Using the Tarot as an Oracle

People have always wanted to know the future, or what it

holds for them and their loved one, or what Fate has in
store for them. They don't consult just their own thoughts,
but use something outside themselves - tea leaves,
entrails, the shapes of clouds, or whatever.
If you are drawn to the Tarot, then, you're just being
human and normal. There is nothing weird about it, even if
it's not portrayed that way.
A deck of Tarot cards is a reliable way of discovering
underlying truths so we can map out a course of action
that is up to date with current conditions.
This little booklet shows how to get answers using one
section – the Major Trumps - of the Tarot deck.

If you don’t have this deck, you can see the pictures on
each card at this site:
http://sacred-texts.com/tarot/xr/
The Method:
If you already have a deck of cards, remove the Major
Trumps.
If you do not have a deck of cards, tear a couple of sheets
of paper into twenty-two rectangles or squares. On each
piece of paper, write a number - from 0 to 21. You want to
end up with twenty-two bits of paper, each with a number
written on it and with all 22 numbers represented.
You crumple up the papers, and throw them onto the floor.
You are going to pick one at random, and its number will
show how to deal with the question.
Write down the question.
It is important to write it down. If you don't, you will use
the number to answer some other question that was not
asked. This leads to confusion and gets you off-track.
Re-read the question.
Pick a card if you have a deck, or choose a piece of paper
from the floor. The number of the card or on the paper is
the answer to your question. Each of the twenty-two
numbers is outlined and explained below.
I don't know your question, so you need to be a bit flexible
and relate the information about the card to the question
that you asked. The text for each number is about what it
might show for an enquiry about love or money. With this
in mind, think about what sense the number makes for
your actual question.
For more, you can google the name of the card you got and
see what you can find out, though a lot of information
about the Tarot on the Internet is not very good.
Or, you can watch the free Tarot video course at
http://dynamictarot.com,. You'll learn how to read cards,
and in particular how to read a past, present and future
spread, so you can know how what is going on right now
will turn out, or if you're going in a desirable direction.
We have to remember the question that was asked when
interpreting the card that gives the answer. You might be
asking about what to do next, so the time-frame covers
tomorrow and the next day. Or it could be about the long-
term outcome, so the card might be talking about what is a
feasible or logical end point some months from now, rather
than what you should be doing tomorrow.
The card could be referring to you, or to someone else; it
might show what to do, or what to avoid doing - and this
can be equally important.
You have to think things through and be sensible - that is,
you make sense of the card, or determine what sense the
card makes as the answer to your question.
Give yourself some time to let the answer and the
understanding percolate up to your conscious thinking. It
may make immediate sense. but remember to relax and
not get carried away with ideas of perfection or
destruction. If you're not sure, that is ok too.
Think about the card and its significance from time to
time, and you will quite soon know - a bit like what the
Oracle says to Neo in The Matrix. No one can tell you if
you're in love; you just know.
That is the kind of state of mind or knowing to aim for.
If you get 0 - The Fool.
The person represented here may be old and wise, but at
this time and in this situation, he is inexperienced and
doesn't know much.
We might think of him or her as exploring - so you might
come across the unknown, or what you are not familiar
with, but that is part of the adventure. He will have
strengths he can draw on, though he may need new skills in
this new environment.
Either way, the Fool may sometimes be foolish and make
bad or stupid moves, but if he is learning as he goes, then it
will be worth it and he will emerge with new knowledge
and insights. It's the journey that is important, and his state
of mind.
If you get 1 - The Magician.
This is number one, so it may indicate a new beginning or a
fresh start, but you can proceed with confidence.
There is skill, imagination and intelligence to hand, and you
can make use of them for your own purposes. Be creative,
or rather, trust you creative ability - you can do it.
The Magician - think of the professional entertainer -
might use sleight-of-hand: he diverts your attention over
there while he sets things up the way he wants them over
here.
We or you may have to be careful and pay attention, as
much as we can, as we encounter this expert. Or are you
the expert who distracts others?
If you get 2 - The High Priestess.
This card shows a wise, older woman in a secluded area
where there is probably peace and quiet. This can mean
that you decide best, or do your best work, where there
are no distractions - you might need a quiet room, or a
quiet neighborhood, or just turn off your cell phone for a
while.
She is not just a Priestess who has had special training or
who has been educated into certain private knowledge,
but she is a High Priestess, so she is in a promoted position.
You approach her carefully and respectfully - or this can be
how you want to be treated. The meaning we take depends
on the question and how it has been worded.
Maybe you need to find or ask a wise, older woman; or
think about what such a person would recommend or
suggest, and do that.
If you get 3 - The Empress.
She is The Empress, so she is powerful, or in a position that
is naturally associated with power. Think of a judge on a
television talent show, who hold the fate of contestants in
her hand. Or a boss or supervisor.
She looks quite friendly and pleasant, however, so there is
probably nothing to fear from her. She can be more
interested in cooperation and social niceties, preferring
peace to conflict.
This card seems like a good indication of comfort and
enjoyment of the good things in life. If your question
involves luxury or fine living, you will have it. Since it is a
positive card, then it - whatever it is - will happen the way
you want.
If you get 4 - The Emperor.
Think about what an Emperor-type situation is like. There
is power, control, giving and receiving orders, strategy and
tactics in order to gain a winning position, along with a
willingness to actually do what it takes to win.
This can be describing the way you are meant to act; or it
may be referring to someone else with whom you
cooperate (so find good and strong allies), or that you have
to battle (so make sure you are well prepared and have
reinforcements or support in reserve should you need it).
There can also be isolation - the Emperor is on his own -
and there are times when you are on your own and have to
depend on your own strength and effort and will. You can
do it, even if you don't get much support.
If you get 5 - The Hierophant.
Here there is teaching and learning.
You may be in one position or the other, or in both - so
what do you know that is worth passing on to others, and
how will you give your knowledge and expertise? Will you
tell or show? You just need to know a bit more than the
people you are instructing, so don't think you can't do it if
you don't have an advanced degree.
Remember too that the best way to learn something is to
teach it. You stay one step ahead of your students, but that
means you have to figure out what that step ahead should
be, and this teaches you a lot.
A Hierophant was someone who initiated others into the
next step - so there is something temporary about this
influence. It's important, but the people don't stay; the
audience changes, but the message probably stays the
same.
If you get 6 - The Lovers.
You're at crossroads and you have to choose wisely. Will
you keep doing what you have been taught or brought up
to do, following traditional or old methods? This is being
"normal".
Or will you create a new path for yourself, living your own
chosen life and picking your own preferred lifestyle?
You can vacillate back and forth and see the benefits and
value of both sides, but in the end you make a decision.
Trust yourself to make the right one, whichever side you
choose.
This card and number may also be referring to romantic
situations, and your chosen partner or partners ought to
be people who share and appreciate your values.
If you get 7 - The Chariot.
The card is called The Chariot, but maybe it's really about
the driver - so where do you want to go, how are you going
to get there, how well is the journey going this far?
If you are not clear about these matters, it's that much
harder to have success. You may need to speed up or slow
down; re-consider the route; think again about the
stopping points; and so on.
The card's number is seven, and since there are seven days
in a week, the idea with this card can be to work in and
with cycles. We take a few steps, or spend a portion of
time, and it's time to end it and re-start.
If we realize when something has been completed, we can
move on and life stays fresh and interesting; if we choose
and identify beginning, middle and end points, we have a
better sense of where we are and we can act in harmony
with the stage we are at.
If you get 8 - Justice.
(A note in case of confusion: 8 and Justice go together in
older decks, but a change was made to fit in with a
specialized system. You can safely ignore it. See also 11,
Strength.)
Here we have balance - things are in harmony, and settled
and at peace. This means that any action that will be taken
is going to be more effective . Focus is important to get the
desired result.
Justice also points to following the law - so we can ask
ourselves: What are the rules of the situation we are in?
We should work with what is normal or expected so that
we can make progress.
Later, we might want to change the rules, but it's better if
there is a peaceful transition. This way, everybody wins.
If you get 9 - The Hermit.
The Hermit is on his or her own, but this state of isolation
has been chosen or accepted, rather than being imposed
from outside and resented. You do a lot of good work as
you sort things through and decide what to keep and what
to discard. This is the value of the isolation.
It produces knowledge and wisdom, that you can then pass
on to others if you wish; or use to improve the conditions
of your own life.
Hermits live in caves, and not behind closed or locked
doors - so you may prefer to spend time alone, but you are
still available when others need you. This way, you get the
best of both worlds.
9 is the last of the single digits, so in its own way it shows
the end of a cycle. This can be the guiding principle as you
analyse and assess the situation: What are you going to
take into the new and next cycle, given that you will have
to live with it for a while?
If you get 10 - The Wheel of Fortune.
There will be good fortune, but watch out for the
unexpected.
Things will come together in the same way that the teeth
in gears mesh with each other to keep the process going.
If things aren't quite right, they soon will be, as things
come around. If you can make sure that everything
necessary and important is in its proper place, success will
come sooner.
At the same time, this is a new cycle (10 = 1 + 0 = 1) so
things will repeat, but they won't be exactly the same as
they were before, or as you have been used to. You do well
to stay alert and on your toes, so if things begin to go off
course, you can make a correction; or if some new and
unforeseen element suddenly appears, you can
incorporate it where it would belong, or make changes to
include it, assuming you approve of it.
If you get 11 - Strength.
(As with 8, Justice, a note in case of confusion: 11and
Strength go together in older decks, but a change was
made to fit in with a specialized system. You can safely
ignore it.)
Here, we look at something in a different way. It is easy to
think of strength as physical, but we are shown the power
of gentleness as the woman quietly closes the lion's mouth.
What is normally dangerous has been pacified.
This can mean that you re-think the situation so you
discover or uncover more or different truth. That which is
obvious with the question isn't automatically the point
that is to be dealt with. Keep the question in the back of
your mind and pay attention to random thoughts - they
will be more valuable and useful that you might first think.
You may also be reminded to be strong or to use your
strength. You can do it, even if you think you can't. Quiet
confidence and relying on yourself, will bring about results.
If you get 12 - The Hanged Man.
The figure in the picture is hanging upside down - this is
the opposite of normal, so it can be that you have to be
unconventional if you are going to reach your goal.
How can you look at the situation from a different angle?
What do outside viewers see that is different from what
you see? If you are doing the acting, or if you are the
performer, what are the judges examining or looking for,
and are you delivering?
A typical keyword for this card is suspension - so it might
point to delay of some sort. Patience counts here; if it's not
happening right now, you need to wait; it doesn't mean
there will be failure.
Suspension might also mean dependence on others - they
are holding you. Your position of up or down doesn’t have
to matter, just the fact that you aren't independent.
So look to your supporters or backers or investors or
employers. What do they want from you, and are you
providing it? Do you need to point this out to them, so they
will have more confidence in you?
If you get 13 - Death.
This card, as most people like to point out, doesn't mean
literal death, so you're NOT going to die in the next ten
minutes.
Instead, it is more an end followed by a new beginning. It's
a doorway to a new reality, or an entrance into a new
situation or state of affairs.
This means that certain situations, or experiences, or
events will come to an end - as they should, since
everything has a certain life span and their time has come.
We can try to hold on to it, but then we become unhappy
and depressed at its passing. This is one way of dealing
with things.
Or we can get ready to make a fresh start, with renewed
energy and enthusiasm. It's like spring-time all over again,
but do we want to take advantage of it?
It may not actually be spring, but you can make it as if it is.
If you were just starting out with this question you are
asking about, and knowing what you know now, how
would you set things up? Then set them up this way, and
move on.
If you get 14 - Temperance.
This is about becoming stronger, or rather becoming
better able to handle pressure without breaking. It may
point to you acting in a certain way so you can become
more capable.
Or it can be getting you to examine the situation to make
changes that will strengthen it; or weaken it if it is
something you don't want.
When you temper metal, you burn off impurities in order
to make it stronger. What within you and your personality
would you consider an impurity that should be burned off?
Recognizing it is the first step to getting rid of it.
There is movement in the picture between the two cups, so
we ought to consider the nature and the quality of our
relationships. Are the people we know or are involved with
right for us as we are now? They may have been a good fit
in the past, but are they still?
If the question involves a number of people, think about
how they act and how they get along with each other. Can
you make changes to bring out the best in all of them; or do
you need to let some of them go?
If you get 15 - The Devil.
It looks like the people are trapped because of the chains
and are unable to move very far. This can mean that you
concentrate first on what is around you and immediate,
rather than think about and plan for the long-term future.
Your efforts to get out of difficulties will change you, so
your expectations will not be the same as they are now.
There is not much point mapping out a future that you
won't have much interest in later.
The word 'devil', when spelled backwards, is 'lived'. What
is important here is to go through with it, whatever it is, so
you can gain experience and knowledge. It may mean
facing a fear, but you find that it wasn't as bad as you
thought it would be - your imagination was creating
problems that were in fact not so difficult.
We might think that The Devil represents sin and bad
behavior and that we need to fight it and its urges in that
direction. However, if sin is actually the belief that we are
or can be separate from our own wise mind that already
knows our purpose, then the devil turns out to be nothing,
except what we conjure up.
As Shakespeare once wrote: There's nothing good and
nothing bad, but thinking makes it so. Write down your
thoughts to do with the question, and create a clearer
picture of what is going on. It's the difference between
looking at something in the middle of the night, and seeing
the same think in daylight.
If you get 16 - The Tower.
It's time to re-model, and if you don't do it willingly, then it
will all come tumbling down and you'll have a big mess to
clean up first.
On the other hand, if you dismantle the situation, and
divide it up into its different parts, you can consider them
individually, assess their value, and then re-assemble a
much better version.
Sometimes there are forces stronger than you at work in
the situation. You can't control them and stop them having
an influence, but you can set up conditions so they don't
have the same destructive impact. Think of lightning rods
on buildings. They may not stop the lightning, but they do
prevent damage.
Redundancy is a good thing - you have layers of protection,
so if one fails, there is another in its place. Build
redundancy. You can never have too much insurance, as
Nasim Taleb once pointed out.
If you get 17 - The Star.
This is good and hopeful and inspiring, so the good things
that you want, or the positive outcome that you are
looking for, will happen. It is like the stars are aligned in
such a way that powerful forces will make it come about,
even if we're not actually dealing with physical forces that
emanate from space.
With this number, think about the long-term impact of
whatever it is you are asking about. If your name will live
after you, what sort of legacy would you want to leave
behind? What do you want to be known for? Which of your
accomplishments should be remembered?
This all means that you have to take yourself and your
efforts seriously, and work to bring about something
worthwhile. So if your actions will make you proud of what
you did, do it. On the other hand, if your actions are
something you would not be proud of, don't.
If you get 18 - The Moon.
This is tricky, because moonlight can make things seem
strange or scary even if they're not.
We can be taken in, so what is there about your question
that you are assuming without thinking it through? Have
you checked the facts, or made sure that what you
consider to be facts actually are?
There is a solitary path to travel, and there will be
distractions from both sides that will encourage you to go
with the group or trust in a personal all-powerful figure
that you have to keep sweet so he or she doesn't punish
you. They are both illusions, but you are not.
You can ask people what they would do in your position, or
what advice they would give, but in the end it's up to you to
carry out the plan or take the action. No one can do it for
you.
It may be daunting, but the road goes up and down, so
there will be times when you can't see your way or know
what is ahead. On the other hand, there will be times when
you can see clearly. Be like Till Eulenspiel, who cried on his
way downhill, the easy part, because he was thinking about
the hard part to come on the other side. He also laughed
going uphill, the hard part, because he knew there was an
easy downhill slope coming up.
If you get 19 - The Sun.
This is good. It shows success, a bright future, plans
working out the way you want. Youthful enthusiasm lets
you face challenges as doors to be opened, not obstacles
that cannot be overcome.
With your question, what would your younger self do?
How would your younger self deal with it? Remember how
you would have handled it, and follow your own self.
This can be a reminder to go back to the early stages of the
situation or condition, and develop - in a better direction -
from this earlier point.
There is optimism and confidence - you know how much
better things appear when it's sunny and warm outside.
You can approach a problem knowing that it can be solved
and that you can fix it.
When you have this type of knowledge - that the solution
is at hand and already exists - you know you just have to
find it so you can implement it. Your expectation of success
will bring it about.
If you get 20 - Judgment.
This is re-birth and renewal - so expect improvements. The
people have been released from the coffins, so there is
new freedom. If you have been feeling trapped, this will
soon pass and you will be able to move about as and how
you wish.
If someone has been holding you back, their influence will
diminish, or you will realize something that will enable you
to start living your own chosen life. This is good, and you
deserve it.
The angel blowing the trumpet may be important - who do
you know who can inspire you, or who can paint future
possibilities that you like and that are feasible? Have you
heard what this person is saying? Have you been paying
attention to what and who is around you?
Miracles may not be that common, but they can and do
happen - so if you need one, just ask for it, but don't start
contradicting yourself by thinking that it won't happen or
that you don't deserve it. It's enough that you want
whatever it is that you want.
If you get 21 - The World.
This card shows success and completion, so you can have
confidence that things will work out the way you want, or
that the outcome will please you.
You can just enjoy the moment for a while if you're looking
for rest and recreation, but maybe remember that this
condition will be followed by a new beginning. Think about
how you want the future to unfold - if you do it now, your
vision will be harmonious and therefore more feasible and
doable. You could do your planning later, but there may be
distractions at that point that will interfere.
The card's title is The World, so we can say that the world
will be with you - so you will have support - and you will be
with the world. It can be your broader vision, your sense
that you are part of the whole and in harmony with
something complete in itself, that means success.
oo000oo