The table in the front window is decorated with lights and ghosts, and of course the jack-o-lanterns are lit:

As I was filling The Bowl with candy to prepare for the trick-or-treaters, and enjoying the prospect of seeing all the kids in their costumes, I thought about The Bowl.

It’s a wide, not especially deep, brown ceramic bowl with white glaze accents. It’s nothing remarkable, visually or aesthetically.

It was given to my parents very early in their marriage by my Dad’s grandmother.  “Ma’am”, as we called her, was a rather serious German woman who had been widowed young and raised two daughters by herself during the Depression, running my great-grandfather’s soda factory after he died. She cooked, cleaned, and took care of everything so well that my grandmother (my Dad’s mom) didn’t learn to cook until she was in her fifties.

The Bowl was filled with mashed potatoes at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and every family meal in between. The Bowl held potato salad at Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day.  The Bowl held candy at Halloween, and chocolates at Valentine’s.  The Bowl was used, washed, dried, and put away almost every day of my family’s life.

When my mom died, one of the few possessions of hers I really wanted was The Bowl. My brothers were happy to let me have it.

The first year I used it to hand out candy at Halloween was the first Samhain without my Mom, and it helped me feel connected to her (and to my Dad, who had passed to the other side of the veil before Mom).

The first Thanksgiving I filled it with mashed potatoes as part of a feast for my friends and family of choice, I felt the connection.  The same for Christmas, and all the other holidays.  The Bowl was a continued presence in my celebrations of the year, and a way to include my family of origin as well.

I thought of all the meals, all the sweets, all the treats that bowl has provided since 1959.

It’s a pretty remarkable bowl, after all.

This month’s Tarot Journey focused on the the Lovers and the Devil, with a brief glimpse at the sixes in the Pips.

We discussed numerological and astrological associations, and then dove into the history and interpretation – which is always where the discussion livens considerably!

The Lovers card, of course, is about relationships – not just spouses, or significant others, but all kinds of relationships.  One of the strongest messages this card can carry is the necessity of being in right relationship with one’s self before one can be in right relationship with anyone else.  In decks such as the RWS, which show two humans, they generally represent the Anima and Animus, and the union of these two aspects of Self – knowing one’s self, and learning to love one’s self.

A lot of people seem to lose sight of this need for self-awareness, and become so focused on finding Mr./Ms. Right that they lose touch with their own self – and then wonder why they keep attracting the wrong partners.  If you’re not projecting your authentic self, you’re not going to attract your authentic partner. Simple, and yet.

The angel in the RWS and similar decks is Raphael – “Healing Power of God”.  What is more healing than the power of Love?

To quote Rachel Pollack in Tarot Wisdom: “When we feel most human – weak, vulnerable, struggling – we must embrace our own divinity. When we feel most angelic and powerful, wise, archetypal, we should make sure we embrace our humanity. And these two aspects do not simply join together, they love each other. This, too, is the message of the card.”

The Devil card is also about relationships – and pretty much guaranteed unhealthy, obsessive, or limiting relationships.  The voluntary refusal to see things – and one’s self – as they really are, the willing denial of reality (regardless of the pain to self and to others), corrupt the self, destroy creative energy, and lead to regrets, remorse, and recriminations.

The Angel here is Uriel – “The Light of God”, or Lucifer – “Bringer of Light”.  But what is this Angel shedding light upon? And, with so much light, how is it possible that we still do not see?

If we look at the figures as they are portrayed in most cards, they are not looking at each other, the Devil, or even the torch – their eyes are cast down, or staring off to the side, unseeing anything actually in front of them.  They are seeing only what they allow themselves to see, which bears little, if any, resemblance to what actually is. Most of the figures are drawn in such a way that they could easily remove the chains, ropes, or whatever ties that bind them – but they cannot see that they have this freedom, this ability.  They are focused solely on the darkness.

In readings, this card can indicate serious dysfunction, denial, and addiction.  Less extreme, although problematic, it may indicate an inability to break free of old emotional patterns, which can create the same problems as denial and addiction.

What is the first step in dealing with the Devil?  Name the problem. Admit the obsession, addiction, dysfunction. Shine light on the shadow, and see the source for what it really is.  What appears to be a 20 foot tall monster in shadow may be only a six inch tall Godzilla doll.  Which would you rather deal with – a 20 foot shadow, or a six inch toy?

I created a spread for working with this card, called “The Devil Made Me Do It”. Everyone did their own reading, and then the group took turns interpreting for each other.

1. The illusions / delusions / unclear thinking that led to the situation.

2. The emotional confusion / denial that led to the situation.

3. What I need to acknowledge before I can change the situation.

Everyone was brave in confronting their issues, and honest in their sharing.  This was not an easy spread, despite its apparent simplicity.  Confronting one’s own baggage, and taking responsibility for one’s troubles is never easy, especially in a group setting.  It was a dramatic demonstration of the power of Tarot to help people see – and accept – their emotional realities.

As Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianne Costa write about the Devil in The Way of Tarot: “Passion above all else: amorous passion and creative passion. This card contains all the hidden potentials of the human subconscious, both negative and positive. This is also the card of temptation: a summons to search for the occult treasure, immortality, and powerful energy buried in the psyche, which is necessary for all great human endeavors.”

“Occult” simply means “hidden”.  Besides repressing our negative aspects in our shadow, what treasures do we hide because of fear or shame? What do we deny about ourselves that is good, glorious, and generous?  Working with the Devil card can be an intense emotional experience, but there is light in that darkness, and we can use that light to claim our talents and liberate ourselves from our own oppression.  Again, quoting Rachel, “Belief holds us back more than actual oppression.”  Or, as Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

We must be willing to face the Devil within, to shine light on the darkness, or we risk living a half-life of unrealized dreams, unused talents, and permanent dissatisfaction. We certainly need love and support from family, friends, and network; we may even need professional help of some variety. But until we are wiling to look at what lies within us, we will not be able to make the most of what lies before us.

“It is no good casting out devils. They belong to us, we must accept them and be at peace with them.” ~ D. H. Lawrence

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” ~ Gloria Steinem

“I read Tarot. Tarot is about Truth. If you want to feel warm and fuzzy, buy some bunny slippers.” ~ Me

Sometimes the Truth is warm and fuzzy – someone learns self-love and self-respect, discovers their real talents and gifts, or realizes that Life is Good, and makes changes in their life to embody these realizations.

However, when we refuse to learn lessons through Love, the Universe obliges our stubbornness, and uses more direct methods to make its point. This is what I call the “Bucket of Cold Water” reading.  The Universe says, “You know what you need to do; why aren’t you doing it?” and we can make no good answer.  We either slink away in guilt and blame the reader for being a bad reader, or we can say “yes, I need to take action”, and walk out the door and do something about it.

I approach Tarot as a combination of informal therapy and coaching.  People are generally looking for someone to listen while they think out loud, someone to validate what they already know, and/or someone to act as a sounding board for potential action.  My job as a reader is to hold safe and sacred space for them to work their process, and to use my skills with compassion and honesty.

It’s the honesty part that people don’t always want to hear. They like the compassion – “Oh, yes, it’s dreadful that you are stuck in a boring, soul-crushing job that pays poorly and you work for a jerk” – but the question of “So what are you going to do about it?” – that’s not so well-received by some clients.

Many people come for readings because they want to make a change, and are looking for firm answers, guidance, suggestions, or even just a vague clue about how to proceed.  We use the reading to sift away the irrelevant and confusing, and focus on what the change could be, and how to bring it into being.

Invariably, a client comes along who wants the change to happen so good things will take place, but doesn’t want to have to actually *do* anything to create the change. They don’t want to take responsibility for their goals, their dreams, their desires – they want the Universe to give them exactly what they want, without any effort or discomfort on their part. “If I burn a green candle and think good thoughts, I’ll get a new job”.  That’s a start, but you also have to network, send out your resume, and take real world actions to manifest your intentions.  Thinking about it is not enough.  Burning candles is not enough. You have to DO something.

I had a client who had three semi-annual readings.  Our first reading was great – she decided on her Truth, declared her path, and walked out the door with a plan of action.

Six months later, she returned for a check in. Not only had she not followed her path, she had made the exact opposite of every decision from the first reading. And she wondered why nothing was working. So we explored ideas and actions to re-affirm her Truth and get her on the path she had declared.

Six months later, at reading #3, guess what?  She had again made every decision contrary to her Truth, opposite her path, and was even more miserable – and she didn’t understand why nothing was changing.

The cards in the third reading were very sharp – one of the coldest buckets of water I’ve seen – reversed Magician, reversed Aces, and the Wheel of Fortune reversed. All messages about willful refusal to act, lack of clarity, lack of focus, continuing to trust those who had proven themselves untrustworthy, and reliance on passive expectation in place of actual effort.

The cards were very clear — unless and until she takes responsibility for her choices and takes action, not only will things not improve, they will continue to decline as long as she does not live her Truth.  A year of magical thinking, wishing, and counter-intentional actions had left her a year older, a year poorer materially and emotionally, and even more miserable than she had been. And she was still asking the same questions – should I leave my job? should I leave my hopeless relationship? – that the cards had responded to twice before.

I have read that various tribes, such as the Masai and Zulu, have a custom where someone is allowed to bring a problem or concern to their council of friends, and receive consolation and advice.  They can bring the problem twice, but if they raise it a third time without having taken any action to address the problem, their friends will not give them a third hearing. The idea is that the individual must take responsibility for changing the situation; if they take action, and the result is not as hoped, they can receive further support because they are at least making effort to improve things. However, refusal to take action is met with rejection.  Constructive social pressure in a basic form.

This is a powerful tool, well aligned with how the cards work, and we as readers can learn from it.  Yes, it is important to treat our clients with respect, to listen with kindness and compassion – but as workers of an Oracle, our job is to speak Truth.  When the cards turn up with “Why are you asking this question again?”, we need to express that constructively.  We can present the message of the cards clearly and with heart. The client can choose to hear and to act; the client can choose to hear and not act; the client can choose to do neither.

We cannot make choices for our clients, but we can choose how we work, and we must choose Truth.

Happy 25th of May, World Tarot Day!

Today there are so many gatherings, events, readings, and celebrations of all kinds, we can’t even begin to tell you about them all!

Check out the official World Tarot Day site, find some festivities, or make some fun of your own!

I’ll be celebrating by putting the finishing touches on an exciting new Tarot goodie, which you’ll hear about soon!

In the meantime, Tarot Media Company has all kinds of fun going on – check it out!

We are giddy with delight – Apple has approved the Tarot of the Crone iPhone app, featuring Ellen Lorenzi-Prince‘s amazing deck!  You can see screen shots and read about it in detail on the Tarot Media Company site, or go directly to iTunes to check it out!

Thank you to everyone who made this possible – our engineer, Christophe; the amazingly talented Chris Lowrance for graphic design; the team of beta testers who helped ensure a working product; and to Ellen for her gracious work with us.

This month’s Tarot-To-Go newsletter is out!  If you haven’t received it, you can read it here.

The news now includes Tarot Media Company as well as us here at Tarot Pathways, so there’s even more to read!

In addition to a calendar of upcoming events and classes, this edition features the fabulous iTongo Tarot by Robyn-Anne Pollard, and a sneak preview of some new release from Tarot Media Company.

Better yet, why not become a subscriber? Each month, we hold a drawing from all the new subscribers for a fabulous prize from Tarot Media Company.  Click here to sign up!

I bought this when it came out in 2000 (yes, 11 years ago!), read the first part of it, and then it got put aside as I was in the middle of dealing with moving from San Francisco to London.  (Nothing like moving halfway around the world to throw your daily schedule right out the window!)  So, here I am, 11 years on, finally getting back to it!  (I really hate leaving things unfinished. There are only two books in my life I have not finished; neither of them Tarot books.)

Tarot and the Journey of the Hero by Hajo Banzhaf is still available through the publisher, Weiser Books, and also by special order from your favorite independent booksellers, such as Fields Book Store in San Francisco.

Banzhaf”s theories and interpretations go well with the established wisdom on the Hero’s Journey, found in works by authors such as Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell.  What makes the book interesting is Banzhaf’s incorporation of references to works by authors which may not be familiar to the average English speaker. Many of the authors whose work he cites are, like Banzhaf, based in Europe and writing in languages other than English, so this book is valuable for the bibliography as well as the content. Some of the works listed are available in English, but many are not, so here is your chance to learn another language or two!

The other outstanding feature of this book is the number and quality of illustrations.  Banzhaf includes images from classic art that are not the usual ones used in many mainstream Tarot books.  Banzhaf has done his research (or someone on staff did!), and the images include works by Edvard Ille, Alexandre Seon, and Salvadore Dali, as well as a number of pieces from antiquity and museum pieces not commonly seen – for example, a floor mosaic of Hermes Trismegistus from the Cathedral of Sienna.

What separates Banzhaf’s approach from most Tarot writers is that he does not believe one has to spread the cards and read them in order to find meaning. He divides the Major Arcana into stages of the Hero’s Journey, assigning each a meaning and life situation.  His approach is to identify the life situation in which we find ourselves, and work with the card that represents that situation.  We can look to the immediately preceding card to see where we’ve come from, and to the following card to see where we are going.  Working with the archetypes of the Major Arcana figures, and the symbols and meanings contained in the cards, we can then have a deeper understanding of the task at hand and how to best address it to move forward.

To assist in this way of working with the cards, Banzhaf provides the Archetype, Task, Risk, Goal, and Feeling associated with each of the major cards. While not all of the items listed in the Feeling category are actual emotions – many of them are possible experiences or actions, rather than feelings – it’s an interesting way to assign values to the cards.

For example, the Feeling in Life listing for Justice includes “Harvesting what one has sown, treating others and being treated fairly, making intelligent decisions.”  All of these are actions, rather than feelings, but this may be due to the fact that German has many compound words that don’t translate exactly into English, and this was as close as the translator, Christine M. Grimm, felt she could get to the original meaning of the German word.

That small linguistic consideration aside, I found this book to be an interesting read, presenting many valuable ideas about interpreting the Major Arcana, and I would recommend it for any reader of moderate or advanced experience who is looking for a new perspective on the cards.

The workshop for Saturday, March 12, 2011, will focus on three cards from the Major Arcana – the Empress, The Hanged Man, and The World. Why? These cards reduce to the number three, and March is the third month of the western calendar year! (If you’re sensing a theme to the 2011 classes, you’re right!)

How are they similar? How are they different? How can we work their energies and images to enrich our experience of the Tarot?

Bring your cards, notebook and pen, and your favorite examples of three-ness!

Each class runs from 1:00 – 4:30 pm, held in our studio on Potrero Hill. Address and directions will be provided with your registration confirmation.

Due to space considerations, we request that you preregister for the class on the Tarot Media Company store or by phone at 1.415.508.7323. See you in March!

A new month, and time for another meeting of the San Francisco Tarot Cafe on Tuesday, March 1!  Our topic will be the pairs in the Tarot.  Which cards are obvious pairs? not-so-obvious pairs?

We’ll be starting at 7:00 pm and going until 9:00 pm, at Borderlands Cafe, 870 Valencia Street in San Francisco.  We’ll be in the back of the cafe, with lots of tables and chairs for gathering in twos, threes, fives, etc. to ooh and aah over each other’s decks and do readings.

The Tarot Cafe isn’t a formal class or workshop.  It’s an opportunity to meet with others who read the Tarot, talk about cards, practice readings, compare techniques, and enjoy the delightful beverages and delicious food offered by the friendly staff at Borderlands Cafe. We’ll start the evening with a question or topic to get the conversation going, but after that, the only guide is your imagination!

We’re excited about these gatherings, as they will give us all a chance simply to enjoy the Tarot – and the company of fellow Tarot enthusiasts – twice a month.  There’s no admission fee; we ask only that you support the cafe by indulging in a coffee, tea, snack plate, or treat.  (Or all of the above – why choose?!)  Borderlands Cafe offers an extensive selection of teas and coffee drinks, and savory snacks and sweet treats sized for individual consumption, for sharing, or for a complete meal.  (My favorite is the Antipasto Plate – yum!)

Borderlands Cafe is at 870 Valencia Street, between 19th and 20th Streets.  It’s accessible from BART, Muni lines 14, 33, and 49, and a nice stretch of the legs from Muni  lines 22, 48, and J Metro.  Street parking is doable within a block or two of Borderlands, since the meters turn off at 6:00 pm.

Please RSVP via our MeetUp page so we have an idea of how many people to expect.  We are limited by the size of the cafe, so if more people show up than RSVP, the seats will go to those who RSVP!