Lady_Elaine
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Forest Queen
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Posted Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:15 pm...
What The Heck Does That Card Really Mean?
by Mo Abdelbaki
I was working with a client the other day and he asked a question about a possible business venture. I turned over a card, the 4 of Cups, and told him that he'd be better off finding another set of partners. He asked me to explain the card and how I got that information. I explained the meaning and went on with the reading. Not long after, the client asked another question, this one about love. Once again I turned over the 4 of Cups and told him that the relationship had great potential. Agitated, he pointed to the card and said, "What the heck does that card really mean?"
Using every ounce of energy I possessed not to roll my eyes, I pointed out that although the card was the same, the circumstances were different, the question was different and just like a word in any language, it had to do with context. I then mentioned Elemental Dignities and how they color the meaning of a tarot reading and his glassy eyes told me that I'd over-explained the dilemma, but it did make me think.
I remembered how difficult it is for those who are beginning any sort of divinatory work, whether tarot cards, divination cards, I-Ching, or any other tool, to understand the subtleties of reading. If you happen to be an aspiring reader of any kind, and have found yourself from time to time dealing with frustration due to inconsistencies of the information or your ability to discern the finer points, then this article is for you.
I was recently looking through my Mlle. Lenormand deck, my favorite non-tarot divination cards, and thought about how frustrating it is for the neophyte to make sense of these 36 iconic images. It doesn't matter whether it's a Rune or a card or a hexagram in the I-Ching, the process of learning how to see the truth is the same.
Here's the first step. If it comes with one, read the booklet that's packaged with the oracle. Often these booklets are sketchy at best, but they do give a place to begin and can help you lay the foundation for further study.
Let's say you're learning cards, although the process is the same for any type of divination tool. Go through every card individually with the booklet in hand and read it. This is more important than you might think. It'll introduce you to the images, give you an idea as to what others think they mean and may even be well written. It isn't vital that you submit the meanings to memory, just play with the cards and get to know them, look through the booklet, look at the cards and look back at the booklet.
Obviously if there's no booklet, opt for a book. However, be careful, as there are no guarantees that an author knows what they're talking about. Do some research and listen to your heart when it comes to choosing your source of information.
The next step is to go through and feel the cards. You'll probably have already done this and formed opinions as to what each card means to you. Try not to let these first impressions leave your consciousness but you don't want them to skew your feelings toward any card. Remember, there are no bad cards. This is a good time to make notes of your impressions. Once you know what the cards are supposed to mean and get a feel for them, combining feeling and intellect will allow you to merge them into intuition.
Now comes the part that I enjoy the most. You get to assimilate the cards into your personal world and to understand the power of any divinatory tool to become an integral part of your life.
Let's look at an example. One of the cards in the Lenormand deck features a dog. As you may have guessed, the dog represents loyalty and fidelity to a cause as well as friendship. I happen to like dogs so I agree with this wholeheartedly. However if you happen to be someone who has had negative experiences with dogs or just don't like them, then this card will have a completely different meaning for you. You should understand the intended connotation but allow your personal thoughts to have equal weight. If you've just come out of a bad relationship and you get the dog card when asking about the person in that relationship, well I think you know where I'm going. You simply add the new meaning and store it in your mental file.
Once you begin using the oracle, the correct meaning will be there. The more you ponder an image and what it means to you, the deeper will be your understanding and depth of ability to discern the right information. I've spent years studying symbols and mythology and am reminded daily of how valuable those studies are. You can't learn too much. On the other hand, don't worry about it. You'll always find the meaning if you're sincere.
The next phase of learning is to begin doing readings. For now, ask simple questions and expect simple answers. It's best not to ask questions about your personal life or people you're too close to, as this will put unnecessary stress on you and your abilities at this time. It's hard to see the forest for the trees when it comes to divination. In fact, reading for oneself is the most difficult task that any reader will ever have. It's possible to do, but one has to have an unflinching ability to look the truth and the future in the eye.
I suggest looking at celebrities and their lives. I don't suggest this because I enjoy reading about this affair or that affair, or this drunkenness or that drunkenness. I suggest this because it's easy to watch their lives unfold in front of your very eyes. Asking about a particular celebrity in the news, doing a reading on that person and then watching to see if it comes true is a wonderful laboratory in which to experiment with these wonderful tools. Keep a journal of your predictions and be prepared to be astonished with your accuracy.
Whatever else you do, be gentle with yourself. I've never had a student yet who didn't tell me that when they watch me work, they feel stupid. Nothing is further from the truth. I've been doing this for decades and it's second nature to me. I can still remember the irritation when looking at cards and seeing nothing but colored cardboard. I know what it felt like to wonder if I'd ever get it. I also know the elation and awe of making progress and working toward mastery of a technique.
If I can do it, so can you.
So, get those tools out, gather up your confidence and find someone to predict about. As for me, I spent some time looking at Mel Gibson's chart this morning... I can't wait to get back to it.
by Mo Abdelbaki
I was working with a client the other day and he asked a question about a possible business venture. I turned over a card, the 4 of Cups, and told him that he'd be better off finding another set of partners. He asked me to explain the card and how I got that information. I explained the meaning and went on with the reading. Not long after, the client asked another question, this one about love. Once again I turned over the 4 of Cups and told him that the relationship had great potential. Agitated, he pointed to the card and said, "What the heck does that card really mean?"
Using every ounce of energy I possessed not to roll my eyes, I pointed out that although the card was the same, the circumstances were different, the question was different and just like a word in any language, it had to do with context. I then mentioned Elemental Dignities and how they color the meaning of a tarot reading and his glassy eyes told me that I'd over-explained the dilemma, but it did make me think.
I remembered how difficult it is for those who are beginning any sort of divinatory work, whether tarot cards, divination cards, I-Ching, or any other tool, to understand the subtleties of reading. If you happen to be an aspiring reader of any kind, and have found yourself from time to time dealing with frustration due to inconsistencies of the information or your ability to discern the finer points, then this article is for you.
I was recently looking through my Mlle. Lenormand deck, my favorite non-tarot divination cards, and thought about how frustrating it is for the neophyte to make sense of these 36 iconic images. It doesn't matter whether it's a Rune or a card or a hexagram in the I-Ching, the process of learning how to see the truth is the same.
Here's the first step. If it comes with one, read the booklet that's packaged with the oracle. Often these booklets are sketchy at best, but they do give a place to begin and can help you lay the foundation for further study.
Let's say you're learning cards, although the process is the same for any type of divination tool. Go through every card individually with the booklet in hand and read it. This is more important than you might think. It'll introduce you to the images, give you an idea as to what others think they mean and may even be well written. It isn't vital that you submit the meanings to memory, just play with the cards and get to know them, look through the booklet, look at the cards and look back at the booklet.
Obviously if there's no booklet, opt for a book. However, be careful, as there are no guarantees that an author knows what they're talking about. Do some research and listen to your heart when it comes to choosing your source of information.
The next step is to go through and feel the cards. You'll probably have already done this and formed opinions as to what each card means to you. Try not to let these first impressions leave your consciousness but you don't want them to skew your feelings toward any card. Remember, there are no bad cards. This is a good time to make notes of your impressions. Once you know what the cards are supposed to mean and get a feel for them, combining feeling and intellect will allow you to merge them into intuition.
Now comes the part that I enjoy the most. You get to assimilate the cards into your personal world and to understand the power of any divinatory tool to become an integral part of your life.
Let's look at an example. One of the cards in the Lenormand deck features a dog. As you may have guessed, the dog represents loyalty and fidelity to a cause as well as friendship. I happen to like dogs so I agree with this wholeheartedly. However if you happen to be someone who has had negative experiences with dogs or just don't like them, then this card will have a completely different meaning for you. You should understand the intended connotation but allow your personal thoughts to have equal weight. If you've just come out of a bad relationship and you get the dog card when asking about the person in that relationship, well I think you know where I'm going. You simply add the new meaning and store it in your mental file.
Once you begin using the oracle, the correct meaning will be there. The more you ponder an image and what it means to you, the deeper will be your understanding and depth of ability to discern the right information. I've spent years studying symbols and mythology and am reminded daily of how valuable those studies are. You can't learn too much. On the other hand, don't worry about it. You'll always find the meaning if you're sincere.
The next phase of learning is to begin doing readings. For now, ask simple questions and expect simple answers. It's best not to ask questions about your personal life or people you're too close to, as this will put unnecessary stress on you and your abilities at this time. It's hard to see the forest for the trees when it comes to divination. In fact, reading for oneself is the most difficult task that any reader will ever have. It's possible to do, but one has to have an unflinching ability to look the truth and the future in the eye.
I suggest looking at celebrities and their lives. I don't suggest this because I enjoy reading about this affair or that affair, or this drunkenness or that drunkenness. I suggest this because it's easy to watch their lives unfold in front of your very eyes. Asking about a particular celebrity in the news, doing a reading on that person and then watching to see if it comes true is a wonderful laboratory in which to experiment with these wonderful tools. Keep a journal of your predictions and be prepared to be astonished with your accuracy.
Whatever else you do, be gentle with yourself. I've never had a student yet who didn't tell me that when they watch me work, they feel stupid. Nothing is further from the truth. I've been doing this for decades and it's second nature to me. I can still remember the irritation when looking at cards and seeing nothing but colored cardboard. I know what it felt like to wonder if I'd ever get it. I also know the elation and awe of making progress and working toward mastery of a technique.
If I can do it, so can you.
So, get those tools out, gather up your confidence and find someone to predict about. As for me, I spent some time looking at Mel Gibson's chart this morning... I can't wait to get back to it.
If you cant explain it simply, you dont understand it well enough.-- Albert Einstein
Blessings Bright and Dark,
