Post by Empress Palpatine on Dec 29, 2009 17:51:07 GMT -6
I started this series on a previous board and have now brought it here. I decided to do a series on the Tarot because I am a regular user of the cards. This lesson will introduce to everyone what the Tarot is and why they work well for Sith. Jedi are welcome to follow this series, but keep in mind that the emphasis is of the Sith persuasion.
Most of you have probably seen Tarot cards at some point. A few of you may even own a deck. Typically they are used to answer questions about the future or probe the unknown.
I think of them as an aid to connect to the Force. When asking a question, one thinks of their question as they shuffle the cards and spread them face down on the floor or table. One then pulls a card or cards out unseen. The "coincidence" of which cards are drawn has to do with the subtle leading of the Force. The meanings of the cards drawn are a message. The images on the cards trigger thoughts, thoughts and sensings that lie dormant, drowned out by the hubub of daily muggle life.
It is not always easy to connect to the Force directly, to hear it whisper in your ear like it did to Qui-Gon Jinn. When it does this, I value those moments. A direct whisper from the Force is always the very best, and it should overrule all else, including the use of cards. Often times the everyday world drowns out the voice of the Force. This is where some sort of divinatory aid can be helpful. They can even help one reconnect to the Force. I have often felt the Force more after using them.
A Jedi could find them useful, but a Jedi may not know how to deal with the Dark cards. There are definitely some very Sithy cards. Why is this? It is because the cards cover the full gamut of the Force, Light and Dark, the highest spiritual, and the lowest material.
This lesson will be in a series. It will start with some basic descriptions and then move on to the meanings of the individual cards. By the end of the series, anyone following it should be able to be a pretty good Tarot card reader.
There are 78 cards divided into two sections. 22 of them are called the Major Arcana and the rest the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana features personality archetypes much like the Star Wars films (fool, magician, hermit, devil, etc.). The 22 Major Arcana cards correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet which match the 22 paths on the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah. The Tree of Life of the Kabbalah is one tradition's way of describing the full energies of the Force, from the highest heavens to the most dull corner of the earth.
The rest of the cards are divided into four suits which are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Some decks give them different names, but the meanings are the same.
Swords represent the element of air. This is the realm of the mind. The Voyager deck calls this one Crystals.
Cups represent the element of water. This is the realm of emotions and the heart. Cups is thought of as feminine.
Pentacles represent the earth. It is the energies of the Force in the material plane. It is about worldly issues and ambitions. The Voyager deck calls this one Worlds.
Wands represent the spiritual world. It is the element of fire and is thought of as masculine. It is the realm of magic.
The concepts of Tarot cards come from the oldest religions. Some trace them as far back as ancient Egypt. They certainly connect to the Hebrew Kabbalah. The cards themselves appeared in the middle ages. They were useable by anyone of any language since they were mostly pictorial. People related easily to the images on the cards.
There are many different decks of Tarot cards. There are literally dozens to choose from. It is best to choose the one that has images that you can relate to. I recommend the Voyager Tarot deck. It is fully modernized and yet retains the original meanings. Some of the traditional decks are medieval in style and may not be as easy to relate to for people of the computer and space age. Voyager has images from the space age, from Einstein to astronauts. The man who designed this deck was a former college professor. He now makes a profession of Tarot cards and travels the country. I actually met him and got readings from him when he came to my area. His name is James Wanless. Check out the new age bookstores and publications in your area and see if you are lucky enough to see him in your area. His readings are not cheap, but they are worth it.
Fortunately he has a web site. Go to:
www.voyagertarot.com
You can sample his cards with the click of a mouse to see how you like them. Click on "card of the day." You will get one card as a simple reading for that day. Think about what it means to you.
As I go through the meanings of the various cards, I will refer both to the Voyager deck and the traditional decks and try to accommodate a wide variety. I recommend that everyone go buy a deck. Pick one you like. Perhaps we can compare them as this goes on. I will note any Sith applications. Jedi are also welcome to comment.
Note added Dec. 29, 2009:
I plan to continue the series after I put up all the articles that I already wrote and perhaps add new material in time.
Most of you have probably seen Tarot cards at some point. A few of you may even own a deck. Typically they are used to answer questions about the future or probe the unknown.
I think of them as an aid to connect to the Force. When asking a question, one thinks of their question as they shuffle the cards and spread them face down on the floor or table. One then pulls a card or cards out unseen. The "coincidence" of which cards are drawn has to do with the subtle leading of the Force. The meanings of the cards drawn are a message. The images on the cards trigger thoughts, thoughts and sensings that lie dormant, drowned out by the hubub of daily muggle life.
It is not always easy to connect to the Force directly, to hear it whisper in your ear like it did to Qui-Gon Jinn. When it does this, I value those moments. A direct whisper from the Force is always the very best, and it should overrule all else, including the use of cards. Often times the everyday world drowns out the voice of the Force. This is where some sort of divinatory aid can be helpful. They can even help one reconnect to the Force. I have often felt the Force more after using them.
A Jedi could find them useful, but a Jedi may not know how to deal with the Dark cards. There are definitely some very Sithy cards. Why is this? It is because the cards cover the full gamut of the Force, Light and Dark, the highest spiritual, and the lowest material.
This lesson will be in a series. It will start with some basic descriptions and then move on to the meanings of the individual cards. By the end of the series, anyone following it should be able to be a pretty good Tarot card reader.
There are 78 cards divided into two sections. 22 of them are called the Major Arcana and the rest the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana features personality archetypes much like the Star Wars films (fool, magician, hermit, devil, etc.). The 22 Major Arcana cards correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet which match the 22 paths on the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah. The Tree of Life of the Kabbalah is one tradition's way of describing the full energies of the Force, from the highest heavens to the most dull corner of the earth.
The rest of the cards are divided into four suits which are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Some decks give them different names, but the meanings are the same.
Swords represent the element of air. This is the realm of the mind. The Voyager deck calls this one Crystals.
Cups represent the element of water. This is the realm of emotions and the heart. Cups is thought of as feminine.
Pentacles represent the earth. It is the energies of the Force in the material plane. It is about worldly issues and ambitions. The Voyager deck calls this one Worlds.
Wands represent the spiritual world. It is the element of fire and is thought of as masculine. It is the realm of magic.
The concepts of Tarot cards come from the oldest religions. Some trace them as far back as ancient Egypt. They certainly connect to the Hebrew Kabbalah. The cards themselves appeared in the middle ages. They were useable by anyone of any language since they were mostly pictorial. People related easily to the images on the cards.
There are many different decks of Tarot cards. There are literally dozens to choose from. It is best to choose the one that has images that you can relate to. I recommend the Voyager Tarot deck. It is fully modernized and yet retains the original meanings. Some of the traditional decks are medieval in style and may not be as easy to relate to for people of the computer and space age. Voyager has images from the space age, from Einstein to astronauts. The man who designed this deck was a former college professor. He now makes a profession of Tarot cards and travels the country. I actually met him and got readings from him when he came to my area. His name is James Wanless. Check out the new age bookstores and publications in your area and see if you are lucky enough to see him in your area. His readings are not cheap, but they are worth it.
Fortunately he has a web site. Go to:
www.voyagertarot.com
You can sample his cards with the click of a mouse to see how you like them. Click on "card of the day." You will get one card as a simple reading for that day. Think about what it means to you.
As I go through the meanings of the various cards, I will refer both to the Voyager deck and the traditional decks and try to accommodate a wide variety. I recommend that everyone go buy a deck. Pick one you like. Perhaps we can compare them as this goes on. I will note any Sith applications. Jedi are also welcome to comment.
Note added Dec. 29, 2009:
I plan to continue the series after I put up all the articles that I already wrote and perhaps add new material in time.