Can I tell you a secret?
The Tarot is the book with no pages, somewhere to explore our deepest wonderings. The shadows & the lights, where our vulnerable side hides. The scary things and the mad fantasies, the disagreements of the past, the exciting potential of future doors as yet unopened.
My updated Tarot meanings knowledge base is all you need if you are beginning to learn to engage with the Tarot. The Major & Minor Arcana, the 4 suits, Wands, Cups, Swords & Pentacles. Plus my video tarot meanings & fortunes for each card, a labour of love but a resource I am really proud of.
Sometimes they say everything, sometimes you know it needs to be said but they say nothing. And that is your job, to be a sounding board, a mirror for ideas, offering an alternative path as thoughts pass through the prism.
The Scary Major Arcana: Why They Don’t Always Mean Bad News
Some tarot cards like Death, The Tower, The Hanged Man and The Devil are pretty scary to get in a reading. They often have a bad reputation associated with awful things – loss, grief, being trapped, traumatic change. However, their full meaning is not only associated with negativity. Here are a few of the more positive meanings these cards can have when they show up in a reading.
Death is not the end
Depending on the context in which you get it, the Death card might actually signify good news. When the Death card shows up, things will never be the way they used to be. And if the way things currently are is not favorable, then a change is more than welcome. For example, the Death card might show up in a reading when you are interviewing for new jobs whilst unemployed or in a toxic job. It might also show up if you’re considering leaving a toxic partner. It means a positive change is coming your way. One keyword used regularly around the Death Card is ‘transformation’, I love this it sums up the underlying meaning so well.
The Structure crumbles, what emerges from the rubble?
The Tower is often associated with sudden, traumatic change. If you are a spiritual person, this doesn’t always have to be negative. The Tower can represent an awakening of sorts, an epiphany, a whole new chapter in your spiritual journey. It might also mean that you’re taking matters into your own hands and getting rid of what’s no longer serving you before the Universe decides to make you part with it on less than good terms. Remember that there’s a correspondence between this card and the planet Mars, which symbolizes taking action and not standing still. One of the best ways to harness the energy of this card is to be proactive and not wait for the Universe to act on your behalf.
What happens when you are no longer suspended?
The Hanged Man is another unpopular card that can also have a positive meaning. This card indicates that your projects are coming to a halt. Welcome this pause with open arms, as the Universe has perfect timing, and you might be in need of inaction in order to recharge and reflect on the situation at hand. If the card comes up in a reading, analyse where in the situation you might feel restricted and unable to act. Once you know, you’ll be able to take the appropriate steps and untangle yourself from an aspect of the situation that’s holding you back.
Embrace your shadows
Finally, the Devil might indicate a passionate, strong attachment between two people or obsessive or addictive behaviour. Perhaps it’s a couple that’s still in its honeymoon phase, or maybe it’s a blooming relationship with the best lover you’ve ever had. It might also indicate that you’re exploring the darkest corners of your sexuality and fulfilling some kinky fantasies. Positive or negative, the meaning of the Devil is always the same: Remember that personal boundaries are important. As long as you keep that in mind, you can explore the darkest corners of your mind and have a good time. If the Devil shows up in a reading, it might also indicate that you are having a healthy exchange with your own Shadow Self. Make friends with your inner demon, he will try his shenanigans just turn to face him, shine your light, he will always disappear.
If you get any of the more challenging cards in a reading, embrace them. Life would be incredibly boring if everything was always middle of the road. Occasionally we need some of the big hitters of the Major Arcana to shake our world just a little. See what your intuition tells you, or listen to the interpretation of the reader – it might not be what you expect. Tarot is supposed to free us with knowledge. It’s not supposed to make us live in fear. Always remember that, a reading is a dance between two souls. A great reader will take you on a Tarot journey & then deliver you back to reality energised & just a little more positive about your choices than when you turned that first card.
Tarot has been my obsession for as long as I can remember. The dark premonitions of ‘Dr Terrors House of Horrors’, Solitaire the impossibly fabulous Clairvoyant being seduced by Bond in Live & Let Die, The hypnotic spinning Tarot cards in the titles of ‘Tales of the Unexpected’. The Tarot worked it’s way deeper & deeper in to my psyche.
Madame Tamar, the famous west country mystic, among many other things, told me that Tarot would play a huge part in my life, even though she herself used normal playing cards as her oracle. Sadly no longer with us, Madam Tamar had told my mother all about me before I was born. When I finally met this amazing lady my fascination with the Tarot became an obsession. Early on in my Tarot quest, my sister, herself as talented reader and counsellor, gifted me my first Tarot deck at the summit of Glastonbury Tor. As the figures on the painted cards danced before me a powerful transition occurred. I had discovered my destiny, What is your destiny?
