When to change plans? Ask tarot

One of the most common questions tarot readers get is along the lines: should I keep doing what I'm doing, or change the plan and do something else?

This question repeats in every area of life: studies, work, love and relationships with loved ones in general. It is, indeed, tricky to know when to continue and when to change course. The main problem, however, is not necessarily lack of knowledge, new ideas or plans, it's this:

8 Swords.

8 Swords, Rider Waite Smith tarot.

Often in life, when we've been putting in a lot of effort on something, it feels unbearable to think that no fruit came of it. Changing a plan feels like a failure. We often don't feel at ease to quit studies, change careers, change partners or cut out friends, even when it feels there's nothing but roadblocks. The feeling of a roadblock is real, but here's the catch: the roadblock itself is not.

Tarot card 8 Swords symbolises a situation where we can't see a way forward. We're so set on one course or one thinking pattern, that we don't realise nothing else but our own worries, assumptions, expectations and beliefs are stopping us. There's always a choice - a different choice.

8 Swords of Anna K tarot shows, how the feeling of being trapped is just a projection or illusion. The person is free, holding a sword - symbolising power, knowledge and clarity of thought - but she believes she's trapped. In reality, nothing but her own thoughts are keeping her captive.

I once read that an average person makes thousands of choices every day without counting them.

We decide whether to get up or not. Whether to have breakfast or not. What to have for breakfast? What to wear for work? To go to work at all or not? Do some pilates before work or not? Catch a bus or drive? Start with task A or task B? Have a chat with Bernie or Bonnie? Leave early or stay late? Shop at Fresh Groceries or Fresh Produce? Send a few job applications at night? Sign up for couples' counselling or not?

Now, usually it feels that these are not actual choices. Many are self-evident, automated motions we have to carry out to simply live life. But, from a philosophical point of view, they are all choices. And if we chose differently, our day and life would be different.

8 Swords is the mindset where things happen and thoughts are thought, because that's how it's always done. But technically, we could NOT go to work. NOT talk to Bonnie the Boss, but Bernie the Jovial Friend. NOT go shopping at all but drive to Vegas to spend all our money, never come back and forget our job and marriage troubles forever.

Maybe not the best decisions, but decisions and choices nevertheless. And if any of the daily choices are different than usually, the day is different and can gradually produce a different life, when changes and different choices accumulate.

To wind back to bigger life choices. How to know when a change of plans is in order, and how to encourage oneself to take that step?

It can feel daunting to admit that nothing came of this field of studies, career, or relationship. What will everyone else say? How will I be viewed? How can I justify to myself or others I've spent so much time on this, and now I've got no results to show?

This, again is the 8 Swords: feeling trapped due to thoughts. Thoughts are only mental constructions and ways to see the situation, and they can be changed: negative, limiting thoughts produce trapped behaviour; whereas positive, expansive, curious thoughts produce new choices, new plans, new vistas.

I used to do a lot of knitting and that was a hobby that thought me the necessity of sometimes going back and fixing things from the root. If I made a mistake with the pattern, it could not be patched up later on. My creation would very visibly show, almost radiate the fact there was an error. I often had to undo what I had knit, unravel perhaps an hour's work. What a pain. And yet, it simply had to be done to get the best result. If I'm putting a lot of effort into something, why accept grade C quality?

Life is a lot like knitting. We try to create something the best we can, sometimes we follow a pattern, sometimes we wing it, but in every case, if there is a mistake made or wrong turn taken, we might need to humbly go back and do it again - change course, no matter how late it feels.

Nobody excels at living and nobody's life is error free. So let yourself out of the mental jail and stop judging your earlier choices; more importantly, stop listening to anybody who judges your choices.

If something needs to be changed or fixed, don't be afraid of unravelling. What you build next can be much better. At least it's different, and a source for different lessons.

Here's a spread that can help (pull 1-3 cards for each question depending on your preferences and skills).

When and how to change plans?

What in my life needs to change?

To what direction should the change be?

What action to take to change it?

What have I learned from going through this path until the change?

What in my life needs to stop altogether?

How to stop it?

What in my life needs to start?

How to start it?

Tarot cards 8 Wands and 8 Cups symbolise taking action (or communication); and realising that something does not bring joy any more or won't become fulfilling, no matter how much we try. So, it's better to move on and take action to change plans.

Cheat sheet - how to interpret Major Arcana cards?

As many budding tarotists know, the standard tarot deck comes with sections called Major Arcana - the "big secret" and the Minor Arcana "the small secret". The meanings of Minor Arcana cards are discussed in Cheat Sheet 1 and Cheat Sheet 2, and today we'll focus on the Big Secret.

Major Arcana cards depict life events and lessons as a journey from birth to enlightenment. These do not happen only once in life with Major Arcana, so the cards do not point to your physical years. Instead, they talk about what you are experiencing in your current life cycle or phase.

Also, even though the cards are numbered from 0 (the step before first step) to 21 (completion), in practice the cards don't come up in a number order. Sometimes we learn lessons faster, sometimes slower, and life lessons don't have a premeditated order they come up. We keep learning same or similar things over and over again and hence, the Major Arcana cards can and do serve throughout life - no card becomes "obsolete".

However, it's also possible to get stuck in a certain thinking pattern and that's when the same cards keep repeating until the issue is solved or released. And conversely, it's possible that some cards show themselves very rarely, if you are not experiencing that particular energy (emotions, situations etc.) the card portrays.

Enlightenment can be understood as spiritual, or just "gaining full understanding" about life.

Each card means a major life lesson that has potential to help you grow as a person - to progress in your own evolution. Major Arcana cards often point to outside forces. How we behave when pressured, hindered, blocked or prompted by outside forces, is what helps (or forces) us to grow: it's polishing a diamond out of a chunk of coal.

When you do or receive a reading, pay attention to how many Major Arcana cards come up. They point to the big lessons and major forces in play, and give you a hint about what you need to take into account long-term, or what will have the greatest impact on your life during this period of life.

My nutshell guide for the meanings of the 22 Major Arcana cards

0 Fool - beginning. I read this as a step before step, the first inclination that something new is beginning. It's still mostly in one's mind, not reality yet, but it's the feeling or urge to start anew or go to a new direction in life, even if it feels scary and unclear. It's the wish to do what you want.

1 Magician - from intention to action. Magician brings the idea into reality; this is a card of successful manifestation. Nothing can be achieved without thinking about it first and the Magician comes up when you have the power to succeed in your undertaking, if you set your mind to it.

2 High Priestess - trust your intuition. This card reminds that this physical reality of ours can only be navigated with the help of intuition; the gut feeling about what is right and wrong for you. Rational mind, will and intention are not enough, we also need to listen to the inner self, our soul.

3 Empress - creation and life force, blessings. The Empress is often read as the feminine ideal; but to me she portrays the divine in the universe, the life force (chi), growth, creativity, nature, and feeling blessed and protected. To me this card most often means: enjoy life and it's blessings, including love, creativity, nature and everything that brings you joy.

4 Emperor - structure, permanence and rational logic. If the Empress is about the organic positive forces in life, the Emperor is about structure, logic, stability and authority. It can mean your rational mind being in charge instead of intuition, or it can mean the need to take better control of one's life.

5 Hierophant - sharing structured traditions and teachings. All human societies are built on shared traditions, rules and teachings, such as the law, religion, customs, traditional celebrations - the expectations about how to behave and what to believe. Hierophant can mean living by the rules or according to the traditions, or the need or want to study and/or teach.

6 Lovers - commitment, choosing what feels right in the heart. This card is about soul mates and romantic love, but not only about it. It's about any choice you need to make; the prompt is to choose what feels right in your mind, body, heart and soul. The choice is right when all of the elements align and make you feel good, 'this is the right way'.

7 Chariot - success with opposing forces. This card is most often read as the triumph of willpower, but to me the core meaning is: being able to handle a difficult situation where opposing forces are not letting you to do what you want. It can mean applying force (mental, emotional or physical), or it can mean acknowledging that force alone is not working, another approach is needed.

8 Strength - stay zen, keep calm. This card often shows a young maiden petting a lion. The message is that you can control your own or someone else's animal instincts, fears and urges with staying calm and collected. Frustration, panicking and succumbing to fears won't help, so keep your cool.

9 Hermit - search for your own truth, alone. The hermit is someone who dedicates his or her life to examining, observing and pondering life or a certain question in solitude. It doesn't mean "move to a cave for the rest of your life", but it does mean that the situation at hand is best handled by searching for your own truth through philosophy, thinking, taking time for yourself, reading, whatever works for you to build your knowledge base.

10 Wheel of Fortune - the "full" number 10 is a circle closed and also a change. The wheel of fortune, the destiny or fate, is ever-changing and nothing will stay the same forever. There can be a turn to better (or occasionally worse) coming - and eventually, that too will change. Whatever is going on now, is a major life lesson you can learn from, even if it feels you're not in charge.

11 Justice - karma and deliberated decisions. Justice comes up when there is a need to make a decision about something that (knowingly or unknowingly) has great importance for your life in the future. It can also mean that a decision concerning you is being made (such as a decision on a job or study application, or a legal decision) and it will have major impact on your life's course one way or another.

12 Hanged Man - let go of the need for action and find a new perspective. I always think of this card as a painful or difficult yoga pose you must stay in to become more flexible, balanced, and better at it. This suspended, inactive period in life feels uncomfortable or unwanted, but it's needed to learn something - see things from a new angle.

13 Death - ending and transformation. When a caterpillar has been hanging in its uncomfortable cocoon for long enough, it breaks free and emerges as something different and new: as a butterfly able to fly, reach new levels in life. The ending can be painful and scary, but it's also always a beginning of something different; the emerging of a new you, ready for a different phase in life.

14 Temperance - creating a compromise with patience. This card pops up when you are trying to balance or combine competing elements - such as work life balance, or people in a new relationship. Mixing or connecting them takes time, effort, skills and patience. Sometimes the mix works eventually, sometimes it doesn't, but a decision about wanting to compromise needs to be made before it can happen.

15 Devil - unhealthy attachments and desires. Something is dictating how you think, feel or live. It can be an obsession or addiction (anything from food to sex to alcohol to work) or letting a negative feeling, such as fear, grudge, jealousy or selfishness drive your life. Some people think this card means a bond between people and can mean marriage, but for me this card is about negative bonds.

16 Tower - collapse of beliefs or structures in life. Tower comes up, when a sudden shock is on its way or ongoing. It can be something major like separation, or something smaller like having your beliefs or expectations blown up by something/someone. The suddenness of the Tower often makes the event itself feel negative, but the outcome is that the truth is revealed, whatever it is.

17 Star - hope, healing and guidance. After the shock and crumble comes healing and finding a new direction with hope and optimism. The Star is about learning to trust life again, and finding solace, hope and guidance from within or from people around you.

18 Moon - confusion, letting instincts rule over head and heart. Moon can mean intuition and paying attention to the "otherworldy", metaphysical and spiritual, but because High Priestess already means that, to me the Moon means "oi, you're looking to the wrong direction or seeing everything in an unnecessary bad light". Step out to the clarity of the sun and leave the confusion and stirred-up emotions behind.

19 Sun - happiness, clarity, joy of life. This card in my opinion feels like "there's no worry in the world". It's like being a child again in a sunny summer day, simply enjoying existence. No agendas, no hidden influences, everything just is as you see it and it's beautiful and enjoyable.

20 Judgement - leaving the past behind for a new stage in life. Judgement is about taking stock in life, either consciously or subconsciously. You're ready to move on to something new and different, this life phase or situation is over. It's time to look back, decide what lessons and memories you want to keep, and then close the gate and move on.

21 World - completion, success, life lesson learned. The World comes up when something's successfully completed: studies, a difficult project, a life phase or stage in general, or just a period in life where you learnt something to become a better version of yourself. This chapter is closed now, it was educational and enlightening, now it's time to enjoy the elated feeling of success - and then move on to the Fool again!

Major Arcana (Rider Waite Smith deck) card pictures can be found in Wikipedia. The numbers 0 and 21, Fool and the World, are on the top row, then from number 1 to 5, 6 to 10, 11 to 15 and 16 to 20 from top left corner to bottom right corner. 

Is tarot simply wishful thinking?

Is tarot only wishful thinking or a self-fulfilling prophecy? Is it all made up?

Well, this depends on how you think of the questions.

Wishful thinking implies that we see what we want to see on the cards. Or, we conveniently forget what we saw when time passes, and start to believe that the unfolding positive events were predicted by the cards: "surely that one happy card showed that I would meet you, the love of my life!".

It is certainly a possibility that this happens from time to time. However, forgetfulness is easily cured by recording the readings: take notes or take a photo, and refer back to it. That is an easy way to keep track whether or not the things that happened came up in a reading or not.

Tarot also has a strange but remarkable tendency to show repeat cards when a deeply meaningful event is about to occur or a deep emotion is felt. Why do they pop up? Scientifically, there is no explanation. For people who believe in meaningful coincidences - synchronities - it makes a lot of sense. Something in our energy or vibrational field must be drawing those specific symbols.

Wishful thinking doesn't explain why tarot appears so consistent. If we stubbornly see something good in any cards and it doesn't actually happen, wishful thinking would soon fade away and lead to losing faith. What would be the point in believing in any messages if more often than not the positive events won't manifest?

Curiously, positive events shown in the cards seem to take place in a surprising accuracy - but so do the negatives. And this poses a question - can seeing negative outcomes be a form of wishful thinking? Why would anyone wish for negative outcomes?

How about self-fulfilling prophecies?

Is it likely that if we see something positive in the cards, say, getting a dream job, we are bound to put in more effort in the application because the positive outcome seems within our grasp? And consequently, through our own effort, actually win the job? Or reversely, if the cards show "nope, you won't get it", will we drop the ball too early and not put enough effort in trying, thus bringing the negative outcome upon us with our own pretty little hands?

This, again, certainly is a possibility and one reason why a good reader always seeks for an action-oriented reading instead of a destiny-based "this will happen, no matter what".

I believe that we can always change something for better in any situation. If nothing else, at least our own viewpoint and attitude. Hence, asking for most beneficial actions to take is not only empowering, it can actually lead to a better outcome instead of fretting about the inevitable future.

Is tarot a self-fulfilling prophecy is at the same time a very valid and very silly question to ask.

Life is fluid, our circumstances are fluid, other people affect our decisions and lives all the time and we influence theirs. Every thought, action and decision will have an impact on our future. Tarot is a mirror for emotions and thoughts so asking if tarot is a self-fulfilling prophecy is the same as asking: is my plan to lose weight a self-fulling positive prediction if I have strongly decided to stick with it - or, reversely, is it negative, if I doubt myself from the beginning?

I'm personally not worried about this self-fulfilling stuff, because I think that whatever helps us to become better people and make better informed, clearer, conscious choices and decisions, is a good thing.

So if tarot cards show a happy ending for an undertaking, and that encourages us to achieve it with more self-confidence, it's nothing but great. And if negative cards encourage us to take precautions, check and tweak our plans, actions and thoughts, again, that's great! That's what tarot is supposed to be used for in my opinion. Is it then self-fulfilling or self-development?

However, I do understand the risk that a negative outcome will manifest due to the lack of action or being paralysed by fear if negative cards pop up and cause this.

If, for example, I believe that my partner will cheat on me and it's inevitable (if I believe  my cards showed it), I'm bound to become more cynical, pessimistic, withdrawing and possibly nagging and hysteric than I would normally be - and that type of a relationship simply is not very fulfilling, loving, supportive or warm to either one of us. If my partner then makes a mistake to cheat, was there any element of self-fulfilling prophecy to blame? Probably. This highlights the necessity to ask action-oriented questions: what can I do to achieve this goal, or what can I do to solve this problem?

Steering back to wishful thinking. Do we retrospectively impose meanings on the cards that turn out to be true: say, a month ago you got 2 Cups, a card of mutual, affectionate feelings: today you meet someone very promising for a romance. The card knew it! Now, how do we verify that the card that appeared month ago really meant this day, and wasn't just a random coincidence out of 78 possible cards in the deck?

That's the thing: I don't think there is a way to prove it. If there was, science would have already proven how tarot works, if it works (as a system current natural sciences can understand).

But then again, human mind is incredibly agile and prone to seek and understand symbols.

If you think of it, we actually are very mental, emotional and symbolic creatures living a life in an "animal" body, i.e. navigating the tug-o-war of mind and body, bombarded by the physical, biological and instinctive feelings and responses.

But we are mainly driven by symbols: language, writing and pictures are symbols. Plenty of our thoughts and dreams are symbols. Many of our actions are symbols (playing any game, for example, is a symbolic act: it's not meant for any life sustaining purposes such as finding food).

Furthermore, humans have always sought for and tried to interpret signs: the weather patterns, the behaviour of animals, synchronities (meaningful, as if "destined to happen"coincidences), signs from the deities...

My point is that we interpret the world based on symbols all the time. We seek to understand what other people think and what they mean by communicating via symbols. Being a human is somewhat impossible without symbols. Tarot as a symbol system adds to that experience of finding meaning; and it offers something for the mind to focus on for guidance. Is it wishful? Is it self-fulfilling? I think it is, but only as much as any other thought or action we do in life anyway.

Life is a ride, let's enjoy it as much as we can! Photo by Anu Saskia.

Interview by Berlin Tarot Parlor - what's it like to read professionally?

Louise, the owner of Berlin Tarot Parlor, runs a fresh and informative blog and reading service. Louise was interested in hearing my views about tarot, reading professionally, and what tarot can give to the seekers, so she asked me 10+1 questions online about tarot, including my favourite cards.

Louise's plan is to interview tarot readers around the world to give insights about different takes on how to read, why to read and what sort of benefits or revelations tarot cards can offer. Her blog is also packed with handy infographics, so it's a great place to start seeking advice on how to interpret the cards.

Take a look on the full interview here:

http://tarotparlor.com/blog/tarot-interview-with-anu-saskia/

Snippets from the interview

Tarot Parlor T.P: How did you discover Tarot?

Anu Saskia A.S: By coincidence, or fate, depending on one’s viewpoint! I went through a divorce in 2011. I was desperate for solace and guidance, so I ordered a free astrology reading online. It came with a complementary Tarot reading. The cards I got were so accurate that I just stared at them in awe and shock.

T.P: What is the cliche about Tarot that annoys you the most?

A S: That it’s either a hoax or something evil. I understand that for a today’s non-religious, scientifically geared mindset it’s difficult to believe that pieces of paper could bear any messages, other than what’s imagined or superimposed on them by our own hopes, fears and wishful thinking. But I personally like to approach “paranormal” topics without prior assumptions either way. Tarot is not evil or satanic, either. It’s about interpreting symbols in the same way than interpreting dreams. Would anyone label discussing dreams or trying to understand their intuitive message as evil?

T.P: If you read professionally, what questions come up more often?

A S: Romantic relationships and career are the top areas to ask about. Both men and women around the world are anxious to know when they'll find the one. Many ask about reconciling with an ex. Another major area is career direction.

In general, a tarot reader gets a mixed bag of all sorts: will my cat come home, how will this legal proceeding go, should I contact a childhood friend, will this argument be reconciled, will my finances improve soon? More often than not questions veer towards: will my situation change for better due to someone else taking action, or the universe changing it? I always remind that you are the one in charge of your life.

T.P: What’s the strangest or most difficult question someone has asked you in a reading?

A S: Can you locate a specific book I've lost? The cards gave advice that didn’t mean much to me but when I relayed it to the sitter, she found the book, based on the advice. All questions about finding things are tricky, because cards are symbolic, not literal, and they work better when discussing mental, emotional or spiritual aspects of life instead of the material plane. In general, people don't tend to ask strange questions - they ask what they would ask from a friend, for guidance, advice and perspective.

The full answers and the rest of the 10+1 questions can be found in the link above. I hope you enjoy it!

Cards don't match my life - are they wrong?

I've done more than thousand readings for other people and probably the double number for myself by now. I've also actively followed how other people read on online forums. Based on this experience, I've concluded that there are three major reasons where the reading can go wrong, meaning that the cards and the real life events don't seem to match.

The top three reasons why the events that happen don't match your cards:

1. you ask when will someone else or the universe in general fix your problems.
2. you assume that feelings will cause actions.
3. you retrospectively change the question to fit the cards or read what you want to see. 

#1 - When will my luck change?

In my experience, this is the most common type of question to ask from tarot, and I've done it often - too often - as well.

Will X contact me or fall in love with me? Will X approach me after the fall out and make everything right? Will employer X soon tell me I got the job? Will I go for the trip I'm planning? Will I move house like I'm planning? Will my luck change soon? Will my life change soon? Will everything be better soon?

Of course, it's understandable to be curious about what will come. We can't always ask directly from people around us, so we turn to the cards to get some visibility and perhaps reassurance.

However, more often than not this seems to cause frustration instead of clarity. The cards might tell that X will not take any action, or not such action that would benefit or please us, which is bound to disappoint. Or, the cards do tell that things will change, so you just sit back and wait for the change - which never comes due to the lack of required action from your part!

The main pitfall is that if you ask what will X do about this situation, you're bound to get an answer that's outside of your control. And usually there's a 50-50% chance that the card is not positive. Because X is probably equally scared/hesitant/offended/shy to be the first person to take action, declare love, send a date invite, offer an olive branch or confess that s/he was wrong!

To feel more empowered and in control, it's always better to ask action-oriented questions, such as "what can I do to make this situation progress as I'd like?"

I like to use a simple 4-card spread for situation - challenge - advice - outcome to scope, what is going on, what is working against me or is difficult for me right now, what is the best course of action, and what is the likely outcome with the advice. That way I at least know what is within my control and what is not, and I have a chance to do everything I can to initiate the change I want.

#2 - If X likes me, surely s/he'll ask me out?

It's incredibly common to see people ask questions about feelings, get positive cards, and then get disappointed by the lack of following action. If person X likes me, surely s/he'll ask me out, right?

Nope. Having feelings for someone and actually acting on those feelings are two completely different scenarios. I personally believe that if you like someone and get hints about being liked back - and your cards are confirming this - then why not go ahead and make the first move yourself?

I've always been the one to initiate dates, because I'm so afraid of losing a perfect opportunity just because the other person might be too shy and afraid of rejection. Yes, I have been rejected. And I lived to tell the tale. Personally I find fretting about someone's feelings much worse than getting clarity, even with the risk of rejection. At least it's settled then, and I can move on.

If you're one of those people who think that your romantic interest should prove their worthiness by being the first one to make the move, then... why exactly is the other person the only one having to prove themselves and risk rejection? Surely you're not the King or Queen of Saba, who can't interact with mere mortals, eh? ;)

Seriously folks. If you like someone, make a move. Don't draw cards night after night after night. Same applies, if you've fallen out with someone, or need to make amends. Extend the hand, send the ball to the other side of the court by taking action. You'll feel much better afterwards, in the grand scheme of things, even if the answer is no.

#3 - What's going on in his/her life? Oh, we'll get married!

This is simultaneously the most baffling and the most understandable "reading mistake" to make.

You check how things are going for your ex and pull, say, 10 Cups - bliss, happiness, joy, family. Suddenly the reading looks like a promise for you to finally get back together. Or, you ask: when will I hear about the job I applied for and get 4 Wands - happy home, completion of a project. Wow, this looks like the job is yours! But wait...

Notice what happened there? The first question was about "what is going on in X's life", not "what will happen to X and me together in the future?". The second question was about "when will I hear...", not "what are my chances with this job" or "what is the result of this application process for me", or something along those lines.

So, the first card can mean that your ex is indeed doing fine, but the card does not include you, unless you specifically ask. The second card can mean: you'll hear the outcome in four days or four weeks (depending on how you time with tarot), but it doesn't necessarily say you'll get it, even though it is more positive than negative looking card.

I'm most surprised by many people's (understandable) tendency to interpret negative cards positively in relationship readings, in particular regarding ex-partners or romantic interests.

I've seen dozens of readings where a person asks: what does X feel for me? and the answer is, for example, 8 Cups - moving on, loss -, or 5 Pentacles - being without, lacking something. And these cards are then interpreted as signs of great longing and love: X is feeling lost and cold without me. Errr, what if it means: "X couldn't give a toss about you", which is my instinctive take on these.

I'm sorry if this sounds cynical, but I think it's better to acknowledge the truth, in particular if the "doesn't care" card is also reinforced by action or rather, lack of action by the said ex or romantic interest. There's no point in fooling oneself to see great love and longing in "walking away towards the new shores" type of cards; there's only heartbreak in store for that, unfortunately.

However, this same phenomenon works the other way too, and I've seen many readings where the person won't acknowledge the positive message when it's slamming them in the face.

The most important skill of a tarot reader is the ability to detach. From the question and from the outcome.

Whatever comes up, try to remember (or better yet, write down) the exact wording of the question and then examine the cards as objectively as possible in relation to that particular question. If the cards still don't make sense, record the reading and sleep on it - check back later to see if you'll figure something new out. As a last straw, ask another, more carefully worded question and maybe consider a positioned reading, where each card answers a particular question.

Cards don't match the question? Are you sure you remember the question you asked and are not trying to push a square block through a round hole?

How to use tarot for healthier, fitter life?

Tarot is a great tool for self-exploration and self-development, as last discussed in the Meet your shadow self - post.

In my view, tarot cards are a great help because they make feelings, emotions, thoughts and concepts visible, almost tangible. Being able to analyse - to look at with your own eyes - an invisible, mental or emotional matter makes it much easier to comprehend. But how well does tarot work with everyday guidance or with more physical matters?

I've always been sporty - maybe due to my energetic fire sign nature - but in particular over the holiday period it's so very easy to overindulgence: there's chocolate, wine, heavy meals, cheese... and less time and interest for exercise. So I asked myself: how could tarot help with crafting a healthier, fitter life - or getting back on track with your momentarily slipped healthy life?

This theme is also a great opportunity to discuss the different methods for interpreting cards.

Cards can be read in as many ways as there are readers, but the most used and useful methods in my opinion are: the book meanings, the cues from pictures, and your own personal interpretations.

The book meanings are where it all starts. All cards have meanings, set by their creator and the tradition the specific deck relies on. Learning the book meanings is pretty much the same as learning words of a new language from a dictionary. It might feel like hard work, but eventually the words and meanings will stick; and nobody would expect to learn a new language without ever having to check the dictionary or ask from a native speaker, wouldn't they?

The visual cues in the image is where you start using your own intuition mixed with the book meaning, which is depicted by the image. This step is like learning the language on the go, partly relying on the dictionary, partly trying to figure from the speech. What is happening in the card? Who is in it? What is the person/people doing? What do they feel, think, plan, experience? How does that fit into your question? What is the connection of this specific picture and your life or question? What objects are present? What colours come up and how they make you feel? Is there something missing - say, you asked about an emotional question but won't get any cups = feelings?

Your personal, unique meanings are what wrap things up. This is like learning a slang or being able to create word plays in a new language. These interpretations can be based on your own understanding or intuition on what the image means, no matter what the book says. Your take might be a different angle or an additional meaning only you know through experience: the card has come to mean something specific for you, or you see the picture differently than the books.

I think that every reading is a combination of these three traits, but I've noticed through experience that when discussing physical matters (such as: where is the item I lost, how does such and such person/object look) the image often has a more literal meaning, whereas for the mental/emotional/spiritual plane the visual cues are more symbolic.

Healthier, fitter me - spread

     6

    4 - 5

    1 - 2 - 3

1. What would be the best goal for me in search of healthier/fitter life?

2. How can I best achieve this goal?

3. What new activity or exercise I should try?

4. How to best achieve/maintain my ideal weight?

5. What will motivate me with my weight/fitness goal?

6. The best advice for me to be healthier?

And here's an example reading.

1. Goal - ACE OF WANDS. The goal should be to feel more energised, enthusiastic and inspired, get an energy boost out of exercising and healthy eating, which then radiates to all areas of my life.

2. How to - MAGICIAN. Trust your own skills, willpower and talents. Explore and have fun with creating the life you like; the new, fitter, healthier me. It's all within your reach, it's a matter of turning intention into action, not just dreaming or mulling it over in your head.

3. New thing to try - 2 WANDS. There are options available, it's up to you to decide which one feels the most energising and exciting. It could also be about literal wands, such as skiing (ski poles) or Scandinavian walking: power walking with ski poles. Hiking with hiking poles could also work! 

For some reason I get gymnastics from this picture, in particular parallel bars, so maybe it's time to revive my childhood hobby! It could also be about balance and finding the ability to focus, so yoga would work perfectly - I already do yoga but it's more of a physical exercise than a mind-training method for me, whereas yoga could enable crystal-clear focus, staying in the zone. 

4. Ideal weight - HIGH PRIESTESS. Listen to your body and learn to know it's secrets better. I think I should be more mindful about how I'm not always hungry when I want to eat: it can be about boredom, frustration, for reward, just to finish the plate because I took too much... The Priestess is a reminder to be more mindful about how, why and what I eat. Also, the Priestess holds a pomegranate and there are more at the background, so it's quite a clear prompt to eat more fruit and veggies to keep it fresh and light. 

5. Motivation - 7 CUPS. Dreams, wishes and aspirations. Well, obviously many of my clothes will fit better and look nicer if I keep myself fit, and I've had this dream of once in my life having visible abs! Not necessarily a six-pack, but at least a fit-looking midriff. I'm short so any excess weigh shows quickly, and it tends to pack around me as a spare tyre if I'm not careful. 

6. Best advice - 4 SWORDS. Rest more, take power naps, ensure good quality sleep, take breaks, withdraw from the daily hassle. I haven't slept enough for some time now, just because I feel so energised by many recent life changes (one of them is this blog) so I often wake up ridiculously early because I feel I have so many things to do. I need to remember to take time to rest and recover, too. Meditation and quiet contemplation, letting my mind rest, is essential here. 

Happy searching for your healthier and fitter version!

Listen to your body and eat more fresh produce, reminds the High Priestess.

Tarot and science - access to another dimension?

I am a curious person by nature and hence, I spend quite a bit of time pondering all sorts of questions from "why is x like it is" to "where did this world come from, what's the nature of reality?" The topic of today relates to tarot only loosely but it sprang to mind when I bought a book called Memories from Heaven (Dyer & Garnes 2015), about kids talking their pre-birth memories.

This particular post probably only appeals to science geeks but what the heck, let's do this! It's about what's the nature of our universe anyway?

Some time ago I stumbled upon a website called Multidimensional Man. Jurgen, the writer, tells about his "trips"to other dimensions through meditation. The accounts and Jurgen's illustrations are extremely beautiful and tell about exotic, wondrous places, nature, cities and people. Whether it's all Jurgen's vivid imagination or real trips to another 'frequencies' or reality, is at this stage unprovable. But the beauty of these stories remains unchanged.

For years, I've been reading everything I can about (popularised) quantum physics, astrophysics, philosophy and any recent scientific discoveries that could explain what is this world really - what is time, what is reality, what is space, where did it all come from, how is it sustained etc.

One theory - super string theory - says everything in the world consists of tiniest strings of energy linked together. These energy "rubber bands" form a net that is the basis for absolutely everything: particles and forces, atoms, planets, humans. These strings vibrate in 11 dimensions and that's our world; and apparently some unseen elements or aspects of our world too. Meaning that in a very real, tangible manner everything that exists is one and the same, we are all connected.

Another theory says the world is a hologram: what we see is a mere reflection of some sort of a base or source, even though it feels and seems very solid. Other theories suggest there are multiple dimensions we can't currently access, but they nonetheless exist. There might be countless other universes, known as the multiverse. We don't know if these other dimensions interact with our dimension or not, because currently we don't have means to measure this. Science can only discuss topics that are measurable and verifiable, everything else is either philosophy or religion/spirituality. But, what science can't measure, is not automatically non-existing.

The most recent theory postulates that our universe has a twin universe, a parallel one that was born in the same big bang. In this sister universe, time is moving to the opposite direction, from future to past. Or, time might be a spatial dimension, meaning that its inhabitants (maybe our counterparts/higher selves?) can move around to any direction in time, but not in space. Space or surroundings as we know it don't exist, but are more like in our thoughts or dreams: when we think or dream, we don't actually move anywhere but stay put. Yet, in our thoughts, we can travel around the world.

How this all ties to tarot? Well, just as an idea, if these other dimensions exist, maybe tarot is a method (and not necessarily the only method, just something human brain can easily understand because of tarot's stereotyped symbols) to deliver information from that sister universe, the universe of thought and reversed/non-causal time? If time is a place that can be travelled around, or time moves to a different direction, then events that will happen in our future have already happened or can be visited in this other universe.

Maybe one of these other dimensions or the sister universe is what many think as Heaven or the spiritual plane. If this thought is followed further and these two (or more) universes are inherently linked, what if the concept of reincarnation merely means we pop in and out of existence, taking turns in both sides of this film between dimensions? It would be fascinating if science developed a method to explore this.

Personally I'm on the fence about "life after death" or "reincarnation" topics, because of their current un-provability through science. I'm a researcher, after all. But it doesn't stop me from enjoying the beautiful descriptions of the Multidimensional Man, or Memories from Heaven. And believing or not believing in any of these topics is not a prerequisite for using tarot. But I guess that's the main reason I love tarot: it's a way to enjoy and access the mystic side of reality, the unknown and unseen, be it "just"our subconscious - or another dimension.

There's so much we don't yet know about our universe. Photo source.

For tarot newbies - do you need to believe in tarot?

The theme of this blog is to advocate life change with the help of tarot and it is meant for people with or without experience in tarot - from fluent users to complete beginners. This particular post is for you, if you don't have much experience, but are curious but hesitant to start learning and using tarot.

Firstly, to explain this blog's theme, I'm not saying everyone needs a life change - you might be completely content where you're at and that's great! Again, not everyone who wants a life change needs tarot. My point is that if you are unhappy with something, the only person who can take action is you. And if you're struggling with identifying a) what exactly is wrong with your life; b) what to do about it; and c) what could follow from implementing change, that's where tarot can step in very successfully.

I personally believe that tarot is a mechanism we don't yet fully understand and it has a capability to dig out information about very personal or subconscious matters, even matters that have not yet happened. Yes, the future. Interestingly, many scientist now say that time does not flow forward, but it's an illusion of the mind: everything that ever was and will be - - - exists simultaneously. So glimpsing to future is not impossible, it's just not easy because we don't know how to do it - other than with "divination" methods such as tarot, possibly!

But none of this is a prerequisite for using tarot. You don't have to believe in tarot for it to work. Even though there are spiritual aspects in tarot and many people use it for a more spiritually enlightened and enriched life, it's not a must, it's simply an option. You don't need to believe in any form of a religion or spirituality at all to be able to glean useful information from the cards. And conversely, your religion will not be "tainted" by tarot, because...

In practice, tarot is a framework that helps its user to organise one's thoughts. It's like meditation or mindfulness made visible and tangible; the building blocks of cards showing what should/could be in the spotlight of your focus. Each card represents a concept in life: an event, situation, emotion, action, behaviour or a state of mind. When you draw cards - or a reader draws cards for you - they show a certain selection of these stereotypical concepts, such as satisfaction, team work, family, feeling content, heartbreak, feeling betrayed, feeling bored, feeling confident and so forth. Tarot cards can be interpreted by 78 to the power of x so your specific feelings will be found in the cards too.

A skilled reader is able to see a story in these pictures and can tell what you should pay attention to - and potentially change. But the final word rests with the querent, the person who is receiving the reading; you'll know whether or not the advice resonates. Based on my own experience with talented readers, more often than not the interpretation fits 95-100%.

People have always sought direction, guidance and answers to the burning and not-so-burning questions in life. It's part of human nature to be curious and keen to prepare for the future. Tarot is one method among many and it's easy to try out and even learn with a bit of  patience and open mind.

This year is nearing it's end and a new one is about to begin. Now is the perfect time to set goals and map for what you could change, release or achieve during 2016.

If 2015 was a success, next year you can build on that. If it wasn't, 2016 can be, if you know what the direction could be. The "puzzle piece" meditation of tarot can help you immensely!

9 Pentacles, the card of prosperity, affluence, confidence, independence, growth - all great wishes for the year 2016! (c) Paulina Cassidy / Joie de Vivre tarot, published under permission.

Beginner's super fast guide to tarot - Minor Arcana

What is tarot? In essence, it's a system to seek guidance, dig deep into one's own and other people's subconscious to identify and understand topics, feelings and motifs that are not necessarily visible to the outside. And how do yo do it? By interpreting "readymade" presentations of these inner workings, i.e. card pictures.

Major and Minor Arcana

Tarot decks are divided in Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards. Of these, Minor Arcana is very similar and related to regular playing cards: four suits, 14 cards in each suit, 56 cards in total.

The suits have different names in different decks, but they represent four elements: fire, earth, water and air. Fire is often represented by wooden wands (branches, torches etc.); earth is represented by coins or pentacles (Medieval golden disks); air is symbolised by swords because they cut through the air with sharpness; and water is represented by cups or vessels of some form, containing - surprise, surprise - water.

The definitions for what the elements mean differ a bit deck by deck, but usually they mean:

• Fire - inner drive, motivation, energy, inspiration, passion (from the negative side including exhaustion).
• Water - emotions and feelings ranging all over from love and affection to sadness; and from heartbreak to bliss.
• Air - thoughts and mental capabilities, ranging from clarity to confusion; and from frustration and anxiety to mastery of logic.
• Earth - stability, long-term planning and goals, pragmatism, material world, earnings and finances, nature.

Tarot can also be read in terms of numerology and astrology, as each card has connections to these aspects too; and because tarot cards are based on esoteric philosophy, they also embody Kabbalah etc. which I'm personally not familiar with, and have still managed to practice tarot with success. So understanding tarot history and every possible angle of the cards is not necessary, only optional.

Major Arcana contains a storyline, called the Fool's Journey, and it begins with the Fool card numbered 0. The story lasts until the card called the World, numbered 21 (22 cards in total). The journey contains symbols - cards - for each archetypal character and a life lesson a person can encounter in life and learn from it. This journey repeats and/or rewinds over and over again in life, it doesn't mean we only encounter each situation or archetype once.

The two Arcanas ("secrets") work together and represent major or far-reaching live events (Major) and smaller everyday actions, thoughts, feelings and situations (Minor).

Learning basic card meanings is as fast as you can make it, if you simply go through a deck of 78 tarot cards and memorise a few key words for each. The pictures of cards give plenty of hints for these key meanings. That's your starting point.

Good tarot tutorials

Handy tutorials for getting started can be found for example:

• Phuture Me, tarot tutorial
• Biddy Tarot's list of free tarot learning resources.
• the American Tarot Association's website - in my opinion the most comprehensive accurate list of card meanings.
• Aeclectic Tarot website because it offers a wealth of resources, explained card meanings and a community to discuss and ask help for interpreting any card.

For a more straightforward version than tarot, maybe check out the Oracle system, which I'm not acquainted with but which is explained for example here: the Little Sage. Oracle decks do not have a set structure and are more based on key words and subjective interpreting of pictures, I've understood.

Learning tarot key words doesn't cut the mustard, though. It's where everything starts to get you on the right track with what the cards could possibly mean! The real learning comes from practising.

Choosing your deck to learn

My favourite learning deck is Rider Waite Smith, any version will do. There are plenty of reprints around of this 1910 classic deck, they mostly differ in brightness of colours. Pick which appeals to you. RWS is my favourite because its pictures are both simple and packed with symbolism. I've been reading with RWS for four years now and I'm still learning layers and deeper meanings for each card - and probably will continue as long as I use the deck.

RWS is handy because it is illustrative and descriptive, not abstract. The cards depict humans doing something, giving clues about what could be the situation, feelings, thoughts, plans and motifs involved. It is also archaic enough to give the cards sort of a "legend" or archetypal feeling: because the people and scenes look like from the Medieval times, it's easier for us to focus on the symbolic meaning of the card instead of getting entangled with the specifics of the aesthetics too closely.

There is absolutely no reason why you couldn't learn with any other deck available, there are thousands to choose from. However, given that the majority of today's decks are based on the meanings and symbolism of the RWS, it's sort of the "mother" of where the most decks have branched out. Learning RWS is almost like learning to walk to be able to run, ride a bike, jump, dance, do parkour, you name it!

Court cards and pips of Minor Arcana

What do I mean by the archetypal? Well, let's examine for example the court cards of the swords suit. The suit represents thought, logic and clarity and it begins with the Ace of Swords, the birth of a great, clear idea or seeing through the clouds of confusion with absolute clarity. The card numbers range from 1 to 10, then we meet the Page of Swords (the messenger or the student of clarity and new ideas); the Knight of Swords (the fast and furious word fighter), the Queen of Swords (the person who deals with her/his emotions through logic) and the King of Swords (the master of logic and analysis skills).

King of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith under instructions of A.E.Waite (c) US Games.

The meaning of King - or court cards, in general - is easy to understand in the context of "legend". What is a king? He's the ruler of the land (suit). He has absolute control and power over what he rules. He doesn't sway or hesitate, he doesn't need to. He has a life time of experience in being raised to rule this suit. The Queen, traditionally and in this legend context, is the mother of the country, the leader of emotions, the person who can offer emotional guidance and solace. A knight is a fighter and protector, a soldier of the suit; and the page is the messenger or someone who's learning the higher skills of the suit.

Queen of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith under instructions of A.E. Waite (c) US Games.

In my opinion, the Queens of RWS mean the feeling when you are well in charge and enjoying your own abilities of that suite, be it passion, logic, emotions or finances. The Kings, in turn, mean that you are in charge of others around you, are able to give guidance and support for others in the realms of that suit: logic, emotions, inspiration or finances/livelihood.

In my personal opinion, the number cards or pips of each suit are the easiest to understand through numerology, where even numbers often mean harmony and balance and odd numbers mean instability and risk, but also a possibility.

The pip card meanings in a non-exhaustive nutshell: number 1 represents the beginning, number 2 is balance, choice or pairing up, number 3 is growth and expansion (from the pair of two comes three, a couple and a baby for example); number 4 means stability and culmination (4 legs of a chair for example); 5 is instability and seeking for new directions (growing out of the stability of 4); 6 is overcoming the instability of 5, i.e. success of some sort; 7 again is about growth, taking a risk inspired by the success of 6; 8 is when something suddenly aligns perfectly to reveal either a very positive or negative moment; 9 is close to culmination so it's either the very edge of success, the last push or the darkest hour before the dawn; and 10 is the end, closure, culmination - the highest or the lowest point depending on what was culminating.

Combine the number meaning with the suit element meaning and voilà, you have the starting point where to work from with your own intuition. Intuitive reading tips coming up soon!

How does tarot work?

How does tarot work? Well, nobody knows for a fact. Thousands of tarot readers around the globe simply know it does work, based on their everyday experience with the cards. But, there are a few theories floating around.

Subconscious knowledge

In essence and in the most practical possible view, tarot is nothing more than looking at pretty pictures and analysing or interpreting what they could mean.

This theory assumes that we all know much  more than we realise in our subconscious, the hidden realm of the intuitive thoughts. Tarot is a framework that helps our conscious to focus on matters the subconscious already knows, and bring them to surface in an organised manner. Sort of aided dream interpretation, or structured Roschach (ink stain) testing.

A standard tarot deck contains 22 "Major Arcana" cards and 56 "Minor Arcana" cards, meaning 78 cards in total of stereotypical human life events, emotions, situations and actions. This provides enough variables for one's subconscious to be able to pick up a meaningful message from any combination of cards that come up. Such as...

Do you suspect your partner is cheating? You might get the 3 Swords card, a heartbreak. Yes, it's very possible that there is turmoil in the relationship. But not necessarily because of cheating, but because of mistrust and miscommunication. Are you in high spirits? If you get the 10 Cups, the "happily ever after" card, you'll feel elated and convinced that your utterly positive mood is predestined and here to stay.

But... how about the fact that sometimes - actually, almost always - the cards lay out the truth about matters we have no way of knowing? Like matters concerning other people, or matters about to happen in the future, i.e. predictions? I've been one of the strongest advocates of puristic, scientific and fact-based world view and here I am now, doing remote readings for people and somehow mystically and magically getting them right. What could that be about?

Multi-dimensional universe and/or spirit world

Another theory purports that tarot cards have an access to knowledge that is not accessible via regular human senses. This knowledge perhaps comes from another dimension (check out the Multidimensional Man for a very intriguing account on where meditation can lead a person and what can be glimpsed via a mind's eye). Or, it comes from the spirit world or from a divine source; the other dimension and this divine force not necessarily being mutually exclusive.

In any case, this theory presumes that the cards simply show what is a fact in this other dimension, the world of thought or world of intentions. Cards can somehow capture the most accurate symbols for what is going on in the mental plane - the same plane where thoughts and dreams reside - instead of our everyday physical plane, and translate it into a material manifestation in the form of these pre-structured pictures.

Magic

The third theory is that cards are simply magic. They deliver meaningful, useful and insightful messages, yet nobody knows how. So, it must be magic. But, what is magic exactly? Simply something that defies our everyday understanding of how things should work. Maybe there is no such thing as inexplicable or supernatural, there are only things that we haven't figured out yet.

Unfortunately the scientific community is notoriously apprehensive towards any topic even remotely psychic and has not yet conducted any published studies on tarot or its possible mechanisms.

I personally think that the measure of true science is to approach any topic without bias or prejudice. So I'm hopeful that tarot will one day be seriously studied, in the same manner as out-of-body-experiences, telepathy etc. are nowadays being scientifically examined.

Before that happens, we'll have these three theories (at least) to pick from or to combine together, and keep exploring the world of tarot on our own.

Let the journey begin!

Time to plant seeds and learn new skills - with tarot. Photo: http://kaboompics.com/