Tarot Life Book 10: Becoming the Real

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TAROT LIFE BOOK 10 Becoming the Real

Authors Note: This is Month 10 of our 12-booklet Tarot Life series; you will require the previous Months 1-9 booklets to follow the sequence over the year. Most of the exercises in each booklet may be carried out as stand-alone pieces of self-discovery or re-purposed for use in daily, personal or client readings.

By Tali Goodwin & Marcus Katz

You are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Contents WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY … About the Authors Contents Introduction The Real Chapter 1:

Becoming the Real

Chapter 2:

Riding the Tarot Currents

Chapter 3:

Tarot Everywhere …

Chapter 4:

Every-Day Tarot List

Conclusion Bibliography Websites & Resources Kindle Tarot Books & Series

Introduction Tarot to Engage Life, Not Escape It. Marcus Katz In this series of Kickstart books of Tarosophy teaching, we take a break from our other tarot books, such as the reference work of Tarot Flip, the seventy-eight innovative Tarot methods in Tarot Twist, and the spiritual considerations of Tarot Inspire, to offer a unique practice of our work. You are about to change your life with Tarot, and whether you are a newcomer to tarot or experienced reader, you are about to do something totally new. In using what we call a Gated Spread – a linked sequence of tarot readings whose questions are determined by the results of real-world activities – you are going to fundamentally alter the way you experience your life. We have combined here the wisdom of the Tarot with years of practical testing and the latest research in psychology and the biology of willpower, belief, habit and other aspects of our being. This series is designed to be experienced a month at a time, and in the sequence given, although there are many methods you will learn that can be used simply by themselves, for yourself or others. You can start at any time, although New Year; your Birthday; or the Spring Equinox are all powerful starting times.

The Real I’m embedded in this world, yes – but I am not bound, not imprisoned. David Abram In our previous gate 9, we brought together gates 1-4, and now we bring together gates 5-8. We then bring gates 9 & 10 together in gate 11, and wrap up the entire experience in gate 12. If you are a fan of the TV series, “Breaking Bad”, which recently concluded at the same time as the editing of these final Tarot Life booklets, you will see a similarity between this present book and ‘Ozymandias’ in that TV series. That was the third but last episode, and brought everything from the whole of five series together, before the penultimate and concluding two episodes, which almost served as epilogues to the main storyline. In a sense, we can compare such epic story-telling and tarot as they both – at their best - follow the structure underpinning our life. A good tarot reading reflects the querent’s life story and provides a “chapter” for them to consider as a context for their situation. It provides “teasers” and back-story, it provides characters, conflicts and resolutions – all essential to plotting. We have provided these tools throughout this present series of gates.

We can now, at this climatic stage, reveal where we have been heading for so long over this year of Tarot Life. It goes far beyond the usual spreads and games involved with tarot cards. All the exercises have been leading to install a certain type of awareness in anyone progressing through all the gates. An awareness that tarot – and life – are constructed of hidden (“occult”) patterns and relationships, bound together – and made visible - by correspondence. It is this magical mindset that the Tarot Life gates are primarily designed to initiate in the journeyer. A Tarot Life is a constructed narrative to recognized patterns, archetypes, events and situations – which, in its construction, turns our fate into destiny. So we have become story-tellers of our own life, enriching our experience, deepening our understanding and developing our wisdom, through the Tarot. This is Tarosophy – the living wisdom (Tarot + Sophia) expressed in tarot life. As our life is unified with our experience, our actual life starts to change as we build a stronger narrative; more consistent, comprehensive and congruent to whatever reality may actually be, underneath and beyond our perception. Your Tarot Life is about to get even more powerful …

Becoming the Real In Gate 5, we saw how we can embody “secret missions” in our daily lives, and practiced delivering these missions. In Gate 6 we then took this practice and extended it to offering “service” by ‘lighting our hermitage’, which was in effect our daily life. Gate 7 then presented us a balancing mechanism within a duality in our experience (‘regrets and recognitions’) and Gate 8 delivered us into the Tarot Life method; of experiencing real life as a reading, using all of the previous learning. Gate 9 located our Union card, Gate 10 now provides us our Cascade card. We then join these together (equating to Sagittarius/Temperance and Capricorn/Devil, or the Angel and the Devil) in Gate 11 as ‘Keys to Freedom’, leading ultimately to the tarot initiation into the path of “Deep Divinity/Divination” in Gate 12. These gates are all modeled on the 12-month astrological progression through the signs of the zodiac, ritualized to everyday life through their tarot correspondences. We hope too that you have come to experience how powerful any every-day event in life can be when viewed through the lens of tarot. We have indeed travelled a long way together, and we hope that you are still with us down the rabbit hole signposted with nothing more than a tarot card! We now see how we can use Tarot Currents in our life to become the real …

The Tarot Currents Riding the Tarot Currents There are two parts to this month’s gate; the first is optional but may provide interesting structure to the constant practice of the second part. In this first part, we consider aligning ourselves to the Tarot Currents, fastening ourselves to “reality rails” that hide just beneath the surface of perception. Through correspondence, the Sun and Moon relate to the Sun and High Priestess cards in the Tarot. These represent the pairing of the conscious and unconscious minds; the obvious and the subtle; the seen and unseen; the awakening and the dreaming; the day and night. As the real Sun and Moon travel through space, and in relationship to the Earth, we see that they pass through the zodiacal sequence every year and every lunar month. In doing so, the currents of the Sun and Moon pass through the signs in which they inhabit for that window of time, and these invisible currents provide powerful energies of which we can take advantage. Even if you do not believe in any particular energies or correspondences, you can use this exercise as a means of providing helpful “random reminders” along your journey. Who knows, you may find that they turn out to be nor so random after all!

So during this month of tarot life (and here is where you get to do work for yourself) you should consult an online almanac or ephemeris and discover where the Sun is placed during the month, and through which signs the Moon is passing – and when. In the Sun’s case, over a month, it may be passing through one or two signs, depending on your chosen start and end time for the gate. In the Moon’s case, it passes through each sign every couple of days. Here are two sites that provide Lunar information:

http://www.lunarium.co.uk/calendar/universal.jsp http://www.cafeastrology.com/thismonthsephemeris.html

In each case, you will see the zodiacal sign into which the Moon is passing, and the time at which that occurs, and then a couple of days later the next sign, etc. For this exercise, use the approximate times as they generally apply to each day, i.e. dawn to sunset, when you are likely most active. So if the Moon is in Scorpio from 8 am of one day, and leaves it the following day at 9pm, then Moon in Scorpio is chosen for your Tarot Current of those two days. If you need any assistance or want to check your choices, just ask in the Tarot Life Facebook group.

You will then have the Sun and Moon signs for every day over a month-long period. Obviously, you can make this even easier by starting the exercise when the Sun moves into a sign, say Aries at the Spring Equinox of March 21st, etc. However, that will limit the potential of discovery which is opened by another Solar current and its combinations with the Lunar currents.

Interpreting the Tarot Currents Once you have discovered the Solar/Lunar positions in the zodiac over your chosen month, you can then interpret them – in advance, or ahead of each particular 2-3 day period. Simply lay out the Sun and High Priestess cards, and then underneath them place the corresponding pair of Zodiacal cards to the signs of the Zodiac in which the Sun and Moon (High Priestess) are placed in the heavens. So if the Sun was in Cancer, and the Moon in Scorpio for two days, we would take the Sun and High Priestess, and place below the Sun, the Chariot Card (Cancer), and the Death card (Scorpio) below the High Priestess. This gives us our Tarot Current layout for those two days. We take the current as a push-me/pull-me type of energy circuit. The pair of Sun and zodiacal card create a positive pole, and the pair of Moon and zodiacal card create a negative pole. This is in the sense of energy rather than “good” and “bad”. So we read the Solar Pair and the Lunar Pair, and then see how they may be providing us an opportunity to harness their energies – much as we have done in previous gates. However, here, we are connecting ourselves to the very heavens.

We have provided several examples of interpretation below, for a sample period of the 6th July – 29th July of a particular year, and another period of 10th August – 16th August, so we can show how interpretation of the Solar cards changes as well as the Lunar cards. You may also consider adding this consideration into your readings with friends, clients or for yourself. You can work magick or perform readings at particularly favorable Tarot Currents (windows of 2 days) or advise timings based on considering these currents. In effect, it is a tarot shortcut equivalent to looking at astrological solar and lunar transits! First, here are the Zodiacal Cards as a reminder.

Zodiacal Correspondence Cards Aries

Emperor

Taurus

Hierophant

Gemini

Lovers

Cancer

Chariot

Leo

Strength

Virgo

Hermit

Libra

Justice

Scorpio

Death

Sagittarius

Temperance

Capricorn

Devil

Aquarius

Star

Pisces

Moon

Sample Tarot Currents 14-16 Aug: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Death: Whilst you make progress, something is letting go inside. By your work you are changed. 12-13 Aug: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Justice: Are you sure you want to do that? Take a moment to reflect and balance before charging forth! 10-11 Aug: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Hermit: From a still voice inside comes all the power you need. Breathe in. Breathe out. Silent Going. 28-29 July: Sol/Strength+Luna/Moon: Reflecting on the strength of fear, you find the fear strengthens your resolve to fight. 25-27 July: Sol/Strength+Luna/Star: During the Full Moon on 25th, be brave & listen to dreams. They are YOURS, align to them! 23-24 July: Sol/Strength+Luna/Devil: A tough time revealing what you cannot let go off – yet. A clue to a better relationship. 20-22 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Temperance: Things combine together in front of you - bind them to your cause. An alchemical time! 18-19 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Scorpio: Ditch the emotional baggage & transform to an urge of joyful innocence. Project yourself! 16-17 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Libra: You'll need to balance work/play for a couple of days after recent activities! Play fair! 14-15 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Hermit: Drive forwards but ensure you are setting a good example by being true to your own vision 12-13 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Strength: Two days to harness your drive to what feels intuitively to be the right relationship.

10-11 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Chariot: Two days of power, make every act of might and courage, true to yourself and your aims! 8-9 July: Sol/Chariot+Luna/Lovers: Plan ahead to rein your forces in reflective partnership with others who share your joy. 6-7 July: Sol/Chariot + Luna/Hierophant. This time is good for gaining control of direction with intuitive advice of an expert.

The Cascade Card Tarot Everywhere … In the living tarot practice for this gate, we accelerate the process of mapping real life to the tarot cards in everyday experience. This is essential to build up the velocity for the initiatory two gates to conclude this experience. You will need a notebook, or a mobile phone/tablet equivalent, or voice memo system, to carry about with you during this month. Your exercise is to see as much tarot in your moment-to-moment experience as possible. Everything and everyone should be converted via correspondence into a tarot card equivalent. You can note down any particular insights, peculiarities and obvious (or not so obvious) correspondences as they occur, or try and write down everything as it happens, if you can. You can see these cards enacting themselves through subtle or obvious ways, or on TV or through film. I (Marcus) was joking with Tali that her suggestion of “Volcano” was somewhat obscure for the Blasted Tower, as how many people would be likely to experience a volcanic eruption (literally, not symbolically) in their lives over an average month?

The following day – literally – I was flicking through the film channels and saw that the film “Volcano” was just ending. I laughed and said to my wife, ‘I don’t believe it’ and clicked on the channel. You can see that of course, as ‘selective bias’ (I just happened to notice it because I was looking for it), but that would not explain what then happened. The ending of the movie was just happening on the screen, as Tommy Lee Jones raced away from a TOWER which was being blown up to divert the lava threatening the city. As I watched, the tower started to collapse, and the camera – just to ensure that I was aware of the truly powerful magic of Tarot Life – panned to the explosive charge switchbox, which was labeled TOWER. I was literally looking at a Blasted Tower in the film Volcano. We cannot promise such literal and strange magick during your own month, but you may actually experience even more weird synchronicities than this! As we bring vision and reality together at this stage, the “veil becomes thin”. You should also note any dreams during this time, which may intensify as you drop down into this constant practice. We have listed just a few of the infinite possibilities that you may use for turning the tarot inside-out into your life.

Selecting Your Cascade Card

The Cascade Card is simply the card which either turns up most during this practice – or most strikingly. At this stage of the gates we cannot possibly predict your personal cascade card, not its manner of communication – if you have been working through all the gates so far, you will be attuned enough to know it when it happens. It could be any one of the 78 cards, not just a Major card, as the Tower in the real-life example above. It is this Cascade card that you will then pair with your Union card in the penultimate gate to follow next month.

Every-Day Tarot List Page of Pentacles Making a small deposit, paying for something, starting a small piece of work. A young child with a coin. Page of Swords A child with a pretend sword, someone looking out, spying. Page of Cups Puppy, kitten, child’s temper tantrum, taking the last cake off the plate, fashion designer. Page of Wands Walking staff, young person setting off on a journey. 10 of Pentacles Busy marketplace, lottery win, bank, stock market trading floor, family gathering, reading of a will, retirement party. 10 of Swords Acupuncture, going into rehab, sudden redundancy, doing a de-tox, backstabbing at work. 10 of Cups Moving into your new home, seeing a rainbow, coming home, appreciating the beauty of life. 10 of Wands

Carrying heavy luggage, having to push a car to get it going, painting/decorating the ceiling, cooking food for a dinner party. WORLD XXI Giving birth, a death, embarking on a journey, child leaving home, a reiki healing treatment, charity work, singing in a choir, facebook, initiation, learning to speak a foreign language, a globe. JUDGEMENT XX Calling a meeting, being accountable, calling in a debt, appraisal, putting in a tax return, watching a zombie film, admitting you are in the wrong/owning up. MOON XVIII The moon, dreaming, sleeping, hypnotherapy session, consulting a medium, menstrual cycle, watching the movement of the tide, madness, genius, mysterious moment, liminal experience, a vision, a sleeping cat, seeing an apparition, a drunk person, alcohol, medications, being intuitive. 9 of Pentacles A falcon/bird of prey, a walled garden, a wealthy woman, the gardens of a stately home, independent person, relaxing in the security of your garden, being in charge of your finances/resources, eliciting loyalty/respect, attaining respectability. 9 of Swords Sleepless night/insomnia, nightmares, horror film, depression.

9 of Cups

An indulgent dinner out, interaction with a self-satisfied person, a shopping spree, drinking too much, eating too much, saying too much, being the cordial host. 9 of Wands The installment of a security system, guard dog, big fence, lock and key, paranoia. SUN XIX The Sun, waking up, taking a vitamin D pill, turning light on, roaring fire, positivity, warmth, friendly person, friendly dog, everyone is your friend, positive people. STAR XVII A celebrity, a ray of hope, a bright thing in the darkness, a star. TEMPERANCE XIV Controlling ones temper, walking on a tightrope, spirit level, barometer, recycling - sewage treatments (possible to convert into drinking water), ice skating. 8 of Pentacles Work in progress, stonemason, craftsman, hardware, shop, perfectionism, concentration.

hammer,

chisel,

8 of Swords Trying to walk in impossible killer heels, stuck for words, being paralyzed by fear, public speaking phobia, passive-aggressive behavior. 8 of Cups

Walking away from a situation, a sense of movement, watching someone leave. 8 of Wands A post card from a friend, throwing javelins, casting sticks. HANGED MAN XII Bungee jumping, deep sea diving, cycling without holding onto handlebars, flying in a plane, sky diving, using a zip wire. DEVIL XV Chains, dog leash, collars, darkness, ignorance, fear. BLASTED TOWER XVI Volcano, breakdown of a relationship, something toppling or falling over, a sudden surprise or shock, a balloon bursting, stick snapping. 7 of Pentacles Gardening, a complaint letter or call, disappointment, waiting to choose something at the market. 7 of Swords Carrying a few bags but not all of them from your car to the house. 7 of Cups A display, window dressing, being distracted. 7 of Wands Play-fighting, keeping a group of people in place, standing your ground in an argument. DEATH XIII End of a relationship, Winter and Autumn, a skeleton.

WHEEL X Car wheel, washing machine, Ferris wheel, Catherine wheel, Cart wheel, recycling logo, steering wheel. 6 of Pentacles A charity donation, equally dividing something, being fair, a fair division of labour. 6 of Swords Rowing a boat, crossing over water, taking people somewhere, taxi. 6 of Cups A childhood gift, playing, flowers in pots, tending a small courtyard garden. 6 of Wands A man on a horse, being on one’s “high horse”, crowd-funding, rallying the troops, call to arms, victory celebration, return of soldiers. JUSTICE XI Weighing scales, see-saw, thermometer, Sword, calibrator, pendulum clock, a judge, referee, TV program ‘Undercover boss’, policeman, jury, an adjudicator, examiner, Work-appraisal, advocate, peace worker, caped crusader. LOVERS VI Engagement ring, wedding ring, kissing gate, loving cup, Valentine’s Day card, Love-letter, dove, love song, Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 ‘shall I compare you to a Summers day’, Romeo and Juliet, a rose, candle-light, love nest, a case of lust or jealousy. EMPEROR IV

House, Palace, ram, horns, throne, lions, banquet, soldiers, army, country, law, crown, scepter, gold, coins, boss, argument, rules, rule book, whip, dictator, bully. HERMIT IX A torch, a single lit lamp at the end of a subway tunnel, homeless person, somebody standing at the top of a ladder, mountain climber, astronaut, night-watch man, Sherpa/mountain guide, Lighthouse keeper, desk lamp, compass. Knight of Pentacles A shire horse, suit of armor, insurance broker. Knight of Swords A barrister, solicitor, war/news correspondent, writing a defensive email/letter. Knight of Cups Cocktail-maker, new boyfriend, seductive man/womanizer. Knight of Wands A patriotic soldier, a young man holding a ski-pole. 5 of Pentacles Church stained-glass window, homeless person, hospital crutches, seeing somebody with no shoes on, hole in your shoe, snow-storm. 5 of Swords Cloudy sky, burglar alarm, surveillance systems, auditor. 5 of Cups Three spilt cups, a waste, something knocked over, a bridge, a mourning figure.

5 of Wands Men on a building-site arguing or discussing whilst holding scaffold poles, five sticks or matches fallen on a table. CHARIOT VII A horse-rider, rollercoaster, airplane, using the brakes on your car, rowing a boat, Husky dog driver (Dog sledding). STRENGTH VIII Boiling an egg, Dog-training, taming nature (creating a dam), tug-ofwar, petting a cat/dog, Horse-whispering. 4 of Pentacles Full piggy-bank, four coins, city skyline. 4 of Swords A tomb in a church, a man pretending to be a statue in a park. 4 of Cups Someone offering you a drink, accidentally ignoring someone for a moment, being lost in your own thoughts, being interrupted, sitting under a tree. 4 of Wands Invitation to a party, wedding reception, camping trip, gazebo, garden party, bandstand, bus stop shelter. HEIROPHANT V Teacher; school, college, churchman, ritual celebration, christening, wedding, priest, shaman, religious event, book, bible, professional, doctor, lawyer. 3 of Pentacles

Apprentice, student, place of learning, university, college, school, pupil, work in progress sign, learner driver and instructor, somebody holding a ladder for somebody, architect drawing up a design, being in a meeting at work. 3 of Swords Crossed words, three people arguing, three knives on a table, a heart in surgery on a TV show. 3 of Cups A party with women, three women meeting for lunch. 3 of Wands The coast-line, getting a good view from the top of a building. EMPRESS III Fertility clinic, maternity ward, female head teacher, female head of state; Queen, female gynecologist, generous party host, mother, older sister, aunt, mother of all mothers-grandmother! Mother’s Day, pet giving birth, gardening. Queen of Pentacles A rich woman, with pets. Queen of Swords A woman with a quick wit, telling a joke, making a fast decision. Queen of Cups A poetic or dreamy woman, a woman day-dreaming, a woman holding a large cup. Queen of Wands

A strong woman with clear values. A woman making a stand, a call, a campaign, a woman holding a walking-stick. 2 of Pentacles Juggling, dancing, plate-spinning, waves, a man making narrowly avoiding a fall. 2 of Swords Frustration, not being able to get your jumper over your head, getting lost, not being able to locate your car in a car park, problems driving out of a car parking space (blocked in), caught in a traffic jam, a bad hangover, in two minds, writers block. 2 of Cups Asking someone out on a date, reunion, reconciliation. 2 of Wands Two pens, surveyor at work on road, planning a vacation. King of Pentacles A rich man, a man holding money bags at a bank. King of Swords Argumentative old man, control freak, a man holding a sharp weapon, a sword expert. King of Cups A deep and emotional man, a man reading poetry, a man holding a cup. King of Wands A strong and decisive man, a man holding a scaffold. HIGH PRIESTESS II

Nun, female priest, priestess, silent place, veil, prayer book, law book, cave, well, moon, Venus. MAGICIAN I Film director, cooking, TV Chef, Gambler/Hustler, Card-sharp, Magic trick. Ace of Pentacles Farmer, planting seeds, spade, coin, large golden plate. Ace of Swords A sword, knife, letter-opener or other bladed object. Ace of Cups Cup, tear jerker (books/films), love at first sight, setting up a profile with a dating agency. Ace of Wands A stick, a walking stick, a lit match, a single tree. FOOL 0 Mountain climber, astronaut, shoulder bag, dog, puppy.

Bibliography Waite, A. E. Pictorial Key to the Tarot. London: Rider, 1974