I've just received the finished artwork for the second of my two tarot books, THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE, and I am extremely happy with it. Jo Spaul is a very accomplished illustrator, you can look at examples of her work on her website, here.
And I thought some of you might be interested in my experiences so far while trying to get published.
Basically, I've written two books on the Tarot* and have been unable to secure a publisher for either of them, so in the end I decided to do it myself.
Initially I was going to use LULU, but after some quick research decided against it (the new owners had increased postage rates to non-competetive levels, and some authors claimed they were having trouble getting their work taken off the site when they wanted to go elsewhere [I haven't checked them out since. So whether this is still the case, I don't know.]) - and in amongst the complaints thread someone recommended another self-publishing company, Authors OnLine. To cut a long story short, I decided to go with them.
Their fees are reasonable, with a low annual fee for remaining in publication, and the books are Print On Demand - so someone places an order, the book gets printed and shipped out. Quick, easy, no need to store quantities of books. Also a PDF version of each book will be available for those who prefer electronic media.
Best yet, the books they sell are available to all the usual book retailers - so whether you prefer to buy via Amazon, or via your local bookshop, or direct from them, you can!
As the author it is up to you to advertise your book. Just because it's published, doesn't mean it will necessarily sell any copies.
So far I have found the process pain-free, which is always good. Although they tell me that it does generally take about 2 months to get into publication from the date you sign the contracts.
The Christmas rush (which starts in August!) combined with a flu outbreak has delayed things slightly, but I am expecting both books to be available from January 2010.
I am using the delay to do a final edit on THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE, while I await confirmation of the ISBNs.
I'm providing the text PDF files, they are doing the covers (under my direction) - Which makes my 'Control Freak Self' very happy.
They do various different packages to suit your needs, and they are very friendly, very helpful, and very busy (at the moment).
If everything continues according to plan I expect to be a very happy customer.
... Should you plan to use them, they are quite happy to vanity publish for you (for example, if you want that green crayon text, unspell-checked book of "My Favourite Moles in Dresses" that you wrote when you were six, published to show your friends), but if you are looking for a more professional publication that will be available in the shops, they do require a basic level of competence from their authors.
So far, so good. If things change, I'll let you know.
*THE LOVERS' SPREAD: A TAROT GUIDE TO RELATIONSHIP COMPATIBILY
and THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE
Read Self-publishing - Part II here
Friday, 27 November 2009
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Ask an Angel....
Hmm.
This is the part where you think I'm completely nuts.
I've been nudged by them upstairs to clarify a bit about Angels or Guardian Spirits or Higher Self (choose your name for 'em).
There are different levels of beings, all interlinked - - we are all energy afterall.
If you imagine a large tree: it has a trunk, and branches, and twigs. Division on division on division - a vast network of life.
Each of these lines of growth can be seen as a seperate thing: a twig is very definitely a twig, and not a branch. A branch is very definitely a branch and not the trunk. And yet, they are all part of the same tree.
If we are the leaves, then Higher Self/Angels/Guardian Spirits are the wood of the tree.
Now a leaf is most closely linked to the twig that it is attached to. There are however other twigs all around that can brush against the leaf as it moves in the wind. These other twigs obviously will have a big impression on the leaf as they brush it - so much so that the leaf might forget that it is attached to a twig of its own that nourishes it and gives it life.
Which of these twigs is it easier for this leaf to comunicate clearly with? The one it is attached to, or one that brushes against it in the wind?
Sometimes the wood that brushes against a leaf is actually a branch moving in the wind - it may have a greater impact on the leaf, but the leaf still gets its nourishment from the twig it is attached to.
If the leaf can hear the other twigs rustling and the branches creaking, these sounds have been carried on the wind. The vibration it feels through the twig it is attached to is the clearest manifestation of the sounds the tree makes as it dances with the wind.
Similarly, when a Guardian Spirit or Angel contacts you, you are unikely to be receiving the full message, or understanding as clearly as you imagine.
This is the part where you think I'm completely nuts.
I've been nudged by them upstairs to clarify a bit about Angels or Guardian Spirits or Higher Self (choose your name for 'em).
There are different levels of beings, all interlinked - - we are all energy afterall.
If you imagine a large tree: it has a trunk, and branches, and twigs. Division on division on division - a vast network of life.
Each of these lines of growth can be seen as a seperate thing: a twig is very definitely a twig, and not a branch. A branch is very definitely a branch and not the trunk. And yet, they are all part of the same tree.
If we are the leaves, then Higher Self/Angels/Guardian Spirits are the wood of the tree.
Now a leaf is most closely linked to the twig that it is attached to. There are however other twigs all around that can brush against the leaf as it moves in the wind. These other twigs obviously will have a big impression on the leaf as they brush it - so much so that the leaf might forget that it is attached to a twig of its own that nourishes it and gives it life.
Which of these twigs is it easier for this leaf to comunicate clearly with? The one it is attached to, or one that brushes against it in the wind?
Sometimes the wood that brushes against a leaf is actually a branch moving in the wind - it may have a greater impact on the leaf, but the leaf still gets its nourishment from the twig it is attached to.
If the leaf can hear the other twigs rustling and the branches creaking, these sounds have been carried on the wind. The vibration it feels through the twig it is attached to is the clearest manifestation of the sounds the tree makes as it dances with the wind.
Similarly, when a Guardian Spirit or Angel contacts you, you are unikely to be receiving the full message, or understanding as clearly as you imagine.
How does Tarot work?
How does anything work? ... I suspect this is going to be a long post.
First things first. Tarot is a system of divination - the cards provide images, they are a focal point that can help the Reader tune in to (choose your religion/philosophy) the energies that permeate and create our world.
Do I have to be psychic to read Tarot?
Everyone has psychic ability. So even if you haven't developed your psychic abilities so far, you can learn to read the Tarot. It's mainly a matter of staying grounded and tuning yourself in. (Staying grounded is the hard part)
Do I have to believe in God, or angels, or nature spirits, or whathaveyou?
Belief is subjective, as is the way each of us views the universe, in my opinion....
[And for those of you who enjoy Zen: thing, or no-thing. ... are we covered?]
...Where was I? Oh yes. Belief, experience, the Universe, it's all subjective - and if you don't want to believe what I believe that's fine by me - but my explanation about how Tarot works is going to require that you have a vague idea of where I'm coming from so that you can evaluate how much of what I am saying is useful to you.
So, what do I believe? I believe that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing: Energy. Two sides of the same coin, if you will. Furthermore in my opinion Love (for want of a better word) is the Energy that binds and creates and inspires all things. So if I mention Self, Higher Self, soul, guardian spirits, etc, etc, I am merely talking about different levels of energy - some of which may have a sense of consciousness and/or self.
So it is important to remember that any time we make contact with other beings - from the energy realms or other people in our world (e.g. the person sat with you being read for) - these beings also view the universe subjectively, and their experience of the world may be very different from our experience of the world.
In some instances, their beliefs and subjectivity may be such that what they state as truth is something that we may flatly reject as invalid, falsehood, unacceptable ... or we may accept it as truth because it fits with our beliefs. And yet you should remember that it is just their opinion. Just because we find it acceptable doesn't make it truth. Another being is no wiser than you yourself are just because they are different to you.
(Which is why you should take my words as just being my opinion. They result from my subjective experiences and accumulated beliefs in a physical/limited form, and I may change them in a moment!)
Energy Levels
So how does any of the above apply to Tarot?
Well, ideally, when you sit down to give a reading for yourself or anyone else most books advise you get in to a meditative state - clear your mind of all external influences, so that your channel to the ethers/your Higher Self/etc, your psychic cognition is as effective as possible.
i.e. you are tuning in to the energies around you: the energy of the person being read for, your energy, the universal energy, etc.
(I would recommend avoiding gaining your information from "Angels" or any other being purporting to have wisdom - if you are using someone else's channel to gain insight, it has already been through one subjectivity filter ... why play Chinese Whispers like that? NB: sometimes it can be helpful, but it really depends on where they are coming from.)
So, to summarize: When you give a Tarot Reading, you prepare by clearing your mind of any junk (via meditation), then tune in to your Higher Self, the cards, and the person you are reading for.
How does Tarot work?
Well, you can do a reading without any of the above preparation work, the cards may give you information - but remember: garbage in, garbage out - And then of course there's the whole other issue of interpretation....
Right, so how does Tarot work?
Once you've cleared the channel, and tuned in - - the cards act as a focus for the Reader's psychic ability. ... There's so much involved in this, not sure where to start. ... Oracular Divination/interpretation. Energy Levels. Emotion vs Information. Attitude of the supplicant. Obfuscation. Higher Self lessons: does supplicant's Higher Self want them to know? Impact of other people in the room....
Let's start with an easy one....
Impact of other people in the room: Don't do it.
You, and the person asking for the reading. - - No one else should be there.
If there is a couple wanting a reading, make each of them wait in a different room while the other one is being read for. All truth is subjective. An Oracle is a private matter. The other person doesn't like it? Tough.
You can always tape record each session, and then if they choose to share the tapes with each other, that's up to them. But the Reading as it happens should be private: some of the information that comes through may not be suitable for all ears.
Higher Self lessons: does the supplicant's Higher Self want them to know? Sometimes a person is not supposed to know the answer to the question they are asking (or not a complete answer), because there is a life lesson they need to experience in a particular way.
If you're an experienced reader you should be able to tell relatively quickly whether this is the case - the cards either won't be giving an answer of any kind, or the answer given so definitely relates to a totally different issue that it's unmistakable. ... If the cards are being extra occult/confusing, it's likely because the person isn't supposed to know.
How the heck do you deal with this? The person has come to you with a well thought out question, your channel is clear, you're tuned in, and the cards are refusing to answer. You're drawing a blank, in effect being told "Now is not the time."
So, you tell them that.
And they ain't happy.
They've come for guidance and they're not getting it. ... Find out why they want to know, what motive and what attitude is driving their question? They need to spend time thinking about these motives and these attitudes. (Because chances are that the universe is about to seriously challenge the why of these.)
Perhaps they would like a new reading regarding their motive?
Attitude of the supplicant: Frequently people have not thought out their questions properly. Or they already know the answer and they don't like it or don't want to face it. Alternatively they might think Tarot is a joke and are trying it out just because...
The attitude of the person asking for a reading can have a big impact on the answers they get. If the question is unclear, the answer is likely to be unclear or confusing. Find out why they want to know what they want to know, and this will help narrow down the question to what they really wanted to ask. Otherwise, if they ask one thing, but mean another, they may get the answer to what they meant rather than what they actually asked (or vice versa)... which leads to wrong interpretations, confusion and inaccuracy.
If they think the Tarot is just a game, well then the universe [their Higher Self] has every right to play with them....
If the person has thought out their question carefully, and comes seeking clarification regarding the situation they are contemplating and possible courses of action - then they are much more likely to get a useful answer.
Emotion vs Information:
Emotion clouds issues, and it's a major source of inaccuracy: in asking the question; in gaining an answer; and in interpretation of the answer.
Emotions are a powerful source of energy - - and when you are dealing with a Tarot Reading energy = information. The stronger the emotion, the more dominant the energy. i.e. someone is projecting the information they want to hear in to the ethers, and the Reader has to seperate that want-imposed false information out from the actual universe information.
How can I describe it? ... Think colours. There is a nice piece of pink paper that you want to see, but someone else has painted bright red/purple/black all over it. How can you tell that the paper is pink? - This is pretty much what the Reader is faced with. They have to get passed all that paint before they can see the paper.
That's why remaining calm and having a clear channel to your own Higher Self/Universe energy is very important for you, the Reader. Getting passed all the unwanted energy, going "through the veil" (There are different levels of this - that's a discussion for another time).
Obfuscation: If the person's Higher Self has a lesson to teach them (as above), you are unlikely to be able to get a clear Reading ... or the Reading will steer them in to circumstances where they have the chance to learn the desired lesson.
This is where you get tricksey Readings, multiple possible interpretations, layer upon layer of meaning, or the cards just won't co-operate at all.
Take a step back, find out motives, discover where the blindspot lies and assist the person in finding a new perspective? Not easy. But better to give no Reading, or an open-ended Reading, than give a closed "this is the answer" Reading in such circumstances. The future is unpredictable and a clear path is unlikely to be available: but if you can help them take their blindfold off, or even make them aware that they are wearing one, it's a start.
Another source of obfuscation is the person you are reading for. They are purposely asking a different question from the one they want the answer to (possibly for legitimate reasons as they see it), or they are asking a difficult question in order to test you, the Reader. *sigh* The answer the cards give is likely to be telling, but your ability to interpret correctly will be hampered by the supplicant's circuitousness. They came to you, it's their choice to be evasive. - - It's a bit like going to the doctor and saying your toe hurts, when in fact you have a broken rib. Unless your body language gives it away, or the doctor accidentally brushes the rib and sees you wince, they're going to be concentrating on your foot.
Energy Levels: We more or less covered this in the section on Emotion vs Information.
But in addition to this, there are some people who like to play Chinese Whispers and get their information from other "beings" (some can be helpful, others really aren't) - who will have their own agendas, opinions and world view: Bias, if you like.
Alternatively the Reader may not have a clear channel to their Higher Self at the time of the Reading, for whatever reason, and thus will be swimming in muddy waters when it comes to getting information. Partial information mixed with a bunch of spurious assumptions on the part of the Reader can be a problem.
Don't let your view of how the world should be prevent you from looking a little further in to the veil. Everyone has their own truth, and remaining impartial is not easy. Bias is a big trap that I've seen several otherwise good Readers fall in to and give slightly duff information as a result (not wrong, just not right).
[If you are interested in finding out more about the energy levels of the body see Hands of Light by Barbara Ann Brennan, ISBN-13: 978-0553345391 for a really good guide to the Aura. Or for a basic grounding in Chakras there is C.W. Leadbetter's The Chakras, ISBN-13: 978-0835604222.]
Oracular Divination/interpretation:
Tricksey, tricksey cards ... a bunch of pictures that can be metaphor one moment and literal truth the next; and which part of the picture are you looking at any way? All of it? The lizard sitting under the throne? Or are you looking at nothing, channelling direct?
Where does the emphasis lie? Are there multiple meanings that need to be taken into account?
New cards add layers and require a revisit to earlier ones - the links are visible and change the meaning of the previous cards.
Whirling colours spinning away, unravelling reality before them and rebuilding it in a chaos of silken threads that barely support a person's weight....
How does it work? One may as well ask What is Zen? Someone who doesn't know the answer will likely try to tell you.
;)
First things first. Tarot is a system of divination - the cards provide images, they are a focal point that can help the Reader tune in to (choose your religion/philosophy) the energies that permeate and create our world.
Do I have to be psychic to read Tarot?
Everyone has psychic ability. So even if you haven't developed your psychic abilities so far, you can learn to read the Tarot. It's mainly a matter of staying grounded and tuning yourself in. (Staying grounded is the hard part)
Do I have to believe in God, or angels, or nature spirits, or whathaveyou?
Belief is subjective, as is the way each of us views the universe, in my opinion....
[And for those of you who enjoy Zen: thing, or no-thing. ... are we covered?]
...Where was I? Oh yes. Belief, experience, the Universe, it's all subjective - and if you don't want to believe what I believe that's fine by me - but my explanation about how Tarot works is going to require that you have a vague idea of where I'm coming from so that you can evaluate how much of what I am saying is useful to you.
So, what do I believe? I believe that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing: Energy. Two sides of the same coin, if you will. Furthermore in my opinion Love (for want of a better word) is the Energy that binds and creates and inspires all things. So if I mention Self, Higher Self, soul, guardian spirits, etc, etc, I am merely talking about different levels of energy - some of which may have a sense of consciousness and/or self.
So it is important to remember that any time we make contact with other beings - from the energy realms or other people in our world (e.g. the person sat with you being read for) - these beings also view the universe subjectively, and their experience of the world may be very different from our experience of the world.
In some instances, their beliefs and subjectivity may be such that what they state as truth is something that we may flatly reject as invalid, falsehood, unacceptable ... or we may accept it as truth because it fits with our beliefs. And yet you should remember that it is just their opinion. Just because we find it acceptable doesn't make it truth. Another being is no wiser than you yourself are just because they are different to you.
(Which is why you should take my words as just being my opinion. They result from my subjective experiences and accumulated beliefs in a physical/limited form, and I may change them in a moment!)
Energy Levels
So how does any of the above apply to Tarot?
Well, ideally, when you sit down to give a reading for yourself or anyone else most books advise you get in to a meditative state - clear your mind of all external influences, so that your channel to the ethers/your Higher Self/etc, your psychic cognition is as effective as possible.
i.e. you are tuning in to the energies around you: the energy of the person being read for, your energy, the universal energy, etc.
(I would recommend avoiding gaining your information from "Angels" or any other being purporting to have wisdom - if you are using someone else's channel to gain insight, it has already been through one subjectivity filter ... why play Chinese Whispers like that? NB: sometimes it can be helpful, but it really depends on where they are coming from.)
So, to summarize: When you give a Tarot Reading, you prepare by clearing your mind of any junk (via meditation), then tune in to your Higher Self, the cards, and the person you are reading for.
How does Tarot work?
Well, you can do a reading without any of the above preparation work, the cards may give you information - but remember: garbage in, garbage out - And then of course there's the whole other issue of interpretation....
Right, so how does Tarot work?
Once you've cleared the channel, and tuned in - - the cards act as a focus for the Reader's psychic ability. ... There's so much involved in this, not sure where to start. ... Oracular Divination/interpretation. Energy Levels. Emotion vs Information. Attitude of the supplicant. Obfuscation. Higher Self lessons: does supplicant's Higher Self want them to know? Impact of other people in the room....
Let's start with an easy one....
Impact of other people in the room: Don't do it.
You, and the person asking for the reading. - - No one else should be there.
If there is a couple wanting a reading, make each of them wait in a different room while the other one is being read for. All truth is subjective. An Oracle is a private matter. The other person doesn't like it? Tough.
You can always tape record each session, and then if they choose to share the tapes with each other, that's up to them. But the Reading as it happens should be private: some of the information that comes through may not be suitable for all ears.
Higher Self lessons: does the supplicant's Higher Self want them to know? Sometimes a person is not supposed to know the answer to the question they are asking (or not a complete answer), because there is a life lesson they need to experience in a particular way.
If you're an experienced reader you should be able to tell relatively quickly whether this is the case - the cards either won't be giving an answer of any kind, or the answer given so definitely relates to a totally different issue that it's unmistakable. ... If the cards are being extra occult/confusing, it's likely because the person isn't supposed to know.
How the heck do you deal with this? The person has come to you with a well thought out question, your channel is clear, you're tuned in, and the cards are refusing to answer. You're drawing a blank, in effect being told "Now is not the time."
So, you tell them that.
And they ain't happy.
They've come for guidance and they're not getting it. ... Find out why they want to know, what motive and what attitude is driving their question? They need to spend time thinking about these motives and these attitudes. (Because chances are that the universe is about to seriously challenge the why of these.)
Perhaps they would like a new reading regarding their motive?
Attitude of the supplicant: Frequently people have not thought out their questions properly. Or they already know the answer and they don't like it or don't want to face it. Alternatively they might think Tarot is a joke and are trying it out just because...
The attitude of the person asking for a reading can have a big impact on the answers they get. If the question is unclear, the answer is likely to be unclear or confusing. Find out why they want to know what they want to know, and this will help narrow down the question to what they really wanted to ask. Otherwise, if they ask one thing, but mean another, they may get the answer to what they meant rather than what they actually asked (or vice versa)... which leads to wrong interpretations, confusion and inaccuracy.
If they think the Tarot is just a game, well then the universe [their Higher Self] has every right to play with them....
If the person has thought out their question carefully, and comes seeking clarification regarding the situation they are contemplating and possible courses of action - then they are much more likely to get a useful answer.
Emotion vs Information:
Emotion clouds issues, and it's a major source of inaccuracy: in asking the question; in gaining an answer; and in interpretation of the answer.
Emotions are a powerful source of energy - - and when you are dealing with a Tarot Reading energy = information. The stronger the emotion, the more dominant the energy. i.e. someone is projecting the information they want to hear in to the ethers, and the Reader has to seperate that want-imposed false information out from the actual universe information.
How can I describe it? ... Think colours. There is a nice piece of pink paper that you want to see, but someone else has painted bright red/purple/black all over it. How can you tell that the paper is pink? - This is pretty much what the Reader is faced with. They have to get passed all that paint before they can see the paper.
That's why remaining calm and having a clear channel to your own Higher Self/Universe energy is very important for you, the Reader. Getting passed all the unwanted energy, going "through the veil" (There are different levels of this - that's a discussion for another time).
Obfuscation: If the person's Higher Self has a lesson to teach them (as above), you are unlikely to be able to get a clear Reading ... or the Reading will steer them in to circumstances where they have the chance to learn the desired lesson.
This is where you get tricksey Readings, multiple possible interpretations, layer upon layer of meaning, or the cards just won't co-operate at all.
Take a step back, find out motives, discover where the blindspot lies and assist the person in finding a new perspective? Not easy. But better to give no Reading, or an open-ended Reading, than give a closed "this is the answer" Reading in such circumstances. The future is unpredictable and a clear path is unlikely to be available: but if you can help them take their blindfold off, or even make them aware that they are wearing one, it's a start.
Another source of obfuscation is the person you are reading for. They are purposely asking a different question from the one they want the answer to (possibly for legitimate reasons as they see it), or they are asking a difficult question in order to test you, the Reader. *sigh* The answer the cards give is likely to be telling, but your ability to interpret correctly will be hampered by the supplicant's circuitousness. They came to you, it's their choice to be evasive. - - It's a bit like going to the doctor and saying your toe hurts, when in fact you have a broken rib. Unless your body language gives it away, or the doctor accidentally brushes the rib and sees you wince, they're going to be concentrating on your foot.
Energy Levels: We more or less covered this in the section on Emotion vs Information.
But in addition to this, there are some people who like to play Chinese Whispers and get their information from other "beings" (some can be helpful, others really aren't) - who will have their own agendas, opinions and world view: Bias, if you like.
Alternatively the Reader may not have a clear channel to their Higher Self at the time of the Reading, for whatever reason, and thus will be swimming in muddy waters when it comes to getting information. Partial information mixed with a bunch of spurious assumptions on the part of the Reader can be a problem.
Don't let your view of how the world should be prevent you from looking a little further in to the veil. Everyone has their own truth, and remaining impartial is not easy. Bias is a big trap that I've seen several otherwise good Readers fall in to and give slightly duff information as a result (not wrong, just not right).
[If you are interested in finding out more about the energy levels of the body see Hands of Light by Barbara Ann Brennan, ISBN-13: 978-0553345391 for a really good guide to the Aura. Or for a basic grounding in Chakras there is C.W. Leadbetter's The Chakras, ISBN-13: 978-0835604222.]
Oracular Divination/interpretation:
Tricksey, tricksey cards ... a bunch of pictures that can be metaphor one moment and literal truth the next; and which part of the picture are you looking at any way? All of it? The lizard sitting under the throne? Or are you looking at nothing, channelling direct?
Where does the emphasis lie? Are there multiple meanings that need to be taken into account?
New cards add layers and require a revisit to earlier ones - the links are visible and change the meaning of the previous cards.
Whirling colours spinning away, unravelling reality before them and rebuilding it in a chaos of silken threads that barely support a person's weight....
How does it work? One may as well ask What is Zen? Someone who doesn't know the answer will likely try to tell you.
;)
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
How far in advance can the Tarot predict things?
How long is a piece of string?
Predictive readings are - like most things Tarot related - tricky things.
Personally, I think up to 2 years in advance is possible (depending on circumstances) but not advised. Too much can change over time, for you to be sure of any accuracy.
6 months to 1 year in advance is much safer territory ... but again predictive readings can be tricksey. Don't bet the farm on anything the cards reveal - you may be picking up completely the wrong interpretation of what the cards are saying.
And as with all things, you can always seek a second opinion:
I have had a house move successfully predicted, with an approximate date given (which was accurate) eight and a half months in advance. But I already knew I was going to move and was planning to put the house on the market when I asked for clarification.
The cards were bringing Death to the fore in ALL of my personal readings for over a year before my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer (which then took another year to kill her) - However the Death card relates to painful change, so I thought it was to do with debt, moving house, changing career; all of which I was dealing with at the time ... I only knew the Death card related to an actual death in the family five months before she was diagnosed, and then it didn't confirm who until about two months before, because I wasn't willing to hear it.
So that Death card in the readings was talking about the other issues ... emphasis only changed to actual death, for certain, within 6 months of the diagnosis, but I suspect it may have been talking about it for that whole year, I just wasn't able to pick out the exact meaning within all the other Death card related noise.
I'll just say this again. The Death card is about painful change. It does not usually mean an actual death.
Any time you consult the cards and desire a timescale to go with the reading - there are so many different ways of getting that information ...
intuition and using images on a timescale card as metaphor, are the ones that I have used.
However, there are many other methods, as many as there are readers!
For example, you can look at the number(s) on the card(s), you can look at the suit(s) of the card(s), astrological associations of the card(s), where the card is placed in the layout ... etc.
Tarot Tips by Ruth Ann Amberstone & Wald Amberstone is worth a look see if you want to know more about the ins and outs of Tarot Reading.
ISBN-13: 978-0738702162
The book is aimed more at intermediate and experienced readers than the total novice. But it an excellent addition to any Tarot collection IMO.
Predictive readings are - like most things Tarot related - tricky things.
Personally, I think up to 2 years in advance is possible (depending on circumstances) but not advised. Too much can change over time, for you to be sure of any accuracy.
6 months to 1 year in advance is much safer territory ... but again predictive readings can be tricksey. Don't bet the farm on anything the cards reveal - you may be picking up completely the wrong interpretation of what the cards are saying.
And as with all things, you can always seek a second opinion:
I have had a house move successfully predicted, with an approximate date given (which was accurate) eight and a half months in advance. But I already knew I was going to move and was planning to put the house on the market when I asked for clarification.
The cards were bringing Death to the fore in ALL of my personal readings for over a year before my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer (which then took another year to kill her) - However the Death card relates to painful change, so I thought it was to do with debt, moving house, changing career; all of which I was dealing with at the time ... I only knew the Death card related to an actual death in the family five months before she was diagnosed, and then it didn't confirm who until about two months before, because I wasn't willing to hear it.
So that Death card in the readings was talking about the other issues ... emphasis only changed to actual death, for certain, within 6 months of the diagnosis, but I suspect it may have been talking about it for that whole year, I just wasn't able to pick out the exact meaning within all the other Death card related noise.
I'll just say this again. The Death card is about painful change. It does not usually mean an actual death.
Any time you consult the cards and desire a timescale to go with the reading - there are so many different ways of getting that information ...
intuition and using images on a timescale card as metaphor, are the ones that I have used.
However, there are many other methods, as many as there are readers!
For example, you can look at the number(s) on the card(s), you can look at the suit(s) of the card(s), astrological associations of the card(s), where the card is placed in the layout ... etc.
Tarot Tips by Ruth Ann Amberstone & Wald Amberstone is worth a look see if you want to know more about the ins and outs of Tarot Reading.
ISBN-13: 978-0738702162
The book is aimed more at intermediate and experienced readers than the total novice. But it an excellent addition to any Tarot collection IMO.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Does it work?
I asked Potdoll, "Is there anything in particular you'd like to see covered in the tarot blog?"
"Just if it works and if it does how it works and how far in advance it tells you stuff and .... everything really!"
Everything really... okay. Well I suppose I can cover that in many, many, many posts. :)
If it works? - - the short answer is yes, IMO it does.
The slightly longer answer is: it totally depends on your attitude during a reading - both the questioner's and the reader's - and whether your Higher Self, destiny, fate (call it what you will) thinks you are ready for the information. ... If you aren't ready to know the cards make that pretty clear, but it does take some experience of using the cards to realise what's being said - or not said.
You don't need to know what you're doing to consult the Tarot cards, but if you haven't built some time learning the feel and all the different tricksy ways they can answer, you may not get much sense out of them.
Or you may get perfect sense out of them - that can be interpreted several ways, and then you pick the wrong interpretation.
Or they may answer clearly straight off.
They're like that.
Occult comes from the Latin occultus hidden
Oracle, Latin oraculum an utterance
"Just if it works and if it does how it works and how far in advance it tells you stuff and .... everything really!"
Everything really... okay. Well I suppose I can cover that in many, many, many posts. :)
If it works? - - the short answer is yes, IMO it does.
The slightly longer answer is: it totally depends on your attitude during a reading - both the questioner's and the reader's - and whether your Higher Self, destiny, fate (call it what you will) thinks you are ready for the information. ... If you aren't ready to know the cards make that pretty clear, but it does take some experience of using the cards to realise what's being said - or not said.
You don't need to know what you're doing to consult the Tarot cards, but if you haven't built some time learning the feel and all the different tricksy ways they can answer, you may not get much sense out of them.
Or you may get perfect sense out of them - that can be interpreted several ways, and then you pick the wrong interpretation.
Or they may answer clearly straight off.
They're like that.
Occult comes from the Latin occultus hidden
Oracle, Latin oraculum an utterance
Thursday, 28 May 2009
A beginning
How did I get in to the tarot?
Like most people, I was a teenager once.... ;)
The mother of one of my school friends gave me my official introduction to the tarot when I was in my early/mid-teens. I'd seen the cards before that on television and in films, but this was the first time I'd actually got to handle a deck and have it explained to me. So thank you Sheila, if you're reading this.
Fast forward several years, and my first live-together boyfriend was a warlock (he was an interesting chap) who also practiced tarot. Some might think life was hinting at me a bit. :)
It was a while before I got a deck of my own. ... My favourite graphic novel artist Dave McKean was the illustrator for The Vertigo Tarot, written by Rachel Pollack, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman - what's not to like? The moment I saw it I was hooked. This was the deck for me, knew it in my bones.
I started reading for myself, and after I'd got my head around that for a while, (we're talking many years) I started reading for others as well.
It does take a while to get to know your own intuitive processes, and learn the difference between imparted/osmosed information and general crap your unfettered brain spews out ... focus is the important thing, and learning the feel. I'll have to work out how to explain that a bit more clearly....
Stay tuned.
Like most people, I was a teenager once.... ;)
The mother of one of my school friends gave me my official introduction to the tarot when I was in my early/mid-teens. I'd seen the cards before that on television and in films, but this was the first time I'd actually got to handle a deck and have it explained to me. So thank you Sheila, if you're reading this.
Fast forward several years, and my first live-together boyfriend was a warlock (he was an interesting chap) who also practiced tarot. Some might think life was hinting at me a bit. :)
It was a while before I got a deck of my own. ... My favourite graphic novel artist Dave McKean was the illustrator for The Vertigo Tarot, written by Rachel Pollack, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman - what's not to like? The moment I saw it I was hooked. This was the deck for me, knew it in my bones.
I started reading for myself, and after I'd got my head around that for a while, (we're talking many years) I started reading for others as well.
It does take a while to get to know your own intuitive processes, and learn the difference between imparted/osmosed information and general crap your unfettered brain spews out ... focus is the important thing, and learning the feel. I'll have to work out how to explain that a bit more clearly....
Stay tuned.
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