I want to believe anyone can become a student of tarot. Learning tarot is an intimate process of discovering how you relate to life, death, your fellow humans, and basically everything in this worldly existence. Although it can be helpful, rote memorization of the cards is not a must. In most decks, the cards offer pictures that communicate the meanings to you through the use of symbols and colors. Intimacy is involved when you apply your personal experiences to your interpretations of the symbols and colors used.
A journey through belief
When we speak of personal experiences, we have to talk about beliefs. We all have beliefs. Even atheists have beliefs, namely that higher powers or gods do not exist. As tarot readers, we are influenced by our beliefs whether we are conscious of them or not. In learning about tarot and more about ourselves, we can strengthen our abilities by examining our own belief systems. Therefore, at this point, I would like you to take a brief moment to name five of your own beliefs. You can write them down (perhaps in your tarot journal), or say them aloud.
Here are five of my beliefs I want to share: I believe life is precious. I also believe that there is more to this life than what meets the eye. I hold it for true that tarot is a tool for self-discovery. It is my conviction that the future is not written in stone, or in a tarot reading (cards in the future position provide a glimpse of the most likely future from the time of the reading). Lastly, I believe that tarot shows you where you can take agency in your life either to make the changes you desire or to adapt successfully to external influences.
Diving deeper
Now I invite you all to join me in a little tarot practice. In this exercise, we will use only the major cards, but I also encourage you to continue on to the minors and courts if you feel a desire to do so. Here’s how it works.
Separate the major arcana from the deck. Go through each card by putting yourself into the scene depicted on the card. Then finish the sentence, “I want to believe…” using the image on the card as a prompt. You can be as elaborate or brief as you like. Keep in mind that your responses may vary depending on which deck you are using. (You may also want to try this with different decks to come up with a variety of answers.)
Below are my beliefs for the archetypes of the major arcana. Before reading on, you may want to stop and work through the majors yourself. Once you are done, you can come back and compare your responses. Remember, there is no right or wrong. Your outlook on life will be different than mine, and I trust your responses will be too. Through diversity in responses, we can better understand the archetypes behind each card.
I want to believe…
0 The Fool: …that I have nothing to fear, not even fear itself.
I The Magician: …that I have the ability to manifest change.
II The High Priestess: …that the secrets reside within me.
III The Empress: …that love is the most magnificent expression of creation.
IV The Emperor: …that all good kingdoms are built on solid foundations.
V The Hierophant: …that the gate to the bridge between the earth and the heavens is unlocked by compassion and reverence.
VI The Lovers: …that love is about choices.
VII The Chariot: …that only by mastering balance will I be destined for greatness.
VIII Justice: …that regardless of which of the sides you’re on, a coin can still way heavy in your heart.
IX The Hermit: …that life is ultimately about going your own way and following your personal guiding star.
X Wheel of Fortune: …that what goes up must come down.
XI Strength: …that befriending the beast does not require brute force.
XII The Hanged Man: …that struggling is not the way to freedom.
XIII Death: …that there is no going back.
XIV Temperance: …that by rectifying opposites, I can pursue the trajectory of divinity.
XV Devil: …that pleasures are ever so delightful.
XVI The Tower: …that drastic change can be perilous, but it is you who decides how to come out of it.
XVII The Star: …that there is renewal after the storm.
XVIII The Moon: …that shadows harbor illusions.
XIX The Sun: …that light brings joy.
XX Judgment: …that people will wake up.
XXI World: …that in time, all things will come to an end and birth new beginnings.
Many Blessings,
Violet