Piecing the Sentence Together: Part Four
“I know what all the cards mean, I just don’t know how to piece them together into something meaningful.” This sentiment is the main issue I hear from people learning how to read tarot. Sure, memorizing 78 individual cards can be tricky but it seems like many people get stuck on contextualizing the cards.
If you find yourself in a similar place, I’m here to help! This is part three of four I’ve written about how to build the meaning of the cards together into a useful tarot reading. Each card has its own definition (and evergrowing collective understanding), when laid out in a spread they complete full sentences of meaning. Part one was on reading the cards as a story, part two was about asking better questions and part three focused on letting go. This article will discuss why and how to adopt a sense of play while reading the cards. Though this information can be expounded upon to read cards for others, I would greatly suggest reading for yourself before moving on to reading for others.
After talking about how to use a sense of play in your divination, I’ve included a practice, a ritual to try. Take it as your homework if you want. The best way to get better at anything is to try, practice, and see what way works best for you. Remember that you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be open to learning.
Part Four: Adopting a Sense of Play
The very best way I’ve found in connecting to different spiritual practices is to reconnect to my sense of play. Curiosity is an excellent tool and, I think, a necessary one in any learning process. I am not a fan of dogma and find that the most truthful things come out in bits and fragments. I definitely don’t think anyone has fully understood the universe, we’re learning new things all the time. Of course, that can be an existentially terrifying place to live in. We all feel more comfortable when things are defined and laid out for us; I’m just not sure that’s truly available.
When we are using divination tools, we have to remain open to hearing the answers as they come. It might not be what you want to hear. It might not be a direct answer to your question. And, if you’re steeped in seriousness the process is not very fun. In fact, it may bring more distress than clarity by either giving you too much or contradictory information.
But when you allow yourself to be curious about the answers you’re getting, they become something you can use and alchemize. I find that for many, they get blocked in piecing the cards together because they refuse to let go of their own seriousness. It’s hard to hear what the cards are trying to tell you when your voice keeps going on about how silly or unimportant the process is. To get good at reading the cards, you will have to suspend that hater critic and let yourself get absorbed in the process.
One of my favorite philosophers, Simone de Beauvoir, breaks down these attitudes of play and seriousness in her seminal work The Ethics of Ambiguity. She explains by illustrating how children play, “While waiting [to grow-up], he plays at being, at being a saint, a hero, a guttersnipe. He feels himself like those models whose images are sketched out in his books in broad, unequivocal strokes: explorer, brigand, sister of charity. This game of being serious can take on such an importance in the child’s life that he himself actually becomes serious,” (38-39). As she explains, many children play by adopting the roles of adults. We see them pretend to be a doctor, a mom, a teacher, a guttersnipe. They adopt the mannerisms and behaviors they associate with the role to play at being. Many of these roles get deconstructed and abandoned as our understanding of the world expands. Even so, some of the legitimacy of these roles sticks around. Some people take their job on with that seriousness. Or they make take that seriousness to their relationship or religion. They must show up certain ways because their role (teacher, mother, Christian, etc.) demands it.
It’s helpful to our generally understanding to adopt some of this seriousness some of the time, the problem comes when we forget we’re not bound to that game. When we adopt certain roles we show up in as our determined place, we limit our own freedom (if you’re agreeing or interested in this general idea please pick up some Beauvoir to read). Sure there are always consequences, but you truly don’t have to do anything. It may be more comfortable to believe that you have to show up to work, but that doesn’t make it more true.
We let this attitude of seriousness convince us that we can’t do things and it gets in the way of our healing. We confine ourselves to our comfort zones all the time when challenging things seems a bridge too far.
When heading down the self-discovery path that tarot often opens up, we often have to dismantle the serious worlds we’ve confined ourselves to. So ask yourself — What did you let yourself become, good or bad, while you were busy being? What ways does that limit you now? What would you do if you didn’t worry what you should be doing?
It’s all relevant to how you show up as a reader so you can guide yourself (and maybe others) through your murky intentions. So, more directly, what could you bring into your practice of tarot that helps you feel playful? Maybe dressing up (like I suggest later) or putting on some music can help set the playful, curious mood.
It’s all relevant to how you show up as a reader so you can guide yourself (and maybe others) through your murky intentions. So, more directly, what could you bring into your practice of tarot that helps you feel playful? Maybe dressing up or putting on some music can help set the playful, curious mood.
How could you play at being a tarot reader? What helps you feel like a reader? Many of us like to adorn our spaces and ourselves with crystals, talismans, and other charms. I’m not suggesting you go out and buy a bunch of things before you start reading (I really wish folks would stop that actually). Instead, take a look around at what you already have. Take that family picture, the candle you got on sale, and that seashell from your last trip and bring those things into your divination space. Treat the objects you already have as sacred (they are!) and see what you want to connect with. If you’re looking for clarity on a specific person, maybe you bring in a gift they gave you. Or perhaps your sister makes you feel the most at home so you bring in that pin she gave you. What pieces of yourself are you already using that could help? Start with your set and setting. Make it a ritual. If it feels silly but you still want to try, pretend!
Being playful will also allow you the room to make mistakes, which is another part of the learning process. You have to be adaptable and accept new information as you learn it. If you jump into the seriousness of the cards, before you know the cards, you can quickly burn yourself out of the process. It’s possible that you pick up a habit of over-extending your energy because you’ve never tried reading, which takes a lot of energy. Give yourself some time and space to just play with the cards and get curious about them. Let yourself get lost in the pictures. Find a way of shuffling that feels best to you and the deck. Let yourself anthropomorphize the cards, give them personality and character. Try some things without the pressure of needing to be that way from now on. It can just be a thing you’re trying, or something you tried once. Whatever you’re doing, divination or not, you only have to commit as long as you feel comfortable. When it gets awkward, let yourself laugh through it.
Curiosity helps the learning process feel less painful. To learn anything we have to step into the scary unknown for a minute. We have to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. And especially when all the things you’re learning will take practice to implement, the process can be exhausting. However, if you find something that piques your interest it’s more worth your time and energy. Use your curiosity to guide your readings, follow what is interesting you. What is your mind stuck on? What do you wish you had more information on? Excuse that energy making you feel like you must come up with the perfect thing to say and instead let yourself see what you want to know more about.
I reject most things telling people that they must be a certain way. Especially with the things people want to lable as “childish”. You laughing and playing gets deemed childish, while at the same time “children are so pure” — be for real. Laugh, play, sing, dance, have your emotions out loud and then see what happens. So much of the time we are expected to be certain things but have no room to try them out. Give yourself that room. You do not to be perfect and you do not have to have it all figured out. Play around. I have found that any time lost exploring is made up for by my own enthusiasm and effort. Besides, all of this isn’t to make you a more efficient person, but a happier one.
Practice To Try: Play Dress Up
This is a very simple practice but one I highly recommend nonetheless. Take a moment to imagine the perfect reader you. What kind of magic wielder do you feel like? I feel very connected with a Witch persona and have always felt drawn to Faeries as well. Maybe you like Goblins or Druids or Gnomes. Perhaps you want to connect your religious or cultural practice into part of your identity like a Bruja or Shaman. After you imagine that person take a look through your closet with this aesthetic in mind. What clothes do you already have that you could use? Using makeup in a different way or stylizing a standard differently can be especially effective. I recommend starting with what you have to make the integration of this identity easier but of course if you feel like going all out and shopping for your character, go for it. You can go all out to cosplay levels or just add a simple twist to your existing style. It doesn’t matter if you go anywhere or take any pictures, just try putting on the character. Try playing at being that magic wielder, whatever you decide to dress up as or how elaborate you plan to be, just let yourself pretend! Pull some cards while dressed up, see how it feels!
