Unconventional or non-divination uses for tarot...

[KristinCali]

Lately I've been slightly bored doing regular spreads/readings with tarot. I'm very drawn to my decks though and still want to use them regularly but don't know what else I can do with them. I'm looking for books on non-conventional ways to use tarot. Like tarot activities, or tarot meditations, ways to use them throughout the day, or even games. Anything that gives different ways to use a deck! Any book recommendations? OR can you share your own suggestions and ideas?

 

[greatdane]

I use tarot more as insight, focus

I do one question, one card and primarily read tarot just for me. I ask things like where should my focus be or what do I need to work on? These aren't divination questions to me, but perhaps that's not what you mean, KristinCali? I don't use tarot to tell my future, but to try to gain insight and spark something, a new perspective, something I hadn't thought of regarding an issue or challenge. If one card doesn't do it, if I need clarification, I ask a follow up question and AFTER putting my first card back and shuffling and cutting a bunch of times, pull another card. I have had the SAME card come up back to back more than once. That kind of gets your attention .

 

[RunningWild]

I imagine this will probably end up moved.

There is a book called Tarot Activities that you might look into. I don't happen to have it, so I can't be of much help there.

There's also a book called The Tarot Playbook, written by one of AT's own, I think. I do have that one and it has some interesting ideas.

You could try short story writing with the cards, as well.

 

[KristinCali]

Although your personal suggestions are welcomed, I'm really looking for book recommendations so I hope this doesn't get moved.

 

[rwcarter]

I have a number such books in my collection, but the most out there one I can think of is

Divination by Punctuation
Conley, Craig
Professor Oddfellow's Forgotten Wisdom, 2010
978-1453813140

It tells how you can put upright and reversed punctuation marks between two cards to affect their meaning and interpretation. A random example from the book is the inverted question mark which symbolizes that questions are to follow. When placed between the Page Swords and 10 Cups, you get "Squarely facing a challenge (PS) calls into question what constitutes happiness (10C)."

He uses 25 different punctuation marks so with reversals there are 50 possible actors on the cards. He also looks at built-in punctuation suggested by the imagery of the Majors.

I haven't actually done his system yet, but you can tell it's still on my mind as it was the first book I thought of.

Other books you might be interested in are:

Masks of Tarot by Scott Grossberg
Vitruvian Square by Scott Grossberg
Tarot Tells the Tale by James Ricklef
Tarot Games by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw
Tarot Playbook by Linda Cowles

I think info on all those books can be found in the forum index.

 

[KristinCali]

Thank you @greatdane, I've done daily one-card readings before but you reminded me to keep on it. I shouldn't miss a day

@RunningWild Those both look like exactly what I'm looking for, thanks!

@rwcarter Divination by Punctuation sounds fascinating! Just the kind of thing I can get lost in. Thank you.

 

[Teheuti]

There are lots of personal processes that you can work through for yourself in my books - especially Tarot for Your Self and 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card.

 

[KristinCali]

There are lots of personal processes that you can work through for yourself in my books - especially Tarot for Your Self and 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card.

Those are both on my list! Thank you

 

[Hedera]

The Tarot Play Book is terrific!

You might also like 'What's in the Cards for You' by Mark McElroy; the way it is marketed is a bit unfortunate ('Test the Tarot') but it really has some great exercises in it, that make you *look* at the cards in a different way.

And how about '21 Ways to read a Tarot Card', by Mary K. Greer?
It has you study one card extensively - a meditations, storytelling etc (and you can repeat everything with the other 77 cards...).


Oh, and not to forget 'Tarot for Self Discovery' by Nina Lee Braden!
One of my favorite tarot books ever. Some exercises are deep, others are playful (Happy Feet! Find your Happy Feet) and they are all very worthwhile.


As you can see, I love using my decks for stuff other than readings!

 

[KristinCali]

Oh, and not to forget 'Tarot for Self Discovery' by Nina Lee Braden

Thank you! I did a bit of research and that book seems closest to what I'm looking for!