The only way to do it wrong is to not do it at all…

Makes sense in theory, yet I’m not convinced it always holds. It is the wisdom given to those, like me, embarking on their Tarot Journey. A week ago, I dove in. It was a Sunday, my usual day to call Mom and to catch up. Instead, I found myself thinking about all the weeks I had missed calls with my Mom and reflecting on the fact that we wouldn’t be having any more. It hits so hard. It was June 24th. Four months to the date that my Mom passed. Doing the math, I came up with 16 weeks that we had missed. In hindsight, it was imperfect math as not all months have four weeks. It is the number that I picked and so I went with it. Part of my Tarot Journey includes an evening meditation. I sit for 16 minutes. Initially, I was going to increase my minutes each week. It was a good mistake, as it makes more sense to me now to stay at 16 minutes. It is long enough without being too long. Starting last night, I decided also that meditation can be sitting in reflection or quiet. It doesn’t have to be eyes closed, legs crossed, back straight. Those things help and will remain a big part of my meditation practice, however, I will allow room for other types when I am feeling less rigid in my discipline. So, what the heck, I started out talking about Tarot and I’m discussing meditation. It seems they go together.

As I am learning, Tarot is a composite of many things. It has elements of religion, philosophy, astrology, chakras, seasons, and numerology to name a few. Basically, I find it to be a framework with which to view life. Tarot cards have intrigued me for a long time. Through the years I’ve had a few readings done. Now I have a set of my own deck. They were gifted to me (very important for those beginning Tarot) as part of my inheritance from Mom. I came across them while going through some of her things. My Mom had so many interests and was a great learner. She was open to so many ideas and ways of seeing the world. It was a joy to witness. She and I shared a mutual appreciation of the seemingly more esoteric views.

Tarot is often described as dark art. Something to avoid dabbling in. My Mom didn’t shy away, and neither will I. Beyond knowing that my Mom had cards and expressed interest a time or two, we didn’t really get too far into it. We didn’t reach cartomancy as we had with other decks. Growing up my maternal Grandma, FloFlo, used a Chinese influenced card and book set. Later my sisters and I used it with my Mom. I always loved that set. It came out often over the years when we lived on Warren Street.

Shortly after I inherited my Mom’s Tarot deck, I invested in the book ‘Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom’ by Rachel Pollack to help me learn. I read the first couple of chapters but wasn’t captivated. On the 24th I got an audio book ‘TAROT for Beginners - 5 Books in 1’ by Shelly O’Bryan and I drew my first card – Ace of Cups (Reversed). My Tarot Journey began in earnest that day. Since then, I have been drawing cards daily. It has been fun to allow the process to evolve. When I remember, I pose a question, otherwise, I am going for a general outlook. Each time it has felt pretty on point. When I have posed a question, the guidance has been so welcome. I find that I appreciate the perspective. Self-growth for me has often been about getting beyond my limited thoughts. We are often not aware of the filters we have developed. It is great to be able to drop into the observer mindset. I was cultivating that during my years of practicing yoga. It is just one of the things I miss since I have gotten away from that practice. There are times when I think of Tarot as yoga of the mind.

Tarot is seeped in ritual. As is yoga. I like to dabble with rituals and always have. In this regard, the expression fits. Just dive in and don’t worry about doing it the wrong way. With time and practice you will find your way and know what fits best for you. It is a wonderful feeling, and life affirming, when the rituals become engrained. I look forward to this journey.