The Road Less Traveled

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 31 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Gigi	31 Mar 2005
My work with and study of Tarot has taken me onto a lot of different paths that I don't think I ordinarily would have set foot on. In working with Tarot, I now find myself reading Jung (!), meditating more consistently, paying more attention to my intuition and commenced studies of astrology, Kabbalah, numerology. Not least I have also been introduced to the wonderful world of Aeclectic Tarot and all its beautiful inhabitants. My question is what other paths has your involvement with Tarot set your feet on? Would you have taken that road had it not been for your involvement with Tarot? Blessings, G.

Moongold	31 Mar 2005
Gigi ~ Welcome to Aeclectic :). My path has been similar to yours. I took up the study of astrology and began to read mythology and some history again. The study of Tarot and astrology has offered me a new perspective on life and death in so many ways. I now understand a little more about reincarnation as well. I already knew a little Jung, which seems more important in modern day astrology than in Tarot - but that depends on your interests. I would not have taken up these things were it not for my involvement at Aeclectic. Nice to meet you ~ Moongold

Shade	01 Apr 2005
Tarot was actually the gateway drug that opened me up to the entire metaphysical world. After exploring tarot I looked into a few other braches, especially magic, and before you know it (about 5 years actually) I gave up Catholicism for Lent and became a Wiccan.

firemaiden	01 Apr 2005
Hi Gigi, what a wonderful question. There was a certain path burgeoning within me shortly before I discovered tarot (three years ago), and then finding AT, and the people here, has led to an unfolding of a spiritual path in a way I could never have imagined.

WhiteRaven	01 Apr 2005
Shade wrote: I gave up Catholicism for Lent and became a Wiccan. This is funny....I don't know how many actually caught it...but it's funny :laugh: Tarot has broaden my knowledge in many different avenues and it has helped me quite a bit in understanding my Sprituality as well.

Enchanted	01 Apr 2005
What a great question! I started with astrology, then it got unfortunatly too hard for my non-mathematical brain, :( although I still love it. I began looking into tarot, but had a deck that I didn't connect with and didn't have enough resources to know that the deck could have been the problem and then about a year ago took it up again, new deck and haven't stopped since. But it is 'the road less travelled', which it why it makes AT so great. For me I don't know any one else who does any of this and while they are supportive all conversations on the topic are really one way, which becomes limiting. So joining AT has been great, there is so much knowledge here on so many subjects that I find it all endlessly fascinating. Studying tarot stimulates my heart, mind and spirit, my intuitive voice is definitely a lot louder and I am learning to trust it. It has made me recall things from my past that I had all but forgotten. If it wasn't for tarot I wouldn't be on the 'road' I am now as I don't think I would have had the courage, understanding or the perserverance to stay on this road. And yes White Raven I caught it "Gave up Catholicism for Lent..." :laugh: Deep Belly laughs!

Original Destiny	01 Apr 2005
Hi Gigi, I ended up taking a year out at the age of fifty to take a Diploma in humanistic counselling. this turned round on itself because I became more interested in the Tarot...which propelled me to study counselling in the first place ???? I guess the Tarot is where I am supposed to be at. Since then Ihave regarded my occupation to be a Tarot Consultant even though it isnt my main form of income

SunChariot	02 Apr 2005
Gigi wrote: My work with and study of Tarot has taken me onto a lot of different paths that I don't think I ordinarily would have set foot on. In working with Tarot, I now find myself reading Jung (!), meditating more consistently, paying more attention to my intuition and commenced studies of astrology, Kabbalah, numerology. Not least I have also been introduced to the wonderful world of Aeclectic Tarot and all its beautiful inhabitants. My question is what other paths has your involvement with Tarot set your feet on? Would you have taken that road had it not been for your involvement with Tarot? Blessings, G. Well, I can't know for sure what path I would have taken had I not found Tarot....Could anyone? Pehaps if something is meant to be you would be drawn to it, if not by one method by another(?) But I know Tarot did set me on some paths that I certainly had not anticipated when I started. And I am extremely glad it did.:-) I was drawn to it initially, as I am sure many people are, as means to gain insight on the future. I was having a life problem at the time that I did not seem to know how to handle. Then I found a rune site where they do online rune readings for free...and I kept trying to ask what to do, but the readings kept saying I was misunderstanding the will of G-d. I did not know how or what I was misunterstanding and it confused me more. I tried for a few weeks for insight, but that same answer kept coming up. Then in the midst of the confusion, on the rune site, up popped an ad about Tarot, and I read up on it and knew inside it was something I needed to do. And yes I found the answers to those questions and more. :-) But the funny thing is that I rarely use it now to fortell the future. I read only for myself. And I do it as a means of enlightenment and self-understanding, a way to constantly improve myself. Which is a big part of my life goal: to continue to grow forever. In fact now I find I read much more often about my past than about my future. LOL I have done many readings on my inner child..., on what happened in my childhood to make me who I am today. Which parts of my inner child I need to accept and embrace and which parts I need to let go of now...I will soon start some Tarot shadow work that will also delve into the past. I do still do readings for advice when I am confused. But my Tarot became way more than the tool to predict the future I expected it to be. It has increased my spirituality, made me feel a closer bond to the universe and everyone in it...the more I Tarot, the more I feel the need to learn more about EVERYTHING spiritual. Perhaps it can answer questions, but at the same time it sparks as many new questions as it answers. Every answer seems to lead to 10 more questions. Tarot has lead me down other paths as well: e.g.I am now learning the pendulum. Which was a result of my dissatisfactioin with Tarot for yes/ no questions (although I love it for everything else). The pendulum in turn wants to lead me to learn more about Reiki energy. I guess I thought Tarot would put an end to (satisfy) my questioning about life. That it would provide all the asnwers. That, I think was my biggest misunderstanding of it. Instead it is the beginning of my questioning. The source of it. Perhaps the beginning of wisdom is to realize how little you know. I do believe that. Tarot is the teacher of that for me, of true wisdom, which is of course a lifetime pursuit, not just as series of stiff answers to questions you can ask. Bar

SunChariot	02 Apr 2005
Shade wrote: Tarot was actually the gateway drug that opened me up to the entire metaphysical world. After exploring tarot I looked into a few other braches, especially magic, and before you know it (about 5 years actually) I gave up Catholicism for Lent and became a Wiccan. This has been very much my experience too. The first sentence describes it perfectly. And I will always love Tarot for that. I have explored magic in some ways with Tarot and my pendulum. I can't say I have become a Wiccan yet, but I do have an enormous respect for it. I think it's beautiful. Bar

SunChariot	02 Apr 2005
Enchanted wrote: What a great question! If it wasn't for tarot I wouldn't be on the 'road' I am now as I don't think I would have had the courage, understanding or the perserverance to stay on this road. Agreed it is a great question. And I agree with the rest too. :-) Tarot gives me the confidence to know I am making the best decision and that makes it easier to face problems that I would formerly have run away from. Bar

psychic sue	02 Apr 2005
I first bought my cards out of curiosity (I was about 18 at the time) - back in those days most people would have considered me "dabbling" with the occult, by owning a pack. I started to learn them, (from a second hand book that had only a couple of lines on each card). Looking back, this was a good thing, because it forced me to use my intuition - no nice pictures giving clues on the pip cards. I had to elaborate from my own intuition. I did two readings for friends, which were probably two of the most accurate readings I ever gave. My friends were astonished and very complimentary. This stroked my ego enough to encourage me to continue. I didn't really use them as a self discovery tool until a couple of years later. Without tarot, I would never have got interested in the mystic side of life, never sat in a development circle, never helped people that needed some guidance. I am so happy I walked into that old musty shop that day and spied the single deck of Swiss 1JJ sitting at the back. It really did change my life. Maybe I was guided into that shop? Sue x

Formicida	02 Apr 2005
I could tell you that Tarot has led me into Kabbalah, which I never would have considered before; that it's led me to meditate; that it's been the one consistent link with the spiritual world I've kept through a tumultuous several years. But I think far more important than that sort of thing is the fact that it's helped me open my mind. I was a complete skeptic when I bought my first deck, the Rohrig. I was convinced that the whole thing was bull**** and that I, as an Educated Person, was above that kind of thing. I bought the deck because a friend was urging me on and because I loved the artwork. It helped, I think, that in the text on the back cover it says, "But even for those who simplf appreciate the inspiring beauty of magical-mystical art, the Rohrig-Tarot is their first choice." That helped me feel I wasn't wasting money even though I "knew" I wouldn't be able to predict the future. I'm not one of those people that can point to one early reading that knocked their socks off and that changed their mind. Really I think it was just the act of studying, of understanding that you don't have to believe in all the Miss Cleo claptrap, that changed me. But in any case, I think I can honestly say that because of the Tarot I'm much less quick to rush to judgment about other people's beliefs.

Emeraldgirl	04 Apr 2005
For me Tarot and Crystal Healing have sort of been a chicken and the egg question Which one came first but because of my interests in these they have opened up the paths of astrology, numerology, runes and led to me studying areas such as mythology, history and gemmology. It has also sparked interests in paganism although I have not really gotten deeply into that field .................................. yet.

muteswan	04 Apr 2005
Metaphysical practice led me to tarot. As I sought methods of actively participating in the flow of existance, I discovered my strengths were in divination, not ritual. While I've dabbled in many kinds, tarot was the one that works for me the best. Tactile, educational, and beautiful, a good tarot deck is a wonderful tool for assisting with all parts of metaphysical practice and mundane life. It actually took me a year to get my first deck after wanting to try tarot. The woman working a late shift at a Borders in Nashua, NH insisted that my roommate and I unseal all the decks we wanted to look at and decide our decks carefully. She also advised that they had a sale on all store items that a lot of people didn't know about, and to just mention my past experience in adult care to get a big price break. We both got very successful decks that night.

WolfSpirit	04 Apr 2005
When I started with tarot I don't know what I really expected, but I was drawn to spreading out cards and, as soon as I discovered other decks than RWS, was also drawn to the artwork. I find it a great tool for self-exploration and meditation, having a card to help me in meditation makes it so much easier for me. When I found this forum, I heard many people speak of paganism and I did not even know what it was - when I delved into that I found that a lot of things I already had in me, especially my love for nature, but also (in some paths) the love for the old Celtic culture. I first learnt about witchcraft, also learnt about spellwork, and found a lot in that but somehow it was not really me, until I discovered druidry what resonates with me most. And how did I first learn about druidry ? Yes, also through a tarot deck :) I have never stopped learning about tarot, it is very much part of my life and it is now so obvious and natural to me, it blends in with the rest. Btw muteswan - what a wonderful shop assistant. We have also had threads here about people encountering annoying shop assistants when wanting to buy a tarot deck.

muteswan	04 Apr 2005
WolfSpirit wrote: Btw muteswan - what a wonderful shop assistant. We have also had threads here about people encountering annoying shop assistants when wanting to buy a tarot deck. You're telling me! I'm grateful to her, even now. She was a conduit for me to break my uncertainty of buying a deck, and because tarot has so enriched my life, I can't thank her enough, even if I could find her again, for such kindness to a stranger near the end of her shift, when most people just think about ushering everyone out.

Pipistrelle	04 Apr 2005
WolfSpirit wrote: When I found this forum, I heard many people speak of paganism and I did not even know what it was - when I delved into that I found that a lot of things I already had in me, especially my love for nature, but also (in some paths) the love for the old Celtic culture. I first learnt about witchcraft, also learnt about spellwork, and found a lot in that but somehow it was not really me, until I discovered druidry what resonates with me most. And how did I first learn about druidry ? Yes, also through a tarot deck :) This is exactly where I am at now WolfSpirit! Through Titania Hardie's books I became interested in numerology, which led me to Tarot, which led me back to numerology and onward to astrology and wicca. But although I agree with a lot of the principles of Wicca, it's never felt quite right and I've never really fully embraced it. Yesterday I ordered the Druidcraft and through browsing here found the OBOD site and... yes! Of course, I've only just found it but when I read about druidry I already felt like I was "home" :) Of course, in addition to that, via Tarot and especially the ATF, my eyes have been opened to all kinds of spirituality, meditation, psychic stuff, spirits, spirit guides, things I have yet to encounter myself but which - two years ago - I probably would have dismissed (although I always wondered...) And I'm sure there's lots of things I've forgotten. That's the thing that amazes me about Tarot and keeps me hooked - it connects with so many things. It has depth and range, it is vertical and horizontal. It can be simple and direct or deep and complex. And I'm sure this is only the beginning and there is so much more to come... Excellent question :) Pip

Rhiannon SW	07 Apr 2005
I first started with my tarot experience when I was about 9 or 10. Really didn't quite understand them at that age but I read for my friends like a game. It wasn't until I started having visions of future events, major life changing events, that I resumed my affair with the cards. Now I appreciate what power the cards harness and all the insight they foster thru my intuition. I love to learn and with the Tarot you are constantly learning and redefining what you thought you knew. Lisa

SunChariot	08 Apr 2005
Rhiannon SW wrote: I love to learn and with the Tarot you are constantly learning and redefining what you thought you knew. Lisa Definitely a big part of what I love about it too!!! Bar

The The Road Less Traveled thread was originally posted on 31 Mar 2005 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.