“When we eliminate the illusion of ‘reading the future’, the Tarot becomes a psychological tool and a tool for self-knowledge.”
These words appear on page 420 of The Way of Tarot: The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards by Alejandro Jodorowsky. On page 432, he states, “The tarologist reads the present, which is the true unknown for the consultant…”
Both sentences enliven me because, for me, the tarot, whether using its structure as a map or drawing random cards to surprise ourselves into insight, assists us to look at the here and now. A tarot consultation is an opportunity to withdraw for a time from the bustle of a 21st century schedule in order to contemplate a visual representation of our present. The symbols arranged before us invite us to notice what is occurring in our bodies, minds, emotions, souls, environment, and world right now.
From the vantage point of the present, we can be aware of options, some of which we knew were there and some that seemed unknown because our minds were elsewhere. Engaged with the tarot’s potent images, our imagination and creativity can call forth options, allowing us to choose more consciously. Such choice-rich moments are empowering because they reveal to us more of who or what we can be, do, or have.
The tarot’s response to questions such as “What is the next right thing in my life?” or “What is the best possibility that can emerge from this situation?” isn’t dipping into prediction, but rather is our Inner Teacher showing us, via the language of the cards, something that already sits waiting for us to activate it or not, according to the choices we make based on the information delivered. Again, it is seeing something that is present, but seems as though it doesn’t yet exist because we haven’t slowed down enough to pay attention to it.
The future isn’t some pre-ordained room into which we stroll hoping to find the goodies or dreading the crap we might encounter. The future is the sum of our choices. Thank Life that the tarot and other tools of insight can be lenses into the choices that dwell in the present.
Image: La Justice from the Camoin-Jodorowsky version of the Tarot de Marseille.
Saying similar things to an ex work colleague who doesn’t know much about tarot readings. He thought they were scary as they told your future. I explained that tarot is decorated tree pulp that empowers us to live our lives better. He’s much happier now about tarot reading.
“Decorated tree pulp” is a delightful turn of phrase, Stacey. I think that people get into scared and skeptical mode when they fear that their power to create their own life feels threatened by the superstitions that have grown around the tarot over the years. Once we rip off the fig leaf of silliness, most people find the idea of tarot quite comforting.
I also believe that a Tarot reading is about the present moment. However, Tarot can forecast (not predict) events or issues that can develop in the near future.
Every action we perform or neglect to perform, every choice we make or avoid making, is what forms our near future. Many of us are blind to how our present actions form our future. Tarot can help you see this.
Tarot can also reveal the possibilities of events or issues that are not of our choosing but may show up in our life due to the energies that surround us in the present moment. In some ways, I see it very much like weather forecasting. A meteorologist knows how to read current weather patterns in a way that reveals what the future weather will be for a number of days or weeks from the present. The further away you get from the present moment, the less accurate these forecasts become.
However you look at it, Tarot can help us to optimize our present actions in order to attract the future we want, to avoid the future we don’t want, and to deal with any personal “storm” systems that we have little control over.
I agree that it can forecast, and I feel that forecasts are possible because the potentials for the “future” experiences are already latent in us and around us.
Thank you for this post, James! It clarifies and highlights a vague sense I’ve had for some time about Tarot. In reality, the only thing we have is the present, and using whatever tool we can find to look more thoroughly into that NOW is the key to co-creating our future. I’m reminded of Louise’s Hay’s statement “The power is in the present moment.” Anything else is just window-dressing that distracts us from what IS.
What you’ve written makes me think that perhaps there are some interesting questions about “now” that may be vital to ask in readings… I think I may end up shifting my thought process some when searching for those all-important questions to explore in readings! Is there anything you consciously consider regarding “now-ness” in your development of spreads? I suspect that there will need to be changes for me in my thinking on this! It’s not something I have considered before in formulating questions, at least not conciously. Any thoughts on this?
Perhaps each of us could ask our wisdomsource(s), through the tarot, questions such as:
* What do I/we need to consider about the present when creating or choosing tarot spreads?
* What does “now” mean to me? What is “now” really?
* What questions in my tarot consultations can assist me/us to co-create what we call the future?
* How might we use the present to create what we call the future?
* What does “future” mean to me? What is “future” really?
* What is the most important thing for me to ask during every tarot consultation?
What other questions come to mind around this, Deb (and others)?
James,
I like Your style, (Yes I had a reading ) – I enjoyed your question regarding “The next right thing” .
Not everyone IS psychic… A huge peeve of mine, as you know,lol
BUT Everyone can learn to use the Tarot in a way that benefits them.
Who couldn’t benefit from the insight of the Next Right Thing?
i think that should be your catch phrase!
My Next Right Thing spread is one that I designed for my friend Lunaea Weatherstone a few years ago to use with some of her priestesses. It’s proved to be a versatile layout. One can do it for the next right thing in general, then apply whatever comes up to any aspect of life. Glad you like it!
[…] tools of insight can be lenses into the choices that dwell in the present.” ~ James Wells https://jameswells.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/tarot-shows-the-present/ “My belief is that tarot cards provide a connection to a deeper part of the reader than […]