So we had some great discussions about my last post here and over on @TeoBishop’s blog as well. Someone made the statement about this lack of question approach allowing her to come to this exercise with a beginner’s mind. I was really struck by that.
Think about it. Continue reading “TwitterTarot2”
As a Tarot reader who coaches others through the cards, I have learned that there is always a lesson for me in each reading. Sometimes it is an image in a card — perhaps something in the background nudges my subconscious. Or my client will respond something that resonates in me. Often something comes to me out of the blue and I know that it is the Universe talking to both me and the person I’m reading for. And more often than not, I offer up my internal ETERNAL whine Continue reading “Musing:Concrete, Chicken and Ants”
I failed my own test. I did not give to help him. I gave to make myself feel better. I handed him money to give myself a leg up emotionally. I felt so sleazy when I realized what I’d done. I mean a bad taste in my mouth.
There are so many things wrapped up in this card for me. I give to the homeless when I can. I do my best not to judge if they are “real” or not. That’s not my place.
There is a gentleman Continue reading “Musings: 6 Of Coins – Generosity”
I read an uncomplimentary discussion of the Queen of Cups as being a dreamy female who couldn’t grasp concrete thought? Well, I blew my top. Honestly, it made me personally angry to read that!
A new student of the Tarot asked me why there was so much negativity in the books she was reading. The deck she had been working with gave a gentler slant where other interpretations seemed much more doom and gloom. She and I exchanged a few emails that resulted in Continue reading “Musing: Negativity In The Tarot”
Welcome! You’ve either stumbled across this page or been sent here by me. Use this article to help you formulate your questions in our upcoming session. Don’t have an upcoming session? No worries. Click “work with Arwen” in the menu to set your appointment up.
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You’ve decided that it is time to seek some insight. Maybe you are just ready to explore your own inner landscape but need a guide. One thing that many of us run up against is “What question do I ask?” Let’s pretend you are utilizing one of the free one card reading sites like Free Tarot which is run by the American Tarot Association. DISCLOSURE: I am the past president of the ATA (2007-2014) and also mentor readers on the FTN.You can ask one question but what you say is, “I want to know if Roger is going to ask me to marry him and if I will get a promotion.”
Sneaky sneaky! That’s two questions! I would write back to you and tell you that I could only answer one question. I would also inform you that I don’t do third party readings so I had chosen the question about your promotion.
WHAT? But Arwen! I wanted to know about love more! It was IMPORTAAAAAAAAAAAANT.
Shhh. You’re whining. It’s not pretty.
Ok, so let’s review how to phrase your questions to get the most out of them. One of my favorite questions for one card readings is “What does the Universe want me to know right now?” By using this statement, I’ve done two things. I’ve accessed my Higher Power and I’ve opened myself up to what is most important. Rather than direct the reading, I’m letting the Universe lead.
So that’s all well and good. What if I have a question that is more specific? Can’t I ask that?
Sure you can! And nice job on the not whining! You can still ask about Roger’s intentions but you want to rephrase it. Try it from your angle by asking, “What do I need to know about Roger’s place in my life?” This way you are focusing on how Roger fits into your world and you are not trying to unwrap your presents early or pry into someone else’s thoughts. I mean if you wouldn’t want someone else to do that to you, why would you do it to someone else, right?
Let’s look at some other common questions and ways to put them so you can get the most out of your reading.
“Am I going to get a promotion?” is a yes/no question. Yes/No questions are actually good for one card readings if you only want a one word answer. If you ask me that and I get the Tower, my answer is going to be NO. However, if you asked, “How can I best position myself at work so I can advance” and I pull the Tower, you are going to get a much fuller answer that involves your being very honest with yourself about what you want from this job.
“Should I move?” is yet another yes/no question. I think as human beings we are inclined to want our answers in black and white. Tarot is not a very black and white divination system as I see it. Possibilities and introspection are my approaches. I would work with you to rephrase that question to something closer to “What are my opportunities if I make a major physical move?” I try to be specific about physical because spiritual journeys can be immense.
You want to get as much information as you can, don’t you? Work with your reader to frame the best questions for yourself. When you choose to work with me, I always advise you to ask open-ended questions. My clients will tell you that I am adamant about open-ended questions. To get the most from your consultation, I don’t want you to limit the Universe with simple yes/no answers.
Some good examples of questions are:
1. What are the most meaningful priorities for me in a relationship at this point in my life?
2. How do I build trust again?
3. How do I embrace being alone?
4. How do I deal with fear, frustration, grief, and anger in relation to past and future relationships?
5. What should I be looking for in a romantic partner?
6. What steps should I take towards joy?
7. What does “home” mean for me now?
8. How do I need to grow in order to be the best “me” in a relationship?
9. How do I balance being active in looking for a relationship with letting go, and letting the universe work?
These were questions posed to me recently by one of my clients. This Universe spread gave this client some very frank and very surprising answers. It had a lot to do with how the questions were targeted.
Committed to doing the work? Let’s get started.
Writer? These Universe spreads can be adapted for your characters in your current WIP as well if you want to see where their story is heading. I love working with my fellow authors.
NOTE REGARDING THE TITLE: When one begs the question, the initial assumption of a statement is treated as already proven without any logic to show why the statement is true in the first place.
Today is international Blog Action Day. The topic is poverty.
I want to discuss the card that is most often associated with poverty in the Tarot. It is a card I compare to Continue reading “Poverty And The Tarot”
One method of study some Tarot enthusiasts use is to study the same card from several decks. If you are blessed (or is that insane) like some of us, you may very well have an large inventory to choose from. Even if you don’t have several decks, you can often go to Google Images and search for a certain card. You will get several examples. Continue reading “Musings: Ace of Pentacles/Coins/Discs”
Let’s talk about another one of the tarot’s BigBadBehometh cards. OH NO! THE TOWER IS FALLING!
Today’s card is the Tower. In Frank Fradella’s Adventure Tarot, you see a tall tower that reaches far up into the sky. It has been struck by lightning and the top portion is crumbling beneath that electrical attack. The lightning is coming in from the top right hand corner. The tower itself is a gold and glass skyscraper that juts up far above the rest of the city beneath it.
If you focus on this card, Continue reading “The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling! And It’s All My Fault!”
MYTH #1: The Age of Tarot
Tarot has been rumored to be as old as the pyramids and connected to Egypt but there is no solid fact for that. This rumor seems to have begun along with the first mention of Tarot as a mystical tool by Antoine Court de Gebelin. De Gebelin was a French occultist who linked Tarot to ancient Egypt in his book published in 1781. Many other major influences in Tarot also followed de Gebelin. This included names like Eliphas Levi, Arthur Edward Waite and even Aleister Crowley. There simply is no factual basis to this thought. There is evidence of cards being used for divination as early as 1540 in a book called The Oracles of Francesco Marcolino da Forli. And Casanova noted in his infamous diary that his Russian mistress often did divination with a deck of playing cards. Continue reading “You Can’t Do That! — Tarot Myths”
After last night’s radio show, I was on such a high from reading. It felt so right to be reading like that again. I used to do 1-900 readings. I stopped because I began to feel like I was robbing people at $4.99 a minute (of which I made eighteen cents a minute). People who were desperate for someone to listen to them would spend so much money just for a friendly voice. I truly began to Continue reading “The Tarot Is Mocking Me, Mom!”
