by Sasha Graham
Tarot’s Usage
Divination—Self-Knowledge/Empowerment—Creative Arts
Divination is the cross-cultural act of using any variety of objects or means—sticks, stones, or bones, etc.—to foretell future events. Early tarot was used for trick-taking card games in the rowdy taverns of Europe. Tarrochi was a game of chance. It offered gamblers an opportunity to play the odds, perhaps even altering their personal destiny. Tarot, with its twenty-two illustrated major arcana and numerical structure, was a no-brainer for fortunetelling and divination aficionados. The card’s major arcana illustrations create easy-to-read narratives. Cards have always been a metaphor for life, whether under the auspices of gaming or fortunetelling.
Tarot predates Europe’s first printing press. The deck is older than printed and bound books. Offering lessons and allegories in place of words, the major arcana’s images likely spoke to a largely illiterate public. Historical documentation of card divination is not well recorded. The practice was passed generationally, orally, or it sprang up intuitively. It usually occurred behind closed doors. Modern tarot divination exists at every level of western society. Tarotists are hired as entertainment for parties and events. College students cluster and giggle around tarot in dorm rooms. Wise old grannies read tarot on Formica tabletops. Metaphysical shops across the county offer tarot in addition to other modalities like astrology, Reiki, and angel readings. Storefront gypsies entice customers with glowing neon signs and sparkling crystal balls. Tarot readers work online via email, video, or even phone texts. Newcomers often purchase a tarot deck in hopes of divining their own future. Tarot use often switches from a fortunetelling device to self-knowledge and empowerment as it is incorporated into daily life.
Tarot becomes a contemplative practice for readers who look at the cards and toss aside conventional fortunetelling questions such as “When will I be rich?” Instead, they ask introspective questions: “What do I need to know?” “What gift does this challenge bring?” “What can I do to obtain the outcome I desire?” These questions place the reader in the driver’s seat of their life. They may ask philosophical questions such as “What is my life’s purpose?” or “What is the nature of God?” Self-knowledge and empowerment blossom when symbol and archetype are blended with psychology, offering a deeper human experience of tarot. The deeper experience of tarot fosters a richer experience of life. Tarot is an excellent visual aid and powerful tool for spellcasting. Tarot is used as a portal into guided meditations. It brings us into the inner recesses of the psyche or outward into the elemental world.
Tarot’s creative use is infinite. Writers and authors pull cards for plot points, character traits, and writing prompts. Painters and visual artists use tarot archetypes for creating single or unified sets of original work. Tarot crafts and goodies are sold online and at fairs and festivals. Movies, literature, and all forms of media pull from the tarot when it suits them, often from the RWS deck. Tarot images inspire tattoo and skin art. Companies borrow tarot images to suit their advertising needs when wishing to appear mystical, trendy, or edgy.
Tarot is more popular today than it has ever been. Tarot use will continue to unfold, evolve, and move to the outer reaches of human creativity and innovation. What new and exciting ways do you use tarot? How do you incorporate the cards into your life? You move tarot forward with every spread and spell. Each time you enter a card via contemplation, you tread into an unfolding world of dazzling possibility.
Western Esoteric Pillars
Kabbalah—Astrology—Numerology
Nineteenth-century European occultists studied medieval grimoires on alchemy, magic, and mysticism in the great libraries of Europe. Tarot already existed independently and apart from all esoteric studies. Occultists realized they could place tarot’s perfect structure on top of their work, integrating it with their systems. Joseph Campbell described the “Hero’s Journey” as a similar narrative reaching across all myth, religion, and storytelling. Tarot, too, contains this narrative. It aligns perfectly with metaphysical systems used to describe the nature of reality and man’s relation to the Divine. Imagine the occultists’ delight when they discovered the systems they worked with could be quantified with this mysterious deck of cards.
Kabbalah is an ancient Hebraic mystical system. The Kabbalistic Tree of Life is a visual representation of the divine manifestation of life on earth. The tree contains an all-knowing, all-loving, divine source at its top. This source filters down through the tree’s branches until it manifests at the bottom, on the earthly realm. Rabbinical scholars created Kabbalah, and it was later adapted by other mystical schools of thought. The Tree of Life contains a numerical structure of the nature of divinity. The Tree of Life links linguistic, astrological, and numerical associations. It aligns with tarot’s structure. Tarot’s major arcana connects to the tree’s paths; tarot’s four suits connect to the tree’s four worlds.
Astrology is the ancient practice of looking skyward and observing the motions and positions of celestial bodies to explain and express an individual’s psychology and the human condition and predict future events. Astrology, like tarot, can be used for prediction or empowerment or both. Astrology slices the firmament into twelve segments, thus creating the twelve signs of the zodiac. The Golden Dawn tweaked their tarot and made minor adjustments so their astrology would fit on top of the deck with near-perfect symmetry. Once the Golden Dawn had unified the two systems, each tarot card assumed additional astrological richness, meaning, and symbolism.
Numerology is a practice using mathematical principles to define the nature of the material and spiritual world. Humans organize the world by counting, organizing, and detecting patterns. Childhood’s earliest lessons include counting and numbers—hours in a day, days in a week, etc. The nature of reality can be measured numerically. It is possible to discover meaningful patterns and cycles and glean personal empowerment and information. Tarotists can use numerology to gaze through the veil of the material world and into otherworldly realms of sacred imagination. Once patterns are detected, meanings can be placed behind the patterns. Tarot reading always displays numerical information via card numbers. Like a poker game, repeating suits and numbers are important in tarot. Tarot’s numerical structure makes it infinitely adaptable.
Tarot’s Psychic Trinity
Conscious—Subconscious—Possibility
The human mind can be understood in a threefold manner. The threefold nature of the mind includes the conscious, subconscious, and possibility. The conscious mind consists of present thought patterns, which are the thoughts you are aware of. We all experience inner dialogue in the conscious mind. Right now, my present consciousness is entering your consciousness. You read the words of this book, which were written in the past, yet the writing of these words occurred in my present. You, mysterious reader, loom in my future. The words you read are at the forefront of your conscious mind this very moment. The magic of this book has brought our consciousnesses together. We are having a dialogue though we are miles apart in time and space.
The conscious mind is what the individual is aware of at any given time. It is revealed through speech. The subconscious mind reflects possibilities rumbling around like a subway beneath the surface area of your mind. The subconscious is a darker, murkier place where deep desires, repressed feelings, and forgotten events exist. Events unprocessed by the conscious mind reside in the subconscious alongside memories. Memories of memories are stored here. The subconscious is also the breeding ground of creativity and renewal. It acts like the rich, fecund earth of the mind, from which all things are born.
Human possibility exists outside, above and beyond the conscious and subconscious mind. Possibility is everything an individual is capable of doing, experiencing, and embracing. Human possibility knows no bounds and is inescapable. It always exists. All spectrums of human behavior exist inside and alongside possibility. Possibility is the space between thoughts. It is the
silence between sound. Possibility is the space between stars and solar systems. It is the space inside the atoms that make your body. Tarot can be used to activate the threefold presence of the human mind.
Tarot opens an active dialogue between the conscious and subconscious mind through symbols. The subconscious recognizes and responds to symbols in the same way the physical body intuitively responds to any sensorial input like music, taste, or beauty. A meaningful song will transport you back fifteen years in a flash, like childhood comfort foods or the whiff of a particular fragrance. The memories exist side by side between the physical body and the subconscious. Useful memories and associations are put away like toys in a chest until they are needed. It is often easier to identify an underlying problem or issue using symbols. Tarot symbols and images communicate directly to the subconscious.
Possibilities become meaningful reality because tarot induces questions. The cards inspire advice, action, and direction. Problems are taken out of the head and spread as cards on the table before the reader. A personal bird’s-eye view unfolds. Issues are examined. Root issues are identified. Action steps are encouraged. Personal impulses, hunches, and instincts are validated. The act of forming tarot questions paves the way for mindfulness. It leads the psyche in new directions. The brain is like a computer trying to find the quickest route from A to B. The subconscious is made conscious. What is conscious is acted upon and moved into the real world. New possibilities appear. The ripple effect of inner and outer events unfolds.
Tarot Activation
Art—Storytelling—Lesson
Tarot, whether for divination or empowerment, works via a threefold synthesis. The card’s artwork, first and foremost, provides a framework and image, no matter the deck. It holds true even if the card is selected electronically. Pictures and images appear, cards are flipped like sections of a graphic novel. Numerous symbols, actions, and activities are interpreted by the reader. The power of tarot stems purely from the reader’s interpretation and not from the cards, as many people assume.
The narrative of a story is crafted after the art images are ingested. The human mind is ensconced in storytelling structure. Storytelling is how we organize ourself and our placement in the world. Someone asks us how our day went, and we respond with the story of our day. Someone inquires as to how we grew up, and we respond with the story of our childhood. We place ourselves in the leading role of events and circumstances all day long. We weave stories about ourselves in our own head, telling ourselves what we are worth, what we deserve, and how situations should go. We can look to the cards and allow them to describe elements of our story or give us advice. Often it leaps out at the reader. The resulting story can be formulated in a variety of ways. The reader creates the framework for the story by phrasing questions or intentions around the card or tarot spread.
The story told by the cards results in confirmation, a lesson, or advice. Subsequent action is usually taken. Information is devoured like a child’s bedtime story, even if the reader reads for themselves alone. Insight is gleaned. The world is examined from a different perspective. Possibilities are entertained and weighed. The individual walks away from the cards with a takeaway from the experience. An exchange of energy occurs, and the subtle body changes.
Tarot Reader’s Triad
Physical Body—Cards/Client—Higher Self
Tarot readers activate a threefold process each time they read the cards. The energetic exchange is familiar to artists, writers, poets, actors, photographers, musicians, dancers, etc. This process is often taken for granted. Readers need to be aware and open to examine how they engage with the cards. The triad process involves three distinct sensibilities, which can be refined and honed with time and practice.
The reader activates the physical body when preparing to read the cards. Ritualized behavior puts the body on alert. Readers will light candles, ignite incense, burn sage, or drink tea or coffee. Light meditations or energy work may be performed to cleanse and open the body and invite insight and inspiration. Alternatively, grounding work or protective energetic shields may be placed for readers who read for the public. Prayers, blessings, or consecrations may be uttered. Touching, feeling, and listening to the cards as they shuffle is a simple and effective activation. Consider the way you prepare for a reading. Every person contains subtle differences. Each body is unique. Consider the physical and spiritual ways your body can prepare for a reading. This helps you to cultivate and understand what you are doing energetically. This can be considered the warm-up.
Attention moves away from the body once the cards and client are engaged. Conversations are had and questions posed; if readers read for themselves, they have the conversation with themselves and perhaps write down questions and notes. The cards are shuffled and laid out according to the reader’s choosing. The images wash over the senses of the reader. Information hits the reader in any number of ways according to the reader’s sensitivity. The reader looks to see what is before them like the moment a painter turns their attention to the subject.
The higher self, inspiration, muse, spirit, or (insert your preferred name) is activated for information and the resulting narrative. This is the sacred imagination and creative mind space. This space is opened and experienced in a million different ways by different people. It is as unique as each person’s kiss. Doing so, the reader accesses insight, story, guidance, and inspiration for the reading and the conclusions. It is the same energetic process used by poet/imagination/paper and dancer/music/stage. This triad is at the heart of creative work and is a three-part participatory act.
Tarot’s Traditional Publishing Trinity
Author—Illustrator—Publishing House
Tarot publishing usually contains a three-part process between author, illustrator, and publisher. People who purchase, play, or read the cards rarely think about how the cards were created. Authors conceive of ideas and themes for decks and sell their ideas to a publisher. Conversely, publishers conceive of decks and seek authors to flesh the idea out. Tarot themes are wildly imaginative, from cats to vampires, from historical decks to futuristic decks. A tarot theme can be any imaginable subject. Once the tarot deck idea is outlined by the author, each card is described and written out in detail. An artist is sought to illustrate the cards and bring the writer’s (or publisher’s) vision to life.
The search for an illustrator begins once an author’s proposal is approved by a publishing house or once the publisher finds a theme they would like to create. Finding the right artist is time consuming and not as easy as one might guess. Conversely, artists often find themselves drawn to tarot as a theme. The illustrator may innovate a deck themselves and sell it to a publisher. Designing a seventy-eight-card deck is time consuming. It involves many approvals and revisions between author, artist, and publisher.
Once the deck is complete, accompanying text is written. This could be a little white pamphlet or a full-sized companion book to the deck. Variations to the publishing trinity exist. Artists often conceive of decks on their own; self-published decks are readily available, yet the triad of author, illustrator, and publisher is common. This is the process employed in the original creation of the RWS deck between Waite as author, Smith as illustrator, and Rider as the publisher.
[contents]
chapter two
Chokmah (Wisdom)
A Deeper Look
Tarot is linear and logical in structure and suit. Its numerical ordering contains the capacity to extend in all directions at once. This is the reason tarot can be used for fortunetelling or spiritual exploration both exclusively or simultaneously. It is why tarot works well for psychological analysis or artistic inspiration. Tarot’s path and usage zigzags and takes peculiar, strange turns through history. Upon its publication in 1909, the RWS deck appeared quietly, with little fanfare. How did this particular pack of cards sell millions of copies decades after its initial appearance? How did the RWS dec
k beguile users, foster a cultural tarot explosion, and become the number-one tarot deck in the world?
The RWS deck is a result of three particular talents and personalities. Their paths crossed at different points in history. The story and success of the RWS deck teaches an evocative lesson regarding personal talents or life’s purpose for anyone who approaches the cards. It is impossible to predict and sometimes even destructive to idealize what a future life of success, happiness, and fulfillment will look like. “The universe works in mysterious ways,” so the saying goes. This sentiment was never more true than with the historical evolution of the RWS deck.
The dots of our lives connect in ways we can scarcely comprehend. Outcomes and possibilities often unfold in unimaginable ways. It’s better to do our best in the moment and release personal attachment to any particular outcome. Trust. Let mysterious forces take care of the details for us while we focus on the work at hand. This notion is not random flagrancy toward the future, nor is it a recipe for irresponsibility. Strive to do the best work possible and trust it will work itself out. Examine your past; you’ll see this element at play and know it to be true.
The story of the three people responsible for the RWS deck reminds us of this lesson. Each one of them answered a specific personal calling. Each one of them showed up daily and worked hard. Each one of them has secured a place for themselves in history. They speak to us, informing us through their work, dedication, and perseverance, as they are living inside the RWS deck. They remind us to stay true to our inner stirrings, to trust our unique voice, and to focus on the task at hand.