Hướng dẫn bói bài Tarot Tarot for personal and spiritual growth course

TAROT For Personal and Spiritual Growth A Self-Paced Course Healing From Within Self-Empowerment Series Susan Goldman Eller, M.A Healing From Within – Self-Empowerment Series Tarot For Personal and Spiritual Growth Beginning Tarot Course by Susan Goldman Eller, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson Greetings What is Tarot My background with Tarot About the course Origins and History Setting the stage for a reading Getting Acquainted With Your Cards How The Deck Is Divided Greetings! Welcome to Tarot for personal and spiritual growth I hope you find this course interesting, useful, and fun Although Tarot is often associated with fortune telling, that is only one of its uses My focus has always been to use it as a tool to self-awareness, inner healing, and personal transformation I will be using the Rider-Waite deck designed by Arthur Edward Waite in collaboration with the artist, Pamela Colman Smith The Rider deck is most often used as a beginning deck because of its in-depth imagery Other decks that are comparable are the Morgan Greer, Hanson Roberts, Aquarian, and the Sacred Rose If you use another deck other than the Rider just take into consideration that the pictures and symbolism will be different Please note that this course is under copyright and cannot be duplicated in any form without prior permission What is Tarot? Tarot is a symbolic system in the form of pictorial images on cards Actually the Tarot is an ancient book of knowledge and wisdom in the form of cards It consists of two decks, the Major and Minor Arcana The Tarot is also a philosophical and psychological tool that can help you understand yourself in relation to life and the universe I have also found that it is a wonderful way to communicate with your guides and higher self When you go on a journey, it helps to have a map The Tarot is such a map It is a map of human consciousness and depicts one’s journey toward wholeness, balance, and enlightenment By using it you can access higher guidance, facilitate decision-making, heighten awareness, clarify options, increase your intuition, and expand creativity My background with Tarot My discovery of Tarot dates back to 1975 when I became involved with a psychic healing group in Northern California They used Tarot and hand analysis as a way to counsel people before doing a healing Therefore right at the beginning my focus with Tarot was on healing, counseling, personal and spiritual growth I gave myself a reading every day, asked questions from my colleagues, and referred to a Xeroxed manual called the “Psychic Tarot” Eventually I began giving friends readings and after a year took my first Tarot class From then on it all seemed to coalesce The classes brought everything I had been studying together for me in a clear, comprehensive, and enlightening manner Eventually I began teaching Tarot classes In 1983 I received a masters degree in psychology from Antioch University in San Francisco The program I attended was completely experimental It was called Holistic Studies and I was able to write my thesis on Tarot as a symbolic journey towards wholeness Tarot author, Mary Greer was on my thesis committee As a result of my studies at Antioch I learned how to integrate Tarot with counseling Part of the power of Tarot is that the cards mirror facets about our personality including our blocks, challenges and negative belief systems The Tarot also reflects how we can transform those blocks in order to evolve our personality It is a dynamic system of unlimited creative potential About the course This course is a compilation of 25 years of experience and study Use it as a guideline while developing your own intuitive responses to the cards and their messages You will find that over time your connection with the cards will deepen especially when applied to your own daily life experiences As you bond with the energy of the cards you will feel more confident to readings for others It's okay to look up interpretations of the cards However you might want to try letting the cards speak to you in your own way Just remember that before doing a reading it's best to ask for the highest guidance possible Simply close your eyes, center yourself, ask for higher guidance, and write down whatever comes to you Or you could just look at the card and see what image attracts you and write about that The cards provide a pathway to connect your conscious and subconscious mind with that of your superconscious or higher self I encourage you to have respect for your cards yet be playful and explorational in your approach May your journey with Tarot enrich your life Origins and History No one knows the true origins of Tarot The following account is an abbreviated version of its history A detailed account of the Tarot’s origin and history can be found in the book “The Tarot: The Origins, Meanings and uses of the Cards” by Alfred Douglas I have also taken from two other sources “Tarot For Yourself”, by Mary K Greer, and “Jewels of the Wise” by the Holy Order of Mans Scholars agree that playing cards date back to eleventh century China and Korea The design of the cards seem to be based on paper money However, there is no direct correlation between these cards and the Tarot The earliest evidence we have of Tarot cards is of the Visconti-Sforza deck created approximately in 1415 for a marriage between the Italian Visconti and Sforza families The major trumps were well developed in this deck It is believed that the oldest cards still in existence are French Seventeen of these cards can be found in the Biblioteque Nationale at Paris Sixteen of them are the major trumps of the Tarot The belief is that these handpainted cards were part of the pack that was made for Charles VI of France in 1312 Records show that cards were known in France, Switzerland, and Belgium by 1379 Many myths and legends surround the origins of the cards Some believe that the pack was brought to Europe by fortune-telling Gypsies who migrated from either Egypt or India Some have tried to link the meaning of Tarot to the ancient Egyptian word, Tarosh meaning “the royal way”and have associated it with the “Book of Thoth” In 1854 Eliphas Levi linked the Tarot with the Kaballah, the esoteric Jewish system The main diagram of the Kaballah is the Tree of Life upon which the entire Tarot can be placed In 1886 the Order of the Golden Dawn was founded The Golden Dawn practiced elaborate rituals and visualization using the Tarot and the kaballistic Tree of Life Some famous occultists were members of the Golden Dawn such as Dion Fortune, Israel Regardie, Evelyn Underhill, Aleister Crowley, Paul Foster Case, and Arthur Edward Waite (the author of the Rider-Waite deck) In the last 30 years or so we have witnessed a Tarot renaissance Many decks, books and courses of study have emerged on the subject Setting The Stage For A Reading Before doing a reading or any kind of psychic/intuitive work it’s important that you ground yourself Grounding means that you connect with the earth This helps you to be more present so that you can more effectively channel The following are some suggestions for grounding GROUNDING EXERCISES Stand or sit with your feet planted firmly on the ground Line up your body so that you feel centered and your chin is parallel to the floor Imagine that there is a cord extended upward from the crown of your head which pulls you up so that the vertebrae of your spine are aligned one on top of the other Relax your shoulders and back Breathe evenly Focus your attention on the soles of your feet Feel the energy there Imagine that from the bottom of each foot there is a rod of energy that extends down into the ground, deep into the earth Breathe in this energy through the soles of your feet Feel it circulate around your feet, your toes, on up to your ankles The energy now moves up your legs to your calves, your knees, your thighs and up to your hips Feel this earth energy move up through your whole body, to your shoulders, neck, arms and hands Feel it move up your head and all the way out through your crown at the top of your head Now visualize a golden light descending from above which enters through the top of your head See it move down through your head to your neck, your shoulders, down through your whole body to your thighs, down your legs and out through the soles of your feet Do this until you feel connected with the earth energy below and the light energy from above (If you are sitting cross-legged on the floor, imagine that your grounding cord extends down from the base of your spine.) You can the above exercise and imagine that the earth energy is green After completing the exercise once repeat blending the green and gold energies together so that there is a 50/50 ratio of earth energy and universal energy For an abbreviated version of the first exercise imagine a shaft of light descending from above that envelops your whole body, grounding you to the earth below You can also imagine a golden cord that descends through your crown down through the center of your body, grounding you into the earth ASKING FOR PROTECTION It is important to call forth protection This is also called shielding There are various ways you can this It always helps to imagine that you surround yourself with white light Another method is to call forth protection via an invocation or prayer The following is an exercise I like Close your eyes, take a slow deep breath and tune into your heart center Surround your heart with a circle of light See this light grow and expand until it surrounds your whole body with a protective aura of brilliant white light Now ask for Divine protection and guidance For further protection declare this in the form of an invocation For example, before starting a Tarot session I state the following invocation: Dear Mother, Father, God/Goddess We ask to be divinely guided and protected May only the highest love and wisdom come forth today May what is to be revealed be clearly expressed and understood And May whatever comes through be for our highest good Thy will be done Thank you Amen Be sure to request that the highest guides and angels be present to protect and assist you Guides and angels are available to us all the time but we have to ask for their help, otherwise they will not interfere with our free will Getting Acquainted With Your Cards Before we cover the meanings of the cards I would like you to take your tarot deck out of its box and shuffle them Mix your energies with them The more you handle your deck, the more you will establish a connection with them It’s a good idea to bless and consecrate your deck There are several ways you can this You can hold them in your hands and say a prayer over them, smudge them, recite a chant, or sound three “Oms” Another method you might try is to hold your cards to your heart and imagine that a beam of white light descends from above which infuses your deck with the highest love, wisdom, and blessings possible From now on when you are not using your cards, keep them wrapped in a silk cloth and stored either in a special pouch or in a wooden box This will protect them and keep their energy high Keep a Tarot Journal I strongly recommend keeping a Tarot journal It will help you notice any patterns with your readings such as recurring cards It also facilitates learning When you give yourself a reading record the reading in your journal Be sure and date it so that you can refer to it later If you have done a reading in the morning on your upcoming day refer to your notes later See if the day has given you any other insights into your reading The following is an exercise to help you get familiar with a reading Exercise: Without looking at any meanings give yourself a one to three card reading If you a three card reading, read the cards from left to right to make up a strory First ground yourself and ask your guides for the highest guidance possible Then decide what kind of reading you would like For example, would you like general guidance, a card to represent the day, or would you like to ask a specific question? Record this in your journal Next shuffle your cards until you feel that you have shuffled enough Just let your intuition guide you Then cut the cards so that there are three piles Stack one pile on top of the other moving from left to right so that once again you have one stack of cards At this point simply take the top card off the deck, turn it over, then lay it down so that you can see the illustration Another method is to fan the cards after you shuffle them Then glide your non-dominant hand over the cards until you feel it is time to stop, then select a card Now look at your card If the card is upside down, called reversed, turn it right side up Do not worry about reversed cards at this point As you look at your card notice what feelings it evokes Does the illustration remind you of anything? Are there any figures in the card and if so what is going on? If you could talk to these characters what might they say? Use your imagination Pretend you are a figure in the scene What would you be doing? Does it relate to anything in your life? Create a story Record your impressions in your journal If you like you can then look up the meaning This exercise will help you develop your intuition as well as establish a stronger connection to the meanings of the cards It’s okay if your impressions differ from the meanings in a book The meanings are just a guideline Allow the pictures and symbols to stimulate your creativity, imagination, and intuition How The Deck Is Divided The traditional tarot deck consists of seventy-eight cards and are divided into two decks, the Major and Minor Arcana The twenty-two Major Arcana represent universal laws and principles When realized these spiritual archetypes uncover the truth within us and reveal the path of selfrealization The 56 Minor Arcana divide into four suits similar to our playing cards of today and demonstate: Our everyday situations and how we deal with them Our subpersonalities Psychological blocks Life lessons, opportunities, and challenges The four suits of the Minor Arcana are wands, pentacles, swords, and cups The following is a description of the minor arcana Wands – element fire – relates to qualities such as passion, selfgrowth, enthusiasm, spirit, creativity, desire, action and movement Pentacles – element earth – relates to work, finances, health, studies, crafts, results, manifestation, grounding, the physical and material plane Swords – element air – relates to thoughts, analysis, defenses, conflict, communication, criticism, and decisions Cups – element water – relates to feelings, emotions, imagination, intuition, dreams, visualization, being psychic, receptivity, and reflection Exercise: Go through your deck and pull out all the Major Arcana cards The Major Arcana are usually numbered with roman numerals on the top and state the name of the card on the bottom The following are the names of the Major Arcana O The Fool I The Magician II The High Priestess III The Empress IV The Emperor V The Hierophant VI The Lovers VII The Chariot VIII Strength IX The Hermit X The Wheel Of Fortune XI Justice XII The Hanged Man XIII Death XIV Temperance XV The Devil XVI The Tower XVII The Star XVIII The Moon XIX The Sun XX Judgement XXI The World Once you have all the Major Arcana cards sorted out from the deck, put them in order from – 21 Next lay them out in three rows of seven with the number The Fool at the top See the illustration below 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 What you see before you is the journey of self-realization as pictured by the path of Tarot The Fool is on top because it is a free spirit and can go anywhere The first line below The Fool consists of I The Magician, II The High Priestess, III The Empress, IV The Emperor, V The Hierophant, VI The Lovers, and VII The Chariot The next line of cards shows VIII Strength, IX The Hermit, X The Wheel Of Fortune, XI Justice, XII The Hanged Man, XIII Death, and XIV Temperance The last line contains XV The Devil, XVI The Tower, XVII The Star, XVIII The Moon, XIX Judgement, XX The Sun, and XXI The World Take a few moments to look at the cards in front of you As you look at the pictures you see any similarities either in design or color? For example, in the Rider deck the High Priestess, The Hierophant, And The Justice cards all show someone seated between two columns The Lovers, Temperance, and Judgement cards all have angels in the background The illustrations in The Lovers and The Devil cards are similar Both have a large figure behind a man and a woman This is the journey you will be taking In the next chapter you will go through the Major Arcana cards starting with The Fool I suggest you keep this layout in front of you as you journey through the cards You will be studying one card at a time so you will probably need to go through the process of ordering (putting the cards in order ) the Major Arcana several times This will help you become more familiar with them Put the Major Arcana cards aside for now Next go through the deck and pull out all the Minor Arcana Look for the four suits – wands, cups, swords, and pentacles Work with the Ace through 10 first Lay them out in order before you Then you can lay out the court cards which go in order of Page, Knight, Queen, and King Homework and Review Keep a Tarot Journal Pull one to three cards a day and record your impressions Do the getting acquainted exercise Questions: When you pulled a card did it remind you of anything in your life right now? What was it like to dialogue with a figure in the card? What was it like to lay out all the Major Arcana cards? Copyright  Susan Goldman Eller, 1999 All rights reserved behaviour Perhaps you may have been emotionally hurt in the past and fear the re-opening of that wound Or maybe you have difficulty asking for what you need and instead lash out in defense With the five of swords, it’s time to end a mental battle and clear the air The Five of Pentacles represents worry and the need to watch for mental patterns that create undue stress and hardship If you find yourself worrying about the future or the past, try to stay in the present Usually when you receive this card it means you not need to worry Instead learn to trust the process of life Do something more constructive with your energy Find a physical release for your built up tension Use this time as an opportunity to envision something positive for yourself in the future ******** Ruled by the Lovers, the sixes demonstrate qualities such as integration, success, and pleasure once the challenges of the fives have been met and the appropriate choices have been made The number six also represents synthesis, the combining of separate elements to form a whole The Six of Wands symbolizes that you have triumphed over your obstacles The conflict at the five level has been resolved and as a result you feel joyous You are riding home free on top of your horse, which represents your personality This card also encourages you to have faith and confidence with your endeavors at this time The Six of Cups represents feeling good about yourself and the world as well as sharing those good feelings with others This is a time of enjoying even the simple pleasures of life as well as seeing your dreams and visions come to flower The Six of Swords indicates a time of transition It is a move away from pain as demonstrated by the passage of the boat from rocky to calm waters This rite of passage brings you closer to an integration between your mind and emotions so that you can end the battle between the two The Six of Pentacles symbolizes success in your endeavors You receive monetary acknowledgment for your services or product so that there is a balanced exchange of energy This card also indicates the need to establish an equal exchange for what you give with what you receive Sometimes people overextend themselves They give too much to others 51 without also receiving and giving to themselves This card indicates that success comes when you are able to maintain this balance ******** The sevens, ruled by the Chariot, represent areas of self-mastery and control as well as a need for the personality to surrender to something greater The Seven of Wands shows that things may be a bit challenging for you right now but with valor and determination you will be able to stay on top of the situation You are able to meet the challenge and to triumph This card affirms success over obstacles and opposition You work towards the solution of a personal problem The Seven of Cups indicates that there are many choices being offered you Some may not be what they appear to be You need to look beyond the surface of things, beyond the illusion and glamour of it all This card also implies a loosening of the creative imagination The Seven of Swords symbolizes the need to let go of defensiveness It could also indicate secrecy and deceit This card shows someone sneaking off with his swords There is a fear of revealing one’s true self The lesson here is to move beyond this, to be willing to be more open and straightforward This card could also imply the tendency to overanalyze a situation and the need to let go of trying to figure things out It indicates a need to surrender to not knowing the answers and to wait for the knowledge to be revealed to you The Seven of Pentacles shows someone tending his garden This represents a time of re-evaluation, of weeding your internal garden in order to make space for the new to grow and flourish This card indicates an opportunity to look at the last few weeks or months in terms of what has worked and what hasn't What you want to take with you into a new cycle What you want to leave behind? * ******* Ruled by the Strength card, the number eight stands for as above so below or the outer world is a reflection of the inner reality Eight also symbolizes the need to integrate the lower with the higher self for true strength comes when you pay attention to and honor your inner needs The Eight of Wands represents rapid, free flowing, easy growth Life moves along smoothly and swiftly now with no obstacles or 52 restrictions You have grown consderably and this card shows personal movement Goals can be met quickly The Eight of Cups depicts the turning away from what was once familiar and important to you such as old ideas, values, and beliefs in order to go on an inner search for new ones Take this time to re-connect with your inner guidance which wishes to come through for you right now Pay attention to your dreams The moon in a card represents the unconscious, dreams, inner guidance, and intuition, also receptivity The Eight of Swords illustrates what happens when there is too much mental or outside interference You feel blind and bound, not knowing what you are doing Perhaps too many people are offering different opinions You are over analyzing the situation to the point of confusion It also indicates a need to clear away states of doubt and confusion Angeles Arrien says this is the doubting, nontrusting, over-analytical mind and if you pull this card you need to wait and not act until the clarity comes The Eight of Pentacles represents the master craftsman who takes pride in his work and as a result is productive as well as accomplishes alot Just take care of the matters at hand for now Adopt a step by step approach Pay attention to details Be conscientious This could also be a time when you learn some new tools ******** The Nines, ruled by the Hermit, symbolize attainment and the near completion of a cycle or goal Number nine shows you have come a long way with some area of your life As a result you may feel resistant to move on in order to complete the cycle The Nine of Wands illustrates a turning point in which you have grown considerably and now you feel resistant to go further Maybe there have been struggles along the way You may feel tired and wonder if the struggle will ever end However, this card indicates outside support for you and that with a little more perseverance the cycle will soon end and you will feel revitalized again The Nine of Cups shows that you have reached a place of selfsatisfaction and fulfillment almost to the point of smugness You feel content with the way things are You have gathered all your cups around you which symbolize your security But you need to be careful not to close yourself off from your sensitivity and to always remain 53 open to new ideas and visions This card is sometimes referred to as the wish card meaning that it foretells happiness, contentment, physical wellbeing, and abundance The Nine of Swords symbolizes cruelty either to yourself or cruelty which is afflicted upon you by others The picture shows that you need to wake up from those old patterns of fear, anxieties, and insecurities and see that the world can be a better place This cruelty to self is often generated by old negative thoughts and beliefs that no longer serve you Learn to monitor your thoughts Replace negative thinking with affirmations and creative visualization in order to transform the negativity This card indicates is a self-destructive pattern The Nine of Pentacles shows a well-to-do woman alone in her garden and represents gain and success You have reached a level of satisfaction with the results of your efforts and now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor You experience rich rewards for your accomplishments This card can also indicate that you have attained a level of self-awareness so that you can distinguish what matters in life ******** Ten symbolizes the ending of an old cycle and the beginning of another Ruled by the Wheel of Fortune, ten represents the cycles of life and the transition from one state of being to another And, as the wheel suggests, the need to remain centered while going through this type of experience The Ten of Wands depicts someone who feels as though they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders You may have taken on too many responsibilities You have over-extended yourself and feel you have stretched yourself out too thin Life feels like a burden It's time to lighten up and see how you can best use your time and energy You need to look to see if you are taking on other people's responsibilities as your own The Ten of Cups shows the promise of things to come, your future potential, as well as the fulfillment of your dreams and visions Happiness, joy, and abundance surround you and your family The rainbow consists of the seven colors that make up the chakra system especially when in a state of health and balance It symbolizes the prize attained when you follow your heart and express your true self in the world 54 The Ten of Swords shows the ruin of self-destructive thought patterns, beliefs, and attitudes The black clouds are lifting to indicate a release of this troublesome energy from your life This requires a surrender of the ego and the pain it causes to let go of mental attachments and perceptions of who you are It's the destruction of the old way of perceiving one's self The Ten of Pentacles represents the recognition and/or wealth you receive from fully expressing your gifts and talents You receive acknowledgment and support from your family, friends, and even perhaps your community This recognition mirrors your own feelings of self-worth and accomplishment As a result you feel the richness and fullness of life Sometimes this card can also indicate an inheritance as well ********* Celtic Cross Spread 11 10 The Celtic Cross spread is the traditional layout that most people use The above illustration is my adaptation of this classic layout It is the 55 way I was taught many years ago A layout, also called a spread, describes a pattern that you use to lay out the cards Each position is assigned a meaning The following meanings were adapted by me throughout the years Position#1 - The Significator The significator signifies the main theme or issue of a reading It is also the most important card in the reading All the other cards enhance and add to this theme Some people ask that you choose your signifacator according to your sex and physical features I was not taught this way and have never done this The signifactor in my readings is always the first card I turn over Position #2 - The most positive influence for you to tune into This represents just that If the card is negative looking then this would indicate that the most positive thing for you to tune into (or be aware of) is to be careful of this particular energy In other words to see what modifications you can make to improve upon that particular quality or situation For example: If the five of wands was in this position You may be being asked to stop struggling or fighting the flow, perhaps be less aggressive, and opinionated Whereas if the three of cups were to appear in this position you might want to spend more time enjoying yourself, getting together with friends, receiving emotional support, being open and grateful to the abundance around you, getting out and have a good time Position #3 - What is blocking you or what needs to be integrated This depends on whether it is a positive or negative looking card If it seems like it is positive to you then read it as a quality that wants to get integrated into your life If the cards seems detrimental then read it as an energy that is blocking you Position #4 – Your foundation, what is grounding for you, where your stabililty lies Position #5 – What your Higher Self wants you to be aware of Position #6 - The past and what you take with you into the present Position #7 – The immediate future—the next turn of events Position #8 – Your attitude, the quality of your thinking Position #9 – The environment, your relationship to the environment, or what kind of support is out there for you Position #10 – Your hopes and/or fears 56 Position #11 – The possible final outcome The outcome is not fixed because it is always subject to change according to your free will and the choices that you make Rather this is an indication that if you continue on in this way this is what you can expect Reading the cards There are a lot of cards in this spread If it seems intimidating at first just the body of this layout which consists of the first seven cards The other four cards consisting of positions eight through eleven are considered the staff You could even just a reading with the first five cards and even the first three As you get more comfortable interpreting the cards in the different positions try doing the entire layout When doing a reading remember to ground yourself first and to ask for higher guidance and protection If the reading is for yourself take time to center and then shuffle the cards bearing your question in mind If the reading is for someone else, have them shuffle the cards Then ask them to cut the cards so that there are three piles on the table You then put each pile on top of the other from left to right so that they are once again in one stack To the reading turn the top card over, place it face up in order to see the picture, then the same with the next and continue on in this fashion Begin reading the cards by first looking for any patterns Look for qualities such as a preponderance of Major Arcana cards, a recurrance of a particular number, or more than one card with a similar meaning See if you get an overall message about the reading Do not worry when first reading the cards if you not get this It takes time to develop this sense Start with the first card, the Significator and explain what that means or suggests to you You can even start by saying the following “The first card in this reading is the Significator and signifies the main theme or issue of the reading In this reading the Significator is _, which means Then go on to the next card and repeat the pattern It is okay to look up the meanings yet it is also beneficial to first give your immediate impression and gut feeling, even if it does not make sense Use your imagination That is where your intuition lies Be patient with yourself It took me over a year to get the hang of doing a reading especially for others Through practice you will develop your intuitive abilities as well as trust in yourself as a reader 57 Guidelines for reading Tarot cards from “Tarot for Yourself” by Mary Greer “In a reading emphasis on a particular suit often points out the area of life being dealt with In general Wands represent creativity and enterprise; Cups are emotions and the psychic realm; Swords are intellect or struggle; and Pentacles are work, money, and security Court Cards focus on people, including the different roles you play in your life; and the Major Arcana speak of your process and methods When you look up a card, look for keywords and concepts, watching for those interpretations that seem to relate especially to your situation Write your favorite keyword in your notebook or journal.” Review What are the four suits of the Minor Arcana? What elements they relate to and what are some of their correspondences Do any of the Minor Arcana remind you of some of your own life experiences and how? When giving a reading, what might emphasis on a particular suit mean? Copyright  Susan Goldman Eller, M.A 1999 All rights reserved 58 Healing From Within Tarot for Personal and Spiritual Growth Esther Susan Goldman, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson The Court Cards Motherpeace Exercise Reversed Cards Review Book and Web Site Suggestions THE COURT CARDS There are sixteen court cards in all divided into Page (Princess or Daughter), Knight(Prince or Son), Queen (Priestess) and King(Knight, Shaman) of each suit These represent 16 different personality or subpersonality aspects of the self which are acted out as the various roles, identities, and masks we play in life Examples of the masks and identities we wear would be mother, father, daughter, son, wife, husband, business person, teacher, student, writer, friend, and counselor The court cards can also demonstrate areas of psychological development as well as development of skills and personality types (Mary Greer, “Tarot Constellations”) And they can also represent key people in our lives who serve as outer mirrors for these various aspects of ourselves The Page and Queen symbolize receptive (Yin) abilities while the Knight and King are more projective and active (Yang) The Page and Queen represent consciousness that is centered and in the process of developing The Knight and King represent consciousness that is expanding and is in motion (The Tarot Handbook by Angeles Arrien p 102) The King and Queen are more mature and developed regarding the attributes represented by each suit 59 The Pages often represent the seeker, student, and the apprentice learning and trying new things or new ways of being They are the least developed of all the court cards yet are more open to taking risks Pages are like seekers or novices in a new area they haven't worked with yet They have just been handed an opportunity each according to the energies of the suit it represents and it is up to them to something with this, to take advantage of it So there is a feeling of newness and freshness with the potential to mature into the cards There's a sense of vulnerability with the page He's out there in the open but also trusting There's a sense of newness with something never done before The page is receiving and working with this new energy The Page of Wands represents the seeker after new growth, new directions for self-development, becoming aware of new aspects of the self as well as trying out a new skill You may be seeking a new endeavor or enterprise As a Page of Wands you may be seeking a new level of attainment (He looks up at his wand with a sense of aspiration) Yet it is up to the person to take the initiative or take risks to this Requires the use of the will There is a feeling of enthusiasm, motivation, and strength if one chooses to pursue this It indicates a fun-loving, adventurous, charismatic type The Page of Cups symbolizes the seeker after inner truth This card could represent a spiritual quest, someone who is willing to delve deeply into the depths of themselves The Page of Cups also indicates working on an emotional level, seeking to understand one's feelings and emotions in order to work with them in new ways There might be some risk taking as you get more in touch with your feelings It helps to balance your emotions with your spiritual awareness It also has to with listening to one's heart and following it, getting in touch with one's dreams, creativity, and vision It relates to someone who is sensitive, emotional, loving, and spiritual The Page of Swords often reflects the critical or restless part of ourselves It could be someone who has a sharp mind, likes to debate alot, and prove his or her point It shows the seeker after mental clarity He is looking to clear away the clouds of confusion This card can refer to finding new ways to deal with the critical mind You may be looking to cut through illusion, false perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes It could refer to the restless spirit in search of new horizons, the search for something or someone new It can be accompanied by some fear or defensiveness associated with putting oneself out there in unfamiliar places or situations 60 The Page of Pentacles often represents the student or seeker after new knowledge, abilities, skills etc Seeking to crystallize one's abilities, ideas in self-fulfilling areas Seeking to ground knowledge Looking for new ways to manifest your ability and talent to make money May be going back to school to learn or refine a trade It indicates praciticality and a sense of responsibility The Knights are the active doers and symbolize the actual performing and going out with the qualities of the suit The Knight of Wands represents feeling energetic or someone who is an energetic personality You are ready to go out into the world in a dynamic, fiery way There is already a feeling of more self-assurance and security with one's self-development This card indicates enthusiasm, eagerness, action, movement, adventure and travel There may be a tendency to be too impulsive if the energy is not grounded This card would indicate a lot of determination and confidence to reach a goal The Knight of Cups often symbolizes the dreamer and romantic in us or someone who is that type of personality This card represents putting forth one's dreams, desires, feelings, and vision as well as sharing this with others It refers to acting on one’s desires and dreams It can also relate to the act of visualizing as well as expressing your love, heart, and need for sharing The Knight of Swords shows someone who is going out in the world with their aggressions It often refers to expressing anger and speaking one's mind It relates to the need to clear the air and get things off your chest, to speak your mind and be vocal in someway It may also have to with learning how to deal with your anger in a more constructive way by finding appropriate methods that not include venting onto another However this card does not always speak of anger It could be just getting comfortanble about speaking up The book “Power Tarot” calls this card one of communication and making your point The Knight of Pentacles shows someone who is going out in the world with one's product (skills, talents, crafts, portfolio, degree) in order to manifest and actualize them It symbolizes the teacher, the seller, the doer It represents taking one's abilities and skills and putting them out into the world It demonstates a more practical approach The energy of this card reflects more stability than the other knights This is an individual who is responsible, dependable, and hardworking It represents someone who can follow through on a project Financial and material stability are important here 61 The Kings and Queens are more stable and represent self-security Have things more together Queens are receptive and represent inner security and confidence They are aware of their capabilities They demonstrate self-security in receiving the attributes of the suit They are comfortable and at ease with themselves as well as the energy of the suit The Queen of Wands is confidant and demonstrates a certain level of personal power She feels good about herself, can be passionate and inspirational This card relates to a dynamic person yet there is no longer the impulsiveness that we saw with the knight of wands She has stabilized and grounded the energy She is calm, resolute, kind, sensitive, enthusiastic, and able to channel her energy well She is also in touch with her own magic, her individuality, ideas, and inspiration The Queen of Cups is the nurturer She is often pscyhic/intuitive, empathetic, artisitic, and compassionate This card represents feeling secure with one's creative potential, imagination, dreams, visions, and most importantly one's feelings She could be a visionary She is also sensual and comfortable with her sexuality Angeles Arriens says that the Queen of Cups honors her feelings by listening to them, owning them, learning from them and expressing them without blame or judgment The Queen of Swords represents the ability to combine the intuition with the intellect She is very strong, highly perceptive person This card shows someone or a part of you who is self-reliant, intelligent, possibly sharp-tongued with a keen mind She is receptive but also ready to defend herself The “Power Tarot” refers to her as an independent career woman The winged child and butterflies on her throne suggest the need to embrace her inner child and to acknowledge her vulnerablity as a path toward fuller integration The Queen of Pentacles represents a sensible, practical, motherly, down to earth type of person She is secure in her ability to manifest and to get the job done The lush garden around her shows someone who is comfortable with themselves and their surroundings and who has manifested a sense of abundance and prosperity into her life She is rich in new life and potentiality This card refers to someone with a generous nature and one who knows how to handle money wisely Kings for the most part represent mastery, confidence, the self's ability to perform activities Not only are they secure with new areas if growth and endeavors but they have mastered these areas They have 62 reached a level of attainment in these areas They have grounded and stabilized the energy and are actualizing it in the world The King of Wands represents an inspirational person or leader who lives his or her life in harmony with nature This person is at ease with themselves, their own power, and knows how to channel this energy constructively This card also shows dynamism, individuality, and the ability to put one's dreams into action It often reflects an older, more mature man or male aspect of the self There is a certain wisdom that has been attained here The King of Cups symbolizes an emotionally supportive person and the ability to back up one's feelings It refers to someone who is comfortable with the realm of emotions and feelings He is a romantic and can demonstrate loyalty and commitment to his relationships This person makes a good counselor/therapist and healer He or she is compassionate, generous, kind hearted and emotionally stable This card also represents actualizing one's dreams, visions, creativity, and love The King of Swords depicts someone who tends to be more analytical or the analytical side of one's personality There's a coldness about him He tends to be more rational This type of person or subpersonality may not be comfortable with emotions This card also represents feeling secure with one's aggressive nature He's ready to defend a just cause However, he is more of a verbal and mental defender than a physical one This is someone who likes a good debate There's also a tendency to be judgmental especially on the self The King of Pentacles is the manifester He represents security about one's ability to perform He is competent and secure with his skills and intelligence He is very grounded, practical, and productive He knows how to make money and to apply himself He can create abundance and prosperity and has the power to attract wealth to him He is warm hearted and generous He demonstrates a lot of initiative and dynamism This type of person is a good worker, good manager, and a business person Reversed Cards As I stated in the first lesson many people not even work with reversed cards so it is not necessary to concern yourself with them However, I at times use them and thought I would share how I view them 63 I not create a different meaning for a reversed cards Rather I see reversed cards as representing an energy or quality that is blocked and harder to access as well as internalized in some way If there are a predominance of reversed cards in a reading I might see it as meaning that the person is going through a more internal process at the moment That is important to know because sometimes people resist slower, more internal cycles and push against what they really need, which is to create more space for inner time The following are some examples: The Fool reversed may indicate a lack of trust Or it may be that the person is trying too hard, or trying to things the old way The Emperor reversed could indicate a resistance to taking responsibility for one’s life, or a leadership role, or wanting to get organized It could also indicate trouble with authority The Queen of Wands reversed may indicate a weakening of selfconfidence or the need to acknowledge your individuality The Three of Cups reversed may show a tendency to resist being spontaneous or playful or wanting to connect with friends It could also represent a reluctance to appreciate what you have If you want to work with reversed cards, look at the meaning of the card as it is upright, then think about what it would mean to either resist this quality or be unaware of it My recommendation though is for you to get familiar and comfortable with the cards first before working with them reversed Review of lesson How many Court cards are there and what are the names of the Court Cards in your deck? What might a Court Card indicate in a reading? Which Court Cards are yin in nature and which are more yang? Review the entire course and let me know if you have any further questions before we complete the last class Are you interested in a Tarot Clinic where you and others may exhange readings for practice? Also would you be interested in offering free minireadings as practice on my forum? I am open to your feedback about the course Do you have any comments, suggestions, feedback? You can email me with this information at esther@healingfromwithin.com 64 In Conclusion I hope this course has given you a better understanding of the Tarot, the meanings, as well as its uses I encourage you to practice using the cards both for yourself and others If you are interested in participating in an on-line Tarot support group let me know I am thinking of starting one for those who wish to practice and/or who wish to discuss various aspects of working with the cards Thank you for taking this course and hope you have benefited by it Light and many blessings, Susan Book and Web Site Recommendations Books Tarot For Yourself by Mary K Greer, Newcastle Publishing Co Tarot Constellations by Mary K.Greer, Newcastle Publishing co Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom Part and Part by Rachel Pollack, The Aquarian Press The Tarot Handbook by Angeles Arrien, Arcus Publishing Company Power Tarot by Trish MacGregor and Phyllis Vega, Simon & Schuster Learning The Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners, by Joan Bunning, Samuel Weiser Web Sites Learning The Tarot- An On-line Course by Joan Bunning, http://www2.dgsys.com/~bunning/top.htm Tarot: Tools and Rites of Transformation, by Mary Greer and Ed Buryn, http://www.nccn.net/~tarot/ U.S Games Systems at http://www.usgamesinc.com The American Tarot Association at http://www.ata-tarot.com Copyrite  Susan Goldman Eller, M.A., 1999 All rights reserved 65 [...]... behavior, and creativity that was exhibited that day Copyright  Susan Goldman Eller, M.A 1999 All rights reserved 23 Healing From Within Tarot for Personal and Spiritual Growth Esther Susan Goldman, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson 3 Major Arcana cards 8-14 Lifetime soul and personality cards Yearly growth cards Review THE 8-11 CONTROVERSY Traditionally dating from 1700, Justice was numbered 8 and Strength... patient with yourself and others It indicates a need for courage and fortitude to persevere with any project It also advises the need for selfacceptance, compassion, understanding, and patience It would give you the energy and endurance to surmount any obstacles The Strength card could also indicate a passion and vitality for life In terms of romance it could indicate sexual attraction and arousal Symbols:... white robe signifies purity and wisdom KEYWORDS: EXPERIMENTATION, HARMONIZATION, BLENDING, TRIAL AND ERROR, MODERATION ******** Exercise: Discovering your lifetime Soul and Personality Cards The following exercise was created by Angeles Arrien and can be found in her book “The Tarot Handbook” It was later developed and expanded upon by Mary Greer Mary devoted an entire book, Tarot Constellations” to... that frighten you or bring up resistance? Just observe your reactions to the cards and record in your journal Could you relate to your lifetime soul and personality cards? How do you feel about them? Do they mirror anything that you notice in your life and if so, what? 34 Healing From Within Tarot for Personal and Spiritual Growth Susan Goldman Eller, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson 4 Major Arcana... withdraw for awhile in order to reflect and assimilate what has been learned from the various stages along the way The Hermit represents a time of retreat from the world and outer activities It indicates the need for solitude in order to make room for reflection, contemplation, and a deeper understanding 25 The Hermit represents the wise part of yourself who you can turn to for inner guidance and inspiration... itself, and therefore unwilling to surrender The child symbolizes total innocence and faces death with a simple offering of flowers The white rose stands for the desires purified for when the ego dies, selfish and repressive needs die with it KEYWORDS; CHANGE, TRANSITION, LETTING GO, RELEASE, MOVING FORWARD ******** XIV TEMPERANCE SAGITTARIUS In the Rider-Waite deck we see the Archangel Michael standing... symbol she represents receptivity and the need to go within for guidance and calm The High Priestess sits between two pillars, one black and the other white, They and the number two signify the emergence of duality The letters on the columns are J and B symbolizing Joachim the affirmation and Boaz the negation The High Priestess represents the equalizing force between the two and the ability we have to find... our inner teacher and relates to teaching and learning As the male counterpart to the High Priestess, he also signifies the need to listen to and follow your intuition The Hierophant is ruled by the sign of Taurus Taurus rules the throat and the Hierophant refers to speaking your truth, vocalizing what has heart and meaning for you There is a formula I learned form anthropologist and symbolist, Angeles... and look to your dreams for any messages of guidance Other Symbols: The starry canopy represents the celestial forces, the forces which surround the earth, and seem to be above us in the sky It also represents the subtle metaphysical forces which are above the 20 level of the personality The red symbols on the shield in front of the chariot represents the Hindu lingam-yoni, typifying the positive and. .. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE JUPITER Number ten signifies the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one As one cycle ends, so does another begin The Wheel of Fortune, with its benevolent Jupiterian influence indicates a turn for the better It offers a sense of hope and optimism Jupiter’s qualities are that of expansion The Wheel of Fortune can indicate good fortune, abundance, prosperity and opportunity ... Series Tarot For Personal and Spiritual Growth Beginning Tarot Course by Susan Goldman Eller, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson Greetings What is Tarot My background with Tarot About the course. .. Origins and History Setting the stage for a reading Getting Acquainted With Your Cards How The Deck Is Divided Greetings! Welcome to Tarot for personal and spiritual growth I hope you find this course. .. From Within Tarot for Personal and Spiritual Growth Esther Susan Goldman, M.A www.healingfromwithin.com Lesson Major Arcana cards 8-14 Lifetime soul and personality cards Yearly growth cards