Tarot for Yourself - Body, Mind, Spirit Cards

Jewel

SE, if you like your Crystal deck continue to use it. Just look deeply at the card and write down what YOU see. Is this the Crystal Tarots by Elisabetta Trevisan? if so it has lots of imagery, look at the backgrounds of the cards closely, the geometric shapes ... do they form patterns? what colors are used? I am looking at the magician (on my calendar *LOL*) and there is LOTS there. I have this deck also, so if we are talking about the same deck I can try to recreate some of things you do when you have questions.

The key is to not jump ahead, but to go through the exercises thoroughly so you can understand the process and get to know the cards well. You will start seeing things you never noticed before ... and what is really neat is that each time you look at them you will make new discoveries.

I strongly encourage you to use you favorite deck, it will make the work all the more fun. If you would like to post your exercise once you complete it Kaz, Bec and I will be more than happy to review it (as we did with each other) and answer any additional questions you might have. We have a really neat sharing of opinions and perspectives in this study group :) ... great to have you with us.
 

sarahenglish

Now that I have started looking and using the universal waite deck it is growing on me. I have used it for the past few days and plan to stick it under my pillow tonight (now that my husband is asleep and wont be able to laugh at me, lol)

I printed out your excercise and when I get stuck, I look at it and it gives me the oomph I need to keep going. I actually did a reading without a book at all! I'll post my excercise tomorrow when I am not so tired. Another long evening at the ball park.

Know any spells for winning baseball games?lol
 

sarahenglish

My 3 card excercise

Here is my 3 Card excercise as promised: How did I do?

Using the Universal Waite Deck

Body - Knight of Swords reversed
Mind - 6 of Cups
Spirit - 2 of Cups

1. What I see -

Knight of swords reversed- a knight charging into battle w/ sword in air on a white horse in a barren looking land.
6 Cups - A boy holding a cup with a flower in it and he is about to give it to a little girl. She is looking up to him. There are 5 other cups with flowers in them. A village or castle is in the background.
2 Cups - A man and woman look to be in a solemn ceremony, serious, not frivolous. They are holding cups (loving cups?) There is a lion face with wings and a medical staff looking thing.

2. Colors -

A lot of light blue and white with yellow, orange, red and green

3. What the numbers on the cards mean to me -

6 seems like a glass half full
2 is a pair, union, connection, committment

4. Human figures and animals -

Kn of Sw - a knight and a white horse
6 C - 2 children and a figure in the background
2 C - man and a woman, lion head with wings and a medical staff looking thing.

5. Environment of each Card -

Kn of Sw - almost frantic in intensity
6 C - tender and loving
2 C - solemn and protective

6. Symbols -

Kn of Sw - armor, sword, horse, regal attire, barren land w/ 2 trees
6 C - home or village, children, cups, flowers
2 C - laurels, cups, lion head with wings and a medical staff looking thing. A house in the background.

7. Emotion -

Kn of Sw - daring, righteous, fearless
6 C - tender, loving, giving
2 C - solemn, devout, protective

8. Which way figures face

Kn of Sw - (and horse) face away from other cards (except in this case when reversed)
6 C - children face each other
2 C - couple face each other

9. My body card is telling me not to charge in like a bull in a china shop. My mind card is telling me to be gentle and giving, my spirit is telling me to be committed.

10. Same cards from Time perspective:

In the past I acted without thinking, now I am more gentle and giving, in the future my relationships will be deeper and more committed.
 

Jewel

Excellent job SE! the "medical symbol looking thingy" is a cadeuces (sp?). Looking at the symbols separately what you have is the lion that could represent strength (at the top), a wand which is also representative of the element of fire, you have the wings symbol of air and to me when I see wings I also think of freedom, and then you have the two snakes rising on the wand. The two snakes coming up the wand are also representative of the Kundalini, and the snake is one of the animals sacred to the Goddess.

Looking closely at this particular card there is a lot of balance (for me), all elements are represented, it is first and foremost a cup card so it deals with emotions. This card makes me think of romantic emotional fulfillment and balance with all the right ingredients to make it successful. And I agree with you there is commitment implied.
 

napaisti

Tarot for Yourself - Ch. 2: 3-card spread

I began working with the 3-card spread in Chapter 2 today, and wanted to go ahead and post it to see what the rest of you thought. So here goes! :) [I used the Tarot of the Old Path, and did not use reversals]

Body: 3 of Swords
Mind: 4 Cauldrons (Cups)
Spirit: Queen of Pentacles

What do you see?
3S: I see the aftermath of a trial by combat. The young, blond knight is dead of a headwound, and the older knight kneels over him with sword still drawn. A young woman carrying the third sword has turned her back on the combatants and is weeping.

4C: An older man with grey hair (probably a merchant) lies sleeping holding a cauldron loosely in his left hand. A young woman with red hair pours water from her cauldon into his. She wears a golden circlet on her head. Another cauldron is on a table behind them, and the 4th sits full before the sleeping man.

QP: The dark-haired queen rests her arm on the large pentacle. Sheaves of wheat are in front of her and honeysuckle blooms behind. Her hair is ornately braided, and she wears a flowing green gown.

Colors
3S: golden-yellow, gold, yellow, red, and dark green

4C: lots of blue, purple, a little green and yellow

QP: lots of green, a little yellow

Environment
3S: battlefield

4C: a place of rest

QP: feels more like a portrait. the "where" is not important, only the "who"

Symbols
3S: swords, blood, wind, helmet, girtle and bindings around braids

4C: cauldrons, water, pillow, colors on the woman

QP: pentacle, wheat, honeysuckle, crown, jewelry, hair

Emotions
3S: sorrow, heavy-hearted

4C: mothering (protective, generous), trusting

QP: wistful, pensive

Directions
3S: the victor is facing the dead knight, and away from the other cards. the woman has her back to the knights and is facing, but oblivius to, the other cards.

4C: The sleeping man is facing me (but asleep), the woman is looking down and towards the right but attending to herself.

QP: facing the other cards, but with the "1000 yard stare"

Interpretation
Body: I'm having a lot of problems with body image right now, and am more giving up than trying to address the problems directly.

Mind: My recent dedication to daily meditation and self-discovery may offer guidance and aid.

Spirit: The potential for my own well-being, happiness, and stability lies in my spirit

While I'm not comfortable with my body as it is right now, through meditation, self-discovery, and focusing my mind, I will find the spirit within me to be content with where I am in my life, and to make the improvements that I need to realize my full potential in body, mind, and spirit.

Past/Present/Future
I've been hurt in the past leading to sorrow and a sense of loneliness. Now I'm finding peace within myself using meditation and my own creative imagination. If I continue on this path I may find contentment.

A final note
Just before I came to post this spread, I had flash of understanding about the 3 of Swords. I realized that it isn't clear to me who killed the young knight. It could just have easily been the young woman (who I saw as myself in the spread). It's something that I want to explore further.

Hope I haven't bored everyone to tears.
napaisti
 

Jewel

Hi Napaisti,
I have this deck and for a couple of years I used it very regularly, I have even used in a couple of exercises from this book. I have not used it in a while so I am going to try and recreate your spread and take a look.

Off of the top of my head what comes to mind is that perhaps what you are seeing in the 3S is that you (the woman with her back turned) have been the one to hurt your own self image by internalizing your pain and not being able to recognize help from others when it has been offered. This internalized pain has taken a heavy toll on you. In your mind (4C) you are withdrawn although you wish to come back. Sometimes you feel your attempts are fruitless, but they are not. Your spirit (QP) is telling you that you need to ground yourself in order to surpass the barriers you have set for yourself. Once you do that you will flourish.

In terms of past present and future, what I see is that in the past you have been overly critical of yourself which has caused you to have a lower self-esteem than you would like. In the present you are taking steps to correct that and regain your self-esteem but are unsure if what you are doing is correct (due to the 3S in your past) thus you sometimes turn away from your efforts although they really are going in the right direction. In the future, you will become grounded and be able to reflect on your past and current present and use them for your own positive self growth.

Great work, I look forward to your future posts.