Meditation and the Tarot go together like cake and ice cream. When we as readers are doing a spread for ourselves, we should take advantage of that opportunity to do a full meditation along with the reading. On the mentors' mailing list, we have decided to pull a key for the week and describe that key to the list. Not only does this build experience for us, but it also promotes an environment where we can learn new ways of interpreting the Cards and open a forum for discussion. This is the transcript of how I used a meditation 'ritual' to interpret my key instead of using the traditional meaning of the card:

"Shapeshifter Tarot--8Air (which is really wands in traditional decks) This week I did things a little different. I didn't even try to think about what the Card could mean, or does mean. But instead, I just looked into it and asked it to show me. I let myself totally go into the Card and let its will carry me. This is what happened...(the below is the excerpt out of my Tarot journal)

"I see myself as one of the [mighty] falcons that are swooping down on the beautiful waterfall. The waterfall's rocky bank is shifted into many faces. They are enjoying the falling water and I hear them laughing and singing. I see the water nymph sliding down the bank; such fun!

"I leave this place, climbing higher and higher into the sky. I feel the momentum and power of the air and even fire (from the sun). I fly faster and harder towards the sea. It's a clear day and I can see far out across the water. But, it looks like it's darker out there, as if the sun were setting. I bank to my right and fly out towards a nearby mountain. I get very close to its stark and steep sloping-upwards face. The only thing that I see is brown rushing underneath me and blue [falling] towards me.

"After reaching the peak, I burst upwards of it and relax as I level out and look around me. I can see everything! I see the waterfall where I first came from. I see the open sea once again, and although the sun is blazing right in front of me, the sea again looks as if it is sun-set time over it.

"I glide along now and I hear the Cards' words. I listen as they tell me, "Now is the time when you're given the strength and momentum to climb over your problems; the problems associated with being down there (on Earth). You can use the swiftness to step over some of your trials."

"Feeling free and at peace, I go down (mentally) back to my awaiting body. I realize that I must use the power to help carry me down my spiritual path because it's spiritual in nature. I flip over the next card just to see what's there. It's Key 2: The Sorceress. [She] confirms that it is indeed spiritual energy and that I have the power at my disposal to help myself.

"*Note: I used the Piano Solitude CD, produced by Nature's Harmony, as meditation music."

I closed the meditation with an affirmation: "Let me be guided by the wind, above the mundane problems below and upwards to the spiritual harmony that I know awaits me!" This is an effective way to clear the energies of the reading and empower one's spirit to move towards one's goal.

This reading, done totally through meditation with the Cards, told me an incredible amount of information. I was part of the 8 of Air key. I was inside of the card, and once there I was able to hear their words and guidance and receive total harmony with them. Sometimes we don't have much time to really do a reading like this. However, it's definitely worth doing whenever one gets the chance.

Blessings to all!
Matt, CTR