15. Tarot Life Insight and Guidance Self-Reflection
Using tarot cards has the potential to bring insight and guidance into your life that you may otherwise overlook or not fully integrate. The cards represent a collection of experiences, archetypes, emotions, and life stages that most humans will encounter at some point in their lives.
By pulling tarot cards with a clear intention, you may receive helpful insight or a perspective that supports your current life path. This process is not about predicting the future or relying on psychic fortune telling. Instead, tarot can serve as a reflective tool that helps you observe your life more clearly and consider what your experiences may be trying to teach you.
Tarot cards can act as mirrors for the inner world — helping you recognize patterns, emotions, choices, and opportunities for growth that may already be present within you.
When used intentionally, tarot becomes a tool for self-reflection, awareness, and personal guidance.
Tarot Life Insight and Guidance Self-Reflection:
Obtain your own tarot deck and its accompanying explanation or guidebook. Purchase one here if you don't already have one.
Step 1. Set Your Intention
Before pulling any card, pause and clearly set your intention. Intention helps focus your awareness and gives the exercise direction.
- You may choose a specific situation, question, or feeling you want clarity about.
- Example:“I set the intention to pull the card that is in my highest and greatest good to receive right now that relates to my dissatisfaction with my job.”
- You may also choose a more open reflection:
- Example:“I set the intention to pull the card that is in my highest and greatest good to receive right now.”
Step 2. Use Your Testing Technique
Use your preferred testing or intuitive guidance method to determine how to proceed with this reflection. Test the following options:
-
- 1+ Card Pull
- 3 Card Spread
- 6 Card Spread
- 10 Card Spread
- Other
Step 3. Pull Your Card(s) & Reflect
Shuffle your deck while holding your intention in mind. When you feel ready, pull the number of cards you tested for.
Use the card titles and your guidebook to explore their meanings. Journal the information that came up so you may reflect over time.
Tarot Card Reflection Tips:
- Reflect Before Reading the Guidebook. Before immediately reading the explanation, pause and observe the card. Often your first impressions contain valuable insight. Consider:
- What emotions arise when you look at this card?
- What symbols or imagery stand out to you?
- What part of your current life situation might this card reflect?
- Read the Card Interpretation. After your initial reflection, read the card meaning from your tarot guidebook. You do not have to force meaning. Simply observe what feels relevant. Notice:
-
- What resonates strongly?
- What feels unfamiliar or surprising?
- What might apply to your life right now or to your intention?
- Journal Your Insights
- Write down what came up during the process so you can revisit the reflection later.
- Journaling allows patterns and deeper insights to become clearer over time.
Card Pulling Options:
1+ Card Pull:
Pull 1 or more cards depending on how many you test are optimal for you right now.
You may also use your testing technique to determine:
• Whether to use Major Arcana only, Minor Arcana only or the full deck
• Whether to interpret the card upright only or consider both upright and reversed meanings
3 Card Spread:
Option 1: KNOW - GROW - LET GO
- Card 1: What you need to know
- Card 2: What you need to grow
- Card 3: What you need to let go
OR
Option 2: PAST - PRESENT - FUTURE
- Card 1: Symbolizes your past experiences, recent or distant, that pertain to your intention/question
- Card 2: Represents the current situation
- Card 3: Indicates a future outcome for you. Although you always have an impact on your future via your thoughts and actions
6 Card Spread:
This card spread is also known as the Pentagram spread. This spread arranges the cards in a star shape, with each point representing one of the four classical elements and Spirit.
- Significator: Typically a card from the Major Arcana that represents you based on your intention/ current issues in your life.
- Earth: The earth element represents stability. This card indicates the things preventing change with respect to your intention/question.
- Air: Representing inspiration and communication, the air card will indicate outside forces or people currently influencing your life.
- Fire: Embodying energy and drive, this card indicates what you are currently doing to attain, or perhaps sabotage your goals.
- Water: Water is the element of wisdom and intuition. This card indicates what you can learn from the situation and how they can adjust the meet your goals.
- Spirit: The final card is the culmination of the experience. Interpret it along with the rest of the cards to show you how things will be resolved.
10 Card Spread:
This is also known as the Celtic Cross spread and offers insights into your past, present and future.
- Significator: Typically a card from the Major Arcana that represents you based on your intention.
- The Challenge:This card reflects your immediate challenge or problem. The challenge is usually from internal forces rather than external.
- Influence: This card represents what is truly driving you.
- The Past: This card represents people or events that led to the current situation.
- Goals: This card represents your goals and aspirations with regards to your intention.
- Near Future: This card indicates what is to come in the next few weeks or months.
- The Querent: Slightly different from the Significator, this card indicates how you are currently approaching the situation.
- Environment: This card represents the external influences on you which will affect the outcome.
- Hopes and Fears: This card can be difficult to interpret because hopes and fears are so closely interwoven and conflicted.
- Final Outcome: This card reveals the long-term outcome of the issue assuming you continue your current course of action. Consider all the other cards when interpreting the final outcome.
There are 78 Cards in the deck; 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana: represents life and its primary stages that everyone experiences.
The Minor Arcana: represents the people, events, and feelings that every person encounters in their life. The Minor Arcana is made up of four suits, each associated with one of the elements that take on the symbolism and essence of the corresponding element.
- Wands to Fire
- Cups to Water
- Pentacles to Earth
- Swords to Air
The 22 Major Arcana:
Major Arcana 1-5:
1.The Fool
2. The Empress
3. The Lovers
4. The Hermit
5. The Hanged Man
Major Arcana 6-10:
6. The Devil
7. The Moon
8. The World
9. The Magician
10. The Emperor
Major Arcana 11-15:
11. The Chariot
12. Wheel of Fortune
13. Death
14. The Tower
15. The Sun
Major Arcana 16-22:
16. The High Priestess
17. The Hierophant
18. Strength
19. Justice
20. Temperance
21. The Star
22. Judgment
The 56 Minor Arcana:
1. Wands - Minor Arcana Options:
Card options 1-14:
- Ace
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Page
- Knight
- Queen
- King
2. Cups - Minor Arcana Options:
Card options 1-14:
- Ace
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Page
- Knight
- Queen
- King
3. Swords - Minor Arcana Options:
Card options 1-14:
- Ace
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Page
- Knight
- Queen
- King
4. Pentacles - Minor Arcana Options:
Card options 1-14:
- Ace
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Page
- Knight
- Queen
- King
Enjoy these other related Master Guide items to Resonate Health:
Disclaimer and Copyright
This technique is being provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. This technique has the potential to produce healing and detox responses. Please consult your medical doctor or professional if you have medical concerns. If you experience any discomfort or adverse effects discontinue.
©️ 2022 Resonate Health. This content may not be duplicated, copied or shared unless authorized.
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