Just a little bit of history (not too much, I promise) and some detailed information on the layouts I offer.
First the history of the Tarot - The first and original set of cards are called The Major Arcana can be traced back as far as 1440 when the first known deck appeared in Italy. It is said the first Tarot deck was created as an amusement for Charles VI of France.
Tarot decks consist of 78 cards, 22 being major arcana (Latin for "big secret") and 56 minor arcana. The major arcana are the ones that have come to represent a person's travels through life and periods of time that are significant in their personal journey. They are often called the "heart" of the tarot deck itself.
The minor arcana includes four suites (wands, coins, cups, and swords) with fourteen cards in each suite. These are as follows: Ace, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, and then the Court cards (Page, knight, King, and Queen).
It has been in the last century that the Tarot has been marketed successfully as a tool of divination. A mystic by the name of A.E. Waite gave instruction to Pamela Colman Smith for a deck that has become one of the most popular in the United States today. The deck was published by the Rider company and became known as the Rider-Waite deck. It is very simple in its design, yet in its simplicity there is much symbolism. Church inspired cards such as the Pope and the Pappess became the Heirophant and the High Priestess.
The two layout option I offer is the 3 card - Past, Present, Future spread and the 10 card - Celtic Cross spread.
3 card- Past, Present, Future -
This is pretty simple and straight forward. It is a basic spread for 'just the facts' is what I like to tell my customers. It will cut to the chase with no details other than the biggest problem or situation behind the question asked. The following is an example of a real reading I gave a friend of mine.
Question: "What is coming up for me in the next 3 months ?"
She got The King of Cups in the past position, the Six of Cups in the present position and the Nine of Coins in the future position.
I took a moment to take in the cards and the combination. Reading the Tarot is very much like trying to see a story in the cards as well as listening to your inner voice as to what these cards mean to you, the reader.
I began by telling her there was a man in her past, he was older than she is.. he was most likely a Water Sign in the zodiac. Light hair, kind and loving.
She knew right away who I was talking about. I went on to tell her recently, he either contacted her or they reconnected somehow and he offered a chance to get back together or maybe an apology of some kind. I felt he was showing her he wasn't the same man and offering up the 'better side' of him. At this point I stopped and told her I didn't feel this was a good idea and I felt she knew this deep down inside. The future card was the Nine of Coins which means material happiness and comfort but a life of solitude at the moment. My friend is a very successful doctor and she agreed that she knew not to get involved with this man and that everything I told her was true. The man is older than she is, he is successful in his own right but he has, as she said "Mommy issues".
Not all readings turn out the way the customer wants, and I have learned to tell the customer that I do not sugar coat what I see. If the relationship will not work out, that is what I tell the customer.. it is up to them if they want to believe me or stay in a situation they shouldn't be in.
10 card - Celtic Cross -
As you can see, there is more to this reading than just a simple Past, Present & Future. There is more detail to this one and a more overall sense of what is going on behind the scenes and any attitudes that may have caused the situation or problem.
1) This card is the central issue and how the enquirer relates to the question.
2) This is the crossing card, it is the problem the enquirer is facing. It is something in the way and should be addressed when possible.
3) This is the Best Possible Outcome - It is NOT the outcome, it is the best that can be expected.
4) The root of the question or problem. This is what is at the center of the problem. This is what has or is causing it all.
5) The recent past
6) The near future
7) The Self - this is the position that tells me what the enquirer thinks or feels about this situation or themselves in this situation. It is a very reveling card that shocks many people.
8) Others - This is the position that tells me what the people around the enquirer thinks about this situation or their part in it.
9) Hopes & Fears - This is the position that tells me what the enquirer is hoping for or afraid of. This along with the #7 position lays the enquirer bare as to what they really think or feel about this situation / problem.
10) The Outcome - This is what will happen if things remain the same and if the enquirer does nothing to change the situation they are facing.
**REMEMBER** We can change our future at any time. Yes, some things are FATE or set in stone but in most cases we are in complete control of what we allow in our lives and that point can not be stressed enough. The job we have, the relationships we have, our position in life depends on us and that is a very important fact to remember.
Consider this - a very nice lady came to me about 2 years ago, she really just needed someone to listen to her and offer advice, in fact, she requested that I did NOT use the cards. She just wanted to know a stranger's point of view of the situation she was facing.
When she opened up, she really opened up. Her problems was she had not achieved what she thought she should have achieved by the time she was 30 years old. This is a problem for women especially. She thought she would be in a happy marriage with one or two children. A nice job.. a 'normal' life is what she wanted.
After she was done pouring her heart out, I asked her what kind of job would she want - she didn't know. Ok. I asked her what she was looking for in a man. She didn't know.. hmm.. I asked her what she has done in the past month to meet new people. She said she hasn't done anything.
See the problem here?
A lot of people know they want something other than what they have, but they don't have a clue as to what they really want so they go through life drifting whichever way the wind blows. They don't know they can, at any moment, take complete control and guide their life in the direction they want it to go in.
After I explained to her - in more detail - what I wrote above. She started to realize what I was saying to her. It actually took 2 more visits of basically a pep talk but now I am happy to say she is dating, she has a job that will, in time, lead her to the position she wants and she is going back to college this semester in order to help herself along.
My point here is this.. yes, I could have figured all that out by laying down Tarot cards and working through this picture but the result would have been the same. Sometimes the answer is CLEAR without cards or any kind of talent or gift on my part. ANYONE could have told her what I told her, the problem was..she didn't reach out to her friends or family because sometimes the people we are closest to are the ones that we can't turn to for whatever reason.
Don't forget that, in most cases, we are painting our future day by day. A choice you make today could change tomorrow and beyond.
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