How important is Symbology in Tarot to you?

[le fey]

Symbolism is extremely important to me, but the precise symbols that matter are the ones that are embedded already in my mind - I believe the symbols on the card (or in the clouds overhead or whatever) are the language my unconscious understands and uses to communicate with my language-driven conscious self.

I think a good Tarot card is a thesaurus entry of symbols - it's got tons of symbolic imagery to work with, esoteric and exoteric. You take what you need and can use and don't worry too much about the rest because they all point to shades of the same thing, just in tons of different ways.

I think it's exciting to discover yet another symbol I hadn't noticed or understood before, but not critical. There are so many there, I'm sure to pull out something of what I need.

 

[The crowned one]

Well, I think my title sums the aim of this post up quite well. I've been doing a lot of reading since I've been here. I only use the Druidcraft, but just through reading general posts and readings, you see a lot of the symbology which is used in cards.

My problem is, I don't think there is any system which I would really completely understand the symbology of. I don't know enough about Druid/wiccan symbology for the druidcraft, I don't know enough about ancient egyptian symbology for the Ancient Egyptian Tarot. I don't know enough about Christian symbology to use RWS easily.

How important is the symbology in the cards to your understanding of them? Do you really need to understand the symbols to connect to your cards? Did you understand the symbols when you first looked at the cards, or was it a matter of a lot of research for you?

It takes me forever to learn what little things mean, so I'm worried I'm never really going to understand any deck well.

It is easy to put too much into symbolism, I do study it, but often just for the sake of knowledge and enjoyment, sure it helps my readings.. a lot. But you already know the meaning of thousands of symbols, every image you look at is a symbol of something. Your interpretation is valid towards your perception of the world, that is what counts in tarot.
I study beyond tarot when it comes to the symbolic, so my opinions or personal interpretations may become less valid as I sink deeper back in time or sideways through other cultures. I am aware of this as I go through these time zones and culture.
In the Rider-Waite the dog is generally accepted to represent our "civilized side". the wolf "the wild side" of our nature. Christian and Chinese both see the dog as Fidelity, yet Islamic see them as impurity, Homer calls the dog "shameless". You can see how that one symbol depending on your culture could really affect a reading involving the moon if you happen to be concentrating on that symbol. Within the context of your culture you would naturally use the symbol correctly in your interpretation of the card and how it pertains to whatever you are reading on a subconsciously level mostly, unless you bring that specific part of the card to the minds eye. Then you would have to define it.

So as I said i really enjoy symbolism, it is very important to ME, but is it important to others? Seems only some. Does it have any affect on their ability to read? Only if they think so. It certainly effects mine.

 

[6 Haunted Days]

Very important, without symbols what's the point of the cards?

 

[The crowned one]

Very important, without symbols what's the point of the cards?

True.

Actually without symbols the cards would be blank and to carry that to an extreme: even that is a symbol, so without symbols the cards would have to cease to exist.

 

[Astraea Aurora]

Symbols are important, on the cards but also in everyday life. I second Scion's words about exoteric and esoteric, per definition only esoteric symbols are to called symbols, exoteric ones are "more right" when called signs. (But that's another topic, at the moment I'm just studying symbolism.)

I found a good way to get to know symbols that were new to me. If you find a symbol and start wondering about it's meaning, look it up, research it and try to find it not only in this particular card but also in as many other cards in the deck as possible. See if this helps you with the meanings of the other cards and then go back to the card that triggered your interest in the symbol and see if your additional knowledge about the other cards helps you with the meanings of the first one. That way you can learn them more easily.

At the beginning of learning Tarot I had to research symbols very often. I think it's quite normal. How could one learn to read a deck with, say Buddhistic background if he is a Native American? Only by studying the background, which contains symbolism, too.

Astraea Aurora

 

[SharonS]

As long as you feel comfortable with your deck then there's no problem. Use your intuition. Look at the images in your deck, they will speak to you. You will be able to look at the images and feel what you're supposed to know from that card. So don't worry yourself over not knowing the exact symbolism of everything. I don't know the exact symbolisms, but this doesn't bother me, my readings are mostly accurate and I can connect with the cards, that's the most important thing. Trust your instinct and intuition, you'll know when you've found a deck you can work with.

~SharonS

 

[isismoontarot]

Universal Symbol Meanings - found on Cards!

In reading the Tarot - we use the Symbols on the cards to interpret thoughts associated! It is a universal language. No matter where a person is from in the world - they can look at a picture and gain the same or similar thought....without a language barrier!

EXAMPLES: Here are some of the symbols used in Tarot and their universal interpretations:

INTERLACED CIRCLES -Share the same intention, focused! Mind-Heart-Action have the same focus!

THE BULL - (Taurus) = Take action, bring into form. Make thoughts, ideas and goals take tangible form! Practical and Productive!

CRAB -(Cancer) = Support / Comfort.

TIGER - Universal principal for FEAR.

HUMAN HEAD - (Aquarius) = humankinds desire to be original, futuristic and pioneering.

ALPHA - Beginnings!

OMEGA - Endings!

CAMEL - Self-resourcefulness!

FLOWERS -Growth / Unfoldment!
WILTED FLOWER -Letting GO!

LABRYNTH -(Sometimes represented as squares within squares, grids) = Universal symbol associated with repetitive patterns. Need for endings or change. Destruction of limiting old patterns, unconstructive loops we find ourselves caught up in!

CROWN -Universal representation of expanded consciousness!

SNAKE - Regenerative (shedding quality). Also, can represent time. Snakes coiled into figure eight = cycles, nature. Snakes that form a circle (biting own tail) = patterns (need to be broken). Coiled around = demands that we renew and regenerate ourselves. Snakes also claim a transformative power, let go of old (shedding quality) - to make way for new!

DOG -Loyalty and instinct! True symbol of faithfulness. As well, guardian to the unconscious.

PHEONIX -Loyalty and commitment towards anything or anyone that has heart and meaning for us. It is important to follow what has heart and meaning at all cost.

ARROW -Direct and Honest Communication.

LION -(Leo) A symbol of expansive and unlimited creativity that waits to be utilized. All change requires that we access qualities of our creativity that we have not touched before!

DOVE w/ OLIVE TWIG -Symbol of inner peace which often comes with returning to our authentic selves.

BUTTERFLIES -Transformation, Unfoldment. Soul rebirth.
__________________________
Anyway, you get the idea..... the list could go on and on.....

BLESSINGS OF PEACE, LOVE & LIGHT ,
VAL -*ISIS MOON TAROT*-

 

[Umbrae]

Depends on WHAT you’re using the Tarot for. What kind of readings. HOW you read, and WHY you read.

To Really read – symbols are not necessary. To interpret Tarot – they are necessary.

Please read the below account of an actual event…

Attendance was as follows:

Acacia
Coryn (SatinAngelsBaby)
Keigh
SatinAngel
Umbrae
Valeria
Wizzle
WonderWoman (and daughter)

Food was fantastic! I really need to figure out the recipe for that soup!

I didn't really pay attention to the reading materials, other than what I was handed. I believe Valeria took notes as to who used what deck.

We were told not to "lick" (I mean look at) the decks. We were then led through a little guided visualization about a pink giraffe. Then told to pull one card from the deck and read for the person across the table.

Oh...and btw, I was handed a little leather pouch...not a deck...you will not believe what was inside! Bones (cat, I do believe), teeth (human), some coins and who knows what else!

...and YES, Coryn and I were both able to read them. LOL

Got me good, Umbrae...I expected toothpicks!

Keigh & Wizzle - i Tarocchi di Robot

Acacia & WonderWoman – Gothic Tarot of the Vampires

Valeria & Umbrae – Tarocco del’Orror

SatinAngel & Coryn – Bag ‘O Bones

But SatinAngel…tell us about the readings? What was done? How did they turn out?

Just chiming in with my two cents. The point of the pink giraffes....was simply to remind us - don't think too hard - instead listen to your inner voices. Don't worry about what the card is "supposed" to mean (or the bones), instead listen to what it tells you. To do that....he made us work fast....don't think - pull the card and start talking....just like that.

So this was a purely intuitive exercise - and guess what - it worked! Everyone hit on something. Coryn and SA had amazing results with their bag of bones, and all the card readings hit right on too. Valeria's first four words when looking at her card were dead on for a current and top of mind issue for Umbrae. WonderWoman found a direct hit into an emotional situation....Wizzle honed right in on my work environment - and what I need to do about it (thanks!). I could go on, but you get the idea.

Thanks for the great learning experience Umbrae, I really enjoyed it!

Keigh

The readings were fun, not knowing the deck and being unable (in my case) to even tell what card it was. I found I had to push layers of linear thinking out of the way and let the card speak for itself. And I wonder if I experienced the infamous "blank spot" between the moment of looking at the card and starting to talk.

I think I experienced it! When I first looked at the card, I immediately tried to identify what card it was. That made me wonder how much of what I come up with when I read is coming from me, or coming from what I have read and associated with specific cards.

Once I decided that it didn't matter what the card title was, nor did it matter whether I did it 'right' or not (there was no 'right' or 'wrong') I was able to just absorb the visual of the card and run with it

I was lucky enough to sit by SatinAngel and observe the Bag o' Bones reading! It was fascinating to watch! I've never seen real teeth nor vertebrae (cat?) before!

The meet was COOL and lots of FUN! (as always )

It was great seeing everyone again, too! My son and his girlfriend, who came with me, were also very happy to find out that AP Barbaras now serves breakfast all day - so they had pancakes and strawberry crepes!

I can't say in words how cool this was to do! I read for Umbrae and he for me. Let me say that I was just a *little* intimidated! What a GREAT teacher!!!

I got new info this morning that blew my mind and I just have to share the reading that Umbrae did for me in more detail...

It was really amazing to have Umbrae read for me! He just came up with a name (I'm not going to use the name here) and it left me speechless because this name is associated with something I am doing that NO ONE knows about. At the time, I thought the name came up because this *project* is very important to me right now, and I had been getting help from this person... but today, there is a whole new meaning to it... this morning, I discovered I had a message from this person stating she wouldn't be participating anymore. In other words, she QUIT!!! She wrote the message LAST NIGHT, during the time of our meet! (to the one email account I hadn't hooked up to my phone(s) yet)

Holy BM with a side of fries!

All I can say is WW...

Gobsmacking in a GOOD way (even though it is associated with me having MORE WORK!!!)

So how do you come up with names etc that are relevant? Not from symbols. You get that from experience in listening to that which speaks without a voice.

How does one learn to read bones (osteomancy)? By opening up the mind, shutting down the intellectual, and listening to that which speaks without a voice.

 

[circlewalker]

Depends on WHAT you’re using the Tarot for. What kind of readings. HOW you read, and WHY you read.

What Umbrae said with chocolate sauce and cake!

There are times when you just take the card at face value - there are times when you need to explore deeply and listen to what it is saying. For example, I have recently been working with using the cards as a medium for encountering souls, energies - call them what you will - from different time periods of a specific place. This is part of a larger working but seemed to me to be a different and challenging way of working with the cards. In no time at all it became very apparent that the characters represented by the cards were just who they claimed to be. The Fool was literally the king's fool, the knight of pents was just that, a knight and so on. At no time did any 'non-appropriate' card emerge...it was almost like casting a play!

What I'm saying is that flexibility is key - tarot cards like any divination system respond to how you program them for that task. Forget the rules and text book interpretations - like the Pirates Code - they're more a set of guidlines really...............

in light

cw

 

[Neely75]

Thank You all for your replies. It certainly gave me a lot to think about. I agree that the symbolism is important, which I guess is why I panicked. I do seem to be reading ok without understanding all of the symbols. However, I do want to be able to go deeper, so will be putting in the effort to go and research that which I don't understand so well at the moment.

Thank You all again.