When life seems complicated and we seek guidance beyond the customary, we come across a stranger dilemma! Choosing an appropriate system to aid us appears to be even more complex than the life situation itself! Astrology (esoteric & layman), numerology, tarot, runes, psychic readings…to name but a few hurtle themselves across our consciousness! We find them sublimally attracting us from tucked away corners of newspaper and magazines, we find them strewn across the World Wide Web, we find family and friends recommending us one or another as the ‘very best’!

Having been on both sides of this state of affairs- desperate seeker in days gone by, and now extending guidance through the cards and a scanning of your energy fields, I would like to share with you a few clues as to how best handle this!

First let us become aware that each system is based on unique principles, with each having its inherent strengths and limitations. It would be best to explore these, and choose that fits your needs of the moment. None is better or worse than the other but different situations could be better suited to different methods of guidance, and while we may each have our favorite system to turn to, this research might help you make a better choice in times of confusion!

Yet it is best not to use one to validate another! Because as mentioned earlier- each system is based on unique principles and will offer you a distinctive insight of its own! Sometimes the guidance and insights may ‘match’, sometimes not - but this is not to be mistaken to mean that the systems are thus both wrong or that one is! Each works in its own ways, giving you an inimitable input! A different facet perhaps! In analogy it is somewhat similar to how a high protein diet or a high carbohydrate diet can work in helping you lose weight! Each on its own, based on certain fundamentals, works adequately towards a loss of weight. However you mix the two and the dynamics change…!

Also of course the practitioner plays a vital role, because all metaphysical systems, as indeed all systems of knowledge, are open to some degree of personal interpretation. This is what makes these systems work so well; so do not hold it against them! The best clue I can share here is to find that ‘reader’ whose deeper philosophy you resonate too! The same set of cards, or combination of planets and houses and signs or your birth numbers- can be read at surface descriptive and predictive levels, or go deeper into why you have certain life experiences or, what can be best done to tackle patterns in the current Now.

With this in mind I will very briefly touch upon (as each can be a page, article, book, volumes of its own) some of the strong points of astrology, numerology, runes and psychic readings; and explore tarot in a little more detail in the next article: Why Tarot?

ASTROLOGY, is based on complex calculations, and factors in myriad details to be read accurately and at depth. This can be its challenge in studying it (be prepared for the long haul) but its strength in the exhaustive results it can offer.

Astrological charts are a storehouse of vital information- and indeed your very blueprint for each life if you can unravel the details. Simply put, the time of birth on which it is based, works like a door into a plane of possibilities that you have chosen to be born into. More so it describes the influences of your environment from the womb through life. Charts explore your strengths and challenges; which are your areas of learning and what you have chosen to contribute (both of which are usually referred to as your life’s purposes) and what probable experiences you have set up towards this…even the time tableyou have laid out for self. They also tap into the reasons you have chosen what you have- call them prior life experiences or latent/soul impressions.

However, you are not what you are because you chart says so and neither is your life run by the planets as many who scoff astrology think! It is quite the reverse! Your chart is based on who you are and have chosen to explore in this life! The planets to not rule you- you have set them into a particular sequence based on your time of birth! My favorite example here is the movie title “ If it is Tuesday, it must be Belgium”! You are not in Belgium because your itinerary says so- your itinerary says so because it is what you have planned! It doesn’t rule you any more than your chart does!

Thus the advantages of an astrological reading are many: you can get complex, detailed information on almost any area of questioning or life. It isaccording to me the best tool to determine information based on time related questions and the wider view of my life. Its challenges are that you must have an accurate birth time and date; a well-versed astrologer in the many complexities it offers is optimal, because half knowledge doesn’t justify what a deeper astrological reading can give you; you must have time on your hands to enter into such a reading!

Tarots strengths over astrology are basically its simplicity, you do not need birth details though they can add marginally, and what I truly find its main plus point is that: tarot deals best with the NOW! I find it the most amazing tool in reference to the current scheme of things; how or what is actually occurring now from all those plans that reflect in your astrological chart; what you can do in the now to enhance or alter events; What are the current feelings, thoughts, actions or choices as different from the larger view of an astrological chart! More so tarot is a great tool to deal with current particulars, as different from the wider vision of astrology. It can beautifully describe a particular environment, or give you information around aparticular relationship, details about specific current events or choice points! Also tarot being a reflective tool, a mirror- gives you a glimpse into the ‘others’ we are interacting with –what they may be thinking, feeling, doing …or not thinking, feeling, doing…!

Thus you may understand, that neither is better nor secondary, each is a beautiful tool depending on what you want- if it is a larger view, astrology would deliver; if it is a current aspect, tarot can zoom in!

NUMEROLOGY: too is based on calculations- admittedly much simpler than astrology and which any layman with an interest can easily master.

Numerology actually covers a very different aspect of self or divination, though based on your birth date numbers it also touches upon life plans, and strengths and challenges you have come with.. Numerology’s specialty however is that helps you view the energies around your name, names of certain entities in your life, and important dates. In this it enables you to understand what strengths and challenges your name or birth date or even specific dates offer you-so that with this knowledge you may optimize your strong points and minimize your limitations. It is thus an ideal tool towards this, but not an ideal system to work out the specifics of ‘why and how and what’ is happening in the now! (Numerology has been explored in great detail on my website, so if you wish you may explore it in the section called workshops- tarot and numerology)

RUNES: from all the above systems these are most similar to the way tarot functions. It is also a language of symbols, and read almost exactly like tarot cards. Instead of cards, the runes are usually stones, tablets, or tangible pieces with very simple line drawing symbols carved on them. Thus the strengths and challenges are almost exactly like the tarots!

Tarot cards have become more popular, because the runes symbols are like the older tarot cards- inert symbols whereas the tarot cards have visuals attached to each, which bring them alive. More so, due to the imagery, the tarots symbolism expands hundred fold if not more…and becomes very flexible and user friendly, whereas the rune symbols remain with the parameters of the initial meanings ascribed to them. However the runes are also based on deep metaphysical principles, and ancient Nordic wisdom and work beautifully. I use them as an added element along with my tarot spreads if required.

PSYCHIC READINGS: this also requires a section of its own, so I will briefly include it here and explore it in detail in an article of its own, because the words ‘psychic readings’ can cover a gamut of techniques or processes!

Its primary challenge as a student is that this is not really a ‘learned’ response, more an inbuilt natural one which either kicks in spontaneously or can be nurtured into flowering. On part of the client, trust is paramount, in both the reader and the process being employed!

Also in a psychic reading the client must be open to receiving input different from what they may have come for - As psychics are often open to receiving aspects that the client needs to hear, rather than wants to hear or has even come for! Psychic readings are also better for soul purposes, scanning of energy fields, deeper answers rather than mundane day-to-day queries- it taps into a field where time and space do not exist and thus specifics are not given much importance.

Its strength is paradoxically what may appear its above-mentioned disadvantages- if you are ready for it!

Which brings us to TAROT-in our next article- where I will explore its strengths both from a student’s perspective and the clients. This has also been dealt with in great detail in the FAQ SECTIONS- what tarot can do or not do optimally…

I hope this gives you a rundown into how each tool of divination is designed to work ideally in its own ways- and how each offers something different. Thus when you are feeling drawn to receiving guidance through one of them, be clear as to what you are seeking in that moment in time, and choose your tool accordingly. These will optimize your experience with divination!
Divyaa Kummar