My husband and I enjoyed one of those Jungian moments of synchronicity last night. As one of the first clues came up on Only Connect (the BBC’s answer to mindless quiz shows for people with a knowledge of the Greek alphabet), he turned to me and said ‘Is there some kind of Tarot connection?’
There wasn’t. But in the next question there was, they were all other forms of divination - astrology, numerology, palmistry and tasseography. However, this wasn’t the only link to the world of divination in last night’s programme. On a later question four of the Major Arcana from a deck of Tarot cards featured as players for spot the connection. Although nobody could actually group the four together, one contestant did ask if they might be cards from the Tarot. Victoria Coren confirmed his guess, yes they were all cards from the Tarot, and, she added, they probably all foretell death and doom like all the Tarot cards do.
There wasn’t. But in the next question there was, they were all other forms of divination - astrology, numerology, palmistry and tasseography. However, this wasn’t the only link to the world of divination in last night’s programme. On a later question four of the Major Arcana from a deck of Tarot cards featured as players for spot the connection. Although nobody could actually group the four together, one contestant did ask if they might be cards from the Tarot. Victoria Coren confirmed his guess, yes they were all cards from the Tarot, and, she added, they probably all foretell death and doom like all the Tarot cards do.
Those who use the Tarot as a tool for divination or simply to explore their link to a wider spiritual story will tell you however, that even the Death card rarely actually refers to death. So why does Tarot still have this outdated image of evil, darkness and the occult? There is more death and destruction within the pages of the Bible than your average Tarot deck, and the Bible itself is often used for divination – Bibliomancy.
So what is it precisely that people like Victoria Coren are so fearful of?
Do you use divination?
So what is it precisely that people like Victoria Coren are so fearful of?
Do you use divination?
What form and why?
What reaction do you get from others?
8 comments:
It is a pity that Tarot is still associated with death and gloom. I think it is something popularized by Hollywood and a lack of knowledge. Although I do agree with you that he Tarot covers much more than death and gloom...it does deal with death. I would not like to have it in any other way. Tarot continues to confront us with the fact that we all must die. In modern times we quickly put people into a grave so that we do not have to confront death. In the Tarot we are asked to think about concepts like death.
You are absolutely right, death has become something of a taboo in Western culture in many ways, and Tarot does get us to think about that.
Thinking about it in that way - in terms of the things it makes us confront - perhaps it should be advocated as a tool for social advancement more generally - because it also asks people to think about their own development as a person through relationships, their own attitudes and the way they interact with the environment around them. Could make the world a much better place if more people stopped to think about those things a bit more as well!
Thanks for your posting, Zeal4living :)
I agree with what you are both saying here. Tarot is so much more than that. One of the things I point out in tarot workshops is the contrast between 'dark' and 'light' cards. I compare cards like Death, The Tower and The Devil, the traditional 'dark' cards, to The Lovers, Temperance and Judgement, all 'light' cards and all having angels on them. When was the last time someone criticised The Lovers?!
I have only seen 4 physical deaths in nearly 20 years of reading. Mainly I deal with relationship matters or 'life path' issues when reading. Death seldom comes into it. However we are surrounded by negative information - look at the news, death sells, destruction sells, bad news sells. If you had a news channel that only promoted good news it would have very low viewing figures I'm sure.
That's my two penneth anyway :-)
The Magician
You are right, Magician - my eldest daughter was asking just the other day why they only report bad news stories. How to explain the logic of this bitter, sick and twisted world to an 8 year old!?
It is mankind that is sick, bitter and twisted Sara, I'm sure that the planet, left to her own devices, would be a beautiful, bountiful place.
Back on the track of divination discrimination, I have found it a bit of a hoot to see, in various forums... well, ok, Facebook, that people are seemingly insistent on putting how many years they have been reading tarot, as if length of time reading gives some indication of how good a person is. It is no indication of course, so maybe I am guilty in some ways of discrimination myself?
The Magician (tarot reader for 19 years, 10 months and a few days ;-))
Ah interesting point. So what do you think might serve as a better indication than length of service? Or do we not need one..?
I don't really know that you can have a measure as such, other than the reputation of the person (which again, can be hyped I guess so that doesn't solve anything!)
I go by word of mouth from people I trust. Ok this won't help everyone, but I find that people get drawn to me for some reason when they want a reason. they either hear of me from their friends or read my 'blurb' and feel comfortable with me. Gosh this sounds all terribly big headed doesn't it! Sorry about that, I was just trying to say that longevity in a job doesn't necessarily make that person competant at it... oh, you know wehat I mean!
LnL
M x
And I must apologise for the terrible spelling errors in my previous post!
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