This week’s article comes from James Wanless, creator of The Voyager Tarot, which is the deck that Eric uses for the tarot sections of each sign’s Birthday Readings. I have found the Voyager Tarot quite strikingly different in terms of its impact on me as a deck, and I think it is this quality that lends itself to being able to work with the intuition: its layer-upon-layer of images has a way of opening up neural pathways and sparking new associations. Here, James explains why he believes tarot is an important tool for personal development. I’ll be back on Sunday with the Weekend Tarot Reading. — Sarah
Millions and millions of Americans have turned to Tarot cards, psychics and astrology for guidance and inspiration. These oracles serve as “folk therapy,” a way to find direction and hope without enlisting a therapist, minister or coach. Tarot is particularly popular because it’s relatively simple and can be done by oneself.
Even more than a comforting and affordable tool, tarot is a multi-dimensional tool that supports you in a multitude of ways that in the 21st century world are particularly relevant and even imperative.
Not every Tarot deck is created equal and not all have the same practical value. Old medieval packs and the more exotic cards like the cat or fairy decks are collectible, but not designed for navigating the modern world.
Voyager Tarot, described as the “modern classic,” is a symbology beyond traditional Tarot. The deck was designed to provide a wholistic and proactive map of life for becoming happy, healthy, holy and wealthy.
Here are the top thirteen reasons why you should use a deck like Voyager.
GUIDING PHILOSOPHY (Life Purpose)
Most of us have no understanding of why we are alive, and thus miss out on the most vital ingredient for a truly fulfilling life, which is being inspired: inspired to fulfill our life destiny, our apotheosis. The Tarot tells us we are here to live all our human and personal potentials for the mission of becoming who we are meant to be. Knowing your life purpose is the motivating force that gives you the power to live well and live long.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (Wisdom)
By picking cards face down and seeing how appropriate they are to your situation, it helps you understand how life and the universe work through an invisible, synchronistic web of interconnection so that everything, every person, every phenomenon in life is a perfectly placed and timely gift, resource and message. Knowing how life works enables you to evolve and live in sync with your greatest ally, the life force itself.
PSYCHOLOGY (Self-Discovery)
Every card picked is a symbolic mirror and reflection of yourself. You see and know yourself in a wholistic psychological framework of mind, heart, body, spirit and as a mix of 22 archetypal sub-personalities as well your own “inner family” of inner child, feminine, masculine and elder. Knowing who you are is the most fundamental requisite for living a fulfilling, purposeful and realized life.
INTUITIVE DEVELOPMENT (Personal Power)
Using your intuition to understand the meaning of the symbols cultivates the most valuable gift and skill you have. Recognizing yourself and seeing the possibilities in the cards by your inner knowing is the authentic voice that gives you the authority to author your unique and distinctive life.
INSIGHT (New Thinking)
By picking cards face down, your habitual mind set of what you believe and how you think about anything is liberated to see everything from a new perspective. Our changing, new world demands new thinking. This questing, exploring, adventurous curiosity keeps you refreshed, growing and relevant — sustainable.
LIFE NAVIGATION (Smart Decision Making)
What to do? What to do? Every day is full of decisions amidst uncertainty, change, complexity and choices. The cards with their universal truths applied by your personal intuition gives you a real-time compass for evaluating situations and the best chance to succeed as you follow the energetic impulse that gives you the power proceed and persevere.
FORECASTING (Preparedness)
By previewing the future, you see the possibilities which give you the preparation to prevent setbacks, preempt disappointments, and prevail positively. Without projecting what you want to see, the cards keep you honest and objective in your assessments. The truth shall set you free.
SUCCESS FORMULA MAP (Manifestation Tool)
A tarot deck gives you a step-by-step plan by the four suits of cards for achieving results in work, health, relationships, money and consciousness. Tarot is your own mentor and coach as you use it proactively for “Fortune Creation” in contrast to passive fortune telling.
TRANSFORMATION (Personal Growth)
By following the tarot philosophy and map, you inevitably grow and become more balanced and whole. In our evolving world, if you are not growing, you are left behind. Tarot is a positive, transformational practice of turning setback into success and disappointment into understanding, thus enabling you to realize everything and every situation as a resource and opportunity.
CREATIVITY CATALYST
Innovative brainstorming is a product of metaphoric thinking. Using tarot as an outside-the-box tool that is full of symbols and signs mixed together, you have a rich palette of possibilities, a virtual alchemy and cauldron of suggestions and pictures, all of which pique the right brain inventiveness.
COMMUNICATION (Relationship Building)
Playing with the Cards with another or with a group or team of any kind naturally and easily fosters connection, togetherness and sense of community. This process evokes deep and important conversations that otherwise go unspoken. Mutual empathy is engendered and conflicts are often resolved. And it’s a great “ice-breaker.”
RIGHT LIVELIHOOD (Professional Counseling)
With practice, the tarot can be an in-depth profession of counseling, mentoring, coaching, healing and educating others. Helping others this way fulfills having what is called “right livelihood” — a profitable profession that is simultaneously a spiritual practice, path and life purpose that is augmented by play and passion. The best way to rejuvenate yourself is to help another. Then, you can go and go and go.
INSPIRATION (Staying Motivated)
The surprise of the Cards and their positive message impresses the psyche and gives continuous inspiration. The mythic mirror that you see yourself through, the lens of the cards, empowers and cultivates a sense of self-esteem, confidence and willingness. Today’s world of setback, change, stress, difficulty and duration demands motivation to maintain aspiration and perpetual renewal to sustain.
Soul Collage cards use 5 x 7 pieces of matt board. Items/pictures cut from various sources, other found items are glued to the board (as in “collage”). One can use words if desired. One can also paint or draw on the card. There is a “defined” deck to create, as well as making cards for various reasons, occasions, etc. The objective is to allow the intuitive creative instincts in making the cards. Then one contemplates/meditates on the meaning. I think there is also a process for using the cards as you would an oracle deck. It’s been awhile since I took the workshop and I never did make the whole deck. But I want to…
I’ll have to check out the Oblique Strategies. Thanks. JannKinz
Another interesting approach to cards as tools and guides are Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategy decks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies
There’s a link to the Oblique Strategies website at the end of the Wiki page. When I first learned of these cards, I was fascinated with the idea, so I made my own version of an Oblique Strategy deck. My cards are entirely visual, no words, with mostly abstract images. They are also tiny, just about 2″x2″. Sounds similar to the Soul Collage cards.
The Tarot deck I wish I had is Salvador Dali’s actual cards. I have the book, but the decks start at around $100 (for the inexpensive ones). Can’t spring for that much of a splurge. 🙂
The title of this article reminded me of an elder’s wisdom, “Don’t should on thyself”. For the past twenty years I have consciously used “ought” instead of “should”. I have found it helps clarify my thinking, especially in relation to others. Paying attention to my language usage also helped me make better choices.
Sarah, there’s plenty of information on the web about Soul Collage, including the official website at http://www.soulcollage.com. Seena Frost holds the copyright on the process. I took one workshop, and would love to take another. It’s another great tool for intuitive reflection, as well as one that can be used with people in spiritual direction and other modes for learning about yourself. There is also the potential to develop a “personal” Tarot deck or oracle deck, which is a similar but different perspective from Soul Collage.
Another friend has been involved in a project of making prayer flags (I don’t have the web info at hand) that is a Westernization of the Buddhist prayer flags. I see that as having potential in a similar fashion as Soul Collage cards, where one makes one’s own prayer flags – not limited to an art form, but with intention yet incorporating intuitive “collage.”
Glad you found it of interest. Enough of my mind haring off down rabbit trails. Ah, yes, creative melding…
JannKinz
And thank you for your idea, JK!
Glad you enjoyed this, jinspace. I love working with the Voyager deck, though strangely only when others read for me.
This is really lovely, and has inspired me to look for a Voyager deck 🙂
I actually have had the Voyager Tarot deck for several years, but have not worked with it. Your comments about the “layer on layer” quality reminded me of Soul Collage Cards, a process created by Seena B. Frost to create your own intuitive/meditative set of cards. Though I have not worked with them extensively, I found the experience of making Soul Collage Cards to be liberating for the creative spirit and insightful. Thank you, Sarah.
JannKinz