Kooch Daniels studied with Harish Johari for 20 years and is also a student of Sri Amritanandamayi. She is the coauthor, with Victor Daniels, Ph.D., of Tarot d’Amour and lives in Sonoma County, California.

Victor Daniels, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Sonoma State University. He was the first director of the India Studies program at Sonoma and studied meditation with Harish Johari and Jakusho Kwong-Roshi. He is the coauthor, with Kooch Daniels, of Tarot d'Amour and lives in Sonoma County, California.

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

It [the tarot] is a monumental and unique work ... strong and simple like thearchitecture of the pyramids, consequently long-lasting like them; it is a bookwhich, as it speaks, makes us think; and surely one of the finest things whichantiquity has left to us.

—Eliphas Lévy, As Cited By Oswald Wirth in Tarot of the Magicians

Your personal connection with the cards is the key to unveiling their mysteries.The more you study them, the more they tell you and the deeper you are drawninto the depths of your own psyche.

Just studying a book—even this one—won't teach you the magic of the tarot. Youhave to get to know the cards on a familiar, personal level—treating them likegood friends with whom you can converse about matters great and small, andsometimes share your deepest secrets. Some cards help you feel better aboutyourself and your life, some cause you to question particular attitudes andactions, some help you use your mind more effectively, and some help you open upto your feelings, intuition, and hidden potential. When you share your hopes andfears with the cards, often they answer back, sometimes in surprising ways.

If you don't already have a deck, now's the time to get one. Metaphysicalbookstores usually have a variety of demonstration sets that you can lookthrough in your search for a deck that's right for you. Exploring various setsand comparing their colors, styles, and stances will help you find one youespecially like. The more you enjoy looking at your deck, the more interestedyou'll be in studying it, and the more quickly you'll become acquainted with it.In turn, the more time you spend playing with the cards, the faster you'll learnhow each card communicates with you about mind, body, heart, and soul.

Students sometimes ask if it's OK to use someone else's deck. This question isbest answered by your own intuition. When you look at cards that others haveused, ask yourself how they feel. Do you get a good feeling from them, or dothey feel strange? If you feel good using them, they'll work for you. If youfeel weird about using someone else's cards, they probably won't work in apositive way.

Using Your Cards

Whether you're a psychologist, sorcerer, yogini, or soccer mom, when you firstbegin to use your cards, you may want to think about your relationship with themand your purpose for using them. Whether you plan to use them for personalinquiry or for doing readings for others, you'll want to create a special bondbetween you and your cards. Your personal ritual to connect with them can belarge or small, uniquely your own, or something borrowed from a spiritualtradition, like doing a Native American chant to communicate with the GreatSpirit. You may want to use candles, incense, or aromatherapy to make anoffering to the spirit who will be your inner guide as you ponder the cards'messages. Before I begin to use a new deck, I say a prayer and ask the goddessof esoterica and magic to shine her light to help me see the meaning of thecards clearly.

The first question I present to a new deck of cards is: "Will you work for me?"I need to know if the cards and I will be able to communicate. If the first cardcontains positive images, I assume the answer is yes. In time, it will becomeobvious whether a deck will work for you, because you'll find yourself eitherusing your cards often or putting them in a drawer behind something you deemmore important.

Whatever method you choose for initiating your cards, we recommend tucking themunder your pillow for a night to let them rest under your dreaming, subconsciousmind. This can enliven your relationship with the cards and improve your chancesfor a meaningful connection with them.

Putting your deck in a silk cloth or wooden box will protect your cards, andperhaps invite you to play with them. Covering your cards can also protect themfrom unnecessary worldly energy so they'll work better for you.

The Structure of the Tarot

The tarot is divided into two parts: 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcanacards divided into four suits. The major, or greater, arcana is allegorical,illustrated in the language of symbols. It describes various passages a personmay take during the earthly journey. Love/hate, pleasure/pain,problems/resolutions, death/rebirth, and other transitions are visually depictedthrough a symbolic dialogue that can best be understood when you balance yourconscious rational understanding with your unconscious intuitive understanding.The more you feel, as well as think, about a card's symbolic content, the moreit will tell you.

The minor arcana, or lesser trumps, are represented in four suits: cups, swords,pentacles, and wands. Each suit corresponds to one of the four ancient elementsand to an essential dimension of life. Cups are linked to the element of waterand with emotional matters. Swords, representing the element of air, areconnected with various kinds of mental energy. Wands, linked to the element offire, are the creative, enterprising passions. Pentacles, or the element ofearth, correspond with activity on the material plane, especially career andfinances. Each suit consists of cards numbered 1 through 10, and four courtcards: a king, a queen, a knight, and a page.

The Major Arcana: Storybook of Life

The major arcana, or major trumps, are a pictorial storybook of humanconsciousness. They depict the most important symbols in the tarot, illustratingpivotal stages in life's unfolding journey. They are considered so vital thatsome readers choose to do readings using them alone, without the minor arcanacards. They are numbered from 1, The Magician, to 21, The World. A card numberedzero, The Fool, can be placed at either the beginning or the end of theirsequence.

The symbols in the major cards illustrate the gamut of life's experiences. Birthand death, pleasure and pain, heroes and villains, lovers and hermits, successand challenge, and evolution and transformation are represented in powerfulimages that reflect polarities that we all face as we swim through the myriadcurrents in the river of life. Spiritually, their substance has been correlatedwith unlocking the mysteries of the wisdom of the soul, but it is worldlyconcerns, relationships, and loves that lead most people to consult the cards.Fortunately, the symbols speak to both heart and soul. Just as tantric yogisembrace their passion as they walk their spiritual path, the cards can focusequally on enlightenment or lust, and cast light on whatever concern a person isquestioning. The major arcana interpretations given here focus specifically onexamining the cards for answers to queries about love, partnerships, emotions,and sexual dilemmas and opportunities.

0 The Fool: Fun-loving, funny, carefree, high-spirited, adventurous, willing toplay in the moment, vulnerable, and truth seeking

Reversed card: Mentally aloof, gullible, noncommittal

1 The Magician: Has sex appeal, intelligence, creativity, and charm; may analyzeemotions and be critical of feelings, but desires love

Reversed card: Overly analytical, nervous, impatient, sometimes lost in mentalvortexes

II The High Priestess: Not aware of her attractiveness, dutiful, truthful,idealistic about romance, sensitive to emotional stimuli

Reversed card: Easily infatuated, emotionally distant, insecure, dogmatic

III The Empress: Loves affection; enjoys romance, wine, music, and fun;passionate, loving, nurturing; understanding of partner's needs

Reversed card: Schemer; obsession with emotions; demanding, egocentric

IV The Emperor: Responsible for his commitments, supportive; enjoys physicalpassion and debate; observant, powerful, respected, armored

Reversed Card: Domineering, obsessed with sex, insensitive, egocentric

V The Hierophant: Philosophical about love; intolerant of indiscretions; triesto control passion, may be emotionally reserved; often a healer

Reversed card: Possessive, blindly dogmatic, argumentative, unbending

VI The Lovers: Questioning; loves romance, enjoys flattery and flirting, butdevoted when in love; moves quickly toward consummating passion

Reversed card: Indecisive, arrogant, ambivalent

VII The Chariot: Fast-moving, ambivalent about commitments, sees the value ofstaying single, but wants to enjoy the fruits of passion, playful when in love

Reversed card: Unforgiving, melancholic, holds on to the past

VIII Strength: Catlike; sees through you; persevering, usually gets his/her way;likes to get lots of attention; may be passionate and fiery or quiet and inward

Reversed card: Dominating, needy, afraid to show vulnerability

IX The Hermit: Independent; attracted to love, but shy of going after it; hasfear of intimacy, but strong need for acceptance and love

Reversed card: Controlling, critical, emotionally introverted

X Wheel of Fortune: Flexible toward change; the wheel of romance turns towardthe new, bringing improvement and greater enjoyment in love

Reversed card: Doubting, status-seeking, undependable

XI Justice: Looks at consequences of actions; can get caught up in guilt;mediator, peacemaker; may spoil partner with strong sentiments and caretaking

Reversed card: Judgmental, lacks trust, indecisive, easily hurt

XII Hanged Man: Sees things from unusual perspectives, needs emotional space,doesn't make promises unless they can be kept, doesn't open the heart easily

Reversed card: Hungup on emotions, unrealistically idealistic, inflexible

XIII Death: Loves teasing, sex, and physical pleasures; intensely emotional; canbe secretive about feelings; able to detach and start anew, transformative

Reversed card: Overly sensitive; cynical, vengeful; moody if things don't goright

XIV Temperance: Inwardly strong, emotionally centered; reconciles opposites;generous, optimistic; works toward self-improvement, enjoys freedom

Reversed card: Undemonstrative, insensitive to feelings, impulsive

XV The Devil: Energetic, passionate, lustful, strongly sexual; struggles withtemptations; plays devil's advocate; dutiful, serious, intolerant

Reversed card: Pessimistic; low self-esteem; sometimes dishonest, or too cleverfor his or her own good

XVI The Tower: Intense forces of nature; turbulent emotional currents;resistance to change; confronting challenge, facing the inevitable

Reversed card: Lack of compassion; confrontational; sabotages love

XVII The Star: Cheerfulness, hope, inward peace; optimistic about love andwilling to go the extra mile to make it happen; a sense of perspective

Reversed card: Unforgiving, head in the clouds, insisting that things be otherthan they are

XVIII The Moon: Romantic, sensitive to natural and personal rhythms; passive,reflective, dreamy; willing to pursue love no matter what the challenges

Reversed card: Moody, holds on to the past, overbearing

XIX The Sun: Openhearted, happy, extraverted, energetic, independent; doesn'twaste time when opportunities for love arise; creative in the bedroom

Reversed card: Fiery; runs from conflicts; gloomy

XX Judgement: Keeps promises, bonds deeply; subtly demanding or insatiable whenit comes to romance; searches for emotional depths, spiritual

Reversed card: Unpredictable; loses sense of self in others; easily infatuated

XXI The World: Focused intentions, altered awareness, expansiveness; opening theheart; intimacy; going beyond limitations, responsibility for commitments

Reversed card: Deflated sense of self; lacking perspective; stagnant emotions

The Minor Arcana: Windows on a Wider World

Images in the minor arcana reflect currents and eddies in the river of life.Each suit represents a different dimension of existence and examines eventsthrough a distinct lens. When a lesser trump (minor arcana) card appears in yourspread, it points to the earthly play of natural forces in spiritual,psychological, emotional, and physical realms. By contemplating the universalqualities found in these cards, we can see new dimensions of reality come alive—qualitiesthat speak to us all, regardless of our religion or culture. The minorarcana expand the compass of the tarot beyond the dimensions represented in themajor arcana. The central theme of each suit works with the symbols found on theindividual minor arcana cards to deepen your understanding. Table 1 (see page13) gives a summary of correspondences and themes of the four suits of the minorarcana.

The Suit of Wands

Key Associations

Element: Fire

Esoteric maxim: To achieve

Realm: Inner spirit

Desire: Enterprise

Wands are linked with the element fire, which appears in forms that range fromthe warmth of affection to the heat of passion. It can point to the intensity ofdesire, the ardor of love, or even a fanatical obsession of someone blinded bylove, lust, or longing. This suit parallels the feelings deep inside you whenyou recognize your life mate, or when you have a heated debate that kindlesfriction in your mind. The challenge is to turn that friction into usefullessons rather than lingering and poisonous resentments. Connect with its power,and your creative spirit can swing into action. The forceful energy associatedwith wands can appear in such diverse forms as emotional quests, financialambition, spiritual pursuits, and passionate concerns about life's directions,challenges, and rewards. When no wand cards appear in a spread, it can indicatea need for greater focus or for defining goals.

The three astrological sun signs linked with this suit are Aries the ram, thefirst sign of the zodiac, which is ruled by Mars; Leo the lion, the royalty ofthe stars, which is ruled by the Sun; and Sagittarius the archer, ruled byJupiter. They share the fiery qualities of enthusiasm for living, vitality ofmind and body, a potent, willful nature, and thirst for wisdom.

Positive Attributes: Willpower; stimulating, exhilarating, creative, exciting;expansive radiance, warmth, passion, high energy, power, ingenuity; productive,affectionate.

Negative Attributes: Hotheadedness, insensitivity; control or power trips,manipulation, provocativeness, egocentricity, restlessness, overzealousness.

The Suit of Cups

Key Associations

Element: Water

Esoteric maxim: To know

Realm: Emotions

Desire: Experience

The dominion of this suit is the emotions and the world of romance. Linked withthe element water, it suggests the ability to go with the flow, to feel tides ofemotions on deep levels, to dive into the heart of concerns, to be sensitive,reflective, and empathic, and to intuit unspoken and subconscious realities.Drink from the cup of love and your heart is never empty! Hold the chalice ofthe divine and your mind is never without hope. Deeply understanding the realmsymbolized by cups involves moving from love as infatuation and personalgratification to love as mutual giving and appreciation of the gift of infinitejoy that a heart connection can bring. Sexual realities are significant whendiscussing cups, for the physical joys of the body are most often tasted whensomeone drinks from the juicy cup of love.

The lack of cups in a spread can indicate disconnectedness from feelings or lackof emotional concern. On the wheel of the zodiac, the Sun signs that correspondto cups are Pisces the fish, ruled by Jupiter and Neptune; Cancer the crab,ruled by the Moon; and Scorpio the scorpion, ruled by Mars and Pluto. Thesewatery personalities are often described as intensely emotional, sensitive,caring, psychic, and good in bed.

Positive Attributes: Emotional; depth of feeling, penetrating insight; empathy,sensitivity, sensuality, intuition; dreams, memories, the subconscious, sexuallypassionate.

Negative Attributes: Jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity, loneliness,complicated emotions; fools around flirtatiously; self-indulging, toofluctuating, moody, or changeable.

The Suit of Swords

Key Associations

Element: Air

Esoteric maxim: To dare

Realm: Intellect

Desire: Equilibrium

Swords represent the element air, the intellect, the construction of ideas,fanciful flights of insight, foresight, logical perceptions, critical thinking,and conscious wisdom. When discussing this suit, ideas, like seeds blowing inthe wind, are the key to interpreting its meaning. Whether they're rational orintuitive, serious or somber, spiritual or romantic, thoughts play a centralrole when an abundance of swords appears in your spread. Decision-making aboutromance and lovemaking, choosing between or among alternatives, and determininglove's direction fall under the symbolic canopy of swords. When you take a swordin hand, you wield power, and this suit is a metaphor for the strength ofthoughts, words, and visions. The cutting edge of the blade symbolizes the powerof ideas. When swords dominate a spread, the mind rules—except in those caseswhere they point to a lack of thoughtfulness and a need to think more carefullyabout a matter.