As a child, I loved to watch my mother read cards for friends and acquaintances. She was quite good, it seemed, and the people she read for were always grateful for her insights. I secretly snuck the cards and the book out of her drawer and tried to understand what the big deal was. The cards seemed dark and ominous, and I didn’t understand much of anything. When I was a bit older, I asked her to read cards for me, but she explained that as my mother she was too close, that it wasn’t a good idea.
A bit frustrated, I tackled the tarot on my own. Turns out, it wasn’t as complicated as I’d thought – only the aesthetic of the cards was awful! My first very own tarot was Osho’s Neo Tarot. I still have it today: all tattered and worn, and I totally love it. It’s been through so much with me. Sadly, this deck is no longer available new. Next came the Osho Zen Tarot* and the Meditation Oracle*.
Tarot cards have been around for ages. For centuries, tarot was simply a game, like Bridge, primarily played in Europe. The very first tarot cards were called Tarochhi and likely originated in Milan during the Italian Renaissance.
I always keep a tarot deck in my bag when I’m travelling. It somehow keeps me calm. When I’m stuck or have questions for Life, I have a chat with my tarot cards. No joke. They give me advice, stability, clarity, and calm me into a meditative state. When I read cards for myself, I can completely submerse in this other world. It feels great. I feel connected to something that I can’t describe, and it helps me to connect with a place inside of me that knows which path to take.
Reading tarot cards is easy
There are countless ways of interacting with a tarot deck. A common misconception is that it’s horribly complicated, which is not (and should not) be the case. Sure, it’s great if you develop an understanding of the individual cards with time, but that happens on its own if you work with them enough.
What’s important is opening yourself to your own intuition. Whenever I pick up my cards, it feels a little magical. Before I begin to lay them out, I close my eyes and connect to my breath. Tarot cards support our spiritual growth and strengthen our intuition.
When I have the time, I like to draw five cards that address my question, the context of the question, myself, my surroundings and the answer. It can be intense – grounding or uplifting.
Sometimes I only look at three cards that simply show the state of my body, mind and spirit and help me to realize what needs work and attention. And other times I just have a single question and draw one card which I then analyze. Each of the decks I’ve suggested here comes with a booklet that includes suggestions for lay-outs and descriptions of the individual cards. I’ve developed such an intimate relationship to my cards, it’s crazy. My daughter loves them too, and occasionally we take a peek together, which is always thrilling: I’m not as strict.
There are gorgeous decks available nowadays, which makes working with the cards that much more fun. I can’t pass up a beautiful new deck, which means I’ve acquired a drawer full of different cards, and choose based on what seems most appropriate for the questions at hand.
The tarot pictured here is the Fountain Tarot* (presently only available here). It’s currently one of my favorites, along with the deck by The Wild Unknown, the Oracle Cards by Sitara Design and the deck by Starchild Tarot.
I recommend: spend more time looking into the cards than the tube.
#listeningwithin
Madhavi
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