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In prepping for my class on magic and the Tarot de Marseille I have been really focused on how tarot can create change beyond the advice we give.
The Magician suggest we unpack out cards and take them into the world for best effect!
The Magic is in the Cards!
In running a store I end up in conversation with many people who are looking for help changing things in their lives. Many of them have already gotten a reading on their situation, or perhaps pulled some cards for themselves. Yet their problem remains. Their luck hasn’t changed, their relationship hasn’t improved, or their internal issue continues to undermine their life.
In response to the idea of getting a reading from me, their response is often “I already had a reading I just need to know how to fix it.” This speaks to a real divide between how some people view, or work with the cards. Of course, we can read for people and tell them the ‘whys’ of their lives. We can also peer into the future and see what possibilities exist. Helping them create change is a whole other matter.
In reading the cards I am always asking myself “How is this person going to make this change?” There are many ways in which this might happen depending on the skills you have.
When reading the cards it is possible to work on many levels at the same time. We can use our aura, Reiki, or spirit guides to help shift the person’s energy. We can even use these energies to heal people. Here is a simple way to approach this. Sometimes folks show up who are really anxious. I don’t want to suppress anyone’s feelings, but I do want to create space to manifest the help they are looking for. This anxiety can really prevent them from hearing the reading properly. So I will focus on the way my aura intersects with theirs. I’ll fill my heart with peace and pass the vibration into them.
Some of the challenge in helping people shift through readings comes from the way in which their unconscious is running the show. Rationally they know everything about the situation. Yet their intellect can’t find can’t find all the controls. This can be a great situation for a more magical, or symbol driven process. Whether we have them chant in session or give them psycho/magical ceremonies to perform after the reading we can use non linear or non rational tools to help them get the whole of themselves on board. This might look like having them sing encouraging songs to their resumé, for example, or chanting a mantra in session.
Finally we can look to more overtly magical things like candles, roots, herbs, crystals and so on. This final example is often what people are looking for when I have this conversation. This one requires more study and knowledge of magical theory to be really effective. The challenge with this overtly magical approach is that it comes right up against the initial problem. People wanting a solution without divination. There are many websites full of recipes to try. Good magic is, however, the intersection of advice from spirit, the knowledge of the reader, and specifics of the person’s life. If something off the shelf hasn’t worked then the reading process can possibly bring about a solution.
Of course all of these approaches need to be handled with respect. It is the reader’s job to acknowledge the possibilities and limits of what can be changed. We must be mindful of the mental/emotional well being of the client. Feeding superstition never turns out well for anyone involved.
Give it a try and let me know what wonders you come up with!
Check out the Tarot de Marseille video course here.
Andrew McGregor
Copyright Andrew McGregor 2014. No part may be copied iwthout written pertmission.
Magician Image from CBD Tarot by Yoav Ben-Dov
Folded card by fdecomite used under Creative Commons License