i am grateful to have realized that the tarot is a profound way to view impending issues and/or successes so that prayers and intentions can be focused more efficiently.
it's amazing how these methods have been maligned and ignored--probably in large part because they are so empowering in personal spiritual development.
starting with the holy roman empire and continuing ever since, divination has been stamped out and discouraged in favor of restricting true communication with the divine to a "chosen", impossible-to-emulate few. allowing it to exist in its original form as a means to understand one's destiny in a detailed, holistic way was diametrically opposed to the ultimate goals of imperialism: control and domination.
thankfully, many cultures have been able to retain their divination systems despite these trends. i suppose that since it wasn't supposed to work anyway (despite the obvious wizardry of moses, yeshua, john the baptist and several prophets), many elites decided to "let [the poor/women/commoners] have their [cards, shells, tea leaves]..." allowing mastery of the systems to be passed on except in the most repressive social situations. mystic and gnostic traditions also helped carry the torch.
once the negative programming of simplistic "fortune telling" is overcome, self divination allows patterns and concepts to emerge that are an immense help in navigating life.
just a thought.
7 comments:
what types of cards do you use? I used the Rider-Waite deck before and I'm waiting on a new deck (African American) by Lo Scarabeo...not sure if they are just going to be a collectors deck or cards that I can actually work with...
I would like to try and Egyptian/Kemet deck when I'm more comfortable, but its all in how we interpret the cards and symbolism which makes them "ours"...
I love using cards. I currently am using Wisdom of Avalon cards by Colette Baron-Reid.
Divination was stamped out for control of the masses. So that the church would be the only "word" you heard. When the truth can be found meditating or connecting to universal energies on on your own.
@ cheron - i use a traditional rider-waite deck. i tried a newer one years ago, but for whatever reason i seem to work best with the original and/or most widely/traditionally used versions of something.
i also use the goddess oracle (http://www.thegoddessoracle.com/) and recommend it for folks who want to "tap in" but are intimidated by tarot's symbolism.
i'm learning that's true re: interpretation, too. some of the "classic" ones i agree with, others i completely ignore. e.g., certain cards are related to individual orisa for me, period.
i also incorporate basic 4 cowry divination to help clear up anything foggy.
@ Ojibway Migisi Bineshii - well said re: the church. just what i was getting at.
i think formal study can be quite useful, but only if it also allows for that personal connection.
any time you start planting seeds of "you can't..." or "you're not supposed to..."--with the exception of personal harm or harm to others--it can impede the power of one's intuition. good for obedience to the judeo-christian god, but not so much otherwise.
The Goddess Oracle seems like a cool deck. I will have to check it out!
yeah, it really is. and i love how multicultural it is as well. it truly does encompass the major goddesses of the world.
I use the, "Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck". However, I have not used it in a while. Thanks for the reminder.
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