My very first tarot reading
Jun. 9th, 2007 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pegkerrI bought my Druidcraft tarot deck about a month ago and I got my Jane Austen tarot deck today, but I've never used either one of them. I've been reading the companion books and just mulling over the cards. Today I decided to get started.
I performed a simple little ritual to bless the decks, and then I spread out a scarf with a holy tree on it (not silk, but I still like it) on the table. I had given much thought to what I should choose as my first question and finally came up with this:
"What do I need to know about beginning to study and use the tarot?"
1. Queen of cups
2. Prince of Cups
3. Seven of Pentacles
4. Princess of Cups
5. Ten of Cups
6. Six of Pentacles
7. Nine of Cups
8. Seven of Wands (reversed)
9. Six of Wands (reversed)
10. Eight of Cups
11. Five of Wands (reversed)
I did the Celtic Cross spread.
1. Significator - Queen of Cups. This card represents me, and when I saw it, I thought, coolness. She is identified as an excellent mother, therapist and friend, often involved in artistic pursuits. Can be highly intuitive and psychic. It felt like me, and it felt like an auspicious card for someone interested in beginning the study of tarot.
2. The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Prince of cups. Caring, sensitive, artistic, keenly aware of spiritual world. Someone who follows his own heart. Also a good counselor and therapist. I identified this as being interested in following my own impulse to study the tarot; again, my intuitive strengths should serve me well.
3. The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way. Seven of Pentacles, My book says that this card advises you to take a break and clear clutter from your life and take stock before moving forward.
4. The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Princess of cups, sensitive to dreams and the world of feelings. Again, a court cups card. This can denote the beginning of a project or entering a phase of your life where you can follow your dreams. And hey, I'm beginning to study tarot.
5. The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Ten of cups. A happy and fulfilled life, based on love and family.
6. The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Six of Pentacles, giving and receiving benefits. Not quite sure how to read this. Should I release the idea of studying tarot because I will "get something out of it" and instead strive to be more holistic in my approach?
7. The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Nine of cups. Enjoyment and celebration, with a hint that something may still be missing from your life (a place still needs to be laid at the table).
8. The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Seven of wands, reversed. You may be struggling with other people's objections to what you have done, or you may be feeling overwhelmed or beset with anxiety or embarrassment. This makes me think of what I had posted earlier about the hesitations about tarot in general which have delayed my beginning study for so long.
9. The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Six of wands, reversed. You may lack self-confidence to push toward your dreams, or be plagued by a sense of defeatism. True; this is a factor in my life in general (doubts about job situation, despair that I'll ever find anything right) which I imagine might slop over into my dealings with tarot.
10. The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Eight of cups. A relationship, work project or creative endeavor may have fulfilled its purpose and it may now be time for you to move on. I imagine this is wrapped up with my general sense that I need to move on to find a new purpose for my life in general (is writing still involved? If I start studying tarot, what will it lead me to in general?) The card shows an eclipse, indicating my awareness of the Other within myself (a shadow inside my psyche?) which prompts my movement.
11. The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Five of wands, reversed. The challenged being posed is "How should I act? What should I do?" Presumably these are questions I will explore as I begin using and studying tarot.
I note the total lack of major arcana, or any swords (air/intellect/thought). I don't know about major arcana, but the preponderance of cups vs. swords makes sense: I've wanted to study tarot because I want to develop my intuitive rather than intellectual side. On the one hand, I feel sure I have strong intuition, probably developed by becoming the best mother I can be (I am the Queen of Cups, after all) but on the other, I don't have much confidence in my ability to use or control it yet, hence my desire to study the tarot. Note that I have a heavy preponderance of cups, including all the court cards except the king. All the wands, interestingly, are reversed. Note, too, that the general tendency is for the suit to go down numerically: we start from the Queen and go down until we end at the five of wands, reversed.
Well, I have only a rather tentative idea of what I'm doing, but that was fun.
I performed a simple little ritual to bless the decks, and then I spread out a scarf with a holy tree on it (not silk, but I still like it) on the table. I had given much thought to what I should choose as my first question and finally came up with this:
"What do I need to know about beginning to study and use the tarot?"
1. Queen of cups
2. Prince of Cups
3. Seven of Pentacles
4. Princess of Cups
5. Ten of Cups
6. Six of Pentacles
7. Nine of Cups
8. Seven of Wands (reversed)
9. Six of Wands (reversed)
10. Eight of Cups
11. Five of Wands (reversed)
I did the Celtic Cross spread.
1. Significator - Queen of Cups. This card represents me, and when I saw it, I thought, coolness. She is identified as an excellent mother, therapist and friend, often involved in artistic pursuits. Can be highly intuitive and psychic. It felt like me, and it felt like an auspicious card for someone interested in beginning the study of tarot.
2. The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Prince of cups. Caring, sensitive, artistic, keenly aware of spiritual world. Someone who follows his own heart. Also a good counselor and therapist. I identified this as being interested in following my own impulse to study the tarot; again, my intuitive strengths should serve me well.
3. The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way. Seven of Pentacles, My book says that this card advises you to take a break and clear clutter from your life and take stock before moving forward.
4. The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Princess of cups, sensitive to dreams and the world of feelings. Again, a court cups card. This can denote the beginning of a project or entering a phase of your life where you can follow your dreams. And hey, I'm beginning to study tarot.
5. The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Ten of cups. A happy and fulfilled life, based on love and family.
6. The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Six of Pentacles, giving and receiving benefits. Not quite sure how to read this. Should I release the idea of studying tarot because I will "get something out of it" and instead strive to be more holistic in my approach?
7. The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Nine of cups. Enjoyment and celebration, with a hint that something may still be missing from your life (a place still needs to be laid at the table).
8. The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Seven of wands, reversed. You may be struggling with other people's objections to what you have done, or you may be feeling overwhelmed or beset with anxiety or embarrassment. This makes me think of what I had posted earlier about the hesitations about tarot in general which have delayed my beginning study for so long.
9. The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Six of wands, reversed. You may lack self-confidence to push toward your dreams, or be plagued by a sense of defeatism. True; this is a factor in my life in general (doubts about job situation, despair that I'll ever find anything right) which I imagine might slop over into my dealings with tarot.
10. The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Eight of cups. A relationship, work project or creative endeavor may have fulfilled its purpose and it may now be time for you to move on. I imagine this is wrapped up with my general sense that I need to move on to find a new purpose for my life in general (is writing still involved? If I start studying tarot, what will it lead me to in general?) The card shows an eclipse, indicating my awareness of the Other within myself (a shadow inside my psyche?) which prompts my movement.
11. The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Five of wands, reversed. The challenged being posed is "How should I act? What should I do?" Presumably these are questions I will explore as I begin using and studying tarot.
I note the total lack of major arcana, or any swords (air/intellect/thought). I don't know about major arcana, but the preponderance of cups vs. swords makes sense: I've wanted to study tarot because I want to develop my intuitive rather than intellectual side. On the one hand, I feel sure I have strong intuition, probably developed by becoming the best mother I can be (I am the Queen of Cups, after all) but on the other, I don't have much confidence in my ability to use or control it yet, hence my desire to study the tarot. Note that I have a heavy preponderance of cups, including all the court cards except the king. All the wands, interestingly, are reversed. Note, too, that the general tendency is for the suit to go down numerically: we start from the Queen and go down until we end at the five of wands, reversed.
Well, I have only a rather tentative idea of what I'm doing, but that was fun.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-10 04:30 am (UTC)I haven't had a reading in oh so long...
:: raises hand to volunteer for your practice ::
A Suggestion to Make
Date: 2007-06-10 07:16 pm (UTC)Also, I recommend you don't worry too much about reversed cards at present - it's much more to remember, and there are lots of negative cards as it is. Read them all as upright for the time being, and you'll get the right cards for the message they are trying to impart.
I hope this helps. Nameste.
Re: A Suggestion to Make
Date: 2007-06-10 07:47 pm (UTC)Do you have any books or websites to particularly recommend for a rank beginner?
Thank you! I am obliged.
Re: A Suggestion to Make
Date: 2007-06-11 02:51 am (UTC)Nameste
Re: A Suggestion to Make
Date: 2007-06-11 03:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-11 02:08 am (UTC)A very good question for a first reading!
I do agree that three-card readings are a good way to develop your "chops" and get familiar with the cards, but I don't think you need to dismiss the Celtic Cross either, even as a beginner. It will just take you longer to process a larger reading, that's all.
My gut response when I first read this post was, wow, that's a good reading, looks like she's got a good sense of this, here. I would suggest you keep working with this reading, studying the meanings of the cards and meditating on them -- and though I would first focus on grasping the primary, upright meaning, I would not totally disregard the reversals, just contemplate the upright meaning, absorb that, then consider the reversed meaning and how that might affect it. You are a novelist, after all, and used to handling complexity and nuance in a story, so I think that even though you're new to this form of discerning a "story," you have the tools within yourself to handle it, even as a "beginner."
Meanwhile, go on and do three-card readings, daily or weekly or whatever works for you, for the above-mentioned practice and chop-developing. A daily "card of the day" draw is also a good practice for a beginner, and a good way to study the cards. And if you keep drawing the same card, despite mighty shuffling... well, yes, that is significant. ;-)
BTW, you also were incredibly helpful in the interpretation of that reading I did for myself that night at the coffeehouse! Been meaning to tell you, but hadn't yet gotten around to discussing it. The most useful insight was the emphasis on confidence and overcoming any feelings of insecurity about myself as a writer; and having read your comments on your own reading, I guess you were speaking from experience. Confidence is 90% of the battle for us all, it appears.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-13 12:50 am (UTC)I don't think the fabric type for the scarf makes much difference. Some people believe that silk is necessary to protect the energies involved, but I don't think that's true.
I did find that I was waiting for the karma card. There's no reason why you should use one, but readings seem odd to me now without one. I add an additional card to readings, where I place it depends on the lay used, but the idea is to represent the force of karma/destiny/God/the Goddess/the ghods/call-it-what-you-will. Sometimes this card will cause a shift in how I see the others. You might give it a try, if you feel inclined.
Both of the two decks you mention are unfamiliar to me. The Jane Austin one sounds particularly interesting. (Although this one does too.) But of course, I adore Tarot decks of all types. I, too, would be delighted to be practiced upon should that ever be a convenient possiblity.