By Chelsea Eriksen
When thinking of Tarot readings, maybe you see visions of gypsies, fortunetellers, or the cryptic “death” card. Tarot cards have been used as divination tools for centuries, evolving into the familiar decks of playing cards known today, but there is a secret that goes far beyond the descriptions of the cards themselves: Tarot is more than a divination method; it is a tool for finding your own personal power.
Learning Tarot cards is an enormous commitment. A Tarot reader can spend years studying the symbolism and meaning of each card and the placement of a card within a spread. The ability to piece together the card and placement meanings and relate them to the querent is another skill that develops as you progress down your Tarot path, and it’s perhaps the most important aspect of divination.
During the course of reading Tarot, you will begin to see parallels between your different clients and even yourself, relating to the choices we all face and the obstacles that are thrown in our way. Your job is to help steer people around these problems, and offer advice based on what you see on the cards and what you feel in your “gut.” At some point, you will likely face one of the same decisions you have counseled someone else about and you will be able to make a positive, “knowing” choice based on the insight you have gained through reading Tarot cards.
As a Tarot reader, you may be seen as a counselor, life coach, friend, sage or wise elder, even if you feel like a novice. This glamour comes from your increasing ability to tap into the power of your Higher Self. Your Higher Self is your connection between your physical body and the Higher Power that you believe in. It is YOU, the “you” that is able to touch the Divine. It is from this connection that you gain the insight and wisdom to assist people through Tarot. The cards are not the Source of insight, but merely a means of focus. You are the channel of wisdom.
A great test of your connection is to have your querent ask a question before you lay out any cards. Clear your thoughts and concentrate. Note the answer you receive in your Mind’s Eye, and then deal the cards. The answer you first receive will likely be the outcome of the reading. You really don’t even need the cards, because you are connecting with your own divinity, your Higher Power, your Self.
People put faith in your ability to guide them through their trials and tribulations. It’s a huge responsibility at times, but it is also a great lesson for the Reader. It is this trust in your abilities that acts as a catalyst for your own personal power. All of your Tarot knowledge has not come from the book, but from your Divine Self. You are a Tarot reader, not because you had some time to kill, but because you were called to increase your own spiritual connection by helping others, thereby helping yourself.
The most important lesson that Tarot can teach is the value of trusting one’s Self. As a reader, there is a great deal of faith placed in your ability to decipher what the cards are saying. It stands to reason that if the person sitting across from you has such a strong belief in your ability, that perhaps you should have the same faith in yourself. From that small seed of self-reliance an entire new faith can blossom – a faith in YOU.
Readers: read your cards and trust yourself. Trust is the foundation of love, and when you love who you are, you have no limits.