The Tarot: Part 2
On The Path To Learning More



by Moirai

Since I wrote about starting out with Tarot cards in July 2005 I have become a bit of a collector! After comfortably settling with the Goddess Tarot I noticed the wonderful jewel-bright designs of the Gilded Tarot created by Ciro Marchetti and decided to buy the set. September 2006 I saw the most beautiful set of watercolour designed cards, the Llewellyn Tarot, created by Anne-Marie Ferguson, which I also now own. I will mention more on these cards later... Moving from beginnings onto a greater knowledge does require time for study, practise and patience too. Starting out I viewed learning about Tarot reading in the same way I viewed coming to Paganism. That on my journey I would find the right thing at the right time. Whilst that can be very true it does also help to think about how you learn any new skill - sometimes you might need some help and guidance. I hope that by sharing some of my experiences I can help others who have wondered the same thing. I wanted to do some further reading and there are no shortage of titles available! As I wasn't sure what books would be best to help me I visited the Moonshadows Forum to ask the always helpful people who visit if there were any particular titles that they'd recommend. Courtesy of Webwitch's excellent advice, Webwitch being a regular on the forum, I learnt about Rachel Pollack's classic text Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom. A Book of Tarot and Sandra Thomson's 'Pictures from the Heart. A Tarot Dictionary' both of which have proved to be invaluable for their analysis, commentary and explanations. I hope to write more about these books another time as I consider them to be very well-written and educational.
Spreads After some time though it can feel like you have got into a rut. I know that I did think that. For instance, the Celtic Cross does come in variations but the basic shape and positions are reasonably similar. That's not a criticism of what the Celtic Cross provides for readings, given that you have enough time to study the interplay and interpretation of the cards. Usually for Celtic Cross readings I prefer to have at least half and hour and preferably longer to view it. A three or four card reading is more immediate but your question needs to quite specific and it might not have quite enough perspective on events.
That's why I have found the particular spread, illustrated above, to be fantastic for a daily reading. It gives you enough information to cover the main areas of your day but doesn't have to be overwhelming. I think of it as a snapshot of the main themes and influences. The Daily Spread (Designed by Kathie Vyvyan, The Gilded Tarot Companion book)
It's a simplified version of the central cross spread of the Celtic Cross and I've found it to be really effective and use it a lot. The layout position is: Card 1. Works Card 2. Home Card 3. The Unexpected Card 4. Your role Card 5. Outcome The spread is laid out with Card 1 placed down first on the left, Card 2 on the right opposite, Card 3 at the top, Card 4 at the bottom and Card 5 placed last in the centre. The way I choose to interpret the layout: Works - Relates to actions, although not just in your work or career, how you interact with people in general, or how you relate to situations. Home - Can be about your personal relationships, family matters or about something physical related to where you live. The Unexpected - I view as those forces or actions that are not necessarily within your control, something that is meant to be a surprise or that you haven't considered before in your situation. Your role - Now this can be the card position that does require some practice with. It can be what you will bring to the day, what is likely to be the main internal influence on your actions, or it may be a chanelling of what is on your mind at that time. Outcome - As with most end note cards I view this as the pulling together of the threads and what it means as an overview of the interactions of people and situations. For this spread I use The Gilded Tarot exclusively. Although I have tried with my other sets my familiarity with these cards, and their imagery, seems to improve the accuracy of themes and situations that I get from the reading. Other spread patterns are included in Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom along with Rachel Pollack's explanations and they are definitely worth reading if you feel that you want to try other spreads. At least one is quite intricate so you will need to set aside some proper practice time. Interpretation If, like me, you have been learning alone one of the sticky points is interpretation. I am sure that there are many dedicated, talented and experienced readers who would point out that interpretation is a lifelong learning curve and that there are always new possibilities in understanding. The three Tarot card sets I currently have draw their imagery from the Rider-Waite, albeit with some important differences in the Major Arcana and smaller tweaks to the Minor. The Hierophant. Gilded Tarot Set As I mentioned in the Beginner's View there are some particular cards that you can relate to instantly, with others it can be difficult. With the Gilded Tarot, in particular, I had spent many hours wrestling with understanding Major Arcana card V - The Heirophant. Even with the help of Rachel Pollack's book, and Sarah Thomson's, I simply could not connect to this card with any degree of empathy or insight. I made notes on when The Hierophant appeared, in relation to what cards, and reviewed the events which it might relate to and I kept having a mental block. Until one day when I did a daily reading, as shown above, and The Hierophant turned up in the 'Works' position. As it happened I was preoccupied with a particular difficulty in my job which was causing me internal conflict. It suddenly clicked that what the card represented was that I was drawing on my own, instilled, moral system and was applying it unthinkingly to the problem. It was a real breakthrough moment for me! I give this example because it was over a year of using the Gilded Tarot before I had this insight. Even with practice, meditation and reading books - learning is not an instant process. For anyone who has felt the same or thought that they will never 'get' it I just want to say it is possible! Of course, interpretations change and although I had my insight to The Hierophant that particular meaning won't stay exactly the same. I do think that when you have had an understanding of the card on one level you know that you are capable of learning, so that it does become easier. If that all sounds like rather hard work I'd say, yes sometimes it can be demanding. The result though is more than worth being patient and persistent. What I've learnt through my readings has helped me a great many times whether that has been through prediction or personal development. My feeling of confidence when working with the Tarot has improved, my knowledge is growing and I hope that one day I will be doing readings for other people so that my experiences will help them too. Another enjoyable aspect is finding Tarot cards that appeal to you instantly - like the Llewellyn Tarot. As I only bought these last year I haven't spent much time working with them yet, they are so beautiful to look at that I hope to be doing more readings with them soon. They do look as though they are about to come to life! Brightest Blessings. Moirai

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