There are many forms of divination in the occultist followings, and my favorite is the Tarot Cards. Tarot cards are cards that, based upon their features such as facing direction, suit, arcana, numbers, and pictures, can depict the future.
There are many misconceptions about tarot cards such as they are devil inspired, can tell the complete future, or even that death literally does mean death. The cards are actually in line with you and your energy and can only tell six months into the future or the past, and the meanings of the cards are more symbolic than literal.
The first thing to know about tarot cards is how to connect with them. Some people believe that your cards have to be a gift to you, but I feel otherwise. When you are shopping around for a set of cards, you will want a set that speaks to you. I chose mine because every time I went to get a set, this set of cards continued to draw me in. (I shopped around for almost a year before getting a set - I'm one of those shoppers.) When you get your cards, you will want to charge them with your energy.
To charge a set of cards, meditate with them. Sit in a room with them and shuffle them, play with them, read them all. Get the feel for the cards. Do this for a little while each day to help create the bond. After a few days, do a few practice readings to help synchronize your energy with the cards. You will know this is happening by performing readings on questions you already know the answer to. When you store your cards, wrap them in a black cloth and keep them in your room or somewhere you are frequently.
When you perform a reading, you can use several different methods. The most popular is the Celtic Cross method. In this method, the cards reiterate to you what the question you are asking is, the forces around you and the events around you that have led to this situation, the events that will soon come (foreseeable future) and then the potential outcome if things stay on this path.
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| For a more in depth exploration of the Celtic Cross spread, click the picture! |
There are two suits in the cards - the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana reflects the human experience through 22 different cards: Fool, Magician, Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Justice, Hermit, Fortune, Strength, Hanged Man, Death,Temperance, Devil, Tower,Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, The World Arcana.
In my experience, when doing the Celtic Cross spread, these cards usually depict the situation in positions 1, 2, and 9. These cards represent closest the problem you are having and/or where you will go. For example, Death may be in position 1 if you are asking about your financial future after losing a job. Death would represent the end of the era of your position at work. Position 9 may hold the Fool, representing the beginning of your journey with a new job and new position.
The Minor Arcana consists of suits (pentacles, swords, cups, wands) and are numbered (1 through 10, then knave, knight, king and queen). The different suits of the different cards represent different elements of life. The cups represent water and also represent feelings (flowing like the ocean, etc.). The swords represent air, power and thought. The pentacles represent earth and earthly things (material goods, belongings, etc.) The wands represent fire and spirituality. Each specific card represents a certain meaning and you will want to look for patterns in these cards (a number that is reoccurring, a suit that is reoccurring, whether the cards are inverted or not, etc. This can also hold deeper meaning to the result of the reading.
The Major Arcana connects to the events that happen as a course of nature, but the Minor Arcana shows the course of human nature. (Big picture/little picture.)
Tarot cards are a great way to work on your meditation skills, get in touch with your spiritual side, or for some, just be silly. How you use your cards is inherently whatever is in your nature and how you choose to look at things. Check out Tarotpedia for more reading on cards.
When performing a reading, sit in a quiet room with no distractions. Take the deck in your hand, shuffle them until they feel complete (you will know this feeling after a while) and focus on your question. If your mind wanders, you will not get a very accurate answer - it will be as accurate as your mind was during your asking. Perform the desired layout and begin to translate what your inner consciousness is telling you. Depending on what is going on, you can take the reading with a grain of salt or you can take it seriously. It is completely up to you. I also recommend doing several readings of the same nature (ask the same questions) and see how the outcomes compare.
Morticia has been a fan of the esoteric since discovering the similarities between Celtic Paganism and Catholicism. She spends her time being awesome, mostly.