I have been reading the Tarot for more than 35 years. My first experience of card readings was watching my Great Aunt Ida read my older cousins’ cards. She said that a Gypsy had taught her to read when she was sixteen. She wouldn’t give me a reading until I was 13 (Bat Mitzvah age). “Before thirteen”, she explained, “A person doesn’t have enough life experience to have a reading.” On my 13th birthday, Auntie Ida read my cards. I was intrigued at what she communicated to me. I don’t remember the specific information, but I do remember feeling uplifted and hopeful. In the early 1970’s, I moved to Los Angles to study dance. Often, together with my two closest friends, we would visit Auntie Ida. They felt the same way I did after having a session with her—supported, uplifted, hopeful. Intrigued by the magic of the cards and Auntie Ida’s positive, direct, warm, loving communication style, I wanted to learn more about the process of reading the cards. So, I began to study the Tarot. In my studies, two things stood out:
- The cards seemed to reflect patterns “the seeker” had put into motion, knowingly or unknowingly, and
- An often quoted saying was: “when the student is ready, the teacher appears”.
What I’ve come to learn is—the “teacher” is our own inner wisdom. I seek the wisdom of the cards when I want to hear my own voice, my own wisdom. So, any time I feel stuck, muddled, repeating old patterns, and in need of a bigger picture, I consult the cards. The process of picking the cards is intuitive. We choose them face down. When we remove the visual field, the ego is no longer in charge. We either feel drawn to a particular card or we just pick what seems to be a random card. In either case, our intuitive self, another part of us, creates a narrative that opens up our perspective and offers choices we had never seen or considered. As I practiced reading my own cards, I began to hear my own voice and to see my path more clearly. As a Spiritual Coach, I vow to offer these same skills to anyone who desires “to see his or her path more clearly”. Recently, a long time client tells how Tarot readings have impacted her life:
“My last reading with Diane was over the phone. I was apprehensive about having this type of reading, but found it to be very comfortable. More importantly, it was extremely beneficial. The message that came out was that it was time to share my story. The very next day, I had an opportunity to share my story with some new friends. In the past month, I was selected to share my story with a national health non-profit and an opportunity to mentor struggling women came up out of the blue. I’m not certain that I would have recognized or even accepted all of these challenges without talking with Diane. She helped me listen to my intuition and follow its lead.” Thank you, Diane.
T. Henry
Diane Halperin 