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Divination Systems: Be Your Oracle
Prediction Fiction
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by James Wanless, Ph.D |
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AWhen the tarot was first developed in 17th century Europe, it was used as a game and tool for prediction. In those days, there was not so much social change, at least compared to today. Back then, the chances were that you lived where you were born, did what your mother or father did, and married the girl or boy next door. Life was probable, and prediction was somewhat possible.
In today's world of rampant change that is swift, complex and uncertain, prediction is problematic and risky at best. Though some might believe that as a tarot reader I am supposed to know the future, I confess that I don't.
Even if you have an inkling of what's to occur, we know by modern physics that once we have seen the future, our very awareness of it changes it. Quantum physics suggests that "believing is seeing," which means that our interpretation of reality (whether now or in the future) is subjective, dependent upon how we want to see it. In this world of relativity, there is no objective future, only a perception. A disaster for one person might be seen as an opportunity for another. If it's all a mind game, why spend time fretting over something like the mercurial future that can alter in a mind moment?
Of course, it's human nature to be curious and strive to control the direction of our life, but this suggests to me that in seeking to know the future, we are untrusting of life and insecure about the unknown. It seems to me that the only thing we can control in life is the present, the situation we are in right now. Why don't we just take of the now, trusting that this will be enough to see us safely and successfully through?
Maybe this is so because the thinking mind, which controls us, in our contemporary state of evolution in consciousness is attracted to extreme conjecture and understanding. There appears to be a quality in our brain that seeks the sensational, that wants to believe in an all-seeing psychic power, or that things are either very good or very bad. It's no wonder that psychics and tabloids are so popular.
To me there's nothing wrong with forecasting and psyching out the future, but only if it's known as entertainment. The problem is that some who desire a tarot reading actually believe that's it's all absolutely true.
I, as a Tarot Reader, am here to entertain, but in a way that I call "edutainment." The cards are entertaining, for sure, and at the same time, hold the promise for educating someone to their potential and possibilities. A Reading is an entertaining story, a fictional account of probability, if you will.
The challenge for all of us is that we get caught in the entertaining and addictive world of physical form. In tarot, this means believing that things will occur in such a way at such a time. I know of one person who was told by a psychic that she would meet her soul mate as
he was rounding a corner, and he would be wearing a beard. For some months, she shied away from corners, living in anticipation and some dread about that occurrence. Well, finally, it happened. Sure enough, here he came, a shaggy bearded male surprised her around a turn...and it was a dog!
Readings that include physical descriptions of events and times are only metaphors. We forget that and we think literally. It's far more important to be looking not for a beard but for a wise man. It's more important to not look for a surprise around the corner, but to look for a man who is surprising.
Though we cannot predict with any specificity, we can see probabilities, which are suggested by our habit patterns. I have found that those who are most likely to believe in the physical literalness of futurecasts are those who least want to change any patterns. In a way, they are looking for salvation, an easy, lazy way to know that everything will be ok. Other personality types who believe in prediction are insecure and unconfident. They want assurance.
Actually, most of the time most things are ok for most of us. So, what is it that I do as a Reader? First, assure that life is mostly positive, but that you must be positive. Second, some things may need to be changed and to delineate those. Third, inspire and motivate to insure that steps are taken that will most probably achieve the desired result. The most effective kinds of Readings are essentially like coaching and mentoring.
This is not the sexiest way of doing a Reading, for it requires action to make a somewhat nebulous future happen. The issue for me is how to make such a non-dramatic thing engaging and inspiring. Now that is the art of being an archetypal "magician," one who can get
real results. There is no formula for doing this except for knowing enough about people and how to approach them in a way that can be heard and heeded.
By far the most problematic aspect of forecasting with credibility is our "vain brain." A human brain will go to great lengths to skew perceptions in the perceiver's favor. According to psychologist, Cordelia Fine, author of A Mind of Its Own, our brains bias memory and reason, selectively editing truth to inflict less pain on our fragile egos. Her studies have shown that our brains defend ourselves, regardless of obvious data and evidence to the contrary. I agree.
Now, this is most interesting, for Fine says, "Never forget that your unconscious is smarter than you, faster than you, and more powerful than you. It may even control you. You will never know all of its secrets." This is why prediction is precisely that... "pre diction," which means before words and even thoughts.
What to do? Her recommendation, which I wholeheartedly support, is to become more self-aware. Be aware of your self-distortions as best you can. This is where intuition comes in, as intuition is perhaps an awareness window giving us a glimpse into our vast unconscious. That is the real value of Tarot and all oracles in that they provide us with insight into ourselves. Remember the single most important adage of the ancient great oracle of Delphi, "Know Thyself." Know yourself and the future will be taken care of well.
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James Wanless, Ph.D
Author & Creator of the Voyager Tarot Deck
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James Wanless is the creator of the best-selling and revolutionary Voyager Tarot Deck, a "modern classic" that has sold 250,000 editions since 1985.
A former political science professor with a Ph.D. from Columbia University, he has authored Intuition At Work, Way of the Great Oracle, Strategic Intuition for the 21st Century, and his most recent multimedia online study course and personal growth process entitled Way of the Seeker.
James Wanless has performed 7,000 Readings over a 28 year span while being a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and teacher of creative intuition and symbology throughout the world.
www.voyagertarot.
com
www.jameswanless.
info
Phone: 1-800-676-1256
jameswanless@
comcast.net
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