How to Read Energy Cards
“Ha, ha, ha,” I hear as I am doing an astrology chart the other week. A colleague of mine is laughing as I draw Tarot cards to double-check my astrological findings.
“You crack me up,” she says, “No one uses Tarot AFTER astrology. If anything, it should be the other way around.”
Okay. It is funny.
It’s funny as astrology is very mathematical and linear and Tarot is not. Tarot is right-brained and intuitive.
I am very familiar with energy cards, particularly the Tarot, and rely on them for many aspects of my life. So, for me, drawing Tarot after astrology works, at least for now.
However, it got me thinking. I have been informing my astrology clients of the messages from the Tarot and many have asked how to use the cards. So, when many people ask me the same question, I tend to write an article on it.
So here goes.
There are many kinds of energy cards, such as: Tarot, oracle, life purpose, animal, flower, crystal, chakra, angel, goddess, butterfly, fairy, shaman, among others.
My advice is to go to http://www.amazon.com and search oracle cards to determine if any speak to you. If so, order them.
Once you receive them, open the pack and look at the cards. You will know immediately if you want to spend time with this deck. If so, energetically clear the cards. Now you are ready to invest some energy in your cards.
Get to know them, spread them out and spend some time getting familiar with the images and wording on the cards. Peruse the accompanying booklet and read a few of the card meanings. Go back to the cards a few more times and play with them.
Have fun. Spending time playing with the cards is the most important step of this process.
Once you become comfortable with your cards, start asking them questions. If you cannot think of any questions, you can either use a layout spread (most decks include examples) or start with:
- “What do you have to tell my today?”
- “What information do I need to know right now?”
- “How can you best serve me today?”
As the most well-known and mysterious card type is the tarot, I will spend a moment explaining the deck.
Tarot cards have been around since the 15th century and are based upon the Hebrew Kabbalah. Tarot cards have been used to gain wisdom, to predict the future, to activate intuition, and to work as a roadmap for life.
Tarot cards involve a deck of 78 cards with 22 cards in the Major Arcana and 56 in the Minor Arcana. The 22 Major Arcana cards correspond to the 22 branches of the Tree of Life. The additional 56 Minor Arcana cards follow four channels of life; the mind, heart, body and spirit.
The major arcana or 22 branches of the Tree of Life can be typified by archetypes such as: the magician, empress, emperor and hermit. These cards describe universal or physical laws of order, life mastery, motion or prosperity. They depict a span of many and up to 21 years.
The minor arcana, following the four branches of life, hold 14 cards for each branch ranging from numbers one through ten and then ‘suits’ relating to a typical card deck. These 14 cards depict the range of growth within each branch.
The four branches:
- Swords or crystals for enlightenment typically represent the cards of the mind. The information speaks to your mental qualities. It represents your mental facility, acuity and progressing consciousness.
- The heart or emotional self, symbolized by cups, signifies your feelings and emotions. These cards convey your emotional state – turbulent, calm and everything in between.
- The body cards, pentacles or disks, correspond to your physical or worldly life. These cards relate to your finances, work, home, relationships, and health.
- The spirit or wand cards denote your character, perceptivity and energy.
You can use the Tarot or other energy cards to answer questions about life. You may use your cards in layout or by asking specific questions. The more you use them, the better your information.
Have fun!
