Tarot Psychology and Magic
Lesson Two – Deepen Your Study
“Reading the symbols in tarot cards can affect our perceptions and activate our inner selves, thanks to their simplicity and directness of communications. The art of tarot highlights forces and circumstances that have been active in our lives at one time or another. When we see a tarot card that conveys sadness, we say, “Yes, I know the feeling.” We may not be able to clearly articulate the experience, but we understand the artwork of tarot intuitively. The universal symbols produce a type of knowing that is not always logical, but always deeply understood.”
Christine Jette (2001)
This module will carry you through an exploration of the psychology of Tarot and the Tarot’s magic. Before the advent of formalized counseling by a “professional” such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychotherapist (and all the myriad of offshoots that have been added to the list over the past 40 years), many Tarotists will assert that many people visited a reader for advice they now take to the counseling professionals. The Tarot is a powerful tool to use for psychic healing and indeed there are some psychotherapy clinicians that use the Tarot as a tool in their practice.
In this module we will explore Carl Gustav Jung’s archetype concepts of the Shadow, Animus/Anima and related archetypal figures that are depicted in the Tarot. We’ll explore his concept of Synchronicity and explore the Tarot as a dream interpretation tool.
My own re-entry into the world of the Tarot was sparked by my study of Carl Jung who stood apart from others in his profession by paying homage to all matters related to the psyche including psychic phenomenon, divination, soul and spirit. Although Jung didn’t write much about the Tarot per se, he certainly acknowledged that this ancient system of images was a depiction of the archetypes he did write about so extensively.
Carl Gustav Jung and the Tarot
C.G. Jung (famous Swiss psychiatrist) profoundly influenced how the human psyche is conceptualized in the human studies disciplines of today. For those students interested in learning more about Jung, there are a number of Jungian Societies around the world that host seminars, lectures and workshops on various aspects of Jung’s writings.
Jung viewed the Tarot as powerful bridge for carrying powerful unconscious contents to consciousness and thereby expanding our consciousness. Jung wrote that everyone’s unconscious houses the same figures, which therefore makes them universally recognizable. Archetypal figures relate, guide and help us to manifest our inborn urges towards growth and wholeness. For example, Jung recognized the Devil as a cross-cultural figure referred to as the Trickster in Aboriginal mythology, the god Pan, and the god Bacchus in Greek mythology, and the Horned God in Celtic and Pagan faith. A figure like the Trickster, for example, represents the unpredictable, uncontrollable forces of nature that can disrupt our lives and throw a wrench into all our best laid plans. The Trickster forces us to face our vulnerability and need to be adaptable during times of upheaval.
The Hierophant and the Hermit depict the “old man” archetype, and the High Priestess the wise old woman archetype. In fact, the Major Arcana points to figures and experiences which inhabit the collective unconscious psyche across all cultures.
Jung stated that, “the psychological mechanism for transforming energy is the symbol”. In defining what a symbol is, Jung pointed to the differences between what we think of as a sign, and a symbol. A sign denotes a specific object or idea which can be translated into words (ie. a striped pole means barber shop, an X means railroad crossing). A symbol stands for something which can be presented in no other way and whose meaning transcends all specifics and includes many seeming opposites (ie. The Sphinx, the Cross).
The symbols and metaphors in the Tarot evoke memories, associations, inspiration, clarification and validation for an individual’s current issues, goals, and choices. The Tarot sets up a matrix for self-fulfilling prophecy (bringing to awareness our life-scripts and thereby having the option to alter those scripts) and will enhance your trust in your own intuition and inner guidance. Symbols are a language that enables us to approach the soul, which is reflected to us in our dreams and contemplative states. This is why if you have an interest in the Tarot, you will also have an interest in understanding your dreams. Both studies carry you into the realm of symbols, mystery, contemplation, synchronicity, inspiration and validation.
Our Shadow Self
Jung described our shadow as the dark, mysterious archetype in our psyche (and within the collective unconscious in the form as the Devil) that undesirable, underdeveloped, and primitive aspects of ourselves collect. The brilliant light beaming outwardly from our persona (mask), casts an inner shadow in the unconscious psyche. Those parts of ourselves we don’t want others to see, that in fact we hide from ourselves, comprise the opposite qualities we project out from our persona masks. Our shadow powerfully influences the decisions and choices we make, from a dark place out of reach from our everyday conscious awareness. We know we have “acted from our shadow”, when we startle ourselves into asking, “Why did I say or do that when I didn’t mean to?”, or “What on earth was I thinking when I made that decision?”
Those parts of us that remain unconscious, Jung asserted, act in our lives as fate. The more attention we pay to this shadow part of ourselves, the more light we shine into that dark place (Jung described it as if we are shedding light through a flashlight into the dark forest). The more light (conscious awareness) we shed on our shadow selves, the more we are able to make decisions and choices that are in accordance with our true and higher values.
Characteristics that we take pride in also have their dark aspects. For example, I might consider myself to be a generous person, but my critics may criticize me for being frivolous and imprudent. I might consider honesty to be one of my finer traits but others may experience my honesty as bluntness, insensitivity and self-righteousness. What is diplomatic to some might be considered phony by others and so on. Enthusiasm can be overbearing, intellectual can be boring, emotional can be disorganized, aesthetic can be materialism, and studious can be antisocial.
As we acknowledge, in fact, embrace those hidden shadow aspects of ourselves, we move in the direction of what Jung called, “individuation”. We grow into becoming more whole people. Instead of some cardboard stick figure who smiles when we don’t mean it, appease those we don’t agree with, and marry and have careers that don’t fulfill us, we project a self that’s more authentic. When we make decisions with our whole selves, we act to fulfill our life’s purpose. We go about our lives in a self-empowered, conscious fashion. Health, wisdom, strength of purpose and abundance are just a few of the gifts awarded to those brave enough to face their own demons.
The Tarot is replete with examples of both the personal and collective shadow. The Tarot points to how the collective/personal shadow impacts on our psyche and throws it’s weight around in our lives. This is one of the many reasons why a Tarot reading can have a tremendous impact on the client. Previously unconscious shadow material often surfaces in a reading for a client during a reading. Students of the Tarot are guided through a self-exploration that will reveal their own shadow qualities.
Shadow and Light in the Suits
The light, conscious, ego side of Cups is intuition, happiness and making our dreams come true. The shadow side of Cups is losing touch with reality, living in a dream world, naiveté, impracticality, and at worst, homelessness.
The light side of Swords is intellect, seeing through illusions and cutting through falsity. The dark side is conflict, aggression, superiority and heartlessness.
The light side of Wands is passion, creativity and enthusiasm. The shadow side is prejudice, intolerance, bullying and abuse of power.
The light side of Disks is manifested creativity, beautiful things, harvest, abundance and good health. The dark side of Disks is materialism, snobbishness, stodginess and rigidity.
Examine the corresponding Major Arcana cards with the suits (for example the Magician in Wands) and note how the light and dark of the Major Arcana corresponds to the shadow of the suit.
For example, number 13, the Death card reveals that on the positive side Death points to transformation, and opening up to new experience. The dark side of Death is fear of the unknown, and being pushed to let go of what is familiar, safe and what we’ve become attached to.
Our Inner Opposite Sex (animus/anima)
The shadow is a central aspect of the unconscious psyche that Jung identified, and the “animus” for women and “anima” for men is another.
Every woman is a manifestation of feminine sacred power. Because she manifests the feminine, the power of the masculine primarily inhabits her unconscious mind, in an archetype Jung named the “animus”. Her animus appears to her as a male in her dreams, visions, and the individual she falls in love with. The animus works to balance her psyche. The more unconscious her masculine energy is, the more struggles this woman will experience in life especially in issues related to work and intimacy.
If an animus unconscious woman persists in refusing to acknowledge her inner masculine self, she will project it out onto men in her life that will be expected to carry the masculine for her. This woman may expect the recipients of her masculine projections to fight her battles for her, to parent her, and shoulder the blame for the failures in her life. She may be experienced as a clingy, dependent, dishonest woman that will either crush a man’s spirit or send him running.
The woman who refuses to claim her animus will be weak in her dealings with the world, her focus will be diffused, and she may appear to others as too passive, acquiescent, ineffectual and driven by her emotions. She will look like a woman who has little confidence in herself and defers often to others unwisely. For example, the dark side of the Queen of Cups can be a dreamy, emotionally unavailable nitwit who needs more grounding in the world. Representing a woman who is unconscious of her masculine side, she appears unfocussed, impractical, and illogical.
Men have the opposite unconscious construct in what Jung referred to as the “anima”. If a man’s feminine energy remains predominantly in his unconscious, he will appear to others as domineering, moody, unpredictable, and soul-less. He will project his unconscious feminine self onto the women in his life. Mistakenly he will expect wives, lovers, and perhaps even co-workers to mother him, give him unconditional love and express his feeling self for him.
The Tarot points to the animus/animus aspects throughout the Major Arcana and Court Cards.
- The Magician is the animus of the High Priestess and the High Priestess is the anima of the Magician,
- The Empress is the anima of the Emperor, and the Emperor is the animus of the Empress,
Synchronicity
Synchronicity involves actions that are connected; in just the same way that a Tarot reading is an action that is connected to several other actions taking place in a querent’s life.
Synchronicity was a term Jung used to describe two events happening at the same time that are non-causal. Synchronicity has also been referred to as meaningful coincidence. Some examples of synchronicity are,
- You are thinking about someone and at that moment the phone rings, when you answer, they are on the line,
- You have been talking about not having seen someone in a while and shortly afterwards you run into them,
- You have a series of incidents that point to a particular animal, object, memory or food group,
- You have a sense that something has happened to a friend or relative who lives far away and almost immediately you receive news that verifies your intuition.
You didn’t cause these events to happen by thinking or feeling them but the events feel related because they happen together. Synchronistic events can be analyzed in a similar fashion to dreams. When something appears to me in a variety of different ways, I always ask myself,
What does this mean?
What message am I to take from this?
Is this a hint that I’m doing the right or the wrong thing?
A single synchronistic event is like the ones described above. Synchronicity strings are when these events happen one after the other as though a point is being made over and over. Clusters are like strings but the pattern is richer and more complex. It involves many different types of synchronicity with multiple levels of meaning that coalesce over time around a particular theme.
As you read the Tarot for yourself and others you will experience all three types of synchronicity especially the cluster. Many clients have been delighted and astounded to hear something during a reading that resonates with a recent outer (life) and inner (feeling) event. The Tarot reading affirms that this situation indeed carries powerful meaning for them.
The Tarot’s message works on the principle of synchronicity. The Tarot is in fact a synchronicity tool because it invites a synchronistic event to take place. Synchronicity may carry a message that we’re moving along on the right track, or that this pattern of living is completely wrong for us, like beeps from a feedback machine. Synchronicity marks our progress and moves us deeper into harmony and wholeness.
Synchronicity strongly supports our higher intentions, which is another reason why it’s essential that you read the Tarot for the good. You want to work with synchronicity. You do not want to initiate a pattern whereby the universe lodges enormous obstacles in your Tarot study/practice path, which may be the consequence of using your Tarot skill to launch negative energy towards yours and others adversaries.
WORKBOOK
Exercise 1
Journal an exploration of 3 of your most positive qualities. Reflect on how your perceived positive qualities can be experienced by others as disagreeable.
Pull one Tarot card from your deck randomly and meditate on its message to you regarding your newly explored “shadow” qualities.
Quiz
- What is the difference between a symbol and a sign? Name three signs and three symbols.
- How might a Tarot reading help us to become conscious of a shadow (darker aspect of ourselves) characteristic that we have been repressing in ourselves?
- What is the shadow side of Swords and Cups suits?
- How does the light side of Cups help someone stuck on the dark side of Swords?
- What is the light and dark of the Death card?
Exercise 2
How does the Magician and High Priestess, the Empress and Emperor reflect similar energies but manifest them in opposite ways?
Do some reflecting on your own contrasexual nature. What is your animus/anima like?
To help identify your opposite inner sex,
- reflect back to dreams which pointed to an opposite or same sex character you were powerfully and perhaps surprisingly attracted to in your dream, (you may be sexually attracted to a same sex character in your dream who manifests an opposite sex characteristic)
- reflect on opposite or same sex characters in the Tarot that you find yourself drawn to,
- reflect on people of the opposite or same sex that you were drawn towards.
Quiz
- What is the “animus” in a woman’s psyche, and the “anima” in a man’s psyche?
- How does a woman behave who has denied her own inner masculine nature?
- What expectations might a man have from the women in his life if he has denied his own inner feminine nature?
- How what personality problems might a man manifest who has denied his own inner feminine nature?
What is Psychic Ability?
Psychic ability has always been regarded with suspicion. One of the reasons this is so is because it is mistakenly believed to be a rare and aberrant gift. It’s simply a fact that most people don’t believe they are psychic. This means they don’t believe in the psychic perceptions they experience everyday in their communications with others, in their dreams, and through unbidden psychic flashes of insight.
Reflect on your history with psychic phenomenon. I believe that anyone attracted to study a divination tool believes that they possess psychic ability.
There are several psychic abilities; telepathy, clairvoyance, mediumship (channeling), telekinesis, and teleportation are a few examples of psychic talent. The Rhine Institute established at Duke University in the ‘60’s offers testing for psychic ability. You can visit their web site for more information on their research activities and products for testing.
Intuition and Reading the Tarot
Open your life to intuition. The magic of the Tarot lies in combining traditional meanings with intuitive skill so you can customize a reading to the individual. This can only happen when you trust your voice of inner knowing. Your intuition will develop by,
- Acting upon intuitive knowledge (For example, You have a feeling there’s something amiss with a friend or relative, call them to verify this feeling and let them know you are doing this.) Nothing develops intuition and psychic ability more powerfully than translating the sense into an action. This send a clear message to your own unconscious mind and the sacred world that you are willing to actively engage with the mysterious unseen world.
- Practice and play with your Tarot deck every day. It’s a well understood fact among Taroists that working with the Tarot will enhance your intuition.
- If possible, join or organize a group to study, meditate and engage a variety of esoteric practices which are designed to enhance your channeling abilities. There are innumerable books, tapes, and web sites dedicated to the esoteric sciences. I highly recommend Angeles Arien’s work for helpful suggestions in developing your intuition.
- Do a daily ritual/prayer/meditation which personally resonates with how you relate to the sacred.
- Journal intuitive insights and Tarot readings that have altered your life in positive ways.
WORKBOOK
Exercise 1: Develop Psychic Ability
- Meditation. Use your cards to focus your mind and meditate upon different cards for a period of 10 minutes. This will assist you in learning your cards and also enhance your connection to this divination tool.
- Record your dreams on a regular basis. Dreams are often prophetic and the more you connect with your dreaming mind the stronger your psychic power will become.
- Practice connecting with loved ones from a distance.
- Place your cards face down in front of you and practice “intuiting” what card is on top and at the bottom of the deck.
- Write down any “prophetic” flashes of insight you experience. Record them in your journals with the date.
Preparation Required Reading for Section 3
Giles (1996) pp. 67 – 68
Tarot and the Interpretation of Dreams
I have extensive experience in dreamwork having taught courses on dream interpretation, co-authored two books on the subject, and interpreted hundreds of dreams over the past 20 years. Dreams and Tarot collide in the arena of symbolism, archetypes, and studies in consciousness. Bringing your Tarot reading to the field of dream study makes for exciting and unique dream interpretations.
Using Tarot images and dream symbols together initiates a dialogue between the consciously seen world of the Tarot and our dreaming, unconscious self. Working with the symbols in this combined manner is truly magical and alchemical. The Tarot functions as a linking mechanism, showing relationships between dreams and personality-level issues, enabling the dreamer to see patterns of self-defeating behaviour which were previously unclear.
WORKBOOK
Exercise
Tarot Dream Interpretation Spread
This is a fun, and sometimes surprisingly enlightening method to interpret your dream using your Tarot deck. I discovered this spread in the book, Illustrated Tarot Spreads by Heidemarie Pielmeier & Marcus Schirner which is also listed in your Tarot Resources page. Pielmeier and Schirner offer 78 layouts in this very useful text, many of which are quite useful.
While concentrating on your dream, layout your Tarot cards in the following spread. Each placement below covers an aspect of your dream which is symbolized by the various archetypes found in the imagery on your Tarot cards.
Position One – Consciously choose this card from an open Tarot deck and place it directly in front of you – this will represent, “My Dream”.
Position Two – The rest of the cards will be drawn from your now face-down deck. Place your second card to the left of the Position One card. This card answers the question, “What past event does the dream relate to?”
Position Three – Place your third card above and slightly to the right of your Position Two card. This card answers the question, “What is the theme of the dream?”
Position Four – Place your fourth card beside your Position three card. It answers the question, “What is the message of the dream?”
Position Five – This is the last card for the layout and it goes to the right of Position One. The final card in this layout answers the question, “How shall I respond to the message of the dream?”
The benefits of dreamworking cannot be fully appreciated until you have translated the insights gained through dream interpretation into acts in your day to day waking life (The Magician). This is why the Position Five position is a crucial component of this layout.
I recommend you use this layout to work with your own dreams extensively (for at least a year, 2 or 3 times a week) before attempting to use it to help someone else interpret their dreams. Dreamwork is powerfully transformative as is working with the Tarot, and when you put these two processes together, you have a volatile mix of personal and collective archetypes coming together. This means that if you embark on using this layout for someone else before fully grasping the impact of this work yourself, you could find yourself in quite a pickle! You might end up stirring up someone’s psychic make-up to such an extent that they are quite unable to function in a normal manner in their day to day lives.
But this is why working with this layout yourself can be so beneficial for you! In terms of enhancing your personal growth work, learning your deck, and developing your psychic/intuitive skills, it’s virtually unmatched.
Reading in Preparation for Module 4 The Sacred Feminine
Giles (1992) pp. 99 – 110
Giles (1996) pp.
Lesson Two – Deepen Your Study