The Dead

[gregory]

Even if I thought such a thing was possible, I would never contact the dead, as I find it lacking in respect. Let the dead rest, they have done their part for the world, and have moved on. I hate it when work calls me when I'm on vacation, I would be very put out if I was bothered with this world after I'm dead. Death is not something that merely happens to us, there is a reason for the limited time we have on this earth.

Well, yes.

BUT.

I think the sort of talking I do isn't really intrusive; when I first did it I didn't see it as any more "real" than the talking-tos I give myself from time to time ! it was just like I used to do when he was alive. (Does no-one else here ever sort of appeal to a wise friend - Like "Oh JENNIFER* what would YOU do" without actually using a phone etc ?) - I was MORE than surprised when I heard the guy's voice. I assume he showed up of his own free will.... He hasn't told me to leave him alone - YET. I knew him; if he minded he would have told me so by now - and in NO uncertain terms






* if your name is Jennifer - I didn't mean you, truly I didn't. I think I have no friends called Jennifer...

 

[Alta]

Moderator note:

We are don't want to censor discussion, and in our view it is okay to dispute whether or not people can talk with the dead. What we do try to do is to maintain some civility about it and not reply harshly to each other. It doesn't carry the conversation forward, in fact inhibits it.

I have removed one post and some references to it. Sulis and I have read and re-read the thread and hopefully have left all of the substantive contributions and only removed the minimum to keep things on a civil plane.

Alta
co-Moderator, Talking Tarot

 

[amethyst57]

Kind of on topic and kind of off, I often wonder about the whole talking to the dead thing.
If there was no control and the dead know you can hear them I imagine that there would be thousands of them yelling/screaming, or possibly worse whispering at you all at once.
After all we know how considerate people can be when they all want the same thing (ever been to a boxing day sale?)

Just wondering as supposedly the first sign of insanity is hearing voices ;-)
And for those of you that talk back to them, thats supposedly the second sign.

Not poking fun at anyone, tis just something that I wonder about.

there's a big difference between schizophrenia and mediumship...

the voices heard by the former are self-hate/imaginary brought on by a chemical
imbalance in the brain...my former b-i-l has this mental illness...

mediums hear actual spirit voices, maybe a relative, someone lived where they lived from the past, or in readings...other noises may accompany the voices, like knocks, thumps, bangs,etc...i hear and see dead people...

that's another thing, most people with the mental illness do not hear the noises or see
spirits...their hallucinations are described like acid trips and are usually more frightening...

 

[amethyst57]

btw, sorry for being a bit off topic...

but the cards or any metaphysical tool can help you find the cause of death...
some people just have to use the tools, and may be not blessed with the gift of
mediumship or not really tried to develop it....

 

[gregory]

there's a big difference between schizophrenia and mediumship...

the voices heard by the former are self-hate/imaginary brought on by a chemical
imbalance in the brain...my former b-i-l has this mental illness...

mediums hear actual spirit voices, maybe a relative, someone lived where they lived from the past, or in readings...other noises may accompany the voices, like knocks, thumps, bangs,etc...i hear and see dead people...

that's another thing, most people with the mental illness do not hear the noises or see
spirits...their hallucinations are described like acid trips and are usually more frightening...

I don't know if you actually have any history of mental illness yourself, but that description does not tally with my personal experience at all. It was not in the very slightest like an acid trip - and nor was it for any of the people I was in hospital with. (we compared notes on our assorted insanities a lot... there wasn't that much else to do when it rained.... )

Nor was it anything like talking to my dead friend, mind.

 

[amethyst57]

my former b-i-l,not me...going by what he has and said...

 

[gregory]

Well, I guess mental illness varies as much as the way we may talk to the dead, then.

Though maybe if he knows what an acid trip is like, he was having flashbacks rather than being mentally ill as such ?

 

[amethyst57]

Though maybe if he knows what an acid trip is like, he was having flashbacks rather than being mentally ill as such ?

just an expression he uses to describe them...'acid trip' has become so common in the
media, the 'hearing colors' etc...he is really ill...
(seen him at his worst, hearing the voices and picking fights with me following what they say to him...glad he's on meds...)

 

[Sulis]

Moderator note

Hi folks,

Please remember the topic of this thread is about speaking to the dead with tarot cards, not the ins and outs of mediumship or of mental illness.

Could we please keep this about tarot?

Thanks

Sulis - moderator

 

[amethyst57]

an article from Llewellyn Publishing...explains it better...

btw...sorry...again....

from Llewellyn Publishing's site....

"Talking Through the Tarot
The Tarot is a willing and effective medium for spirit communication, as it expresses itself through a universal language of the soul that speaks to both the dead and the living.

Once you've laid down proper protection, you may want to sit out food, drink, and lit candles as an invitation to the dead. Begin by shuffling your deck and asking the spirit or spirits to join you for a friendly chat. If your invitation is accepted, you will feel a presence and you will know that your fellows are with you. Candles will flicker and the air might grow a shade colder. You might even feel light touches on your head, back, arms, neck, or shoulders.

You can now talk to the dead and ask questions, inviting them to answer through the Tarot. For example, you might pose the question, "How are you?" You would then mix the cards and allow your fingertips to be spiritually directed, selecting the card or cards you feel most drawn to.

The cards chosen express the spirit's answer or message, and you should decipher the meaning with intuition, a good memory, and an open heart. Sometimes, the traditional interpretation of the card is conveyed, while other times, the symbolism might speak of something specific to you and your dead pal, an inside joke of sorts. For instance, the Ace of Cups can mean that the spirit is in a state of peace, bliss, and wholeness. Alternatively, it could refer to a special time when you and the deceased shared a glass of wine, and could mean that the spirit misses the good experiences you shared.

You can also use the Tarot in the other direction, to express your ideas to the dead. For instance, if you want the spirit to know that your children are well, place The Sun card beside the Ten of Pentacles or another happy arcanum. Likewise, to ask the spirit for protection, you could set out the Ace or King of Pentacles; to ask for good luck, the Wheel of Fortune is a suitable choice.

Talking to the dead through the Tarot can be an intricate or a simple procedure. You can use the cards to just say "Hi," or you can use them to obtain extensive and detailed information. You may feel like picking just a card or two to check in and be done with it, or you might be led to lay out the cards in a complete reading such as the Celtic Cross. Your need to know and the spirit's willingness to communicate will shape the conversation, so just let yourself be guided."