Craft: How to Be a Modern Witch - Gabriela Herstik 2018

Divine the Signs: the Tarot

Are you ready to divine the signs? Thanks to the help of the tarot, you can get to know yourself and whoever’s cards you’re reading in a meaningful way. The tarot is a fortune-telling system that originated in the fifteenth century, most likely in the form of a card game in Italy. Though its true origins are still unknown for certain, the card game eventually became the divination system that most of us are familiar with today.

The tarot consists of a 78-card deck that’s divided into two parts, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana, with the word ’arcana’ coming from the Latin arcanum, meaning a secret or mystery. The twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana represent major changes and events, as well as the evolution of humanity itself from the material and physical planes to the spiritual realm; the cards in it, such as Death, the Tower and the Moon, hold more significance in a reading than those in the Minor Arcana because they represent greater transformations. The Minor Arcana represents our day-to-day life and those situations we might face multiple times. This Arcana includes four suits: Cups, Pentacles, Wands and Swords, with four court cards in each suit. Classically, these are the Page, Knight, Queen and King. The court cards represent specific people or archetypal energies.

The tarot doesn’t tell our fortune in the way that we might be accustomed to thinking. Instead, the cards act as a map to parts of our unconscious selves that we may be unaware of. They’re like mirrors, picking up our energy in a reading and reflecting it back to us.

Instead of showing us something that’s set in stone, the tarot offers new ways for us to see a situation, giving us insight and perspective.

The tarot is only one form of divination, and there are other forms of card divination systems out there, such as oracle cards, which are left to the interpretation of the artist and author. However, while the tarot has a set structure, oracle cards do not.

choosing a deck

Although there’s a myth that you have to be gifted your first tarot deck, there are many — myself included — who would dispute this. Having a connection with your deck is vital; there’s nothing wrong with choosing your own deck to ensure that you work with cards that you feel connected to.

The most important thing when shopping for a deck is to find one that speaks to you. It should spark your soul! Search online or go into your local metaphysical store to find something that feels right. The most common tarot deck is the Rider-Waite deck, but there are plenty of variations of this, as well as a whole slew of original and indie decks. There’s a tarot renaissance going on right now, so there’s something for everyone. Scour the internet until you find something you connect with and go from there.

the major arcana

The Major Arcana represent the pivotal moments in our lives, where big changes manifest and major decisions are made. They represent the journeys we take to learn about ourselves on a deep, spiritual level. When these cards show up, pay attention: they signal people, situations and opportunities that we want to take note of. As a numbered sequence, the cards in the Major Arcana represent stages in the spiritual development of humankind. This means that not only do they describe an individual’s personal journey, they connect us with spirit, soul and the very Universe.

the minor arcana

If the Major Arcana cards represent major transformation and the development of the human spirit, the Minor Arcana are the situations we face day to day. They’re more mundane, relating to daily life, the people in it and situations that arise regularly.

The Minor Arcana cards have four suits, much like a deck of cards. These are the Wands (also known as Staffs), Cups (also known as Chalices), Swords (also known as daggers) and Pentacles (also known as Discs or Coins). Each suit has ten cards and four court cards, starting at Ace and rising to Ten. Each suit, from Ace to Ten, represents a journey. They tell the story of a new beginning, movement forward, losing hope and then eventually coming out the other side. When you’re first learning the tarot, or when you’re buying a new deck, it’s worth laying the cards out by suit in numerical order so you can see their progression and understand them as a story on a deeper level.

The court cards in the classic Rider-Waite are the Page, Knight, Queen and King. Some other decks will have a Prince and Princess instead of Page and Knight, while others have the Daughter, Son, Mother and Father. The Page has a sort of energy that is similar to the Fool’s: slightly naïve, excited and ready for something new. The Knight is all about movement: he’s on his horse, already on the way for what comes next. The Queen and the King represent their respective archetypes, energetically and/or physically. The Queen is the more compassionate and intuitive of the two, while the King rules with his logic.

The court cards embody the energy of the suit they represent. In this way, we can form a deeper understanding of the tarot through the court cards, by relating to the real life archetypes they embody. In addition to this, they can represent specific people or energies that we need to embody. When these cards are reversed, they may act as a warning about an energy we shouldn’t embody or an individual we should be aware of. If upside down, they also may signal that there’s something holding us back from embodying the traits associated with them. If, when you read them, any of the cards in a spread are reversed, this may signify that their energy is inverted in some way.

wands

Wands are ruled by the Element of Fire. They relate to our inspiration, creativity and connection to the Universe. Wands are the messengers from our Higher Self that whisper in our ear in the form of new ideas. Wands are the instruments with which we manifest our desires, and thus represent our creative ventures, inspiration, passions and dreams. They’re the suit of the spirit and the mind. When we pull a Wand card, it’s often indicative of something that we haven’t yet manifested in the physical realm, although the seed may already have been planted.

cups

Cups are ruled by the element of water and represent anything and everything emotional: our feelings, our subconscious and our intuition. All matters of the heart are represented by this suit, which is the most evocative and sensitive of the four; the energetic womb of the tarot, so to speak. Cups symbolise our close relationships with others, such as love and friendship.

swords

The suit of Swords is ruled by the Element of Air. Swords represent our thoughts, our decision-making, our intellect and the action we take when it comes to manifesting these decisions. The Swords also represent power dynamics, courage and conflict. They remind us that action can be constructive or destructive, and they tell us of the intersection between power and intellect. Swords are the most powerful and dangerous suit in the deck and remind us of the power of thought.

pentacles

Pentacles are ruled by the element of Earth. Pentacles represent everything physical in this realm: our homes, money, career and possessions. When a Pentacle comes up in a reading it’s an indication of how we relate to the material world. Whether we’re being too generous or greedy, too possessive or not careful enough, this suit reminds us of our basic, physical needs.

read the cards

The first thing to keep in mind with the tarot is that there’s no ’right’ way to read. Yes, it’s important to know the archetypes and symbols associated with the cards and what these represent, but there are layers to each card, and these will be expressed in different ways in different readings, depending on who you’re reading for and their question. You will also learn more about the cards as you work with them. At first it may seem scary to read the cards, but believing in your intuition will give you stronger readings, I promise. Creating your own ritual for reading your cards is important too, and this will develop over time. Here are some simple steps to get you started:

STEP 1: CLEANSE THE CARDS

It’s important to regularly cleanse your cards! Tarot cards pick up the energy of whoever is having their cards read, so cleansing is essential if you’re reading for other people. I prefer to use sage and palo santo to smudge my cards, but you can leave a piece of selenite, a self-cleansing crystal, on top of your deck instead. You can also smudge with mugwort to help you open your psychic channel. To do this, imagine a door opening at the crown of your head, and ask for any messages from your cosmic team to come through in this way.

STEP 2: ASK A QUESTION

Before any tarot reading, the querent (the person whose cards are being read) will ask a question. If you’re reading for yourself then you’ll ask a question. Try something broad like ’what does the future hold for my love life?’ or ’what do I need to know about this job offer?’ You can also focus on a specific topic like love or money. Sometimes you have to ask a ’yes’ or ’no’ question, and that’s okay, but the cards aren’t always that cut and dried! After you choose a question you’ll pick a layout that examines this question further.

STEP 3: PICK A SPREAD

Tarot spreads are a way to gain information from the deck, and a spread is created when you physically lay out the cards in a particular sequence. Besides addressing an overarching question, each card in the spread will address specific issues, depending on where it is positioned. (I also like to see which card is lying at the bottom of the deck: this card represents the underlying message of the reading and often adds some unexpected insight.) Take a look at the spreads here, and choose the method that seems the best fit for your question.

STEP 4: BREATHE AND SHUFFLE WITH INTENTION

Take a second to breathe and ground. Connect to the Earth and ask for guidance. Take a few deep breaths, then shuffle the deck, or if reading for another ask the querent to do this. You can shuffle in any way you like: like a regular card deck, or with the cards on their side. As you shuffle, focus on your question. When you feel ready, cut the deck: split it into two piles and put the second pile on top.

STEP 5: LAY OUT THE CARDS

Start to pull the cards and place them in the positions based on your chosen spread. Refer to the interpretations of the cards above, as well as your gut feeling and any symbols that come up. You can also refer to the guidebook that comes with the deck. See how the question and the layout relate to interpretation of the card. Honour what you feel. If necessary to help clarify something, pull an extra card. And don’t be afraid to do more research on a card if you get stuck. When you’ve finished interpreting the cards individually, try to see how they fit together as a whole.

STEP 6: TAKE NOTES AND RECORD

Take notes of the cards and the layout. I like to keep a tarot journal specifically for my readings, recording any insight and interpretations that come up.

STEP 7: GROUND AND CENTRE

After a reading, make sure you ground your energy, grounding through the base of your spine. If you imagined a door opening at the crown of your head, imagine it closing now while thanking your cosmic team for any insight or guidance they offered. Take your cards and put them in a safe place until next time.

tarot spreads

Reading the tarot can be as simple as pulling a card a day, or take the form of elaborate spreads. Here are some spreads to get you started.

TAROT A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

A really easy and accessible way to learn to read the cards is to work with them by pulling a card each day. I suggest doing this first thing in the morning, so you can see how the card’s energy manifests in the day’s events. You can take a photo of your card and make it your screensaver, or carry it around with you. I like to pull a card or two each morning and then go back through all of the cards I’ve pulled that week on a Sunday night, to see how my week has gone. By becoming familiar with the way in which certain events correlate to certain cards, you’ll learn the tarot in a more concrete way.

THREE-CARD SPREADS

An easy way to work with the cards is to pull three cards. The most common three-card spread is past/present/future, where the first card pulled represents the past, the second the present and the third the future, all pertaining to the question being asked. This spread can also be adapted and used to represent mind/body/spirit or address a variety of other queries. Three cards can also be used to gain more clarity about the question being asked.

A TAROT SPELL TO HELP YOU HEAL KARMIC WOUNDS

This spell is best done on the new or waning Moon. It utilises tarot cards and candle magick to help you focus your energy and heal karmic wounds. Karmic wounds are wounds caused in past lifetimes. By healing them we allow for more freedom in this lifetime.

If, for example, you’ve ever had an intense connection with someone, even though you’re not sure why, or if you feel like you’ve known them for years when you haven’t, you may have a karmic connection. If you didn’t heal fully from your relationship with that person in the past, you might still carry these sorts of soul wounds in your heart. Similarly, if you’re terrified of something for no reason, or feel very intense sadness or grief over something that’s never happened to you, you may have karmic wounds. The spell that follows will help to dissolve this pain, cleansing your soul, so hopefully you’ll feel lighter, and less connected and obstructed by your relationship to the person or thing and the intense feelings that come along with it.

Tarot cards: pick two tarot cards that represent whatever it is you want to let go of and what you want to attract. The Devil, the Lovers, the Tower, the Three of Swords and Death might work well, but any cards you’re drawn to will also work. Pick cards that resonate with what you’re healing; if it concerns love, for instance, you may wish to pick the Three of Swords and the Lovers, whereas if it’s about a bad habit you need to banish, you may wish to pick the Devil and the Ten of Pentacles.

You will also need: sage, palo santo or another herb for smudging; a lighter; a black candle and a white votive candle and something safe to burn them in; a pencil or pin to write on your candle; rue and rosemary for protection and lavender for healing; a shower; your grimoire to record anything that comes up. Optional: amethyst for healing, tourmaline for protection, rose quartz for love.

” Cleanse your space using your chosen herbs.

” Set up an altar with the black and white candle and your chosen tarot cards in front of them. You can have your herbs, grimoire, any crystals you have and lighter next to it.

” Take a ritual shower. Undress slowly and intentionally, paying attention to your breathing. As you step into the shower, continue breathing rhythmically. Imagine that the warm water cascading over you is healing you with every drop. You can also imagine you’re under a fountain of healing light that’s cleansing you. Enjoy the moment, and when you’re done, step out of the shower.

” Put on something comfortable that makes you feel powerful and move to your altar.

” Cast a circle of protection around your space, asking your guides, masters or deities for their healing and compassion.

” Meditate with the tarot cards. Gaze at your chosen cards, allowing your gaze to soften. Continue to breathe rhythmically, finding a sense of peace in your breath. Take this time to focus on what these cards mean to you and how they represent what you want to heal.

” Using your pin or pencil, write what you want to release on the black candle. It can be a word or a phrase, like ’emotional attachment’ or ’addiction’ or ’hate.’ As you carve, imagine all the energy infusing into the candle.

” Do the same thing on the white candle, writing what you hope to gain and manifest. It can be a word like ’healing’ or ’love’. As you inscribe your candle, imagine an overwhelming feeling of bliss and of release that comes with whatever you’re healing.

” Surround the candles with the rue and rosemary while asking for protection, and with lavender, asking for healing.

” Light the candles, calling in healing and compassion. Imagine all the hurt melting away with the black candle. Imagine the white candle inviting in lifetimes of healing. Let your gaze soften as you sit with these. You can gaze at your tarot cards as well, holding the imagery in your mind’s eye.

” Record anything that comes up in your grimoire.

” If it’s safe to do so, let the candles burn all the way down. If not, use a candle snuffer or a fan to put them out.

” Close the circle and ground your energy, pressing your forehead into the Earth.

” Dispose of the wax at a crossroads or intersection.

In the days that follow, pay attention to your dreams and any psychic information that comes up in them. If this happens, make a note of it in your grimoire or tarot journal. Listen to your intuition and see what it says. Let this lead you! You can also look up the symbolism of what you saw in a dream dictionary.