Walking the Talk
For the neophyte, learning to read the tarot cards is a charming diversion that, when diligently nurtured, can soon become a mesmerizing quest for the truth. It’s a bit like rabbit-hunting; we’re handed a dangerous weapon, a figurative “shotgun,” and set off in pursuit of the quarry, which is elusive and can lead us, like Alice, straight down the rabbit-hole. But what does it look like? Let’s see . . . pointy nose and ears, bushy tail . . . Oh, wait . . .
I’ve been told that I’m too interested in precision in my reading, which in the minds of many should be more loosely impressionistic and less analytical. As a storyteller I agree that an imaginative presentation is vital to the best result, but if all you’re going to do is entertain and amuse your sitter or yourself, why make the effort to learn the ropes? Just — as too many self-styled intuitive readers do — say whatever comes into your head based on your psychic “notion of the moment” and let the querent sort it out. (You might as well be “speaking in tongues” to the average seeker of wisdom.) Personally, I feel more obligated to be as accurate — and therefore as helpful — as possible when translating the message in the cards into effective counseling. While divination is certainly more an art than a science, it doesn’t have to be steadfastly mystical in its execution. (I won’t say “woo-woo” but the thought is there.)
Each card is a deeply fascinating well of layered significance, and I have likened its dissection to “peeling an onion.” While it’s not necessarily unproductive since there is always room for the occasional flash of pure insight, routinely taking whatever casual impression comes right off the top and running with it often does a disservice to both the sitter and the cartomantic tradition. There is far too much “there” there to be superficial in its interpretation. I suppose it depends on what the querent has come for; at a party or even a metaphysical event like a psychic fair, I would assume that it’s mainly idle curiosity, but in my experience most serious people who sit for a reading want something more substantial. My goal is to service that expectation to the limit of my ability in both visionary and pragmatic terms.
To me, “walking the talk” means absorbing as much of the “core knowledge” as one can and then applying it to maximum effect, aided but not overtaken by stimulating flourishes of inspiration, imagination and ingenuity. This doesn’t mean rote memorization of keywords (although that is an unavoidable part of the early going) but rather methodical building of a personal library of meaning that can be called to mind without a moment’s hesitation. This fluency is achieved most convincingly through wide and deep exposure to the classical tarot literature coupled with profound contemplation and tireless practice (and not normally from “sound bites” in a YouTube video), a level of commitment that may be too much to expect from an “instant gratification” culture that communicates in monosyllabic text and reveres the social-media “influencer.” But in all honesty there are really no reliable shortcuts to mastery.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on June 13, 2023.
