Start At the End

There are many who think of Tarot as a fortune-telling medium, a misconception kept alive by charlatans in backstreet storefronts. Unquestionably there are many examples of the cards predicting the future with uncanny accuracy, and the psychic power of the cards can be convincingly upheld by believers, just as non-believers can as easily argue the opposite. This is true of just about any belief system on earth. I myself have had many experiences with the cards that go beyond rational explanation.

There is another aspect to Tarot, one that even non-believers can embrace and enjoy, its ability to tell stories. Story-telling is one of the oldest and most enduring of human activities, perhaps essential to our survival. Given that Tarot can be read from many different spreads using anything from one card to the entire deck, the number of possible stories that can be told with its colorful images and symbols is virtually infinite. It is logical that these narratives can be recognized in our own lives as powerful guides, lessons, morality tales, and even warnings.

It's interesting that the above narrative spread begins with the Death card as Preparation. In our culture we tend to think of death as a finish, not a start, connected to finality not opportunity. In fact, Death in Tarot is not necessarily literal, rather it is frequently an ending that leads to a new beginning. The slate is wiped clean. It's therefore interesting that the Attack card in the 2nd position is the 2 of Wands, signifying the start of a new venture, full of promise and yet conflicting with the 5 of Pentacles. Whatever the nature of the new venture it will not be without a struggle. The Magician presents us with all the tools we need to succeed, but unfortunately, in this narrative, we see defeat (10 of Swords).

The Magician is one of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana. These are life lessons that must be learned in order for us to move to the next phase in our lives. We are presented with the same lesson over and over until we finally "get" it, and grow from it. The "warning" in this tale is clear: we must take advantage of the opportunities and abilities we are given instead of falling back on old habits, and ideas. Or as James Thurber once said, "if we lean back too far we risk falling on our face."