Tarot for Writers

by Corrine Kenner

  Antithesis (Reaction)

  Synthesis (Movement)

  Thesis/Action-The Star. After seven years alone on an interstellar transport ship, a renegade space explorer named Branch Rascal lands on the planet of Stern Ibis 17. Much to his delight, he learns that this new world is populated by unclothed Amazonian beauties.

  Antithesis/Reaction-The Five of Swords. Branch doesn't announce his arrival immediately. Instead, he decides to study the women surreptitiously. His light-bending spacesuit makes him almost invisible, so he can walk among them undetected.

  Synthesis/Movement-The Hermit. After familiarizing himself with their society and culture, Branch finally approaches the women in a guise he knows they can accept-that of a simple traveler from a nearby mountain range.

  Storyboards

  Screenwriters and moviemakers create storyboards before they start filming, so they can visualize every scene in a film. The technique lends itself to almost any style of creative writing-and it's easy to do with tarot cards. Simply arrange-and rearrangeany number of cards until they tell a story from beginning to end. Diagram their positions, and note their significance.

  Writing Practice

  While you're developing a storyboard, attach self-stick notes to the cards you're using. Later, you can sketch your completed storyboard and outline your thoughts in your notebook.

  Variations on a Theme

  When other people learn that you're writing a story or a novel, they'll probably ask the same question: What is your story about? Granted, they might want to hear a threeminute synopsis of your story-but what most people really want to know is the theme of your story. A theme is the underlying point of a story. Fairy tales, for example, have clearly defined themes: don't cry wolf, don't go into the woods alone, and don't share your picnic basket with strangers. Fables go so far as to include a theme in the moral of the story: slow but steady wins the race. Birds of a feather flock together. A man is known by the company he keeps.

  More sophisticated authors, however, generally develop their themes in more subtle ways, through symbols, allusions, metaphors, and motifs. Their themes are thoughtful explorations of universal truths, like love, loss, and the resilience of the human spiritthe very stuff that tarot cards are made of. Like a golden thread that runs throughout your narrative, a good theme will unify the characters, the plot, and the setting. It will serve as a framework for your story, and add a layer of depth and meaning to your work.

  Themes tend to develop over the course of a story, growing and changing along with the characters. From a simple series of events, a much larger concept is shaped. And as a theme reveals itself, it could surprise everyone involved-including you. Because tarot and storytelling dovetail so well, you can find any number of themes in your tarot deck. Common literary themes include:

  . The hero's journey isn't always a happy one.

  . It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

  . There's no place like home.

  . War is hell.

  . Blood is thicker than water.

  . Power corrupts.

  Writing Practice

  Draw a card from the tarot deck to determine a theme for a practice story. If you draw the Fool, for example, you may decide that your theme will be the value of innocence, or the importance of exploration. If you draw the Empress, you might want to focus on motherhood-in both its light and shadow aspects. If you draw the Hierophant, maybe your story will explore the place of organized religion in today's society-or at any time, for that matter, past, present or future. The Ten of Pentacles could inspire a story about the legacies that parents pass on to their children.

  As you continue to work with the cards, be on the lookout for images, symbols, and metaphors that will support and reinforce your theme.

  If you're ready to explore story and plot at an even deeper level, try the story models in the next chapter.

  "The little white dog pushed and prodded me up the hill, barking and nipping at my heels all the way. The higher we climbed, the lighter I felt. By the time we reached the summit, I was practically walking on air. Sadly, I had no idea what grave danger waited for us there."

  -WRITING SAMPLE BASED ON THE FOOL CARD

  -here's a remarkable correspondence between the two arts of writing and tarot reading. Writers often employ a literary model called the Hero's journey, while tarot readers typically explore a course called the Fool's Journey. The two paths parallel each other almost completely.

  The Fool's Journey

  Arthur Edward Waite, the occult writer who helped design the classic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, said the Fool is a spirit in search of experience. How does he go about gaining that experience? By traveling through the rest of the tarot deck, in an allegorical "Fool's Journey."

  To see the Fool's journey at a glance, divide the numbered Major Arcana cards into three rows of seven cards. The three rows depict three stages of life-youth, maturity, and mastery-and each card represents a milestone along the way.

  First row. As children and young adults, most of us first learn the basics of our physical existence-and like the Magician, we learn how our movements and our will can change the world around us. We also learn to relate to our parents, the Empress and the Emperor, as well as teachers and other authority figures, like the Hierophant. As we reach adolescence, we start to think of ourselves as Lovers, and we steer a course for adulthood, like the Charioteer.

  Second row. As young adults, we master other life lessons: we learn to find the courage and Strength to face our fears and insecurities. We learn to stand on our own two feet, like the Hermit. We experience the cyclical nature of luck and Fortune, as well as the inevitable struggle for equanimity and Justice. Most of us also learn that we will be expected to make sacrifices like the Hanged Man, face Death in its many forms, and find balance in Temperance.

  Third row. The older we get, the more complex our lessons become. We learn that we must face our demons-the dark and shadowy world of the Devil-and we experience the dramatic, unexpected shakeups of the Tower. At the same time, however, we master the bright side: we learn to find guidance and support in the luminaries of the Star, the Moon, and the Sun. We learn to forgive and find new life, through judgement. Ultimately, we learn that the cycles-and the lessons-repeat themselves, and that every ending leads to a World of new beginnings.

  Writing Practice

  When you're working with specific characters in mind, try to determine where they are on their own Fool's Journey. You can shuffle the deck and pull cards until you reach a Major Arcana card, or you can consciously relate events from your character's story to the cards.

  Take, for example, a fictional character who's about to get his driver's license. He is literally-and metaphorically-stepping into the role of a Charioteer.

  The Hero's Journey

  The Fool's journey closely parallels the Hero's journey-the literary model that Joseph Campbell first outlined in The Hero with a Thousand Faces.* It's probably no coincidence: both the Fool's Journey and the Hero's journey spring from the well of archetypal experience.

  The Hero's journey involves several rites of passage, all of which revolve around a basic storyline of separation, initiation, transformation, and return. The model dovetails with a number of popular epics, including Star Wars and the Harry Potter series. And even though the Hero's journey dates back to the Iliad and the Odyssey, the storyline feels fresh and familiar to modem audiences, too.

  It's easy to find the Hero's Journey in the cards. On the next page, you can even see it illustrated with some representative tarot cards.

  1. The Ordinary World. As the Hero's Journey begins, the protagonist is simply going about his everyday life. In the tarot, our hero is the "everyman" of the deck-the Fool.

  2. The Call to Adventure. Without warning, a herald appears, and the hero learns that there's a whole other world beyond the place he calls home. The herald could be the angel of judgement, trumpeting the awakening call t
o a new life.

  3. Refusal of the Call. The hero typically tries to ignore the call to adventure-or even refuse it outright. He tries to remain in place, like the figure in the Four of Cups.

  4. Allies, Mentors, and Helpers. Destiny and fate won't leave him alone, and the hero meets a wide range of characters who help him overcome his reluctance to proceed. The wise old Hermit, for example, might become the hero's best advisor, or a supernatural helper like the Magician could offer magical gifts and powers.

  5. The Crossing of the Threshold. Ultimately, the hero has no choice but to proceed. Like the man in the Eight of Cups, he sets out on his quest.

  6. Guardians and Gatekeepers, like the High Priestess, test the hero's commitment to his calling. He'll meet them coming and going, both as he embarks on his adventure and as he tries to make a return trip home.

  7. The Road of Trials. As his story picks up speed, the hero undergoes a series of challenges-each one seemingly insurmountable, but all designed to help him reach his full potential. He finds the Strength to overcome his fears. He faces his demons, slays his dragons, and outsmarts the Devil himself.

  8. The Supreme Ordeal. As the story reaches its climax, the hero finds himself in "the belly of the whale"-the final line between his old life and the new world that awaits him. Either literally or metaphorically, he'll face imprisonment in the Toweruntil he's freed by a bolt of lightning that destroys all of his old preconceptions and ideas. The supreme ordeal can take several forms:

  9. The Meeting with the Goddess. During his journey, the hero often meets the queen of the world-like the Empress, a symbol of Mother Earth.

  10. Woman as Temptress. An irresistible woman, like the Star, could tempt him to abandon his pursuits.

  11. Atonement with the Father. The hero could come up against a powerful father figure, like the Emperor. The hero will have to come to terms with him before he can complete his mission.

  12. The Abyss. During his ordeal, the hero will probably meet Death face to face, too. A hard-fought victory at this stage will leave him feeling reborn, with a new awareness and a new appreciation for life.

  13. The Ultimate Boon or the Theft of the Elixir. Once he passes through his ordeal, the hero wins his reward: the elixir of life, the Holy Grail, or his own personal Ace of Cups. At that point, the hero is practically home free. At last, he realizes his ultimate truth and discovers the meaning of life.

  14. Flight. Unfortunately, the hero is probably still in danger; he'll need to plan a strategic Chariot-style escape with his prize.

  15. Rescue from Without. The hero could get help from the outside world: one of the allies, mentors, or sidekicks he met along the way, like the Magician, could stage a rescue or an intervention.

  16. Master of the Two Worlds. By the conclusion of the story, the hero has developed a sense of mastery over both of the worlds he's experienced. Like Temperance, he can bridge the gap between ordinary life and magical ability, along with the extremes of physical and spiritual existence, inner and outer realities, and human and divine interactions. Ultimately, the hero will discover the best prize of all: wisdom.

  Writing Practice

  Some of the correspondences between the Hero's journey and the cards are obvious. The Magician card, for example, naturally corresponds to the magician archetype. Other associations, however, are more personal. You may want to decide for yourself which tarot cards you would connect to each step of the Hero's journey.

  The Hero's Journey Spread

  This spread offers a simplified version of the Hero's journey that brings a hero-and a story-full circle.

  Writing Practice

  Develop a story based on a random draw of the cards and the Hero's journey spread. Here's an example inspired by the mythology of the first card, justice.

  1. The Ordinary World Justice. Our heroine, the goddess Themis, divides her time between her temple in Athens and her home on Mount Olympus.

  2. The Call to Adventure-Death. As an immortal, Themis has been dispensing justice for centuries-but she's never experienced the human temptation to do wrong, or the desperation that a sense of mortality can impart. When Death passes by on his way to collect a condemned man, he invites Themis to visit his realm.

  3. Refusal of the Call-Seven of Swords. Themis is intrigued, but she decides she's too busy to leave her post. The demands of the judicial system don't allow her any time to sneak away.

  4. Allies, Mentors, and Helpers-Six of Pentacles. Themis happens to mention her decision to two of her assistants. They assure her that they can fill in during her absence.

  5. The Crossing of the Threshold-Six of Swords. Themis, intrigued by the detailed account of her precepts, accepts Death's invitation, and she crosses the River Styx into the Underworld.

  6. Guardians and Gatekeepers-Knight of Wands. A sentry at the gates of Hell blocks her entrance. It's his job to make sure that newcomers are truly dead-but as an immortal, Themis can't even prove that she has a soul. She must convince a sentry that is a friend of Death. It's such a bizarre claim that she's admitted through the door.

  7. The Road of Trials-Five of Wands. The labyrinth passageways are not what Themis expected. All around her, a mob of confused and disoriented dead souls are elbowing their way to the various levels of Hell.

  8. The Supreme Ordeal-The Moon. Themis breaks free of the crowd and turns into an overlooked stone doorway on her right. She finds herself in a moonlit field, where she's chased by wolves. At last she reaches a stone circle, which she recognizes as an ancient holy site.

  9. The Abyss-Three of Pentacles. She enters the circle, and finds herself in a dark, smoky courtroom. It's packed with the souls of corrupt lawyers, judges, and jurors who now conduct meaningless mock trials in Hell. They're delighted to find themselves in a position of power over Themis; they quickly charge her with insensitivity to the human condition, and sentence her to death.

  10. The Ultimate Boon-The Devil. Themis is turned over to a demon, who mounts an iron collar around her neck and chains her to a dungeon wall. As he raises the chains, strangling her, Themis protests that she has only come to visit Death-not to experience it personally. Her pleas fall on deaf ears. As blackness surrounds her, the demon's maniacal laughter is the last thing she hears.

  11. The Return-Page of Cups. When the darkness clears, Themis realizes with a start that she's been incarnated as a mortal, human child.

  12. Master of Two Worlds-Two of Cups. She is thrilled to experience a lifetime of human events. When she dies again, she'll resume her throne, blessed with the experience of human existence.

  Characters and plot both need a place and time to call home-a scene for the action. The next chapter will help you explore a setting for your story.

  "After six days of rain, Jeff and Claudine feared they would find no escape from their own gloomy downpour of bitterness and resentment. They snapped at each other incessantly. They brooded in dark corners. Each blamed the other for the wet dog smell that permeated the house. At last, on the seventh day, the clouds broke and a glimmering rainbow arched across the sky. The children scampered outside, dancing for joy. As Jeff and Claudine followed, all of their troubles seemed to wash away."

  -WRITING SAMPLE BASED ON THE TEN OF CUPS CARD

  very story is set in its own place and time. The setting helps establish atmosphere and mooda mountaintop, after all, is a far different place than a coral reef. A well-chosen setting will also help your readers understand the characters, conflict, and theme of your story.

  Location, Location, Location

  You'll find a wide range of settings in the landscape of the cards: urban and rural, rich and poor, packed with people, or empty and barren. There's no shortage of sights and scenes to fill your story with realistic details and descriptions. Try pulling cards to represent the setting of your story, and fill in the details with imagery from other cards. It's okay to mix and match-in fact, that's an easy way to create a story world that's all your own. You can even create an enti
rely new universe for your characters to inhabit.

  Once you've determined the overall setting for your story, you can also draw cards to illustrate individual scenes. While your story might be set near the seashore, for example, your characters can move in and out of buildings, find themselves in a nearby forest, or take short trips to the city. If you're working with the Hero's journey model, use tarot cards to distinguish between the character's ordinary world-the way things used to be-and the extraordinary, in which most of the drama takes place.

  Writing Practice

  Pull one card to represent the setting of your story, and then pull two more cards to add details and dimension to that setting; simply choose at least one image from each to incorporate in your story. Here are three sample cards that could help delineate the setting of a murder mystery:

  Setting

  Detail 1

  Detail 2

  Setting-Strength. The mystery will be set inside a hilltop castle.

  Detail 1-Two of Swords. The castle has a moat; that's probably where the body will be discovered.

  Detail 2-Ten of Pentacles. The castle also has walls with arched entryways; those are good places for suspects to linger in shadow and disappear.

  Behind the Scenes

  If you'd like to get a close-up view of the scenes and settings in your story, imagine yourself inside the cards, exploring the landscape and meeting personally with the characters you find there. You can use meditation and visualization as a gateway into the cards.

  First, find a quiet spot where no one will interrupt you. Choose one card from the deck. Sit comfortably in a chair, with your feet firmly on the floor, and breathe deeply.

  Relax and look at the card in front of you. Note every detail. As you study the card, imagine it growing larger and larger, until it stands before you like a doorway into another world. Picture yourself walking through that doorway and into the card. Look around, and describe what you see. What do you notice that you couldn't see from outside the card? What do you hear? What do you smell? What is the weather like? How does it feel to be inside the card?