Studying The Tarot Cards

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Dec 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shadow Wolf	23 Dec 2002
I've made a small start with studying my Cards. I've started with my first deck, The Celtic Tarot. The artwork really speaks to me. Any suggestions on how to get the most out of this or the best way to go about it. I thought a brief meditation or prayer, and maybe light a white candle ? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm on a journey from becoming someone who reads Tarot cards to someone who is a Tarot Reader. There's a big difference in my mind between the two. Thanks in Advance.

Laurel	23 Dec 2002
Heya Shadow Wolf! I'd suggest first writing down the differences you see. Best of all, in your tarot journal. Don't just keep it in your head, write it down and keep writing. Every time the cards jog more ideas loose, write those down. Laurel

Trish	23 Dec 2002
All I can think of to do is look at the cards, and write down what kinds of meanings you get from them. I know, you do kinda have to study them frequently, because what you see in the cards can certainly change over time. ;)

tarotbear	23 Dec 2002
WRITE IT DOWN! Journaling is the best thing you can do for yourself. By writing it down you can make comparisons and notes, particularly if you sometimes fell you have conflicting meanings or conflicting sources. Journal your readings as you go, too! This way you can go back to them and see if what you predicted did come about, or to check your level of accuracy as your progress. Journal anything that comes to mind - the weather, the phase of the moon, what your gut feelings were. Becoming a reader is more than memorizing 156 explanations for the cards. Becoming a reader is tuning into what you see and what you feel and what comes out of it all. Congratulations on making a conscious decison to become a reader. It is a journey that will take the rest of your lifetime, and you will learn something new every single day of that journey. Welcome to the asylum! We'll turn down the covers for you.

Shadow Wolf	23 Dec 2002
Thanks everyone. Tarotbear, I had one foot in the asylum before I ever picked up a tarot deck. I'm the quirky one in my family. My thought processes are definitely not like those of "normal" people. As for journaling, as soon as I had the thought I started a Tarot Journal. I can't wait to see what comes of all this. It's so exciting !!!!

allibee	23 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by tarotbear Welcome to the asylum! We'll turn down the covers for you. ROFLMAO... and love your Avatar... the Masterful Kayne strikes again! That's the key Shadow Wolf, writing it down. When we read something or see something it goes on quite a simple and ordinary passage to our brain and gets put into what may be described as the 'temporary internet files' of the brain. However when we write it down, there are so many other processes involved that the passage of information becomes quite less ordinary and downright remarkable, and one could equate it to 'setting a cookie for sites/sights visited'. Also what I started on quite early was the 'storytelling' principle. You lay out a group of cards and follow them consecutively like the chapters or plot turns of a work of fiction. It doesn't matter about the individual meanings. That's not the important bit really. The important bit is being able to see and recognise a story emerge. A situation develop. I think that's what makes a reader from someone who reads. And make this really whacky, it makes it so much more fun! Example: Knight cups Lovers Devil Temperance 8 Wands Emporer 5 Wands Tower 4 Swords Star Queen Cups this really nice but dim guy goes into a bar - where he meets two very lovely ladies - one of them is very sexy and tempting - whereas the other is much plainer and more restrained - He is chatting to both of them, when SUDDENLY along comes - this real brute of a man and starts being very controlling - the Knight and the Emporer start arguing over the girls, then the Emporer says: What girls, these are Drag Queens - Well, the knight is STUNNED, he didn't realise that - So he goes home and decides to have a quiet night in - And he has this beautiful dream all about his fave woman - His mum - ahhhh ;) This example may seem a bit elementary, but then go on to laying out half the deck, then the whole deck... and keep shuffling. just a thought allibee

tarotbear	23 Dec 2002
Drag Queens! I LOVE it! Once upon a time there was a thread where someone would post 3-5 cards (pulled out of the air) and asked people to come up with a 'story' that the cards generated - it was very amusing! Who Knows?- Those drag queens might have given him some grooming tips...

allibee	23 Dec 2002
well, I didn't like to say this buuuuuuut.... *whisper whisper whisper* ...just had her falsies........you'd never guess what she had pierced......right up where?....... it was a scandal of course but then.....the High Priestess you say?...well, I think she's keeping schtoom about it..... ;) Well Tarotbear, I think we shall have to reinvent that thread as a New Year treat then! allibee

Trogon	24 Dec 2002
Shadow Wolf. Definitely have to agree that you're on the right track with the journal. I never started a Tarot Journal when I first began trying to learn the Tarot, but after reading posts here at A.T. in which people talked about their journals, I decided to start one. It's been an amazing learning tool for me. I feel like my Tarot journey made a huge leap with just that single step. This is definitely a good move for you.

Shadow Wolf	25 Dec 2002
I've started studying the cards from the Celtic Tarot. I'm doing the Major Arcana first, then I'll move onto the court cards and then the minor arcana. I'm starting by just getting first impressions down on paper,then going back later and taking a deeper look. Hey, I'm a reading teacher, I have to get that 1st draft done before I do anything else. *grin* Anyway, I'm finding it very fascinating. I never realized how much the artwork can contribute to a cards meaning, and yet there's plenty of room for personal interpretation. I'll be going upstate tomorrow and hopefully I'll be able to get the Medicine Woman Tarot before I come home on the 29th. Thanks for you encouragement and help. At least ya'll don't think I'm quirky.

Shadow Wolf	25 Dec 2002
Allibee, What you're saying is to just do an ordinary spread, and try to see the story emerging from whatever cards are layed out. Sounds cool. It also makes you see how all the cards in reading are related to each other. *Slaps forehead, DUH.* I should have seen that before, I guess I just needed it spelled out in black and white. I'll try it !!!!

allibee	25 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Shadow Wolf Allibee, What you're saying is to just do an ordinary spread, Not even a spread, Shadow. Just a line, or lines. Even just hold them in your hands, face up, and then deal them from one hand to the other. Relating as you go. Shuffle, keep at it, and then when you do go to relate it to a spread hopefully you will have more of a ' click ' moment with them. If you use a spread at first, you are in a way limiting yourself by positions and meanings of positions. What I'm suggesting is more of a ' stream of consciousness ', sort of thingy :D Good luck on your studies btw allibee

HudsonGray	25 Dec 2002
Another technique that you can really benefit from is doing a meditation on a card, where you walk into the picture & experience it from the inside. Release your imagination completely, so you can converse with the trees, the people, look over the landscape even on the side of the card where you look in (360 degree sight). You'll be surprised what comes up.

Eviemay	28 Dec 2002
I don't know if this is of any use to you, but I found Mary Greer's "Tarot for Yourself" vey useful. Bright Blessings, Evie

Major Tom	29 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by HudsonGray Another technique that you can really benefit from is doing a meditation on a card, where you walk into the picture & experience it from the inside. (360 degree sight). You'll be surprised what comes up. Some really good suggestions here. HudsonGray's is especially effective with the majors - but I must admit I've never tried it with the minors.

The Studying The Tarot Cards thread was originally posted on 23 Dec 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.