FED UP?
How to lose the book and read tarot like a pro using the SelfTarot Method
Overwhelmed and drowning in tarot card meanings? Tired of trying to memorize your tarot cards like they were times tables? Having trouble accessing your intuition? Or just plain don’t know how to begin?
I’ve been there.
That’s why I’m taking care to share my tarot reading method with anyone who’s frustrated, lost, or maybe even pretty darn close to giving on learning how to read tarot cards forever.
There’s light at the end of the tunnel. I promise! And I’ll tell you why.
Soon you too can throw out the book and read tarot like a pro!
THE SELFTAROT METHOD
As you gaze upon your tarot cards the characters and scenes portrayed will speak to you on an unconscious level.
Through these images, you will recall past memories and experiences forming associations with the cards. The experiences may also come to you as emotions, and opinions, judgements, thoughts, from history, a witnessed event, pop culture, music, film, books, the sandwich you ate last Tuesday..anything really.
The process is essential that each tarot card’s words or images may spontaneously suggest ideas with or without any apparent connection.
It is the expression of the conscious without censorship to access the unconscious. In your journal, for each card, as you are prompted, you will write every thought that comes into your mind without filtering it. Think of this as an automatic writing exercise.
It is in this way that unconscious associations are discovered giving you a deeper look into the heart of the ‘true’ meanings of each tarot card from your unique perspective.
In other words, each tarot card will trigger these associations causing them to come to the front of your consciousness and present themselves to you in such a way as to tell you the “meaning” of each card without you even trying! Imagine that!
In psychotherapy, there is a similar technique known as Free Association. It was developed by Sigmund Freud between 1892 – 1898 as a means of exploring the subconscious and is based on the theory of psychic determination; That everything you do or say is significant and all your thoughts and actions are determined by your subconscious.
Therefore by forming associations in this way we are able to connect emotions, words, thoughts, and phrases that are prompted by the images portrayed across the Major and Minor Arcana in a truly meaningful way.
An Example
We’ll take the 5 swords for example.
This card depicts a cloaked figure picking up swords from a pile on the ground while the characters in the background are seemingly unaware.
Free Association of this scenario might look like this:
FOREGROUND
- SMIRKING
- SMUG
- SNEAKING
- STEALING
- DECIETFUL
- LONER
BACKGROUND
- AT A LOSS
- SORROWFUL
- LEFT OUT IN THE COLD
- PREOCCUPIED
- DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
You could be either the victim or the perpetrator in this scenario.
Someone who has been betrayed by another could project the feeling of the cloaked figure as being deceitful and stealing the swords behind the others’ backs.
They may also transfer their feelings onto the background characters portrayed in the card. They may be at a loss, sorrowful, or unaware.
Someone who needs to look out for their own self-interest may see the same cloaked figure as picking up what is rightfully his while figures in the background are consumed with other business.
Both instances are technically correct as there is no wrong way to interpret a tarot card.
Some traditional meanings of this card are being dishonest and having self-interest.
Conclusion
Easier than memorization and more direct than intuition, Free Association is a means of learning the Tarot that is super easy, fun, and requires nothing more than paper, pencil, and your brain.
Cool, huh?
But this doesn’t mean we are by any means throwing intuition out the door.
Once you have formed associations with each card, your intuition will have a well of meanings to reach into and pull out – seemingly automatically – when you are performing your tarot readings.
Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way.”
— Florence Scovel Shinn
Find out how to uncover and access your intuition with ease in my article How to Identify and Strengthen Your Intuition
WHAT’S NEXT?
Be sure to take account of your progress in your Tarot journal!
Not only will it provide you with your own personalized card meanings, but you will also see how much you grow as a Tarot Reader over time.
Learn more about Keeping A Tarot Journal. You’ll be glad you did!
TAROT SPREAD ARCHIVE
Why not try one of the dozens of FREE tarot spreads available in the SelfTarot Tarot Spread Archive?
READY FOR YOUR SELF-DISCOVERY JOURNEY?
Start a self-discovery journey like no other.
Let’s face it, it’s hard work doing all this soul searching and self-improvement on your own.
Let tarot be your guide!
Tarot will hold your hand, hold nothing back, and lead you on one hell of a journey. Now is your opportunity to take the road less traveled: A journey to discover your truest self – the highest, best version of you that you can be!
Check out the The SelfTarot Workshop today!
