What if clarity is not about finding the answer, but noticing the one you have been avoiding? Of the many things that October brings, my favourite is the excuse to believe in the inexplicable.
Most of us have been faced with a decision, but can ruminate on it for days, if not months. “Should I start this new career? Is this my forever relationship? Can I really go back to school after all these years?”
We go about our day-to-day, but underneath the routine is a feeling of stuck. We think about it while driving, revisit it before falling asleep, and explain it (repeatedly) to close friends. Some talk about it with a therapist and others confide in our journal. We may even know what we want, yet still hesitate to trust ourselves enough to act.
People hear the word “tarot” and immediately assume, fortune teller. Magic. Or something related to the future and can feel spooked by the entire concept. Once people try it though, they often learn it offers something practical.
Anyone can “pull” tarot cards for themselves. A simple three-card spread does not require years of study, special intuition or a perfectly phrased question. You might ask: What am I overlooking? What is influencing me? What deserves my attention next?
The challenge is often not pulling the cards. It is interpreting them without bending every message toward the answer we hope to receive or the fear we are trying to avoid.
Imagine pulling a card associated with rest while considering a career decision. One person might immediately see permission to step away. Another might recognise that exhaustion is affecting her judgement. Someone else may realise he has delayed the decision because he’s waiting to feel completely certain.
The card has not made the decision. It has simply provided a mirror to reflect on how you truly feel. It interrupts the usual pattern of thinking, and that interruption can be surprisingly insightful.
Tarot introduces an image, symbol or perspective that we might not have considered on our own. It gives us something concrete to respond to. Our reaction matters too. Relief, resistance, recognition or even disagreement can reveal what is already happening beneath the surface. The most powerful readings I have witnessed is related to relief. When the cards on the table echo how you are truly feeling, it can be powerful and validating.
Working through three cards with a more experienced reader can add a further layer of clarity. An outside perspective may notice the words you repeat, the option you keep defending or the question hiding behind the question you originally asked. The purpose is not to surrender your judgement to a deck or a reader. It is to be openminded enough to hear your own judgement more clearly.
In October, tarot is often grouped with fortune tellers, crystal balls and other symbols of spooky season. There is room for mystery and fun, but tarot does not need to predict the future to be meaningful.
Sometimes its most useful role is helping us pause, ask a better question and recognise the answer we may already know.
For those of us who live with cats, we can testify that a full moon brings a little extra energy here on Earth. The next full moon occurs on Monday, October 26. Whether you try something yourself, or need guidance to achieve clarity, I hope you use the magic of October to get curious about tarot.
Whether you try something yourself, or need guidance to achieve clarity, connect with me on Facebook @curiousabouttarot.
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