Concentrating on the flip of the cards, I make mental notes of the colors, the facial expressions, the attitude of the ones the Universe has chosen fit to show me as I start a new project. Tarot embraces the creative side of seekers, showing us we have unlimited sources for our inspirations. How you choose to express it is as individual as a reading and as unique as the querent. Painting? Writing? Music? All are within the creative scope of Tarot; how can we turn this energy from a reading to a manifestation of art?
I always start with colors. For me, my Gemini yellow stands out immediately in the Knight of Pentacles, Four of Wands and others in my “working” Rider-Waite Deck, demanding my attention. It attracts my eye and I’m drawn to the card to look deeper. The shade of the background color affects the reading, is it vibrant or muted? Is it a pale wash of color or something more sinister? The soft blues depicted in the Three of Cups or the midnight-black of the Devil or Nine of Swords visually invite us to stare into the card and take from it what we can to promote our art. By incorporating these colors into a drawing, we release what we’ve learned from our reading into the world.
If you are starting a new project, use them to determine what is the prevalent mood of the cards. Can they be interpreted as a dark introduction to a piece of music? Are the characters celebrating or despondent? The suits can help to determine the pace of the song: Swords are quick and agile, they lend a sharp, almost aggressive note to the music; Wands seek harmony, a melody is wrapped within its walls; Pentacles show determination and hard work, a perfect accompaniment to a complicated solo and Cups denote joy, love and the mystery of the self.
When writing, take into account the entire spread; weave a story around the beginning, middle and ending inviting the reader to join you on the journey outlined by the cards. The characters within the cards become your heroes and villains, write down their expressions as well to what is embodied in the card to help you develop their background stories. What is their hair color? Manner of dress? Are they alone? What is the most important thing they’re doing in the card: clutching at pentacles (money) or holding the hand of the one they love? By using your spread to map out a story, half the work is done for you, Tarot itself being the ultimate reflection of your own story.
Using Tarot as a tool to delve deep within your natural creativity may open new avenues. Trying journaling about the cards within your spread to see patterns evolve as you learn more about Tarot and how it fits into your life. Take the time to put your reading to work for you as a partner for your imagination as new worlds await. Good luck!
Wynter Moon
The card for today is the Three of Pentacles, which also happens to be my theme for the month of January.
The Three of Pentacles is the card of hard work and learning. It’s 1 PM and I already feel good about what I’ve accomplished for the day, so I’m going to stop blogging and continue plugging away.