21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card - Step Three - Emotion

In step three of our journey, we are to describe the emotions, feelings, and attitudes of the figures and the mood and atmosphere of the environment.

"Because the card mirrors your life, it also mirrors your own feelings.”

Mary Greer has included an emotion lists located in Appendix A. She suggests looking it over before you begin this exercise.

Artwork © Jennifer Galasso, 2011

Activity 3-1: Step One – Using your chosen card, describe the emotions, attitudes, and feelings of the figures and the mood and atmosphere of the environment. As in step two, you may do this verbally or in written form.

The woman looks calm, expectant, as if she’s waiting for a surprise. Her folded arms are not tense, as they would be if she were protecting herself, but more of a casual position as she waits. The parting clouds allow the sun to bathe the environment, giving the card a warm feel. The lazy flight of the birds gives a feeling of carefree and come-what-may attitude. The suspended feather covering her eyes gives the impression of a temporary blindness. When she’s ready it will flutter away.

Activity 3-1: Step Two - Repeat your description, but change to first person, present tense.

I am calm, expectant. I am waiting for a surprise, a change. I stand with my arms folded, waiting. The sun touches me, warming the air around me. I hear the lazy flap of bird wings. I wait, and when I’m ready I’ll release the feather from my eyes.

Activity 3-1: Step Three – Based on your retelling of the card, identify a recent situation which you and your environment have shown such qualities or emotions.

This is where I am most of the time. I’m a very calm person and I tend to wait for others to make the next move, rather than rock the boat.

I've never actually looked at this card in this way. In fact, sometimes when I see this card, I think of the calm before the storm, but today it feels more like a clearing of those clouds.

How did you do? Did your card reflect your own emotions and your environment? Did it bring life a little more into perspective?

If you haven’t already, grab a copy of the book for a deeper understanding of 21 Ways to Read the Tarot. Available in Print and Kindle.

The Artist's Way meets the Tarot - Week One

the Artist's Way
Julia Cameron

Week One - Recovering a Sense of Safety
As artists, many of us experience negativity when it comes to being creative. You can't make a living doing that! My answer to that, and yours should be too - Watch me! :)

This first week is about recovering a sense of safety, feeling free to express our creativity without fear.

Tarot Dude presents us with two questions, in which we are to pull two cards to discover the answers.



What has kept me in the shadows?

5 of Swords
Rider-Waite

5 of Swords - a desire to avoid facing the challenges presented by others' doubts and discouragements. A need to succeed, gain faith in my own ability, before stepping forward and saying here I am and this is what I do.







What first step can I take to move back into the light?

10 of Cups
Rider-Waite

10 of Cups - form an accepting family within a community who understands the nature and need of my gifts. Share with others who can understand what it means to be a writer/tarot reader. After confidence is built you can slowly build your family of support.





Overview: In a way, I've stepped into the light, but there are those who wish to push me back into the shadows, and from time to time I step back. I'm in the process of forming such a family, but in the writing world, people come and go, probably because others are pushing them into the darkness.

My two blogs, Footsteps of a Writer and Tarot Guidance, were a huge step outside of the shadows. I thank all of you who have supported me and have become a part of my growing family of support.

More on this week's journey -

Core Negative Beliefs - using affirmations to repair
Who Are Your Monsters - tasks to help identify your monsters - past/present

More to come as we continue our Spiritual Journey to Higher Creativity.

The Artist's Way meets the Tarot

the Artist's Way
Julia Cameron

Some of you may have heard of Julia Cameron's the Artist's Way - A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, and you may be wondering what it has to do with the Tarot.

In 2010, I embarked on Cameron's journey on my writing blog, Footsteps of a Writer, and the results to my life were amazing. Now, the Tarot Dude is going through the journey using the Tarot. I think it is a wonderful concept, and I am excited about making this wonderful journey once again.

I hope some of you will decide to join us. You can grab your own copy of the book, borrow a copy, or just tag along through the posts.

You will need to visit Tarot Dude's blog to read up on the material. Here you will find links to his posts and my results through the journey.

In Beginnings, Tarot Dude presents a question and you are to pull a tarot card to reveal your answer.

Question: What will help me in my Artist's Way journey?

9 of Pentacles
Rider-Waite

The woman stands surrounded by her accomplishments, fruits of her labors, with only herself and the higher power to take credit. Of course there are always others who contribute to our success, but as artists most of the work comes from solitary tasks, with inspiration and support from outside sources.

The solitary activities and the results of each task will help me through my journey.




Before the journey begins, you will need to catch up on some reading.

Basic Principles - "the bedrock of which creative recovery and discovery can be built."
Basic Tools - Part One - The Morning Pages - "three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-consciousness"
Basic Tools - Part Two - The Artist Date - a play-date for you and your inner artist

More to come as we begin our Spiritual Journey toward Higher Creativity.

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card - Step Two - Description

In step two of our journey, we are to describe the card, literally and objectively. In this process, we are not to attach any meaning or interpretations of the card.

“When a card’s landscape is precisely described, it opens a doorway into a world suffused with sensory experience.”

Artwork © Jennifer Galasso, 2011

Activity 2-1: Step One – Describe your chosen card as completely as you can with no meanings or interpretations. This can be spoken aloud and recorded, or written into your journal. Mary Greer suggests two minutes for oral descriptions and five minutes for writing.

A woman stands with her arms crossed in front of her. She holds a sword in each hand. A white feather covers her eyes. She wears a pink dress, armored sleeves, and a belt of what looks to be knives. Her long brown hair cascades down to her hips. She wears a necklace, triangle in shape and some sort of pink stone. Two ravens fly above her. The sun peeks out of a cloudy sky, touching the top of her pink wings, reflecting off the swords’ blades, and casting the woman’s shadow and a bird’s shadow onto the ground.

Activity 2:1: Step Two – Repeat your description, but change to first person, present tense.

I am standing with my arms crossed, holding a sword in each hand. A white feather covers my eyes. I’m wearing a pink dress, armored sleeves, a belt of knives, and a pink triangle stone necklace. My brown hair cascades down my back and ends at my hips. Two ravens fly above. The sun peeks out of a cloud-filled sky, touching my pink wings, reflecting off my blades, and casting my shadow, along with the bird’s, across the ground.

Wow, for a moment, I stood where she stood and felt the sun touching my ‘wings’.

Were you able to stay objective during your description? Did interpretation seep in? If so, simply as yourself why?

For instance: ‘She’s protecting herself,’ would be an interpretation. By asking yourself why you think this, ‘She’s crossing her arms before her,’ you will get the clear, objective description.

If you haven’t already, grab a copy of the book for a deeper understanding of 21 Ways to Read the Tarot. Available in Print and Kindle.

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card - Step One - Name

To begin the journey of 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card, we must first pick a card to explore during our trip.

If you haven’t already chosen your deck, this is the time to do so. It is best to pick a tarot deck with detailed pictures and lots of symbolism.

Artwork © Jennifer Galasso, 2011

Next shuffle your deck, while asking the question, “What do I most need to look at in my life right now?”

Draw three cards and place them upright before you. Out of these three cards, chose one for your journey. It is suggested not to use the Aces or the Eight of Wands, for they normally lack details. Pick the most intriguing, most unsettling, and most detailed card of the three. Which one calls out to you and entices you to explore it?

I have pulled my three cards to reveal 10 of Cups, 2 of Swords, and Ace of Pentacles.

The 10 of Cups shows a loving family, bathing by moonlight. To me, this card represents emotional contentment. In answer to the above question, I need to look at the contentment level of my emotional state. Am I happy and satisfied in my current status?

The 2 of Swords shows a woman blinded and bound, unaware of her surroundings. To me, this card represents avoiding a situation, not allowing yourself to see or choose your next step. In answer to the question, I need to consider what I may be avoiding and allow myself to decide what should happen next.

The Ace of Pentacles shows two trees forming a pentacle and the image of two women. To me, this card represents new financial opportunities, but in view of this particular card it may not be obvious at first. In answer to the question, I need to pay close attention to all presenting opportunities, even those which may not seem like good prospects.

Although the Ace is intriguing, I’ll set it aside due to Mary Greer’s suggestion, mentioned above. The 10 of Cups is detailed, but it doesn't grab my attention. I knew as soon as I saw the 2 of Swords it would be my choice. The card screams hidden secrets and wonders to be uncovered. So, as we step through our journey, I will be exploring the

Activity 1:1 – Say the name of the card you have chosen aloud.


“Say my name, say my name, If no one is around you, Say baby I love you…”

Watch Destiny's Child 'Say My Name' Video on MetaCafe.

I love this song, and the exercise made it start playing in my head.

So, back to the activity, say the name of the card aloud. That’s it, that’s all you have to do.

“Saying the name of the card opens your mouth and starts it moving – what I call “priming the pump” or getting the ideas flowing.” 

You may do this in various ways: “I’ve drawn the 2 of Swords.”, or “This card is the 2 of Swords.”, etc.

The main thing is to say the card’s name aloud, feel the vibration of the words flowing from you, and bathe in the released energy.

Optional - You may continue through one more step if you choose. Mary Greer suggests a second activity in this section. Activity 1:2 – If you are new to the tarot or have purchased a new deck, she suggests shuffling it, examining the individual cards, and saying the names as you do so.


What cards did you draw? Which one did you decide upon for your journey? Why?


If you haven’t already, grab a copy of the book for a deeper understanding of 21 Ways to Read the Tarot. Available in Print and Kindle.

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer

So, you bought a deck of tarot cards, which came with its own personal white book. You've studied your cards, got a handle on the meanings, and maybe even extended your collection of tarot cards and tarot books.

Now, are you ready to really get in touch with your cards?

Over the next several weeks, I plan to go through Mary K. Greer's 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card and go deeper into the world of tarot. I've owned this book for many years, read through it, and use some of the methods in my own readings, BUT I've never taken the time to select one card and follow through the 21 steps suggested by Mary K. Greer. This should be an interesting journey.

Mary K. Greer's book begins with an introduction, which is available in Amazon's preview feature. The next section is 'How to Use This Book', which includes the goals of the book - to expand the ways you obtain information from a card, to deepen personal insights, and to evolve an individualized reading style or technique. Among other things, a Tarot Journal is suggested, which I highly recommend for anyone exploring the tarot. You may choose to add to your current Tarot Journal, if you already have one.

There are also two levels of exploration in the book: Apprentice and Adept. The apprentice level puts you into action, with an overview or quick look at the messages in the card. And, as you guessed, the Adept takes you deeper. Through this journey, we will stick to the Apprentice level, at least for now.

I'd love to have you follow along in my journey. I would love it even more if you care to join me. Obviously, you will get much more from this journey if you own a copy of the book. Grab a print copy, or kindle copy and meet me here next week to tag along. Don't forget your tarot cards!