Pulling tarot cards each day is part of a healthy routine that brings many more benefits than simply helping to know the future. Each tarot deck is a collection of 78 beautiful and inspiring images that stimulate our imagination and sharpen our ability to focus. With such a large variety of choices, everyone can find a deck that meets their aesthetic taste and brings a smile to their face. Often people will choose between a few favorite decks just as they choose between different genres of music. Not only does the appreciation for the art used in decks inspire our own artistic gifts, putting the meaning of the cards in our own words helps us to develop cross brain connections.
Human beings are meaning makers and we long to make sense of our lives. Using a daily Tarot Spread helps us to focus on the elements of our story. It provides perspective on where we have been and where we are going. Joseph Cambell’s Monomyth elaborates on the connection between the plot twists and characters in stories told across most human cultures. Tarot cards are visual representations of those universal characters and challenges we all encounter. For example, the Old Wise Man appears as Merlin, Gandalof or Obi Wan Kenobi in stories and is called the Hierophant in the Major Arcana. When that card appears in your life it is time to find someone who can teach you how to access the power hidden inside yourself.
Tarot cards are divided into 5 different suits that represent the different parts of ourselves that create a whole person. Our intellectual, inspirational, emotional, practical and spiritual needs show up as swords, wands, cups, pentacles and the Trump suit, respectively. By allowing ourselves to focus on each of these suits as they arise in our daily readings we develop in ways that make us more well-rounded and whole.
Reflecting on a daily tarot spread brings greater self-awareness. We are invited to see ourselves in new, often challenging ways. When we are faced with cards that represent the less developed areas of our psyche, we are encouraged to discover how we embody those energies. At times I’ve been encouraged to be more generous which comes very naturally. At other times, I’ve had to push myself to see how I can better conserve my resources instead of pouring them out for the benefit of others. As I struggled with the call to save instead of give, I became aware of my own bias and the need to work on being more self-focused rather than outer focused activities.
Tarot cards are a simple way to develop our intuition. By giving time each day to focus on the quiet knowledge that is available to everyone, we strengthen not only our ability to hear our answers, we encourage our deeper insights to move to the forefront of our awareness. With gentle focus, we learn to distinguish between the critical voices we’ve internalized from others and the encouraging power of honoring our unique calling. Intuitive skills, like any other skill, grows stronger the more we use it.
During daily tarot readings, we reflect on our progress and prepare for our chosen future. Knowing what we want and why we are working towards it not only builds satisfaction, it increases our sense of self-determination. Setting the intention each day to pull cards is a great start. As we use the cards, we are given guidance towards achieving a more intentional life. Instead of randomly reacting to events, we create a framework for looking deeper at the potential life is offering us.