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In Practice: The Business of Tarot!
The Business of Tarot
by Bonnie Cehovet |
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For many of us, Tarot is all about decision making. We do readings for ourselves so that we can get clarity on our issues, make the best decisions and take the best actions. When we are reading for others, we essentially are guiding them to do the same for themselves. We are generally operating from a point of "This is what we currently recognize in our lives, this is where we want to go - How do we get there?" My thought here is that we may be so caught up in the endpoint that we aren't making the best decisions.
In an article excerpted from his book "Intuitive Decision Making In An Age Of Chaos" , Paul O'Brien makes the point that not only does the quality of our decisions determine our success, but that we are having to deal with more rapid change than before, and that we are challenged to make decisions with a myriad of opportunities before us that may not have been there before. He goes on to talk about the decision making process being more art than science, and the need for our acceptance of "gut feeling" decisions and actions.
What I have come to realize is that when I am in the process of making a decision, I often make the mistake of putting myself last. I look at the outcome in terms of other people, rather than in terms of myself. My generation of women (I am 55 years old) were taught to think that way - it was the "right" thing to do. Our mission now, should we choose to accept it, is to place ourselves at the beginning of the decision making equation.
The decision making process runs something like this:
* Define the decision to be made.
* Define the known factors that are involved in the decision.
* Research each factor, and determine the positive and negative effects for each.
* Brain-storm for unknown factors.
* List all possible decisions.
* List possible positive and negative consequences for each decision.
* Rank the decisions in order of value (value being a subjective issue, and being determined by the person making the decision).
* Eliminate decisions of lesser value.
* Make your decision.
You are already so tuned in to the process, and to the outcome, that you haven't noticed that who you are is nowhere in this equation. Whether you are using this process for yourself, or for a client, the first thing that you need to do is find out how you really feel about making this decision - to see the "why" of what you am doing. This is critical for those in the metaphysical fields, because our personal and professional lives are often extensions of each other. We don't have the luxury of "9 to 5" style thinking, as our work is most often reflected in our lives (more so than for most people). And quite often our work is such that the community around us is often not all that supportive.
The following spread can be used to help you or your client determine who you are in the decision making process. This will give you a stable foundation for determining which decision is best for you.
4
2 1 3
5
1. How do I feel about having to make this decision?
2. What are my fears?
3. How can making this decision empower me?
4. What factors are known to me about this decision?
5. What factors are hidden from me about this decision?
Work with these questions - perhaps leaving the spread out for meditation purposes, until you are comfortable that you know who you are in the decision making process, as well as how this decision is going to affect you.
Some of you are already chaffing - thinking that some decisions need to be made in a hurry - even on the spot. More times than not, this is not the case. If you are working for yourself - give yourself enough time to make good decisions. If you are working for someone else, ask for the time to do so. If the time is not possible, or not given to you, then yes, you will have to move the process along faster.
This is a good time to listen to your gut, to your intuitive self. Choose one member of the Trumps to be your Guide (i.e. to give you advice), and one to be your Guardian (i.e. to watch your back). Call on them in your decision making process, as well as on your Higher Self, and listen to the advice that you are given. Then take the time to give thanks for the sharing of their wisdom, and for their protection.
Do a basic reading of some type to determine what decision you are facing, and the environment that surrounds it. Some of the spreads that apply here would be the Celtic Cross spread, as well as the following:
1 2
3 4
5
1. What is the current state of this issue?
2. Where am I in relation to the issue?
3. What do I know about this issue?
4. What do I need to know about this issue?
5. In which direction should I place my efforts?
1 2 3
4 5 6
1. The past for this issue - how it came to be.
2. The present for this issue - who and what is affecting it.
3. The future - where this issue is currently headed.
4. How you feel about this issue.
5. How this issue is affecting others.
6. What are the unknown factors in this issue?
Now you have a fairly clear idea of where you are in relation to the decision that needs to be made, and you have a fairly clear idea of how the issue is affecting others. It is time to research your decisions. Write down a list of possible decisions that can be made for the issue that you are facing. A good way to do this is to sit down with pen and paper, and simply write. Continue writing until you are done - until no more ideas come forth. Don't make an attempt to make judgments on the decisions, and their worthiness - just write them down. You may fool yourself and come up with some good stuff here! Allow the inner child to come out to play - wisdom may run rampant!
Pull one card for each decision. This will represent the environment around that decision. Draw one card for the good that can come from this decision, and place it to the left of the first card. Draw one card for the challange/obstacle that this decision could bring, and place it to the right of the first card. Draw one more card for how you feel about this decision, and place it over the first three cards. You will end up with something like this:
4
2 1 3
Study each decision, and choose the top three - the decisions that you feel resonate with you, and will bring about a positive outcome. Draw one card for each of these decisions. This will be the action that you can take to implement the decision.
I would add one final step before I implemented any decision that I was about to make. Let it gel - rest on the decision overnight, and allow yourself to think about it on all levels. Perhaps ask for a dream to show you what the outcome of your decision will be. We would be well advised to take the Native American point of view and look seven generations back and seven generations forward before we take any action. Take the time to see how the previous decisions that were made got this situation to where it is now. Take the time to project into the future and see what the consequences of your actions might be. A short fix can end up creating a problem for which there is no ready solution in the future.
The ultimate answer here - take the path that feels right to you. Each decision that we make changes our paths to some degree, for better or for worse. Our inner voices, our Higher Selves, our intuition - these are all tools of divine guidance for us. In our world, we are blessed in that we can take the archetypes of the Tarot and move deeply into ourselves, so that our decisions flow freely and with great intent.
Life is all about identifying our problems, defining our options, and defining ourselves in relation to the whole. If we feel uneasy, or under pressure, it is more than likely not the right time to make a decision. We need to know that we can listen to the opinions of others without allowing them to unduly influence us. We need to look at both the short term and the long term effects of our decisions and actions. We need to look at how others will be affected by our decisions. We need to be willing to take responsibility for the decisions that we make, and the actions that arise from them.
We are only limited by that which we allow to limit us.
Please contact me at Crystalgate@aol.com with any subjects that you would like to see discussed in this column. I want this to be reflective of the needs and concerns of the Tarot community at large.
Bibliography:
O'Brien, Paul. "Intuitive Decision Making In An Age Of Chaos". www.tarot.com/about-us/articles/decisuinsMay2004.
Personal decision Making And The College Student. www.hokiehandbook.vt.edu/rbdecision.html
Rich, Phil, Ed.D, MSW. "A Process For Effective Decision Making". www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/growth/decisionmaking.html
www.byu.edu/ccc/career/decision.shtml.
www.couns.msu.edu/self-help/decisions.htm.
© July 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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