UPDATE:
I have now removed my discussion pages. I have had no feed back
from any visitor and I feel they are simply a waste of webspace.
If you would like to discuss any tarot card or deck please feel
free to post on the message board. Or email me directly. I am considering
forming an egroup for discussion purposes. Please email me if you
would be interested in that
Raven's
Tarot Teaching Page 1
In
most Tarot groups with which I have had dealings they suggest keeping
a journal of daily study. When you are in the beginning phase of
learning a new deck this process is invaluable. The journal can
be any kind of blank notebook or a binder with blank sheets. This
book can be decorated or not, this is a personal preference and
you are the only one who can choose what your journal will look
like. The outside is not the important part, as in most things it's
what's on the inside that counts.
Once
you have chosen your journal your next step is to decide which exercises
you want to proceed with. One of the most useful exercises I have
found is to study a card for a week. A week is a good time period
to work with because it's enough time to get acquainted with the
card but not too much time that you will become bored with it either.
I usually start from the beginning of the deck. This varies from
deck to deck but starting with the first card of the major arcana
is usually a good place to get started. For instance the first deck
I was giving the Little White Booklet stated the Fool as the first
card of the deck so that is where I began my studies.
The
first exercise to practice is to study the card and take notes on
all of the symbols that stick out to you. Each of these symbols
can have meaning, it is a good time to really look at the card and
take into account your personal feelings on that particular card
or symbol on that card. For instance: The Fool: the flower in his
hand, the dog, the craggy mountain tops. All of these symbols have
meaning. But if I were to note the look of his face or the pattern
of the material of his tunic, these would most likely have a personal
meaning. And there are times when symbols that have meaning in the
traditional sense will have an entirely different meaning to you.
This must all be taken into account for the card and how you will
interpret it. This is why you do this exercise on the first night
of your studies. (Night. Yes I did say night didn't I? I suppose
it's a habit since I do all my studies before bed, I find this the
best time to study because things are quiet in the house and I can
devote as much of my time to it as necessary. There is also the
extra bonus of dreaming about the cards when I am done and lay my
head down on my pillow.)
The
next night of study will continue the first exercise. Review your
notes and make sure that you have included all the things that you
have found that are important when YOU look at the card. Now take
out your little white booklet (that's the insert that comes with
your particular deck, some decks come with actual books and these
can be very helpful when starting out but they are just a guide)
and see what that has to say about the card. I usually write this
down in my journal because I find it easier to remember things after
I have written them down. You can continue this with the table of
symbols and meanings in the back of this book as well. Then last
but most definitely not least, your interpretation of the symbols
or a general feeling you have about the card. You can create your
own table of keywords to which you can refer often and brush up
on when necessary.
The
next exercise is developing a script or story about the card. Sometimes
it is very helpful when reading cards for other people to tell the
story of the card. The fool stands on mountain tops and looks as
though he might fall to his death at any moment... Stories like
these are very helpful in showing a person how this card relates
to them and their life. Every reader's story will differ; at least
I hope they do. Every person will see the card a little differently
also and that is probably the most interesting thing about interpretation
because it does differ. No two readings should be exactly the same.
You should write a little bit of a story about the card, nothing
too elaborate. Something easy to remember and something that will
fit into a reading without time constraints. The major arcana are
usually better for this because of the detail of the pictures of
the cards. The suits minor arcana sometimes don't have pictures
that you can associate freely with symbols or a story. If the suits
are like this you will have to rely more on your memory and the
keywords you develop for each of the pips. So instead of developing
a script on the night of this exercise you should study your keywords
again.
For more insights on the suits without pictures it's best to use
your little white booklet or your deck's book. While this is a bit
less personal it will allow you to give an interpretation. Personally,
I like to find a deck with pictures even in the minor arcana. It
really does allow you to give a more personal reading and it's more
entertaining for those who are receiving the reading. BUT IF A DECK
SPEAKS TO YOU pick that deck! Don't just pick a deck based upon
the pictures! I've had a few decks over the years that only had
pips on the minor arcana and the readings became very intense after
I got used to the cards. My story had to develop based on the meanings
in the little white booklet but it did develop. The cards eventually
"spoke" to me and my meanings became very personal.
The first week's study will seem a bit monotonous because you don't
have any other cards to review but taking a week for each card will
be a real asset once you get started because the next night's exercise
is to review your notes on all the cards that you have studied so
far. Take out your deck and layout each of the cards you have studied
and from memory try to remember the meaning of that card and your
story of the card. After a few weeks of study you may want to give
yourself more time on this particular night since there will be
a lot of cards to go over.
The last night of study for the week. Do a reading for yourself,
shuffle your cards and do a simple layout. Try to use your story
and your meanings as best you can from memory but refer to your
notes as often as necessary and use the little white booklet for
the cards you have not studied yet. This exercise is one that you
will continue even after you have studied for years, at least it
has for me. If time allows record your readings either on paper
or use a cassette tape recorder or for the techno junkies like myself
keep them on disk! You should be able to measure your progress by
referring to older exercises and checking your interpretations.
I believe
I have kept it to five nights for the week, no one should study
all the time. But if you want to practice more feel free! Review
as often as you want and do practice readings for yourself and maybe
even a few close friends. The more readings you do the faster you
will learn the cards.
Next
lesson: Layouts (coming soon)
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