Conversations with Tarot Cards

While I used the tips from last week’s blog entries, I was reminded of a similar exercise that is in Mary K. Greer’s 21 Ways to Read A Tarot Card. In section 15, she encourages dialog, saying, “When reading for yourself, record your dialogs in your journal. This way something that at first seemed silly, nonsensical, or irrelevant can be reviewed later, so its wisdom can become clear.” I always like to write out the dialogues and am always glad, later, that I did.

The way Mary explains the exercise is: “Take your chosen card and dialog with the figures or objects on the card. Ask the figures what they’re doing, what they want, and what they have to teach you. You could also ask for their advice regarding an issue. Ask objects how they are used, how they can help you, and what they represent in your life.”

In a variation of this exercise, Mary suggests: “Shuffle your deck and draw a second card to represent what opposes your chosen card (or draw two cards to represent opposing forces in yourself)…. Then dialog with each card to learn what each wants and how they oppose each other. If you have two cards of the same or friendly elements, how does the idea of opposition work? Can you find a way to negotiate with the figures so they will both support you in achieving your ends?

I think there are lots of ways to play with this idea. Having cards with opposite personalities or natures talk to each other can be entertaining as well instructive. Give it a try and see what you discover.