Before describing how tarot can help us cultivate self-awareness, we should probably do a quick recap of what self-awareness is. Even deeper, we might become curious about why being self-aware matters. What does it add to our lives, relationships, and our communities?
When we are self-aware, we are connected to our inner truth, imagination, and the inner compass that guides our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When we are unapologetically in touch with ourselves, we almost intuitively know what we need based on how we feel in our bodies and minds. We have an acute awareness of what lights us up, and conversely, what deflates us or leaves us feeling less grounded and detached from our inner wisdom.
The connection between mind and body is a beautiful one; it is an interaction between different parts of ourselves. Think of how, after a poor night's sleep, when your body feels exhausted and heavy, you might notice more anxious thoughts trickling in throughout the following day. Or when you make eye contact from across the room with someone you love, and you notice a lightness in your body, floating along as if gravity didn't exist.
Eckhart Tolle, in "The Power of Now," says:
"If you have difficulty feeling your emotions, start by focusing attention on the inner energy field of your body. Feel the body from within. This will also put you in touch with your emotions."
In Sarah Peyton's brilliant book, "Your Resonant Self," she gently suggests that we consider a regular practice of self-connection. In doing so, we can increasingly make decisions based on conscious choice rather than old attachment wounds or unhealed parts of ourselves (we all have those crunchy bits or parts of ourselves with sharp edges, so try to be gentle with yourself).
This got me thinking, why not include tarot as part of a self-connection practice?
I thought it might be fun, and a way for us to feel connected to each other, to go through the following exercise together. Of course, we will likely never physically cross paths, but it is through knowing that other people, not unlike yourself, have also walked this path that we create a sense of community.
When we take time for ourselves, we are also communicating to our present and younger selves that we are deserving of care and attention.
Try creating a dedicated space where you can sit down, unwind, and feel safe to fully let your guard down and immerse yourself in this tarot practice. Having a ritual of setting up your reading space in and of itself can be quite grounding. Personally, I enjoy dimming the lights, turning on my salt lamp, burning incense, and putting on some ambient music (Hiroshi Yoshimura’s 1986 album, "Green," is my go-to).
If you own multiple tarot decks, choose whichever one you feel drawn to.
Adding an intention to your practice is a simple yet impactful way to deepen your connection to yourself. Take as much or as little time as you need for this step. The intention doesn't need to be perfect, and you will have plenty more opportunities to build upon it or swap it out in future tarot readings.
Feel free to try out any of the following intentions, or use them as a jumping-off point:
“Through this tarot practice, I will care for myself by taking up space.”
“When I read tarot, I give myself permission to tune out the outer world and focus my attention inwardly.”
“I will connect my mind and body by noticing any physical sensations that may arise as I mindfully explore my own cards"
Or simply, “I will hold space for any thoughts or feelings that come up for me during my practice.”
This will be a simple practice, so we won't be using complex tarot spreads or deciphering the different tarot card meanings.
Shuffle your tarot deck: As you shuffle your tarot cards, focus on the different sensations you are experiencing. You might even close your eyes, while taking a deep breath. As you breathe, you might notice your mind naturally starting to wander. Gently bring your attention back to the tarot cards. How do their edges feel against your fingertips? What sounds do you hear as you shuffle them? Try not to rush through this step, and notice how your body slowly relaxes over time. When you feel ready, move on to the next step.
Draw a card: This will be a single card reading. When selecting a tarot card, you can either pull the top card from the deck or fan out the cards (face down) and let your intuition guide you by selecting a card that you feel drawn to.
With the card face up in front of you, write down any thoughts, feelings, or memories that have been brought to your awareness.
Before looking up what the tarot card means, you might reflect on the following questions:
What do I see?
What colors are there?
Are there people, animals, or other figures present? If so, how might they be feeling? What is their posture like (e.g., confident or withdrawn)? Facial expression? Which direction are they looking in?
What shapes are there? Are the lines sharp and contained or smooth and flowing?
What is the overall mood of this card?
How do I feel when looking at this card? Do I feel excited, calm, or hopeful? Or does it bring up feelings of worry, anxiety, and fear?
Do I like this card?
If helpful, feel free to supplement your reading with online or written guides with the meanings of the major arcana cards and minor arcana cards. You might even compare these interpretations to your own reflections. How similar or different are they? Which one feels more accurate or reflective of your current experience?
Revisiting your initial intention for your tarot practice, how do you feel? Were there any insights or realizations that came up for you?
Take a few minutes to journal and reflect on these final questions:
How did this tarot practice make me feel? Do I feel the same or different compared to the start of the practice?
Did I learn anything about myself or gain a new perspective on anything?
What are three things I am grateful for (write down the first three things that come to mind, no need to overthink it!)
Well done! In this gentle tarot practice, you discovered an intuitive and unconventional way to tap into your inner world through introspection and mindfulness. Feel free to add this practice to your self-care toolkit and refer to it as often or as little as you like.
It is also possible that this practice didn't quite resonate with you. That's totally fair! If you are still curious about tarot, you might even consider adjusting this exercise to better align with your current needs (time, energy, and scope of practice). Thank you for joining me, and hope to see you again soon!