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Saturday, December 11, 2010

I am looking forward to our Readings for the Seasons tarot party this afternoon.  They always generate such interesting conversations.

Have you ever had a tarot card reading?  I was raised in a conservative Christian church and had been taught to fear tarot cards, without even really knowing what they were.  But I had heard from other sources that they did reveal deep truths to those who tried them, that the cards act as a mirror to your thoughts and feelings.  When I was in a failing marriage, I did not want to look into that mirror. I wanted to pretend what was happening wasn’t happening.  So I never tried them.

But once the worst was behind me, I decided to give them a try and was fascinated.  I began to look into them more.  

No one knows for sure where tarot cards originated.  They more likely evolved out of several card games in ancient Egypt, India, Persia, and Greece. These mystical decks were shared around the world through the crusades and by gypsies.  By the 14th century, 4-suited playing cards were common in Italy. 

The language of a tarot deck is symbols, which convey much meaning in a glance. The classic Rider-Waite deck, or universal deck, made popular in the late 1800’s has much Christian symbolism with priests, angels, and devils. Now you can find a deck with any kind of symbolism, ranging from the Zen deck that I know best, to fairies, or I’ve even heard of an Elvis deck!

A tarot deck is divided into two major sections: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana, which translates to “Big Secrets” and “Little Secrets.”  The Major Arcana is comprised of symbols that reveal major human archetypes like the Fool, the Rebel, Lovers, or the Wheel of Fortune. The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits that represent our emotional journeys, our passions & vision, our minds, and our physical journeys.   

Tarot is beyond good or evil.  A tarot reading is a synchronicity of the participants and their reaction to the images at that moment.  The same cards would hold different meaning for each person, or for the same person at a different point in their lives.  

The gift a tarot reading offers is a chance to pause in our busy schedules and reflect for a few moments on your journey. 

Linda or I would be happy to schedule a private reading for you, or you are welcome to come to one of our quarterly tarot events.  Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on the latest plans.

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