Associations

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 11 May 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jumptothemoonyea	11 May 2005
In one of the threads Rosanne said: "I get lots of correspondences hopping around in my head", describing her reaction to one of the cards. This made me think :) - is this is what tarot reading is about? Looking at tarot card images, which trigger a chain of associated reactions, which trigger reasoning mechanism, which arranges them into some story/system? Are images required for the process to unfold? Or trinity of reader-question-sitter is independent of the images, and they are just one of the reflections of the 3-some connection?

Odette	11 May 2005
I don't know if this is what tarot is all about, but I am sure that the pictures/symbols on the cards trigging our fantasy is a very important part of tarot reading. I don't think that it's just a coincidence that the Raider Waite deck is the most popular one. It is something with those cards that apply to people who will read them, and specially beginners. Not only do they have images on the pips as well, but the images are made in a way that make it easy to start a prosess of thinking. But I also believe that when you have become an experienced tarot reader, the cards don't play such an imoportant role. Your intuition will take over more and more.

mike gorth	11 May 2005
You don't need tarot to obtain the same information. What you're doing is tapping into the akashic records. (my mentor is actually going to teach me to read them over the summer). they contain everything about a soul, PPF, feelings, thoughts. You can also use different other forms of divination like astrology or numerology. Think of them as different languages. Tarot is all about triggering your intuition. It helps you start to access the records and then you basically carry it as far as you wish. It's sort of like a smokey crystal ball, it provokes images to help your intuition going. Mike Gorth

Moongold	11 May 2005
jumptothemoonyea wrote: This made me think :) - is this is what tarot reading is about? Looking at tarot card images, which trigger a chain of associated reactions, which trigger reasoning mechanism, which arranges them into some story/system? Are images required for the process to unfold? Or trinity of reader-question-sitter is independent of the images, and they are just one of the reflections of the 3-some connection? I think you've described one aspect of Tarot reading. It is probably the one that I use the most, with occasional moments of intuition. By the way, I see intuition as knowing immediately without the process of reasoning. I think the way we arrange the associations into a story, weaving together themes and connections is quite magical as well, and the unknown can emerge in that process. For me, images are required. They present symbols which inspire the associations and infuse them with meaning. Moongold

Rosanne	11 May 2005
I think I am flattered JTTMY.:D I agree with Moongold. The best way I can explain it is if one was to take my nose for weather. I see the weather forecast (Bookmeanings) I go look outside, nose to the sky(the spread and Question and logic and history and life). I then make a judgment about what applies. I don't or do, think you should wear a jacket and take an umbrella etc. Sometimes I say Holy cow!! I think we are going to have an Earthquake. Stay away from the coast. Now when that happens I have no idea where that info came from- so I call it intuition for want of a better word. I see no point in using Tarot if you do not recall the accumulated meanings of the Cards- that is my baseline. Statistically the standards meanings are baseline correct for me- I have never drawn say 'The Hermit' and deduced it meant 'The World' or anything like that for example (Aghh not very clear I am sorry)~Rosanne

Emeraldgirl	11 May 2005
Roseanne you are most clear or at least to me. I think that you need a healthy mixture of book meanings and your own thoughts in a reading. jumptothemoonyea I think the images are required especially as most of us would be at a loss with a spread full of blank cards :) The images trigger different thoughts for different people take the knight for example some people may relate to the horse better than the knight or even a bird in the sky. It is all up to the individual to practice and work out what works for you.

vernissage	12 May 2005
"mike gorth" wrote: Tarot is all about triggering your intuition. It helps you start to access the records and then you basically carry it as far as you wish. It's sort of like a smokey crystal ball, it provokes images to help your intuition going. I agree! With that said, images are much more closely linked to our intuition than words are. If you want to look at it in a biolgical fashion, it's a right-brained left-brained thing. - V.

Elven	12 May 2005
Hi Ya JTTMY, I find that 'certain' tarot decks with the pictures dont spark my intuitive thoughts at all. There's nothing jumping out in my head which trails my thoughts off to give me more information. Its like a dead end. Then there are some decks which give me an emotional reaction. I might smile at them or have an OMG moment! I have trouble containing all the information am impressions I am seeing. My mind is like an excited child! This comes back to me and the tools I use for divination. At the moment I prefer no pictures, just a set of words, or a sentance. This sparks an great amount of impressions in my mind. I run with the ball. I write everything down I possibly can. Its times like this I wish I could type faster!:) Blessings Elven x

The Associations thread was originally posted on 11 May 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.