In which I share a Tarot reading

Photo by Meg Lessard
I actually have this deck!

I love the Tarot.  It was the first form of divination that really captured my attention, and ended up being the first (and only) form of divination that I learned well enough to consider myself adept.  I'd never be so bold as to call myself a master, especially since I'm constantly learning new things about the Tarot, new readings, new interpretations, new layouts, and the like.

My first deck, the deck I learned on and used for years is the deck in the photograph.  My father bought it when he was bumming around Europe in the late 60s/early 70s, and brought it home with him.  About a decade later I was born, and less than a decade after that the cards found their way into my hands (totally through theft and trickery on my part) and I was teaching myself to read them.

Incidentally, I wouldn't actually recommend that deck to new learners, the minor arcana lacks the symbolism of the more traditional Rider-Waite deck, resembling a deck of playing cards instead.  It's easier to glean the meaning of a deck containing artwork, if you get my meaning.  Not that any of that mattered to my eight-year-old self.

I own several decks, each, I've found, has it own subtleties of meaning and preferences of use.  The deck I learned on was made in Switzerland by a company called Schaffhouse and, as far as I can tell, are fairly out of use by modern readers, and though I still have it, I only bring it out for special occasions (or if someone requests it).  I also own The Robin Wood Tarot—a Rider-Waite descendent, the Witchy Tarot—a fun, very teenager oriented deck, Raymond Buckland's Romani Tarot—a little more hippyish than the Robin Wood deck, a Steampunk themed deck, a Hello Kitty themed deck—a friend of mine from high school gave me that, The Wild Unknown Tarot—a beautiful, nature themed deck, and a set of Medieval Scapini Tarot which one of my brother's friends left at our house in high school.  I have at times owned many, many more decks, but, as with anything, sometimes I outgrow them, or they don't work for me, or I think someone else will appreciate and use them more, so I pass them on.  I think I gave my friend (and sometimes coauthor of this blog) Leanne my old Rider-Waite and the Mother Earth Round Tarot decks.  A few years ago I finally threw out my old and incomplete Thoth deck, which had been missing about five cards for nearly as long as I can remember.

I have other oracle decks because cartomancy is my preferred form of divination—I can even read a deck of playing cards!—but the Tarot is where my heart lies.  Which brings me to the reason for this post.

Earlier this week I was desperate to find some old books, and since I packed most of my books up and threw them in my parents basement, that's where I ventured to find them.  I spent several hours digging through the many boxes of book piled down there, mostly thinking about how I really need to  get rid of most of them, and growing more and more frustrated that I wasn't finding the books that I wanted.  One of the things I did find, however, was A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray, a book I hadn't seen in over 20 years.  It was the book my father bought to go along with his Tarot deck, and was (one of) the book(s) I learned from when I was learning to read the cards.  Published in 1970, eleven years before my birth, and with a simple black cover it was just mysterious and occult-ish looking enough for eight-year-old me to fall head-over-heels for.  Feeling delightfully nostalgic I decided to bring it upstairs and go through it again as an adult.

It's still a delight, that book.  And one from which I can learn.  It's more formal than my current reading style, and advocates pulling out a querent card, which I never do.  Though I remember going through the Court cards and their meanings and trying to find the perfect one for me or my friends when I was younger.  I still use the Celtic cross layout occasionally, and I've begun studies in Western ritualistic magics so the Tree of Life layout in Gray's book will prove, I think, to be helpful.  There is one layout that I never use, and never really used as a kid, and that is what I did for myself today.  That method is called The Horoscope Method by Eden Gray and is explained below the cut along with my reading.

Photo by me from pg. 96 of
A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray

The Horoscope Method Tarot Reading

Deck: The Robin Wood Tarot

Note: I'm going to leave off my own interpretation of this reading, and give you the base or foundational meanings of the cards as written in A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray. 

Instructions: Basically, after asking a question and shuffling and cutting the deck, you deal the cards onto the table placing them in each house, as shown on the diagram [to the left].  The 12 cards go in a circle, then a 13th card is placed in the middle to serve as the Ruler of the horoscope.  That 13th card is the Querent card.

The Reading:

House: 1

Ruler: Aries

Meaning in Divination:  Aries rules all beginnings, including childhood.  It is assigned to the Querent's appearance and characteristics, also her worldly outlook and potential.

Card and Divinatory Meaning: 

7 of Wands  Victory through courage. Success against opposition.  The Querent has the position of advantage.  Competition in business or trade.  Certain Success.

House: 2
Ruler: Taurus
Meaning in Divination:  This is the sign that conserves and builds.  Concerns financial affairs and tangible assets.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
King of Pentacles  This is a chief of industry, a banker, or owner of large estates.  He is a reliable married man and a mathematician with great financial gifts.
     The card can also betoken a steady temperament, slow to anger; success where money matters are concerned, and reliability.

House: 3
Ruler: Gemini
Meaning in Divination:  This is a mental sign that links people together through like thought.  It is assigned to relatives, neighbors; also to communications: letters, roads, writings, and short journeys.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
Temperance [reversed] Competing interests, unfortunate combinations.  Quarreling, corruption, separation.  Possibility of a shipwreck or some other disaster.

House: 4
Ruler: Cancer
Meaning in Divination:  The fourth House begins at the point of midnight; therefore it is assigned to all endings.  Old age, old people, parents, and home environment.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
Ace of Cups The beginning of great love.  Joy, contentment.  Productiveness, fertility.  Beauty and pleasure.  A reminder that when the mind is filled with Spirit, the Spirit will fill the material cup to overflowing.

House: 5
Ruler: Leo
Meaning in Divination:  This is the natural House of Leo, which governs the heart.  Love affairs, children, things that cause excitement: theaters, gambling, speculation.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
2 of Pentacles [reversed] Enforced gaiety; inability to handle several situations at once.  Simulated enjoyment.

House: 6
Ruler: Virgo
Meaning in Divination:  This House rules work, employees, food, hygiene, and general health of the Querent.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
Strength  Force of character, spiritual power overcoming material power, love triumphing over hate, the higher nature over carnal desires.

House: 7
Ruler: Libra
Meaning in Divination:  This House rules both marriage and business partners, dealings with the public, lawsuits, open enemies.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
2 of Cups [reversed]  False love, dissipation, folly, violent passion, disunity, misunderstanding.

House: 8
Ruler: Scorpio
Meaning in Divination:  Rules death, legacies, insurance policies; also the partner's money.  Sex.  Occult experiences.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
King of Cups  This man is skilled in law and trade.  He may be connected with either a church or a worldly institution.  He is kind and considerate and willing to take responsibility.
     If such a man is not indicated, then look for traits of liberality, generosity, consideration, creative intelligence, and interest in art and religion.

House: 9
Ruler: Sagittarius
Meaning in Divination:  Rules law, philosophy, and religion.  Also dreams, psychic experiences, long journeys, and foreign countries.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
Justice  Justice will be done.  Balance is required.  Lawsuits will be won.  The balanced personality demands elimination of excess baggage, wrong ideas, useless forms of education.  A mixture of the right ingredients is welcomed–as in science, chemistry, and cooking.  May betoken the desire for education, with a well-balanced mind as its objective.

House: 10
Ruler: Capricorn
Meaning in Divination:  Profession, promotion, fame.  Also parentage and social status.  Concerns government.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
9 of Swords  Suffering, loss, misery.  Burden, oppression.  Doubt and desolation.  Illness.  May mean death of a loved one.

House: 11
Ruler: Aquarius
Meaning in Divination:  This House rules the friends you have made; groups, clubs to which you belong.  It has some rule over the money you earn from your profession, financial conditions of employer.  Hopes, wishes, aspirations.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
The Hierophant [reversed] Openness to new ideas, unconventionality.  The card of the inventor as well as the hippie.  Take care that you do not become superstitious.

House: 12
Ruler: Pisces
Meaning in Divination:  Hidden limitations that restrict your power of expression.  Secrets, secret enemies, self undoing.  This House also rules institutions; the basic strength or weakness of Querent's body and soul.
Card and Divinatory Meaning: 
Page of Swords  A young person who might be a page in the diplomatic of government service.  He or she already had great understanding and knows how to use diplomacy.
     This card can also mean a message and certain types of spying, as well as grace and dexterity.

Querent card: 10 of Wands [reversed]  Intrigue, separation, emigration.  If a lawsuit is pending there will be a loss.