How to use the Card of the Day in Tarot?
I have noticed that the practice of “card of the Day” has been very neglected lately. It is considered to be an exercise that is suitable exclusively for beginners. But I sincerely believe that weaving this ritual into your life can make it more conscious and magical. Despite the fact that I consider the “Card of the Day” to be a ritual that helps us to better hear ourselves and the signs that the Universe sends us, this practice can significantly expand your understanding of the cards and help you better remember their meanings.
Many people involved in self-development practice the so-called “morning pages”. This is when you need to write something in the first minutes after waking up, no matter what. The main thing is to write down a sheet of paper. It is believed that this practice is great for clearing the brain, but many people really have no thoughts about what to write about in the morning. The Card of the Day is a great source of inspiration for your morning pages. Morning is the very time when your subconscious mind has not yet had time to turn off, and your consciousness has not yet turned on. A kind of window that can be used with great benefit for our psyche.
In order to get the most out of the Tarot Card of the Day, I recommend doing it as follows.
- You will need an observation log. You may already have a journal in which you write down the meaning of cards, spreads and some other useful tips. I advise you to have a separate notebook for the Card of the Day. Some people prefer to keep records in electronic format, but I really love to write. It seems to me that when the letters lie on paper there is some kind of separate magic in this. In electronic form all the records look the same, and by handwriting you can immediately determine which record belongs to whom. There is a lot in our handwriting, so for me the ability to write on paper is a special sacrament.
I like to get confused about the stationery. As my daughter says: “As soon as you try to run high-quality ink on expensive, creamy paper, you will never return to cheap notebooks”. It sounds a little pretentious, but I share this approach, and I buy only beautiful notebooks and notebooks that I want to start using as soon as possible. The journal for entries according to the Card of the Day is where you will start your morning, so it makes sense to make it beautiful. However, if you do not have a suitable notebook, and you want to start right now, take whatever comes to hand.
- Deck. I recommend using the classic Ryder-Waite-Smith deck for Tarot learning. If you do not set yourself the task of studying the meanings of the cards, but just want to let a bit of magic into your life, you can take absolutely any deck. The main thing is that you should like it.
- Sit down at the table and shuffle the Tarot deck. If a card fell out of the deck, you can also consider it a note from the Universe. You can use it as a Card of the Day, or draw another card. In any case, you should pay attention to it. The dropped card can warn you about something.
- You can simply pull out the card without asking any questions. The Tarot cards themselves know what you need to know. However, many people prefer to direct the energy of the Tarot in a certain direction by asking the question:
What do I need to know about today?
What energies will prevail today?
What is the main subject for me now?
What action needs to be taken right now?
What are the prospects for the project?
What is the essence of the situation?
What this situation can teach me?
You can ask these questions not only as a Card of the Day. You can ask all these questions at least a hundred times a day and draw a card. This will be a single-card spread.
When to ask this question? It is logical to ask it before you start shuffling the Tarot deck, or when you interfere with cards. But where there is magic, logic does not always work. As I said, the cards still know what you want to know. Therefore, you can ask your question after you have shuffled the cards and you are ready to draw the Card of the Day. Personally, I always do things differently. Sometimes I ask a question, sometimes I don’t. You have to grope for your “questioning” technique.
- Immediately after you have pulled out the Tarot card, you have to do a little analysis. Check the card: it’s the Major Arcana or the Minor Arcana, what is the suit, what is the numerical rank. Then say the name of the card. As I believe in the magic of handwriting, I also consider the individuality of each voice to be a great miracle. We love when they call us by name, and cards, for sure, do love it too. I imagine that when I say the name of the cards they “turn on” or activate. Sometimes I directly imagine that the number or the name of the card begins to be highlighted in color. Note for yourself what feelings this card evokes in you.
- After you have greeted the card, you must consider the details of the image. You should do this even if you’ve looked at this card hundreds of times. Highlight with your attention each piece of the puzzle that makes up the card.
- Pay attention to the color scheme of the card.
- What characters are drawn on the card? It can be people, animals, birds, butterflies, insects. Find them all.
- What are people wearing? Is there anything unusual about their clothes?
- Consider the landscape. Mountains, rivers, plains. What do you think is the weather inside the card?
- What symbols do you see on the card? What can they mean?
- Try to go inside the card. Imagine yourself in the place of one of the characters, or just observe from the side. In any case, try to bring the picture to life. What emotions does this evoke in you? Write down any thoughts that come to your mind. Think about the meaning of this card and write it down. If you know the meaning of this card, write it down again, in keywords or ideas.
- Now you can read the description in any Tarot book or Internet resource. What part resonates in you the most?
- In the evening, take 5 minutes to describe how the Card of the Day has been woven into your day. Even if it seems to you that it was not about you at all, and no pairings happened, write this down as well. Be diligent.
As you work with the Tarot Card of the Day, you will begin to notice that the cards are revealed for you more clearly, brighter and stronger. The Tarot cards become your personal advisor and close friend. Just imagine what a powerful source of knowledge you have in your hands! The Tarot is a great tool for introspection and reflection that can work for all of us. Just a few minutes a day will be of great benefit. The Tarot cards can warn you of danger or remind you to take care of yourself. Just do not forget that the card is valid for only one day! If you pulled out the Arcana of Tower or the Ten of Swords, do not be alarmed, and do not come up with an inglorious ending to some big business. If something went wrong with you, do not blame the card that you pulled out a week ago. This is a practice of the present moment. Take it lightly, but do not neglect the information that it carries in itself.
Every time I look at the card of the day, I do it only in the evening and guess for the next day. The advantage of this is the opportunity to work on the astral plane.
Good Idea ?