DECK A DANCE! (or, how
to design your own spread for a non-Tarot-based
deck
When you go to a psychic
fair, the majority of readers will have
Tarot cards with them. Tarot is the most
well-known of the divination systems in
use today, and it's a fair bet that most
people have at least seen a deck, even
if they have not used it to read for themselves.
As a result, there are thousands of volumes,
courses, and instructors who can give you
the ins and outs of how to use those familiar
78 keys to wisdom.
However, with the burgeoning
New Age and Spirituality movements, there
are many new decks that have nothing to
do with the standard Tarot archetypes.
Faeries, angels, dragons, Zen Buddhists
all have cards dedicated to their realms
of thought, in no way derivative of Tarot.
And because there is no 'tradition' associated
with them, there's no standard way to read
with a deck like these.
So the question is: without
someone telling you 'this is how you do
it,' how do you dance with your new deck?
And how do you choose from the dozens of
new decks out there?
LISTEN FOR WHO'S
ASKING YOU TO DANCE. Take some
time before you go shopping. Close your
eyes, and imagine the types of images
you want in your deck. How does it feel?
Are the colors saturated or pastel? Is
the 'feel' light or dark? How is the
deck designed - traditional artwork,
photographs, collages? Does it have 'major'
and 'minor' groupings, or are all the
cards stand-alone?
Once you've chosen your
deck and brought it home. . .
DON'T READ THE
BOOK FIRST. MAKE YOUR INTRODUCTIONS. It
makes sense to first understand the traditional
meanings of a traditional deck - years,
decades, even centuries of thought and
conjecture underlie all the symbols and
pictures. But when it's a new deck, without
a 'history,' try talking to the cards
without the benefit of other people's
ideas. Which ones draw you? What groupings
do you see? Do the cards suggest reading
them in order, as the deck was designed,
or do you see new ways of categorizing
them? Your particular insights are what
will make the deck truly 'yours.'
WHO LIVES THERE? Traditional
Tarot has court cards and suits. Does your
deck have an alternative? What personalities
do the various players have? Do your best
to avoid simply overlaying the personalities
given in a Tarot deck; dive in and find
out what is important to your deck's denizens.
FIND A SPECIFIC
TEACHER CARD FOR YOURSELF. Actively
engage the beings in the deck. The more
'energy' we give an idea, we bring it
into being as a thought-form. Whereas
a traditional Tarot deck usually assigns
Significator court cards by gender, age,
and hair/eye color, there need be no
such boundaries in your non-traditional
deck. (Heck, there may not even be people
in it!) If there is one image, one being
that reaches out to you, sit down with
he/she/it/they and see what they have
to say.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING
TO LEARN? Readings can be divided
into two different styles:
- DETERMINISTIC (sometimes called PREDICTIVE),
which are spreads that imply fixed outcomes
that cannot be changed; such answers
are more definite and predictive than
others.
- FACILITATIVE, which are readings that
assist clients in understanding their
lives, providing information without
making decisions for them, helping them
to explore alternatives thereby leaving
choice and free will, at the last, to
them. (Definitions courtesy of Designing
Your Own Tarot Spreads by Teresa
Michelsen; highly recommended!)
There are three main 'paths'
that a deck can illuminate: everyday (physical/
mental) options and choices, emotional
wisdom,
or spiritual direction. Depending on how
you intend to use the deck, the meanings
and groupings you see may shift and change
as your questions flow from one category
to another.
PEOPLE GO TO THEME PARKS FOR A
REASON. WHAT'S IT LIKE IN YOURS?
If your deck has a particular
theme, play with it! Let it expand the
possibilities. Examples:
- If the deck primarily depicts flowers,
form a plant with the layout. What are
you 'planting'? What do you need to 'fertilize'
your future? What 'bugs' - problems,
stumbling blocks, challenges - might
be eating away at your time, your resources?
- For a medieval-based deck: three classic
forms for layouts might be a church,
a castle, or a jousting field. In the
church layout, ask questions about what
'penance' might clear a challenging situation,
or what 'blessing' might be bestowed
by an action. For the castle layout:
what 'moat' do people have to cross to
get close to you? How do you let down
a 'drawbridge' to cross from one part
of your life to another? What meaning
can you give to each of the rooms? And
for the jousting field, what two solutions
or situations are battling it out for
your attention?
- Even a NASCAR deck could work: what
do you need to do to 'tune up' your life?
Where does the 'oil' need changing, in
terms of what makes life easiest for
you to deal with? Where do you always
get a 'flat tire' or 'run out of gas'?
The possibilities are endless!
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHERE THEY LIVE, INTRODUCE THEM TO YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. It's valuable
to take time to introduce your deck to
modern life: the internet, modern media,
the tasks that are important to us today.
In the 21st century, 'multitasking' is
vital for most of us; in the 19th it
wouldn't have been thought of. Ditto
modern methods of commerce, consumerism,
communication and employment. Which cards
in your deck will signify these new ideas
and modalities? Making the 'stretch'
to work with these ideas in your deck
can do wonders to deepen a reading.
I'd
love to have readers out there who use
non-Tarot decks share
their ideas. Please tell us what kind of
deck you use; why you chose it; and what
kind of readings help it really "shine" for
your clients. We'll share them in a future
column! Send your comments to Corbie@firethroughspirit.com and
make the subject line SHARING THE DECK-A-DANCE.
