What do you see in a card?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 12 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

MystiqueMoonlight	12 Jul 2004
Over the years in this forum I have read many threads by people troubled with the idea of learning the meanings of each card in their deck. I have never tried to learn any "meanings" for the cards. I always interpret them as I see them at the time of the reading. This may mean that any one particular card may have a totally different meaning in different readings. Having said that I know for me personally the basic persona of each card does have an influence over it's purpose in my readings, but that persona is usually something I have "learnt" from that deck, after much private time together. I'm curious to know who else reads this way? Do you think the "traditional" meanings of the cards (which incidentally are based on the original Golden Dawn system) are more pertinent? Do you believe or understand the Spirit of the Tarot and what does that mean to you? MM

morandia	12 Jul 2004
I have recently started working with tarot, and am currently having trouble learning the "meaning" of the cards. I lean toward interpretation based on what I see, but even this is difficult for me. If anyone has any suggestions on how to "learn" the tarot, I'd love to hear it!

Umbrae	12 Jul 2004
Ah MM, it’s good to see you again. You’ve been missed. I agree that meanings should be flexible, but for me they are usually not deck specific. And it’s always a hassle when I find myself reading for someone who ‘knows Tarot,’ “That’s not what the Queen of Wands means…it means blah blah blah” Using non-standard decks (Mage: The Ascension, or the Swietlistej Drogi) helps on both fronts, the ‘know it all’s’ keep quiet and listen, and my mind is free to wander outside of my Tarot-flexible mindset. The Spirit of Tarot? What does she mean to me? Some of it is very personal and cannot be communicated, perhaps beyond the scope of the thread… Tarot is about Life, Love, and Liberty. Some of us may be physical beings having a spiritual experience. I believe that I am a spiritual being having a physical experience. Tarot allows me to transcend physical (binding) limitations. Tarot reminds me to trust and love my fellow spiritual beings, and to participate with them (which is love) in their experiences, and Liberty because there are beings – that would curtail my ability to practice the first two if allowed. Tarot is a responsibility. Tarot is what we find it to be in our own hearts. …and you’ll never learn that from a book. Morandia…let the deck teach you the meanings…let the deck ‘learn’ you. (((MM)))

skytwig	12 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Tarot is about Life, Love, and Liberty. Some of us may be physical beings having a spiritual experience. I believe that I am a spiritual being having a physical experience. Tarot allows me to transcend physical (binding) limitations. Tarot reminds me to trust and love my fellow spiritual beings, and to participate with them (which is love) in their experiences, and Liberty because there are beings – that would curtail my ability to practice the first two if allowed. Tarot is a responsibility. Tarot is what we find it to be in our own hearts. Thank you, Umbrae.... I love this! :)

dadsnook2000	12 Jul 2004
This is my opinion. I am troubled when I read that someone just looks at the cards and says what comes into their mind. Its not that I also do that -- its just that I don't feel that the intuitive approach can fully do tarot practicing and the querent adequate service. Tarot is a body of knowledge that resides in the cards and their general numerical/pictorial symbology, the structure of the question, the spread or layout and the cards within that structure and relative to each other, and the intent of the reader in how the tarot process is carried out. This the context I am coming from. I feel that much substantive understanding can come out of the more classical approach to first understanding what the typical meanings of the cards and of the spread mean -- this should be appreciated first. Then the intuition can flow to bring the querent, the question and the tarot story together in a helpful way. I guess I have too much respect for the spokespeople of our craft like Rachel Polack, Mary Greer and the many fine authors of my beloved books to just go willy-nilly off the deep end without finding a way to utilize their wisdom in addition to my own connections to the cards. BOTTOM LINE: I like to integrate both the classical approach and the intuitive approach. Dave.

MystiqueMoonlight	12 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by dadsnook2000 This is my opinion. I am troubled when I read that someone just looks at the cards and says what comes into their mind. Its not that I also do that -- its just that I don't feel that the intuitive approach can fully do tarot practicing and the querent adequate service. Tarot is a body of knowledge that resides in the cards and their general numerical/pictorial symbology, the structure of the question, the spread or layout and the cards within that structure and relative to each other, and the intent of the reader in how the tarot process is carried out. This the context I am coming from.BOTTOM LINE: I like to integrate both the classical approach and the intuitive approach. Dave. That's a good point. But how does this come into play for all the various decks with different numerical positions of the Majors? One would think that in order to follow the significance of numerical postioning of a Card within the deck of Tarot then one would then need to stay true to decks that have the same card numbers? That being the case how does one then decide which decks are accurate in their placement of the Majors numerically?

dadsnook2000	12 Jul 2004
I'll offer some more opinions as a response to MM. First: Your last question first. We all have favorite decks that seem to work very well for us as well as ocassional-use decks, seldom/never-used decks and (perhaps) disliked decks. I guess we have a built-in selection-acceptance-trust-success process. It is my view that a minority of Tarot users base their primary reading processes on numerical relationships -- and I exclude those of us that use the more "historic" decks that use pips and not illustrations for the minors. Second: The major arcana has numerical differences associated with Strength and Justice. For all of the generally known decks I believe that this is the primary difference. IF I WERE TO FOCUS ON NUMBERS for these two cards I would prefer 8 for Strength and 11 for justice. I equate 8 to struggle, challenge, action taken. I would see 11 as the start of a higher cycle, something that Justice often askes individuals to either find in themselves or apply to others. The decks that I use all have 8 associated with Strength. I don't use my Troth or any of the historical decks. Now, I have to admit that I do use some decks in the way that the deck's creator may have intended. By this I mean that I switch between Swords=Air/Wands=Fire and the opposite application of these two suites. My readings seem to flow equally well for me relative to the deck I use. Dave.

MystiqueMoonlight	13 Jul 2004
Thanks Dave :) I use the Minchiate Etruria deck. For me it is the closest to the Spirit of the Tarot as it speaks to me.

tao51	13 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Tarot is about Life, Love, and Liberty. Some of us may be physical beings having a spiritual experience. I believe that I am a spiritual being having a physical experience. Tarot allows me to transcend physical (binding) limitations. Tarot reminds me to trust and love my fellow spiritual beings, and to participate with them (which is love) in their experiences, and Liberty because there are beings – that would curtail my ability to practice the first two if allowed. Tarot is a responsibility. Tarot is what we find it to be in our own hearts. …and you’ll never learn that from a book. [/b] Well said Umbrae! My ability to use the Tarot cards rises from a personal relation with those cards. I like to read the books but the cards like any artform communicate their own message to the beholder. I hear the readings of book readers and they are stiff and lack the warmth of a true reading. No offense to anyone. Tarot cards are tools which deserve the respect of the user.--Tao

The What do you see in a card? thread was originally posted on 12 Jul 2004 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.