7 Tarot Lessons in Psychology. Learn More About the Tarot
© Kathleen Meadows, M.A. Certified Psychic and Tarot Grand Master
Psychology Lessons Taught to Us by the Tarot
Get in touch with your spiritual side
1. Human journey and experience
Every aspect of our human journey and experience consists of light and dark elements. For example, The Empress and Devil Cards teach us that sensuality without love becomes usury. Cups reveal that ungrounded intuition can lead to paranoia and vain imaginings. Learning to read reversals teaches us that there is a dark side to every light and a light to every dark. In The Sun we might mistakenly presume that this card represents only the light, but in truth every light casts a shadow and the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. In Egyptian sacred texts the sun God Ra was revered for bringing the warmth and life-giving force of sunlight, but it was also feared for its unrelenting burning, dry heat that could dry a human to a crisp husk in the desert at noon.
2. All aspects of our humanity must be in balance with the masculine and feminine
All aspects of our humanity must be in balance with the masculine and feminine. The leadership qualities revealed in The Emperor must be balanced with the empathy and nurturance of the Empress; the stress ignited by the dramatic changes wrought in the Tower must be alleviated with the cleansing and peaceful reflection of the Star; our notions of the sacred need to be holistic and inclusive of both the masculine and feminine as symbolized by the High Priestess and the Hierophant.
3. Our life journey
Our life journey continually moves us towards wholeness. Our process of learning and growing throughout this human journey ultimately leads to an acceptance of ourselves, our limitations and potentials. This is encapsulated in the The World card and a study of the four essential elements represented in the four suits. For example, when one of the elements is over-represented in reading, we are guided to re-balance by bringing more of its opposite into our lives.
4. The human experience is an expression of spirit in matter
The human experience is an expression of spirit in matter. When our spirit is brought into matter, there will be irresistible temptations from both the unseen and seen worlds. The High Priestess calls to us with promises of startling insight, spiritual riches, and knowledge beyond our wildest dreams. Following her call can lure us away from our bodies and our day to day concerns for survival. Someone with too much High Priestess may have difficulty acknowledging the needs of our bodies to eat and express sexual passion (eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa exemplifies this pathology).
Goddess made manifest. She beckons us with promises of an abundant harvest, physical pleasure, and the blessings of procreation. Too much Empress energy is rampant materialism. We forget that we are spirits manifested, lost in the illusion of idealized possession. Motherhood has its tribulations as many are surprised to discover in the throes of a devastating bout of post-partum depression. The dark side of the mother is expressed when women murder their babies to save their souls and from a life of misery.
The Emperor highlights the dangers of aligning our successes to our own specialness, and forgetting to be thankful to the sacred for all gifts lovingly bestowed from the unseen world. The Devil Card symbolizes the lesson of becoming “trapped” in physical desire. The result is a relinquishing of our heart-song. We sacrifice our soul’s freedom to fulfill the physical craving no matter what the cost on the physical plane.
5. How we navigate
“Fatefully” described events are how we navigate the trials and challenges of life that will “pre-determine” our future.
6. Our journey to wholeness will mean sacrifice and death
Our journey to wholeness will mean sacrifice and death, as revealed through the Hanged One and the Death cards. Ultimately we must learn to relinquish our ego’s mythology of absolute control to discover the riches of self-actualization. Robust psychological health is reflected in our willingness to sacrifice our egotistic desires to be recognized and admired at the altar of the greater good and truth.
7. Balance is the key to emotional/spiritual maturity
Balance is the key to emotional/spiritual maturity. Awareness of our spiritual power must lead to prudence, responsibility and beneficence or we will reap the ultimate backlash from the unseen world of sickness, despair and alienation. Pride always comes before the fall and the Major Arcana offers this lesson several times along the Fool’s journey. The Magician, the first big step at the beginning of the Fool’s journey, demonstrates the power of discovering our ability to manifest all that holds potential in the unseen world. The High Priestess quickly appears on the Magician’s heels to remind us of the plane of spirit, our original self and place of origin. The Devil reminds us to be cognizant of the trappings of success offered to us in the material world and the danger of losing the freedom of true fulfillment and joy. The Tower brings down all vestiges of egotism and Judgment promises us an opportunity to “atone” for our lapses into egotism and be awarded a grace of rebirth.
At The World card, we have achieved wholeness. We embrace the dance of pure joy. An awareness of our purpose as spiritual beings in a physical body, present to do the work of the sacred. Our trials, challenges and losses are regarded from a perspective of wisdom, acceptance and generosity. We humbly acknowledge that it is only in this moment that we can experience fulfillment, all else is illusion.
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Frequently Asking Questions FAQ About Tarot Reading
No. Few courses in psychology or social work teach students the lessons taught in the Tarot. Formal education in these disciplines is typically based upon statistical data collected in laboratory settings.
No. The Tarot can be used for many purposes, not just doing readings for others. They can be tools for meditation, creative inspiration and ideas for projects.
There are many books that address this subject extensively. Psychology and the Tarot and Cynthia Giles books are extremely helpful.
Women, the Tarot & Magic eBook
