Tarot, a Gateway to Guidance - by Catherine Greene

by Shopify API

My personal interest in Tarot goes back over 30 years and my interest in the occult extends even farther. Psychics, astrologers, Aura readers, pendulum magic, healing crystals – I have benefited to one degree or another from them all as I have journeyed along my Spiritual Path. Most often, though, I have sought guidance from the Tarot – for many years as the one being read and also, for the last 20 years or so, as a reader for others using the OSHO Zen deck. There is a very simple reason for that – it’s what I’m drawn to and it works well for me. 

I have come to realize though from reading for others, especially those who have never had a reading before, that they are sometimes unsure of whether they should do it or what to “ask” the deck if they do. It’s a really good question - how to decide when to have a reading and from whom to have it. Many people play with a Tarot deck as if it a game, which is a great way to get started! I have a number of clients, when asked if they have ever had their cards read – say that yes, a friend of theirs got a deck and then read did readings for everyone at the party. Usually though they also say that, while the reading was interesting, they had no idea “how good it was” or “if it was accurate.”

In my own experience, the best time to seek a reading is when we have a burning question. When we are struggling with something and the way forward is just not clear. Another good time is when we are having a transition of some kind and we would like to know more about the potential outcome. I generally have my cards read sometime between the end of September (my birthday month) and New Years – just so I can lay the foundations for the year ahead. Last year, I decided to retire and I had several readings related to that – because the transition out of my career and into “the rest of my life” was very important to me. Finally, I am also a big proponent of spontaneity! Have a reading whenever the mood strikes! Those impulses come from the same source as the reading itself – the unseen guidance and love that surrounds us all.

Finally, the question arises how to have a “good” reading. There’s a great deal written on the subject mostly directed at the person conducting the reading. And it is important to connect with a skilled reader. But it’s also important to be “skilled” at receiving a reading. Over the years, I have noticed there are three essential components to part of the process:

1. Be as open and clear as that possible you are seeking guidance. Many times, clients have a specific question but just as often they are not sure what it is. It doesn’t matter – what matters is that you are willing to be the Seeker. Even if you can’t put it into words at first, just the willingness to pursue the issue is enough. A skilled reader will help you figure it out.

2. Pay attention not just what the reader says, but to what resonates with you as the reading progresses. I’m always looking for my “inner gong” whether I am having the reading or giving the reading – the ring of truth is a very real thing. Also, pay attention to what thoughts or questions arise during the reading and feel free to speak them. This is guidance speaking through you as well and it’s the best way to keep the “conversation” going.

3. Finally, and most important, be willing to let go of the outcome. Or, maybe a better way to say it is - be open to what the universe brings you and then pay attention what comes into your life from unexpected sources. My own experience in life has been that manifestation is like a flower in coming into bloom – I can plant the seed and tend the garden but then I just have let the miracle happen.

The best readings, in my experience, are with clients who are willing to be an active part of it. Even if they don’t know exactly what they are after from the experience, just by answering a few questions from me and asking more as the reading progresses, they begin to realize that the messages in the cards are a transmission relating directly to them and their lives in that moment. And I want to point out that the cards have a directionality to them. If something from the past arises – it’s usually to help the client understand that they may be letting old outdated experiences shade the potential of the opportunities before them in the present moment. And usually there are messages about how to respond to these opportunities for their highest good as they go forward.

So, if you are toying with the idea of whether or not to have a reading – I encourage you to do it! Follow the impulse and see where it leads you! But be prepared to be a part of the process – it is your life we are talking about after all.

Catherine is a Tarot Reader at East West. She reads on Wednesday evenings from 3:30-7pm. To book an appointment, call the store at 206.523.3726

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