Tarot Dream

[PrairiePagan]

I had a very strange powerful dream the other night about tarot, and I was wondering if anyone here had some insights on it they could share with me. I have just started to study tarot, and am currently working with the Sharman-Caselli and Hanson-Roberts decks.

In my dream I was speaking with some sort of spirit (who it was is very unclear) and they were telling me that before I could learn to read for the living I must learn to read for the dead. They told me to bury my cards deep in the ground and leave them there for a period of time, and then to dig them up and "read for the dead". Once I could do that I would be ready to read for the living.

What would you make of this? Is it just a silly dream, or is it something I should be paying attention to. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. To be honest I still get chills when I think of the dream.

Thanks,

Julia

 

[prudence]

Hi

Wow, that was some dream!! I would really think about the message, write it all down, and do a reading on it. I would be inclined to take it very seriously, myself.

All I can say is WOW. Really, this is a major dream message, imo.

 

[Alta]

I must admit, that is quite a staggering dream. Read for the dead.

um, do you get any spirit messages at all?

If you decide to bury your deck, make sure it is very waterproofed.

I think you have to read for the living though, too.

 

[PrairiePagan]

I would really think about the message, write it all down, and do a reading on it.

That's a good idea Astrid O, I never really thought to write it down. I wish I had written it down as soon as I woke up, as now many of the details of the dream are fuzzy. What kind of reading would you suggest? Do you know of any spreads thay may help to clairify what I am being asked to do?

If you decide to bury your deck, make sure it is very waterproofed.

I would be scared that my deck would get wrecked! Or that one of the many rabbits living in my yard would get to it and chew it up. Maybe I would be better to bury something as a *symbol* of my deck?

um, do you get any spirit messages at all?

I think *something* is trying to talk to me. Maybe I just need to listen harder. And I'm much more comfortable reading for the living

Thanks for the insights!

Julia

 

[BrightEye]

Maybe it means you have to make the cards part of your unconscious, to take in all the knowledge of those who have gone before and that is encoded in the cards. When the images become part of your unconscious, they are more connected with your intuition, and your readings for the living will be more accurate.

But it depends on the mood of the dream. What were your emotions in the dream? Did the spirit you were talking to scare you (it sounds like it)? I think that might colour the message. It's a bit like dreaming of dead loved ones. I can often tell whether they are a real presence in the dream or only a metaphor.

 

[PrairiePagan]

Thanks for the response BrightEye, that is a very interesting interpretation, definately something I will have to think about some more.

I do know the difference between a real presence by someone from the spirit world and just metaphor when it comes to dreaming, and looking back now, it definately was a distict presence. I wasn't afraid, but more in awe of this being.

I do believe there is a message here for me, but I really don't think I'm supposed to take it literally. Actually, it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I've got a foot of snow in my yard, and the ground is pretty much frozen.

Julia

 

[WoodSorrel]

Wow, what a dream!

My first instinct when reading your post was that 'reading for the dead' may be referring to something in your past that you need to deal with, and/or parts of yourself you may be denying?
Just my first impressions...

 

[tarobones]

down deep

I immediately thought of the dream in symbolic terms. Bury the cards deep and down deep in your unconscious, your spirit, the depths of you.....however you call that part of yourself, the "land of your dreams." Let them get inside you that deeply, and you'll be an awesome reader!! The Sharman-Caselli deck is a good deck, underrated in my opinion, but stick with them. Rachel Pollack says let yourself "fall in love with the images".

Separating the dream in to logical parts, and then pull a card or two or three for each part of the dream. Let the tarot help you interpret it. It's a cool way to deal with the dreams and continue letting the images get way down deep. Blessings on your tarot adventure!! Michael

 

[linabeet]

Quite a dream.

I agree with writing down the dream right away. So much gets twisted and lost the longer you get away from it. I often go back to a written dream a day or two later and see things I'd completely forgotten.

The burying as a symbol could be about purifying your deck, easier than breaking the permafrost.

My opinion on dream imagery is that it's your dream so it's your imagery. What do the symbols mean to you? Use your intuition on this. What somes up as assiciations when you pick it apart piece by piece. Look at all the bits seperate from each other then put them back together as see what happens. Meditate on it, reenter the dream as a visualization and move things around, ask questions. Might be interesting.

 

[psychicbody]

That is a very cool dream, indeed.
With the literal meaning aside, though entirely possible, I think the symbolism should be examined, as well.

I think that "the dead" is actually the part of you that you have forgotten and "buried" with your youth. The process of decay and revival is quite evident, here. I think you have the desire to stur things up, that you have not embraced in a long time.
You said that "before you can read for the living" you had to go through that process of purifying your deck, with that which is deep within your psyche. I think the "living" means those that you might fear will judge you - they are in the "light" while your "hidden" self remains under a vale of time, that will be dusted off.
Very fortunate that you had this dream. I think you should take it very seriously and do what it is in your power to fallow it, literally and symbolicly