Die To Your Self Read online

  TAROT LIFE

  MONTH 8

  DIE TO YOUR SELF

  Marcus Katz & Tali Goodwin

  Authors Note: This is Month 8 of our 12-booklet Tarot Life series; you will require the previous Months 1-7 booklets to follow the sequence over the year. Most of the exercises in each booklet may be carried out as stand-alone pieces of self-discovery or re-purposed for use in daily, personal or client readings.

  Published by Forge Press (August, 2013)

  1 Wood Cottage, Old Windebrowe, Keswick,

  Cumbria CA12 4NT

  Cover: ‘Devil’, Tyldwick Tarot © by Neil Lovell

  http://www.malpertuis.co.uk/tyldwick/

  Tarot Life © Marcus Katz & Tali Goodwin, 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without written permission from the publisher.

  Tarosophy® is a registered trademark

  Join your national Tarosophy Tarot Association for support and learning at www.tarotassociation.net including subscription to Tarosophist International Tarot magazine, immediate access to 1,000+ pages of the previous issues and Tarot support at all levels.

  You may like to also join our free Tarot Facebook group at:

  http://www.facebook.com/groups/tarotprofessionals

  The private Facebook Tarot Life group to share your experiences and gain further insight from Tarot Life Companions is linked at the back of this booklet.

  Also check out the Tarot Review at www.thetarotreview.com and the Tarot Book Club at www.tarotbookclub.com.

  For further Tarosophy education, the 2-year Hekademia Tarot course is open for enrolment at www.tarosophyuniversity.com.

  We also offer Tarosophy Tarot Certificate and Diploma courses, Lenormand Courses and much more at our main site www.tarotassociation.net.

  If you would like to meet us face to face in the company of the wonderful Tarot world, learn incredible new Tarot approaches, and discuss the art of Tarot, check out our annual Tarosophy Tarot Conventions worldwide from the main site at www.tarotconvention.com.

  INDEX

  Introduction 4

  Die To Your Self 5

  The Tarot Life Method 7

  The Living Tarot Cards 9

  Conclusion 30

  Bibliography 34

  Websites & Resources 35

  TAROT LIFE: 12 STEPS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

  A linked series of Gated Spreads to be carried out over a full year.

  Introduction

  In this series of Kickstart books of Tarosophy teaching, we take a break from our other tarot books, such as the reference work of Tarot Flip, the seventy-eight innovative Tarot methods in Tarot Twist, and the spiritual considerations of Tarot Inspire, to offer a unique practice of our work.

  You are about to change your life with Tarot, and whether you are a newcomer to tarot or experienced reader, you are about to do something totally new. In using what we call a Gated Spread – a linked sequence of tarot readings whose questions are determined by the results of real-world activities – you are going to fundamentally alter the way you experience your life.

  We have combined here the wisdom of the Tarot with years of practical testing and the latest research in psychology and the biology of willpower, belief, habit and other aspects of our being.

  This series is designed to be experienced a month at a time, and in the sequence given, although there are many methods you will learn that can be used simply by themselves, for yourself or others.

  You can start at any time, although New Year, your Birthday, or the Spring Equinox are all powerful starting times.

  This series is accompanied by a private Facebook group for discussion and questions about your experiences as you make this journey. We look forwards to your engagement of tarot with your life – it is about to become a truly Tarot Life.

  Marcus Katz, The Tarosophist &

  Tali Goodwin, TaliTarot

  Die To Your Self

  Thence the human being rushes up through the cosmic framework, at the first zone surrendering the energy of increase and decrease; at the second evil machination, a device now inactive; at the third the illusion of longing, now inactive; at the fourth the ruler’s arrogance, now freed of excess; at the fifth unholy presumption and daring recklessness; at the sixth the evil impulses that come from wealth, now inactive; and the seventh zone the deceit that lies in ambush.

  The Hermetica.

  You may recall that the very first quote we presented when we started Tarot Life in book 1, was “when you’re at the beginning, don’t obsess about the middle, because the middle is going to look different once you get there. Just look for a strong beginning and a strong ending and get moving”.

  At this stage, as we have passed the middle of the process, you may look back at that quite and see how things have changed since you began. You may wonder if you can recall how you thought things would be by half-way, and how they were. This power of retrospect is a fundamental practice to learning “predictive hindsight”, a way of reading tarot which is extremely powerful.

  Predictive hindsight is a skill simply acquired by practice; by journaling your readings and your initial interpretations, but then reviewing them after the situation has unfolded, you calibrate your readings. As you continue to do this, you find your readings change – what “first” appears in your mind is replaced by “what you would probably say looking back at these cards after the event”. Eventually, this latter predictive hindsight simply becomes the first thing that appears in your mind. You just “know” how you would read these cards from the future, because you have been learning how to do just that by journaling, calibrating, and reviewing.

  In this month, we are actually going to prepare to learn a similar ability – not just for reading, but for life itself - but first we must remove ourselves from our own way. In effect, we will gracefully let go of blocks and obstacles, of expectations, and more, as we “die to our self”.

  The quote from the Hermetica – a keystone of western magical philosophy – with which we began this section shows this process of recognition and abandonment. As we bring all our patterns to the surface, they become “inactive”, until we reach the terrifying final “deceit” that awaits; that we were never who we thought we were in the first place.

  To make this a painless process, we play it as a game. Throughout this month you will be checking off aspects of your real everyday life with the cards – but then removing them from play. As the month progresses, a magical “funnel” will be formed, which will focus your attention on fewer cards and fewer events in your life. You may find strange synchronicities and other mysterious events occurring as this method is based on a powerful magical ritual.

  You are free to consider the remaining cards as you approach the end of this working and try and actually “create” the events that they depict, as if you were ‘cheating’ to finish the exercise sooner. It will actually not matter by then, as what is ‘controlling’ this process may be a little blurred at that point.

  There is no stand-alone or beginner method in this month’s work, as this is an advanced working suitable only for Tarot Life practitioners.

  The Tarot Life Method

  In the Tarot Life practice of this month, you are going to reverse all our previous methods by reading the Tarot from life, not about life. The aim is to make your tarot deck a passive reflection of life, and read life – as tarot.

  To explain, it is very straightforward. Every day you will select TWO notable events in your daily experience, and correspond those TWO events to TWO specific cards.

  However, the Tarosophy Twist is here
that you will then take those two cards OUT of the deck, and NOT be able to choose them again as the method progresses. As you reduce the deck of possibilities, exhausting different experiences, you will find yourself gravitating to the experiences of the remaining cards, in a strange and subtle manner. It is something that has to be experienced to be understood, as it is somewhat magical.

  You may even find that life becomes a living tarot reading all around you, with you as the signficator – or perhaps the Fool on a journey through the deck.

  We have given for each card a range of examples at different levels of what that card may correspond to in your daily experience – at a mundane, emotional/psychological or spiritual level. As ever, you are freely encouraged to use your own correspondences, interpretations and meanings of the cards.

  Here are the instructions for the method. You must have a deck that will not be used for any other purpose for a month or more:

  1. Take out the 22 MAJOR cards from your deck. These are not used in this method.

  2. Shuffle the remaining deck of 56 cards fully, considering all that you have done so far.

  3. Lay the shuffled deck face UP.

  4. At the end of each day, select TWO cards OUT from the deck (keeping the deck in order all the time) which correspond to the two most significant experiences of that particular day.

  5. As the practice continues, you may find it harder to choose cards – this is part of the process. If you really feel that no two cards meet two significant experiences of your day, pass over the deck until the following day and see if something happens that corresponds to two of the remaining cards, either together or individually.

  6. Continue this practice for a lunar month of 28 days or until the deck is depleted.

  7. Towards the end of this practice you should begin to more naturally see events during your day in terms of tarot card equivalents.

  8. Maintain a record of the pairs of cards you have selected for each day. Also make a note of any particularly significant events that occur, particularly as the practice develops.

  There is no other observation or practice required. This is a method that uses “installation” to prepare for a later gate, although it may in itself bring about some significant changes as you exhaust the deck of possibilities.

  In Practice

  During this exercise, and particularly towards the end, consider how this method is working. Are the cards reflecting life, or life reflecting the cards? What remains when you exhaust all the cards?

  This process is a tarot equivalent of the via exhaustio, or “path of exhaustion”. It is also a subtle mechanism of examining attachments and “dying to your self”.

  The Living Tarot Cards

  Page of Pentacles

  You may have had a business proposition today, and it is something which you seriously considered.

  You may have a felt a sense of confidence in starting a practical project.

  Something that had a spiritual significance for you manifested in your life, albeit in a very mundane way.

  Page of Swords

  You may have found yourself eager to thrust your fresh ideas and communications out into the world.

  You may have found yourself on the defensive saying what you feel with conviction- very strong self-belief.

  You have come into possession of something which is written or recorded, that has manifested a synchronicity.

  Page of Cups

  You found yourself in the position today where you were moved to be compassionate and felt impelled to move it from a feeling of compassion to an actual act. This could have manifested as you making a donation to charity or you may have offered your services to another.

  You found yourself overwhelmed by emotion, you have been able to see beyond yourself self and feel the pain of others, and you have been acutely empathetic towards others.

  You have been very tuned into the spiritual world. A perfect meditative state of being for divination.

  Page of Wands

  You may have found yourself having to be the only one being productive and creative today while those in your work space have taken it easy leaving you to deliver the goods! You are the creator and the messenger of good ideas.

  You have been an emotional keg today ready to combust at the smallest slight you perceive to come your way.

  You have felt energetic and moved to harness energy to heal and spread light around to all those around you. You felt moved by spirit. You were indeed a bright spark in a dark space with the soul purpose to illuminate.

  10 of Pentacles

  You may have found yourself making a life-changing purchase, such as signing the final contract for your dream home. You made yourself secure in a practical way today.

  You may have had moments today where you have fantasized over what it would be like to obtain your dream lifestyle, you pictured the perfect scenario, no longer having to work, no longer having to scratch about for money.

  You may have come to the realization today that you are content with your lot in life, you have your family, your security, good health and wellbeing. You are now focusing on the wealth of spiritual attainment.

  10 of Swords

  You may have had to tell associate you are calling it a day, that you quit - the proverbial falling on your own sword. You may have found yourself removed from a project.

  You found yourself at the very end of your over-thinking-things rope today- there is no solution to a problem mentally, you have exhausted this route. This final realization may have prompted you to end an ongoing disagreement/feud.

  You may have found yourself hitting rock bottom, but realizing that we have to exhaust something to the very end before we can finally let go. This letting go may have felt like a release from the binds that have held you. You feel like a free spirit again.

  10 of Cups

  You took time out today literally to ‘smell the flowers’, and appreciate the sheer magic and beauty of nature. This could have simply been time spent in your own garden, or a stroll through your local park with those you love. In doing so you were at one with nature.

  You expressed to your nearest and dearest how much they mean to you, and you savored this moment as if it was the first and the last and forever.

  You became aware today that you are not merely “I” but the greater “One” and in doing so you were able to leave behind fear of being alone.

  10 of Wands

  You lightened your load today. You stopped yourself from taking on extra work that you knew you could not manage easily. Well done for saying no.

  You said no to taking on someone else emotional baggage when were emotionally fraught yourself. Well done for putting your wellbeing first this time.

  You came to the realization today that you do not have to carry a heavy burden

  9 of Pentacles

  You were very self-sufficient today and actively rejected assistance in doing something. You said NO thank you to the person who offered to lend you some money or buy something when you knew it would have strings attached.

  Today you found your power by saying NO to something you did not really want to do. Autonomy was the power word for today- you know your own will better than anyone!

  You stuck to your principles and ethics of what you believe in rather than being swayed by the aggressive will of another. You realize that convictions worth having are worth sticking to especially so under duress.

  9 of Swords

  You refused to face up to a dilemma that has been troubling you for a long time. You put a trouble aside, you allowed yourself to be in denial over a pressing issue.

  You stopped yourself over-analyzing a problem, and in doing so you overcame the fear itself, for as Franklin D. Roosevelt so wisely said. “All we have to fear is fear itself”.

  You battled your biggest fear, and in doing so you were able to leave behind a part of you that no longer served you well.

  9 of Cups

  You really should have
spent time today enjoying what you have worked hard for so far. Perhaps this was spending time at home with your family, enjoying a good meal and good company with those you love.

  You found yourself feeling a bit smug with the advantages that you possess. Perhaps you came across an old school friend on Facebook and could not stop yourself from letting them know how well you have done in the intervening years.

  You found yourself wondering whether it was worth being on the ‘hamster wheel’ to maintain your current lifestyle.

  9 of Wands

  Today you found yourself being over wary of a situation. Perhaps the last time you found yourself in the position you experienced a bad outcome. You were tempted to bail out to run away, but in the end you stood your ground and faced any eventuality head-on.

  You experienced a situation where your wariness and paranoia of a situation brought upon the very thing you dreaded.

  You felt under attack from negative forces and had to take action to psychically protect yourself. This could have been as simple as burning a smudge stick around your home.

  8 of Pentacles

  You worked diligently today on a project that will reap rewards personally and professionally or somebody close to you such as a child or partner has succeeded in an examination.

  You found yourself appraising your progress in life so far, this is in a very material area, and you may have considered that it is time to move on with a particular skill that has taken you years to excel in. You felt that this skill needs to be recognized and rewarded.