do with spiritual issues. By the same token, ritual practice need not have any connection whatever with fear, reflecting instead the respect that comes of unalloyed joy and gratitude. Some people feel such friendship and kinship with the cards that they like to provide decks with special "homes" -- boxes, scarves and the like -- as gestures of honor (knowing full well that the cards are paper and ink, imbued with projected value). Other people -- my own tarot mentor, for example -- attach no special significance to the cards whatsoever, and treat them as they would any other object. I think that the critical issue is that we do whatever seems right for us at any point along our paths -- which sometimes requires courage and a step into the unknown -- understanding and expecting that our feelings and orientation toward the cards (as reflections of our inner being) will change as we change, growing richer along the way.

allibee	10 Mar 2004
oh pooh There are rules?????? this means i will have to start all over again and relearn tarot with *rules* and forget about all the readings I have given from my heart and intuition and experience in life. Seriously... don't follow anothers rules blindly, make your own rules, your own decisions. It is YOUR interpretation of tarot, not A.N.Others. Try to understand and find out why A.N.Other says you should do this or do that. If it is steeped in olde world tradition, then it is probably safe to scoff at :) Rules, or should I say guidance, like the Emperor, provide us with structure and stability, like trainer wheels on our first bike, and then the time comes to take them off and throw them away and peddle off into the horizon

tmgrl2	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Tarot Rules from the Great Sage Firemaiden, discovered through many great trials and sacrifices: Shuffling: Do not shuffle your deck until you have unwrapped it. Relationships between the cards : if your cards start arguing amongst themselves, separate them. Listening to the cards: if they give you lip, turn them over... Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. Redundancy: do not allow your cards to make fun of you. If you ask "what is my problem" and they answer "a problem", or, "what is my goal in life" and they answer "a goal", or "what will give me strength?" and they answer "strength" or who is my future lover, and they answer "the Lover", give them a severe shuffling. Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around. I couldn't wait to see your post, Firemaiden...somehow, this is what I expected...hooray! You have given me much support as a beginner and yesterday when I did that reading for you...I really had fun with it...I guess that will , as Bec said, "make me feel good." It is serious to me, also, but it's the lightheartedness that helps me get out of my head and listen...After I did 9 cuts for you yesterday (if you remember) I MISPLACED the cards to walk the dog...so I shuffled and cut a bit more and got down to it. I am new and I am reading a lot about Tarot and rituals and spreads, but I am already seeing that I must be true to who I am when I do this...so...everyone is right about how they read, I would think, as long as they do what works for them. (oops...I'm not experienced so hope I'm allowed to add to this....my list of mentors at Aeclectic is already long. You just don't all know who you are....) terri

Majecot	10 Mar 2004
And lets not forget this one "tarot decks must be bought by someone else and gifted to you" Bah! If I waited for someone to give me a deck, I am sure I would still be waiting! Go out and spend your money, buy as many decks as you like! :D

Emily	10 Mar 2004
I'm not really one for rules either but I do have one thing I do - I write down each and every spread I do, even the one card ones and daily draws. Even if you can't see anything in the spread that could relate to you at all, its good practise to write it down to look at later, thats when you see meanings you won't find in books - like linking the 7 Swords with a computer virus. Its all good experience. :D

Lee	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. I actually think this is very good advice. -- Lee

laura_borealis	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Majecot Bah! If I waited for someone to give me a deck, I am sure I would still be waiting! *nods* That wise old gypsy woman that gives out decks has a long list of people to get to before me! I've made it easier on her and just gotten my own... :D When I was new to tarot, I felt that I had to follow "the rules." As much as I respect Eden Gray, I picked up some of them from one of her books, the only book on Tarot that I had for a long time. I think I started to loosen up when I had a roommate who was even more into "the rules" than I was. Her scrict adherance made me begin to question some of these rules. For instance: "Never, never let anyone handle your cards." Well, that's fine if you want to protect them from others' energies. But I've never been able to sense these energies. I wish I did, but I don't. I let my friends touch me, so why not my cards? Besides, I want to share the pretty pictures. When I meet a new tarot-person, I ask where they stand on that rule, and if they are a no-toucher I respect that. But I don't follow it. (It's bit me on the ass once or twice... the sad disappearance of my Thoth deck being the principle example.) I do think, if you feel that you need to follow the rules, however you define them -- that's fine. For me, it all works better when I relax. But for some people, what helps them relax may be the knowledge that they've followed their own guidelines and protected their deck. It may help them focus when they read; their intuition may flow more freely if they're not distracted by thoughts of having done something "wrong." Just my two cents. :)

Diana	10 Mar 2004
Make up any rules that you like which make you happy. If you're into rules, that is. But if you are, change them constantly. Tarot is a flexible little friend.

tmgrl2	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana Make up any rules that you like which make you happy. If you're into rules, that is. But if you are, change them constantly. Tarot is a flexible little friend. Thanks, Diana...I agree ..I'm new but thanks to Aeclectice and it is that: eclectic...I have few, if any, rules...I do shuffle a lot and cut...and ....that's about it...I'm getting the pretty velvet bags, because they are pretty.... But I still read my references... And I do write down cards I draw when I do a reading...and, I do, write down the reading ...since most of them are for me...Later, I will probably write down the cards and a summary in a notebook I use...it's pretty messy...but it's my notes and, for now, I want to keep them....good thread...

ScarabFlight	10 Mar 2004
Thank you Khatruman for a wonderful thread! I like the training wheels idea allibee. Firemaiden I really like what you said about the intrepretation I think that will help me immensely, not to mention the shuffling advice (so that's where I went wrong lol) and Bec thank you for your wonderful insight. :D

Simone	10 Mar 2004
I'm not into rules at all, and I have seen some good advice here (hear hear). Thanks, Kathruman, for starting this thread. Personally, I don't follow any rules, and even make up my spreads for every reading, custom-made, so to say. Light and love Simone

Ilithiya	10 Mar 2004
My rules? Pretty simple. I don't have any rules, just preferences. Rules are just a big pain in the butt. Silk? Eh. Too expensive, sometimes it doesn't wear well. Cotton is, imho, prettier and wears a heck of a lot better. Wooden boxes? Too big and bulky. Spread cloths? I have a silk spread cloth, but I rarely use them as they just get in the way. Maybe when I have a permanent tarot table, I'll sew them all together into a nice big patchwork tablecloth. I make myself write everything down so I can go back and refer to it in the future, but that's about it. Well, I do have one rule. Nobody touches my Spirit of Flowers deck. :) Illy

ros	10 Mar 2004
Detach or let go of the last reading, issue,phone call,words from others, or anything that happened before you began the present reading. The reading is not about you it's about your client. Do not take anything personally of yours to the reading. Clear your thoughts & focus on your reading. Other than that no rules.

Diana	10 Mar 2004
I've been thinking about this. I have one rule that is not flexible. And that is I don't answer the phone or the door if I'm doing a reading. (I don't answer the phone nor the door if I'm busy doing other things either, because I find it annoying.) But to get interrupted during a reading by someone wanting to sell you some anti-wrinkle cream is not fun. ros' rules are good. She will soon have a seat at the front of the bus, but she may prefer staying at the back. ;)

tmgrl2	10 Mar 2004
Ros and Diana....like what you both said...I have my own phone since my husband and I got married. I feel the phone is an intrusion! anytime... my friends know I screen ALL calls...but even yesterday, while I worked on Firemaiden's reading and a dear friend called...needed a shoulder...I heard her voice on the phone, but had to finish the reading...of course, I called back... Like that , Ros, detach, clear an focus...pretty important....and clear out previous readings. I don't have that as a potential interference yet...but good suggestion as I progress...terri

lunalafey	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by bec When I get the honor of being a teacher in tarot - I keep telling "my apprentice" There is only ONE rule in tarot - whatever makes you feel good LOL I take up an apprentice now and then with my dye work- I say #1 rule: don't spill the dye! don't spill the dye! and tht's it! It's even written on the 'notes' wall......everyone asks, so what's rule #2? Have fun, enjoy yourself, cuz you can't mess up a tie dye Tarot related point being; it does not matter what you do or how you do it- you do it with your own style- you learn through experimentation- and trial & error {error meaning you the creator, did not like it} As to what I can offer about tarot rules is what I do-I had no one to teach me- no books to find suggestions-no internet to stumble across.....:D I have, what I call, "few tarot taboos" meaning all those things like: gifted decks others touching deck left hand only spread only on silk shuffle 10 times what ever..... I don't follow any of it. I prefer gifted decks-why? I didn't spend the money :D I feel having the quarent shuffle is very importnt becasue, the act of shuffling gets the quarent to think about thier issue- I seem to favor my left hand naturaly- when I was a little kid playing cards with grandma- she always teased me about how I deal the cards backwards I prefer natural fibers to wear on my body- so I naturally choose things like cotton, silk, & rayon fabrics for my bags & spreadcloths I sort of have a routine when shuffling in regards to 'how many times' but it's an inconsistant routine- often I use the #3 in my shuffling patterns when reading for myself- the person- the spread- the question- deck- all or none may be factors in how I shuffle.....then there are the times I just shuffle until shuffled out...... I have no rules- I have my 'style'- routine one could say- but it's hardly regular. now the taboos? don't read over a mud puddle don't play fetch the deck with the dog ummm....

tmgrl2	10 Mar 2004
ROFLOL...fetch the deck with the dog? I just couldn't find it after we "walked".... ...especially if that mud puddle turns to ashes and the Phoenix...oops that was the Death card thread (RW)... Luna, you are also one of my mentors since I joined...I have a LIST already...but won't name any more because I'm sure to forget someone (sounds like I just got an Oscar...not the hot dog and not the dachshund).....I could PM my buddy list..Then most of you would know I value your work here and am learning a great deal from you....terri

Kath	10 Mar 2004
Tarot cards are bits of cardboard with ink on them. Handle them the way you would handle any other bits of cardboard with ink on them ie. don’t throw them in the dishwasher to cleanse them, don’t bend or fold them, or leave them for the cat/dog/bird to chew up. I concur that you should do what is comfortable for you. If you prefer to have them in a bag, then use a bag, if not, use a box, use a rubber band, whatever works. If you don’t like others touching your cards, that’s your choice, but I’ve never had a negative experience with people handling or using my cards. In fact, I prefer that the querent shuffles the cards. Should they be gifted? Well, how many of us would still be waiting for a tarot deck if that rule were true? If you don’t feel comfortable doing something, or you don’t see any merit in it, then don’t do it. They are your cards, use them your way.

Astra	10 Mar 2004
Rules are fine - just decide how many you're willing to put up with and make sure that each time you accept a new one, you throw out an old one. Otherwise they accumulate - like dust bunnies.

lunalafey	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Kath use a rubber band actually- don't use a rubber band- rubber will decompose, when it does, it 'melts' it will stick to your deck. I use those fuzzy terri-cloth hair ties.

Khatruman	10 Mar 2004
I knew that our best and brightest would come out to offer incredible advice—so many wonderful ideas, opinions, philosophies, humorous insights. Sweet incendiary vixen, as usual you offer wisdom that goes down like a fizzy Wonka confection. You are amazing in how you can offer true common sense in true comic tense. Your humor gets down to the heart of learning: that as soon as you stop trying so hard, you will get the answer. Just as when you stop looking for something, there it is (it is always in the last place you look, duhhhh). Astrea, your insight as to why new learners become so afraid of doing it wrong makes so much sense: “the fear of doing something wrong often reflects a reverence for those realms (of Spiritual energies), coupled with a great reluctance to behave in any way that could be considered disrespectful of them.” One fears he will anger the great Gods and/or Goddesses of tarot through the hubris of buying one’s own deck!! Harrummphh!!! I know that is what held me back. I heard the great words of Emily Peach telling me, “Ye must learn all the ways of astrology, numerology, cartography, antidisestablishmentarianology, ad infinitum, ad nauseum… Bueller??? Bueller???” Then I looked at them again 18 years later and said… “Oh, what the heck. Let’s just play cards!” Allibee, perfect assessment of how one should “follow rules”: “... don't follow another’s rules blindly, make your own rules, your own decisions. It is YOUR interpretation of tarot, not A.N. Other’s. Try to understand and find out why A.N. Other says you should do this or do that. If it is steeped in olde world tradition, then it is probably safe to scoff at.” Reminds me of the old zen story where a cat would howl during temple services, so it had to be locked away while meditations were performed. After a couple hundred years, it became ritual to always bind up a cat in an elaborate ritual to faithfully conform to tradition. Emily, your suggestion is super for anyone learning: “I write down each and every spread I do, even the one card ones and daily draws.” Not only does it record the spread, but it lets us consider it in our minds again, express it on paper and make sense of it. Just seeing it written down reminds us that it is a story being told. We are “reading” tarot! Diana, indeed you are correct in our flexible little friend tarot. She can be quite the gymnast!! Even more important is your rule “don’t answer the phone or the door.” That concentration is absolutely crucial to tarot, if you are going to go deep into what’s going on in the reading. It is the same with writing. I am going to borrow a piece of advice from Natalie Goldberg, a poet and author of wonderful writing books, who has a list of rules for when you are journaling. Among them is this: when you are doing writing practice for ten minutes, don’t stop before the end. Even if an atomic bomb goes off, you will go out writing!!! All those distractions keep us from going deep. I think that one of the major reasons for the dumbing down of society these days is the plethora of distractions: TV, cell phones, sound bites, advertising, on and on. With so many things to distract attention, and so many things chopped to bit sized pieces, people aren’t trained to stay focused, to go deep inside. Even watching TV now, things scroll across the bottom of the screen. And we wonder why so much ADD is diagnosed. Hey, there are now commercials for ADULT ADD!!! All just fabulous advice, and there are still some of our heavy hitters out there who haven’t chimed in. However, I want to play Devil’s Advocate here and push us on again to give even better advice. Say a new reader reads all of this and gets the overwhelming message present here that “There are no rules. Do whatever you feel comfortable doing.” Now, as an new initiate, what if I take from that that tarot can just mean anything you want it to, any way you want it to. Doesn’t that make it just bogus? How can there be any meaning without any rules or limits? Is it like Calvin ball? The reference is to the defunct comic strip Calvin and Hobbes where they would play a game with a ball, but the rules could just constantly change. It got so confusing and arbitrary that it ended up leading nowhere. So can I lay out the cards and just say, “Hmmm, I guess this is telling me to be a pig farmer in Peoria!”? Where does meaning come in where there aren’t rules? What is tarot at all if there are no parameters?

full deck	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by laura_borealis When I was new to tarot, I felt that I had to follow "the rules." As much as I respect Eden Gray, I picked up some of them from one of her books, the only book on Tarot that I had for a long time. [/b] Ms. Gray was a really nice lady. I wrote to her some years ago and her advice was simple and useful. Generally, she was very nice. Oddly enough, just before reading this posting, I was thinking about her while grinding my coffee and *poof* here I'm reading her name without looking for it.

Silverlotus	10 Mar 2004
When I started studying Tarot, I followed all the "rules". Okay, my silk cloth was faux silk, but it was black. ;) Now, I follow very few of the "rules." I think the most important things for me are: - remember that the cards are only cards, and that everything is coming from you, so don't let them rule your life - but also remember that Tarot can be an important tool when used correctly, so treat them with a bit of respect - be nice to yourself and really concentrate on a reading--don't answer the door or phone, don't watch TV, no loud music, etc.--give yourself a chance to hear what you need to hear - use a deck that speaks to you; don't pick a deck just because everyone else likes it or because it is a "standard" - keep a journal with notes on your card meanings, readings, and other observations, because you never know when you might want to look up something I also agree with bec's "Tarot kit." It isn't neccessary, but it is nice. :)

Kath	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lunalafey actually- don't use a rubber band- rubber will decompose, when it does, it 'melts' it will stick to your deck. I use those fuzzy terri-cloth hair ties. Oops. Sorry about that! :) Ok, don't use rubber bands, but using terri cloth hair ties is ok. I personally keep my cards in their original box... wrapped in a spreadcloth... tied with ribbon.... then placed inside a tarot bag :D So now that we’ve all covered how to treat the actual cards, here’s my answer for Khatruman's devils' advocate questions - Read, read and read. Read books about tarot; read what others have written on websites, forums, magazines, articles; read your cards! There’s no point in having all this knowledge in your head if you don’t put it into practice. Talk to people, other tarotists, people involved in metaphysics. Explore and expand your knowledge. You don't have to read tarot-specific literature either. Astrology, paganism, Kabbalah, Christianity, psychology etc. All of these topic mesh very well with tarot and tarot symbolism. Tarot is a constant journey. You don’t have to know it all before you begin, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you know it all, once you’ve started. Rules on using your cards - Well, these change from person to person, but I think that when you’re doing a reading, you need to be ethical. Don’t use the tarot to ‘spy’ on others (don’t read about a third party who is not present). Don’t make predictions and state that they will come true. Tarot predictions are not set in stone. If you tell a client that they will meet a man and leave their husband, that person may do that, because you said it will happen. If you said they will meet a man who will tempt them to leave, then they won’t be influenced by your ‘set in stone’ prediction. Don’t keep asking the same question over and over again, just because you don’t like the answer. The answer will not change, unless you do something to change the circumstances. Don’t try and play down any negatives that you see in the cards. Bad things happen, that’s life. Do use the tarot for personal growth, to help you understand patterns of behaviour. Use the tarot to help bring clarity to a situation, or give advice on how to proceed.

Astraea	10 Mar 2004
originally posted by Khatruman: Quote: as an new initiate, what if I take from that that tarot can just mean anything you want it to, any way you want it to. Doesn’t that make it just bogus? How can there be any meaning without any rules or limits? I think that we, ourselves -- our makeup, our personalities, our intrinsic natures -- are the limits. Individual being is at once the template which structures our experiences, and the lens through which we view them. Wisdom eventually comes from the friction born of bumping into our own boundaries -- the only way to supercede them and penetrate the realm of meaning is to jump over the wall, tunnel under it, or blast through it. To do this, we need permission -- our own. In theory, tarot might indeed mean "just anything;" in practice, however, theory is fleshed-out and imbued with life because we are something. When we act in ways that resonate with our inner selves, we are being the people we truly are, in the best ways we know how at any given time. So the meaning of the cards is a reflection of the differentiation within oneself, distilled and focused through ink on cardboard. One's most authentic nature -- to any extent it can be tapped -- acts as a bridge across which universal truths can pass. Seen in that light, it seems to me that the cards are not gods to fear and placate, but vehicles for the divine in each of us.

ros	10 Mar 2004
Everyone has their own rules or guidelines. Rules & laws change. Interprete the best you know how. Tarot is an interpretation skill that challenges your intuition. Their are people who can play the piano & there are pianist. There are card readers & there are expert interpreters. It all depends on what your interpetation of "the rules" mean & everyone interpetes differently but with a thread that joins all together. As 10 people one question you get 10 different answers that all can be correct.

ros	10 Mar 2004
P.S. Just an idea. We say that we have rules to go by but that's just to protect our ego. If we just let go of all of our little beliefs of what the rules are, judgements & what is right or wrong etc. we all would be professional tarot readers. This is why we are all at different levels of learning tarot. So I guess when you let go there are no rules we just think there are.We are all learning, using Tarot as a tool to voice what is inside to help us along the way to the next level of living. Rules are just what you want to live by. If you can live with what you do, do the rules apply to you? Hope I'm finished now! lol

miss_apples	10 Mar 2004
This subject brings to mind two of my favorite quotes..... "Theres an exception to every rule" and "Rules are meant to be broken" Id think those phrases would go well with tarot.

TemperanceAngel	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Tarot Rules from the Great Sage Firemaiden, discovered through many great trials and sacrifices: Shuffling: Do not shuffle your deck until you have unwrapped it. Relationships between the cards : if your cards start arguing amongst themselves, separate them. Listening to the cards: if they give you lip, turn them over... Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. Redundancy: do not allow your cards to make fun of you. If you ask "what is my problem" and they answer "a problem", or, "what is my goal in life" and they answer "a goal", or "what will give me strength?" and they answer "strength" or who is my future lover, and they answer "the Lover", give them a severe shuffling. Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ((((FM)))) XTAX

lark	10 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman So can I lay out the cards and just say, “Hmmm, I guess this is telling me to be a pig farmer in Peoria!”? Where does meaning come in where there aren’t rules? What is tarot at all if there are no parameters? [/b] i would like to talk about this. I belive that over time each card has taken on a personal meaning for me. I have had to discover that meaning. I am still discovering..... That is why my rule is do a daily spread. Write what your intuition tells you and go back later and confirm any hits. Yes there is a right meaning. It is the meaning that comes out of your life. It takes a little work and meditation to discover it. A little writting and comparing. But the rewards of connecting with a card.. Of seeing it in a spread and KNOWING what it means because that it what it has personally come to mean to you is GOLD. Oh, and if the King of Coins keeps coming up in your readings as a pig farmer in Peoria...well that's exactly what it means. (In your life) :)

Logiatrix	11 Mar 2004
As ros stated, "Everyone has their own rules or guidelines." I agree. Rules, guidelines, parameters--whatever you call them, I think they are highly subjective. There's no such thing as 'The Tarot Rules,' but there's plenty of 'My Rules' and 'Your Rules' and 'Her Rules' to go around. Thank goodness.... So in that sense, yes, there are no 'tarot rules'--no pre-set, all-purpose, universally applicable rules for tarot. However, I also think that developing my own 'tarot rules' has been unavoidable, no matter how much I'd like to claim otherwise. I prefer to think it has been an evolution of my sense of the sacred, rather than a failing of my ego. For me, the practice of tarot requires certain parameters by which I maintain it as a spiritual tool. Special bags and cloths, shuffling rituals, facing north, south, east or west--whatever I claim as a 'rule'--all are my reverent nods to the innate and unavoidable desire for the sacred over the mundane. I need for tarot to be a Divine pursuit, and to that end, my 'rules' secure tarot in that role for me. Essentially, my rules are a means for me to consecrate my tarot journey. :) EDITED to note: I'm no Sage! :rolleyes: EDITED again! (Because I couldn't resist....): The 'Pig Farmer' card I can see happening; but what card, exactly, determines Peoria??? ;)

firemaiden	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman Doesn’t that make it just bogus? How can there be any meaning without any rules or limits? So can I lay out the cards and just say, “Hmmm, I guess this is telling me to be a pig farmer in Peoria!”? Where does meaning come in where there aren’t rules? What is tarot at all if there are no parameters? I asked a similar question about a year ago, when having a 'crisis of tarot faith" -- Tarot Frustrations: crisis of faith. I wrote Quote: How can you possibly read, if any card can mean anything at all?? If you are a great seer, do you even need the cards to read? Otherwise, being just an ordinary citizen, if the cards can mean so many different things each, and also so many cards mean the same or similar things one to the other... how can you read???" I guess my current experiments are part of answering my own question. Perhaps each card is like a theatrical lightboard. The numer of switches on the board is actually finite, but the number of stage effects you can combine with those switches seems almost infinite. I have a card here... I am working on your reading... Judgement from the Animal Lords - here are some of the switches on the lightboard -red -bird -green -alligator -teeth -tongue -stare -tree -branch -leaves -roots -stick -river -water -reflections -perched -seated -rising -moon -edge -grey -sky -horizon The list of switches grows much longer, the more closely we look at the card, however it is limited to what is actually on the card, and to the underlying concept of card XX. The mind will flash those switches off and an on and cook up associations, associations with those associations, at the speed of light, weaving them together before we are even consicous of it... which of those millions of computations actually will make it onto the paper -- those that surface from the black depths inside the magic eight ball of mind (remember those) -- those thoughts are the chosen few! Whatever 'comes up' -- is probably not arbitrary at all. Somehow it came up.... That is the magic, I think.

bec	11 Mar 2004
>So can I lay out the cards and just say, “Hmmm, I guess this is telling me to be a pig farmer in Peoria!”? Where does meaning come in where there aren’t rules? What is tarot at all if there are no parameters? [/b]< ROFLMOA

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
[quote]Originally posted by firemaiden I asked a similar question about a year ago, when having a 'crisis of tarot faith" -- Tarot Frustrations: crisis of faith . I wrote I guess my current experiments are part of answering my own question. Perhaps each card is like a theatrical lightboard. The numer of switches on the board is actually finite, but the number of stage effects you can combine with those switches seems almost infinite. I have a card here... I am working on your reading... Judgement from the Animal Lords - here are some of the switches on the lightboard -red -bird -green -alligator -teeth -tongue -stare -tree -branch -leaves -roots -stick -river -water -reflections -perched -seated -rising -moon -edge -grey -sky -horizon The list of switches grows much longer, the more closely we look at the card, however it is limited to what is actually on the card, and to the underlying concept of card XX. The mind will flash those switches off and an on and cook up associations, associations with those associations, at the speed of light, weaving them together before we are even consicous of it... which of those millions of computations actually will make it onto the paper -- those that surface from the black depths inside the magic eight ball of mind (remember those) -- those thoughts are the chosen few! Whatever 'comes up' -- is probably not arbitrary at all. Somehow it came up.... That is the magic, I think. [/quote love this idea of "switches" firemaiden...reading your readings has helped me..i did go back and read that whole thread also (btw) a quick tech question...how did you find that link and insert it..i read the instructions, about typing with[urll] around it. Is there an easier way to insert links? There has been much good info on this thread ..what makes it special is that each person has something that works for them and as a beginner we need to find our style, our rituals, the amount of reliance on "book learning." Ultimately, I believe, the blend and become "our" style...that is already happening for me..So much goes on when I look at the questions and then look at the cards...I have to quickly write down what comes for each part...and then weave it as I write or speak....terri

Macavity	11 Mar 2004
Without (too much!) cynicism, I suspect, in any group human activity, there are (implicit) rules? Even a stated absence of rules might be just another variation? But the world does seem to be divided into (eager) rule makers and (compliant) followers though. I think adherence to rules is governed mostly by whether one LIKES the rules (either covertly or overtly) imposed? :D Rule Four: There is no rule four... (From a little known comedy sketch?) }) Macavity

Umbrae	11 Mar 2004
2 Rules: [font=papyrus] [color=yellow] 1: Do not allow the cats to play with the cards. 2: Keep cards dry (when traveling). [/color] [/font]If you plastic bag them to prevent water damage in your backpack, be sure to allow them to breathe daily - the bag may sweat.

mj07	11 Mar 2004
As someone new to Tarot, I just want you all to know how much I appreciate your comments. A few weeks ago when I was starting out I'd hear such things as "you have to sleep with them under your pillow for a week before you use them" and the other "the deck has to be a gift or you're like CURSED", etc. etc. as well as the more common "rules" of cutting the deck with your left hand. I'm slowing learning to come up with my own rituals or habits, the main being, whatever comes into my head (intuition?) is what I do. Sometimes I feel like shuffling a lot, sometimes just once or twice. Sometimes I cut the deck once, sometimes four times with my left or my right hand. It's an ever evolving process, like life, eh? :D

allibee	11 Mar 2004
For Khat and his satanic seesaw :O) Osmosis, that's the trick, and where I was trying to lead you. Take it all in, put it in the blender of your soul, keep the sweet stuff and spit out the sour stuff ... my taste in *sweet* is probably not the same as yours and yours is not the same as anyone elses, but we all know what the sour stuff tastes like Gradually, without even noticing, we assimilate what we need to know ... what works for *us* ... There are NO rules, just imparted knowledge, from which to pick and choose to our hearts content ... kinda like my old spiritual buffet signature

crystal cove	11 Mar 2004
I can't say that I follow any rules at all; they just seem so contrived to me.

Astraea	11 Mar 2004
originally posted by mj07: Quote: Exactly. If the cards reflect our psyches and we are growing and developing, so will our perceptions of tarot meanings. Instead of rules for handling and interpreting the cards, I think in terms of flexible guidelines, shaped by a host of factors including (but not limited to) surrounding cards, factors that "jump out" at one -- such as an abundance or scarcity of particular numbers, suits, court cards, majors, etc. -- specific questions and circumstances, deck theme, card imagery, who's asking the question and who's attempting to answer it. Just as planetary meanings in astrology are shaded and fine-tuned by their relationships with other bodies, signs, houses, and so forth, each tarot card is involved in a network of meaning that reflects the individual circumstances of a reading. Edited to add that our rituals -- including whether or not we choose to perform any -- change, grow and evolve as part of this same living, breathing process.

firemaiden	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by tmgrl2 How did you find that link and insert it..I read the instructions, about typing with [url] around it. Is there an easier way to insert links? Technical aside: to find the link I did a search: username - firemaiden; search word, crisis; specifying to show thread titles only. Then I went to thread, and copied the url from the address bar. To make neat quotes you just have to type in the codes -- see vb code

Khatruman	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by allibee For Khat and his satanic seesaw :O) Osmosis, that's the trick, and where I was trying to lead you. Awwww, damn, forgive me... I puncutated this tread all wrong!!! It was supposed to be "TAROT RULES!!!" spoken as a true metal head *arms raised in the satanic salute and singin' Aerosmith's "Walk This Way"... seesaw swingin' wid da boys in the school and ya feet flyin up in da air.. Nevermind... })

allibee	11 Mar 2004
Love in an Elevator, surely??? Besides, I was playing with your reference to devils advocate, but being a teacher of creative writing, you knew that of course :)

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Technical aside: to find the link I did a search: username - firemaiden; search word, crisis; specifying to show thread titles only . Then I went to thread, and copied the url from the address bar. To make neat quotes you just have to type in the codes -- see vb code Thanks...Firemaiden....I had the vBcode information...was a little fuzzy on the search.... This has been a wonderful thread...Thanks mj....See, I said, you would find and get it all here....terri (from one newbie to another...go Illinois!) As Astraea said, too, we are "growing and developing"...also I guess some of the "rules" might depend on the Q... I read for my husband recently...He asked me "How can I see better?" (He is blind since about 5 years ago). I was surprised he sat down with me for a formal reading. I found myself doing things I would never bother with for perhaps someone else...or definitely not for online reading...I was much for formal about the shuffling....the spread...I asked him if he wanted to choose the cards. He definitely did. (I would normally deal after I shuffle and querent does cuts)...Maybe it was because I wanted him to "trust" that this was something real...by being very ritualistic about it. He was very into the reading and asked questions along the way....I imagine that is true for other readers. That is....do you follow different "rules" depending on Q ? terri

Macavity	11 Mar 2004
Quote: It was supposed to be "TAROT RULES!!!" IC! U ment Tarot RULS? (As in) L8R M8? O.K. M ;)

Astraea	11 Mar 2004
originally posted by tmgrl2: Quote: In my view, yes (in place of the word "rules," I suggest "rhythms"). A question represents a particular point of focus within a living, breathing process and its web of relationships. We are moved to act in ways that resonate with the needs of that moment.

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea [b] originally posted by tmgrl2 : In my view, yes (in place of the word "rules," I suggest "rhythms"). A question represents a particular point of focus within a living, breathing process and its web of relationships. We are moved to act in ways that resonate with the needs of that moment. I agree with you Astraea...I've never liked the word "rules" in any of its contexts..."rhythms" is an excellent way to look at it...not just for Tarot...don't we behave differently in any life situation depending upon the ways that resonate with the needs of the moment....what a great way to say it. I was a quiet, tall, loner as a child (just under 6ft tall by 8th grade)...I was always breaking rules though...Even now with the children I work with in school...many of them cognitively impaired children or children with autism, emotional difficulties, attentional disorders, and much more....we are supposed to "create" the rules for our "classroom" with the children. Since I only see groups of 5 or less on a daily basis....My "rules" are "expectations" and most children come up with same basic ideas...but respect for each other, adults and children is the key ingredient. They, too, "resonate" with the needs of the moment, the day...and so do I. Thankfully, we have a loving, learning environment that way. And there is leeway for how we all behave...as long as it is with respect....fun is a key ingredient to my work and what I hope to bring to my own Tarot work... terri

lunalafey	11 Mar 2004
I figured it out- {thanks Astraea the confusion is in terminology- It is not the word "rules" it is the word "ritual" I have read enough of the tarot stuff to see how this gets misconstrued. Some material says- shuffle, cut three times, black cloth- yadda-yadda. In a society where we must follow rules- we understand this to mean we HAVE to shuffle 3x's....it's all in the wording. Now I have seen a few of those extream cases where it's plain old black& white- do's and don'ts- hey, everyone is entitled to thier ways...but we are individuals, our souls are free, not bound by any rules- tarot is of the soul, your relationship with tarot should be just as individual. it's not rules- it's ritual

Astraea	11 Mar 2004
Hi, Lunalafey! Tmgrl2's query ("Do you follow different 'rules,' depending on the question?") seemed to call for a different way of looking at words. Each querent's tarot question can be thought of as a "wave form," a peak moment in a rhythmic cycle -- we resonate to particular cycles, and when a reader is sensitive to those rhythms, he or she can tune in to them and "translate" them into uniquely meaningful readings. Ritual, it seems to me, is a way to help us enter that rhythmically self-regulating space -- I think that ritual is a way to acknowledge and enact rhythm.

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
Thanks again luna and Astraea....for as much as I dislike the word "rules" I used it in my own question ....I did mean rituals although I guess what sparked my use of the word was that the thread was about rules...I agree ...I like to speak of the various rituals we use...not rules...thanks for the Eureka,,amazing how words can lead us down the wrong "semantic' path...terri

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
....in fact, to add to my last posting, the word "rules" tempts me to make light of something..(like Firemaiden did in this thread about rules)....yet I do agree, somehow in the books I have been reading, the "suggestions" often sound like "rules"

Astraea	11 Mar 2004
Kind of along the same lines -- I used to think that non-fiction was truer than fiction. I've come to see that fiction often embodies layers of truth that non-fiction can't begin to tap, and that non-fiction (including tarot manuals with "rules") is often opinion masquerading as truth. :)

laura_borealis	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman It was supposed to be "TAROT RULES!!!" Or as the gamers would say, "Tarot ownz!!!" :) Here's a rule I forgot. If someone tells you to bury your deck in the garden to cleanse it, ignore them -- even if they seem like they know all the rules. No matter how waterproof you think your ziplock is, the deck will get damp and the cards will never be the same... :P

tmgrl2	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea Kind of along the same lines -- I used to think that non-fiction was truer than fiction. I've come to see that fiction often embodies layers of truth that non-fiction can't begin to tap, and that non-fiction (including tarot manuals with "rules") is often opinion masquerading as truth. :) [font=9] YOU ROCK Astraea![/font]

Khatruman	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea Kind of along the same lines -- I used to think that non-fiction was truer than fiction. I've come to see that fiction often embodies layers of truth that non-fiction can't begin to tap.... Ohh, absolutely!!! And as a fiction writer, I know that I have a burden to create a kind of Truth, a burden greater than that of a non-fiction writer. If he records facts and events, then it is quite difficult to dispute it. An account of the exploits of Jeffrey Dahmer doesn't have to worry about being believed, just about getting the correct facts. A fiction writer begins with a task: the reader knows it is "made up" so therefore the fiction writer must convince the reader to believe, or at least suspend his disbelief. By the way, have you noticed the significance of the fact that the classifications universally accepted are "fiction" and "non-fiction"? It is not "real" and "non-real". Like light, and non-light. The very classifications seem to place fiction as the reality and non-fiction as the lack of that reality. Arrrghhh, I have gotten WAY off the topic of this thread that I myself have set. Can I draw it back? Hmmm, tarot and non-tarot? Ok, forget the word rules for now and all the semantics involved in it. Are there issues which are considered tarot, and ones that are non-tarot?

lunalafey	11 Mar 2004
I was not commenting on the use of the word 'rules' by anyone here- It's the mass produced information that gets circulated. a simple suggestion- worded in such a manner comes off sounding like a rule-

Astraea	11 Mar 2004
originally posted by Khatruman: Quote: Wow, thanks for pointing that out -- I'd not thought about that before, and what a revelation! Lunalafey, you're so right -- suggestions really can come off sounding like rules, when that was not the original intention at all.

Star Spirit	12 Mar 2004
Wow, what a long thread... I learned early on to make my own rules (or rather, to not follow any at all). I'm a natural non-conformist so this wasn't too hard :D If I felt forced I would have been all, "Bah! I spit on your rules!" and broke out the nunchucks. If life is fraught with rules, and tarot tells the stories of life, why should tarot be tied down with rules in the same fashion? If it were, we'd run into dead ends and never know the true story. Tarot is open-ended to provide us with unlimited possibilities and help us deal with the rules that really matter...ones we can't change.

tmgrl2	12 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lunalafey I was not commenting on the use of the word 'rules' by anyone here- It's the mass produced information that gets circulated. a simple suggestion- worded in such a manner comes off sounding like a rule- I did't think you were doing that, Luna,....I, too, agree, that such information worded in materials, does come off at times to sounding like rules, although not necessarily intended to be so. I know for myself, at first, I saw what I read as "rules" partly because I am used to being faced with "rules" since I was a child...so the perceiver who reads sees what fits their own referential deeper beliefs. Aeclectic has really helped me now to see the ideas of rituals and individuality that we each bring to various types of readings...ty terri

Kath	25 Mar 2004
I know that we wonder where ‘newbie’ tarot readers get ‘myths’ into their heads regarding tarot. Sometimes they read about things in tarot books, like no one is ever allowed to touch your cards, or that you must keep them in black silk or evil will befall you and your family. Sometimes it’s friends who say you absolutely cannot buy a tarot deck for yourself, it must be a gift. Even the internet is rife with superstitions. But I had an interesting experience last night, that I thought I should share. I was walking through a shopping centre when I came across a bunch of tables set up, with big posters advertising tarot reading, numerology and various psychic services. Being the nosy person that I am, I stopped and had a look, and a quick chat to the two ladies who were sitting at the front two tables. The conversation obviously turned to tarot and I mentioned that I read, but purely at an amateur level. One of the ladies asked me, “Do you read for, yourself?”. I answered, “Oh yes”. She gave me The Look, and shook her head slightly. I was so tempted to just roll my eyes and ask her why that was such a horrible thing. How else are you supposed to learn about tarot? Not everyone is lucky enough to have willing volunteers to read for. Also, if I’m going through a problem, why should I have to seek out another reader to get some guidance? No one knows me or my situation better than I do! It saddens and frustrates me to think that people who are experienced and competent readers (or at least appear to be) would be so closed minded about things like that. No wonder people who are new to tarot would have so many misconceptions. I have a feeling that that woman would be the sort to insist on black, and only black, silk for her deck.

laura_borealis	25 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Kath One of the ladies asked me, �Do you read for, yourself?�. I answered, �Oh yes�. She gave me The Look, and shook her head slightly. I was so tempted to just roll my eyes and ask her why that was such a horrible thing. It's in the best interests of unscrupulous professional card readers to keep that myth alive. If she leads people believe they cannot read for themselves, they will go to her more often. Or so she may reason. You should have asked just to see what kind of tale she'd spin for you... :D Quote: I have a feeling that that woman would be the sort to insist on black, and only black, silk for her deck. I'm sure you're right! :P

Kath	25 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by laura_borealis You should have asked just to see what kind of tale she'd spin for you... :D I was thinking about it, but I'm way too cheap to spend $25 for a half hour reading just to find out, especially when I could put that money towards a new deck or book! :D

Khatruman	25 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by laura_borealis It's in the best interests of unscrupulous professional card readers to keep that myth alive. If she leads people believe they cannot read for themselves, they will go to her more often. Or so she may reason... Ahhh, and unscrupulous Spiritual leaders? Wasn't part of the notion of Protestantism about allowing people to read the Scripture for themselves, rather than having to rely on the Catholic church to tell them what it said?

tmgrl2	26 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman Ahhh, and unscrupulous Spiritual leaders? Wasn't part of the notion of Protestantism about allowing people to read the Scripture for themselves, rather than having to rely on the Catholic church to tell them what it said? Yes....In fact, as I child, raised as a Catholic, we were not "allowed " to read the bible...it was read to us every Sunday in bits and pieces during Mass...but we were "discouraged" from reading it ourselves....lest we misinterpret.... terri hmmmphhhh.....glad I'm all grown up now....(I think)

Imagemaker	26 Mar 2004
I recently learned from an elderly nun (80) that when she was a young Sister, none in the Order were allowed to read the Bible. As time passed (into the 1960s) they could read it but not own one. Finally in the 1970s they could own one. When she took back her baptismal name and stopped wearing a habit (but stayed in the Order), her birth family disowned her for not being a "good-enough" nun. This is like what showed up in my reading for Mooncat2--the expectations of others can be so destructive, it takes a lot of courage to break away.

Ivy Rhiannon	09 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around. [/list] LMAO! thanks for the laugh firemaiden!

mac22	23 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Tarot Rules from the Great Sage Firemaiden, discovered through many great trials and sacrifices: Shuffling: Do not shuffle your deck until you have unwrapped it. Relationships between the cards : if your cards start arguing amongst themselves, separate them. Listening to the cards: if they give you lip, turn them over... Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. Redundancy: do not allow your cards to make fun of you. If you ask "what is my problem" and they answer "a problem", or, "what is my goal in life" and they answer "a goal", or "what will give me strength?" and they answer "strength" or who is my future lover, and they answer "the Lover", give them a severe shuffling. Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around. As usual sage & sane advice :cool:

Nycelle	24 Apr 2004
Two cents - quite literally: Firstly, on the subject of reading for yourself before others - the people who volunteer to have their cards read by you will be your friends (and possibly family). They will value your opinion and your words more highly than that of any other reader. Therefore I feel it is irresponsible to read for others before you have full confidence in yourself as a reader - be it through reading for yourself or just study. It just seems that if people are going to value your advice and interpretations highly, you have a responsiblity to make them as sound as they can be. Secondly, on the subject of gifting decks - I believe the study of anything spiritual or psychological is an exercise in taking control of your own life. So what could possibly be wrong with beginning the process yourself? Equally, what could possibly be wrong with having someone suggest the path to you? Rules schmules.

tmgrl2	24 Apr 2004
just an add-on... fm, as usual...love your humor....we need to keep perspective here and humor that applies is great! I think we would all agree, those of us that love the Tarot and take it seriously when we read...that we should respect our own level of comfort when choosing how and for whom we read. I do feel that I would not read for certain family members and friends and I already "know" why I won't ...at least now... Reading for myself is proving itself to be a good "tool" for learning and meditation.... I guess we always need to know our motives when we read....that goes for all of us, experienced and inexperienced... Back to "Why do we read Tarot?" Sometimes, here, the air is lighthearted and fun in some reading threads....and it is clearly stated to be so... At other times, the Q/sitter is clearly looking for a more straightforward reading... I guess, since we are initiate and/or experienced readers, we should be able to "read" the tone of words posted as well and respond in kind.... Then we apply the "rules" we deem appropriate in that instant or circumstance... terri

Orion	24 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Tarot Rules from the Great Sage Firemaiden, discovered through many great trials and sacrifices: Shuffling: Do not shuffle your deck until you have unwrapped it. Relationships between the cards : if your cards start arguing amongst themselves, separate them. Listening to the cards: if they give you lip, turn them over... Interpreting the cards: if at first their meaning is not apparent, make something up... anything. Redundancy: do not allow your cards to make fun of you. If you ask "what is my problem" and they answer "a problem", or, "what is my goal in life" and they answer "a goal", or "what will give me strength?" and they answer "strength" or who is my future lover, and they answer "the Lover", give them a severe shuffling. Reversals: if your cards all, or mostly come up reversed, (Aoife this is for you), it means you have your crown chackra stuck in your root chackra. Turn your deck around. Firemaiden... TOO FUNNY!! :) :) :)

Imagemaker	24 Apr 2004
Firemaiden, I propose that you submit those rules to Major Tom for publication on the 2005 Calendar. Puh-leeze?! They need a bigger venue than an old AT thread.

The Tarot "Rules" thread was originally posted on 10 Mar 2004 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.