Often before a writing workshop, I’ll pull a Tarot card for each participant. Sometimes I’ll jot down some thoughts — usually in service of identifying a prompt but sometimes just to get the day’s flavor.
In my drafts folder, I found this old post of card responses. They read like a weird poem, but also constitute a fabulous list of writing prompts. Help yourself!
November 11 cards
They couldn’t pay her enough
How his cheapness showed
It was worth every penny
Love is blind, but so is Justice
Where is fairness?
The indecision threatened to pull her under. Riptide.
Only time alone in a cave would help
The blood along the wound clotted now
Scars as evidence
The knives clattered to the floor
Infinity is infinity one way or the other and also from the side
Don’t show me your weakness
I am offered perfection
I offer perfection
Let the coins fall out of your palm
The coins clatter to the floor
What’s in your bag of tricks?
As above so below
(These are not the cards).
So crazy what comes from the cards. Have you done your own lately? Have they given you any solace?
Love love love the piece in the window.
I did a couple readings rights after we got back from Colorado and they just showed what I knew : Death, the Tower, the World upside down. It’d probably be good to throw them this weekend and see what comes up.
I don’t really know what all the cards mean. But when I left Tucson I became obsessed with the beauty of Tarot cards. I bought all manner of gorgeous cards. I have them displayed on my bookshelves. I still have no idea what to do with them but I love looking at the artwork. Maybe someday I will figure them out.
You can actually ask the cards. They probably would let you know if it was time to explore or not.
Where is fairness? On repeat.
Yeah I know. Glad I don’t believe in god in the traditional sense because I’d be furious at him.
I have a wonderful set of Tarot cards but not the first clue as to how to use them… any suggestions?????
Start by holding them and shuffling them. Nothing more. Every day or a few times a week. When they feel “warm,” shuffle and spread them in a fan and draw 3 or 5 cards. You don’t have to know anything about the Major vs Minor Arcana or the suits or anything really. Just look at the images and see what you see. You can ask a general question like: what is important for me to see today? Or you can be specific like: should I confront so and so about such and such? You get the drift.
Some people start with a threshold question like, is it right for me to be consulting this deck at this time?
Only time alone in a cave would help
Feeling this one.
I’m think we’re all having days like that.
Dee~ Love these prompts. I’m with Hazel that that one spoke to me. And the ‘riptide’…jumped out. Have you seen the story of the 16 year old Santa Cruz, CA lifeguard rescuing a 10 year old? Terrifying and victorious all at once! I do not like being under water, in reality or as your first few prompts suggest…financially! haha
Funny thing, I just was reading through some old prompts my mom used when she taught Jr. High 🙂
Yes and I watched the video! I’d never heard that saying, “never turn your back to the sea,” but that rescue made me see the wisdom in it.
Rebecca Solnit in her latest post uses Ryder’s rescue as a metaphor for where we find ourselves as a nation. It’s a long read but worthwhile.
https://www.meditationsinanemergency.com/lifeguards-and-angels/