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Tarot
Gateway To Tarot
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by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot Master
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Whether we use Tarot as a tool for divination, for meditation, for ritual or ceremonial work, or for spiritual work, our goal is to bring balance to our lives and to our paths. One way to find balance through the Tarot is to look at the relationship of the cards to each other in respect to which cards support each other and which cards oppose each other. This allows us to use the energies that are in our lives in the most effective manner possible.
In any given Tarot reading, there are a multitude of energies present. They represent (reflect) the energies that are present in the Seeker's life at the time of the reading. We can bring balance to our lives by choosing to deliberately bring in the energy that is opposite that which is out of balance.
Life is a circle of connectedness - nothing exists in and of itself. For each energy that exists, there is an opposite energy. Where there is happiness, there is also sadness. Where there is restriction, there is expansion. Where there is love, there is hatred.
As Joan Bunning discusses on her Tarot site (www.learntarot.com), this is the first lesson that the Fool learns on his journey when he meets the Magician and the High Priestess. Nothing and no one exists in isolation - definition comes in being part of a pair.
Some pairs will immediately define themselves. The Magician is a card of conscious action. His counterpart, the High Priestess, is a passive energy that acts on an intuitive, subconscious level. Aces carry the unmanifested energy of their respective suits, and as such, can be used to balance each other. The court cards make for very interesting pairings, because they carry very specific energies - i.e. the Kings being active within a conscious level, the Queens being passive and acting from an intuitive level.
During a reading, some cards may come naturally into a pairing position that would not normally seem to be part of a pair. Remember that this is energy at work in the Seeker's life, so that how he/she processes things will differ from person to person. It is important that as readers we recognize this, and become comfortable with it. We cannot guide our clients to the "way out" that is best for them until we ourselves understand how the current energy in their lives is manifesting.
There is another type of pairing that we want to look at, and that is those cards that support (reinforce) each other. What that means in a reading is that even when the reinforcing cards are tipping the scales in one direction or another, that this action is going on in the Seeker's life, and needs to be understood. This is also a clue to the Seeker as to the importance of this energy in their lives. There is something that they need to acknowledge - indeed, it is often as simple as an energy that they need to quit fighting and accept!
Before we go on to looking at an example in a reading, I want to take a time out and have you do a short exercise that will bring out the energy of supporting/opposing cards in a more active manner. I want you to take out a sheet of paper, and randomly write down six cards from the Tarot - any six cards. Next to these cards make two columns - one column for supporting cards, one column for opposing cards. Use your own understanding of the Tarot to write down what these pairs might be. There are certainly can be more than one opposing card and more than one supporting card for each of the cards that you are working with. There are no rights here, and no wrongs. Here is what I came up with - remember, this is only my view of the Tarot. Yours will differ.
Magician: Supporting Card - King of Swords ; Opposing Card - High Priestess
Hermit: Supporting Card - High Priestess; Opposing Card - The World
Death: Supporting Card - Moon; Opposing Card - All Aces
King of Cups: Supporting Card - Temperance; Opposing Card - Queen of Swords
Ten of Swords: Supporting Card - Hanged Man; Opposing Card - Two of Wands
Four of Pentacles: Supporting Card - Emperor; Opposing Card - Fool
Let's take a look at an actual reading, and see how we apply the supporting and opposing energy theory to the cards drawn. I am going to do a four card Elemental Spread, using the Robin Wood deck.
1. East/Fire/Spirit - Four of Pentacles
2. South/Earth/Physical - Page of Pentacles
3. West/Water/Emotional - Ten of Swords
4. North/Air/Mental - Seven of Pentacles
note: I actually did not ask a question here - I just laid out cards to work with. Three out of four cards being Pentacles certainly suggests that the energy at work in the Seeker's life is on day to day issues, with a focus on their personal environment. Lots of supporting energy here!
I would look at the natural pairings here as being cards 1 & 3 (spiritual and emotional selves), and cards 2 & 4 (physical and mental selves).
The Four of Pentacles is all about control - about holding what you have so close to your chest that no one can possible take it from you. You are so very busy doing this that your focus is limited to the moment - to building walls around yourself, and to resisting any form of change.
The partner to this card in this reading is the Ten of Swords. I would call this a supporting card - albeit supporting an energy that the Seeker needs to get past to experience personal growth on any level. The energy of the Ten of Swords is the victim mentality - feeling under attack, feeling that one has no control over ones life, and feeling distinctly powerless. In real life, this would be a catch-22 situation - it would reinforce the Seeker's need for holding their breath, not trusting anyone and being afraid that any energy that left their life was not going to be replaced - so they need to hold on to it!
The Page of Pentacles is all about abundance and prosperity. Could it be that the answer the Seeker's need for control is also within this reading? The energy here is one of being willing to work hard, with the definite knowledge that good things will come of it. This can represent an opportunity coming into the Seeker's life that they should not be afraid to accept.
The partner, or pair to this card in this reading is the Seven of Pentacles. This card carries the energy of personal reflection - of the Seeker taking a time out to review what has manifested in their lives, and if that is really what they had intended, or if it is what they want. Accessing how they feel about what they have manifested allows them to define any changes of direction that they may need to make to rebalance or "fine tune" their lives. I see the Seven of Pentacles as a card of support for the Page of Pentacles. Grounding it so that each card manifests the best energy possible.
The Seeker needs to look within themselves and understand why they feel the need to protect themselves - why they need to have such total control, and why they fear change. They need to see how they can make the deliberate choice to see their lives in a different manner. the obstacles here, or the energies that do not support each other, are in the spiritual/emotional realms. In the physical and mental worlds, the Seeker is balanced and striving to move forward.
I would ask t he Seeker to define one specific goal in their life. I would ask them to choose a card from the deck that represents their fears about achieving that goal (yes, Dorothy, there is such a thing as fear of success!), and another card that represents the positive manifestation of that goal. Go over the cards with them, and then discuss what energies would be needed to bridge the chasm between the fears of accomplishing their goal and their goal being manifested in a positive manner in their life.
In the above example, we have a Seeker that exhibits fears of losing control, perhaps of "not being good enough". At the same time, on another level they see the opportunities before them, and can consciously make decisions about where their path is going, and how they want to get there. They need to heal, and they need to develop a definite belief in themselves. I would suggest that they take the dual energies of the Magician and the High Priestess into their lives. (Interesting note here - the Magician and the High Priestess are energies that could be considered to be naturally complimentary and supportive.)
One way to develop an understanding of the various cards, and how the support or oppose each other, would be to meditate on them one at a time. Any deck can be used - but one deck should be used for the entire process, as different decks do bring out differing energies in the cards. Devote an entire page to each card - one format that could easily be used is the following:
Date:
Time of Day:
Card Drawn:
Basic energy for the card:
Supporting Card(s):
Opposing Card(s):
Make a short notation after each of the supportive and opposing cards as to why you feel that this is so. And remember - there are no right or wrong answers here!
The Tarot has so very much to offer us. Taking into account supportive and opposing cards not only adds another layer of understanding to the process, but can act as a bridge to bring balance to the energies in our clients lives.
Stay tuned for next month - the Tarot has a lot more that it wants to share with us!
If you have any questions, or suggestions for future columns, please contact me at: Crystalgate@aol.com.
May your paths be well lit and well traveled.
(c) May 2004
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Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master, and Reiki Master/Teacher.
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Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Master, professional Tarot reader and Reiki Master/Teacher.
Bonnie has been reading the Tarot professionally for over ten years. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, including Secretary and Web Assistant For Links. She is currently Certification Director and Secretary for the American Board For Tarot Certification. Bonnie is also a founding member of the World Tarot Network.
Bonnie has had her work published in the ATA newsletter, in Geraldine Amaral's "Celebrating The Tarot" print newsletter, on the World Tarot Network and other internet sites. She is editor for her own monthly newsletter "Gateway To Tarot" (Yahoo Groups).
www.tarot.thecrystalgate.
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