When you decide to launch your career as a professional Tarot card reader, one great resource you can turn to is the book Professional Tarot by Christine Jette. I have personally found this book to be a very valuable guide in ‘The Business of Reading, Consulting and Teaching’ (as the book’s title states) in the field of Tarot.

Christine Jette (pronounced ‘Jetty’) has authored several books about Tarot, but two of her books, namely, ‘Professional Tarot’ and ‘Tarot Shadow Work’ have their place of pride in my Tarot library. Christine is a registered nurse, and has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology.

The Professional Tarot book walks you through the different stages of becoming a professional Tarot card reader and Tarot teacher. Naturally, it is divided up into sections, that will take you through the various stages for getting into the profession, and staying in the profession.

Let’s look at the different sections of the Professional Tarot by Christine Jette, and see what each section talks about.

Introduction

The Professional Tarot book begins with a brief introduction that will tell you how you can go about getting the most from the book.

Taking The Leap

The title of this section reminds me so much of the energy of the Fool card! And yes, this section addresses the different aspects of being a professional Tarot card reader that often are a source of worry for many of us, especially as we start out.

For example, Christine touches upon topics like ‘Why do you want to be a professional Tarot card reader?’, ‘Discovering your personal style and voice’ and ‘Are you funny about money?’ – which will truly help you look deeper within yourself and understand what you would be getting into on several levels as you begin your professional Tarot card reading career.

Building Your Tarot Practice

This section talks about the very ‘business’ aspects of building and growing your practice. For example, there is a section that talks about setting up and (eventually) raising your rates. You can find valuable advice about advertising, and creating a ‘Tarot To Go’ bag for those times when you have to go visit your clients at their homes. Another question Christine looks at is whether to go for an office space, or to read from your home, and how to go about both these approaches.

Global Tarot

This section looks at the Internet as a valuable medium for building and growing your professional Tarot practice. And of course, handling the different situations that might arise while doing so.

The Business of Tarot

This section looks at some more of the ‘business’ aspects of your Tarot practice, such as maintaining your accounts, which are very important too.

Counseling Clients

Another very valuable section from this book, this section examines your interaction with your clients in great detail, and helps you, as a Tarot card reader, to figure out what boundaries you have to set in order to allow your clients to get the most from your reading.

Teaching and Learning Tarot

After spending a point of time as a professional reader, it is very natural that you might get asked to teach Tarot. How do you go about setting up that aspect of your practice? Don’t worry, because Christine talks about it in depth in this section. In fact, if you are looking to start teaching Tarot while you build your practice, then the guidance in this section will really be very helpful for you.

Epilogue: The Energy To Succeed

Once you get your Tarot reading and Tarot teaching practice up and running, there will be other issues that might crop up. For example, she advises you on how to go about handling the day-to-day stress and worry that being in this profession can cause.

The book Professional Tarot by Christine Jette also has 3 Appendices, where Christine gives you:

• A basic Code of Ethics template,
• Outlines for creating Basic and Advanced Tarot courses,
• Links to various resources such as books and business organizations.

Want to buy this book? Well, just click on the link below to make your purchase from Amazon.Com!

My Thoughts

As I have said before, I found this book very useful in my professional Tarot card reading practice. I actually discovered this book after I had started reading professionally, but what I learnt from this book truly helped me to bring the business aspect of my practice into a very streamlined process. As it stood, being a professional Tarot card reader, I had a very big love/hate approach towards the business part of the scenario. But this book truly helped me to see things in a better perspective – and helped me chart a course for my practice that sits well with my inner self.

In Conclusion…

If you are looking to start your professional Tarot reading practice, or if you are looking to boost your existing practice, then the book Professional Tarot by Christine Jette can prove to be a very valuable resource of information for you. Go ahead and read it, and confidently take your first step towards being a professional Tarot card reader and teacher!

The Money Tarot Book by Rohit Arya is a well written and truly comprehensive look at the Tarot cards, effectively combining the ‘money’ aspects of everyday life with the images of the Tarot cards.

In my life as a professional Tarot card reader, I have been using the Tarot cards to answer a variety of questions that my clients put in front of me. However, from a very macro perspective, if I were to classify those questions, I would say that most of the questions fall under either of the following three categories:

• Love (includes any and all questions regarding relationships of any kind, and includes guidance related questions)
• Money (includes questions about career, jobs and so forth, including guidance related questions)
• Spiritual (very rare, but yes, it happens sometimes)

Yes, yes, I know it is strange. But there it is…

Rohit Arya

So, when I first saw ‘The Money Tarot Book’ by Rohit Arya, imagine how interested I must’ve been!

See, if we look at the deck from a very traditional point of view, the only cards that specifically talk about money are those from the Pentacles deck (more or less). But then here was a book that looked into the financial aspect of each and every card! Of course, I had to buy it!

So, without any further ado, lets look at the different sections that are present within this book.

Introductions etc

The first few pages of the book are dedicated to the usual introduction-type stuff, where the author talks about Tarot and its history. There is also a bit about how to use the book, and a few good spreads which you can use.

Other Stuff – The Meanings

Yup! Right after that, the book dives right into the meanings of the cards! He begins with the Majors, and then starting with the Suit of Pentacles (how appropriate!), goes into the Minor Arcana as well.

The Money Tarot Book: About Each Card

The core of the book is not about the meanings of the cards though. It is about the money and finance aspects that are connected with each card. And the author has really gone deep with putting down the information about this. For each card, the information is neatly presented to include:

• Brief meaning of the card in both upright and reversed positions
• The overall environment of the card
• Keywords
• Modality – what the card talks about in practical terms
• Favorable and unfavorable aspects of the card
• Several decisional parameters

The last section, which talks about the decisional parameters, is what impressed me the most! It is here, that we can glimpse the depth of the author’s understanding of the different connections between money and Tarot. Here’s a quick list of what decisional parameters are included for each card:

• Management
• Timing
• Resources Available
• Planning Norms
• Creativity Assessment
• Intuition
• Marketing
• Communications
• Advertising
• Product Viability
• Finance and Investments
• Start-ups
• Contracts and Agreements
• International Markets
• R & D
• Risks
• Hindering Forces
• Helping Forces
• Growth and Productivity

Phew!

Two Examples

Let’s look at a quick example of what the interpretations are, and how they make sense.

How about my favorite 3 of Cups card? It is a bit tough to connect it with the money aspect, right? So let’s see what The Money Tarot Book has to say about this card. (I am just going to include some quick snapshots… )

• Timing: Mergers and Tie-ups.
• Communications: Meet people. Have an office party!
• Product Viability: Extremely good
• Contracts and Agreements: Extremely good
• Risks: Self indulgence
• Hindering Forces: Being over emotional. Others might not share your enthusiasm.
• Helping Forces: People want to help you

This was just a quick overview of the 3 of Cups card. How about say, The Knight of Swords? Let’s see.

• Conceptual Criteria: Ideas that were submerged now surface with surprising results.
• Creativity Assessment: High. Resist the temptation to show others as foolish while showing off your brilliance.
• Finance and Investments: Might not be a bad idea to follow your bold, daring notions.
• Hindering Forces: Impatience, impulsiveness, immaturity. (Ahem!)

Hope you get the idea!

Your Turn…

If you were ever confused how to fit in a card into a money based question, then this book might just be what you are looking for! With such a comprehensive and detailed analysis, you are sure to find the answer to your money questions about the Tarot!

I loved the book. Do you have it too? Did you like it? What were your thoughts? Please do share in the comments section below.

I have had the Pagan Tarot Deck with me since a few years now, and every time I look at the cards, I find myself amazed and intrigued by their images. In this deck, we see the ups and downs of the everyday and spiritual life of a modern day witch, a young woman.

The deck features art work by Luca Raimondo and coloring by Cristinao Spadoni. The book that accompanies the deck (if you buy the kit), is written by Gina M. Pace. This deck is published by Lo Scarabeo.

The Cards

The cards in the Pagan Tarot Deck are 7.25 inches in length and 4 inches in width. They handle pretty well while shuffling. However, the back of the cards is not reversible – in that, it shows the image of the ‘World’ card from the deck, and thus one can easily make out a reversed card while one pulls them out for a reading.

The essential pattern of the Pagan Tarot Deck does match a lot with the Rider-Waite-Smith system, with the Strength card being Trump 8 and Justice being Trump 11.

Also, in the tradition and style of Lo Scarabeo decks, the Pagan Tarot deck also has the translations of the names of the cards featured at the bottom of the image.

The Book

If you look for the Pagan Tarot Deck on Amazon.Com, you will likely end up with an option to buy the ‘kit’ or to buy the ‘mini’ version. I would genuinely recommend getting the ‘kit’ because with it, you’ll end up getting the very nice book written by Gina M. Pace.

The book has all your standard sections: a bit about the history of Tarot, and then a few tips about preparing for and conducting the readings, and also a bit about reading reversed cards. After that, we delve into the images and meanings of the Majors, Minors and the Courts.

The book is really well written, and can truly help you to understand the hidden depths of the images. Normally, if one saw the pictures of this deck, one would easily be able to interpret them. But there are some aspects of the Wiccan / Pagan traditions which are present within these images, and the book can easily guide you to understanding them better.

The Majors

The Major Arcana cards of the Pagan Tarot Deck show the major milestones in the journey of our young witch, as she goes through the different stages of her spiritual journey.

Check out the Fool Card from the Pagan Tarot Deck! I mean, here’s the young witch, venturing out into the unknown, in the dark, with only her cat to guide her!

One can very easily connect these images with those of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and understand the deeper significance of the meanings of the images. Again, the book is pretty helpful in understanding the specific Wiccan / Pagan symbolism present in the images.

The Minors

The Minor Arcana card images of the Pagan Tarot Deck show us the everyday aspects of the life of our young witch. There are 4 Suits: Wands, Swords, Chalices (for Cups) and Pentacles, which depict the different aspects of this journey.

I mean, how can one not truly grasp the meaning of the 3 of Cups after looking at this image, eh?

The Minors truly do speak to you right away!

The Courts

Now, here’s where I get a little stuck though! As is typical, the Court cards depict people. Over here, we have Elementals for each Element of the Suits, and then we have three other people: Novices, Initiates and Elders for each of the Suits.

One could connect the Elementals with the Pages, Novices with the Knights and so forth… but in my experience, this doesn’t work in a reading. I have always found myself getting baffled by the Court Cards while using the Pagan Tarot Deck in my readings. Maybe, I genuinely need to change my perspective, and they might start making some sense to me!

Reading With The Pagan Tarot Deck

Apart from the Court Card confusion, the Pagan Tarot Deck lends itself very easily to readings. If you use reversed cards in your readings, then you also need to stop wondering about the reversed card (because of the back of the card) when you pick it up for your spread. But if you cross all these hurdles, then I have experienced some really goosebumps-giving, ‘OMG this is so true’ moments while reading with this deck.

Since the images of the deck are from everyday life, they speak volumes in terms of what’s going on. And if you really want to delve deep, then it takes but a moment to do so. The images are very, very real… and I have had some truly, astonishingly accurate readings with this deck! So, yes, I would recommend this deck in a flash!

The Cards I Liked

Here are some of the cards from this deck that I truly, truly liked.

The  Lovers card from the Pagan Tarot Deck shows such a clear picture of the ‘choices’ that the young witch has to make: one one side are her family, and on the other is her group of friends with whom she is studying! Any modern woman faces similar choices in her life, where she has to often prioritize one over the other at different points of time in her life.

And then, we see her meditating in the Moon card! With your traditional symbols (water, mountains, crayfish and of course, the large, yellow Moon), this card also shows us a different aspect of the Moon’s energy – one of calm, peaceful contemplation, one of knowledge gathering, one of gaining access to one’s own subconscious!

Here are some of the other cards which I have also found fascinating, in terms of their imagery and also for providing a very different take on the traditional interpretation of the card.

Your Turn…

So, do you also have this deck? What have been your experiences of this deck?

Did you also face the ‘Court Card’ issue as I did? How did you manage to tackle it?

Are you thinking of getting this deck? What made you want to buy it?

Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The presence of the four Cardinal Virtues in Tarot card images is one surprising discovery I made while I was researching for another article. To me, these images portray the Cardinal Virtues as specified in the Bible, and thus acquire a new meaning within the realm of Tarot.

Today, lets have a look at these four Cardinal Virtues in Tarot, and learn how they add meaning into our interpretations and understanding of the cards.

Before we go ahead, lets take a quick peek into history and talk about the origins of the idea of Cardinal Virtues.

Cardinal Virtues in Tarot: What are Cardinal Virtues?

The meaning of the word ‘Cardinal‘ is ‘pivotal’ and of ‘Virtue‘ is ‘behavior showing high moral standards’. Together, ‘Cardinal Virtue‘ then talks about the central or pivotal aspect of behavior which is the definition of high moral standards and values within a human being.

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According to the Wikipedia page about Cardinal Virtues, the concept of the four Cardinal Virtues originates with Greek philosophers like Plato and Cicero. These four cardinal virtues were then adopted within Christian symbolism and were incorporated within their belief system.

Typically, the four Cardinal Virtues were described as female figures, and were often considered to be Goddesses. These four Cardinal Virtues and their typical depictions are:

• Temperance: usually shown with a wheel, or a bridle with reins, or vegetables and fish, or a cup, or water and wine in two jugs.
• Fortitude: usually shown with an armor, or a club, or a lion, or a a palm, or a tower, or a yoke, or a broken column.
• Justice: usually shown with a sword, a balance and scales, or a crown.
• Prudence: usually shown with a book, a scroll, a mirror, or crushing a serpent.

At this point, I suppose, all of these descriptions must be sounding familiar to you, right? So without any further ado, let’s dive right into each of these Cardinal Virtues in Tarot, and find out how their definitions and imagery matches with our interpretations of these cards.

Cardinal Virtues in Tarot: Temperance

Temperance is defined as ‘moderation in action, thought, or feeling; restraint’.

As mentioned above, this virtue is depicted as a woman with  a wheel, or a bridle with reins, or vegetables and fish, or a cup, or water and wine in two jugs.

In our Tarot card deck, we actually have a card called Temperance, which depicts an angel holding two cups of liquid, and pouring from one cup into the other.

Now, this card has always given me the sense of balance. Not in the way the Justice card would give it though, but in a way that signifies a person who knows how to keep himself in balance. This is one fellow who doesn’t lose his cool. He is one relaxed fellow, who underneath all that calm exterior, is sorting through and figuring out some very deep thoughts.

It is stranger still that the card is linked with the Astrological sign of Sagittarius – a Fire sign no less. And I have never met any Sagittarians who were, well, calm.

However, in this card, we can see how the angel with one foot in the water and one foot on land might be balancing his feelings and his practical thoughts, and at the same time, he is pouring liquid from one cup to the other, indicating the alchemical process of changing silver into gold. The pose also shows how while he stands still, his hands move – the way the exterior is calm and while the inner world moves and changes.

The Cardinal Virtue of Temperance, with its moderation in pretty much all things, is very beautifully and subtly depicted in this image – where the activity is all within the self, and the external appearance is calm and quiet.

Cardinal Virtues in Tarot: Fortitude

Fortitude is defined as the ‘ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation, and to sustain it in the face of difficulty’.

Fortitude is often depicted as a lady with an armor, or a club, or a lion, or a a palm, or a tower, or a yoke, or a broken column.

In our Tarot card deck, we see Fortitude depicted in the Strength card (another synonym for Fortitude), as a lady who is petting a lion.

The Strength card always did give me the same sense as the meaning of the Virtue of Fortitude. (No surprises there!) To me, the Strength card always stood for inner strength and will power, rather than physical strength.

As we can see in the image of the Tarot card, a lady stands there, covered with flowers and leaves, and pets a lion as if one would any other domestic pet. The lion, too, despite being the King of the Beasts in the Forest, stands there with his tail between his legs, completely surrendering to her love and caress. The lady in the Strength card carries no weapons. She hasn’t used violence to tame or subdue this animal, rather she has used her inner strength, her will power, to do so.

Strangely, again, this card is linked with the Astrological sign of Leo – another Fire sign. And Leo people are often lively, and proud leaders – nothing at all like the lion in the picture.

If you connect this meaning with the definition of Fortitude, you might even say that such a lady can just as easily tame the beasts within her and outside of her with the same equanimity and poise. She isn’t going to lose her balance, her calm, and her poise to external beasts like fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. She remains calm, unfazed and unfrazzled by the many issues that crop up in life.

Cardinal Virtues in Tarot: Justice

Justice is defined as the ‘moderation between selfishness and selflessness’.

Justice is often shown as a lady with a sword, a balance and scales, or a crown.

We also have a card titled Justice in our Tarot card deck, and the image on it pretty much fits in with the typical description of the virtue.

The Justice card shows a lady who sits between two pillars, carrying a raised sword in one hand and pair of scales in the other. This lady is one heck of a decision maker – she weighs in all the possible pros and cons of a situation. Not only does she consider the emotional and mental aspects of the decision, but also the spiritual aspects. And then she takes swift action upon the decision that she has made. To me, the Justice card has also stood for someone who can see the truth clearly and can take action from a very detached point of view.

This card is often linked with the sun sign of Libra, an Air sign. But the fun part is that I have never met a Libran who could take a quick decision about anything at all.

Now, if you connect this card with the meaning of the Cardinal Virtue of Justice, you can just as well say that the Goddess in this image finds a very different kind of balance – a balance that also applies to her decision making process and the action taking process. Neither is she interested in gaining something from the decision that she is taking, nor is giving away what she doesn’t want to give away. She exercises a balance between the transaction of give and take that exists everywhere in Nature, and uses that discretionary power within her decision making process as well.

Cardinal Virtues in Tarot: Prudence

Prudence is defined as the ‘ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason’. Often, this Virtue is associated with Wisdom, Insight and Knowledge.

Prudence is shown as a lady with a book, a scroll, a mirror, or crushing a serpent.

There is  no card in our Tarot card deck that bears the title of Prudence. Many Tarotists also believe that this Cardinal Virtue is represented across a variety of cards. Often, it is also considered to have been integrated within the Justice card itself. Some Tarot-ists claim that the World card is a good representation of this Virtue. With all these thoughts out there, here is my idea: Prudence is depicted within the High Priestess card.

If you look at the image of the High Priestess card, you will notice the scroll in her hand. She sits there, balanced between two opposing forces. She also incorporates her outer wisdom (scroll) with her inner wisdom (the water body that represents the unconscious mind) and combines that with the knowledge that she gains using her intuition or instinct (the moon connection), and then, with all this understanding within her, she does what she has to do. The High Priestess is thus, full of all kinds of wisdom and knowledge, and she uses this knowledge systematically and reasons with you and tells you how what you think is something undefinable (like intuition, or instinct) in precise mathematical terms, doesn’t need any definition, but can just as easily be discerned and understood with experience.

From the point of view of Astrology, the High Priestess card is linked with the Moon – the ruler of all these watery domains of feelings, emotions, intuitions, creativity, instincts as well as femininity.

If you connect the meaning of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence with the meaning of the High Priestess card, you can clearly see, how all of these instinctual feelings can just as well bring about a wise and calm approach towards all events in life. Knowledge is, in fact, considered to be equal to power, and the High Priestess has knowledge (lots of it) and the means and ways to use it judiciously.

Your Turn…

Now that you’ve had a look at the Four Cardinal Virtues in Tarot, what are your thoughts about them? Do you see the connections? Do you have some thoughts to add to this article.

Please feel free to add your thoughts and ideas to the comments section below.

Repeating cards in a Tarot card reading are quite an interesting and common occurrence. During the course of a single Tarot card reading, the Tarot reader often ends up doing several spreads to answer the different questions that the client might have. And a card or two (or sometimes three) can often pop up repeatedly across those spreads.

Today, lets find out about the significance and meaning of these repeating cards in a Tarot card reading.

Doing a Tarot card reading is not a simple scenario. Clients often have a number of questions that span a variety of areas of their life. Naturally, it makes sense to do a different spread that will guide the client for each of his / her questions.

While doing these spreads, many Tarot readers might have observed the occurrence of repeating cards. Sometimes, these cards pop up in questions that relate to the same scenario, but many a times, they pop up even in spreads done for unrelated scenarios. This can seem a bit overwhelming and confusing for several Tarot readers.

Even in my own experience, I have seen the phenomenon of repeating cards happen in many of the readings I do for clients. As usual, I rely a lot on my intuition to guide me when this occurs. More often than not, I have seen that the first interpretation pretty much applies to each of the appearances made by that card.

Repeating Cards in a Tarot Reading: What Do They Mean?

Here are some of the things that I have seen with respect to repeating cards in a Tarot reading:

• The presence of repeating cards in a Tarot reading pretty much implies that the meaning / interpretation specified by that card is being emphasized over and over again.
• The cards are trying to tell the client that this situation / scenario is going to have a lot of weight in the events that are being described in the spreads.
• If the card describes a situation, then the repeating card might signify that this situation will be a major turning point, or central scenario and the other situations described by the reading will be influenced by it.
• The repeating card’s scenario might also help identify the time frame when other related or non-related events described in the spread will occur.

Repeating Cards in a Tarot Reading: Examples and Explanations

Let me explain these above mentioned thoughts with examples.

• In one of the readings that I was doing for a client of mine, the Justice card (↓) popped up repeatedly across the different spreads. Most of the questions that he was asking were about his relationship and his career. Now, the Justice card often talks about taking decisions, and acting upon the decisions that were taken. But when the card is reversed, it implies either that the decision was not being taken, or in this case, the client was not acting upon the decision that he had taken. As the card kept coming up (and in the same reversed position) over and over again, I ended up addressing the issue with him face-to-face. He admitted that the interpretation that was being emphasized was true. I ended up explaining to him, how his inaction was leading to the other events that were coming up across the various spreads I did for him. Of course, I left the eventual action taking to him – it was, after all, a personal choice for him. But to me, it seemed as if the cards were screaming out and telling me that most of his troubles and hurdles in life were primarily caused by his inaction with regard to his decision. And if he didn’t take the action, his life would be caught up in a loop of repeated cycles, till he learnt the karmic lesson that he was supposed to learn: acting upon a decision that he had already taken.
• Sometimes, as I have mentioned above, the repeating cards can tell you that a particular situation in your life is going to bear a lot of weight over the next few months. In this reading, the 4 of Wands card was coming up repeatedly for a client of mine. And of course, she told me that she was all set for a visit out of town, where she was to attend the wedding celebrations of an old school friend. Over the course of the reading, I did a couple of spreads for her, mostly to do with her career. And the 4 of Wands kept popping up. I just said to her that something very interesting, especially with regards to her career, would occur during that time. A few weeks later, my client called me up. She sounded pretty excited as she told me about a very interesting job offer that she had received after she had met someone at that wedding!
• Repeating cards can also be indicators of time – especially when they are Major Arcana cards that are associated with a particular Sun Sign. Of course, this aspect of their interpretation might not work for everyone, but sometimes, my intuition is my best guide in such scenarios. Well, we all know that the Emperor card is associated with the Sun Sign Aries. And Aries time is between the 20th of March to the 20th of April. During a reading for my client, the Emperor card popped up in his General Reading. And when I looked at it, all I heard inside my head was ‘Aries Time’. It didn’t say anything else, so I just let it go and talked about the other cards surrounding it, and told my client that all those events described by those surrounding cards were most likely going to occur in Aries time. Then, the client asked me his other questions, and I went on to do a couple of more spreads, where, of course, the Emperor card popped up again. Thus, as far as time frames went, I pretty much stuck to Aries time! Well, after Aries time had come and gone, my client called me up one day, just to tell me about all the interesting things that had happened to him in the month of April (which was Aries time!).

All these interesting anecdotes will, hopefully, help you to judge for yourself how repeating cards can stress upon the situation / time that they are showing. Of course, you might have had other experiences – which is absolutely perfect! That’s how the cards work! They speak to each one of us in a language that we understand!

Your Turn

Did you also have similar experiences in your readings? Do you often have repeating cards pop up in your spreads? What have they ended up signifying for you? What do you do when you see a card come up repeatedly in your reading?

Please, do share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.

Hidden within the different symbols of the High Priestess card is the story of Persephone. Drawn from Greek Mythology, this story is a fascinating look into the hidden depths suggested by the High Priestess card. Today lets look into this story, and understand its connection with that card and its symbols.

The story of Persephone owes its origins to a Greek Myth. In those stories, she was often referred to as Kore (which means ‘maiden’).

Via this story, we will learn about how Persephone represents that aspect of the feminine principle that can and does straddle all the aspects of duality that is evident in the world.

The Story of Persephone: Act I

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter (the Goddess of Grain and  all growing things) and Zeus (the King of all the Olympian Gods). She was said to be very beautiful. In fact, she was such a beauty, that several different Gods tried to ask for her hand in marriage. But Demeter refused, and kept Persephone away from all of them. Thus, Persephone grew up, sheltered from these realities of the world. She lived a very happy life though, living as she was with the Goddess of Grain as her mother. Never lacking for sunshine and warmth, she was shy and timid and in essence a lovely girl.

But her father, Zeus, had other plans for her. Due to Demeter’s unrelenting attitude about Persephone’s marriage, Zeus promised Persephone to his brother Hades, who was the God of the Underworld. And Demeter had no idea what was going to happen next.

The Story of Persephone: Act II

One fine day, Demeter was out picking flowers with some friends of hers. Soon enough, she wandered away. Spotting some Narcissus flowers, she bent down to pluck them. Hades chose just this very moment to make his move. He opened up a chasm in the very spot, and reached out from the Underworld to grab Persephone.

Image © Jaime Gervais

He then took her to his kingdom, and kept her there. Some accounts say that he raped her. Some accounts say that he loved her. But at the end of it all, Persephone actually fell in love with him too!

She then became his Queen – the Queen of the Underworld.

One of the important things that happened (apart from their falling in love, that is), is that she ate (either 3 or 7 or 1) seed(s) of a Pomegranate. Now, everyone knows that if you eat or drink something while you are in the Underworld, you have to stay there forever. So, Persephone essentially chose to remain with her beloved in the Underworld.

Meanwhile, back in the world, Demeter was getting very distraught over the loss of her daughter. She searched high and low for her. And she asked everyone, including Zeus, about her whereabouts. Of course, no one said anything. Depressed, she stopped blessing the crops and the grain, and all these growing things stopped growing. A great famine began to plague the world. Finally Helios, the Sun God, relented and revealed the story to Demeter. After all, he had seen everything.

Of course, this made her angry with Zeus for going behind her back like that. So Zeus decided that a little diplomacy was in order, and he sent Hermes (the Messenger of the Gods) to negotiate with Hades.

The Story of Persephone: Act III

Hermes, knowing full well what he was getting into, went to speak with Hades and resolve the situation. If he didn’t bring Persephone back, there would be famine and hunger in the entire world. But on the other hand, Hades was a stubborn and cold sort of a guy, and very much enamored of his bride. The stakes were quite high.

It took a bit of an effort, but finally an agreement was reached between Hades and Demeter. Persephone would go and live with her mother for the most part of the year. But for at least four months, she would come back to the Underworld and live with her husband.

And so, Persephone was returned back to Demeter.

The Story of Persephone: The Symbolism

Here are some aspects of the story and its underlying symbolism that jumped out at me:

• By being the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, Persephone represented a very interesting confluence of ‘powers’ as it were. She was someone who potentially represented the combination of growth, abundance and ruler ship.
• Demeter keeping her shielded from the different goings on in the world showed us the effort that her mother took to keep her pure and innocent – untouched, as it were, from the disenchanted and jaded attitude that can develop while interacting with the so-called ‘realities of life’.
• While many Gods wanted to marry her or woo her, the only one who managed to get her father’s permission was Hades, the God of the Underworld. And then he managed to abduct her as well, thus bringing her into his home, his kingdom and his life. The Underworld might typically be the place where all the dead souls went off to, but to me it also represents the mysterious and hidden aspects of life that cannot be accessed by just about everybody (you have to be dead to go there, right?). By winning her father’s approval, Hades showed a lot of promise and succeeded where others did not. Thereafter, he brought Persephone, someone who represented a mix of abundance and growth and power, into a place which held the deeper mysteries of life.
• When Persephone decided to stick around with Hades, it shows that she had accepted what had come her way. She now became the recipient of the hidden mysteries and the deeper knowledge that they implied, along with the inherent, latent powers that she already represented. Thus, Persephone became knowledgeable, not only the aspects of power, and growth, but also in the aspects of death, and the result of all this was the knowledge of the process of regeneration. It isn’t a surprise then that Persephone is also referred to as the Goddess of Spring – the season of regeneration.

Thus, this actually makes Persephone a very powerful Goddess indeed. Yet, if we study the myths, we find that she neither runs after any power, nor does she misuse or mishandle it. In fact, she continues to remain aloof and shies away from the other Goddesses most of the time. She prefers to remain with her husband, sharing his Kingdom and loving him, and she also stays with her mother, loving her and being her dutiful daughter – and all this means that half of her life is spent in darkness, and the other in light.

Persephone represents a woman who can and does cross over from one side to the other frequently and easily. She has a lot of knowledge – of things that grow, of things that die, and of things that regenerate. Thus, she indeed is someone who truly understands the hidden and evident mysteries of life.

The Story of Persephone: The High Priestess Card

Persephone in the context of the High Priestess card thus represents the energies of the feminine that are innocent, and yet aware of deeper, mysterious things.

With her knowledge, she sits in the Temple shown in the card. She is calm and balanced – sitting as it were in the middle of the pillars of duality. And yet, she is unfazed by the brilliance of her own knowledge.

Behind her veil, flows the water of the Unconscious mind – the pool of the Universal knowledge that holds all the answers to all the questions. She sits there, with the veil hiding that knowledge, yet giving us enough of a hint of its presence. She knows that each of us must discover our own hidden selves by ourselves, and she won’t ever prevent us from doing so.

List of References

Most myths have myriad versions. For this article, I chose a particular version that was close to the first version of this myth that I had heard many years ago. However, there are several websites on the Internet that will give you the other versions, and / or add into the meanings, thoughts, and ideas etc. that have been expressed in this article. Please feel free to go through them, and read for yourself!

• The Wikipedia page about Persephone
• Some very in-depth and interesting information about Persephone
• A very well written article about Persephone

Your Turn / In Conclusion…

So, what did you make of this story? Did you like it? Was it interesting? What are your thoughts about the connection of the story of Persephone and the different symbolism within the High Priestess card in Tarot?

Please do share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

The wise old man archetype is one that is recognized by almost everyone! Everyone has seen a variety of depictions of this archetype everywhere – be it stories, or movies, or cartoons. Today, lets talk about how this archetype is represented in the Major Arcana of the Tarot cards.

The Wise Old Man Archetype is depicted quite nicely in The Hermit card in a Tarot card deck. This is an archetype that talks about someone who is wise and knowledgeable, and in a position to advise and guide other people.

About The Wise Old Man

The Wise Old Man is often depicted as an aged person, and many a times is shown as one who is living in isolation (either deep in a forest, or on top of a mountain in a cave, etc.). The wise old man is also often shown as a kind person, and a father figure. He often uses his wisdom to guide people and can often be portrayed as someone mystical or mysterious.

Carl Jung also used the word ‘Senex’ to describe this archetype. In Ancient Rome, this was the title given to elderly men with families, who had a good standing in the village.

Many Jungianians also consider the Wise Old Man to be an aspect of the Animus, who reveals the nature of the Collective Unconscious to the Hero.

The Wise Old Man Archetype in The Hermit Card

If you see the picture of the Hermit card, you will see clearly what I have been talking about. Here, we see an old man (white hair and white beard) who wears gray colored clothes. He stands all alone in an ice covered environment. The surrounding atmosphere suggests either twilight or pre-dawn.

In one hand he holds a golden colored wand, which he might even be using as a walking stick. And in the other hand, he holds a lantern with a shining six pointed star.

His eyes are closed, suggesting that he is thinking about something, or looking inwards.

This is a man, who has gained all kinds of experiences in the world, and is spending time in isolation, thinking about it and internalizing the lessons that he has gained from those experiences.

However, he is not averse to sharing those lessons and those experiences with whoever comes and asks him. He wants to shine the light of his knowledge out into the world. That is why he stands there with the lantern.

Thus, a Wise Old Man depicted in this card fully represents all the different aspects of the archetype.

The Wise Old Woman Archetype

Just as the Wise Old Man archetype exists, so does the Wise Old Woman archetype. You won’t find that image in many typical Tarot cards, but I often don’t ascribe genders to cards in readings. Therefore, for me, the Hermit card could very well talk about the Wise Old Woman as well.

This archetype often appears as an older woman, who lives all alone and is wise with her experiences. She often needs to be coaxed to reveal the answers. Aspects of this archetype can be seen in Queens, Mothers, Grandmothers, and she is represented often in fairy tales and myths as a (good) sorceress or a witch.

We might even go on to say that some of these aspects might be found in the High Priestess card, and the Empress card as well.

Your Turn…

So what do you think? Does this make sense to you? Are there any other cards where you can find depictions of the Wise Old Man archetype and the Wise Old Woman archetype?

Please, do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

A few Angels make an appearance in the images of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot card deck. Many a times, my students have asked me about the importance of those specific Angels in that specific card. So today, lets explore this topic, and get to know the Angels in the Tarot cards a little bit better.

Before we go ahead, lets have a look at what Angels are all about.

A Bit About Angels

According to the Wikipedia page about Angels, are spiritual beings that have often been depicted as ‘messengers of God’. They are present in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, along with the Quran.

The meaning of the word ‘Angel’ is ‘messenger’, and their chief roles include protecting and guiding human beings and carrying out the different tasks set out to them by God.

Angels are considered to be pure spirits, and are often depicted with wings and halos. According to the creation myth described in the Bible and Quran, before God created Man, He created the Angels.

Now that we’ve had a bit of an introduction about Angels, lets dive in and look at the Angels in the Tarot card deck.

Angels in the Tarot Cards: Raphael in the Lovers Card

The Angel plays a very prominent part in the image of the Lovers card. Along with the Man and the Woman, this angel creates a very interesting triangle. As we can see in the image, the Angel is actually blessing the Man and the Woman.

The angel depicted in this card is said to be Raphael. The meaning of the name ‘Raphael’ is ‘God Heals’, and thus this angel is a depiction of the healing force of God.

Now, if we look at the picture of the Lovers card, we see a picture that is related to the story of how Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden after they ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge. But this image is so different from that story, isn’t it? And you are right!

In this image, we actually see Adam and Eve who are being blessed by the Angel Raphael after they have eaten the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge!

This image is conveying a very different idea: knowledge is not necessarily a bad thing! By having an angel of healing bless the Man and Woman in the picture, we see a very different meaning being conveyed here.

With Raphael blessing the couple, the image conveys a thought process that the man and the woman can actually benefit from the knowledge that they have gained. We can also see that male and female energies can be a healing force for each other. The image conveys the thought that the man and woman are equal counterparts of each other, rather then one being superior to the other. It is almost as if the angel is healing the rift between the sexes that has been built up over the ages!

Angels in the Tarot Cards: Gabriel in the Judgement Card

The next Angel we are going to see is the one in the Judgement card. Here too, the Angel is playing a very important role in the goings-on within the image of the card. The Angel in this card is blowing a trumpet that helps awaken the people who are floating about in their coffins.

The Angel in this card is said to be Gabriel. The name ‘Gabriel’ means ‘Strength of God’ and therefore this Angel is said to perform acts of justice and power. According to the Bible, it was Gabriel who had foretold the birth of Jesus. And it was Gabriel who revealed the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed.

According to the Wikipedia page, the idea that Gabriel will be the one to blow a trumpet on Judgement Day to initiate the end of time actually doesn’t exist in the Bible, but owes its origins to John Milton’s book called ‘Paradise Lost’.

However, it is the picture of Judgement Day that has been depicted on the Judgement card. Thus, we see that this Angel performs a very important role – because it is only when he blows on his trumpet that the people realize that their time of reckoning has arrived. Thus Gabriel performs a very important role in this scenario, by awakening the people and making them aware of the change that is going to come about.

Angels in the Tarot Cards: Temperance Card

We also see an Angel in the Temperance card. This angel stands with one foot in a pool of water and one foot on land, and holds two cups in his hand. He pours a liquid from one cup to the other.

Now, I have searched high and low for the name of this angel, only to realize that it isn’t a specific angel depicted on this card! Instead, the image is trying to depict the Fool (remember, the journey of the Major Arcana is the Journey of the Fool), who has now become a person who has now developed angelic attributes.

In fact, the original depictions of the Temperance card did not even show the figure as an Angel!

Temperance also connects with the different ‘Cardinal Virtues’ that were depicted in the images of the Tarot cards: Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice. While Prudence is considered to be missing from the images of the Tarot cards, the other three, happily, are represented. Fortitude is depicted in the Strength card, while Justice and Temperance are shown in the cards that bear the same names.

The Virtue of Temperance talks about balance and moderation. Among the different symbols of this virtue, is the depiction of water and wine in two jugs. And we see the Angel in the Temperance card holding two cups, pouring liquid out of one into the other!

Thus, by depicting an Angel in this card, were the authors of the deck were trying the convey the idea that it is possible for human beings to develop characteristics and virtues that elevate them to the level of Angels? I would certainly like to think so.

Your Turn / In Conclusion…

Angels thus play a very interesting role in the images of the Tarot cards. Each angel only adds into the meaning that one can derive from the image of that card. Also adding the images of these angels in the Tarot cards, the author of the deck has added in a bit of divinity that can be actually touched by and achieved by human beings.

What are your thoughts? What do these images of the angels in the Tarot cards tell you? What connections have you made with the concepts symbolized by them? Do share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

When we study the symbols present on the Tarot cards, one of the symbols we see repeatedly is the Yods. We see Yods in the Tarot cards, both Major and Minor Arcana.

Today, lets look at the Yods in the Tarot cards and understand their meaning and significance.

A Yod is the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning attributed to this symbol is ‘Hand’. It is often connected with the number 10, which is the number that talks about changes. It is pronounced ‘Ya’.

Yods

The Yod is the first alphabet of the word ‘Yahaweh’, pronounced ‘Ya-Ha-We-Ha’ – which is the Hebrew word that denotes the name of God. Therefore, a Yod has a lot of significance as a symbol in the images of the Tarot cards – because it signifies the presence of the Divine in the events happening in the card.

Note: In Hebrew, you read the letters from the left to the right.

We see the Yods on 2 of the Major Arcanas and on 3 of the Aces of the Minor Arcana. Lets see what significance the presence of this symbol has on the meaning of that card.

Yods In The Tarot: The Wheel of Fortune

We see the Yod in the wheel that lies in the center of the card. The other symbols for the word ‘Yahaweh’ are interspersed with the letters ‘T’, ‘A’, ‘R’ and ‘O’.

If we play around with these letters, we come upon 3 words: TARO, ORAT, ROTA, and ATOR. TARO refers to Tarot, ORAT is the Latin word for ‘spoken’, ROTA is Latin for ‘something that rotates or turns’, which in this case is the wheel, and ATOR is the Egyptian God of Truth. So, if we put it together, we come up with a statement that means: ‘The wheel of Tarot, turns and speaks the truth.’

And with the name of God placed among these alphabets, we might even go one step ahead and say that all the events that are played out by the wheel have a lot of Divine presence within them. Thus, we can say that the entire turning of the wheel and the sequence of events that occur thereafter are all the result of of Divine will.

The presence of Divine will and Karmic consequences is also indicated by the presence of the four angels at the four corners of the card which hold the Akashic books that record all the good and bad deeds of the person.

Yods in the Wheel of Fortune Card therefore indicate the presence of Divine will in the situations – both good and bad – that are indicated by that card.

Yods In The Tarot: The Tower

The Tower card is usually a very scary picture for most of us. And yet, it is in this picture that we see a lot of Yods. In fact, from among all the Major Arcana cards, the Tower card is the only one that has all these many Yods on it. So what could be the significance of this?

If we look carefully at the image of the Tower, we see the young man and young woman being thrown out of the Tower and on their way to fall on the rocks below. Also, the tower is breaking apart and will soon be destructed.

The presence of all the Yods in this image might suggest both, the Divine will and also Divine blessings.

Thus, one can say that the events signified by the Tower card carry an element of Destiny attached with them, a destruction which is fated, so to speak. And they also carry a lot of blessings too! However, the blessings might not be so easily visible.

The way I see it, destruction is a part of the creation process. It is that step, after which creation can begin anew. And many a times, in life, a destructive, sudden event might be a precursor for a huge change in life, in perspective and in circumstance.

While the Yods might signify a large quantity of blessings and a huge element of Fate to be associated with the events in the Tower card, these blessings are not often obvious, but might become apparent after a certain amount of time has passed.

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Yods are also present on 3 of the four Aces. As we all know, Aces signify the beginning of the cycle represented by that particular suit. So lets see how the presence of the Yods adds into the meaning of these Aces.

Yods In The Tarot: Ace of Wands

Wands represent Fire energy. Fire is warmth and passion. It is something that burns and eggs us forward, giving us the fuel required to move ahead in life.

The Ace of Wands represents the beginning of the cycle of Fire. It shows us how the first, initial burst of passion and energy can boost our journey’s beginnings. With the Ace of Wands, we see how a new passion can bring about a new beginning for an individual – be it a new job, a new relationship or a new project.

Of course, the Yods aren’t easily apparent in this image – they are actually merged with the green, live leaves of the wand!

With the presence of the Yods in this card, we also see a bunch of divine blessings added into the mix. Thus, these new energy bursts and their resultant consequences have their origins within the Divine energy, which is also the energy of the Creator.

Yods In The Tarot: Ace of Cups

Yods in the Ace of Cups look like droplets of water. If the Tower card had the most Yods among the Majors, then the Ace of Cups has the most Yods among the Minors.

The Ace of Cups represents the first burst of joyful emotions, the fountain of happiness, if you will, that brings emotional fulfillment and contentment.

And it is in these emotional, watery, divine and intuitive aspects that the Yods add their divine blessings! With the Yods on this card, we can see that this level of joy and happiness will easily take you forward to a higher level of consciousness, and close to Divinity.

Yods In The Tarot: Ace of Swords

The Ace of Swords card shows us how the first burst of mind logic can be the path of truth. It is the two-edged sword of truth that can cut through all kinds deceptions, and also forge its way through the mind’s twists and turns to reach the Ultimate.

On this card, the Yods are shown as themselves – not merged with any other symbol. The presence of the Divine and the blessings from the Divine are a very significant part of the Ace of Swords experience.

The Truth might be painful, and it is certainly very logical. But at the core of this experience are Divine blessings that will help you arrive at the conclusive proof of that truth.

The Yods in the Ace of Swords thus prove the presence of the Divine when the first, powerful burst of mind logic appears – such a strong burst of mind logic that it arrives at and reaches the Divine truth right at the outset.

Your Turn / In Conclusion…

What do you think? Does this make sense to you? Does the presence of the Yod add any other meaning or significance to the meaning of the card?

And what about the Ace of Pentacles? Why do you think that there are no Yods on that card?

Lets get talking in the comments section below!

There are many different things that you can learn from a Tarot card reading. Often taken lightly or as a joke, a Tarot card reading, when done properly, can serve as a very useful tool for helping one plan ahead, consider various options and get a lot of information about a situation or a question one is facing.

In today’s post, I am going to highlight some of the important things that one can learn from a Tarot card reading.

A Tarot card reading serves as a guiding tool for many. Very typically, a reading can give us a lot of information that helps us take decisions that are more aligned with our life’s purpose. Some of the things you can learn from Tarot card readings include:

• Perspectives – Tarot card readings can offer you a perspective that is quite different from your own, and help you see things differently.
• Options – A Tarot card reading can help you evaluate the different options in front of you, so that you can choose something that is more aligned with your goals and purposes.
• Guidance – Tarot cards provide all kinds of valuable guidance and advice that can help you understand your self better, and find the path towards a more fulfilled and abundant life.
• Creative Approaches – With a Tarot card reading, you can explore many different creative paths and approaches towards resolving your problems and questions, and that too in a fun, interactive way.
• Deeper Information and Insight – And of course, the cards provide you with a deeper look into your scenario, helping you evaluate your situation more practically and insightfully.

Lets look at each aspect in a little bit more detail.

What You Can Learn From A Tarot Card Reading: Perspectives

An old saying tells us that it is often very difficult to see something that is right in front of our noses.

And it is very, very true.

When you are close to an issue or a problem, or if some such scenario is evolving all around you, you are often not able to see things clearly.

It is at such a time that seeing things from another perspective can help us make sense of the different goings on. Another perspective brings in another set of eyes to look at the issue from a detached, uninvolved perspective that often helps us see things more clearly.

A Tarot card reading can also offer you a ‘big picture’ perspective on issues that might help you to place an event or scenario within a particular context, thus helping you to find balance in your approach towards resolving it.

What You Can Learn From A Tarot Card Reading: Options

One of the best applications of Tarot card readings is the process of evaluating options. What if you have two very good job offers and you want to know which one will be better suited to help you achieve your long term career goals? Or how about a situation where you have to choose from among two or three different options, either of which will lead your life down different paths?

In each such scenario, Tarot cards can help you evaluate your options. You can learn about how your life will shape up if you choose either option – thus leaving you with full control over your life, and allowing you to choose an option that is more aligned with your goals!

What You Can Learn From A Tarot Card Reading: Guidance

The Tarot cards can also open up many different aspects of your life to deeper scrutiny, thus helping you understand yourself better. Knowing yourself is the first step towards understanding yourself and accepting yourself, and eventually loving yourself for who and what you are.

This process can also help you identify the different destructive or repetitive patterns in your life, and the lessons you are supposed to learn from them, thus helping to clear out your karmic burdens and find a path to a more fulfilled and happy life.

Tarot card readings can also help you to achieve your goals. You can ask the cards simply ‘how’ you can go about reaching a particular goal in your life, and they will tell you how to go about it in a no-nonsense, practical way.

What You Can Learn From A Tarot Card Reading: Creative Approaches

A Tarot card reading is not just about deep introspective, serious stuff. It can be a lot of fun too! There are many interactive and creative ways in which cards can help you unlock your mind’s inner recesses and help you see things about yourself. Several of these methods can be found in the book 21 Ways To Read The Tarot Cards, and I have used these ways in actual, professional Tarot card readings to great benefit.

Tarot cards can also have many creative uses as well. For example, I have often pulled out a card (or two) when I find myself stuck while writing my novel. The more ways you can think of applying the cards, the more ways you can find creative inputs and insights from them.

What You Can Learn From A Tarot Card Reading: Deeper Information and Insight

Tarot card readings can also help you to learn more about a scenario or situation in your life. You can thus analyze a situation from several different angles, looking at both the ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ aspects of the situation at the same time.

The cards help you learn more about a question or situation, while helping you gain a lot of insight into the matter at hand. Armed with this information, you can easily take the next step(s) of your life with confidence and thus get closer to achieving your long-term goals.

Your Turn / In Conclusion…

There are so many things one can learn from a Tarot card reading! Simply finding out about the future is merely the tip of the iceberg – a Tarot card reading can give so much more guidance and insight! So go ahead and ask the cards your questions and learn how you can create a more abundant, and fulfilling life for yourself.