Ok, if everyone is here, let's get started....
Ok, y'all... here are the rules for the class....
Please, do not make comments, ask questions, or anything else, in open channel...
If you have a question, type @ and I will call on you.
If you want to greet someone, /msg them
There will be a question and answer period at the end, too...
If we split, I will wait a minute or two for everyone to get back together...
If it looks to be a LONG split, I'll go on and the splitters can get the logs...
Logs will be available in a day or two...
Either e-mail me at Goddesmoon@aol.com and request one, or
wait until you see me online later this week and ask for one.
The first thing we'll be covering is the all-important question of choosing a deck.
There are, in my opinion, three major questions when
choosing a deck.
The type of image, the symbolism, and the price.
Yes, price may be a mundane thing to consider... but we ALL
have to consider money... I know I'm not exactly rich, and neither are most people.
The type of image is important for estetic as well as spiritual reasons. There are hundreds of decks available, and no one deck is right for every person.
The symbolism of the deck also comes into that. Some tarot decks are very simple, only having pictures on the trump (Major Arcana) cards.
Some have images on all cards.
I personally like images on all the cards, if for no other
reason than it is easier to remember the interpretations when I have a picture. All those swords and cups start to look alike, after a while...
However, some like the simplicity of the cards with little
imagery on them... that's all up to you.
Choose a deck that YOU like, one that draws you. Trust me,
you'll be fine.
The next thing to do is to cleanse your deck.
You never know WHAT energies a deck may have picked up
in the course of its shipping, sale, and manufacture.
There are dozens of ways to do this.
Personally,I like to give mine a good moonbath.
You take your cards out and spread them out somewhere on a
cloth, face up.
I do this on the full moon, but I've heard of it being done in other times... it all depends on your tradition
You leave the cards out for a few minutes to a few hours...
the energies will all be cleaned off from them.
Next, you will have to prepare your cards, and mark them as
yours.
You need a safe storage place. I have a cloth bag I made of blue, cotton cloth. It keeps them safe from physical harm, as well as from
stray energies.
[22:45] @
Yes, wiccaboy?
[22:45] is it ok to leave them in the box or do you need a cloth
It doesn't really matter... mine didn't come with a box, but I know some do. It really depeends on you...
[22:46] @
Yes, benji?
[22:46] @
buq... you're next.
[22:46] why did you choose blue, what does the color blue rep.
[22:47] @
Blue is both my elemental color and my favorite color... as
well as being the only cloth I had at the time... all of it came together...
Yes, buqnaqd?
Jelp, you're next.
[22:47] My riderwaite deck got too big to fit into the box.
Got too big?
They grew?
[22:48] From handling.
[22:48] @
[22:48] yep
Oh... yes, they would do that, after a
lot of handling...
[22:49] @
Jelp, go ahead....
Alt, you then benji
[22:49] is a moon bath, just leaving them out to sit for awhile?
Yes, Jelp.
[22:50] by the window?
[22:50] @
That's fine... I do it outside, but that's personal preference.
Yes, Alt2600?
[22:50] ok
[22:50] I just wanted to add..
Benji, you're next, then Shadow
[22:50] that cards begin to expand the day you open the pack
[22:50] as much as 40%
I suppose I didn't notice, since I've had mine in the bag, not in a box.... Thanks for the tip, guys...
Benji?
[22:52] So direct moonlight is optional not mandatory is what your
saying?
It's not MANDATORY... but it's preferred.
Shadow... go ahead.
[22:53] ok
[22:53] where can you get a good deck online and is there any
other way to clean you deck? can we get on with the class?
Good place to get deck online.... e-mail your address to
AbyssDist@aol.com for a catalogue.
Clean your deck with the elements... or just sitting in a bowl of rock salt for a few days.....
And to continue with the class....
Once you've got your protection for your deck, you have
to mark it as yours.
This can be accomplished MANY different ways.
[22:55] thanx
Some just meditate with their cards... some do a few readings on themself, to 'set' the cards to themselves.
Some even go to more extreme lenghts... I've heard of marking them with blood or bodily fluids to make SURE they are theirs.
Now it's time for your first reading.
Assuming you have NO clue about what the cards mean, or
how to do anything, you'll need a book to help explain.
My deck came with an awesome book.... "A Keeper Of Words"..
. writen by the woman that did the cards.
Azrael suggests How to read the Tarot: the Key word system
by Sylvia Abraham
There are tons of Tarot books out there...
Tarot is a divination system using cards.
There are also many books that come with decks... the Legend deck isn't the only one that comes with a good book.
You'll need, for your first reading, to be somewhere quiet and comfortable. Your first reading is like your first meditation... it's hard to focus well, at the beginning.
You will most likely want to be alone, reading for yourself.... it makes the interpretation easier.
You will start by shuffling the deck.
[23:05] @
If it is a new deck, it will take a LOT of shuffling to get it out of the factory order.
Yes, benji?
[23:06] are all cards facing the same direction ?
Benji... at first they will be.... I'll discuss reversed cards in a second, though.
I have a rule about shuffling my cards... I shuffle them until I can 'feel' that they're ready to be worked with.
[23:08] <_shoomi_> @
[23:08] <_shoomi_> never
mind..
If I'm not feeling so sensitive, I'll shuffle them 6 times, 3 to get out the old energy, three for the new reading.
Then you need to FOCUS on your question.
I do this during shuffling, too, but some wait until they're
ready to cut the deck.
Once you've got it ready, cut the deck at a random spot, concentrating on your question.
Next thing is to deal the cards. But you have to have a 'spread' to use for this.
There are dozens of them... most common is the Celtic Cross
spread.
It uses 10 cards and the significator..11 in all...
I'd go into spreads, but they're pretty much impossible to describe accurately like this....
Try looking through the following site's tarot links... they'll give you some ideas.
http://www.cascade.net/arachne.html
Now there are two ways a card can be face up.... right side up and upside down.
Upside down is called 'reversed'.
There are two things you can do with reversed cards. Ignore them, or take them into consideration.
I ignore them. I have never had any need for the added complications.
But there are those that have an entire other set of interpretations for reversed cards.
Either way is OK.... it all depends on your feelings on the subject.
Interpretations are next.
The interpretations of the cards are to be looked at two ways... in a vaccum, and as a unified whole, in concert with the other cards in the spread.
The cards in vaccum are important to consider, because they all have important things to tell us.
[23:26] @
Yes, coyotebones?
[23:26] what do you mean by cards in a vaccum?
All by themselves... not considering any relationships with
other cards
[23:27] ok,
thanks
Considering the other cards in the spread, as well as the positions that they are in, is important.
The positions all have meanings, and the PLACE a card is in can mean as much as the card itself can.
Each of the suits has a meaning, as well as just the cards
Having a preponderance of cards of only one suit has a significance all its own.
As well as having a mostly Major Arcana (trump cards) in a
reading.
The major interpretations for all one
suit are as follows.
Spears (wands, rods, sceptres, batons, etc.) are usually
having to do with the mind.
They tend to be associated with the element of air, and the
season of spring.
Swords (blades, spades) represent action and movenment.
They tend to be associated with the element of fire and the
season of autumn.
The suit of cups (cauldrons, vessels, etc.) tends to be associated with life and creative energy.
It is associated with the element of water and the season of
summer.
[23:44] @
Yes, Lady?
[23:44] What suit where you talking about before?
Cups
[23:45] thanx
[23:45] before that
NP
Before that swords
[23:46]
thanx
The suit of shields (pentacles, disks, coins, etc.) represents the earthy, material plane.
[23:46] @
It tends to be associated with the element of earth, and the season of winter.
Yes, coyotebones?
[23:47] i was under the impression that swords were connected with air, and wands connected with fire, or does it just depend on different peoples interpretations?
[23:48] <_Azrael_> @
It depends on the interpretation.... all of this is up to interpretation.
It differs from person to person, tradition to tradition, etc.
Yes, Azrael?
[23:49] ok
[23:49] <_Azrael_> just a note that different authors assign differen meanings and feelings to their interpretations
[23:49] <_Azrael_> Coyote: my book too ;)
Thanks, Az...
Yes. All things are up to interpretation.
My interpretations are from the book "A Keeper of Words: Legend, the Arthurian Tarot" by Anna Marie Ferguson.
But of course, there is no RIGHT answer... as there is no
'right' answer in almost all of Wicca
And, as Azrael has so kindly reminded me, you will eventually start to disregard your books and go with your gut feelings.
Azrael is the founder of #WiccaTarotRoom, if you're wondering what right he has to remind me of anything... and also a
good friend whose input I value.
[23:53] @
Yes, Czyfox?
[23:54] what is a good spred to start with / or am i Jumping the Gun ?/
A good spread to start out with is whatever you have in the
book you're using.
I personally prefer the Celtic Cross spread.
[23:55] :) thanks
Although many people write their own spreads... Az wrote one
that I'm looking forward to seeing...
[23:55] * _Azrael_ blushes
[23:55] * LaDy_EnChAnTrEsS claps
[23:55] <_Azrael_> @
Yes, Az?
[23:55] <_Azrael_> your choice of spread
[23:56] <_Azrael_> can also be determined by the Query
[23:56] <_Azrael_> IMHO
[23:56] <_Azrael_> opinions?
Az... will you explain the Query to those that don't understand it?
[23:56] <_Azrael_> busted!
[23:57] <_Azrael_> Query= the question or situation being looked at?
Thanks, Az.
[23:57] <_Azrael_> Querent being the person asking
Thanks, Az.
The other preponderance to look for is a lot of Major Arcana
cards.
When you have a lot of major arcana cards, it can mean several things.
One is that the things being read on are VERY important, and you must pay attention to them.
Another is that the events are being influenced heavily by things/people out of your control.
And a third is that the things being discussed are not likely to change in the near future... that they are more firmly in place than usual.
All are vaild, and there are others.
That's just how I read the cards.
[0:02] @
Yes, Lady?
[0:03] Can the cards just tell you what you want and not
what really is?
Yes, they can. But it is highly unlikely.
If you think they may be influenced by your wishes, do another spread.
[0:04] ok
Also, if you do a spread and you don't feel like it's 'right'.... feel free to start over.
[0:05] @
If it was right, it will come up similarly again...
Yes, xorcist?
[0:05] What deck do you feel a novice should use?
[0:06] @
It really depends on you. The Rider Waite deck is the one that the most books are written for, so it's good for beginners if only due to the volume of literature on it.
I personally don't like it.
The Legend deck has a very good book with it, so I use it.
It was MY first deck.
Yes, Reek?
[0:07] What do you feel about the Witches Tarot deck?
Honestly though.... you can use ANY deck as long as you can
find enough info on it... make sure it's got a good book if it's outlandish!
I think it's pretty... but I don't like it due to the amount of NGD and Quaballah that is used in it.
[0:08] ok thanks
[0:08] NGD?
Go ahead, REEK...
New Golden Dawn
[0:10] What if i redo a spread because i think the first was wrong.. and i conclude the second is correct when in fact im just following my wishes?
[0:10] look above for my question.
Then do a third one... It's harder to read for yourself or
someone you're close to for that reason.... it's hard to learn to separate your feelings form your readings.
[0:11] @
Yes, WhytWytch?
[0:11] <_shoomi_> @
shoomi, you're next.
[0:12] Isn't it better to just try a different time if you have having so much trouble.
[0:13] ok thank you.
Yes... it is sometimes better to just stop trying and go back later...
[0:14] <_shoomi_> i have read that if something doesn't make sense, then
draw another card for clarification on that area... also if your readings don't make sense then put the cards down for a while and let them rest.
Yes, shoomi... that's one way to do it.... I've done whole SPREADS to clarify one card.
[0:15] @
Yes, coyotebones?
[0:15] if you're doing a spread with a signifyer, how do you
choose the signifyer card
That's up to you. Some choose one that's most like the Querant... some just draw a card at random to be it.
I use the random method... it tends to work out best for me.
[0:17] @
Yes, benji?
[0:18] is ti ok if you let the person draw the card at random themselves?
Yes... I do mine by dealing the first card as the significator, but letting the Querent choose it is also possible.
[0:19] @
Yes, SilkChaos?
While we're waiting for SilkChaos, who is seriously lagged, does anyone else have a question?
[0:23] <_shoomi_> @
Yes, shoomi
[0:24] yes, shoomi
[0:24] <_shoomi_> i thaught significators were chosen from the court cards.
They are chosen from ALL the cards, the way I do it.
But that differs from person to person...
[0:30] <_shoomi_> ok, thanks
Well, ya'll... that was all I had for the class... anyone got any other questions, comments, etc?
[0:31] <_shoomi_> what about makeing our own cards... any sugestions?
I'd say... have fun!
Do them how you'd like....
Thanks all, goodnight.
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