fashion leaving an impression in the consciousness of the
awareness state that was, of the awareness state being presently
experienced and an anticipation of an awareness state to be
experienced. From this perspective, the Tarot can be seen as a
mirror of time which reflects states of awareness either actually
experienced or remaining hidden until the Tarot reveals them. The
Tarot essentially reveals the consciousness reality informing the
matter inquired about –the actual “what is” as opposed to any
subjective opinion or perception - allowing you to make an
informed decision based on its revealed images – essentially its
principal function being one of mirroring the psychic reality
underlying the situation or the character of the atmosphere
surrounding the question being asked. The Tarot functions
essentially as a “Mirror of the Moment”- revealing life “in the
state of being born” and revealing reality objectively. Thus if you
ardently desire a relationship with someone and you ask the Tarot
if this is possible and it reveals a reversed Two of Cups ( The Lord
of Love) then, in spite of what you feel or desire, the reality is that
you should set your sights on someone more attainable.
The Tarot is not a method of fortune telling as many individuals
often mistakenly believe can be used in an attempt to see a future
24
The Mirror of the Moment
that cannot be known. The practice of fortune-telling is based on
the false notion that human life is governed by luck, chance, or
fate— by obscure powers that work outside the personality. In the
words of Paul Foster Case: “True divination rests upon the esoteric
truth that the causes of all events in human life are really internal,
proceeding from the Cause of Causes— the Universal Intelligent
Energy or Life-Power.”
Tarot divination, in my opinion, cannot be classified as fortune
telling. In my practice, I view a Tarot Reading as a “Mirror of the
Moment” imaging the state or flow (depending on the spread
chosen) of objective consciousness against the backdrop of what
we experience as subjective time. Tarot readings cannot establish
the precise timing of discrete future events but can often attain a
glimpse of how the road ahead will go in the short term – whether
it will rise or fall, be smooth or bumpy, clear or clouded, have free
passage or be blocked. The Tarot can tap into the eternal flow of
Objective Consciousness but cannot view or make out precise
details in the landscape of future time.
INTUITIVE CONTEXTUAL READING
The Intuitive Clouds
The main body of this work which follows after this introductory
section comprises the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck organized in
such a manner as to express the relationship of the individual cards
to their particular symbolism and correspondences. Each card is
presented with a detailed description, an intuitive meditation based
on experience, and two “intuitive clouds” that reveal how the
diverse meanings of the cards can be understood and properly
utilized in divination from the point of view of intuitive contextual
reading. The primary problem in the practice of Tarot divination is
the broad spectrum of meanings that can be associated with each
individual card, a circumstance that can sometimes even puzzle the
most experienced reader who must struggle to determine the “fit”
25
The Mirror of the Moment
of the card drawn in a specific context to the question asked or the
situation inquired about. While this may seem difficult, once the
technique of intuitive contextual reading is correctly understood its
application is surprisingly smooth and yields great insights to both
the reader and the inquirer. In practical application, this Tarot
reading technique essentially consists of holding the card image
within the field of your consciousness while reading the
description of the card as well as the Meditation on the card. Then
you consider the “clouds” of keywords presented for each card
which encompass a broad spectrum of meanings from both
historical and contemporary sources. Since the consciousness
already holds the image within it, the intuitive function of the mind
grasps the correct association and relates it to the card and
question. How this precisely occurs is a mystery but the accuracy
achieved
is
astonishing.
This
immersive
experience
of
simultaneously holding the image in consciousness and immersing
the mind in the “cloud”of key words and phrases yields a what can
only be describes as a “that’
s it” association. A story in Zen
literature illustrates this intuitive experience of truth. Every year a
student came to his
Master and asked
him
one
question,
“Master, what is Zen?”to which the Master replied, “Return next
year and I will tell you.” After ten years had passed and after
receiving the same response year after year the student again
approached the Master and asked the same question, “Master, what
is Zen?” at which point the Master pondered the question for a
moment and then slapped his student across the face as hard as he
possibly could. The student stood staring at the Master for a
moment in stunned disbelief and then replied “That’
s it!” The
student had attained enlightenment – Zen Consciousness.
This Zen like approach to utilizing the intuition in accurate
divination also takes a model from Nature in its most fundamental
observable manifestation, the subatomic realm. As close as can be
“known” or conceptualized by the rational intellect is that
electrons in nature when bound to a nucleus move around the
26
The Mirror of the Moment
atomic nucleus of an atom in a sort of cloud space of electric
charge, which wholly surrounds the atomic nucleus of protons and
neutrons somewhat like a shell. This cloud space is the domain of
the electron as it moves around the nucleus. So to in this method of
divination we treat the image of the card as the “nucleus”and the
varying meanings assigned to the card when responding to
questions as its “cloud domain” wherein the specific divinatory
meaning applicable to the situation may lie. Through immersing
the consciousness in this “cloud domain”the specific contextual
meaning appropriate to the question and situation may become
manifest through the power of intuition. To emulate this cloud
consciousness the divinatory meanings associated with the cards
are given as individual words, phrases or clauses. In my many
years of Tarot reading experience this approach worked best and
my intuition was always able to “divine” the meaning specific
within the context of the question. This speaks to the core of
divination as a spiritual practice whose
goal is “true knowledge.”
We can only assure ourselves of attaining this true knowledge
when we remove ourselves as much as possible from pure
subjectivity and mere opinion and place our consciousness on the
more stable and empirical ground of knowledge, experience and
trained intuition This approach to the Tarot requires only
knowledge and intuition to be effective. It requires no so called
‘
psychic” abilities and does not seek to know what cannot be
actually known, most particularly what is in the minds of others or
the occurrence of definite future events. Contextual reading utilizes
Tarot as “The Mirror of the Moment.”In a One Card Reading a
Tarot spread reveals the overall spiritual atmosphere informing the
question while in the Three Card Reading the spread reveals the
Basis or Motivation behind the question; how the matter of the
question stands at Present and the Resolution the energies
informing the question may be headed towards; realizing that
while you may gain some glimpse as to how the road ahead may
rise or fall discrete future events are unknowable. The Celtic Cross
reading is of ancient origin and examines the question and the
27
The Mirror of the Moment
influences acting on and within the situation in the greatest detail It
is vital to remember that your response to the reading – what
“resonates”with you - is at the heart of the matter and is the sole
path to truth. Some times you do not even need the words of the
Cloud Oracles – the Image, Magical Name and Astrology convey
the entire meaning to you and provide a truthful answer to your
question. If you approach Tarot reading from this viewpoint and
avoid searching in mystical worlds for answers that are right in
front of your eyes you are on solid ground and you will always be
able to make the correct connection between the card, your
question and a meaningful and truthful response.
The Adept and the Path of Initiation
An Adept is an individual who has achieved a high state of
spiritual development through the process of initiation and is able
to utilize spiritual energies to influence and aid individuals and
affect circumstances in the material world. This path of Initiation is
the truest exposition of the purpose of the Tarot and its use in
divination is the practical expression of this purpose. So what is the
path of Initiation and what is the purpose of the Tarot in fulfilling
it? Perhaps the most fundamental issue surrounding the Tarot is
how to apply its efficacy to the actual human condition in such a
manner that it serves human welfare and not the making of money.
In the act of divination the Adept acts as an intermediary between
the Spirit and the inquirer. It is their appointed role as one who has
formed a relationship with the Spirit to speak in its place for those
who lack the fortitude to experience a face to face dialogue with
the “Word.” Through this spiritual power the Adept transcends
personal egotism and attains to the intuitive knowledge of revealed
truth which is then communicated to the individual.
How This Work is Organized
It is the intent of this work to provide an easy to understand
method of utilizing the Tarot to assist you in attaining a higher
level of insight into the problems and mysteries of your daily
28
The Mirror of the Moment
human life and thus provide a method of resolving or taking
intelligent action with respect to the matters you inquire about.
After this introduction, the Major Cards are presented in the order
in which they appear in the deck followed by the Minor Cards
organized according to their numerical families. Each card has a
Description and a brief overview of its Symbolism; a Meditation
in which they astrological energy informing the card is revealed
followed by the deeper Intuitive Clouds which address
the
contextual meaning of the cards originating from many aspects of
life
experience
and
which
are
based
on
traditional
and
contemporary meanings as well as those derived from thousands of
real world readings spanning 30 years of experience for a broad
public, both female and male, from many different countries and
social traditions. Should you desire to advance your abilities and
learn Three Card Readings or even the 10 card Celtic Cross
Reading the information in the Intuitive Clouds provide a solid
foundation for accurately interpreting these more advanced spreads
or any spread you may choose to use in order to reveal and
understand the Tarot’
s response to your divinations.
Yes and No Questions
No discussion on Tarot divination would be complete without a
discussion of “Yes or No”questions and the inherent implication
that by asking this type of question a person can gain
question would be, “Will I be hired for the management position
for which I am applying at a company that is closer to my home?”
If the Tarot replies with a reversed card, does this mean that you
will not get the job or, even better, if you receive an upright card
does this mean you are “fated” to obtain this position? In my
experience, I have discovered that such responses are not
pronouncements of fate but rather one of the overall atmosphere
surrounding the matter inquired about. A “No” response, often
signified by a reversed card in a One Card Reading, does not
necessarily mean that you will not get the position if you apply for
29
The Mirror of the Moment
it but rather that a negative energy surrounds the question in
general prompting a need for a greater consideration of the matter
as, for instance, would such a position be a good “fit”in your life
or would it consume too much time and make too many demands
especially if you have other responsibilities such as young
children. This is a good methodology from which to approach this
delicate concern and will keep you out of trouble especially if you
make the decision to read the Tarot in order to gain insight for
yourself or a friend. In reading the Tarot for others I have always
been guided by the words of the great Roman physician, Darius,
who articulated the most fundamental principal underlying the
practice of medicine, “First, do no harm.”
Upright and Reversed Cards
Why does an accurate Tarot reading necessitate the use of both
upright and reversed cards? Many controversies swirl around this
subject with some commentators rejecting the idea of using
reversals (cards appearing reversed to the reader when drawn in a
reading). It was always my practice to utilize them in readings as
everywhere in human life and in Nature we experience polarities –
there is light and dark, good and evil, love and hat
e – so it would
seem that polarity is inherent in the nature of how we experience
reality (truth) itself. Each card is experienced as having two
aspects to its interpretation, an upright and a reversed meaning.
Often, though not always, the appearance of a reversed card
indicates a negative, stagnant or blocked energy but with certain
specific cards of an inherently negative nature the appearance of a
reversal indicates a positive atmosphere or an energy dissolving
blockage and yielding a capacity to move forward. This is where
the true art of reading the Tarot comes in – you have to know your
cards so when you encounter such a situation you will recognize it.
THE MAJOR AND MINOR CARDS
The Tarot deck essentially is divided into two distinct sections:
The Major Cards and the Minor Cards. The word “Arcana”is often
30
The Mirror of the Moment
used in place of the word “Cards” but to keep this matter
intelligible I will not use the Latin word and only use English
designations. To those who might be interested the Latin word
“Arcana”translates as “secret or hidden”alluding to the idea that
the knowledge transmitted by the images of the Tarot is meant to
be kept secret or hidden from the average individual so as not be to
profaned by the ignorant or draw down persecution upon those
who accept its revelations due to the unfortunate habit of the
uninformed to paint everything that is different from their
viewpoint with a broad brush of fear, superstition and violence.
Many commentators attempt to construct a story out of the Tarot
(especially the Major Cards) that links them into a continuous
narrative or attempts to tell a universal story through the linear
succession of the images. It has been my experience that in the
practice of divination, especially on an individual level, it is best to
view the cards as individual entities and separate of any
relationship with the cards appearing before or after them in the
numerical sequence of the deck. This allows the precise focus
necessary for the intuitive powers to work as well as freeing the
consciousness from any tendency to become confused by
extraneous viewpoints that are essentially foreign to it and to the