Poll: Does Anyone Use Tarot In Magick Practical? Options

I know we've skirted around this a few times, but I"m curious who, if anyone uses Tarot cards in their practice, regardless of stream -- but for the actual work, rather than divination. I've used the cards several ways, including ritual ceremonial practice per Tyson (using the cards as a mini temple), Visualization reinforcement, practical archetypal support (as in Donald Kraig's methods) and also in Amulet, Servitor, Talisman and Sigil creation. In my tarot-themed book The Last Troubadour I also had my pagan sorceress Nevara cast a "binding" using the cards, and use the cards in evocation. Any other uses? Poll attached. Best,

(Forgive the typo in Amulets above... I can't seem to edit the post choices.)

This post has been edited by Mezu: Sep 14 2007, 07:47 PM

very interesting, I ´ve never used them for anything else than divinaton, it seems that you are very wise in this topic, could you give me more info, it seems that it was a waste to use them only for divination (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused012.gif)

very interesting, I ´ve never used them for anything else than divinaton, it seems that you are very wise in this topic, could you give me more info, it seems that it was a waste to use them only for divination (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused012.gif)

It's a big topic, and doesn't really belong in Divination (the least popular thread on Sacred Magick? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused012.gif) )

But I'd be glad to share. Tarot's effectiveness as a divination tool is rooted in its Jungian use of archetypes which our super-concious (Mind in Tantric, Godforms in other streams, etc) recognize. Jung proved that the language of the Superconcsious and the Subconscious BOTH are visual. Archetypes. If a psychologist wants to get to the truth of what's bothering someone, out come the ink blots.

So, while we all diligently follow different paths, we're all working to common symbolic archetypes which are more or less common, from East to West, and stream to stream. The 22 cards of the Major Arcana represent the Magickian's journey (the Heroe's journey) and the suited cards represent the elementals.

Cards have meanings for divination because of their numerical and elemental associations for the suits, and their archetypal symbolism for the major arcana. They are universal, more or less, whether you use Thoth Tarot (which is very Eastern in influence) or Rider Waite variants (very Western) or even customized decks like Robert Place's Buddha Tarot. In fact, Place, in creating the Buddha Tarot showed just how universal the Jungian archetypes are from tradition to tradition.

So, there are many ways I work with the cards. Basically, if you consecrate cards, they're magickal tools like any other. And if you work Chaotic (or empty hand) they don't even need consecration. Then, the swords really are swords (air in most traditions), wands are real wands (fire), cups are water (tangible cup tools) and pentacles are earth and pentagrams. The only change there is in Easstern traditions where the elements are all turned around, with North as Water, West as Fire, South as Earth and East as Air. But the symbols still work within your path. So that's the first usefulness of the deck. In a tiny deck, many tools.

Then, there are the meanings. By building a mandala or a "reverse" reading of your intention, then focusing on it with whatever method you prefer (some form of gnosis?) you can will the result. In other words, instead of divining a result, you lay out cards (use Celtic spread or any other spread you feel comfortable with) with your desired intent indicated by the card meanings. So, if I want triumph, I might choose SUN or WORLD, change I might choose DEATH and so on. If you use a Celtic reverse spread, lay out your current situation for real (pick a card that represents it) then position appropriate cards (using your understood definitions from your own method of interpreting). Then focus on the layout and will it through some form of gnosis (ritual, meditation, whatever).

Another method is similar but simpler: talismanic. The cards are in fact very potent symbols (assuming you're not using a cutesy Hello Kitty deck or something). Choose a trinity of cards that together illustrate your goal. Here, if you are Chaos you might layout the cards, achieve Gnosis, then collect the cards and reshuffle them, then FORGET everything. If you were shamanistic or ritualistic in preference you might assemble various suitable correspondences (either using cards again, or actual tools), create a ritual, achieve gnosis, then perhaps KEEP the talisman by binding it with a ribbon or appropriate colored string, then carrying it in your wallet.

All magick is creative, and the images on the cards are very empowering for this reason. So, you could, for example, choose to adopt someone else's system, such as Tyson's "Portable Magick" system, but it's highly ceremonial and Kabala-oriented. He creates mini temples out of circles of appropriate cards, manifestation triangles, then visualizes and ritualizes. Donald Kraig has a more straight-forward approach.

Cards can also be amulets.

Other people I know actually consecrate their favorite deck, work with it extensively, then carry it with them in a purse or pocket as a ready-to-go temple, amulet, talisman and toolset all on the go. There's no limit to its power, because the power is YOU. But also, the symbols have their own power, I might venture to say, because of those Universal Archetypes. Who doesn't look at the Death card and see the symbolism? Or the Fool. The messages may be somewhat different, but the power is invested in those universal Jungian archetypes.

The Tarot can be a magickal tool for any path. I work many paths, and they work in all of them for me.