MeeWah

This is prompted by Thirteen's inquiry on the Tarot Cards forum.
The Shadow Card is the card that represents the hidden or unknown aspects of self; the "dark" side of self; the side of self one denies or projects onto others.
The term "shadow" was used by Carl Jung to refer to those qualities.
To determine if there is a Shadow Card, one needs to know the Personality-Soul Card, which is calculated from the birth date.
The first number derived from adding the birth date is the Personality Card. The Personality Card indicates the lessons to be learned in the life. A 2-digit number is further reduced to obtain the Soul Card. The Soul Card indicates the soul's purpose.
A single-digit number is not reducible; thus it serves as both the Personality & Soul symbol.
For example, the birth date is added as follows:
***01
***11
*1979
*1991 = 20-Judgement = 2-The High Priestess.
Judgement is the Personality Card; The High Priestess is the Soul Card.
The Shadow Card for the 20-2 combination is 11-Justice. It is the card that is "hidden" within that combination of cards.
Mary K. Greer refers to it as the Hidden Factor Card or the Teacher Card. Her book, "Tarot for Your Self" discusses the subject. It is based on the work of Angeles Arrien on Tarot Lifetime Cards.
For a more thorough study, I highly recommend Greer's book.

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LIGHTLOVEPEACE

bec

Tried on my own birthdate:
**22
**12
1971
2005=7-TheChariot

Does that mean that this is my personality *and* my soul card - and that I don´t have a shadow card ??

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bec. You can do it - simply because you dare try

MeeWah

Bec: Yes to the first question; no to the second
Your Shadow or Teacher Card is 16-The Tower.
All of the minor arcana 7's would serve as your lessons & opportunities cards.
I see the appearance of any of one's lifetime cards--Personality &/or Soul, Shadow, pip card(s) as tending to have a more than ordinary significance. That does not mean cards other than those have no or less importance. One may be actively working (or not) on that aspect; or it may be a confirmation of something achieved.
The study & the working with Tarot in this manner will expand the individual self-insight & enhance the general insight.
BTW: A friend of mine has the opposite configuration. She is a 16-7, which has no apparent Shadow associated with it; however, her Personality Card of The Tower has inherent shadow qualities because it is a "night" card. Interestingly, she is Cancer, which meshes neatly with all of it. Aleister Crowley referred to The Chariot as Mars in Cancer, & that does fit.

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LIGHTLOVEPEACE

witchywoman

I've had Angeles Arrien's book 'The Tarot Handbook' for years and have always found it very useful. My birthdate adds up to 23, which is 5 - The Heirophant. I didn't realise there was also a shadow card so I'm pleased to have this to think about now as well. I'm guessing my shadow is 14.

Cheers
ww

Kiama

For fear of being thought ignorant, but I can't see how you add them up. Do you add each idividual digit together, eg 1 + 1+ 1 +1 + 9 + 7 +9+ 1+ 9 +9+ 1? Or do you add:
****01
****11
**1979
**1991
_________
**3982
**111 (These are what I carried) and then add 3 + 9 + 8 +2? If so that's 22.

And where does the bottom date come from? Is that the year you are looking at, or is it a special year? I'M CONFUSED!

Kiama

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"I believe the Goddess exists in our humanity, and not anywhere else." - Merlin, Mists of Avalon (TV series)

Kaz

Kiama, me is also ignorant.....
I don't get it too.

I add my birthdate (17th nov 1966):
**17
**11
1966
----- +
1994 => 1+9+9+4 = 23

Meaning that card 23 is Personality card (what card is numbered 23?)
And for Soul card: 2+3=5 (hierophant)

Questions:
1) how to calculate Shadow card here
2) what card is 23

That is what I make of it.
Meewah can you help out here please?

Kaz

bec

ok , so I´m *not* the only one not getting this oh what a joy.....

I can answer kiama´s question:

1) date ****01
2) month ****11
3) birthyear **1979
4) a total **1991

1+9+9+1= 20

I don´t get the shadow card either....... my P/S card was 7 ........ how does that make 16 ??
And as for Kaz getting a total of 23........ well what then ?

uff Meewah - see what you startet ? Poleeeeeeccccce help out

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bec. You can do it - simply because you dare try

Jewel

I am not Meewah but I am pleased to help out

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Jewel
Entity of the Water/West Corner

Melvis

I know next to nothing about this, but it looks to me as if the Shadow card comes from breaking down the Personality card again once you get to it.

For instance, my numbers are:
____7
___30
_1965
______
_2002

2 + 0 + 0 + 2 = 4

My Personality & Soul Card are # 4, the Emperor. If my numbers had reduced to a number greater than 22, I would add those together once again. So Kaz's number would be 5 (not 23), which would be BOTH her Personality Card and her Soul card since it is a single digit.

Say my birthday had been on the 20th instead of the 30th. then my dates would have reduced to 21. So my Personality Card would have been # 21, The World. But, since I can reduce it down to 3 (2 + 1 = 3 ) that would make card # 3, The Empress, my Soul Card. (Which, BTW, sounds like a great combo to me! )

Shadow Card: The shadow card comes by breaking down the single digit number you finally came up with. My number is 4. What adds up to 4?
1 + 3
2 + 2
3 + 1

So, if you put 1 & 3 next to each other you get 13, Death, which is my Shadow Card. (Great...) There is no card 31, so that combo doesn't make a Shadow card.

This brings up a question I do have for Meewah or whoever can answer it: Since some decks count the fool as Card # 22, would the Fool be another Shadow Card for me?

So, for Kaz, you break down the 5 to see what additional combinations you can get:
1 + 4 or 14, Temperance
2 + 3
3 + 2
4 + 1

Temperance is the only combination of numbers that equals a card, so Temperance is your only Shadow Card, Kaz.

I'm sure there are better ways to have explained this, but this is how I see it. I'm hoping to be (gently ) corrected if I'm wrong at any stage! Sorry for being so lengthy, but I hope this helps!

Peace,

Melvis