Reading: Developing your intuition — Open Heart Tarot

A new series where we share actual personal readings done for ourselves or clients (with permission!) that crack our hearts and souls open so that we can dive deep to understand the context, the cards and the story they reveal.

Deck: Smith-Waite Centennial

Question: I’m looking for guidance on whether or not I’m on the right path for developing my intuition.

The spread

❁ Card 1: Where am I coming from in terms of my path to developing my intuition?
❁ Card 2: Where am I now on my path to developing my intuition?
❁ Card 3: What is my path from here to developing my intuition?
❁ Card 4: What is or what might be a hindrance on my path to developing my intuition?
❁ Card 5: What is or what might be a help on my path to developing my intuition?

Use the arrows to scroll through the five cards drawn and then read on for the story they tell.

Card 1: The Lovers (VI) (reversed)
Card 2: Five of Wands (reversed)
Card 3: Eight of Wands
Card 4: King of Swords (reversed)
Card 5: Three of Pentacles (reversed)

A note about reversed cards
Since there are a number of reversed cards here, I’ll share some information about reversed cards that I’ve found very helpful and empowering. I have adapted this from the guidance of Brigit Esselmont of Biddy Tarot in her stellar book, The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings. As always, the meanings of cards must be considered based on the specific question and the overall context within the broader story the cards in the spread tell. Here are some things reversed cards my indicate:

  • Internalized energy: Energy that is held within ourselves; it may be more private or even secretive, or is simply latent, waiting to be released and directed into action.
  • Too much or too little energy: An energy imbalance. In the case of confidence, for example, it could indicate a lack of confidence or overconfidence.
  • Blocked energy: Rather than merely being internalized, energy is blocked by something on the part of the querent or something or someone in their life. When this comes up in the cards, it is time to do some sleuthing to try to learn what is blocking the energy.
  • Upside-down imagery: This is exactly what it sounds like. When we flip a card over, we see a different image. Think of the classic optical illusion where one way there is a young woman. When the drawing is flipped top to bottom, however, we then see in the exact same image an elderly woman. With reversed cards, it can be helpful to do a visual assessment and let our intuition lead in terms of what what we see and what this other image might be trying to tell us.

The overall story

As always, it is critically important to look for the overall, cohesive story of all the cards in the reading, rather than focusing on each card on its own. The querent, the guide (reader), the question, the spread (card layout), the time and the current circumstances are all at play, along with other factors. In my opinion, this cohesive story in context is where the real power and insights come in.

The story I see here is that there is potentially impactful disharmony with one or more others who have a significant presence in your life that, above all, results in energetic conflict—which can drown out the ambient energy and intuitive messages that are surely there already. Whether a direct result of this discord with others or not, there seems to also be an opportunity (as is true for so many of us!) to increase your focus and commitment to being your own best friend—as in the friend who loves you, has your back no matter what and is willing to give you the hard truths out of love. This is the time to love yourself, trust yourself and be good to yourself. Cultivate a rich sense of your own unique power and value in the universe.

A key part of this process will be grappling with the need to stand up for yourself, set healthy boundaries and be willing to take decisive action when those boundaries are crossed. This is the time to trust your heart, mind and soul and take inventory of your passions and your values so that you can stand firm in them as these are what will guide you on your path to develop your intuition and be in a healthy place to let this serve you and others.

With the clarity all this work brings will come a brightly-lit path toward developing your intuition. Your spiritual GPS will have a strong, unobstructed signal to work with and your newfound appreciation for your own tremendous power and value will allow you to make progress in your intuitive development work at a pace you wouldn’t have imagined possible. The key is to maintain a sense of focus, humility and peace, looking out for the healthy boundaries you have established in order keep your path forward clear. This doesn’t require you to be a loud, overbearing tyrant; far from it. You have a quiet power that, frankly, this world needs more of. You can lead with love—always starting with yourself—and a fierce, humble compassion, while still being relentlessly dedicated to your values, your truths and your goals and personal commitments in life.

It may very well be that this journey toward tuning in to and developing your intuition is one that you need to undertake solo for the most part—at least in the near term as you look critically at those with a significant presence and impact on your life, the energy they bring, their effect on your ability to love and trust yourself and so forth. Don’t be afraid to spend more time alone than you’re used to or perhaps even comfortable with at first: this may be standing in front of the mirror, looking yourself in the eyes. Sitting with yourself in deeply-reflective meditation. Luxuriating a little longer in a rejuvenating bath, free of distractions. A solo trip to the ocean. Do what feeds your soul and in a way that lets you focus on you as you learn to listen to and trust what the universe, your heart and your soul are telling you about your unique role and place at this time and the critically important work you are here to do, for yourself and others.

Card by card: The building blocks

Card 1: The Lovers (VI) (reversed)

Question: Where am I coming from in terms of my path to developing my intuition?

Major Arcana: The 22 cards of the Major Arcana are a series of archetypes that represent the events within a cycle of life, often referred to as The Fool’s Journey. A Major Arcana card typically refers to a major life theme or event.
Keywords for The Lovers reversed: self-love, disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

The Lovers reversed can point to a state of being out of sync with others—particularly partners, family and other loved ones. Perhaps you can’t seem to get on the same page or there is a mismatch in values. If this is a friend or partner, this cards calls for reckoning with yourself on whether or not you truly want this person in your life. The Lovers reversed can also show up when feelings between two people are out of balance, where one is simply not as invested or enamored as the other.

The Lovers reversed can also call us to examine our relationship with our self in terms of self-love and respect. Do you honor yourself? Do you truly see your inherent worth and the unique value you bring to the world and those around you? Perhaps you have been feeling envious of others, wishing you could be more like them. You see these things you admire because they are within you, as well. The Lovers reversed invites you to see, embrace and cultivate these things within yourself and your life if they are truly what you value and admire.

Card 2: Five of Wands (reversed)

Question: Where am I now on my path to developing my intuition?

Wands: The suit of Wands is ruled by Fire and represents energy, passion and motivation. It often arrives in a reading about spirituality, new ideas and life purpose.
Five: Fives, in numerology and the Tarot, are associated with conflict, instability and change.
Keywords for the Five of Wands reversed: conflict avoidance, inner conflict, release of tension

The Five of Wands reversed indicates possible internal conflict and a lack of a firm stance on important issues, which could be social or political issues, or more personal issues around what to do in regard to a relationship or job you’re struggling with. It calls on us to do the work to align our head with our heart and take necessary action toward achieving inner peace.

The Five of Wands also shows up when we are avoiding conflict, especially if this is an ongoing pattern. Not all conflict is bad and it can be necessary for progress, even if unpleasant or difficult in the moment. The Five of Wands invites us to see conflict avoidance as compromise and to trust our hearts and our instincts and follow that in doing the work that will guide us out of situations that are hindering our progress.

Card 3: Eight of Wands

Question: What is my path from here to developing my intuition?

Wands: The suit of Wands is ruled by Fire and represents energy, passion and motivation. It often arrives in a reading about spirituality, new ideas and life purpose.
Eight: Eights, in numerology and the Tarot, represent accomplishment, action and mastery.
Keywords for the Eight of Wands: action, movement, rapid change, alignment, potential air travel

The Eight of Wands is all about energy and movement, with the promise that there is a clear path ahead for you to reach your goals more quickly than you might have imagined. It often signals a period where you will be very busy, but it will be with energy and excitement as you see your progress and know it is taking you toward a clear goal.

The Eight of Wands asks us to make the most of the energy and encouragement it brings toward moving rapidly toward our dreams and goals. Face fears head on and move past them. Find your flow and trust your place in the Universe and the work you need to do. This calls for determination, alignment and great focus with both your intentions and actions. In the process, try to complete each task before moving on to the next so you can avoid backtracking and rework.

Specifically in regard to spirituality, the Eight of Wands can signal or even seem to bring about a sudden opening of oneself to a new level of understanding and spiritual expansion, perhaps even in the form of a breakthrough moment where your spiritual path is illuminated and newly clear to you. In the context of the energy of the Eight of Wands, this is your opportunity to take immediate action and achieve the life transformation you desire.

Sword

Card 4: King of Swords (reversed)

Question: What is or what might be a hindrance on my path to developing my intuition?

Swords: The suit of Swords is ruled by Air and represents thoughts, words and actions. Swords often show up in readings related to making decisions, asserting your power and communicating ideas.
Kings: The Kings in the Tarot are self-assured, generous, strong, meditative and tend to be more extroverted and action-oriented than the Queens, who otherwise share similar traits.
Keywords for the King of Swords reversed: inner truth, quiet power, misuse of power, manipulation

The King of Swords reversed may arrive to remind you of the quiet power you hold. You may not be loud or inclined to stand behind a podium and take control of a room, but the King of Swords reversed is here to remind you that you have a great deal to contribute in your unique, necessary way. This quiet power you have comes from within—from a deep self confidence, grounded in a strong sense of your values, and a commitment to owning your power and boundaries and living your truth.

Of course, depending on the question and context, the King of Swords reversed may also visit to point to a sense of uncertainty and lack of direction; perhaps we are feeling lost and indecisive about which way to go and which options to take, causing us worry and delaying important decisions.

Finally, the King of Swords reversed may come knocking in order to warn us that we are misusing our power and that our ego has gained too much sway. If this is the case, we are prompted to take stock of whether we are wielding our power and authority to manipulate others.

Pentacle

Card 5: Three of Pentacles (reversed)

Question: What is or what might be a help on my path to developing my intuition?

Pentacles: The Suit of Pentacles is ruled by Earth and represents the material plane: material possessions, work and finances. The Pentacles cards tend to show up in readings about career and financial wealth.
Three: Threes, in numerology and the Tarot, are associated with creativity, growth and groups.
Keywords for the Three of Pentacles: working alone, disharmony, misalignment

The Three of Pentacles reversed may manifest at a time when you’re feeling ready to go it alone and get the job done on your own. It may be that you’re tired of waiting for one or more others to come along with you, or it may simply be something that you feel you need or prefer to undertake alone.

The Three of Pentacles reversed can also show up to validate our sense that the mundane job or situation we’re in is indeed just that and that we’re right to feel that our contributions and experience are going unnoticed or unappreciated. This may be a good time to make a move and find a better job or career fit.

Similarly, the Three of Pentacles reversed may simply point to a lack of respect and harmony among team members—typically in a professional or organizational setting. It doesn’t necessarily mean the situation is a deal-breaker, but it does tell us what there is a great deal of work to be done in order to set healthy boundaries, establish trust and respect and sort how to move forward as a healthy team.

References
1. The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, Brigit Esselmont of Biddy Tarot
2. Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea
3. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

Iris

Iris

they / them
Founder ♏︎ Reader ♐︎ Guide ♋︎ Seeker ♎︎

Iris is the founder of Intuitive Eclectic and, first and foremost, a seeker on the intuitive eclectic path with a current focus on intuitive Tarot and its relationship with astrology, numerology, and symbolism more broadly. Iris’s work is grounded in the knowledge that we have gravely important work to do and very little time to do it, and that our work must be intersectional and expansive. Please get in touch.

    Reading: Where to focus my social justice work? — Open Heart Tarot

    Open Heart Tarot: Personal readings for community learning.

    A new series where we share personal readings that crack our hearts and souls open so that we can dive deep into specific readings to understand the context, the cards and the story they reveal.

    Quick background
    I’ve been feeling a growing sense of… restlessness in regard to my current commitments and activities around my social justice work and community organizing. I was inspired to consult the cards in order to tap into my intuition and seek clarity. I’ve also been running a couple different volunteer projects that have been taking more time and I’ve been trying to decide how best to evolve those to achieve better balance in my life and do more good for more people.

    Deck: Smith-Waite Centennial

    Question: Where shall I focus my energy and effort in my work for social justice?

    Spread
    I rarely use canned spreads. Instead, I sit with the question and then intuitively craft a spread that will best address it. So far this has worked extremely well for me and feels like the cleanest channel to my intuition.

    In this case, I went with the following:

    Card 1: Where shall I focus my energy and efforts in my work for social justice?
    Card 2: With whom shall I collaborate in this work?
    Cards 3 through 5: What types of activities might be most effective in doing this work?

    Use the arrows to scroll through the five cards I drew and then read on for the story they tell. It’s powerful and on point!

    Card 1: Page of Wands
    Card 2: Ace of Cups (reversed)
    Card 3: Five of Cups
    Card 4: King of Pentacles
    Card 5: Wheel of Fortune

    The overall story

    It is critically important to look for the overall story of all the cards in the reading, rather than focusing on each card on its own. In my opinion, this is where the real power and insights come in.

    The lesson for me here as a Tarot reader is to always remember that the Tarot will tell you what you need to know—even if it isn’t exactly what you thought you were asking for. Always be open to that and trust your intuition.

    The visual story here is that we have a youthful (not necessarily in years) person in the Page of Wands who is keen to channel their fiery passion into something and they can be impulsive in doing so. But they have work to do. They come to realize (in the Ace of Cups reversed) that they have some inner work to do, as well as some emotional healing toward boosting their self love. That isn’t a trivial undertaking, and in the Five of Cups we see them deep in that, feeling at times disappointed and pessimistic at the state of the world and their inability to make more change on their timeline. They persevere, though, and come to a place of feeling greater stability, returning to the passionate dreams of the Page—now tempered with hard-won maturity and wisdom—and continue with fresh energy and insights to build something that will truly benefit their community and help make the positive change they long to see. The Wheel of Fortune arrives to reminds them that life is a series of cycles—ups and downs—and they accept this and even take comfort in knowing that when things are difficult, “this too shall pass,” and when things seem too good to be true, they can’t rest on their successes, but instead must prepare for the inevitable challenges that will come. Challenges that, when met with humility, will bring new lessons, more wisdom and fresh opportunities.

    Card-by-card analysis

    Card 1: Page of Wands

    Question: Where shall I focus my energy and efforts in my work for social justice?

    Wands: The suit of Wands is ruled by Fire. According to Michele Tea (1), the Wands are “fiery and impulsive, passionate and headstrong, playful and romantic.”
    Pages: The Pages in the Tarot, according to Brigit Esselmont of Biddy Tarot (2), are associated with the keywords: childlike, curious, spontaneous, exploring new qualities, new beginnings, initiation. Michelle Tea adds that “Pages are the students of the suit, suggestive of a person who has yet to master [the suit’s] special powers but who is earnestly engaged in figuring it all out.”

    This card tells me that I should channel my passion and playfulness into effective work for social justice and that this is likely to take the form of new beginnings or new approaches. This doesn’t mean that I leave it all behind, but that I take my knowledge, skills, experience and wisdom and apply them in new ways to new endeavors and/or new approaches. Michele Tea really nails it on this one when she says, “this person could just as easily be an older person who has swapped careers and is starting out at square one once more… with beginner’s mind, an excited humility…” And… that couldn’t be more spot on. I literally left my decades-long corporate career and am in school full time and volunteering and doing community organizing, as well.

    Card 2: Ace of Cups (reversed)

    Question: With whom shall I collaborate in this work?

    Cups: The suit of Cups is ruled by Water and “represents the realm of emotions… all emotional energy—both uncontrolled emotion and emotion you have a grip on…” (Tea).
    Aces: The Aces (ones) in the Tarot are associated with “new beginnings, opportunity, potential” (Esselmont).

    This is one of those times when the Tarot puts a little spin on the answer to the question. I asked who I might work with in my social justice work and the Ace of Cups reversed tells me that I probably have more work to do on my own and on myself before I start partnering closely with someone else on this. Reversed meanings for this card include “self-love, intuition, repressed emotions” (Esselmont) and I am certainly in a place of working on developing all these areas. In the last couple years, I have left the corporate world, come out, started school and started a few projects. I’ve been working to undue the effects of a very stifling upbringing and many, many long years of not being able to let me authentic self shine. Just in the last two weeks, I have been actively working for the first time on further developing my intuition through guided meditation and other exercises. So wow—this card nails it. I’ll keep doing the work and check in again in a month or so on this.

    Card 3: Five of Cups

    Question: What types of activities might be most effective in doing this work?
    I pulled three cards for guidance on this question, so this is the first of those.

    Cups: The suit of Cups is ruled by Water and “represents the realm of emotions… all emotional energy—both uncontrolled emotion and emotion you have a grip on…” (Tea).
    Fives: The Fives in the Tarot are associated with “change, instability, conflict” (Esselmont).

    Whew! The power of the Tarot is that it is very good at drawing out what we’ve been trying to avoid looking at. This card continues right on theme with the Ace of Cups reversed. The Five of Cups suggests “disappointment, pessimism,” as well as “regret, failure” (Esselmont). As I write this in 2019, things aren’t exact rosy from a social justice standpoint. (I know, I know—massive understatement.) I have indeed been letting what is happening in the world, and especially here in the U.S., get the better of me in terms of feeling terribly pessimistic and disappointed in people and institutions on so many levels. Of course, that is putting me into the state that the Ace of Cups reversed has shown up to highlight.

    Card 4: King of Pentacles

    Question: What types of activities might be most effective in doing this work?
    This is the second of three cards I pulled for guidance on this question.

    Pentacles: The suit of Pentacles is ruled by Earth and brings “stabilizing, sensible energy” (Tea), and “pertains to the physical and material levels of consciousness and associates with finances, work, bodily health, and manifestation” (Esselmont).
    Kings: The Kings in the Tarot are self-assured, generous, strong, meditative and tend to be more extroverted and action-oriented than the Queens, who otherwise share similar traits (Tea).

    This is a great reminder that there are no bad cards in the Tarot. There are cards that may offer more difficult insights than others, but every single card is necessary and there as part of the whole Tarot—and the Tarot is a tool that is here to help. The last couple cards gave me some difficult (but not surprising) truths, and the King of Pentacles brings it back to what I might look forward to if I do the work asked of me by the Ace of Cups reversed and the Five of Cups. This card tells me that if I do the self-reflection and emotional work those cards call for, I can get back to doing important work in the world. According to Michelle Tea, “if you are the King of Pentacles, something is being asked of you. …if you were thinking of starting any type of charitable organization, or hosting a benefit, or somehow spearheading activity that will benefit your community, this card says, Go!” 😮🤗

    Wheel

    Card 5: Wheel of Fortune

    Question: What types of activities might be most effective in doing this work?
    This is the third of three cards I pulled for guidance on this question.

    Major Arcana: The 22 cards of the Major Arcana “are a procession of archetypes” that represent “a lifetime’s worth of ups and downs… often referred to as ‘The Fool’s Journey'” (Tea). A Major Arcana card typically refers to a major life theme or event.
    Wheel of Fortune (X): The Wheel of Fortune, with the number 10, is associated with “good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point” (Esselmont). This card is one of the busiest in the deck in terms of the sheer number of symbols on it and things going on. In this case, it builds beautifully on the message of the King of Pentacles with the promise that “change is the only thing you can rely on, and while that can sometimes suck… this card promises that the changes heading your way are happy ones that will tug you out of whatever rut you’re in and thrust you deeper into the bigger, richer themes of your life” (Tea).

    Talk about light at the end of the tunnel!

    References
    1. The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, Brigit Esselmont of Biddy Tarot
    2. Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea
    3. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

    Iris

    Iris

    they / them
    Founder ♏︎ Reader ♐︎ Guide ♋︎ Seeker ♎︎

    Iris is the founder of Intuitive Eclectic and, first and foremost, a seeker on the intuitive eclectic path with a current focus on intuitive Tarot and its relationship with astrology, numerology, and symbolism more broadly. Iris’s work is grounded in the knowledge that we have gravely important work to do and very little time to do it, and that our work must be intersectional and expansive. Please get in touch.

      Are you ready to get going?

      Amidst all the astrological fireworks going on right now, I have been making time to reflect deeply on how I can best serve the community that I hope will form around Intuitive Eclectic as I share my passion for both learning and working to make the world a better place in community with you all.

      Our weekly tarot card—and our course of learning
      I want to share my vision for the core format for this exploration together. Each week I am going to thoughtfully pull a tarot card that is meant for you, me and all who join us on this journey. That card will act as both our syllabus and our foundational “text” for the rest of the week. Using all aspects of the card, we will study the tarot, numerology, symbols, astrology, crystals and any other correspondences the card brings up as an opportunity for holistic learning.

      Embracing the community, rejecting the scarcity mindset
      I want to make clear that a large percentage of what I share out, especially early on, will be from the best resources I find within my growing library, podcasts I follow, the websites of practitioners I am learning from, etc. In every case, I will share links to those resources, because Intuitive Eclectic isn’t about me pretending I somehow have all the information and answers. It is about learning, and we can only do that if we acknowledge and embrace the fact that we don’t have all the information and then dive into the work necessary to learn. As I learn more and have intuitive insights to share, I will certainly offer those, as well.

      Community means conversation and support
      There are so many of us who are discovering the power and importance of these tools, now more than ever in our lifetimes. I don’t want Intuitive Eclectic to be a broadcast channel. I want it to be a learning community where we can all learn from one another’s intuition, wisdom, research and learning. So I am exploring ways to make that happen. I would love to avoid having this live within the often toxic, problematic walls of Facebook—for so many reasons. So stay tuned for how that may manifest as I am hoping it will be soon!

      We have important work to do together
      To put this all in context: the world needs the work that we are embarking on together. We each need the work that we are embarking on together. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be on this journey with you. Thank you for being here with me, in community. 🌔

      Iris

      Iris

      they / them
      Founder ♏︎ Reader ♐︎ Guide ♋︎ Seeker ♎︎

      Iris is the founder of Intuitive Eclectic and, first and foremost, a seeker on the intuitive eclectic path with a current focus on intuitive Tarot and its relationship with astrology, numerology, and symbolism more broadly. Iris’s work is grounded in the knowledge that we have gravely important work to do and very little time to do it, and that our work must be intersectional and expansive. Please get in touch.

        How to prepare for a Tarot consultation

        This is how I recommend querents (those making an inquiry with the Tarot) prepare for a reading in order to get the most from it—both during the reading and after.

        Be aware of the energy you bring.
        Regardless of where you believe the energy that ‘powers’ the Tarot comes from, I haven’t met anyone who works with the Tarot regularly who doesn’t believe that energy and intuition are at play. Some work with the cards more as a centering, meditative tool and think of them as a way of working with symbols and archetypes (i.e. Jungian) that draw out our own knowledge, wisdom and energy—much in the way a skilled therapist might. Others see them as going further, drawing on and powered at least by their own psychological and spiritual energy, if not that of the broader world around them and beyond, to our place within and relationship with the cosmos. Still others see the Tarot as a tool of divination which, as the word implies, means connecting with the divine—whatever that may mean for you.

        The reading is for and about you.
        One key difference between doing a Tarot reading for yourself compared to doing one with a reader, or guide, comes back to the energy at the heart of the reading. Everyone involved in the reading brings their own energy, and I seek to both allow your energy to lead, and to do everything I can to facilitate an enriching experience with the cards. Each reading is as unique as the question, the querent, the guide, and that particular point in time. No two readings are ever alike and I work to help you make the most of each unique opportunity to gain new insights and gentle reminders.

        Make the most of your time with the cards.
        I am engaged in ongoing personal study and work to hone both my knowledge and my intuition, and to work with energy in the most authentic and beneficial ways possible. I also do specific preparation ahead of each reading so that I can be as present and helpful as possible, in collaboration with each querent. With this in mind, I invite and encourage you to do as much of the following as possible ahead of our time together.

        • Come up with a clear question and ponder it ahead of the reading.
          • This allows you to arrive at the reading having already begun to center your thoughts and energy on the guidance you’re seeking.
          • Clear questions lead to the clearest-possible guidance; ambiguous questions lead to ambiguous guidance, which is less helpful and actionable.
          • Avoid yes / no questions. I don’t believe in pre-destiny or predeterminism; instead, I believe that each of us has agency in every moment that affects the course of events and outcomes that follow. It is more helpful to ask what you might do or where you might focus your energies to facilitate progress or bring about a desired or favorable outcome rather than ask whether or not something will or will not occur.
        • Be sure the question you bring is one that you are ready to receive guidance for.
          • To put it another way, don’t ask a question if you’re not ready for the answer. Be honest with yourself and ask a question for which you will be willing and able to work with the guidance that comes in response.
          • Information alone cannot make change. Receiving guidance is only as valuable as your commitment to thoughtfully putting it to use afterward.
        • Bring an authentic question.
          • Hopefully this goes without saying, but your question should and must be authentic. If you come in with a trick question to test whether or not the Tarot works, you are likely to receive a trick response that will not be helpful; it is also disrespectful to your guide who is showing up with and for you in good faith.
        • Your question should be about you.
          • Your question should not, even inadvertently, constitute an attempt to read someone else’s mind or invade their privacy.
          • I believe in an ethical approach that respects boundaries. I am happy to work with questions regarding how you show up in relationship to others and what you might do to resolve issues, make progress in a relationship and so forth, but I will not invade the privacy of others by asking questions intended to read their minds or otherwise invade their privacy.
          • I am happy to work with you to formulate a question that gets to the spirit of what you’re seeking and is also respectful of ethical boundaries.
        • Know that the Tarot is an instrument of guidance and support.
          • As mentioned above, I don’t believe in pre-destiny or predeterminism; instead, I believe that each of us has agency in every moment that affects the course of events and outcomes. A card considered difficult by some may arrive to let us know that we may want to change course to avoid unnecessary risks or potentially unfavorable events, but there are no objectively bad or scary cards. They are all medicine for us to work with.
          • Related to the above, the Tarot speaks to the cycles of life, the cycles within cycles and the events that comprise these—all toward the state of a whole, harmonious self. As one cycle ends, it opens the door for another to begin. Even the cards that bring difficult insights arrive to provide helpful guidance and not to strike fear in us by announcing a dreaded, inevitable event over which we have no control. Some events may be far more likely than others and some we may have more influence over than others, but rarely are we powerless or without choices and the Tarot is here to help us identify what those most helpful choices might be.
        • Arrive prepared to feel present, grounded, open and receptive.
          • For me, this means avoiding being overly caffeinated and not being under the influence of recreational intoxicants (as opposed to medicinal needs, which I completely respect, of course!) immediately before and during consultations.
        A journal with a pen on it, sitting in front of tarot cards
        Be ready to capture what you learn.
        • Make the most of your time with the Tarot by being ready to capture what you discover and learn.
          • Try to plan for enough time after you leave the reading to sit quietly and capture as much of the experience as possible. People journal or record things differently depending on what works best for them overall, or where they are, how much time they have, etc.
          • Some ways you might do this are to bring a journal and pen with you and find a quiet spot to write as soon after the consultation as possible. Another option is to do a voice recording using an app on your phone or other handheld recorder. Find something that works best for you and, ideally, keep it with you over the next several days and beyond as new insights and realizations surface.
          • Some of the greatest insights and “ah-hah!” moments can come days or more after a Tarot reading as you are going about your day-to-day routine. Be open and receptive to these.
          • The Tarot works by tapping into, unlocking and illuminating what has been hidden—or what has been willfully ignored or avoided. The process may continue well after the reading, so be open and receptive to that, and ready to capture not just what you learn during the reading, but also the things you are inspired to study on your own or to seek a future consultation to inquire about.

        Do you have questions? Please get in touch with your Intuitive Eclectic guide or contact us here.

        Request a Tarot consultation with Iris.
        Iris

        Iris

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        Founder ♏︎ Reader ♐︎ Guide ♋︎ Seeker ♎︎

        Iris is the founder of Intuitive Eclectic and, first and foremost, a seeker on the intuitive eclectic path with a current focus on intuitive Tarot and its relationship with astrology, numerology, and symbolism more broadly. Iris’s work is grounded in the knowledge that we have gravely important work to do and very little time to do it, and that our work must be intersectional and expansive. Please get in touch.