Your Guide to Tarot Mastery · an enlightened time and Tarot can help us to develop an awareness of...

The Tarot Your Guide to Tarot Mastery

Edition 11 Autumn 2013

This edition’s theme

is based on the card called Justice.

At some stage in our lives, we have all

watched the scales of justice weighing our actions. If

we dread the outcome, it’s because we know we have failed ourselves and others with our words or deeds.

At other times we know we are about to receive a

reward for choosing the right path, or we might hope for compensation when others have acted unjustly

towards us.

In either case, we expect Lady Justice to have taken into account all of the circumstances and to

bring results swiftly and fairly.

In Waite’s card called Justice we see all of the

familiar symbols of the Goddess of Justice. She holds a sword and scales, and she is robed in official gowns

of authority.

The other key symbol for this card is not hidden, but

it’s not obvious either—it’s the blue square on her

crown. This patch of blue represents insight.

Justice perceives the situation with calmness and

clarity. She maintains an objective manner and her

decisions are based on wisdom from within. Here’s a beautiful quote about insight that I

found in a book called Your True Home: The

Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh. “Insight is a mysterious, almost miraculous

experience. A flash of insight can come upon us in a

moment, without warning, like the opening in a

cloudy sky that suddenly illuminates the landscape below. We see simply and clearly what before had

been hidden in the shadows of concepts and

confusion.” In the coming months, when you have to pass

judgement on another person’s actions, think of Lady

Justice and the blue square on her crown. Wait for that ‘flash of insight’ before you make your decision and

bring down the sword.

Tarot blessings,

- Editorial

Page 2 - The Wildwood Tarot

Page 3 - Webinar Review

Page 4 - Justice Interpretations

Page 5 - Tarot’s Three-Part Harmony

Page 6 - Workshops & Events

Page 7 - Who is Lady Justice?

www.MisterTarot.com


The Wildwood Tarot is based on an out-of-print

deck called The Greenwood Tarot. The co-creator of that deck (Mark Ryan) teamed up with John Matthews to bring

us this gorgeous set of cards that blends esoteric archetypes

of the Wildwood and the Wheel of the Year. It is a re-energised and refreshed version of the popular Greenwood

deck, and its makeover has delivered a stunning depiction

of the world from a mythic point of view. Noted artist Will Worthington was commissioned

to provide the pictures for the deck, and Ryan suggests that

Will’s beautiful imagery adds maturity and insights that

“stir the soul and sing the songs”. While loosely based on the traditional Waite deck, Will’s artwork is full of rich

symbolism from varying myths, which conjure a

(sometimes dark) potency from the cards.

While pre-Celtic mythology and forest-lore are the

main themes of this deck, the underlying essence of its design is the Wheel of the Year, and an acknowledgement

of the way that elemental and environmental conditions can

affect us during these seasonal changes. Ryan is convinced that “archetypal connections and

shamanic concepts continue to resonate and dance in the

eternal imagination of the human spirit, and live forever in our most primal collective dreams”. The artwork on these

cards certainly pushes the mind in the direction of the

realms of myth and magic! As he explains in the

introduction, “The twenty-two cards or archetypes of the Major Arcana are psychological gateways to our own inner

universe. We are all Wanderers, Blasted Oaks and Forest

Lovers at various times of the day, let alone in a lifetime.” This deck’s creators say that it would be a shame if

it was only used for divination. The powerful artwork of

The Wildwood Tarot was also designed as a meditation tool

to “provide major healing and evoke untapped layers of wisdom.” In most decks this concept is usually contained

within the Major Arcana cards, but the Minor Arcana cards

of the Wildwood Tarot are also filled with archetypal imagery and mythic beings, so the whole deck becomes a

spiritual journey.

Notable figures that we meet in this deck include

the Green Man, the Green Woman, the Shaman, and a Great Bear. The suit cards incorporate a one-word

interpretation underneath the image, which is handy for

quick reference to the designer’s intentions for the card.

The revised names of all the Major Arcana cards are:

0 The Wanderer (The Fool)

1 The Shaman (The Magician)

2 The Seer (The High Priestess)

3 The Green Woman (The Empress)

4 The Green Man (Emperor)

5 The Ancestor (The Hierophant)

6 The Forest Lovers (The Lovers)

7 The Archer (The Chariot)

8 The Stag (Strength)

9 The Hooded Man (The Hermit)

10 The Wheel (The Wheel of Fortune)

11 The Woodward (Justice)

12 The Mirror (The Hanged Man)

13 The Journey (Death)

14 Balance (Temperance)

15 The Guardian (The Devil)

16 The Blasted Oak (The Tower)

17 The Pole Star (The Star)

18 The Moon On Water (The Moon)

19 The Sun of Life (The Sun)

20 The Great Bear (Judgment)

21 The World Tree (The World)

The suits are Arrows (Swords), Bows (Wands),

Stones (Pentacles) and Vessels (Cups). The Court cards

retain the traditional names of Page, Knight, Queen, and King.

It’s colourful, its images stick in your mind, and

it’s beautifully presented. This is an ideal Tarot set for lovers of Druidry, shamanism, paganism, myth, and

legend.

Tarot Review - The Wildwood Tarot

Improve your Tarot Readings through Tarot History Featuring - The Lovers Card - Presented by Mary K. Greer

To really understand Tarot, you need to have a

basic knowledge of where it came from. This helps you to understand why and how the cards have the meanings that

we now attribute to them. With this in mind, Mary K. Greer

ran a webinar (a seminar on the web) with Global Spiritual Studies—and the result is a session that you can download

or purchase as a DVD.

In this webinar (accompanied by images of the

cards and photos of places described by Mary) you are given a brief outline of the history of Tarot. You are taken

through the streets of Milan, Ferrara and Bologna—all of

which lay claim to being the birthplace of Tarot cards. The photographs of Italian

cathedrals were amazing, with lots

of sculptures and artwork

reminiscent of early Tarot cards, for example, The High Priestess

(or Popess) is clearly shown as

‘Faith’, and the Wheel of Fortune is plainly seen, along with the

original versions of the Strength

image. Another highlight was the

photos of the colourful and abstract

Tarot Garden in Italy. It’s a

modern day interpretation of Tarot themes created with bizarre statues

and structures.

This is followed by a visual journey of Tarot’s

evolution, featuring pictures of the very first Tarot cards

through to Waite’s deck, and modern interpretations such as the Mythic Tarot and the Motherpeace Tarot. Examples

of other ‘arty’ decks are also given, where artwork is

overlaid with photographic images depicting the characters

of the Major Arcana. Mary says that these modern decks (such as The Cosmic Tribe Tarot) emphasise physical

attraction between the main characters, and they often

depict “tasteful eroticism—and these cards are more about

finding passion and one’s soul mate.”

Mary Greer then focused on the card called The

Lovers and she showed how our ideas about this image have changed through the ages. She revealed that in its

evolution there was a separation from the influence of

Eros as an external force. In the most recent decks, especially The Shining Tribe Tarot, the interpretation of

The Lovers card becomes direct, ecstatic union of the

physical with the divine.

One of the best aspects of this DVD is the

worksheet that comes with it. Mary offers twelve

unique and thought-provoking spreads that involve

The Lovers card. In one of them, the question you

ask yourself as you shuffle the cards is, ‘What do

these cards reveal about myself as a lover?’

Mary Greer’s suggestion is to shuffle the Tarot

deck and then turn the deck face up. Fan out the cards and look for The Lovers card. Remove that card as well as the

cards on either side of it. You now have a three card

spread with The Lovers in the middle. What do those two

flanking cards tell you about how you are as a lover? If you are not in a relationship, your question

could be, ‘What do I need to know about myself, so I can

be ready for a healthy relationship?’ After you have shuffled, find The Lovers card along with its flanking

cards. Those cards will help you to discover how you can

prepare yourself for love.

If you want to challenge yourself even further, you can shuffle while thinking about the power of Eros,

the Greek god of passionate love. Find The Lovers card

and the flanking cards. Eros is initiating you into the energies of the card on the left. The card on the right of

The Lovers shows the wisdom required to survive the

power of Eros’ desires! These questions open up new ways of looking at

this card when it appears in a reading. The final words of

Mary’s worksheet are the most stirring of all. She quotes

the words of Diotoma, Priestess of Eros, and teacher of Socrates: “How do you become a seeker of undying

beauty in divine ideas? How must you become pregnant

in respect to your soul?” Title: Improve your Tarot Readings through Tarot History

Presented by: Mary K. Greer

Available through: Global Spiritual Studies

(www.globalspiritualstudies.com)

Cost: online recording: AUD $14, DVD is AUD $18.50

+ packaging and postage ($3 Australia and New Zealand: $6 all

other destinations.)

Mary K. Greer is the author of 9 Tarot books and is featured as

the keynote speaker at Tarot conferences around the world.


Photos by Mary K. Greer

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Webinar Review


Information and Interpretations for the Justice Card

Symbols: The sword is held high in the right hand (ruled by the left brain), so the awareness exhibited by this card is based upon objective processes. The scales weigh one’s conscience against truth. The blue jewel on the crown represents the clarity of mind and purpose required for accurate judgement. The red clasp above the heart signifies that compassion is part of real justice. The figure is female, but she has short hair which minimises her feminine, emotional qualities, allowing her to dispense justice in a purposeful manner. In our world: The speeding fine, the settlement of a dispute between neighbours, or the grades received after an exam—these are the results of your actions, and Justice is the bringer of your rewards or punishment. In a reading: This shows a situation requiring careful consideration in order to find a fair and rational solution. Equilibrium can be maintained if all aspects of the case are looked at with an objective mind and an open heart. The card Justice is often related to legal matters, and suggests you maintain fair dealings and honesty with others. It can also serve as a warning to confirm if others are acting justly towards you.

Tarot Events

20 April 2013

Free Tarot Talk “Real Tarot for Modern Times”

The Tarot Revolution has begun! We are moving towards

an enlightened time and Tarot can help us to develop an awareness of our highest nature. But we need to leave

behind the old concepts of Tarot. In this talk you will be

encouraged to embrace Tarot as a practical tool for

decision making, and as a method of spiritual development.

Presented by Don McLeod at Cosmic Pages Bookshop, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

9 - 11 August 2013

International Tarot Conference

Australian Presenters Anne Shotter - TGA founding member

Evelynne Joffe - TGA founding member

Brian Clark - Astro*Synthesis

International Presenters Caitlin Matthews, Rachel Pollack

Mary Greer, Amber Jayanti

The venue is the Augustine Centre

in Hawthorn (Melbourne), and the maximum

number attending the conference will be 150.

Early Bird rates end soon!

See the website of the Tarot Guild of Australia for

updates: www.TarotGuild.org.au

Tarot Trivia

What other Rider-Waite-Smith

card features a set of scales?

The answer is at the end of this newsletter.


continued...

The suit of Wands has a similar conclusion;

after beginning with the promise of new energy the

final card in the series shows a man burdened with responsibilities. The suit of Wands is also about high

levels of energy, inspiration, action, adventure and

travel. Unfortunately, it can also represent those who

get excited about life and want to try everything! It’s about people trying to achieve too much and scattering

their energies. In the final card, we see a person who

started too many projects without finishing some first, and the deadlines are obviously approaching fast.

The Court cards begin with the Pages and end

with the Kings. The Pages show the potential of the

energy of each suit in a condensed form. In the Pages you see the youngest aspect of the family—they have

the youthful exuberance and innocent enthusiasm of the

young generation. They have ideas but they lack the experience or assets to bring their desires into reality.

They have inspiration, but they lack the wisdom that

comes with age. As Knights they have expanded upon their

knowledge and they put their ideas into practice. They

experience life and learn from it.

As Queens they have reached that stage of maturity where they feel satisfaction in their

endeavours. They have an understanding of the ways of

the world and they have begun to settle into routines. They know their roles in life. They have power over

their own lives and they govern other people with a

subtle and gentle forcefulness. The Kings of the Tarot are the leaders. They

are role models and bosses. They are the mentors and

the pillars of society.

Rather than thinking of the Court cards as just being part of a suit, realise they are an entity in

themselves. The Page, Knight, Queen, and King are the

Royal Family of the Tarot. Get to know them and your

readings will benefit from their energies.

Three Part Harmony

Most people think Tarot consists of two parts—the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana, but really

there’s three! The Court cards are a separate group.

All three sections of the Tarot show progression

from potential to manifestation. The Major Arcana—from The Fool to The World—illustrates progress from a

naive, simple attitude, to a state of enlightenment.

In the Minor Arcana the suits also show advancement from the Ace, which indicates the beginning

of each suit’s energy, through to the culmination of each

suit’s nature. The development of each suit is not

sequential though; each card does not build upon the former and increase in strength.

As in life there are ups and downs and sideways

shuffles as we dance our way to discovering how to

achieve certain results, but by the time we reach the

Tens of the each suit the energies have developed and

settled and come to a realisation of some kind.

In the Cups we go from the recognition of

emotions to the fulfilment of a happy home life and

family situation. The Ace of Pentacles shows the start of financial projects and the Ten is a great portrayal of status

and achievement.

The suit of Swords shows many dark and dreary images, and the final card of this suit is a fitting, but

depressing outcome. This shouldn’t be too surprising as

the suit of Swords is all about thoughts and worries, and an abundance of stress and fears and uncertainties is

bound to culminate in depression and despair, which is

clearly shown in the final card.

Court cards from the suit of Wands (Universal Waite Tarot)

Tarot Gatherings

The Tarot Guild of Australia is sponsoring these gatherings and they are held on

the last Wednesday of each month.

They are run by Martha Adams, a Professional member of the Tarot Guild.

Meet like-minded enthusiasts to share, practice, and discuss your favourite spreads, decks and authors. You don't need to be a Tarot expert.

All are welcome!

For more information on each monthly event, please contact Martha on 0403 276 319 or email:

[email protected]

Venue: St John’s Spiritualist Church

271 Carrington Street, Adelaide

Starting time is 7 p.m. Cost is $5

For a state-by-state listing of monthly

Tarot gatherings around Australia, see the website of the

Tarot Guild of Australia: www.tarotguild.org.au

Learn how to combine Tarot and Palmistry in an innovative, five week

course, held once a week at Hahndorf, South Australia. Only $190

Email Trevor: [email protected]


Tarot Simplified a workshop with Don McLeod

Sunday 28th April from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Held at Cosmic Pages Bookshop 338 - 340 King William Street, Adelaide

How Tarot Works Demystifying Tarot Basic Tarot Spreads

Learn Easy Interpretations Practical & Spiritual Uses

By the end of this workshop you will feel comfortable using Tarot cards and you will have a basic

understanding of their meanings.

Only $65

Requirements: Rider-Waite Tarot Deck Bookings essential: Phone 8231 9105

Tarot Spreads

Want to learn some exciting new Tarot spreads? Perhaps you'd just like to practice some basic ones?

Spend an afternoon discovering useful and fascinating new Tarot spreads.

It's only $40 for three hours of Tarot fun!

Where? 186 Hutt Street in Adelaide. When? Sunday 24th March from 1pm to 4pm

Requirements: Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

Bookings are essential as numbers will be limited.

Email me to reserve your place: [email protected].

Tarot Coaching

Available for one on one sessions. Email: MisterTarot yahoo.com.au A recent workshop at Cosmic Pages Bookshop

mailto:[email protected]

Who is Lady Justice?

Lady Justice was originally known as the goddess Themis. In

Greek, the word themis means order. Although each god in

Greek mythology held the power of law, Themis was a goddess

who created and maintained order in the natural world. She

organized things like the seasons and she planned the path of a

person’s life from beginning to end. Around 22 C.E. she first

appeared on Roman coins as the goddess Justitia.

Statues and engravings of Lady Justice are often found at law

courts. She is usually depicted with three symbolic images: a set

of scales, a sword, and a blindfold. The scales of Lady Justice

indicate that she carefully weighs the claims of each side. Her

sword represents that she is ready to enforce her decisions. The

blindfold is a recent addition to her symbolism, appearing only

in the fifteenth century. This blindfold represented decisions of

objectivity, or an impartial verdict that was not influenced by

wealth, politics, or popularity.

If you no longer wish to receive this

newsletter, simply send an email to:

[email protected]

with the word ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject area.

Copyright on all articles in this newsletter belong

to Don McLeod unless specifically stated otherwise.

wwww.MisterTarot.com

www.TarotSecretsBook.com www.MisterTarot.blogspot.com/


“The best advice I ever got about

Tarot was: Read the book, meditate with the cards, then put the book

away and do your own thing!”

- Mark Ryan (Wildwood Tarot)

Tarot Trivia Answer:

Question: What other

Rider-Waite-Smith

card features a set

of scales?

Answer: 6 of Pentacles

I recently finished a training course to improve my presentation skills (Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment) and it looks like my efforts have paid off! Here’s some lovely feedback from a participant at my Tarot Simplified workshop...

“Dear Don, A truly excellent workshop. You are a gifted facilitator and teacher. Thank you for your insight and guidance, it has set me up to have a wonderful week.” - Charlotte Robinson

Your Guide to Tarot Mastery · an enlightened time and Tarot can help us to develop an awareness of...

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