Tarot Tips: Managing Stress Using Tarot
Published: Sun, 10/01/17
"I think one of the primary reasons we use tarot is to..."
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![]() Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com ISSN: 1529-0565 Vol. 9 #8 / October 1, 2017
In this Issue: - Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Managing Stress Using Tarot
- Tarot School Aphorism
- What's Gnu? - PsychWise: Illuminating Your Archetypal Life - Best Practices: Using Contracts For Gigs and Special Events - Cool Free Reading Site: Tell My Tarot - Upcoming Events Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.
![]() Fall is often a busy time for tarot readers. It can be the start of a stressful end of the year for many people. In this issue the focus is on ways to manage and successfully navigate these times. We are excited to have Michael Bridge-Dickson join us in offering ways of using tarot to manage stress in this issue’s Tip. In PsychWise, Jayni Bloch helps us illuminate your archetypal life, and in Best Practices we discuss the benefits of using contracts for special events no matter how small or large. And one more thing...
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MANAGING STRESS USING TAROT:
A PRACTICAL, NON-DIVINATORY METHOD by Michael Bridge-Dickson to provide a sense of control and order over our sometimes chaotic and stressful lives. When we’re really overwhelmed it’s easy to become unfocused, ungrounded, and to lose our sense of direction. As tarot readers, we know the power of tarot to shift perspective and clarify matters so that we can regain that sense of direction. Sometimes, though, seekers may have a biased view of tarot, assuming it won’t have practical application, or will be too esoteric for them to understand or make use of. In my other career as a yogi and body intelligence educator, I find that it’s useful to help people anchor into their bodies and be present as a method for managing stress, regaining control over the things we are able to, and knowing the things we can’t. To this end, I’d like to share a method for using tarot that may help seekers be more grounded with presence, while requiring little to no tarot or esoteric knowledge. Preparation The method is quite simple, and I’d recommend a deck with pip minors, though any tarot or playing card deck will do. The first step is the most complicated one. Separate your Minors from the deck, and set the Majors and Court cards aside. A variation using Majors-only will be discussed later, so if you prefer using Majors-only, hang tight! Next, shuffle the 40 Minors in whatever way you choose. This method will associate each suit with the sensations in a region of the body — I suggest associating Swords with the chest and upper torso, Wands with the midsection, Cups with the lower abdomen and pelvis, and Coins with the legs and feet. If you associate the suits to the body another way, that’s just as good — use the associations that make sense to you, but I would suggest, for this exercise, not to associate any suit with the head and neck. When we are stressed, our attention often resides in or above our heads anyway, and this exercise is meant to draw attention more deeply into the body and out of the head. While shuffling, settle your breath and if you wish, take a quick scan of these four regions, spending a few breaths at each place. This step alone may be so soothing that you can simply scan the body while shuffling with a calm breath. If that’s the case, you don’t need to separate your Minors. But, since we did, let’s continue! Your mind, breath, and body do not need to be completely settled for the next step, nor do you need to be in a divinatory or channeling state (no harm if you are, it’s just not necessary for this exercise). The Technique Once you have finished shuffling, begin turning over cards one by one. For each card turned, the card’s number indicates the number of breaths and the suit, as referenced above, indicates the part of the body to observe sensations in while taking those breaths. ![]() the 7 of cups, take seven easy, natural breaths while observing the sensations in your lower abdomen and pelvis. During these breaths, do not try to change what you observe or analyze those sensations: this is an exercise in drawing consciousness into the body and simply experiencing the sensations. Try not to artificially deepen the breath, just let the breath be natural; it may change during the exercise. ![]() Then, turn over a second card. Let’s say it’s the 4 of Wands. Take 4 smooth, easy, natural breaths, observing the sensations in the mid and upper abdomen, sides of the waist, and lower back. You’re not trying to “breathe into” these areas, you’re simply bringing attention to the sensations in each area as you breathe. Continue in this way, one card at a time until you have either turned at least one card from each suit, or until you feel grounded and are no longer overwhelmed. ![]() In this example, turning over the 9 of Swords would mean taking 9 breaths observing the sensations in the chest and shoulders. ![]() The Ace of Disks calls for a single, conscious breath observing sensations in the legs and feet. For the Aces, you may choose to take more than a single breath if you need more time to rest your consciousness on that particular area of your body. During the process of bringing attention to your body, clarity about tasks to prioritize or challenges you are facing may come into focus. You may also receive divinatory meanings or messages. Try, however, not to make that the intent of the exercise. Instead, use it as a moment to rejuvenate yourself and regain presence. Majors-Only Deck If you’re using a Majors-only deck, you would go through the same process, using the card’s number as the number of breaths to observe. But, instead of focusing on specific body areas, mimic the body position of the figures. For the Tower, you needn’t jump head-first off your chair — as a safer alternative, try lying on the floor and imitating the posture. Observe how the body position makes you feel and where you experience physical sensation most directly. Non-Figurative Deck If you’re not using a figurative deck, go with the reactions to the images, the physical sensations. Or, associate certain colors with observing regions of your body in a similar way to how I suggested associating suits. For instance, you could try: • Earth tones for the legs and feet • Blues and watery greens for the pelvis and lower abdomen • Warm colors like red and orange for the mid- and upper-abdomen • Lighter colors for the chest and shoulder region. Again, this is merely a suggestion based on how I would do it, but you are free to modify the exercise to suit you better. Continually remind yourself, however, that this is a body awareness exercise that does not necessarily relate to your existing tarot knowledge. Have fun with it, and with practice, you may find that you’re more aware of your body — and more grounded — through your regular readings. You may even find that your readings gain more depth as the cards remind you of your body and your presence. Enjoy! *Images from Michael’s upcoming deck, Arcanum X Tarot ======================================= About Michael: Michael Bridge-Dickson is a tarot reader, deck creator, and author specializing in yoga and embodiment. Living in Montreal, Canada, Michael enjoys visiting New York for the annual Readers Studio. Last year, Michael emceed the banquet, and is pleased that he will do so again at the 2018 banquet. It is always his pleasure to share his experiences in using tarot and yoga as tools for embodiment. https://www.facebook.com/m.bridgedickson https://mirrorsofconsciousness.wordpress.com/ Tarot School Aphorism ![]() ![]() THE 2018 READERS STUDIO IS SOLD OUT!! (Honestly, we're just as surprised as you.) But... There's a waiting list. (Just email us.) And... You can still register for the Tarot & Psychology Conference! (In fact if you do, you'll be placed on the Priority Waiting List.) ![]() ReadersStudio.com (poster art by the fabulous Ryan Edward) PsychWise: ILLUMINATING YOUR ARCHETYPAL LIFE by Jayni Bloch, M.A. (reprinted with permission from Jayni Bloch – Let's Talk Blog.) It seems that in our search to understand life, we
instinctively observe patterns and correspondences. The observations we make aren’t necessarily to be considered as facts, but rather as a flowing stream of sensations and observations that may be shaped into theories. These theories try to identify which of these sensations and observations are real, and which are illusory. But even the most tightly reasoned and empirically supported theories rest ultimately on unprovable assumptions. Accepted theories tend to become general ‘truths’ which in turn become articles of conviction. These articles of conviction tend to resonate with some individuals but not with others. Why? Just like mathematics, the world of psychology, philosophy, and Tarot uses systems of symbols as a language of understanding. The premise is that there are correspondences between patterns in symbol and pragmatically observed life events. Also, that pragmatically observed life events correspond to the observed patterns in symbol. The correspondences between symbol systems and life events are undeniable, but not convincingly explainable. The reason for this is that these correspondences depend on individual sensory perception, reason and perspective. It is apparent that individual worldviews are deeply influenced by early conditioning, culture, emotional needs, education, and contact with alternative views. Whenever you listen to a theory or a perspective from anyone, you get a version of reality as perceived from the Archetypal cluster innate to their psyche. The lens they look through gives you a view of those particular Archetypes. You see life through the eyes of the person who presents their worldview. You might or might not resonate with the person’s archetypal perspective. The important thing to know is that you are given a perspective from one or more Archetypes active in that person that are generally valid Archetypal realities. When we can recognize and identify the Archetypes, their purpose, and their healing properties, we arrive at an understanding of the collective diversity present in all of us. The Archetypal life cycles are processes. For example, some of these cycles can be calculated by the birth date, while others remain incalculable. These cycles show us of how everyone transitions through systematic opportunities, filled with potential insight. The unconscious activates this insight, through the observation of symptoms and experiences corresponding to Archetypal themes. I believe that we are perhaps participating in a process of necessary evolution. But do we see any progress in what we know and understand? Do you? Are we noticeably closer to solving the mysteries we grapple with in life? Does anything change for us when we gain realizations or does everything continue as before? How do we grow, change, or evolve? Insight and understanding are not enough. At the Golden Globes Awards Ceremony in January, the actress, Meryl Streep gave an acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award (a lifetime achievement award). She said: “An actor’s only job is to enter the lives of people who are different from us, and let you feel what that feels like.” She connected this statement with the following thought: “We have to remind each other of the privilege and the responsibility of the act of empathy.” Can you imagine what happens to an actor who takes on the personality of another for a while, living life as they might? It requires that actor to truly empathize with the character they portray. But how does anyone experience empathy for another? I believe that when you experience and recognize another person through the archetypes they represent, you realize the potential of that archetype in yourself. This is one way you can cultivate empathy. This kind of empathy shines a light on the parts of yourself that you might not want to see. In other words, it helps you discover your ‘shadows’ and have more compassion for the ‘other’. We learn about the parts of Life and Existence – the stuff we are made of – when we experience the archetypes. When you allow yourself to experience the essence of an archetype, you begin to find meaning in events and in life, and that you are made of the same stuff. The better we know ourselves the better we can participate in becoming ‘whole or healed’, and the better we can serve as a mirror of compassion to all. I believe that we perceive and interpret experience from the perspective of a ruling Archetype or a cluster of ruling Archetypes, within the potential pool of all Archetypes, available in our personality. Observing the responses of my clients over time, I deduced a system of recognizable Archetypal patterns which correspond with Tarot and my Mirrors to your Soul™ Archetypal Images. Reading the Tarot, and the Mirrors to your Soul™ images (a modern interpretation of the Tarot Archetypes) helps me to enter the world of another person, with the help of the Archetypal landscapes. The objective for me as a psychotherapist is to wait for the person’s psyche to indicate the appropriate clue that corresponds with the ‘reading’. Once the Archetypal energy is recognized (by correspondence), in the words, dreams, experience, and emotions of the client, the focus is on the issue that the person’s psyche wants to illuminate. The unique expression of the person’s Archetypal energy, as it presents itself in the challenge, both explains the challenge and guides the way to a solution. Because the focus is now on the exact Archetypal expression itself that created both the challenge and the solution, the collaboration between the client and me as a therapist can come to a resolution about the person’s healing journey. Other healing tools can then be used to proceed. My objective is to teach the underlying meanings and purpose of the Archetypes, why we identify with them, why they express themselves in our lives in such a powerful way, and how to use them for personal and collective healing. The reason for this discussion is to give you a glimpse of how to evolve through empathy, because of your encounters with the Archetypes. The Tarot map (among others), shows the themes you live through. As you follow these themes and observe the correspondences with your subtle and not so subtle emotional questions, you gain in compassion for yourself and others, which promotes healing. As you engage with and meet the intense truth revealed in each archetype, connect with the part of yourself that resonates with this truth. See if you can recognize that energy inside yourself and sense its reality as it wants to express itself through you. Resource: To know more please join my Mirrors to your Soul™ Divine Your Evolution, Online Seminar Sessions. https://genian.net/workshops.html About Jayni: Jayni Bloch, M.A.C. Psych. Assoc. practices as Kanata Psychotherapy Centre. She is registered with the College of Psychologists in Ontario since 1998 in Canada and previously with the Medical and Dental Council of South Africa as a Clinical Psychologist, for 18 years prior to coming to Canada. She is a Psychotherapist Practitioner of Cognitive and Spiritual Healing modalities, Teacher, Artist, Author and Mystic. Contact: Best Practices for Professional Readers USING CONTRACTS FOR GIGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS By Gina Thies www.tarotadvisor.com / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org It goes without saying that it’s better to be safe than sorry. I have worked in a few different industries before my magical life as a professional tarot practitioner and I have learned that when it comes to special occasions like celebrations, parties, etc., there is a lot of preparation and behind the scenes activities that most people aren’t aware of when they show up for the event. In my experience as a busy event reader, I have learned to use an agreement/contract for all gigs, no matter the size or duration. This is to ensure that both my clients and I have an understanding of what is supposed to happen, and to map out the specifics of all parties’ obligations. There is a lot of power in what’s written in black and white. The simplest things can go awry. I was booked for a Sweet 16 party last year that was originally scheduled to begin at 7:00pm. The hostess had mentioned in a phone conversation that most of the guests would arrive by 6:30pm, but that there would be other activities upon their arrival. In the written agreement, I wrote in the original requested start time at 7:00pm with a set-up time between 6:30 and 6:45pm. The client signed off for the 7:00 start time. As I drove to the location which was about 15 minutes away from my starting point, the hostess called me at 6:25pm, sounding a little anxious about why I had not yet arrived. I was about 8 minutes away and reminded her that the agreement was for 7:00pm. Having an agreement or written contract in place ensures a bit of protection and that things go as smoothly as possible. When you work as an independent contractor, I cannot recommend it enough. Confusion and misunderstandings around arrival times and duration of the performance happen fairly often. As the talent, you’ll want to make sure you have protection so that you can get paid and keep your reputation intact. In addition to arrival times, the contract should also include the agreed upon price and what will happen in in case of overtime. I also put in what the hostess/client is responsible for, and outline my own responsibilities. Cancellations are an unfortunate part of business so it is important to also include your cancellation policy. Your agreement may not need a ton of legal jargon, but it should follow the laws and or statues of your area. Some event planners or agencies will present you with extremely detailed contracts that may have complex legal terms. If there's anything you don’t understand in the contract, have someone with the necessary expertise look it over. If you have not used a performance agreement before, there are plenty of resources for templates online for the generic independent contractor. It is also worth the time and investment to have an attorney draw up something that applies specifically to your services. Resource: Create your free Independent Contractor Agreement https://legaltemplates.net/form/independent-contractor-agreement/ Cool Free Reading Site • TELL MY TAROT I really like this site because the interpretations are well considered and well written. Unlike other free reading sites I've seen, Charmaine includes notes on the symbolism in the cards, as well as her own personal take on what they might mean for you. You can choose from several reading options: - Past, Present, Future - Yes/No Tarot - Card of the Day (Personal draw) - Love Tarot There is also a general Card of the Day for the date, plus a section on Tarot Card Meanings that let's you look up the interpretations to any cards you choose. https://tellmytarot.com/free-tarot-reading Tarot Salon
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