my beginnings in tarot

When I was twelve I became obsessed with the occult. I read everything I could about witches, I tested my psychic ability by trying to guess cards and oh I can’t even tell you. I think all of us hit an age where we eat this stuff up-we all believe in conspiracies and magic and aliens among us. It was tarot that caught my eye one day when my allowance was burning a hole in my pocket. What was so awesome about the deck I picked up that day was it was based on Greek Mythology. Enclosed were the stories I loved and adored. Jason and the Golden Fleece, Persephone, Cupid and Psyche- the stories represented in cards.

I am telling you this story because this is what the essence of tarot is. A series of stories and you are the storyteller. As we learn the suites and the major arcana you will come to see the patterns and story arcs. Each deck interprets these stories slightly differently but it is still present.

Many tarot readers focus on the importance of learning each card and each of it’s myriad of meanings.

I want you to focus on the image and relate it to a story you know.

It is too overwhelming and complicated to learn each card as it’s own separate entity.

Besides, I believe this makes you a poor reader, unable to really see the interplay and dance between the cards.

Here is what I believe: your soul speaks to you in image and story. This is why old religions told stories and songs to share their wisdom and this is why we are still in love with movies and songs today. The tarot is a fusion of story and image and through it we can receive guidance about where we are stuck, what is coming up, and how we can move forward.

Tarot is powerful and you as a reader act as the narrator helping investigate the clues presented in these seemingly random cards just drawn.