Meditating With Tarot: Tips to Tune in
Did you know that one of the most potent ways to work with the cards, to truly understand their essence beyond the books, is to sit in contemplation/meditation with them? Not only does this open a portal or gateway into the caves of that archetype, it also takes us deeper into ourselves.
A year ago we began producing meditation music to accompany each of the Major Arcana. We publish these on a semi-regular basis on YouTube and are nearing the completion of that series. But, it occurs to me that we haven’t talked much about how one can simply and practically work with that material. Or, how to just meditate with the cards in general!
Meditating with tarot isn’t technically difficult, and it doesn’t require much. What it does ask though, is sometimes more than we can give in this busy, distraction-filled world. Sometimes just finding 5 minutes can seem impossible. However, for those who feel called to carve out the time, we do believe you will find something in this space that may surprise you! It isn’t uncommon to hit a wall with certain cards, and meditation can be a great way to move beyond that wall in all kinds of unexpected ways.
And that’s why we love meditation. It gives space to bring things to the forefront of our consciousness that we didn’t even know we had the capacity for; that we didn’t even know we needed!
To get started, first decide what it is you wish to gain from the session. Of course, you could always be a bit more free flow and approach things with a “whatever may come” kind of mindset. If you are to set an intention, think about what that might look like. Here are some possibilities.
I intend to tap into the energy of this card so I may learn more about it
I intend to step into the landscape of this card as a way to see it more clearly and become immersed in its essence
I intend to make space for this card to reveal something about itself that was once obscured to me
I intend to connect with this card to better understand where it lives in me and how it works through me
I intend to connect with a particular attribute belonging to this card as a means to invoke that (i.e. using The Hierophant to amplify intuition and that inner guidance system)
You may choose to simply work with the card in silence, or you might want to incorporate some music to help set the stage. This is where our Musickal Meditations come in. We are firm believers that involving the senses during ritual is a powerful way to improve the efficacy of those workings. This is because, as Neville Goddard says, feeling is the secret. And of course, we must always mind our own preferences and dispositions. Not everyone is able to work with all physical senses for various reasons and that is not a limitation to this process. This is a unique journey. Use what helps you feel tapped in, but only to the degree that it is right for you. For example, we love incense and find that really immersive, but it could be really overpowering to someone else and actually be more of a distraction. We need our ritual elements to complement the work, not detract from it!
For those who want to get deep into the cards with the aid of some musickal ambiance, I will now share each of our meditation tracks along with some ideas on how you could work with them/what they could do for you. You may already know which archetype you want to tap into the most and if you aren’t sure, you could also shuffle the cards and let them guide the way!
The Magician
The Magician sets us apart from the rest; a singular and separate entity with our own talents, skillsets and desires. You can use this archetype to enhance your powers of concentration, attention and focus. You may also use it to tap into your own singular essence and what makes you unique.
The High Priestess
The High Priestess is a keeper of records. For this reason, she knows stuff that we’ve deep buried and long forgotten. You can use this archetype to increase your powers of memory. You may also use it to tap into the subconscious including personal/collective roots, buried drives and hidden impulses.
The Empress
The Empress is an imaginative, expressive and creative force. You can use this archetype to enhance your imagination, artistry and ability to express yourself freely. You may also use it to tap into light and inspiration to unlock those creative impulses within.
The Emperor
The Emperor is a strong and sturdy authority figure, giving form and convention to our visions. You can use this archetype to enhance your sense of security and stability. You may also use it to tap into your inner authority, allowing you to take action and command over your life.
The Hierophant
The Hierophant is a wisdom keeper - a gentle and intuitive guidance post from within. You can use this archetype to increase your intuition and enhance your ability to hear your own wise teacher. You may also use it to tap into your centre, truth and higher knowing.
The Lovers
The Lovers represents higher choosing, transparency and discernment. When you are in the land of The Lovers, you are in alignment with all aspects of your being, free from shame and ready to integrate. You can use this archetype to improve your ability to properly discern and discriminate, especially when it comes to making decisions. You may also use it to tap into your truest, most authentic aspects without all the masks, clothes and baggage.
The Chariot
The Chariot is guided by a higher will and purpose. Connected both to the cosmos and the lower realms, The Chariot commands its vessel with poise and accuracy. You can use this archetype to increase your motivation, drive and ability to pass over control to the divine. You may also use it to tap into the truest direction for you to be traveling in this moment.
Strength
Strength is a symbol for influence, poise and control. But, Strength doesn’t rule with an iron fist. Strength defeats its enemies and challenges through integration and understanding. You can use this archetype to increase your feelings of inner and outer fortitude. You may also use it to tap into it to better understand the challenges in your life and what you must to do overcome them.
The Hermit
The Hermit represents a state of solitude, having reached a platitude few dare tread. The Hermit occupies a higher perspective and as such, lights the ways for others on the path. You can use this archetype to improve your own meditative/reflective practice. You may also use it to tap into the part of yourself that has already reached that summit and is actively in commune with the divine.
The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune depicts our time on this plane - full of ups and downs, highs and lows. When we begin to see those patterns, results of karma and cause and effect, we can begin to understand the connection between luck and fate. You can use this archetype to improve your sense luck and fortune. You may also use it to tap into repeated patterns of cycles in your own life, to better understand them and break them if necessary.
Justice
Justice represents law - but not the kind of law you see play out in a court room. Justice stands for universal law - cause and effect and the other principles that dance all around us, unnoticed. You can use this archetype to find the justice or reason behind a particular situation or event. You may also use it to tap into the hidden laws around you so as to not only see them, but work within their bounds more effectively.
The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is the point in one’s journey where things turn upside down. The Hanged Man represents the surrender required to allow for a transformation in perspective to occur. The question is - what are you willing to sacrifice? You can use this archetype to challenge your perspective, help you to see something in a new light or allow yourself to pause and rest. You may also use it to tap into altered states of consciousness.
Death
Death sounds scary, but is the activity of letting go once the surrender (see above) takes place. Our attachments can be a burden to living a truly aligned life. Death opens the gate to true transformation, freedom and liberation. You can use this archetype to improve your relationship to change. You may also use it to tap into the part of you that is seeking transformation/liberation.
Temperance
Temperance is a mediating force, carefully blending the elements to achieve the desired results. You can use this archetype to achieve balance, harmony and moderation in your endeavors. You may also use it to tap into any alchemical changes happening within in an effort to learn how you can help facilitate that process.
The Devil
The Devil hides in plain sight, tempting us, confusing us and casting a veil of illusion over this sensory world. Seeing where The Devil is and how that figure has kept us trapped is one way to begin to lift that veil. You can use this archetype to enhance your powers of perception so you may see the reality of a situation more clearly. You may also use it to tap into areas of your life that are keeping you stuck in an effort to lift those chains.
The Tower
The Tower might seem like a strange archetype to purposefully to invoke, but for someone who has personally used lightning water in ritual to bring about needed destruction, I can tell you, sometimes you just gotta pull out all the stops. Not to mention, working consciously with this energy can also help stir revelations of all sorts, illuminate what’s been concealed and start fresh with the proper foundation to grow again.
And this is as far as we’ve gone in this musickal journey - to date. We are actively working on completing our Tower track, so that will be uploaded soon and when it is, this blog post will be updated to reflect that!
And of course, our meditation practice doesn’t need to be limited to the majors. The minors can teach and show us so much as well. I’m not sure that we’ll ever make musick to go with them, but the possibility remains. The practice of meditation has no limits, really - anything you wish to take into that space clearly wants to be there for a reason, and surely there is something there waiting for you.
Julia & Tim