The Enchanted Tarot

Astrology

Enchantments

Alchemy

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To gain access to the tremendous knowledge of our Higher Self we must quiet the mind that 'thinks' so we can listen to the part of us that 'knows'. This can be accomplished by putting ourselves in a relaxed state using the following technique.

Sit comfortably in a place where you will not be disturbed. It is important that random thoughts and the events of the day do not intrude upon you so you should use this technique to calm yourself. It is as simple to use and even more ancient than the tarot itself. In accordance with the teachings of Yoga masters, control of the breath leads to control of the mind and body, bringing them into natural harmony with the spirit of our Higher Self.

Take a luxurious deep breath and, as you inhale, hear and see in your mind the word 'inhale'. As you slowly and gently exhale hear and see in your mind the number nine. Repeat this procedure only next time you exhale hear and see the number eight. Continue to do this decreasing the exhaled number by one each time until you reach zero. You should now be in a relaxed state and ready to formulate your first question.

How to phrase your question is very important in determining the quality of the answer you will receive. It is best to keep your questions simple, direct and then approach your answer with an open mind to allow you to let the impressions evoked from the cards enter your consciousness. The more specific you can make your question the more direct will be your answer.

When you begin your investigation into a particular subject it is best to phrase your first question in the form of 'Tell me what I need to know about _______ right now' or 'What should I concentrate upon in my quest for ', rather than 'Will I get the job (mate, money, place to live, etc.) this week.'

Other possible ways to phrase your first question are:
'What is the course of action I should take with regards to _______ .'
'What lesson do I need to learn about _______ .'
'What will be the outcome of _______ upon (me, my friend, my family, my business, my relationship, my finances, my career, etc.)'

It is good to suggest a time limit on your answer for purposes of clarity such as, 'What conditions can I expect to encounter at work (today, tomorrow, this week, this month, for the next three months, etc.)' or 'How will my relationship with my partner progress during the summer season'.

Once you have become familiar with the meanings of the individual cards you are encouraged to experiment with your own methods of phrasing questions. At first, use the above examples and the One Card technique. Once you are familiar with the cards you should then learn to use the 'Three Level' spread. When your skill as a reader has developed and you want more detailed information about more complex situations, you are advised to use the Celtic Cross spread.

Shuffle the cards of The Enchanted Tarot both before and after your sessions to purify them and prepare them for the next session's questions. Some tarot authorities believe that you should never let anyone touch your deck other than to shuffle the cards for a reading. This is a matter for your personal choice. Many people also advise keeping your deck wrapped in a silk cloth of your favorite color to protect them and keep the energies established between you and your deck unsullied by those of your deck's surroundings. Any gentle ritual that helps you to feel comfortable and confident about your readings is helpful and you are encouraged to devise your own.

Once you have purified the cards you are ready to ask your questions. To assist you in concentrating on your question you should visualize in your mind's eye the situation you are asking about. If you are too emotionally attached to the situation you should visualize The High Priestess as you shuffle the cards of The Enchanted Tarot and ask your question. Knowing that she exists only to help you and answer your every question, pose your question without any attachment to the answer you will receive. Desire only the truth and not the answer you would like to see.

Shuffle the cards until you feel that it is time to stop. One of the many benefits of learning to use The Enchanted Tarot is that you will learn to trust your intuition.

Now that you are ready, take the shuffled stack of cards and divide it into three stacks from right to left with your left hand. Re-assemble them into one pack from right to left, again with your left hand. (These instructions are describing the cards as being viewed from the reader's position.) Pick from the deck the number of cards appropriate for the type of reading you are doing. Because you want to allow your Higher Self to guide your selection it may help to spread the entire stack out face down so you have access to all the cards. Allow your hands to be drawn to the appropriate cards as you consciously chose them for each specific position of the technique you are using. For example, when you are using the Three Level spread you might pick your first card while asking for information about the Past of your situation, the second card while asking about the energies manifesting in the Present time and the third card while thinking about its Future.

Lay out the cards one at a time and face down following the patterns given for the various spreads. Then turn them over one at a time, interpreting its meaning in terms of its position in the spread before proceeding to the next card.

A note about reversed cards  
When you turn over the cards you have selected for your spread in most cases some of the cards will be right side up and some will be reversed. Some tarot authorities believe that upright cards most strongly express the qualities described by those upright cards while the reversed cards are weaker in the expression of the specific energies described. Some believe that reversed cards indicate that the qualities and energies described by the cards may be blocked, hidden or internalized. Still other, equally experienced tarot authorities believe that the meanings of all the cards in your spread, both reversed and upright, should be read as written and any reversed cards should be turned upright so that the symbolic meaning of the images can be properly seen and absorbed.

The Enchanted Tarot has been designed with the idea in mind of helping all who study its ancient truths to become more in touch with their own inner voice. It is therefore suggested that as you are learning the art of interpretation you should read the cards as their text indicates whether they appear upright or reversed in your readings. Keep a journal of your questions, the cards picked as answers, your interpretations of the answers and the actual progression and resolution of the situations inquired about. In your journal note which cards appear upright and reversed. After you have built up a record of your readings you then will be able to review it and see for yourself whether the meaning of any cards was affected by appearing reversed.

Introduction to The Art of Divination		Interpreting the Cards