EXPLORATION OF TAROT IMAGES IN A DREAM

[Two of Swords from The Thoth Tarot]

This exploration was posted previously to my dreams and poetry blog. Since it relates to Tarot, I thought I would post it here also.

I’ve posted here about using the Tarot to explore night dreams. In this post I will talk about an experience I had many years ago of Tarot card images within a dream. All the Tarot numbers, names and meanings that the dream attributes to the cards are those actually assigned to The Tarot cards mentioned.


THE DREAM

I see a black and white line drawing Tarot Major, quite oversized. It is a female figure. She is facing me, seated on a throne, wearing a crown. I am sure she is III, The Empress. I very briefly note that her crown is shaped like the roman numeral two: II.

I note with great interest the many groups of three objects on the card. Three clouds, three flowers, and so on. I become excited as I note 4, then 5, and then 6 triplicities. It becomes important to find 9 triplicities in all. I briefly assume that this is because it will mean "wisdom," i.e. IX, The Hermit card. I am delighted when I count my ninth triplicity.

Then I look at the bottom of the card and am shocked to see "II, The High Priestess." I remember the roman numeral two I had taken brief note of in Her crown. But how can She be II with all these threes? Then I am aware of a dynamic relationship between the Seven of Swords and this II/III. I realize that what the figure on the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck Seven of Swords is carrying away are two (II) plus three (III), equaling five swords, leaving the Two of Swords. [On the actual card a figure is tip-toeing away with five swords, leaving two behind in a tent.] Which means that when the confusion of II and III is taken away I am left with a "balance of mind and emotion" – a traditional meaning for the Two of Swords, and "Peace" – the name of the Two of Swords in The Thoth deck.


INTERPRETATION OF DREAM/CARDS IMMEDIATELY AS I WAS WAKING UP

I promptly think of the III/Empress as "imagination" – Creative Imagination is attributed to III, and II/High Priestess as "memory" – a traditional meaning for II/High Priestess. So there is much fear that imagination and memory have been conflated or confused with each other. It is this fear and confusion causing the many negative thoughts I have about myself – Seven of Swords, for which one meaning is enervating negativity. When I clear up these fears and confusion, I will find peace and balance – at least for a time. :-)


CONCLUSION

It would take a book to fully explain the issues toward which this dream directed my attention. It will have to suffice here that at the time of this dream, I was in psychotherapy for abuse in childhood. I had just realized that the therapist was manipulating my memories within light trance work – i.e., guided visualizations used for "memory recovery." (Or what became known at the time in the psychotherapy community as inculcating "false memories.") What these Tarot images did at that time by showing up in a dream was to clearly identify an important area of inquiry for me. I needed to be concerned with the relationship between imagination and memory.

These Tarot dream images also pointed to a much yearned for outcome: the last image in the dream was a feeling of gentle, pale blue peace – the color of the central flower on The Thoth deck's Two of Swords (graphic at top of post).


P.S. OF OCTOBER 2006

This dream work has proven to be more accurate than I thought at the time. I hasten to admit that though the feeling of peace at the end of the dream still alludes me for the most part, having untangled imagination and memory made a huge difference in my life.

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Resource: Dreams As Exceptional Human Experience, by Montague Ullman, M.D.; IMHO, Dr. Ullman is one of the bright lights of the dream field.

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S DREAM & POETRY REALM.

ASKING THE TAROT FOR THE BEST QUESTIONS TO ASK OF IT

The below is a slightly revised version of an article of mine that appeared on my now defunct web site.

We can ask all the questions of The Tarot that we want, and even get elegant, impressive answers. But if we're not asking the questions that are most important, that will help us make the best decisions, and connect us to Spirit and each other, then the results may be like cotton candy ... pleasing but with little substance. Then there are times when we don't really know what to ask or maybe how to phrase it but feel the need to go to The Tarot.

Therefore, I have developed a layout to find out what are the SIX QUESTIONS one most needs to be asking The Tarot - or ourselves, or each other - at a given time in our lives. This layout can be used for yourself or to help another person determine the best questions.

I chose the number six because it can be associated to the sixth sephirah of The Tree of Life, Tiphareth, the spiritual heart of the Tree. (In Tarot lore all of the Tarot cards can be corresponded to various positions on the Tree of Life in the Qabala - a collection of beautiful and wise ancient Hebraic texts.)

The word "question," in this context, covers a lot of territory. In my thinking it includes issues and problems. In other words, the six cards are meant to point us to looking at and thinking about what we might not otherwise investigate nor even know we needed to, and to do so in a heart-centered way.

To illustrate how this layout works, I am sharing an actual reading I did for myself. My focus tends to be on the psychological (and rather intensely), so that was the sort of questions that The Tarot offered me. But your results can be entirely different, maybe all six of your questions will be very pragmatic and career oriented, for example. Or maybe each question will relate to six different relationships in your life. Just let the cards and your responses to them speak to you.

It is best to find a quiet space to read in, where you won't be interrupted. Relax a bit, and do some deep, slow breathing in preparation. Then shuffle. As I shuffled I concentrated on the question "What do I most need to be asking?" Then I turned each card over, off the top of the deck and laid them out, starting with the first card and moving upward as in the below diagram:



Once laid out the cards should form a rough question mark. The position designations on the diagram above are simply meant to help you get a grip on the questions, like strings on helium balloons, by anchoring the question in something about your life.

In looking at the cards and their position designations as I laid them out, I did not think of each as representing a particular question that I had to ferret out. Rather, I simply took notes on what surfaced in me and then distilled a question from the notes. If a great deal comes up on a card/position, write notes on it all. You can narrow it down later to what seems most important.

The cards I laid out, the six questions I got from them, and a bit of how I got to those questions were as follows:

Question/Card One [Spirit/High Self; Ten of Wands]:
Why do I hide from my deepest nature?
The character on the card can be seen as hiding behind his burdens.

Question/Card Two [Fire; Ace of Cups]:
Why is love still so painful for me?
The Ace of Cups is often read to represent love. And this is a water card in a fire position. In The Tarot fire and water, and air and earth, can be seen to conflict.

Question/Card Three [Water; Five of Wands]:
Why has it become difficult for me to trust my intuition?
I see the element Water as often representing the function of intuition. And again, here’s a mix of fire and water. Also, the figures on the card are embattled.

Question/Card Four [Air; King of Wands]:
How can I best become loving mistress of my own thinking processes?
Air is associated with mind/thoughts and the King of Wands with a loving strong parent.

Question/Card Five [Earth; Justice]:
How can I best learn the tough lessons my body is trying to teach about balance?
Earth is associated with the body, and balance is associated with Justice - which is corresponded to Libra, also about balance. This is an air card in an earth position, more difficulty.

Question/Card Six [Heart; Page of Swords]:
How can I best champion my heart's urge to mature beyond defensiveness?
The Page of Swords can be seen as the embattled child of a difficult history, who deeply wants to and does eventually "win out", i.e., mature.

In my very brief and by no means complete description of some of the clues that produced each question I have not mentioned the most important ingredient: intuition. The questions grew out of allowing feelings and thoughts to surface, with no judgment or analysis, and holding them in an open space of inquiry. In my experience, being open to intuition is just as simple - and as difficult - as that.

Oddly enough, I chose not to do Tarot readings on these six questions. Instead, for six consecutive nights as part of my nightly quiet time before my altar, I meditated on one of these questions. The resulting insights were instructive and very supportive, and generated some very helpful dreams as well.

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Resource: Intuition Blog of James Wanless, the designer of the gorgeous and beautifully produced Voyager Tarot.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****

THE CHARIOT (VII)

TODAY'S CARD is The Chariot (VII). This version is from the bold black and white Light and Shadow Tarot, book by Brian Williams and block prints by Michael Goepferd.*


For comparison, here's The Chariot in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck:


THE CHARIOT (VII): I finally set up my scanner! I tend to be buffaloed all too readily by tech stuff, so wind up putting off dealing with it. How is this related to this post? Only becuase I can now put up versions of cards from decks I have not found online but have in my collection, such as The Light and Shadow Tarot. I happen to particularly like The Chariot in this deck because of the focussed Buddha figure at its center. It minimizes my tendency to see The Chariot in martial terms.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR THE CHARIOT (VII)(i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Incorrect application of energies and talents.

It's very important you gain appropriate control over your emotions at this time.

A need to socialize. You've been in your shell too long.

You may be focussing too much on the external (the vehicle), and the internal (the emotions, the spirit, etc.) are in need of attention.

Be careful that your desire to be expressive does not run over someone else's intense need right now to be heard.

You may need to tolerate feeling out of balance right now, as your conscious and unconcious energies re-align themselves in your life.

Self-expression as a path of growth and service.


* MINI-REVIEW ALERT! The Light and Shadow Tarot has very strong, black and white block print designs. They are intensely evocative and I have very mixed responses to them. The cards are also over-sized and difficult to shuffle, but that is a minor concern for me compared to my tendency to negative visceral responses to the designs. I hasten to add that I am happy to have this deck in my collection. It just is not one I turn to for readings. But I do imagine this is a very personal reaction as the designs are evocative, beautifully executed, and clearly thought out.

* * * *

Resource: Tarot and Emotions Research Project Report, by Mary K. Greer. My generally intense "gut" response to The Light and Shadow deck as a whole recalled this interesting report.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep expressing yourself, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****

THROUGH THE MOONGATE (Tarot Card Meditation)

[The Moon card from the Rider/Waite/Smith deck]

The below is a slightly revised version of a meditation I wrote and posted to my now defunct web site. It was originally written as the warm-up for a Tarot class that I offered many years ago.


In my experience there are two general ways in which we receive information when we do Tarot readings. One, from the meanings assigned to the cards that we have learned from the literature and from experience; and two, from intuition and psychic sources.

The way of meaning involves memorization and experience. The way of intuition and psychic information is more subtle, and usually involves getting out of our own ways so that the information can come through. We tend to be in our own ways when we are out of touch with our bodies. It has been said that being psychic is, at its most basic, being fully present with all five of our senses. It may be that in becoming more aware of our embodiment, our senses then can act as doorways onto deeper perceptual abilities that lie beyond physical sensing. "Sinking into and then beyond,” if you will. However, please note, I do not claim that being in touch with our bodies is the only way to receive intuitive/psychic information. There is still so much to be learned about these ways of knowing.

In any event, it was this gateway of the senses that I wanted to explore when I designed this Moon card meditation as a warm up exercise for listening with and to our bodily senses in response to Tarot images. Also, I wanted it to serve as an example of one way to meditate on a card in general.

I chose The Moon card for two reasons. One, the card had been haunting me in my personal readings, demanding to be known by me in some deeper fashion. I knew that in writing a meditation I would delve very deeply into the card's images and traditional lore. And two, The Moon card lore has a very rich, old, and deep resonance with the cycles of history, both collective and personal, which we are said to carry encoded in our bodies. Our bodies even respond to the changes in actual lunar phases. All this made The Moon card, in my opinion, fertile territory to explore and respond to with our bodily senses.

PLEASE NOTE: This Moon Card meditation is designed for use with The Moon card from the Rider/Waite/Smith deck because it references those particular images and many of their traditional meanings. The Universal Waite, the Albano/Waite, or any fully Rider/Waite/Smith "clone" Moon card would work as well.

If you want to actually do this meditation, I'd suggest recording it yourself. It's an intriguing experience doing a meditation that's led in your own voice. But having a trusted friend read it to you, slowly and thoughtfully, will work just as well. It's also possible to do it reading the instructions from the page yourself, pausing where required, then going back to the instructions. This is more challenging, especially if you are new to Tarot images. In all three cases, keep notes as you go along; i.e., after each pause. Also, allow plenty of time for this meditation. It’s not a quick jog around the park. :-)

PREPARATION

Please note that wherever this meditation says "PAUSE," make sure to allow ample time for exploring in silence, then making notes before continuing on the journey. The questions and comments setting up a "PAUSE" are all in upper case, to distinguish them from the rest of the narrative.

Have a note pad and pen, and The Moon card out of your deck.

Find a quiet place where you won't be interrupted and where you can get comfortable.

Relax, do some deep breathing, and then just sit with The Moon card and look at it. Take several minutes to look it over. Don't worry about meaning or whether you understand The Moon card. Just take its images in.

After several minutes, place The Moon card face down. Relax some more. Close your eyes. On each slow in breath think: Relaxing. On each slow out breath think: Releasing. Continue breathing this way for a few minutes .... Relaxing ..... Releasing .... Know that you are safe always in this magical landscape you are about to enter.

Then, when you feel ready, start ...

THROUGH THE MOONGATE MEDITATION

See The Moon card in front of your mind's eye.

Don't worry if it doesn't seem clear, what is important will be there when you need it.

Now see The Moon card grow, swelling until it fills your vision with its mysterious vista. It has no borders now and you are in its landscape. Where you stand is in the Dark of The Moon.

This is the Goddess Hecate's realm of death and rebirth. Though cold, She is not mean. Though dark, She is not evil, for She ultimately brings rebirth.

This powerful Goddess Hecate will always be available to you on your journey toward the light of The Moon, that shimmers faintly way off in the distance.

A dull blue pool, wanly reflecting the distant moon, gently laps at your bare feet. You are standing at its edge, the pool's depths are to your back, as if you have just risen from its vastness.

A chill wind ruffles the hair on the back of your head.

HOW DO YOU FEEL? HOW DOES YOUR BODY FEEL? WHERE ARE YOU TENSE? WHERE ARE YOU RELAXED? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING HERE? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

You look to either side of yourself. The pool extends as far as you can see.

Ahead, you see a path that wanders off into the far, far distance until it disappears under the moon in the night sky.

You look at the two grey stone towers in the distance, whose supporting walls extend into infinity, but you do not have time to wonder at them because there, at your feet, a crayfish, a lobster-like creature, scrabbles up out of the pool.

It's metallic green-greyness glimmers slightly.

HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW? WHAT MUST IT BE LIKE TO LIVE WITH YOUR SKELETON ON THE OUTSIDE PROTECTING YET WALLING YOU OFF? WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR STOMACH, YOUR NECK, ELSEWHERE IN YOUR BODY? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

The crayfish scrabbles on ahead of you and out of view. Then onto either side of the path ahead, leap two animals. A wolf lands on the right side and a dog on the left.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE TWO ANIMALS? ONE IS WILD AND UNTAMED, AND THE OTHER THE PRODUCT OF HUMAN WILL. WHAT DOES YOUR BODY WANT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO EACH OF THEM? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

You are brought out of your reveries by the howling of the wolf. The dog focusses intently on the wolf, then responds by howling also, as if some deep chord of memory has been struck.

The road that passes between them beckons you intensely, suddenly brighter through the gloom. Even as the hair stands up on the back of your neck, you take courage and curiosity in hand and step out of the lapping edge of the pool, onto the road.

HOW DO YOU FEEL AS YOU WALK BETWEEN THE HOWLING WOLF AND DOG? WHAT DOES YOUR BODY FEEL? WHAT IS THE ROAD LIKE BENEATH YOUR BARE FEET? HOW DOES THE AIR FEEL ON YOUR SKIN? WHAT SMELL IS IN THE AIR? WHAT SOUNDS ARE THERE BESIDES THE HOWLING? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

The howling fades as you continue walking. The moonlight intensifies even more and you realize you are hearing new sounds, the buzzing of insects, the chirping of birds. You look at the field that rolls endlessly away from the path to either side of you.

THIS IS THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE. EXPLORE EITHER SIDE A LITTLE BIT NOW. WALK AROUND, OFF THE PATH IF YOU WANT. WHAT DO YOU FIND? WHAT DO YOU HEAR, SMELL? WHAT DO YOU FEEL? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

The moonlight is almost as bright as day now. You hurry back to the path and look up at the full moon, smiling serenely down at you from the blue sky. Her face in profile is that of Diana, Goddess of the Moon. Diana, the Huntress, accompanied by Her dogs, both wild and tame.

The Moon is crying; tears of sorrow, tears of joy. Ancient tears that filled the Nile to overflowing. Tears that created the pool from which you and the crayfish arose. Nourishing tears that sustain the field through which your path has wandered.

You are drawn onward along the path toward Her. You suddenly stumble as the path takes a steep, long and exhausting downward turn beneath your feet. You have to look down, away from the light of the moon, to keep from tripping.

WHAT DO YOU FIND HERE, WHEN THE GUIDING LIGHT IS ALL BUT OUT OF SIGHT? WHEN THE GOAL SEEMS LOST? HOW DO YOU FEEL? WHAT IS YOUR BODY DOING? WHAT DOES YOUR BODY WANT TO DO? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

With courage and faith in hand, you continue walking onward. You remember that Hecate is always with you, in every shadow cast by the brilliant shining of the moon.

And the path begins to gently rise ahead of you again, under the bright moonlight of Diana’s blessed face. You continue to walk and walk, sometimes in the light and sometimes in the dark downward turning of the path.

WHAT IS YOUR PATH LIKE NOW? HOW ARE YOU FEELING? HOW IS YOUR BODY RESPONDING TO THESE CHANGES AROUND YOU? … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

The path seems endless until you reach the two towers, one to either side of the path. And you find that you can walk no further, though you want to very much. Though there is no visible barrier in front of you, you simply can not walk further.

BREATHE DEEPLY INTO YOUR BODY. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO OR USE TO MOVE FURTHER DOWN THIS PATH? DOES YOUR INTUITION URGE YOU TO DO ANYTHING IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH? ACCEPT WHATEVER REPONSE OR LACK THEREOF YOU RECEIVE … PAUSE … MAKE NOTES

Whether or not your intuition led you to a breakthrough, you are able to continue on this path now, for not everything we are able to do is the result of our knowledge or efforts or intuitions. The gift of grace is also part of the journey.

The Goddess Diana beams all the brighter for you have made it down the long path, to stand beneath Her, open to the deep blue sky. Her tears for now are all tears of joy!

Bathe in Diana’s Radiance.
Feel the Wisdom and the Sorrow of Your Journey,
the Fear and Elation, the Loss and Creation
Fill Each Cell of Your Body
with the Moon's Radiance until it Shines
like the Moon Herself.

It is time to return to ordinary consciousness. Look behind you. Bless the path you followed here, and thank Hecate for Her presence on your journey even if you were not aware of it. Then look at Diana again and thank Her. Breathe in and out deeply a few times.

When you are ready open your arms and hands wide in celebration, and slowly open your eyes.

You are now back here in ordinary consciousness. Make any additional notes about your journey. Be gentle with yourself as you reorient to regular consciousness.

CLOSING COMMENTS

Should you do this meditation, it will be interesting to note what your relationship to The Moon card is subsequently. It is also possible that you will find inspiration for creative writing or other art work resulting from this exercise. Insights and intuitions may surface during the meditation, and may also rise afterwards. You might find insights and intuitions arising not related at all to The Moon card or to The Tarot as you may have re/connected to parts of yourself in the process of this journey. For example, even just carefully reading and slightly revising this meditation reminded me that mixed in with the travails and sorrows of life, we sometimes find a gift of grace.

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Resource: Tarot Reading Layouts for the Major Arcana, though not meditations, per se, these layouts do in a way explore the card they are based on. This is Thalia Took's site, whose Tarot art I have posted here previously (The Emperor and The Star).

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep listening to your body, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****