Guest Author - Karen Artino
I received this question via an email "How can the Tarot be used with healing, either as a practitioner or for self-healing?"
Excellent question and one that opens up a new "view" of tarot. In fact, there is a growing number of professionals, called "Tarot Therapists" who do just this - use the tarot as a tool to diagnose, plan a treatment course, and help people to move through emotional-mental-/physical-spiritual blocks to true health and wellness. Tarot Therapy applies the cards to explore the underlying energy that makes people who they are and shapes what they experience. Often, unresolved issues block the natural flow of our multi-faceted energy.
Therapists use the Tarot to identify the condition of these energy levels of the self. Working with the client, they combine this with guided imagery work and healing practices to cause a shift in this energy that can restore balance and well-being to the soul. Once this shift has occurred any blockage that has been preventing health, understanding, progress or realization is removed and clients are enabled and empowered to make any changes necessary in themselves and their lives.
Tarot Therapy is often used to: promote vital physical health, achieve emotional balance, help to reach mental understanding, restore spiritual peace and well-being.
I have written an article on Health Spreads to be used and to help with this on your own and on your own time. But, if you need more healing or do not know how to read the tarot, you might be in need of going to a tarot therapist.
You can uses spreads or just one card for healing. I have done in the past as a relaxation technique to just 'get away' for a few minutes; ok it was an hour but I needed it. I chose one card and focused on the card. I let myself go into the card feeling everything that the images was showing me. I chose a card that had flowers and a beautiful field on it and as you would day dream, I let myself go to that place. So your asking right now "Isn't that meditation?" Yes. Meditating on the tarot is a good form of healing. I needed at that time to go to a different place in my mind to get some healing that I really needed.
If you are suffering to the point that you really need help please seek the advice of a professional. But, if you have minor stress, health, mental or spiritual issues then you might try using the tarot on your own or with someone. If you are a beginner tarot reader please seek advice or help from someone that is advanced for a little tougher issues.
Karen Artino - Tarot Editor
