Tarot and mediumship

[I, Brian]

My mum's visited a couple of Tarot card readers over the years. She was recently recommended someone who read, and she decided to visit them for a reading.

What was really different on this occasion is that the woman wasn't simply content to read the Tarot cards chosen - apparently each symbolised some part of her family - but she also claimed that my mum's relatively recently departed mother was also present.

By all accounts the reading was very accurate, but I've not heard of mediumship being used in conjunction with Tarot readings before.

Is this relatively common or uncommon by other people's experiences?

[bgruagach]

From what I've heard it's not uncommon for a "medium" to use a variety of methods in a sitting. Some stick with just one but that's not always how they do things.

In my own magickal practice I often find that when I do a tarot reading I'll also try another different divinatory method (such as the I-Ching) for clarification and confirmation. Or at the very least I might do follow-up tarot readings to clarify and confirm the first one.

[China Cat Sunflower]

I think that people want a modicum of magic(K) in a divination. They need a crystal to hold onto or something. I'll give input on my friends personal readings, but I don't do readings anymore. For one thing, being in the divination mode limits you to mundane topics. It becomes all too four-square elemental. It's much better to temporarily dispense of the "meanings" of the cards and see if they suggest a story to you.

Chris

[AletheiaRivers]

I do tarot readings for myself. I do not use them as a way to 'predict the future.' I use them as a meditation tool and as a way to tap the subconscious. There are very few decks that speak to me though. Tarot of the Cat People is one.

[earl]

Hey A, that's how i look at it, too. There seemed to be an exponential explosion of Tarot decks during the 1970's-90's, (coinciding with the "New Age" arrival). Only deck I've owned & used is the "Mythic Tarot," which i find interesting as it's based on Jungian psychology. I tend to think of these things as "New Age Rorshachs (sp?)" Have a good one, Earl

[path_of_one]

I like that analogy, Earl. I like the Druidcraft Tarot- the artwork is beautiful. I don't own it though (yet). I have the Druid Animal Oracle- again, mostly because of the artwork.

I don't really like ascribing a certain meaning to a card, but rather I like the artwork as a meditation tool on occasion- a way to focus my mind and deal with things in symbols. I don't find that this stuff predicts things, but rather is a way to break free from ordinary ways of thinking about a problem and clarify the problem and possible outcomes for myself. So it isn't about "will this happen" or "should I do X"- that isn't the point. It's about "what really is this issue stemming from" and "what are possible outcomes of this problem." Then, personally, I take that to prayer and meditation for guidance.

I read an interesting book from the 70s by an astrophysicist that talks about theories of space-time. He proposed that things like Tarot may be opening up our mind to the multiverse- the various possible universes. We then choose which one we enter. Tough to explain and I don't know that I agree, but interesting concept.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Well, I didn't mean to say that I'm not fascinated by the arcane symbols in the cards. I love the whole system of thought portrayed by the deck. The entire western hermetica, it seems, is encrusted into the artwork. It's a combination of astrology, western kabbalah, and a whole bunch of other mysterious stuff all put together in a system. But I don't believe in being restricted, or structured by systems. I use them, they don't use me.

I have an Arthurian deck that I really like, but my favorite is the Tarot of the Ages deck. The four suits are represented by four tribes: Swords are Vikings, Spears or Wands are Africans, Cups are Polynesians, and Shields or Pentacles are Indians (from India). The Major arcana is represented by Egyptians. Some of the most splendid tarot artwork I've seen is in the Osho Zen deck.

Chris

[taijasi]

Path, your post and your approach to the Tarot really speaks to me. And so does yours, Chris. My own favorite deck is the Knapp-Hall deck, with Augustus Knapp as the artist, and Manly Hall collaborating and providing some commentary. The Western Esoteric element comes through quite clearly, as Manly Hall was a Master Mason and student of the Mystery Tradition(s).

One of my favorite books about the Tarot is also by Manly Hall, with excellent historical background, and it's a decent scholarly document unto itself. It's simply called `Tarot, An Essay,' and is co-authored by Knapp. 34 pages, it sells for 7 bucks on Amazon.com.

taijasi

[AletheiaRivers]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Some of the most splendid tarot artwork I've seen is in the Osho Zen deck.

I have an Osho Zen deck. I agree that the artwork is amazing. Actually the best that I've seen.

I used to use it a lot. The symbology made me think more than any other deck. Then I made the mistake (?) of looking "Osho" up on the web.

I'll go back to the deck someday, but I'll do so without reading any of the commentary provided by Osho in the tarot guide. I'm poopy when it comes to uber corrupt yogis, but I know I shouldn't hold that against the creator of the deck.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by AletheiaRivers

I have an Osho Zen deck. I agree that the artwork is amazing. Actually the best that I've seen.

I used to use it a lot. The symbology made me think more than any other deck. Then I made the mistake (?) of looking "Osho" up on the web.

I'll go back to the deck someday, but I'll do so without reading any of the commentary provided by Osho in the tarot guide. I'm poopy when it comes to uber corrupt yogis, but I know I shouldn't hold that against the creator of the deck.

Osho (Bagwan Sri Rajneesh) did his job perfectly as far as I'm concerned. He was the perfect bad example, what more could we ask? He wrote some really cool stuff, though. He just got too big for his britches, too wound up in the whole guru thing, too arrogant.

I'm not into gurus. I'd make a lousy devotee.

Chris

[gwenwifar23]

How can one interpret the tarot without psychic activity?

I use the Runic Tarot. The cards can be viewed online in english, but the clarification is only available in dutch. See
english version

or the better version in dutch

Behind every card there is a world of mythology. You can not explain or even use every part of the mythology. So, without psychic inspiration, how do you interpret the cards?

Say you have the seven of shields, the world Svartalfargardr with the dwarf Dvalin. Dvalin is someone who misleads people to steal their energy. He pretends to be your savior, while in reality he is a kind of vampire, feeding on stolen soul-energy. But the card also means Deception.

Today I had a customer who wanted to know about her relation. The solution to her question was "Deception, seven of shields". How do you interpret this card? You can not just follow the textbook. You have to use some sort of psychic power. That is my belief.

[Thomas]

I gave up divination when I walked away from my Hermetic School - but I have 'Meditations on the Tarot' which is always worth the contemplation.

Thomas

[bgruagach]

Originally Posted by gwenwifar23

How can one interpret the tarot without psychic activity?

I agree that probably the most practical way of using divination methods including the Tarot is to use it as a way to tap into your psychic ability. However, there are indeed systems of divination (including systems for reading the Tarot) that are structured in such a way that no psychic talent is required. They are much more about standardized meanings which are elicited not only by the card that is revealed but its position in the specific layout.

It's like with astrology -- there are definitely astrologers who are primarily using their own psychic ability to do readings, but there are also many astrologers who are using one or another established system of interpretation which is more about remembering (or looking up) the set meanings of the astrological patterns. It's even done as computer software now which clearly requires no psychic ability to get a reading.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by gwenwifar23

How can one interpret the tarot without psychic activity?

Agreed, but I've read and had read Tarot Cards. I don't believe myself or other readers ever felt they were communicating with the dead directly.

[AletheiaRivers]

I got two new Tarot decks this past week. One is the Druidcraft Tarot (which I stumbled across indirectly because of Path of One's comments about OBOD). I love it. Very intuitive.