Tarot sometimes gets a bad wrap and in my opinion that is a real shame. Decks are just ink and card and certainly nothing to be feared! The symbols and signs printed within the pictures represent the trials and tribulations of life. When the images are interpreted by an individual, it can lead to understanding about personality, attitude and circumstance aiding self exploration and development.
I’ve been reading Tarot since I was a teenager and for me, the real magic in these cards is simply the interpretations we make of them, interpretations which light the way for insight and understanding. The cards are an amazing tool for creativity, inner exploration and discovery and that is why they are an integral part of the Space to Tame offering. Our approach to card readings is underpinned by counselling practices, leading to self reflection, self understanding and change for the better.. Nothing scary here!
Sallie Nichols in her book Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey (1980) does a great job of explaining how this works based on the fabulous work of Carl Jung:
'‘The psychologist Carl Jung was able to identify basic, elemental symbols shared by different societies across the world. Jung was known to have dabbled in old magic and alchemy as a way to explore the symbols of what he called the collective unconscious. He studied the mysterious inner mental space we all shared, which is accessible through familiar cultural symbols.
These symbols evoke connections to the ancient qualities of our primal mind, such as the nurturing mother, wise father, and terrifying shadow. The commonness of these symbols can be seen in myths and fairy tales, where there is always a hero battling a clear villain (who often represents a personality flaw that the hero must overcome). The hero is usually assisted by a vague parental figure. We know instinctively that these stories, despite being fictitious, are rooted in truth.”
The cards represent elements that are common in the stories we all share, wherever we are in the world, be they rooted in fact or rooted in fiction. As our minds try and create logic from our unconscious interpretations of these wonderful images we unlock something within ourselves.
By working with archetypes, we are able to enter a make-believe world where it is safe to explore ambitions, frustrations, our hopes and dreams and our fears. By using the images of the external world as a reflection of our inner one, we are able to understand our deeper self. When we study our reactions to these symbols, we can free ourselves from whatever is subconsciously limiting our attitudes and behaviours.
And that my friends is why the tarot works so well for self exploration, it is full of archetypes and symbols that we as human beings can all relate to, stories that are rooted in truth. So who are the heroes and villains in your story? What do your inner demons look like and how can you conquer them. Why not find out…