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From Chapter One: Pick a Card, Any Card
The Disco Connection and Some One-Card Readings Imagine a disco ball suspended in the center of a room. Don't set it in motion, yet. The disco ball's surface is a mosaic made up of 78 pieces of mirror reflecting the room. Each piece reflects a particular view of the room - all pieces reflect a "true" view - but each piece does not reflect the exact same view as any other piece. In fact, pieces on the opposite sides of the disco ball reflect completely different views of the room, but again - each view is an honest interpretation of that particular angle of the room, and it's the SAME ROOM. The room is Life - the 78 pieces of mirror surfacing the disco ball are the Tarot cards. Now, start the music and set the whole thing in motion: the room and the mirror. Life moves, the Tarot moves and reflects it back from varying angles at any given point in time. This explains why each and every card is the answer to your question - you simply may not "see" it since you may not be standing on that side of the room. Intuition is the ability to perceive what might be happening on the other side of the room, even though your eyes are not directly upon it. You may prefer one perspective to another, and you may understand some views more clearly, but there it is. Every single card reveals a true image of life, and is the answer to your question. One-card readings are effective for any situation from quick validation to deep insight, and a single card may provoke change and be just as challenging as any ten-card reading. Never underestimate the power of a single card. In each of the queries below, you may choose to sit silently with the card images or converse with the selected card's characters and images. Pay attention as your focus is redirected. Mentally pursue the paths and streams as they inch toward the borders of each card. Then resolve to remember any lesson learned as you walk in your daily life. THE MORNING CARD Mornings are pretty fuzzy for most of us until that first cup of coffee. Whether you choose decaffeinated or espresso, a Morning Card will clear the haze. Pull a single card in the morning as you ask, "Where should I direct my attention today?" Take as much time as you like with your card, but don't over-analyze it. You may choose to carry that card with you, or leave it displayed at home for further analysis and possible validation at the end of your day. A Morning Card from Gina's Journal: One fine morning with no particular question in mind, I pulled the Ace of Cups from Ciro Marchetti's Tarot of Dreams. An ornate chalice rests atop the surface of the water. The bowl of the chalice is crystal with ornate gold filigree and inset with red, blue and green gems. The stem of the chalice is made up of four golden mermaids, each supporting a quarter of the bowl upon her back. The mermaids are bent forward, looking down at the water, golden hair spilling across back and shoulders, each mermaid holding the hands of her sisters on either side of her. Each trusts that the other will do her part to continue supporting the bowl of the chalice. The mermaids - all identical, but reflections of each other - are poised upon a golden base bearing the same filigree pattern as on the bowl. Suspended above and behind the chalice is a great and ornately carved golden globe bearing a downward triangle - a symbol of water - and drops of golden water splashing above the triangle. The sky is the color of sunset, and clouds cover much of it, though there is a small break in the clouds just above the horizon where a deep, purplish-blue breaks. The colors of the sky are reflected in both the water supporting the chalice and in the crystal bowl. I would say that the chalice is empty, but the transparent colors fill it with a rainbow of possibility. Aces are beginnings and Cups (the suit of Water) often represent our emotions and speak to our relationships with everything and everyone around us, as well as our relationship with ourselves. The Ace of Cups is a gift and a responsibility. Emotions are precious and fragile things (crystal). Many relationships require work, self-sacrifice, and trust (the mermaids holding up the bowl and supporting each other). As I look at this card, I put myself in the position of one of the mermaids. I hold the hand of one of my sisters on the right, and hold the hand of another sister on my left. These intimate relationships are so important. How important are they? What of the sister directly behind me? I cannot see her. I cannot even touch her. Yet, she and I are bound to each other just as surely as I am bound to those closer to me. We rely upon the same network of trust and understanding. If one of us fails, we all fail. If one of us sings, surely we all sing. I think of the simplest relationships in my life: my Mother and me; my son and me; my other half and me. Each of them touch other lives in turn. And those people are connected to people I don't even know, and may never meet at all. And yet, we are all connected. Love starts right here with you and me. We touch each other on some level, and learn to entrust our hearts into the other's hands. Love begins at the Ace of Cups, and the potential for love is waiting for us. A gift and a possibility. I'll not treat this offering lightly, and because you and I are not unlike, I believe that you will take great care with this gift, as well. THE EVENING CARD Let's face it. Some of us just aren't morning people, even with unhealthy doses of caffeine. Perhaps you might find it easier to carve out five or ten minutes at the end of your day. Select a single card in the evening and ask, "What should I reexamine from today's experience?" Again, you may wish to keep this card out after working with it, returning to it as often as necessary as your evening progresses. An Evening Card from Gina's Journal: It certainly has been an eventful week. The highlight was teaching a 7-hour Tarot workshop Saturday to a local group. We had a wonderful day and learned so much about the cards. I always come away from such events feeling quite blissed out. And then, of course, mundane life interferes, and I feel ever so non-metaphysical doing things like cleaning the bathroom (grumble), cooking dinner for folks who should be able to feed themselves (grumble, grumble), and reminding my son to pick up the dirty towels on the floor of his bedroom (more grumbling). And so, this evening, during one of those grumbling episodes, I snapped at my son. Doesn't matter what for ... I just yelled at him over the usual stuff. After things settled down this evening, and we became civil with one another again, I decided to ask my Merryday Tarot deck, "What gives? How am I supposed to deal with this kid who just turned 13?" I pulled the 10 of Pentacles. Such a lovely card! A husband and wife and their two children stand in front of a bright yellow archway. The couple appears arm in arm, smiling at each other, and the children appear to be playing a game of hide-and-seek. One child is reaching for a lovely dog. The arch above them bears five pentacles and a string of 10 banners or flags, each with an equilibrated cross in a circle - a symbol of Earth. Grandmother is in the forefront of the card. Her hair is swept up, and she wears a green robe with five more pentacles on it. She has her hand out to pet another dog. On either side of the arch are two pillars with great urns upon them. And I can see a large manor in the distance, and a water wheel - perhaps it's a mill? Everyone in the card is facing forward - none of them are looking through the arch to the house and water wheel in the background. They all appear content. The artist's key word on this card is "completion." What the heck does that have to do with my frustration with my child? Well, let's see. Perhaps this is a gentle reminder that I've got a pretty darned good family, and that I should focus on my other half and my child instead of looking outside the arch at all the work there is to be done and getting all hyped up about what's not being done. Heck, even the walls of my home are painted a pale yellow. And there are pentacles drawn over every doorway and window in my home. Maybe I should look up once in a while and be content that I am indeed fortunate to share my life with such wonderful folks in mostly serene surroundings. I also look at 10s sometimes as "leveling up" in an elemental experience. In this case, the 10 of Pentacles or Earth reminds me that something is going to the next level in a very tangible way. My son just turned 13 - oooh, teenager. Talk about "leveling up!" Oh, and I'm quite menopausal these days. So, I'm physically changing, too. This card has three generations of family on it ... this card gives us somewhere to grow. So, I'll think serene thoughts, remember that both of us are growing, and be more gentle with my beautiful son who is learning to be an adult at the same time that I am learning to age gracefully (I hope). HERE AND NOW Are you looking for a little perspective, but don't have a lot of time at the moment to ponder too deeply? It's a good thing you have your Tarot deck with you. Find a quiet spot, shuffle the deck until you are comfortable, and then look at the top card for verification or validation of your present situation. If a card jumps or falls from the deck as you are shuffling, read that card. In the heat of the moment, there is no need to spend a lot of time with a single card in order for you to read it. Once you have looked at your card, noticing the images that readily leap into your imagination, put your card and deck away. The card's characters and images will stay with you throughout the day, and will be happy to help you put things into perspective. Here and Now Entry from Gina's Journal: I pulled a deck from my little collection of Tarot cards. I found that I was holding The Gilded Tarot - a marvelous and colorful creation by artist Ciro Marchetti. I pulled the Two of Swords at random. Looking for the definition of this mood in which I find myself. Perhaps she describes a moment for you, as well. The card is the blue of the sky - but more so. The top half of the card bears a woman's face. Her hair seems black with some bluish gray streaks. She is not a child - but a woman, with some wisdom. She appears serious and her eyes are covered by a shining golden band. I don't think that she can see me. There are stars in the background. The bottom half of the card is filled by clouds and mist in a band around an unknown planet. And there are two golden swords crossed, pointing downward, superimposed over the entire card image. The two crossed swords remind me of detente, standstill, a balance of sorts, but a balance that is tenuous. The planet feels like uncharted territory, and the woman ... well, she reminds me of me in this moment. I suppose when I'm ready to see what is out there, I will take the golden blindfold off. In the meantime, I am keeping my eyes closed and shielded, so that I can shut off one of my physical senses, and allow the others to pay more attention to what is going on. I can listen more clearly to voices inside and out if I close my eyes. I can recall past sensations - pleasant and painful - far more clearly if I close my eyes. I can even smell fragrances better with my eyes closed! The two of swords, for me, is often the moment before choosing. The suspense of having to select this or that, but choosing neither. Hanging in the balance. Waiting for a shoe to drop, someone to sneeze, a clue toward the better path. And I find myself waiting - for what, I am not quite sure. This is a good place to dream, to imagine, to be still. And so, I will. QUICK QUESTION? Pull a card for a quick answer. You may make these readings as simple or as intense as you desire. If you generally pull extra cards for clarification, try a different approach. Resist temptation to turn over more cards. Instead, look deeper into the original card for the clarification that you seek. Look at it from different angles, turn it upside down, gaze at it in candlelight, or take it out in bright sunlight. Go beyond the borders of the card and discover who or what is waiting to speak with you just beyond your usual line of sight.
The tragedy of this book is that author Gina Estevez had to resort to self-publishing, and thus, this book may only receive the attention it deserves through over-aggressive marketing or well-deserved word of mouth. Here's hoping that this small piece of word of mouth will bring people over to Estevez's innovative concepts, because the world of divination needs more original approaches. It's impossible to emphasize enough: this book deserves lots of attention. It's unique, useful, and different from other materials on the subject of tarot. Estevez's approach to basic reading skills skips the usual dolorous card by card play by play of other tarot books, and approaches tarot as a form of storytelling. From the point where she has the querent flip up the cards to tell their own stories to the point where she has querents select the cards and create their own readings, she transforms the boundaries of querent and reader to make tarot reading the transformative and interactive process it can be. Her methods transform the esotericism of other works on tarot into methods that render tarot personal, powerful, and spiritually enriching. The chapter "Of wishes and stitches" takes on the tricky task of clarifying intent. While "be careful what you wish for," is oft-given advice in occult books, far too few actually help a reader wish more carefully. While the three card spread itself is infinitely simple, it takes a reader through some of the complex angles involved when satisfying desire. The "self-portrait" chapter is also a great insight reading; used properly it could stimulate some great collage and tarot-impression artwork. Particularly useful and powerful are her tarot mandalas. Like little labyrinths, she directs the user to lay out a path, empowering the individual along the way by drawing upon the individual response to each symbol of the tarot. It is clear that she is consistent in her message, and practices what she writes about - Estevez is most certainly an expert and innovator in her field of expertise. Where many authors make the mistake of referencing one another to the point of a reasoning loop, Estevez steers her own course through original ideas and experiments that she has discovered work well for her own reading techniques. In her processes, she also clears up the hovering question of court cards, by far the most difficult cards in the tarot to understand and interpret. These cards are the cards that hide the most specific material, refer directly to people involved, and leave even strong readers often guessing and wracking their psychically-overwrought brains. With a few gentle tips, she removes the torture and returns the courts to the reader's court. Estevez's writing is clear and concise, and while it's clear in the language she's personable enough, perhaps her only flaw is that she shies away from anecdotes and overt storytelling too much. Certainly no reader enjoys an endless occult ego trip, but also, most would- be readers do want to know how to play out their insights and concepts in real life situations, and for that, they must look to the more experienced, such as Estevez herself. Tarot Mandalas is definitely one of the books I will place on my referral shelf, next to Mary Greer's Tarot for Yourself and Janina Renee's Tarot Spells. Infinitely useful, and innovative, Estevez's work will jog me through many a stuck reading. Diana Rajchel di@dianarajchel.com |
