Another way is to look at the cards without ever cracking the accompanying book. At least, not looking at it right away. Figure out what the cards mean to you, that's what most important anyway. And practice. Some people have told me they don't think readings should be done on other people until you are quite skilled. I do agree with this to a point. I have practiced on friends and family before but that's where it ends. Until I'm comfortable with my skill, I'm not going to read for strangers.
I have also had many people say that they were told they couldn't buy their own tarot deck. That they had to get it as a gift. Usually I point out to such people that, suppose you get a deck and you hate it. You dont like the pictures, you think it's ugly. How are you going to practice and get comfortable with cards you don't like?
I have quite a few decks at home. I warn you now before you buy your first, they can be addictive! lol The first deck I ever bought was the Arthurian Deck: A Keeper of Words (there are two with the Arthurian name). Each card in that deck is related to a part of the legends of King Arthur. Since I love reading about that time period, those cards worked for me. I also have the Goddess tarot. An awesome, very female, very Earthy deck. I love the Haindl Deck for it's artwork, but I have yet to begin with it. It draws on symbolism from at least four different belief systems. In addition, I own a set of Shaman Wisdom cards, Egyption Tarot, and the Celtic Tree Oracle.
Oracle cards are a bit different. They generally don't contain a major/minor arcana, or suits like cups or pentacles, etc. I have found oracle cards to be great for daily one card draws and the generic three card spread: past, present, future.
What kind of deck should you get? Think about what you like. There are dozens and dozens of decks available. Don't settle for just anything. My first deck took three years to find me. Keep looking and you'll find the deck for you.
I have one made out of rough amethyst. You can find them made out of practically anything, or else you can make your own which is, always better than buying. Put an object on a chain that's about six to eight inches long. I'm not sure of the proper weight but you'll know it when you feel it.
You can use a pendulum for all sorts of reasons. The most generic use is to answer yes-no questions. You grab the end of the chain between your index finger and thumb and let it hang. Your elbow should be stable on a counter or table etc.
I usually ask my pendulum to show me its yes and then to show me its no. I find the way it swings for each answer changes daily. Then you ask. I have seen small cards made that look almost like a compass with yes written in the north and south and no written east and west. Then the pendulum is hung over the card and it's answer is where ever the swinging falls. Do whatever is most comfortable for you.
A pendulum can also be used to find lost objects. Suppose you lost a ring in your home somewhere and you need to find it. Draw a map of your home with each on the rooms represented. Ask your pendulum for its yes and no swings and then hold it over each room and ask if that is where the object is.
One of my friends carries her pendulum with her everywhere and pulls it out especially when she is feeling excess energy. We have gone on hikes before and she has hung it over streams and watched it swing insanely. Recently, I met a girl who told me she uses a pendulum in her head. If you're skilled at meditation and visualization...sure, I can see that working as well.
I'm sure there are numerous other uses for pendulums, I just can't list them all here. If you know of more, pls leave a note. I'm sure it will help someone on their path.
You need to open your mind to whatever comes. And that's what you will see. Perhaps you begin with picturing a problem you've been having. All of a sudden you see the solution. This information could be coming from a higher plane or, as some would argue, from your subconcious which already knew the answer before you did. Either way, you have discovered the solution to said problem.
How do you know that you are actually receiving information and not making it up? ...That's a tough one to explain. For me, after awhile of practicing, I just started to 'know'. I could feel what images I had thought up on my own and shoved them aside. Anyone know how to explain such a thing??
As I've already mentioned, crystal balls are one way of scrying. Austrian crystal balls are generally the easiest to find and they don't cost a whole lot. Quartz crystal balls are quite a bit more expensive and it's difficult to find one that's flawless. Actually, I've spoken to a few crystal ball users who told me that they preferred their crystal to have bubbles and cracks since that gave them something to focus on.
Water scrying is an interesting method. You can use a black bowl and fill it with water, or you can dye the water itself a dark color. I've scryed with water under the full moon before and found it extremely effective.
Fire scrying seems to be more difficult to control. Perhaps that is simply my own experience but I find fire quite flighty and hard to manage. But you can use any flame from a candle to a bonfire. I've also been told that when scrying, you should train your eyes a half inch to an inch above the actual flame to avoid eyestrain.
At the writing of this article, I have only a minimal amount of scrying experience. Take it and use it as you will.
One time, a girl came into the Wiccan shop where I work, with a few pictures. My fellow worker who knew her had told her she could come in and one of us would try reading the energies from the photos. They asked me to do it, since I didn't know the girl or the guy in all the pictures. They told me nothing about the situation or what she wanted to know, they just handed me the pics. Each of the pics were of groups of young kids. I noticed the same little boy in each of them.
I grounded myself. Then focused on the pictures and started saying whatever came to mind. Perhaps some of it was off but a lot of what I said was right. Down to the last comment I made, "What's up with that hideous red and yellow shirt with the nasty pattern?" The girl looked shocked. "He wore that last night. You're right! It was a horrible shirt."
The problem with this type of divination is the same as with scrying and crystal balls. It takes practice to begin to differentiate between what your mind makes up and what is really coming to you through the spiritual plane.
If you're working with a ring or jewelry, hold it loosely in your hand. Stare at it, look at all the details. Do this as long as you need to and then try closing your eyes and see what comes to you. It's good to keep track of every thought in the beginning. Then when you look back you can start to weed out those ideas and images that you thought up on your own.
Try starting with an object belonging to a friend. Preferably, an object which you don't know the history of. Afterwards, they can let you know exactly where the object came from and you can see how close or off you were. Psychometry is also a skill related to the element of Water. I've found that listening to CD's with nature sounds related to water helps as well.
The Club - Blackangel
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