Into the Tarot
“To read a card, in your mind’s eye, step over the border of the card (through the door). Enter into that world, seeing beyond the borders to things you never knew were there.”
These are the words of Pamela Colman Smith, artist of the Rider Waite Smith Tarot (1909).
Arthur Waite and Pamela Colman Smith believed Tarot cards to be gateways into different worlds. By ‘stepping into a card’ readers can embody the feeling of its message and experience the dynamic meaning. This technique will keep the meaning of Tarot alive and organic for any reader.
Before I had ever read a Tarot card I was a member of a meditation society. One evening, the host fanned out a deck of cards and asked us to pick one at random. We looked at our cards as she led us through a meditation. We walked into the card, spoke with the characters, and accepted any gifts they might share with us.
That night, I met the Queen of Pentacles. Her world was humming with energy but it felt calm and in balance. When she heard me approach, she looked up and smiled. Saying nothing, she extended the pentacle in her hands towards me. With an encouraging nod, she passed the coin to me. I thanked her before walking out of the card. I never turned my back on her.
I had no idea, at that time, Tarot would become my purposeful career. Nor could I have guessed it would support me financially and fulfill me spiritually. This meditation is the bedrock of my work with Tarot. Each card offers a journey and it comes alive when you step over its border. Only recently have I discovered this was the original method intended by Waite and Smith for interpreting their cards.
The next time you desire to connect with Tarot, try this exercise! I suggest using the RWS deck but other variations can work. Artistically speaking, it is helpful to have a foreground, horizon line, and background in the illustration.
Walk Into A Card Exercise
Prepare your deck as you normally would for a reading. Draw a single card and place it face up in front of you. Take a few minutes to observe all of its details. Once you can retrace its image in your mind, close your eyes. Envision yourself stepping into the card. Then, notice what’s around you. The following suggestions are springboards for your meditation. Use them or create your own!
Feel the ground under your feet. Is it soft earth or something more solid?
What do you hear?
What scent is in the air?
Is it a peaceful place or is the environment chaotic? How do you feel in response?
When the subject of the card notices your presence, what’s their first reaction?
If they speak what is the tone, lilt, accent, or timbre of their voice?
If they choose to offer you a gift, what do they extend?
In the conversation, is there anything they ask of you?
I’ll leave you with a blessing from dear Pixie (Pamela) herself.
“Learn from everything, see everything, and above all feel everything! Find eyes within, look for the door into the unknown country.”
Bon voyage!
This essay was originally published by Curia Arcanum in the sixth installment of their occult-topic journal, De Mystica in December of 2020.