By Sarah Taylor
At a time of personal reckoning and responsibility that has felt both broad and deep beyond understanding, I’ve realised how tricky it is to approach the matter of our own personal work without either minimising it or descending into melodrama and fear. We’ve had enough of those last two, methinks!
With the astrology the way it is, and the tarot readings that have been presenting themselves to us recently, there is a lot to be said for the need to descend, discover, give up the old and gather the new. I felt just such a surge into descent this weekend in the form of what felt like a panic attack. It knocked my psyche sideways temporarily, seeming to come out of the blue, when, in fact, it was likely because my attention wasn’t trained on the direction of its approach — the stuff of shadow indeed. As Amanda pointed out last week, watch out for what you’re not watching out for.
And such experiences are not necessarily what we might first perceive them to be. This reminder was invaluable to me as I hit panic mode after being hit by a wave of ‘otherness’ on Sunday evening. The reason for my panic: that there was no apparent reason for my panic. In that moment, there seemed to be little link between cause and effect.
Couple this with what I have just read about Ketu and the south lunar node in an illuminating discussion on Facebook, and I have been able to slot my very personal experience into a transpersonal perspective. Because, really, it isn’t completely personal, even though it might feel like it. We are not being punished; we are taking part in something that is impossible to define but yet feels akin to a rebalancing and course correction. And I don’t believe we are doing it just for ourselves. We are also working together on this, whether we know it or not, whether we want to or not.
So while I do not want to downplay the trials and tribulations on the Hero’s Journey that each of us is undertaking, I do want to bring some light, and lightness, to the proceedings. Not because I am attempting to imbue the story of the search for our shadow natures with some form of false hope in an attempt to reassure.
No. Because, as I have written the past few weeks, this is about light, not darkness. It’s just that in those moments that feel convincingly dark it is hard — perhaps one of our greatest challenges — to allow for this notion.
Today, I want to allow for this notion by rebalancing our own approach to the shadow in this column. This article will be short, but no less relevant than the others. On the contrary, without all three, the exercise would be incomplete.
So, if you have worked with the shadow exercise from last week, this week is the opportunity to come back to the wholeness of yourself by grounding into your deeper being. In other words, I am going to ask the tarot to assist in a centring exercise — one that is practical and tangible, and which puts you back in touch with your body. Even if you haven’t done the previous exercise, this one is useful.
Grounding with the tarot — an exercise
Using the law of synchronicity, shuffle your tarot deck (or find an program online where you can either draw a single card, or where you choose to work with a particular card in the layout before dealing). Like before, ask that you are divinely guided to a card that you are ready and able to engage with.
Then draw your card.
Look at this card as if it holds a clear instruction as to how you can ground yourself and integrate what is emerging in your life. You will know what it is because you’ll get a sense of recognition and certainty. It might work with the card’s traditional meaning; it might be literal, describing visually what you can do; it might connect with you on a level that is entirely personal. And it doesn’t have to be ‘spiritual’ in nature. You will, simply, feel it and know.
I’m not going to provide examples because I don’t want to affect your own communication with your card. But feel free to email me at sarah [at] integratedtarot [dot] com if you feel stuck, or you want a sounding board, or if you have a question. Or share it, and your experience, here.
Once you have the information, it is yours to apply. Above all, enjoy the process. Some enjoyment is due.
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
— Siddhartha Gautama
Other articles on working with the shadow in tarot:
– Journeying into a tarot card — Queen of Wands, Sacred Circle Tarot (by Emma Sunerton-Burl)
– Working with the archetypes in tarot
– Tarot — dreaming while you’re awake
If you want to experiment with tarot cards and don’t have any, we provide a free tarot spread generator using the Celtic Wings spread, which is based on the traditional Celtic Cross spread. This article explains how to use the spread.
Sarah, I am listening. This was a beautiful message that i really needed to hear! I am only sorry now i did not catch the first two.
The World XXI, is what I just pulled.
Life Cycles, healing and the symbolism, the mystery of creation. …the completed journey of The Fool. (Well I hope so for a moment anyway). “In its relation with Scorpio, it denotes the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new phase in your life.” And also fitting is that in having Saturn transit just leave my natal 1st and moon house:
The World “…being ruled by Saturn, we see the ‘teacher’. It indicates that we need to thoroughly learn the lessons of discipline, responsibility, contemplation, sorrow and delays.
Saturn represents the principles of truth and wisdom, of aging and solidification. The World suggests that you are free to go in any direction, hoping you have learned the lessons of Saturn.”
This card’s message definitely hits me in relation to reckoning with and accepting alignment of the other side of shadow as well…
In relationship to the card I found this tonic and its alternative aide described and recommended here below. It appropriately fits for me and my recent acting up C-section that i believe was never quite sewed up right. I was just introduced to a energy healer and was considering possibly working with her in healing what she says may be resulting blocked energy.
Sarah, or anyone with a similar experience? Or knowledge of? I would love insight if this type of work really works. Here’s the healing recommendation of the Herb associated with the card, The World, which I think I will pick up.
Comfrey: In ancient times, Comfrey was known as ‘knit-bone’, as it was used to heal broken bones and the like.
Comfrey was used both externally and internally to unite torn flesh and broken bones. The tea make from the Comfrey leaf is an alterative against fevers and lung infections. The root is taken as a demulcent for ulcers and internal injuries and bleeding, as well as to moisten and strengthen the lungs.
Symbolically, Comfrey is used for healing and for pulling things together within oneself and in one’s outer circumstances.
The Divinatory meaning is to ‘unite’ – to join together. Comfrey is to encompass the whole and to experience the supreme feeling of union, healing and success.
“give up the old and gather the new.”
I have a lovely tarot deck, given to me as a gift, by someone who was drawn to the deck for me – The Enchanted Tarot, Amy Zerner & Monte Farber.
I inevitably end up selecting the female cards with Garden/Creativity/Earth symbolism, and yesterday was no different. I asked for guidance for my journey towards health. The first card was the 3 of swords, Sorrow – give up the past. And for me, all the (unnecessary) pain of loss which goes with this recent past. Life comes and goes. It will come again.
So, then I asked for clarification as to how I can do this, find my way back to real Joy, and, as always, we have all the answers we ever need, inside. I chose the Empress card.
(In my happier days, I’d choose the Sun, and would tease my husband who always chose the Emperor card – “you may be the Emperor, but there is nothing without the Sun!”)
The empress reminds me of my gifts – to bring fruit forth from the unconscious and plucked down from the heavens to create an earthly paradise. I am like a silver cord connecting inner and outer, so that balance and harmony can reign. I am happiest in my garden, in Nature, with animals and plants.
Come hell or high water, I Will have a new raised bed, organic, heirloom vegetable garden, next Spring. I’ve been disconnected Long Enough.
Sarah
Thanks so much for the series of these wonderful exercises. I did part 2 and 3. I just wanted to share that the lessons were very valid and valuable to me right now. I am very encouraged by the intuitive reading I did for myself.
The last several years, I’ve had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted. I was distracted by chatters in my head and ideal images of my life that I created in my mind that had little to do with who I am. Obviously, the choices I had made were not aligned with the core of me, which led to many painful experiences. At the time though, I did not know that I was looking at the wrong thing. My eyes were shut. My back was turned from what was real.
The shadow card for me was 5 of cups. I used a deck that was very similar to The Rider-Waite. The card was screaming at me; “Turn around! Look what have in you! Pick those cups behind you and hold them. They are ready to be filled anyway you wish!” But, man, the resistance I feel for this invitation! I’m saying to myself, “but what about what I think I want? I’m almost there to get it. Yeah, some of is had already split over, but maybe I could salvage it a little…”
Today, I drew 2 of Wands. The card speaks to me of choices: choices that are grounded and aligned with who I am. And the young man who is gazing towards the ocean speaks to me to look far. Choices I make everyday become the hope and dream of who I want to become and what I envision of myself doing. Who I choose to be with, what I chose to say, what I chose to eat, how I spend my money are all expressions of who I am. And sometimes, I forget that. A lot of times I forget that!
It was a fun exercise! Thanks so much, always 🙂
Aiko
I always love reading your deep, intuitive and intelligent take on this stuff, Sarah. Something that has hit me hard again these days is how much suffering is connected with the fact that we are so much the centre of our world – it’s so often all about ‘me’ and what’s happening to me. There’s the sense that if one could let go of some of that ego grip, life would be a lot more fluid and light.