So, you'd like to know the truth about the tarot?  Well, there are a couple things you need to realize first before we dig into that:

1. People always use the worth "truth" to mean a universal truth.  When in reality, most truths are personal truths, which only apply to the person having the experience with said "truth". Meaning MY truth and YOUR truth can be two, totally different things.
2. The tarot is older than anyone living at this time.  Something that's been around that long has probably had many uses and many "truths".  So today's truth?  Is not yesterday's truth, and tomorrow's truth may look nothing like today's.  So keep that in mind when you're dealing with something that nobody can agree on, like the tarot.  

Is it good?  Is it bad?

   It's freaking glossy cardboard.  How can you classify a paper product as good or bad?  The only way you can is to say "depends on how you use it".  

   If you take a tarot card, and shape it into a knife and stab someone with it, sure, it's super bad.  But if you're just opening the package, laying them out on the table, and playing around with them?  Who on earth is that hurting?

   If you're a con-artist and you say to someone "I can see everything with these cards!  Just give me $200 and I will tell you it all!"  Then YOU are bad, not the cards.  That's where the misconception lies.  When we lay the blame on the tool instead of the user of the tool, that's where the problems are caused. 

   If I give you a hammer, and you build a homeless person a house, that hammer is amazingly awesome.  But if I give you a hammer and you kill a homeless person with it, then yeah, that hammer kind of sucks.

   BUT is it the hammer's fault?  It's just metal and wood.  Metal and wood cannot jump up and do bad things. 

But, but, there's the devil and death and other bad stuff on in them!

   So what?  Those aren't bad cards.  Those cards (among the 20 others which are called "the major arcana") are archetypes, which are symbols for universal life.  Endings are a part of life (which is what the death card means).  Every single card in the deck is a reflection of universal life.  Every single card can be applied to every single person, and it will make sense.  You can't fear pictures, that's just silly.  And if the pictures are REALLY scary, throw them away and replace them from some other deck with neat pictures you like to look at.

   Simple.


But, don't you have to be psychic to use them?

   Pardon my words here for a second, but only ignorant people think this.  The cards are tools, yes, but for anyone, not for "special" chosen people.  And the cards are no more magical than that hammer you used to build that house above.  Do psychics exist? Of course they do, but not in the way they portray themselves (read "Entangled Minds" by Dean Radin PhD for more info on that).  But, what does that matter in relation to you using them?



   I used to be someone who made predictions with the tarot.  Which, in my opinion, is not what it's really for.  

Let me tell you a story....

   I've been a tarot reader for over 30 years.  I used to believe hardcore in psychic abilities, ghosts, magic, and other junk.  Then one day, I got slapped in the face.

   Granted, it was a metaphorical slap, but still, it kind of hurt.  I grew up my entire life with 2 certainties: I was psychic.  And my house was haunted (hell, I even wrote a book about it).  But then I started to learn about cold readings, and got really discouraged.  And then I wondered if anything I believed was true, so I stopped thinking about ghosts and guess what?  The hauntings stopped.  If I was actually being haunted, then me not thinking about it shouldn't stop it right?  But it did.  And that's when I reallly realized, it just wasn't true.

   This turned my life upside down.  When I learned about cold readings, I realized that was exactly what I was doing in my readings that I was getting paid for.   I was the shyster!  But it wasn't on purpose...but the guilt was eating me alive, so I just put my cards away and didn't touch them again for almost a year.  How could I have been tricking people out of their money and not know it?  

   But the truth was, I wasn't really tricking them.  The only thing I was tricking them about was how I was getting my information.  What I was doing true and real, because the way I read the tarot was never psychic at all.  In the 26 years I read the tarot, I only had a handful of people ever tell me what I said to them didn't apply, and yet not one of them asked for their money back.  So, why did my readings work?

Because of the way I read them.  

   When I read them, I was not like Miss Cleo and told my clients a bunch of BS crap what "may or may not" have been real (most likely, may not).  I  counseled my clients with them, which is what I am best at.  I had clients all over the world (like Mexico, Australia, Europe, etc.) who contacted me on a regular basis to counsel them.  I made sure to tell them I wasn't a licensed counselor, I called myself a spiritual counselor...which I was.  But at my core?  I really did think I had some kind of psychic gift.  And that's why I felt so damn guilty when I finally realized I didn't.  And I felt like my entire life was a complete and total lie.

   But had I known?  Had I known I wasn't psychic and informed my clients that I wasn't?  I could have went on with my tarot practice without guilt.  But I was ignorant.  I didn't realize the truth.  


What is my truth?  


   My truth now?  Is that the tarot is tool for everyone.  And it takes absolutely no psychic ability to read them.  And knowing how to read them is a gift.  Not from god or the universe, but from you.  You give yourself the gift of ability to do something when you work hard and hone your skills.  And the other gift you give yourself and your clients is: honesty.  You don't pretend to be something you're not.  You don't pretend to know things you don't.  The human mind is pretty suggestive, and if you go around suggesting something like, oh I don't know, that someone's husband is cheating on them (as I once did in my early 20's)?  You might ruin a marriage.  Or worse.  

   (note: He WAS cheating on her, but it wasn't for me to be the one to tell her with my tarot...the signs were obvious, but she had to be the one who saw them....as a tarot reader, I could had explored the idea of why she thought he was cheating with her, and let her see it for herself and not tell her myself what was obvious.  It needed to be obvious to her.  He, in turn, used the fact that she heard it from a tarot reader that it "obviously wasn't true" to get her to believe him.  Which she did.  Ethics, my friend, don't use them properly and it could blow up in your face.)   


   Am I telling you to use the tarot for others and run out to become a reader at the local fair tomorrow?  Sure, if you want to.  But, honestly, I think you should wait a second first.  I'd rather you use the tarot for you first.  Learn how to use these gorgeous and amazing tools for your own personal growth before you go read them for others.  But don't learn how to read them from the booklet, that never works.  And other places online will teach you how to read the meanings of the cards in a "psychic" way, which is kind of foolish if you ask me.  And yet other places will tell you silly things such as "wrap your cards in silk to keep out negative energies!"  Where is the scientific basis for that?  What studies have been done?  None, that's how many.  Instead, just follow my instructions below on how to read them for yourself. 

 

 

Oh I am in love with my tarot deck, The Light Seers Tarot (review coming soon)!  So I was taking pics of all my new decks (I got a huge amount for my birthday) and decided to do a quick three-card reading with the SA style of reading (Soul Archaeology).  You can do an SA reading with one card or as many as you like.  The only rule is that there needs to be people on the cards so you can relate to them and put yourself in their shoes.  I picked three for this reason, because it's quick.  

Now, you can use Soul Archaeology by looking at the card and completely connecting with it OR you can use the meanings you already know, and add those in, too, which is what I did in this one a little.  Soul Archaeology means connecting the pictures to your soul, your inner "you", rather than using predictions or any type of divination to read them.  It means opening up what's inside of you, rather than looking for external things to give you a good reading.  

All the answers you seek are inside of you.  Always.  Don't forget that. 

Three Card Reading with the Light Seers Tarot

Card One: 3 of Cups

Card Two: The Lovers (6)

Card Three: The Queen of Swords

So, in my life right now, I am kind of stir crazy.  I just got over a small stint with depression and am feeling a lot better.  But I've been solitary for a very long time (by choice) and I've slowly (and finally) been coming around to the idea of having friends again.  Not only that, I don't just want to have friends, I want to kind of change the world.  I know, tall order.  But my issue with having friends are the issues that plague everyone.  Except for the fact that I won't put up with that crap (hence the fact I am soliary).  The reason why people put up with it (and the reason I used to) is that we all didn't or don't know what the actual issues are.  And then when I finally figured it out, I had no idea how to fix it.  So I stayed solitary.  But now I think I may know what to do.  Or at least start it.  

My goal, is to create real friendships, with real people, without any bullshit.  Again, I know, tall order.  But I think I've figured out the formula (or, like I said, at least the start to it).  And I think I've figured out the vehicle to deliver it. 

My big choice is whether to do it or not.  I keep wavering back and forth.  I want to do it, but I also know it will be filled with drama, because any relationship with others has some sort of drama to it.  Even within families.  And I really, really hate drama.  It triggers me into bad behavior (like overreacting, or letting things bother me too much, and whatnot).  I think I fear reactivating my old behavior and patterns, after I've worked so hard on changing.  But I have to remember: I am not that person anymore.  I've learned to do better.  To act better.  To react better.  To be more understanding.  To learn what not to do when around other humans.  I don't need an audience for my pain anymore.  But I also know that in some ways, I haven't changed as much as I wish I had.  I still get a little hit off of drama.  It wakes up my brain and makes my anxiety go away (fucked up, right?).  I have ADHD and grew up in an abusive home, so I have this reaction to drama that I shouldn't.  But every experience is a learning experience, right?  And my new style of interacting with others will help curb some of what scares me about it all.  And if I am gentle and understanding with others, should I not also be the same with myself?  Of course I should.  So I can work on forgiving myself if I do happen to fall back into old habits when I start doing this.  

This queen reminds me to really do my work when it comes to this.  I can't plan for everything, but I can plan for as much as I can.  I need to research as much as I can so I can build exactly what it is I want.  "If you build it, they will come", right?  So, if I build my tribe, it will attract the right people to it (and some undesirables, but they'll get weeded out quickly).  Also, this card, she looks so calm and centered.  I need to remember, even if everything were to fall apart, it can be fixed, as long as I stay calm and centered.  

I have so much going on in my life that sometimes the idea of building this overwhelms me.  But my husband is there to help me (since he's a part of this, too) and we can create something wonderful and beautiful.  And even if it fails, we have each other, and our kids, and that's all that matters.  The only thing we can do in life is just hope for the best, since we cannot control the future.  We can create something and hope it turns out right.  Fear of it not turning out well is not a reason to not do it.  

Bringing humans together, in any way, is always a gamble.  Humans are unpredictable.  But just because they are, is not a reason not to try, right?  So, time to get to down to doing more research!  

 

(If you want to know what I'm working on, just stay tuned and I'll post about it when I'm done!)

 

 

It's time to get excited!

Maybe you don't have a tarot deck of your own?  Or maybe you just want something quick and fun and less messy than dealing out a deck of cards?  Then you need my tarot pendulum sheets!

They are absolutely *FREE*!  

If you haven't used a pendulum before, then let me tell what they are and how to use them!

What is a Pendulum?

It's a small piece of something heavy, usually pointed, suspended from a string, ribbon, or a chain.  It can be a stone, a small glass ornament, a crystal, metal, or anything that has a good weight to it. Plastic usually won't work as it's too light.  When you pick it up, it should feel weighty compared to the chain.

You can buy them online or in metaphysical shoppes, but you can also easily make your own!  The easiest way to make your own is to use a ring or a washer or a key attached to a string or thin ribbon.  Just tie the string to bottom and you're ready to go!

How to Use a Pendulum?

Now, many sites will tell you to "charge" or "calibrate" your pendulum.  I am here to tell you there is no such thing (just as there's no such thing as "charging" or "clearing" your tarot cards).  If you charge something, it won't work any different than doing nothing.

Now, with that being said, if you are the type of person who needs ritual to feel connected to what you're doing, then by all means, ritualize your spiritual activities.  Just know that you are only changing *YOU*.  It's all about how you feel, not some mystical magical energy that's imbued on your tools.

So, once you build your pendulum and you print out some pendulum sheets (or make some), then hang your pendulum between your fingers (either your thumb and first or middle finger) over the area where you're supposed to be hanging it (the sheets will tell you where).  Let the pendulum start swinging and see where it lands!

You can then use a tarot book to look up the meanings (but remember, traditional meanings only work a certain way with the Soul Archaeology method) or use memorized meanings. 

OR

Check out my Tarot Guidebook here! (coming soon)

This is a fun way to get guidance for the day in the same way you use oracle cards: for inspirational advice.  



So print out your sheets and have some fun!

Tarot is a very personal tool that works best when you are reading it for yourself.  As a human, we tend to see things out of the context of our own lives, meaning we put what we know into our readings.  It's not only inevitable, but it's also impossible not to.  Rather than rose-colored glasses, we see every experience with our own personal lens.  Many (wrong) tarot instruction books will tell you "You have to be careful not to do this!", when in reality, you can't not do it.

Then we add on the fact that there is no such thing as psychic ability (for some, we have an uncanny ability to connect with other humans and can easy to see what they're going through, but it's not supernatural in any way, it's psychological), then how can we see tarot as a tool to read for others?

I am not a tarot reader.  I am a tarot guide.  I use the tarot to help the client see the answers to their questions in their own psyches.  Only they hold the answers they seek.  Not me.  I can give advice, yes, I am very good at this.  But I can't give you the answers.  I can only help you read the map.  Together we can travel down the road to find where the answer may lay.  And I can give you the shovel the find it.  But you have to do the digging yourself.

Matisyahu has an amazing song called "Searching" with some spoken verses at the end of the song that go:


In the Earth, there are so many wonderful treasures. 
And if you know where to dig, 
You will find gold, diamonds, jewelery, all kinds of treasures. 
But if you don't know where to dig, all you will find is rocks and dirt. 
A rebel is the geologist of the soul. 
He can show you where to dig, and what to dig for, 
But the digging you must do yourself (the digging you must do yourself)"


That's how I see the tarot: a soul geologist (or what I call, a soul archaeologist).  The tarot can show you where to dig and what to dig for, but you have to do it yourself if you want real and true answers.

And how can I sit there with a card and guide you while you're not sitting next to me looking at the same card?  It's doable.  But it's not powerful.  And it's very disconnected (this is the feedback from my beta clients recently).  And who wants a disconnected reading?  So from this time forward, I will not be doing tarot reading for anyone online (except in my classes over Skype).

Personally, tarot reading should be done only a handful of times by another person other than yourself.  And the only reason to get a reading from another person would be have them guide you to find your own answers until you get the hang of seeing the deeper parts of the cards.

Instead, I will be doing more youtube videos about tarot reading my way, I will create more ebooks for you to learn from, and I will be creating more classes for you all to take, so you can learn how to read for yourself which is the BEST way to read the tarot.

If you are looking for clarity and insight in your life right now, then go buy a tarot deck (or just check out pictures of particular cards online at random) and learn with me how to read them to give yourself the best reading possible.  When you properly read the tarot, you are both the therapist and the client.  And you walk away with so much insight that you'll feel ready to take on the world!

Check out my beginner's class here:

The Rainy Day Tarot Shoppe

I know it sounds crazy, but it's true!  Each tarot card is a question to ask of yourself, not a prediction.  So let's get away from the "fortunetelling" aspect of it all together and instead, start getting into the real, honest, and raw answers of what you really want to know.

Tarot is a tool, we've all heard this before, right?  But what you haven't heard is that it's not a tool of telling your or your client's future.  It's a personal tool used to find the answers that you already know.

That's right!  You already know the answers you are seeking.  You just need the right tool to excavate that answer (or answers) from your heart, mind, body, and soul 💗

Sometimes that tool is talking to your BFF, or a parent, or your significant other.  And other times it's talking to a therapist, or a trusted professional.  But sometimes...you just need someone who will listen without judgment.  And that tool can be a deck of tarot cards or a tarot reader.  If you choose to have your cards read, know that any reader that makes a prediction for you, no matter how well meaning they are, cannot really help you get to the core of what your question is.  And therefore are not giving you the help that you truly need.  Learning to read the cards yourself (the Soul Archaeology way) may be, at times, your only option.  I offer a class that is available here!

If you aren't interested in taking the class, then just keep on reading for a free mini-course below!!

Soul Archaeology With The Tarot Mini-Course

Are you looking for ways to tarot journal without the traditional way of just recording card meanings?  Then you've come to the right place!  Here are 10 whole days of tarot prompt ideas!