Tarot and the Psyche Tarot has bee a tool for gathering information about the Self for centuries. The deck contains 72 cards, 21 of them called the Major Arcana, archetypal images similar to those that Carl Jung described as primal and universal. He discussed these as being part of our collective psyche and as Joseph Campbell showed in the Power of Myth, versions of these archetypes are present in stories and mythologies across the globe, in all cultures as stories, cautionary tales, fairy tales and myths. This is because these figures and roles resonate with us all and we each envision ourselves as these characters at various times in our lives. In the Major Arcana, these primal archetypes, roles, and life stages and changes represent, when taken as a whole, an entire journey of one's life path--birth to death to rebirth. When the Major Arcana cards show up, or when we use them alone in a reading, they indicate major shifts and themes happening in your life or deeper psychological and subconscious material that may be impacting you at this time in your life.
The other cards are divided into 4 suits, from which our regular decks of playing cards were born. These cards generally represent things happening in our day to day lives, issues we are struggling with, usually in our conscious awareness, but not always. These cards might be insights into what is happening in our work or home life, in relationships, with money and other concerns that all humans deal with. |
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For decades, psychological tools and assessments have used symbols and imagery to delve into personality and aspects of the self, assisting professionals and laypeople alike understand the terrain of the subconscious and the many layers of who we are and how we can know ourselves better.
In a counseling session, the cards work in a similar way. The universal symbology of the cards is at work as well as what the imagery may mean to you personally. The cards and how they might be configured--in what we call a "spread" or layouts-- can help create a context for exploring your feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, past events, strengths, barriers, inner conflict and more. Because of the random nature of the deck and the synchronicity that shows up, tarot cards are extremely helpful for gaining a fresh perspective on situations where you may feel stuck or unable to make a change.
I use tarot with clients who may be drawn to these methods for understanding themselves, their own motivation, their relationships and to help gain clarity around questions about all kinds of issues. I also offer tarot sessions without a psychotherapeutic context to those who are not therapy clients.
When using tarot,