Most of you know the Tarot as a tool to be used for prediction and "divination." But did you know that this is one of the most limited ways of using the tarot? Thereby allowing you only a peek into the Tarot’s gifts? So of course, your next question will be “What then, can the tarot be used for?” And to sum up its real potential in two words, I will use the axiom that almost every spiritual order emphasizes: “Know Thyself." Simply and most accurately put the Tarot is a remarkable tool to know self through!! Some of you may well ask what is this self -knowledge? Why do I need a tool to know myself! And while the answers here are many-we will explore an area all of us are concerned with: knowing self enables an enhanced life in the here and now! Better relationships, easier manifestation of success, empowered states of being and that ‘peace of mind’ we all seek! Through knowing self you become conscious of the myriad aspects within you that you have more often than not been completely unaware of! You become alert to the contents of what is often called your subconscious mind and its latent desires and hidden fears, and indeed their energy signatures, which carve out your day-to-day realties! For those who seek more than that, self awareness leads to an enhanced emotional quotient, or what is called psychological development and if it your spiritual awakening that you desire, then self awareness is its very foundation! By now you are probably thinking, all this sounds very good, but what is this to do with the Tarot? Should I not be going to a spiritual discourse or a psychologist? Or reading some of those difficult to interpret books? And this is the surprise of the tarot! The tarot is adeeply encoded spiritual expedition of its very own! It is a counselor sitting in a box beside you! It is that best friend gently reprimanding you, or allowing you to brainstorm solutions! And most importantly, if rightly used, it can be that mirror for you to view self in! Further more, yes, with the tarot there is always more- it can be used as tool to hone your intent, spur your well-meaning ideas into actions, alter your outdated patterns, and thus transform your life! They even help you cast easy to read astrological charts! So lets take a peek as to how the tarot lays claim to all of this! It is devised in ways that would boggle your mind till you stumbled across its deep reservoir of symbols and its all-encompassing expanse of universal knowledge! Tarot has been crafted by a medley of occultists, psychiatrists, metaphysicians, numerologists, astrologers, cabbalists …and this is just the tip of the iceberg…! Each system of knowledge being carefully woven into each other and further, into each and every card! Resulting in pictograms of the finest order! They are intended as ways to access the subconscious mind, trigger memories, allow introspection! They are designed to view the internal dynamics of any situation, or self! They are a symbolic language by which you can commune with different aspects of self – ranging from your inner child to the different voices currently within you, to your Highest Self! Yes they help you view how you are creating your current reality or influencing a future probability- but more importantly, how to change that if it appears not to your conscious liking! They allow you to make the unconscious conscious- be it your patterns, masks, shadow aspects, projections… be it your fears and blocks ….be it your hidden motivations or desires…and this is what enhanced living is all about! I will quote Carl Jung:'Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate’! Now we may better understand why the most famous of oracles, known as the oracle of Delphi- has on its door the inscription “Know Thyself! It is the best way to know your ‘future’! Interestingly, the tarot is made up of several components geared towards exactly this, and each component plays a different role in helping us ‘Know Thyself' : starting from the major arcane (deeper, soul related aspects and lessons) to the minor arcane (the surface events they reflect as.) Interspersed with the elements (fire, water, air, earth and yes ether secretly invisibly present as it is in physical life!) and the court cards,often known as people cards! ( the different faces we wear or approaches we use in day to day life.) Further it incorporates spreads and positions to frame any kind of indepth view that we choose to explore!(In the following articles I will explore what each component is best suited for in this journey from self to SELF!) Thus we come back full circle to viewing the tarot as a tool of divination yes- but more accurately now! Because truly divination is : seeing within, the divine self! It is actually also what clairvoyance means: clear seeing! And the cards allow you to see clearly, the source of all that is you: your inner landscape. So use them well my friends, and in that yes, sometimes you may also use them to give you a peek into a future probability…in empowered ways. By Divyaa Kummar Website: www.divyaakummar.com "There are many answers you have received, but have not yet heard." – Course in Miracles |
