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An Excerpt from Tarot by the Moon by Victoria Constantino

Human beings have been attempting to peer beyond the veil for time immemorial. Foretelling one’s future through cards, or cartomancy, is one of many methods of divination. Divination itself is defined as “the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge, usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers” and alternately, as “unusual insight” and “intuitive perception.” That is the dictionary definition. A further look reveals the word divine implied in the prefix divin-, which comes from the Latin divinus, meaning “of a god”; in the suffix -ation is implied the bringing forth (-ation indicates the product or result of action); therefore, the word, at its essence, means “to bring forth the divine.” Who better than the all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful divine to connect with in our asking of what the future may bring?

Whether you use the tarot with the intention of tapping into the divine, connecting with your own divinity, working with guides, angels, and high-vibrational allies, or if your goals are to provide guidance for practical, everyday questions and to further your own self-knowledge and growth, there is something in tarot for everyone.

Appreciators of cartomancy might argue it is one of the most beloved of all divination methods for its incisive pictorial history, which is distilled into archetypal renderings of the human experience. The oldest decks we are currently aware of date from the 15th century, but it’s only in the last few hundred years that it has gained traction in common use. The 21st century has seen a dramatic upsurge in the number of new tarot and oracle decks, coinciding with tarot’s rise in popularity. While the tarot is a type of oracle, which is simply a means of predicting the future, oracle cards are structured differently, as they are typically not beholden to suits and not separated into the Major and Minor Arcana.

Divination itself is classed into four categories—pattern divination, trance divination, omen divination, and symbol divination; tarot finds its place in the latter category. Pattern divination is sometimes defined as a means of producing patterns in an artificial way to determine the outcome of future events, such as reading coffee grounds or interpreting the shapes of wax poured into water. However, the interpretation of patterns does not have to be artificially derived. Gazing at the leaves in a tree or the arrangement of stones on the ground to spot patterns of significance is a natural means of pattern divination. Trance divination infers what is to come through messages received through the physical senses in a trance or dream state. Omen divination is based on the idea that naturally occurring signs, such as a sudden peal of thunder or planetary alignments, have some bearing on what is to come or offer information about the state of things. Symbol divination uses a fixed system to analyze the outcome of a situation or provide information about a specific question. Because the I Ching and tarot are based on fixed symbols, they fall under the umbrella of symbol divination.

Among the many methods of divination are tasseography, or the reading of tea leaves, palm reading or palmistry, the use of runes and pendulums, scrying with water and black mirrors, and numerology, to name but a few. What they all have in common is the use of intuition as an interpretive method. Tapping into the intuition is more art than science, and is rewarded by practice. Like a muscle, the more you put it to use, the stronger it becomes.

That being said, you don’t have to be psychic to be a good tarot reader, or have a direct channel to the divine (although it certainly doesn’t hurt). Of primary importance is the energy with which you approach a reading. In other words, when you are open to receiving the messages that come through, whether in the form of cards, tea leaves, or anything else, you can tap into your chosen method of divination to assess predicted outcomes and deliver a more useful and accurate interpretation.

When we consider, not only our own energy but also the energy of the moon, its documented effects on our planet (and on our lives), and tarot as an energetic conduit, then things get really interesting. Each moon phase has its own energy. The new moon, for instance, is a time of setting intentions and planting seeds for what we want to manifest in the cycle culminating with the full moon, which brings the lunar energy to its peak. In pagan belief systems, the triple goddess is represented in the moon phases: new (maiden), full (mother), and waning (crone). These primal energies correspond with the phases of our lives. Just as we often plant seeds of intention during the new moon and harvest during the full moon, we release and clear energies during the waning moon. You can think of tarot as your energetic companion for every season of your life, just as the moon is always in the sky, in one form or another.

Victoria Constantino is a longtime tarot practitioner and seeker of visionary wisdom. She spent more than a decade as an editor and publisher of literary fiction and nonfiction, and was the managing editor for a prominent women’s lifestyle magazine. She left the field of publishing to focus full-time on her writing and spiritual practice. Her previous publications include poetry and fiction, and instructional guides for a business publisher. She attended the University of Oxford and holds a Master’s degree in writing. She is the author of Tarot by the Moon from Llewellyn.

Visit Victoria's website at victoriaconstantino.com

Purchase Tarot by the Moon at Llewellyn or Amazon.

Do you think it's possible that I am cursed? Over the past 12 months, I have had nothing but bad luck. Anything and everything that could go wrong has done. No matter how hard I try or how much I focus on raising my energy and staying positive, life just seems to keep throwing obstacles and problems my way. I am starting to reach my limit with all of this, and am wondering if perhaps I have been cursed by someone. If that's possible, what can I do to break the curse and change my luck?

Karen

Susyn:

As I see it, your run of bad luck could be caused by one of three things.

1) While you didn't mention your birthday, there are a few astrological cycles that last a year or more that can create a sense of frustration. 2) You may actually have been cursed by another person. 3) There is a negative or discarnate spirit attached to you. No matter what is behind this bad luck, there are things you can do to change it.

Let's start with one of the most common reasons people experience times of great challenge: astrological influences. There are certain times in our lives when the planets align to teach us important lessons. These periods are designed to get our attention and move us to a greater level of spirituality. Even though the obstacles you are facing may seem unrelated, the fact that they have been constant for more than a year suggest that you may be in one of these growing phases.

Around the age of 27 and again at about 57, we all experience something called a Saturn return. This varies from individual to individual and typically lasts one to two years. At these pivotal junctures, our worlds can be turned upside down or seem to be plagued by bad luck. Whether you are near the age of a Saturn return or not, having an astrological reading can enlighten you as to why certain things are occurring, what planetary cycles could be contributing to your run of bad luck, and when it will end. Keep in mind that once an astrological phase of this nature is complete, wonderful new gifts will come your way.

As I mentioned, you could also be dealing with a negative entity or curse. The methods for ridding yourself of these are quite similar. If you feel a particular person has deliberately placed a curse on you, it's time to freeze them. Details for this free ritual are available here. You can also use this method to rid yourself of negative spirits or discarnates by sincerely praying, I ask Spirit to freeze all negative energies and entities that are causing me trouble.

Next, cleanse your surroundings with a clove ritual to eliminate any energetic lint left behind from the curse or discarnate spirit. This will help align your chakras and energy and promote a return to spiritual balance. Fill a large saucepan with four cups of water and a handful of whole cloves. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for one or more hours, adding water as needed to maintain its level.

This clove ritual will permeate your home with a scent that repels negative energy and promotes protection and spiritual balance.

*****

Oceania:

Honestly, if I made the effort, I could make a long list of bad things that have happened to me in the past year, but I choose not to approach life that way. When the going gets rough, I take the stance of a boxer: I bob and weave and say, Bring it on, life! I know you're gonna hurt me, knock me down, and even kill me in the end, but you also shower me with wonders and delights, so I'm choosing to stay in the ring.

I'm not here to discount your feelings or minimize what has happened; in fact, I'd be the first to offer you comfort and support. I assure you that we can take whatever life dishes out if we are willing to express our emotions, so I hope you will seek counseling either with me or another professional.

Please think back to the first major incident in your string of losses, because the first is often the one that needs attention. Rather than deal with a traumatic loss, we'll often go on the lookout, hone in on every negative turn, and get distracted by the pattern. It's one thing after another! It is possible that everything following your initial loss was an emotional aftershock.

While pain is unavoidable, suffering requires the cooperation of our thoughts. You can view Byron Katie on Youtube as she challenges the thoughts of her clients using a technique she calls The Work. Her approach helps people reduce suffering under even the most dire circumstances.

She believes that fighting reality by opposing what is creates a war zone in our minds; only when we end the war by accepting what is do we create peace in our minds and our lives. She's not the first to promote this notion. Epictetus, a philosopher of the Stoic movement in ancient Greece, wrote that we are not really disturbed by events, but rather by the view we take of them. Centuries later, Shakespeare's character Hamlet said, There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

Psychologist Albert Ellis based his school of therapy (REBT) on that principle. He helped people question the thoughts underlying their distressing emotions and change those emotions by changing their thoughts. Earlier, I advocated expressing emotions, which is like a tea kettle blowing off steam. The approaches of Ellis and Katie involve turning the flame down beneath the kettle.

We often declare things to be bad before seeing the bigger picture. The passage of time reveals how unexpected good can spring from tragedy. I encourage you to trust that good will come, and relax into the possibility that you're abundantly blessed rather than cursed.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.