I often use Tarot and other cards as aids to gain insight and spiritual growth for myself and others. Here is a selection of my articles and poems. Some of these appeared in the Tarot Guild of Australia's magazine, The Magician and the first article and poem were published in Spheres Magazine's Tarot Pages.
INSPIRED WRITING WITH THE TAROT
Many
people say, ‘I’d love to write but don’t know where to start.’ My daughter used
to ask, ‘What can I write about Mum?’ I’d suggest something like, ‘An old lady,
an airport and a lost scarf,’ or ‘a wood, a stream and a fairy…’ to give a
framework to start writing – once she started writing it often ended up being about
something completely different, but she had her start…
Have you
felt that you want to write but don’t know what about? Do you feel that you
want to express something but have no idea what that something is? To write we
usually need a reason or an idea, a trigger that inspires us. The Tarot can be a
great tool to use as that trigger, with myriad images to choose from.
There
are several ways to use the cards. The simplest is to choose a card, study it carefully
and write everything that comes to mind about it. Don’t be concerned about
‘book meanings’ or ‘proper meanings’. Whatever comes up for you is valid. Build
a story around it. Write how it makes you feel. What or who does it remind you
of? Court cards may bring particular people to mind. Why? What are the
qualities of this person? Do you like them? Why not?
At first
your writing might seem stilted. If you have mainly written business letters,
shopping lists or greetings cards since leaving school or uni, you can’t expect
to write a masterpiece immediately – but you might! You’ll never know if you
don’t get the words onto paper…
A more
in-depth way to work with cards is to meditate on them. This is great as a
group exercise when you can nominate someone to lead you through a relaxation
process then call you back later to share what you write, but it can also be
done alone. Ensuring you will not be disturbed, pick a card and study it in as
much detail as possible. Have a pen and pad with you.
Settle
back, close your eyes, relax and visualise being surrounded by a protective
light. Slowly breathe in peace and stillness and mentally drift through the light
until you come to a doorway, through which is the scene from your card. Cross
the threshold and imagine yourself interacting with the characters. Ask
questions and fully experience the card. Allow ten to fifteen minutes to
explore.
When you
have finished, mentally step through the doorway back into the light. Feel
yourself drifting back to your body and bring your awareness back to the
present, feeling the seat beneath your body and the floor under your feet. Breathe
deeply, move your fingers and toes, then open your eyes, sitting quietly and
observing the thoughts arising in your mind. Words may arise spontaneously. If
they do, take your pen and pad and write them down, continuing to listen
inwardly and writing what you ‘hear’.
What if nothing
comes? Wait a few moments and start writing about what you experienced in your
meditation. Just doing this may trigger a different thought stream. If not,
continue to write about the meditation in as much detail as possible, not just
the ‘who, when and where’ but the thoughts and feelings that came with it. If
you think you’re just making it up, write that too! This is an exercise in freeing
yourself to write whatever comes into your consciousness without editing. Editing
can come later…
If you
were aware of nothing in meditation or felt agitated, uncomfortable and think
it’s a waste of time… Well, write that down too! We may have issues to overcome
before we allow ourselves to get creative. I’m like that with art – we have to
start with stick figures before creating masterpieces, but I want to do it well
NOW!!! Can you hear my foot stamping?
Give yourself
permission to not be perfect. In a group, sharing can be helpful. If someone
writes something gorgeous, it may be hard not to feel jealous. Revel in their achievement
and the beauty of their words. When the time is right, you too will write
beautiful or helpful words for your own upliftment and/or to share with others.
You may like to start journaling with the Tarot. Choose a daily card to work
with – it’s a great exercise and an aid to freeing your self expression as well
as getting to know the cards really well.
Once
you’ve experimented with Tarot cards to trigger inspiration, there are many other
cards to use in a similar way - or use your dreams. Write what you remember and
how you felt - or create a story. The world is full of images and ideas – let’s
do something creative with them…
©Jan Hunneybell, 15 March 2008
MY ODE TO THE TAROT
I thought I’d
learn the tarot cards; my friends were quite surprised,
You’d think I’d
sprouted little horns. My mum was
traumatised.
“Don’t touch that stuff!” she yelled with shock, “It’s rubbish, don’t
you know?
Don’t touch what
you don’t understand, it’s dangerous, let it go!”
The fear was
clearly in her voice across twelve thousand miles,
The subject thus
was firmly closed, placed in the “too hard” files.
My curiosity drove
me on, my interest was aroused,
My intuitive urge
was strong. Through cards and books I
browsed.
My lessons gave me
food for thought; I learned some skills and tips,
And when I started
reading spreads the words flowed from my lips.
“This card is
telling my you’re sad, that card says you should look
At all the good
things that you have and all the turns you took.”
I often find while
reading cards it’s very clear to see
The message that
I’m giving out is also meant for me.
“You should be
kinder to yourself,” I feel compelled to say,
“Don’t care so
much what others think, just give that stuff away.”
They’ll say,
“Thank you for your kind advice, can’t follow it to the letter,
But I’ll get a
massage like you said. I’m feeling so
much better!”
It’s such a thrill
when people who come to me feeling down
Leave smiling, feeling
positive, instead of with a frown.
If this is doing
“devil’s work” I’m really quite surprised.
All I can say is,
if it is, he’s very well disguised.
Those whose minds
are closed with fear will never really know
That all the devil
means is choice – WE choose which way to go.
In everything
there’s darkness but there’s also love and light,
For every choice a
different way; for every wrong, a right.
In every thing
that fills us with such dread I think it’s clear
The problem is a
lack of love, and lack of love is fear.
So many fear the
tarot, but it must be understood
That a pack of
cards within itself, cannot hold bad or good.
Images upon a card
shouldn’t shake our peace of mind,
It’s how and what
and the way we see that colours what we find.
All is “dangerous
rubbish” if done with wrong intent.
When done with
unconditional love and words sincerely meant,
With good
interpretation skills, definitions not too narrow,
You’ll find great
help and love and light contained within the tarot.
I haven’t sprouted
little horns, nor have I sprouted wings,
But have opened up
my heart and mind to new and different things.
I’m looking at
what’s possible; the deeper parts of life,
While learning
more about myself and easing others’ strife.
Life is a lesson
to be learned in varied permutations,
And tarot shines a
light to guide us through its complications.
THE POWER OF THE SWORDS
Swords are generally seen in terms of conflict and tend to cause apprehension. Relating to the element of air, they represent the mind, intellect, attitudes, the way we think and therefore, how we communicate. We are told that the pen is mightier than the sword. That can be said of the tongue and the mind too.
Our thoughts, words and deeds are powerful. A major life lesson is to learn through experience that our thoughts and attitudes can and do determine the quality of our life. More importantly, we need to learn that we have the power to change them. Our 'swords' can be weapons of mass destruction or agents of healing and creativity, depending on how they are used.
Recently I've connected the cards in the suit of Swords to how we lose energy. Swords, whether real or metaphorical, cut and injure. Remember the old saying 'sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me?' It isn't true! If someone stabs us and we are not protected, we will bleed. Blood is our life force and whether we are wounded physically or psychically, cuts allow life energy to leak from us.
People will continue suffering the results of their wounds, whether inflicted physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, until they learn how to heal the wound, stop the bleeding and conserve and regenerate their strength. Psychic wounds take longer to heal than physical injuries, primarily because they are unseen. We may not even be aware of their existence - yet they continue to damage us until they are recognised.
The First Cut Is The Deepest. Our most painful wounds tend to arise early in life, although I believe their true origins may be in past lives. They recur as childhood hurts and then set up patterns of behaviour in our lives. This is not to make life miserable but so they can be recognised and healed. This healing requires new ways of thinking. Finding the gift hidden within our challenges rather than remaining a victim to them heals the wounds and stems energy loss.
Following are some ideas of how the Swords (using the Rider-Waite deck) may represent loss/preservation/regeneration of energy. These are my own early morning, random thoughts, not the result of any research other than my own observations.
The upright Ace of Swords represents triumph and a fresh start, yet even the excitement of new projects can cause energy loss. After the initial rush of energy that anticipation generates comes the hard work or the realisation that it's not as easy as we thought. Reversed, the Ace can represent defeat, loss of energy and also fear, which is the greatest energy drain of all. It reminds me of thumbs up and thumbs down. 'Thumbs up' from the Roman Emperor meant living to see another day; thumbs down represented the biggest loss of energy possible (death) and a meal for the lions! Of course, the reversed Ace in a reading does not mean anything quite so drastic, but something may need to end, possibly the way we deal with problems, negative thinking or a tendency to judge…
Are you the person holding the crossed swords in card two? Think about how much energy goes into keeping the peace and denying that there may be a problem. In the broken hearted three, so much energy is lost by holding on to relationships, regrets and nursing sorrow. Rejection and betrayal are painful but we increase the pain by rejecting ourselves. It's like we continue to stab ourselves even more.
The four suggests time out for recovery. Use meditation, contemplation and prayer to release the pain to a higher power. How do we deal with disappointment or victory? The five suggests that gloating over our triumphs or being devastated by our losses are both unwise responses. If we are graceful in victory and remain dignified in defeat, holding our head up and moving on, we've learned the lesson.
The six has an air of sadness. There can be enormous energy loss in moving on from the past, but releasing regret and resentment and facing change as a new and exciting challenge can regenerate our energy supply. Seven shows someone sneaking around to take what they want. This may seem the only solution, but subterfuge uses lots of energy. Some people get a buzz from seeing what they can get away with, but most of us feel guilty if we are underhand and manipulative.
The eight represents the power of the mind to bind us to commitments and duties and this again requires new approaches to old problems. The nine I relate to very well. Our concerns are often magnified in the middle of the night. Minor aches and pains become terminal illnesses and minor gaffes take on nightmare proportions. Rather than losing energy by worrying, the answer may be to concentrate on something else until daylight comes.
In the ten, a card that seems alarming to some, the worse has happened. It's over. While we may experience tremendous loss of energy if it relates to a betrayal, at least we now know the truth. That may hurt but at least the agony of not knowing and of our imagination running riot is over. The major lesson may be to not to nurse our wounds but let go and be reborn to a new day. Focus on the bright sky that is clearly visible on the horizon rather than darkness above.
In the court cards the immature page is full of ideas but tends to swish the sword around, sometimes ineffectively, sometimes dangerously, not yet understanding the power he or she possesses and needing to experiment. That dashing knight in shining armour makes an exciting companion but a dangerous foe - and probably a challenging partner! He just goes for it, which may be unfortunate for those who get in the way. A whirlwind of energy, he has the power to exhilarate or annihilate.
The queen? Well, many people have her as their mother-in-law! These days I rather like the Queen of Swords; as I've got older and stronger I can admire and integrate some of her qualities. She's strong and forthright, helping the less bold amongst us to develop our armour. She can have a cutting tongue, but it may cut through to the truth and heart of the matter if she uses it with wisdom.
Finally, we have the king. Perhaps he holds Excalibur, sword of truth and life. The king looks burdened and restricted, knowing that he has ultimate authority and therefore must use his sword well. The queen holds her sword straight because she knows she's right. For her, everything is black and white. The king doesn't have the luxury of such certainty. He holds his sword more tentatively, at an angle. The reason he holds the highest office is because he understands and recognises that there are always shades of grey and situations are rarely clear cut. Knowing that he doesn't know everything qualifies him for the authority and the burden of kingship. It's a heavy crown to bear.
Be aware of the true power of the Swords. Don't let fear blind you to their energy, the important lessons and the blessings in disguise that they bring. The Swords are not just about fights and conflict with others, but often highlight our inner struggles and mental processes. Something I wrote in my journal some time ago seems a fitting ending to this article: Let your words; your tongue, be like Excalibur, only cutting through to truth and love. Let that be your strength. That is what Excalibur represents, righteousness and victory. The greatest victory is the victory over the self.
©Jan Hunneybell, 25 November 2006
Wheel of Fortune
The one thing in life that is certain is change. Life is like a wheel, ever turning, never stopping, always in perpetual motion. Change is inevitable. To cope with life, we need to flow with it, for as the old cliche says, "Resistance is useless". We can't stop change any more than King Canute was able to command the tides, so we need to learn to accept it and perhaps even eventually learn to welcome and relish it. Relinquish thoughts of control and discover what may be learned from flowing with the cycles and the seasons.
At the centre of the wheel, the hub, is a still point, just as there is stillness in the eye of a storm. This point is the part of the Self that is permanent and timeless, existing forever. The life events that occur, day turning to night, seasonal changes, births, deaths and rebirths, beginnings and endings, give our soul Self the experiences we need to grow and develop. They ensure we increase our knowledge and wisdom so we can write our unique book of life. We can learn from what has been written in the past, the ancient wisdom of the Sphinx, and can add to this knowledge by paying attention to what we meet in our present and future. In each corner of the card, the figures are reading books. Life is for learning. Every experience, positive or negative, can add to our eternal growth.
It may feel at times as if we are at the mercy of external powers, being tossed around helplessly on a world spinning through space and time. However, the power that causes the world to spin is the same power that flows through us. We can connect with it by holding to that still point at our centre through meditation, contemplation and adopting a tranquil attitude. In the peace of this inner place, we find the strength to deal with whatever comes our way.
Although the Wheel might be seen to represent a belief that we are at the mercy of destiny, in reality we have the power to change that destiny through our decisions and actions. Whilst we do not control the future, we can influence its path. It is possible to rewrite sections of our book of life by taking a different approach. We can look back through that book, learning from past experience. We don't have to repeat the past - we can recognise a repeating pattern and change it. A lesson is finally learned, the penny drops, and a particular cycle of karma may be completed. The wheel is numbered 10, indicating that a stage of development has reached a conclusion and we are at a new stage of growth.
This completion marks the beginning of a new chapter where we can move onto something entirely new. Alternatively, if we have not completely grasped concepts we have struggled with in the past, the new cycle may provide another chance to experience and learn the lesson, possibly clothed in different circumstances. Each lesson carries "degrees of difficulty"- hopefully even the most unobservant person may eventually understand that this challenge has occurred before and needs attention.
Without the benefit of seeing the bigger picture, it is easy to feel that life is not fair. The great thing about change is that although the good times end, so do the difficult times. We are told "This too shall pass". The Wheel of Fortune indicates that the wheel always turns - current difficulties become distant memories, new experiences are on the horizon. Learn from what has gone before and look to the future. Roll with the wheel. With acceptance comes peace - and success!
ÓJan Hunneybell
THE TOWER
(Based on the Tower card of the Rider-Waite Tarot)
Have you ever wondered at the raw electric power
That illuminates and illustrates the image of the Tower?
Did you think the Tower represented only gloom?
That breakdown meant disaster, just one step away from doom?
If that is so then I have news for you, my puzzled friends,
For that is not the story - it can have much better ends.
When thunderous lightning strikes the Tower it illuminates,
Electrifies and magnifies; directs us to our fates.
It doesn't necessarily mean trouble, pain or strife,
But eventually could end in gain - lead to a better life.
The Tower is struck and as we see, the King has lost his crown,
For lightning has the job of breaking outworn structures down;
The structures that we build around our attitudes and lives,
And round careers and families, lovers, husbands, wives.
When the Tower is activated, nothing stays the same,
For its effects can induce changes we may thank or blame.
When tyrants with oppressive ways fall victim to the Tower,
Its actions then are positive and end destructive power.
The person struck by lightning may find they've been set free
From ties, restraints, relationships based on tyranny.
The Tower falls and as it does the whole world falls apart,
But breaking down may be the key to opening our heart.
Although when crisis hits us it may feel like bleak despair,
That naught will ever be the same and no-one seems to care,
We find that through the darkest night a light may still be found,
And after falling from the Tower we land on solid ground.
We notice drifting from above the yods of golden light,
Precursors of a golden dawn that ends the darkest night;
And in the stillness, following the fury, wind and rain,
The new day dawns and peace descends. We can begin again.
©Jan Hunneybell, Aug 1999