[Tweet “How Tarot changed my life. Again. Come join the Tarot Blog Hop!”]
The person crazy enough to volunteer for this hop is Morgan Drake Eckstein.
He asked us to think about moments when our understanding of the Tarot radically changed.
For me, there are several but one stands out in particular.
I was living in Denver in the Five Points area, right across from the park on Champa to be precise. I was single. I was teaching at the now defunct College of Wicca and Old Lore. I was in a very happy place in my personal life.
One of the things I taught at COWOL was Tarot. Quelle surprise, right? Because of that, I read a lot of people’s cards. I also worked with, and taught, the magical uses of stones. I did a rather popular workshop at a local store as well on that subject.
My stone work deals with the Chakra system. It occurred to me that I could use Tarot as well with that system. And that’s when I created my first spread. I remember reading for a friend up in my upstairs apartment. We were sitting on the floor. As I laid the cards out, a very big, bad thing showed up–in her root chakra.
ASIDE: This next bit could be a bit trigger-y so I’m posting the lovely Nine of Fire from Joanna Powell Colbert’s Gaian Tarot to put in a spacer. Besides, this is one of my favorite Chakra and Tarot combo cards.

As a reader, I am committed to reading the cards as I see them. I work with my clients to have conversations around the cards that fall. But this one? This one told me she had a past history of sexual abuse.
We worked through it. There were tears, hugs and anger at what person of power had done to a child. She also went back into therapy (I am not a therapist and don’t pretend to be one.)
But what hit me then was the power of Tarot within the framework of the right spread. Since then I’ve developed many spreads. I have a small collection of the .
I don’t do that Chakra one as much any more. It’s one of the few that I prefer to do in person or via SKYPE. It’s just not the same in email for some reason. Not sure why that is.
But, here’s the thing. I really love that spread. I’d like to do it for one of you via SKYPE or, if you are in the Austin area, in person. So leave me a comment letting me know why you would like to have a consultation with me using my Chakra spread. I’ll pull a name and email the winner. I’ll also post the winner here on September 30th.
Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.
Nine of Fire, Gaian Tarot, Joanna Powell Colbert
What a powerful story, Arwen! Your Chakra spread sounds really interesting, and I can imagine that it would bring up some really important, personal aspects of the self or client.
If you want to see the spread, just let me know, Olivia! I’m happy to share it with you.
It always feels so wonderful to help someone. Thanks for sharing with us. Blessed Mabon.
Blessed Mabon to you, Bridgett. Thank you.
Interesting what you say about it not being the same via email. I find occasionally with email that there are things that come up that just don’t feel right to do that way… I have a sense of why that is but not sure if I can explain it adequately in writing… I think maybe sometimes it feels as though you need to see a face to make sure you have permission to go into the depth required… or go at correct speed for it to be processed… you can’t really take a pause and a breather with email where you would face to face… does that make sense? π
Very much so, Karen. That really does address what happens in some email readings.
What a great story. Do you remember which card(s) showed up in that chakra position ?
I do, Vivianne. I was still using reversals and it was the 6 of Cups reversed. That and the feeling that came to me.
What a wonderful story…and I can see why you wouldn’t choose to use it in an email reading. Thanks for sharing!
Hi other Alison C. LOL. Yes that info wouldn’t have gone over well in an email, I fear.
That’s a great story, Arwen! And I totally see why the spread works better in person than using e-mail. Although I’m a big fan of the e-mail reading too!
Alison, I do love doing email readings. I can just let go and type!
What an interesting notion..tarot and chakra…never thought of that…love to experience that myself…so pick me pick me!
Grin, you are in the contest, woman!
Designing spreads is a magical process! I love it. Sounds like you developed a powerfully healing spread!
I really don’t know that I can stop designing, Joy. LOL
I would love to be entered in the draw for a chakra reading. That sounds like an awesome spread. Do you share it?
Carla, I do. I’ll email you a copy!
That is powerful. I can certainly understand why you wouldn’t want to do that via email.
Linda, I think because this one is so tied into my own work with chakras…that makes it less easy to do via email. And I’ve done it via email. π
It’s a wonderful gift to be a part of someone’s healing process.
It was a gift, Michele. It truly was.
Michele, you win the half hour session with me. Congratulations!
Hi Arwen,
Good to see you back on the Inspired Blogging group! How fun. I went to a party once, years ago, with a group of people who were not the tarot type – or so I thought. A new acquaintance and I were talking and she said something about getting a psychic reading done and so I mentioned that I read tarot cards and that I had a deck in the car and did she want me to do a quick reading for her? So I ended up doing readings all afternoon that day. One after another. I did them all just for fun, but it was a real eye-opener. I pretty much always do them for fun, but they are very popular whenever I do them. I love how the cards just tell me stuff. I can tell that it comes from outside my head somehow. I am never really sure exactly how it works, I just know that it does by the reactions that I get from people. It is fun.
I for one am very glad you were inspired to design spreads – have enjoyed many readings following your ideas! I’ve used a chakra spread a few times, too, though never to such powerful effect. Perhaps I’m just doing it wrong π Would love to see how you do it, so please enter me, too!
Great post Arwen! I love doing email readings, but I can see how the personal experience can really benefit in some readings. I’m not very knowledgable about the chakra system, but it has always fascinated me and I keep it on my things to learn in the future. I’m going to be in Austin in about a month, and would love to meet up if I happen to be the contest winner π Please enter me in! I think this would be a really valuable reading for me on a personal level, but also would be a great learning experience as well. Thanks again for the interesting post!
You are entered, Deirdre. We must meet, you know. π
The Gaian Tarot is one of my all-time favorite decks. I don’t use it for reading, but simply like a book, leafing through its pages and immersing myself in the lives of its people and animals. So nice to see it highlighted here!
When I read about the person who sat with you and then memories arose, I thought about how pausing to still is opening and how trust is integral in the process.
Particularly interesting insights on the limits of the email reading. Without face to face or audio real-time interaction, it would have been very difficult for the querent to process the results. I will remember this when I see certain questions and recommend Skype if it looks to be more of a collaborative counseling type situation. Fascinating…
Congratulations, Michelle! Guess I’ll have to do a chakra reading for myself, then π