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.