I drew a card this morning to start my day, and the card I drew was The High Priest. According to the explanation I received, I am afraid I need professional help!! (just kidding ).
Since I am not too familiar and in the beginning stages of learning the Tarot, I would love any input here on how I should interpret this card.

love and light,
Karen

Hiya Karen,

Hey, guess what, I read cards. Can you tell me what deck you have...is it Rider Waite? I use Robin Wood's deck, I love the art, and all the cards have actual pictures (instead of, say, six wands for the Six of Wands). This makes interpretation much easier. I know Robin, she is cool, and her deck is real popular, especially in the Pagan community.

Anyways, the High Priest, called the Magician in some decks, is the first card of the Major Arcana following the Fool. It is a nice card, and not usually an indicator of a need for therapy, although I don't know you that well that I could really tell LOL...

So, drawing that card usually means that you will have an opportunity that day to use your talents. For example, some nice posts, which I see, including this new thread. At work, maybe a special thing where you can grab some spotlight, which we all know your Leo Ascendant digs. Sun in Taurus trine your Sun in Cap helps this a great deal. You used your originality, creativity, and diplomacy today, all indicated by that card. I don't read reversed when it is a one-card daily reading, which is a super idea, I did it for years.

So, the card did describe your day as accurately as it could. You look at that card and say, "Oh, cool, I am gonna be extra useful today!" In whatever way that may be, the Magician/HP indicates those positive things.

Also look at the number on the card...this is a 1, which you can then analyze Pythag-style. It is also neat because it is your first drawing, and you got a 1!

Always kep the cards in a clean, special place. They are infused with your energy, more each day you touch them...don't lose that by laying them on a dirty kitchen table, for example. I have friends who make velvet tarot card bags, and boxes with nice designs, and card cloths to lay them on. For a daily drawing, put the card face up on the pile before you head out for the day.

The only real card to be careful of is the Tower. Now others will say 9 of Swords, and a few others, yet the Tower is the least promising, and in a full reading indicates a sudden change, some type of destruction, disgrace, security lost, that type of thing. I mean, just look at the card. To read successfully, you should look at the card, and see what you see. Robin Wood's deck is excellent for this. A readind of one card or many should be wholistic like that.

Tell us what ya get tomorrow!! Glad you are doing tarot, it is a fun and useful form of divination! Blessed Be, you witchy thing!

Love,

Carlo

Phew, I guess the men in white coats won't be coming for me after all...

Wow Carlo, that was very instructional and quite helpful! The deck is Rider Waite. I was told it was one of the best for beginners to start with. Thanks so much for your input!

love and light,
Karen

I have a different set from yourself, karen, but the High Preist, also sounds like 'The Hierophant' in my deck....

Like the Empress sits in throne beside the The Emperor, like The Fools earthly parents, so The Hierophant, sits opposite the High Priestess, his spiritual mentors....

The High Preistess represents the unconcious and things to be unveiled, but The Hierophant usually denotes assistance from a very wise or helpful person, perhaps guidance on spiritual matters - the need to find spiritual meaning in life....

Unlike his partner, his teachings are usually clear and direct, representing the need for people to test out the beliefs and accepted theology for themselves...he is the link between us and the gods, and comes from the myth of Chiron who spent time on earth teaching spritual values, after a wound that would not heal - made him beg for mortality - so he could die and be released from his pain....

I think the Magician is different, although I could be wrong - hope this can help!

Lots of Love
Linski
XXXX

Simplest way to find out for sure is the number -- what is the number of your High Priest card, Karen? If it's 1, then it's the equivalent of the Magician, if 5, then it's another name for the Hierophant.

Hi Greg,
The number on the card is a "1". I am also using a computer generated program to help with interpretation purposes. That is where I got the "High Priest".

Hi Linski,
You seem to know a bit about the cards, thank you for your thoughtful assistance, it is always appreciated

love and light,
Karen

Okay, today's card drawn is The Chariot Tis good, no?
My guess, focusing on goals and going after what you want out of life, becoming victorious....
How's that for a start? Card readers, one and all...input most welcome!

love and light,
Karen

Karen,
I pulled out the Judgement card, No;20 today.....well actually, it fell out of the pack, and I've always been advised that if it falls out it was meant to be seen and read. So!!!!! What does one think of this card. (Sorry to butt in Karen, just thought I might get in on this one too )

I have a tiny booklet which gives such limited meaning.....all I've got is "You have earned your wings, Your guardian angel has arrived, rewards for past dues paid are heading your way." Sounds pretty good to me
What say you guys?????

Love and Laughter,
Kelly-Anne

Kelly-Anne,
Learning together is fun! I'm glad you are here
Sounds very promising to me... but then again, I thought I needed therapy so perhaps we should wait until someone qualified comes along....

love and light,
Karen

You know, in many ways you're better off learning the Tarot on your own than from an "expert," because there are SO many different schools of thought about the ancient symbols, and SO many relationships and correspondences to other symbolic systems. It's good to get a sampling of the traditional symbolism behind each card, read what different authors have to say about it, and then mush all that together with your own intuition.

My own understanding of the Tarot is very closely tied to the astrological symbolism of each card. Number 7, for example, (Victory or The Chariot), is astrologically related to Sagittarius, and signifies the dominion of spirit over mattter. The rider in the chariot is the "conqueror" who has brought the material forces of nature under subjugation to the intelligence and will of spirit. Numerologically, Karen, you could see it as the seeker of faith (7) who brings the solid earthly energy of 4 under the active intelligence and creativity of 3 (4+3=7).

Judgment, number 20, resonates to the Moon. Literally a depiction of "Judgment Day," it could be said to represent death -- but only in the sense that death is the doorway to the next stage of spiritual growth, the ascension of the soul to a higher realm. In divination it generally indicates a time of transition -- a life passage, a change of career, a spiritual awakening, a shift in awareness.

The Tarot symbolism is so rich and filled with connections and correspondences to astrology, alchemy, numerology, and mythology, that you could literally study any single card of the major arcana for years and still not fully plumb the depths of the insights it has to offer.

Gregory,
Thank you for riding to my rescue! I like the numerological twist, it fits!!
Thanks for pushing me in the right direction

love and light,
Karen

Hi Kelly-Anne,

I hope you have already got an idea about Judgment, I know its late in the day now...

Anyways, it IS significant about any and all cards popping out...they must be seen and accounted for, especially in a full reading, where they must then be placed and read together with the rest.

Judgment is a change of position, or a rebirth or rejuvenation. A reward, acquiring a purpose. Atonement, paying the piper, accounting for one's actions. Reversed, it signifies weakness, lost affection, separation, divorce, confrontation, indecision, or avoidance of obligations. Yet
I say dispense with reading reversed unless it is a full reading, Celtic Cross, whatever pattern you use, there are probably half a dozen.

Better late than never I suppose...I mean you or anyone else could pull it tomorrow! Although, I personally never read even one card on the weekends. They just got wrapped and left on the altar until Monday mornings.
There is a point at which too much divination makes Jack a dull boi!

Blessings,

Carlo

[This message has been edited by Carlo (edited 04-23-99).]

Greg and Carlo,
Thanks for the insights.....again the same as astrology it's all down to interpretations, but I would like to know who uses which method of card lay out. I haven't done any full readings, I just pull a card a day and sometimes three, which I have been told should be viewed left to right Past, Present, Future.........!!!!!

It's my first pack (you'd never have guessed )my Mother gave them to me and they are beautiful but the images aren't exactly helpful for remembering the interpretation......know what I mean????
Perhaps I should go for the one you suggested Carlo, who was it Robin Cook??

Anyway, still learning, and as you say Greg, you never stop learning....especially if you keep asking the questions

Love and Laughter,
Kelly-Anne

I agree with Gregory entirely... the best way to learn the Tarot cards is to bond with each card personally before you actually begin to explore other peoples' interpretations and filters of the symbolism.

Each person has their own unique Path and the symbolism in the Tarot is an excellent way to open up the channels to your Higher Self... and the "cleaner" the channel is, the better the communcation will be. After you have formed your own bond with the cards, THEN it is useful to formally study the methodology because you will be in a better position to gauge what works for YOU and what doesn't.

You don't need to be psychic or "trained" to do this, but you will become better at "tuning into" your Higher Self the more you practice.

A good way to start out is to sleep with each card in turn under your pillow every night, beginning at the beginning with The Fool and working your way through the entire deck, journeying along with The Fool. At LEAST do the Major Arcana in this manner.

Before you go to sleep, take the card out and look at it, regard the symbols, the colours, the pose of the entity depicted in the card. Enter the landscape...

It is important that you interact with the card just before you go to sleep, because the symbolism in the card will imprint itself on your subconscious mind and this information will enter your consciousness at a deep level and feed itself back to you during your sleep cycles. I sometimes had wild dreams when I went through this process.

You can do a little ritual or mediation on each card if you are so inclined, but I find that just talking to the card, hanging out with it, before retiring works just as well.

As you go through this process, you will find that you resonate more strongly with certain cards. This is the beginning of "hearing" what your Higher Self is trying to remind you of.

Eventually, you will find "your" card, usually a Major Arcana card... you will find that this card comes up repeatedly in readings, that it follows you around, always niggling at you. From this, it is possible to find its correspondence on the Tree of Life, which will give you a great deal of information regarding the tasks and lessons that you have set for yourself in this Life.

But, one step at at time... and everybody has their Own rhythm.

Yes Kelly-Anne,

It is the Robin Wood deck that is just so readable. I do believe, as others do, that cards should be "read", not just the card number and it's traditional meaning, but also what you "see" on it...in it. Tarot is a form of divination, and when divining, you want to almost lose yourself in a meditative state. Robin's deck is SO good for this. Each card tells you a story, and at the end, you know what it means without consulting a guide, and when you do check it out, you are right! Great way to learn tarot. And now she has a book that goes along with it...I have seen it, and it gets deeper into the meanings. I'll probably get it someday, probably wait to have a copy that she can sign. She is a nice woman.

You want to say, "Okay, there is a wealthy man, more than just a rich man, like a generous man, a benefactor, laughing with two children, one boy who is also laughing as he receives something like a small gift from the man, and the little girl is smiling, apparently listening to a story the jolly fellow is telling them, it looks like she is feeling the shiny fabric of his tunic, which belies his great wealth. Also, a dog is very interested and pays attention while what may be the children's parents in the background, holding hands and smiling in their own conversation. There is another dog nearby that appears very well-bred. The walkway trellis is guilded with pentacles, and it seems to mark the entrance to a pleasant looking town, with a clear blue sky, birds flying, and it is lush, the bushes are all green, so it must be a comfortable place to live. The Sun is smiling."

That would be the Ten of Pentacles, which generally means Prosperity...riches. Home, family matters, positive domestic changes.

Now, you will "see" this in the card when you do a full reading, and btw, the Celtic Cross is most common, and easiest to remember, I think. Yet the idea is the same...let the cards tell you what they mean. If you agreee here, then it is important that you eventually find a deck that, well, "speaks" to you like that. Believe me when I tell you, Robin's deck, now almost five years old, does this splendidly. To depend too much on a list of meanings may actually serve to encourage one to lose interest in the tarot. As in, "Ten of Pentacles...now where is that darn guide." Not an issue when you begin to work with a deck where all the Minor Arcana are depicted in full descriptive pictures. In every deck, the Major Arcana will always be pictures, yet in many, the Minor Arcana is just numbers, and that number of symbols on it...like Rider Waite, traditionally a popular deck, yet in my opinion, it is essential to find a deck that you can read wholistically. One card a day may not have you agreeing with me...it's easy, you look it up as you head out the door. Yet when you begin reading for others...you will want a deck that you can blend the cards together by just a glance. When I look at a birthchart, the first thing I dois hold it three or four feet from my face, and see what I see wholistically. I suggest that this been done, and that it be done in tarot, too. You will see that it is just tha much more reliable...you can believe this Witch on that subject, yet ask around! And never stop reading!!

Bright Blessings,

Carlo

I've never heard of the Robin Wood deck, Carlo... you're description makes it sound so user-friendly. I tend to be more of a "traditionalist", I guess. Some friends of mine developed the Greenwood Tarot, but I've never used them... even though I have some of the original artwork from the artist framed in my office.

I love the way the new-style decks look, but I guess my mind is attuned to the old fashioned way.

Actually, our wonderous websmaster, Gregory, designed some pretty cool tarot cards... have you guys seen them yet?

The Robin Wood deck would appeal to you, Stella, and I guarantee it is most user-friendly...it doesn't just sound like it, belive me, it rocks (as decks go)! And I say this after examining several decks. I am sure that it would appeal to the traditionalist in you, Stella.

I am not surprised about Greg making his own deck, he is rather prolific himself. I would love to actually see one posted on this thread (hint, hint, oh master of webness)...

chat soon,

Carlo

Can't get away from my past, huh? Okay, but be gentle, dear friends ... this deck was created by my good friend Maggie Roche and me in the really dark ages, almost 30 years ago: The Fleming-Roche Tarot

Actually, Stella, I have a copy of Robin Wood's deck, and like it a lot. While it gives a definitely pagan slant to the images, it preserves the traditional symbolism pretty faithfully and has a nece mellow energy about it.

[This message has been edited by Gregory (edited 04-24-99).]

OH MY GODS!! That is SO cool! It's perfect!!

That is so neat...was it in any way inspired metaphysically as well as psychedelically?

Did it ever get printed and distributed? It is very cool!

Yes, mellow energy is accurate...and to retain that, it is ever-important to take special care of your cards.

Karen & Kelly-Anne, did you know that the Rider-Waite deck comes in a miniature size? It's wicked cute...it's like the size of a pack of my unfiltered Camels...they are fun, yet I'd say at some point check out RW. Most stores have an open deck, or will let you open one up.

Keep on readin'!!

Carlo

Carlo, you make me bust a gut! Hey, I'm proud to be an old hippie. But yes, there is hopefully some metaphysical inspiration embodied therin.

They haven't been published, just one handmade copy ... a real collector's item! Glad you liked them.

Welp, you guys have convinced me about the Robin Wood deck, I'll have a look at them next time I pop into Watkins, my fave esoteric bookshop here in London.

And I think your cards are very cool, too, Gregory. I LOVE that "naif" feel them...

I remember when me and my friends used to do that kind of thing... Those were the good old days, eh? When people would actually MAKE their own tools instead of going out and buying them in a box...

I always make my own wands, and my coven makes our own candles each year to be used for all our ritual purposes for the rest of the year. And my robe is all crocheted, made just for me. You do what you can...

London...I have never been there but my sister is applying to grad school at the London School of Economics. She graduates this June from Harvard, and she usually copies me in life (she was the first girl in the history of my town to play little league, all because I did), although this would be a fun time to copy her! How long ya lived in London, Mmse? Do you enjoy it? Just wondering...

Geez, if Robin Wood could only see this thread, she'd probably hire me to do her promotions on the spot. It is a real nice deck though.

So, who has had a reading recently? Next time you do, write down all the cards that showed, and what the reader said about it, then we can look at it here, see what we can see. Blessed Be!

Carlo

Ah, I remember making candles! I always seemed to end up with more wax on ME than on the wick. There is such potent energy in making these things... nice to know that the Old Ways aren't forgotten...

I was born in Washigton DC, but I've lived in England half of my life, I am a dual US/UK citizen.

Ironically, I know someone in the press office of the LSE, I just had lunch with her yesterday at a convention here put on by the Fortean Times magazine.Some of the authors who are giving lectures there on esoteric subjects are chums of mine...

If your sister comes, maybe my LSE friend can introduce her to the spiritual community here... she is much more active than I am, I tend to be a Hermit...

I love London, but I love the countryside better. My power point is Avebury stone circle which, due to the precession of the equinoxes, aligns to the sun on my natal day around Lughnasad. Avebury is around six times larger than Stonehenge and is comprised of a solar circle and a lunar circle. I took Miss Olivia out there and introduced her to the Stones when she came to visit me at Christmas...

Hey, Carlo... or anybody... do you know anything about astro-astrology? I had a chart done last year and I'd like to know more about this technique... in astro-astrology, not only are the positions of the planets calculated, but also the position of the stars in relation to your planets at the time of your birth. Maybe we should discuss this on another thread so that we don't interrupt the flow of this one...

I know nothing about astro-astrology, Maddie...do you have any site urls handy? It sounds cool, stars are becoming more involved these days in chartmaking, I have heard about that trend. I am not sure about it though. If you, or I learn anything, please post it, possibly start you own thread!

Blessings,

Carlo

BTW, Karen...do you know what Tarot card is represented by the 6...?

Yup! The Lovers!! Here's ya 6!

It's also called Mythic Astrology... The astrologer somehow calculates the star alignments at the time of your birth and what emerges from that is a picture of which constellations you are resonating with.

From your constellation alignment, you can work out the archetypes and myths that influence your life path... this is done via correlations with the Greek myths and other stories... even fairy tales. It's utterly fascinating.

I did a search on the astrologer who did my chart, Wendy Ashley. She gives a lot of seminars and I found her at the Isis Institute. Here's a small listing for her:

http://www.isisinstitute.com/tapes.html#ashley

I would really like to know HOW they calculate the star alignments... I get the impression that it's a bit of a trade secret, though...

Calculating the star alignments is no trade secret, Stella -- any of the higher-end astrological software (Kepler, Starfire, etc.) can plot the positions of the fixed stars in your natal chart, as well as current transits of the stars to your natal positions. The only secret, if there is one, would be knowing what to look for. Can you give me a clue? I did follow the link you posted, looks very interesting (but alas not too informative about specifics). I also searched the net and found the book "Mythic Astrology: Archetypal Powers in the Horoscope," by Ariel Guttman and Kenneth Johnson -- as well as a Mythic Astrology book and card set by Liz Greene, which I ordered. She's one of my favorite astrological writers. I'll let you know if I learn anything ( ) when I get it.

The Liz Greene book looks brilliant, Greg! Let me know how you get on with it...

Interesting that you can buy a program... when I asked Wendy, she was a bit cagey about how she calculated the alignments.

As far as interpreting the alignments... you will note a pattern when you calculate your chart... let's say that your chart is aligned to the stars in Perseus and Andromeda, then your life might reflect patterns of being stuck in situations from which you are "rescued". The archetypes, such as "hero", etc, come into play... Wendy especially digs into the Jungian archetypes.

I would use my chart to demonstrate, but my chart is extremely weird and doesn't make a very good example... I'm aligned to several pole stars and the same stars as the shafts in the Queens Chamber of the Great Pyramid (Kochab and Sirius)... I had two friends who had readings with Wendy and they were ecstatic, but she was completely flummoxed by mine.

We can try an experiment, if you like... if you can calculate your star alignments, I'll have a go at interpreting them for you. Olivia is good at this, too... with all the work we've been doing with celestial and terrestrial alignments, we've been deciphering the constellation myths quite a bit...

Hi Stella,
Just out of interest where is Watkins ???. And, do you ever frequent "Mysteries" or "Equinox" both in Covent Garden and if so what do you think, especially with regard to "Mysteries"??.(-have U seen any of the psychics there or attended any of the workshops?)

Peace,
Bluey.

Hi, Blue...

Watkins is in Cecil Court, just off of Charing Cross Road... their website is:

www.watkinsbooks.com

I've been to both Equinox and Mysteries, but I find Watkins a more serious esoteric bookshop than the other two. I had a reading at Mysteries once, but I wasn't that impressed with it to be honest.

I believe that Watkins has the distinction of being the oldest esoteric bookshop in London. I have gotten to know the staff at Watkins quite well over the years and I've introduced a few people to the shop... including my chum, the author Laurence Gardner, who was so impressed with the ambience there that he staged the London booksigning of his latest book, Genesis of the Grail Kings, there last month.

Oh, Missy Stella, you're makin' me sooo homesick I could cry!

Hi, fellow babies, I'm just back from skeet shootin' [clay discs--didn't hurt anything alive], trail ridin', mushrom huntin' and fishin'.

Yep, must be the earthy Taurus side of me comin' out...and man, did I ever need a break!

Watkins is amazing--it's great, I'll vouch for my Trail Boss on that one! As for English psychics, well....wanna tell everybody about the fascinating astral evening we had at the Blue Moon pub...or was it Half Moon, Stella Bella? We both went to this very cool Druid card reader named Colin and proved to be quite the experience--not to mention our introduction to Agnes, who is an amazing clairvoyant.

Avebury is intense...I'll never forget standing on one big rock with Miss Stella [the rock had fallen a long time ago and we were kinda hugging it, I suppose]. That stone did something to re-align my life because right after we were there, I met evil Earle and nothing's been quite the same since!

As for The Cards, Stella gifted me the most amazing deck called The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg. Man, do I resonate with those cards or what! They are so evocative--I highly recommend them. Also, on EBay [Carlo this is all your fault--lol], if one rund a Tarot search, sometimes the most amazing, old cards are offered for sale--some from Europe, Indonesia, etc.. Very interesting resource.

I'm a fan of ebay auctions, too ... I just picked up an original two-volume hardcover set of Love Signs there, very inexpensively!

Yes, Miss Olivia concurs. I just bought evil Earle a vintage Apache drinking glass for 5 bucks...and I'm telling you, Star Signs IS there, cowpokes!

We Earth signs know how to shop smart, hmm?

And Caro Carlo~~ou est mon scope d'horreur? Je suis deprimé! I must know if evil Earle and I make a Cosmic Connection...I must! Why do you torture me so...I feel faint!

Stella,

Thanks for the directions, i'm definately going to check out Watkins as it is only 10mins away from me!!!!! (I'm at UCL- University College London) I am also 10mins away from LSE: I wasn't aware that authors give lectures on esoteric subjects down there, I just thought they held Popper Seminars and Blairite Conventions, but then I know absolutely nothing about the spiritual community in London (???)
Carlo- if your sister does go to LSE and if she enjoys partying hard then send in my direction and I'll show her a good time
(thats if you'd trust her with a scoundrel like me)

Peace,
Bluey.

Glad to see you back in one piece, Miss O! I had completely forgotten the Russian tarot cards I bought you to help you deal with your Russian karma...

And Bluey, I know UCL... a mad scientist does experiments on my DNA there!

Watkins is too small for seminars, but the book signings are a great chance to meet some of the authors and ask them questions about their work. Also, all kinds of mysterious people drift through there...

Ooops, apologies to Karen... we seem to have mutated your tarot discussion into the hang-out thread...

Oh, no offense, Blue, but that won't happen...she doesn't party hard, and she doesn't like much Air company, especially you Geminis...it runs in our family...yet I will tell her to help you out of the gutter when she trips over you, for she is compassionate...yet you ARE a Gemini...we'll see! LOL@UBLUE

Yes, it should be noted that this is a tarot thread, not a hang out thread! So, please attempt to stay on topic folks, otherwise others will avoid the thread, and eventually the site altogether. So, I will start a hang out thread, and we can all hang out there...please ya'll for the sake of Spring Cleaning...stay on topic here...please?

Blessings,

Carlo

No eights for Karen

I will try to think of something profound to say about tarot cards in order to atone for my sins.

But I must admit that I have had a psychological block with the Tarot ever since I saw the death of a dear elderly friend by cancer a year before the cancer was even diagnosed, whilst reading his son's cards one day for "fun"...

Anyway, if anyone can figure out what "their" card is, I'll be happy to correlate that card to their path on the Tree of Life for them.

I'll tell you for nothing that Miss Olivia's card is THE DEVIL, but y'll probably could've GUESSED that one on your own!

You're cool, and forgiven, Stella. The Death card is about change, sometimes a major change.

Oh, btw, there is a festival in New Jersey on August 27-29, and Robin Wood will be there!

There will be workshops on her deck, on morning Tai Chi, crystals in healing & magic, the I Ching, dreamworking, numerology, networking for healers, aromatherapy, ayurveda, and a lot more...just thought I'd mention it. Contact me in The Corner Store for more info. I've never been, but i hear it is really pretty there. It's $60 for the weekend. It would be worth it to attend Robin's workshop, she is so thorough, and goes over every card.

Bright Blessings,

Carlo

Hey Kelly-Anne,
Are you still drawing a card each morning?
I've been pretty busy, but I still find time to draw my card....

love and light,
Karen