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ponda
15th November 2016, 01:07
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE MAJOR ARCANA (TAROT CARDS)

by Jennifer Sodini from Collective - Evolution (http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/06/28/the-psychology-of-the-major-arcana/)


http://cdn1.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2015/06/Screen-Shot-2015-06-26-at-10.44.50-AM-759x500.png

Tarot cards are a form of divination which assist in allowing a sneak peek into a potential future. A common misconception is that the future is set in stone, and when the cards fall – that is your fate. It may be a bit unorthodox to the orthodox tarot reader, but I have come to understand that the future is malleable, and nothing is set in stone. What can be, will be, but will become because of the thoughts your consciousness is projecting. There may be certain aspects of the future that are beyond our control, but what we can control is ourselves, and controlling our thoughts can create a better reality.

In the 21+ years that I have been reading tarot/oracle cards, I have come to discover that there really is nothing magical, mystical, or fantastical about the cards in themselves… however the intention of knowing allows the universe to “work through you” (in a sense) to show you what you may be soon attracting because of your thinking patterns. The cards are not necessarily a tool to tell your fortune, rather a tool for self exploration of what’s happening here and now.

The major arcana, in particular, are 22 cards that tell a story about learning the way of the world through experience. The first card (or 0), The Fool, is representative of the quest for knowledge. The Fool departs with nothing more than his questions as his baggage, and his questions are what fuel him to find “the” answer, which is the way of the world.

Here is a quick glimpse at the meaning of each card, so you may gain a better understanding of how each applies to an experience each of us will eventually go through during our lifetime…


0. The Fool: The beginning of your quest for knowledge.

1. The Magician: Knowledge through experience.

2. The High Priestess: The female energy of your mind (right side of the brain).

3. The Empress: The ability to acknowledge ego, and understand that it serves as a teacher to protect yourself, from your self – being able to think fast, and still have loving intention.

4. The Emperor: Not allowing ego to be your primary decision maker, and understanding that the only thing you will always be wearing is your soul (being too left brained).

5. The Hierophant: Finding balance between soul and ego. Letting go of the need to fix everything, and understanding there is no need to interfere, you must only guide, and lead by example.

6. The Lovers: The Lovers are not quite what you imagine. The card doesn’t represent a significant other, but rather – the lesson of The Lovers is to live life with love being your primary objective.

7. The Chariot: The Chariot represents being aware of the consequences of your actions, and not allowing sexual desires/false bravado to be your guiding forces.

8. Strength: Remembering to be a warrior, not a worrier… approaching life with an open heart, and staying strong during adversity.

9. The Hermit: Finding appreciation for solitude, because it can serve to remind you of your true purpose.

10. The Wheel of Fortune: The only permanence is impermanence. Fortune can change instantly, and it is important to remain grateful – always.

11. Justice: You reap what you sow, and for every action there is a reaction.

12. The Hanged Man: It is far better to confront your demons, and allow them to be teachers – as opposed to having them be your “executioners.”

13. Death: An end is just a new beginning.

14. Temperance: Patience and persistence for what you’re passionate about.

15. The Devil: The Devil is not a “monster,” but instead it is the monster that chains you to a lower vibration because of choices made primarily for egotistical gain.

16. The Tower: A reminder to be humble and appreciate all that you have, as well as what you can have. Also, to be aware that once you get what you wish for, you must not take it for granted.

17. The Star: To be able to see the stars, you must know the darkness, and in order to see the light, you must know that even in the light, the dark exists but is only there to cradle the stars.

18. The Moon: Masculine energy, being called to be the best “man” you can be.

19. The Sun: Finding balance between the day and the night, and remembering the lesson of the sun – be light, be bright, be warm, and inspire life to flourish by what you project to your surroundings.

20. Judgement: Responsibility for the past to progress in the future.

21. The World: Know yourself, and you will know the world. Know the world, and you will know yourself.

As you explore the major arcana, and apply the lessons to your experience – what you will come to find is that the end result is The Fool understands The World, and all that works through him (us) along his (our) journey are mirrors to the soul’s reflection. Each card represents an archetype of personality that envelops our human experience. We each have many dimensions to what makes us human, and each dimension is uncovered through a new experience. Good, bad, indifferent, nothing is ever permanent, and nothing is ever truly good or bad. All are lessons, and experience is the master teacher that allows us to find our truth, and the tarot serves as a reminder of what truth we are projecting here and now.

joeecho
15th November 2016, 01:43
21. The World: Know yourself, and you will know the world. Know the world, and you will know yourself.


As above, so below.

Magic.

Remember?



The Fool understands The World

Who better to understand a foolish world?

Pam
15th November 2016, 02:24
Thanks so much, ponda. I just bought a deck of Tarot cards and your synopsis is really helpful in giving me a overview as I feel a bit intimidated by them. I am going to make a copy of your post for reference when starting to work with them.

Pam

kirolak
15th November 2016, 09:57
An excellent book is "Jung & Tarot - an Archetypal Journey" by Sallie Nichols.

Cara
15th November 2016, 16:00
Gordon White of Rune Soup (http://runesoup.com/) has a fairly recent podcast on the Tarot with Michael M. Hughes. I have not listened to it yet, so don't know what it is like, but here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33d3ZaYEjUk

The show notes (http://runesoup.com/2016/10/talking-tarot-with-michael-m-hughes/) include some recommendations on books for further information, with guidance on why you might want to read each one.

From: http://runesoup.com/2016/10/talking-tarot-with-michael-m-hughes/
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The Way of Tarot: The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards ?
by Alejandro Jodorowsky
One of the best books about Tarot ever written. Deep, philosophical, yet incredibly practical teachings from a true visionary. Jodo’s “rebuilt” deck that he produced with Phillipe Camoin includes details that are iffy (the Papesse’s “egg” being a prime example), but those are minor points in an otherwise essential text. Jodo’s numerology system is brilliant and the one I use for working with the minor arcana. Favorite quote: “To comprehend the Arcana, we have to enter inside them stripped of words. Better, we should allow ourselves to be possessed by them.”

Meditations on the Tarot
by Anonymous (Valentin Tomberg)
A profoundly spiritual work that uses the Tarot as introduction to esoteric Christian Hermeticism filtered via an unorthodox Roman Catholic lens. Definitely not for everyone, but if the description piques your interest, pick it up—its insights are revelatory. There is an intriguing photo that shows this book on Pope John Paul II’s desk.
http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2013/12/meditations-on-the-tarot-and-the-vatican/

The Inner Guide Meditation: A Spiritual Technology for the 21st Century
by Edwin C. Steinbrecher
A carefully constructed program to contact and work with one’s inner guide (HGA, daemon, genius) via the tarot archetypes, Jungian active imagination, and astrology. Israel Regardie called this book “One of the most significant contributions to occult history in modern times” and he was not exaggerating. This is true tarot magic, and, if you follow the program, the results may astound you.

Tarot—The Open Reading
by Yoav-Ben Dov
Another must-have if you decide to explore the Tarot de Marseille, it is especially useful for free-form spreads and readings “outside the box” with any deck. Ben Dov’s “open reading” style, an elaboration of methods he learned while studying with Jodorowsky, is very similar to the process I teach.

The Magical World of the Tarot: Fourfold Mirror of the Universe
by Gareth Knight
All of Knight’s books on the tarot are worth reading, but this is my favorite. It teaches you to approach the cards as spiritual beings through meditations and visualizations. If your interests lie in the magical use of Tarot and using the cards as a spiritual practice, grab everything Gareth Knight writes.

Tarot Magic: The Treasure House of Images (Second Edition)
by Gareth Knight
Another superb book by Knight. It complements The Magical World of Tarot and elaborate on his Fourfold Structure of the major arcana that is well worth studying in depth. The book also includes pathworkings as well as a number of rituals.
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