I first read Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien in my teens. It
remains to this day one of my favorite books and one chapter has me drawing
parallels with the Tarot. When Frodo and Sam are invited to look into the
Mirror of Galadriel, they see as she describes,
“Things that were, and things that are and things that yet may be.
But which it is that he sees, even the wisest cannot always tell.”
The Mirror is a powerful metaphor for the Tarot. Just as it
reveals glimpses of the past and present, we see our own past and present
reflected in the symbols of the cards. The future is as yet unknown to us so
what glimpses we see are more heavily filtered through our own limited
understanding.
Possibilities, not certainties
Possibilities, not certainties
The cards reveal possibilities and our reaction to an individual
card image can tell us a great deal about our own issues. If we are honest
enough with ourselves and brave enough to face what the cards are saying, we
can learn much about our hopes, our fears and what drives us. Knowing such
things equips us to let go of the future and bravely face whatever it brings.
When Sam looks in the Mirror, He sees a vision of his village
being destroyed. In blind panic he wants to go home, thereby turning aside from
his quest. Galadriel counsels against this. She tells him,
“The Mirror shows many things, and not all have yet come to pass.
Some never come to be unless those that behold the visions turn aside from
their path to prevent them. The Mirror is dangerous as a guide of deeds.”
Choices in the cards
Choices in the cards
Knowing the future may not be the best thing for us. There’s a
fine line between making informed choices with a view to future security and
manipulating the present in an attempt to ensure the outcome we want. Also, to
assume that any card gives you a reliable picture of the future is dangerous,
particularly if you fix all courses of action with only one end in mind.
Most readings contain cards that speak of the future. This is
good, but hold onto them loosely. We are finite human beings and we may not
always have the capacity to understand what those cards are telling us. Also,
when a card is drawn, it symbolises a single possible facet of your future. Our
lives are much more complicated and one symbol can never contain the
multi-layered truth of reality.
Look to the future by all means but if you’re fixated on a single
outcome then you need to ask why. This is the sum of what I believe regarding
the Tarot. It’s also the sum of how I believe a good reading should be
conducted. If I’m doing a reading for someone, I hope my role will be to
explain the cards’ symbolism and aid the journey through their meanings. A
reading is about possibilities and choices. For me, that’s far more exciting
than the mere predictive.
Chris.
Illustration © Alan Lee from the illustrated edition of the Lord of the Rings. Published by Harper Collins.