The Journey Home

The Tarot cards are a mysterious and magical tool used for answering questions and projecting a possible future. How do they work? Why do they work? How can it be that they are so accurate? The answers are in the symbolism. They work because of their symbolism.

The Tarot speaks in symbols that reach directly into the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind recognizes this language of symbols, picks up on the information and deciphers it as past, present and future events. Our subconscious mind and our superconscious mind already know what our conscious mind is seeking, and draws our attention to particular cards to show us which areas of our lives require work for our growth. This, in part, is what makes the cards so accurate.

Our spirit guides also speak this language of symbols and embrace the opportunity to connect with us through the tools of divination. They are with us all the time but we are not always aware of them because our physical state limits us. Once we embark on a journey to enlightenment, either through using Tarot cards or some other means of intuitive growth, our guides are right there ready and willing to communicate. All we need to do is be present and consciously pay attention. I have a spirit guide who leaves me feathers in groups of three; this use of symbols is part of his language.

Perhaps the most mysterious aspect of the Tarot is the hidden meanings in the symbolism. A shroud, or blind, masks the true meanings of the Tarot cards. For example, one might interpret The Death card from the Major Arcana as a card of physical death; this would be a gross misinterpretation. Reading the Tarot cards in a literal sense is a mistake. Rather, read the Tarot through the veil of symbolism. Only a dedicated initiate who is on a path to spiritual enlightenment begins to learn the real interpretations of the cards, or so it was in the old days. Now, anyone can learn the language of Tarot with dedication and determination. Most people are frightened, initially, by the mysterious power the Tarot appears to have. Indeed, the Tarot is mysterious, in both its history and how accurate the cards can be. However, using the cards properly and approaching them with respectful understanding will access wisdom and guidance that will astound you.

I used to be afraid of the Tarot cards, believing they were a living entity with a power beyond what I could ever comprehend. This power surely would be able to decide whether I would have a peaceful and happy future or a disastrous one. For a long time this was how I dealt with the cards, through fear. This is not a good way to approach working with Tarot cards. I did not have a teacher to show me that fear would actually help me create the future I did not wish to have. It was my willingness to learn and grow, my desire to know, and my tenacity, which eventually led me to the teacher who completely changed how I viewed reading cards. In the pages of this book, I share that information with you.

Approach Tarot cards with a serious attitude. Although the cards themselves are not a living entity, as I once feared, they do contain within their symbolism the wisdom of the ages and the ability to connect with the deepest part of our consciousness. For this reason, respect, responsibility and reverence for the wisdom you will now have access to is how you will approach your new deck of Tarot cards. The results that you come up with will be worth it.

Divining the future or fortune telling with Tarot cards is something you can do, if that is what you desire. Predictions are fun, and as entertaining as they are, they are not as reliable as one would like to think. Another way you can use the cards is to look for answers to the questions that you are facing in your everyday life. Maybe you are not satisfied with your career and looking for a change, or you don’t know whether you should sell your house. You will find answers to these dilemmas in your cards.

Some say you do not have to be psychic to be able to read Tarot cards. As long as you read the cards, as you would a book, you can obtain the information you need without necessarily getting it from a higher source. The benefit of learning how to read cards, however, is the development of your psychic ability. Everyone is psychic, just not everyone thinks they are. The true purpose of the cards is to lead you on a journey to self-discovery. Part of that journey is developing your intuition and eventually will lead you to your spiritual enlightenment. Approaching the Tarot cards with an open heart and an open mind will enhance the experience and be so much more rewarding than just finding out if Harry is having an affair, or if Jennifer is really going to become a vegetarian.

No one has a perfect life, and certainly, sometimes, bad things happen. Through the use and study of the Tarot, we can begin to understand why things happen the way they do and learn to take responsibility for the choices we make. We can learn how to create choices that work for us rather than against us. We learn that we are here specifically to evolve spiritually and to apply that growth to our physical state, therefore creating the lives we truly desire. We never stop learning throughout our lives. Our lives are our journey and our destination is home. Delving into the mysteries of the Tarot is part of that journey: The Journey Home.

It is my intention and desire that this book provide for you a springboard to your journey home. I have designed this book to be a companion workbook and journal to a beginner course in learning to use the Tarot. The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck^® is the choice of cards to use with this workbook but use another if you desire. This is your journey, relax and enjoy it.

Blessings,

Raven