About Tarot

Tarot is pronounced TEAR (as in tear down the walls of prejudice) – OH (what we say when we’re pleasantly surprised).

The history of tarot cards is pretty vague, and I'm not going to try to get into it too deeply here. Some people believe it's an ancient system of divination kept underground by various secret societies until human beings were ready for its wisdom again. That might be true, but we’ll never know for sure. What we do know is that tarot cards as they exist today probably originated in Europe in the 15th century as a game for the well-to-do. The most commonly used deck is the Rider-Waite tarot deck, designed by Arthur Edward Waite, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, and published in 1909 by William Rider & Son of London.

If you aren't familiar with tarot cards, but you're curious, the first thing I want to share with you is this: Tarot cards are not scary! They're just a collection of 78 images that symbolize the various aspects of being human. Even the cards that look really scary, like the Death or the Devil card, generally shouldn't be taken literally. So, approach tarot with curiosity and questions, not fear.

Each reader has their own approach to reading the cards. Some people believe a higher power is guiding the reading - whether God or Goddess. Others seek direction from spiritual guides. I take a more scientific approach, believing in collective energy, that everyone and everything is interconnected on a cellular level.  I look to Einstein’s insights about the interconnection between energy and matter to explain why I am able to draw exactly the right tarot cards to fit your life. Bottom line, I don’t know exactly how it happens, I just know it works, and that it’s nothing to be afraid of.

I like to work with one of three spreads: The Celtic Cross, a basic four card spread, and a basic three card spread. Most readings will warrant the more involved Celtic Cross, but occasionally you may only want a quick look at things, in which case one of the small spreads will suffice.

Examples of when I might use the Celtic Cross:

• What’s going to happen after I graduate?
• What should I do with myself when my kids have all left the house?
• I feel stuck in my current job, but I really want to get out.
• I’m dating this really great guy/gal and want to know if we have a future.

Examples of when I might use a smaller spread:

• I’m heading into a new job and just want a quick look at how it will go.
• I don’t want a huge reading, just a general overview of my life.
• How is my big date tomorrow night going to go?

I love the big questions right now, since I’m apprenticing and the Celtic Cross really gives me a chance to flex my intuitive muscles, so please don’t hesitate to ask anything you’re curious about!