Harbingers of Change
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Every tarot card, regardless of how static-seeming, is a harbinger of some kind of change, good or bad and great or small. In combination, the cards convey a “state of becoming” in the form of tendencies and trends rather than one of merely “being.” Otherwise there would be no reason to include all 78 of them in a reading since both the past and the present are already known. What they don’t offer is certainty in the imminent or eventual achievement of one’s goals; that is entirely at the mercy of an impartial Universe and all we can do is attempt to align ourselves with its projected flow as shown in the cards. In other words, we must “saddle up” and ride it for all it’s worth, either to enlist its sanguine benefit in our cause or, conversely, to avert its headlong downward spiral to the extent possible.
Aleister Crowley called magic “The science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with the Will.” We might describe tarot-reading as “The art of causing an intimation of change to appear in response to subconscious invocation (e.g. personal will-power expressed through focused concentration).” It is still a form of “magic,” but, as always with conjuration, the power lies in the seeker, not in the cards (which are just instruments). Although I understand that it’s a Western misinterpretation of Buddha’s words, we may not be able to decisively “create our own reality through our thoughts,” but we might just nudge it in the right direction.
I have yet to encounter a serious querent who didn’t have “change” on his or her mind, even if only in the hope that it wouldn’t rear its often-ugly head. Obviously, the arrival of improved circumstances tops the list of aspirations when requesting a reading, with confronting and circumventing any potentially negative shift in fortune a close second. A useful reading should meet the objective head-on and not mince too many words in laying out a manageable success path. While psychological and spiritual observations are all-well-and-good, most people don’t need to be told who they are, just where they’re headed and what might happen when they get there.
The reader’s challenge is to “speak the truth with compassion.” Experienced diviners are often asked how they deliver the alarming insights that sometimes show up in the cards, and there is a wide range of opinion on that score. Some say they just state the unvarnished facts and let sitters deal with it as best they can. (I liken this to the Monty Python “Argument Clinic” sketch in which John Cleese administered “being-hit-on-the-head” lessons.) Others always close a reading on an uplifting note, even if no such amiability is visible in the cards (I call this the “Bobby McFerrin don’t-worry-be-happy” syndrome). Neither of these approaches is entirely fair to querents who are just seeking honest advice that can be brought to bear on a problem; they don’t really need coddling and they definitely don’t want abuse.
For me, it comes down to a judicious choice of words. Since getting a handle on change and making the most of it is the main purpose of a reading, I try to use “actionable” terms that suggest how that might be done most effectively. When the cards are almost entirely discouraging, I lead with the most empowering language I can muster without dwelling too much on the negativity. My aim is not to “sugar-coat” the obvious but to provide pointers for coping with any difficult influences; I describe it as giving my clients the ammunition and setting them on the target, after which it’s up to them to hit the bullseye. Since change is an inevitable consequence of almost every reading, it helps to possess a vocabulary that is well-stocked with “transitional” and “transformative” verbs and phrases.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on February 4, 2024.
