Using the Tarot Major Arcana in a Therapeutic Setting

So... We have had an overview of the cards in a Tarot deck and more detail on the significance of each of the Major Arcana in terms of the Jungian Archetypes and relating them to the life journey of the Fool...

If you remember, the Major Arcana refers to the 22 cards that each have an individual image. Some people will use the whole deck, but I think that this makes life far too complicated..!

But what else can you do to utilise these beautiful artefacts in therapy...? Well here is how I would suggest using them...:

 

Cards face down...

1. Let your Client choose which card they want to turn over... take their time...
2. Let them tell you what they see in the card they have selected that relates to the situation that is troubling them or their life in genertal. This is all about getting them to express themselves in their own words.
3. Avoid leading the Client (let the Client use their own words). This will draw out more of the Client's own thoughts, but if they are reluctant or hesitant then you can assist by offering the interpretation of the card given elsewhere on this site...
4. You can repeat this as much as you like, and can leave the selected cards face up and encourage the Client to position all of the cards as they select them in an arrangement that suits them. Even to the point of selecting all of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana...
5. Alternatively, you can arrange the selected cards into groups according to the Jungian consciousness categories.
6. The metaphorical imagery of the cards allows the Client to express feelings in what is called a dissociated manner ... this is very helpful if they are reticent or have difficulty expressing personal feelings ... It gives them a comfortable distance...

Cards face up...

As above, but the Client chooses the cards more consciously... you can ask more probing questions with regard to what attracted them to that particular card...

Cards arranged face up in the numerical order of the Major Arcana...

Using the Fool card to represent the Client's journey, go through the cards of the Major Arcana in order and ask the Client to express their feelings at each stage... Who do the cards represent?  What events are brought to mind? etc...

The Tarot Deck - Part 3 - A Jungian Approach to the Major Arcana

...”You and I are multi-faceted people.

The Tarot cards mirror aspects of our

personalities that require contemplation,

interpretation and understanding...”  C. G. Jung

Carl Gustav Jung worked for six years with Sigmund Freud. They had much in common, but over the six years it became clear to Jung that Freud's approach to Psychoanalysis was lacking something. This something was a recognition of the mystical, the spiritual and the occult influences over the lives of human beings. With this difference of opinions the two men parted company.

Jung studied many of the World's major religions and esoteric paths and drew much from them. He adopted the use of Mandalas as a means of expressing the 'Self'. He used these daily for his own purposes and also encouraged his patients to do the same.

Additionally, Jung made use of the Tarot deck in therapy (interestingly, Freud did the same). The Jungian approach to the use of tarot can be applied to varying degrees, from a metaphorical application of the images of the Major Arcana to events in the patient's life all the way through to the use of the full 78 cards to analyse aspects of a person's situation down to a fine degree of detail. 

This variety of approaches also spans the range from the purely Therapeutic to the Mystical. I shall be exploring simple uses of the Major Arcana in therapeutic scenarios... but there are many sources through which you can explore the deeper applications of Jungian analyses to the Tarot. I would recommend the Jungian Tarot trilogy by Robert Wang (all available on Amazon):

1. Tarot Psychology
2. The Jungian Tarot and its Archetypal Imagery
3. Perfect Tarot Divination :Through Astrology, Kabbalah and Principles of Jungian Interpretation

 ...and also his book 'The Qabalistic Tarot: A Textbook of Mystical Philosophy' (although this is well outside the price-range of the casual researcher!).

There is also a Jungian Deck which you might be interested in (click here). The designs are specifically structured to complement the books by Robert Wang.

I shall be using the standard Rider-Waite deck throughout, as this is by far the most popular deck in the English-speaking World.

A Qabalistc approach to the Major Arcana would segment the 22 cards into the 4 stages of life as follows:

In fact, there is no reason why you cannot use this approach in combination with a Jungian analysis if it suits you...

However, the purer Jungian approach aligns the Major Arcana differently as shown below:

This reflects the levels of Consciousness proposed by Jung. The Conscious is, as it suggests, the part of ourselves of which we are conscious. The Unconscious is the area that we sublimate, but which still relates to us as an individual. The Collective Unconscious is the shared racial memory which includes the 'Archetypes' that Jung proposed were universally embedded in all people of all societies as a sort of set of templates which are then populated by our own experiences.

You may decide to use either of these approaches on different occasions... or try them out to see what suits you and your Client. Or, indeed you may choose not to use either, but to use the Major Arcana in a less structured and more intuitive way (my personal preference!).

Whatever you decide... the analysis of these beautiful images as metaphors for stages of the Fool's Journey will no doubt charm you... and allow your Client to discuss their issues in a dissociated manner.

I will now discuss each of the cards in the Major Arcana briefly and then explain how you might use them in a therapeutic setting...

The Tarot Deck - Part 4 - The Major Arcana Characters

The 3 X 7 Jungian spreads of the Major Arcana

0.  The Fool is the happy wanderer who sees the world through the eyes of a child. Most tarot experts agree that the Fool represents each of us—naive travelers through life, off on a grand adventure, out to learn whatever experience the tarot can teach us.  This is the Divine Child Archetype...

 

 1.  The Magician is the skilled and cunning master of all he surveys. He represents an individual in control of life’s tools and techniques, like those on the table in front of him. Typically, they include a cup, sword, pentacle, and wand—the four symbols of the Minor Arcana. This is the Jungian archetype of the Trickster...

 2.  The High Priestess is the enigmatic keeper of spiritual secrets. Secretive and guarded, she knows the secrets life holds—but she shares them only with the wise. This is the Jungian Archetype of the Wise Woman...

 3.  The Empress is the archetypal mother who nurtures and protects all of her creation, including humankind.  This is the Jungian Anima archetype.

 4.  The Emperor is the authoritative protector and provider who rules the known world. A father figure, he brings order out of chaos so that civilization can prosper.  This is the Jungian Animus archetype...

 5.  The Hierophant is a symbol of traditional authority and influence. He’s the head of a hierarchy, determined to maintain his religious and cultural traditions.  This represents the Jungian archetype of the Persona... The social Mask that we all present to the world.

 6.  The Lovers embody the twin principles of opposition and attraction. While an appearance by this couple could encourage any hopeless romantic, the card also signifies a choice that needs to be made between two equally strong desires.  Need to commit heartfelt loyalty to one path, one person or one task

 7.  The Chariot is a vehicle for forward motion and change. The young charioteer is in command of his physical and emotional drives, even when they seem to oppose each other.  For Jungians this represents our internal struggle between the ego and the shadow...

8.  Strength is the lovely lady with the heart of a lion. She gently holds the jaws of a powerful wild cat, patiently controlling a force that could otherwise eat her alive.  This is the Jungian archetype of the Hero or Heroine – A mythological and supremely self-confident self...

 9.  The Hermit is a recluse, far removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. He reflects on spiritual concerns, and carries the light of wisdom as a beacon for others to follow. Time to reflect... The Jungian archetype of the Wise Old Man...

10.  The Wheel of Fortune is the spinning wheel of destiny and fate. Because nothing is certain but change itself, the Wheel of Fortune reminds us all that what goes up must also come down.  We need to be aware of things beyond our control: “God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I can’t and the wisdom to know the difference...”

11.  Justice is both the giver and enforcer of laws. As the ultimate arbiter, she holds a two-edged sword—a reminder that fairness cuts both ways.  Equates to Karma...  We will be rewarded for the good we do, and punished for the evil we do...

12.  The Hanged Man sacrifices his comfort and passions for a time, knowing that better things will occur as a result. He is the visionary who sacrifices one life to be rewarded with another.  Looking for spiritual enlightenment and psychic revelation... Beyond the material and mundane... Willingness' to make a sacrifice

13.  Death is the card of transition. Like the Grim Reaper, who clears away all that cannot survive, the card depicts the turning of a page, the completion of one chapter of life, and the exciting start of a new story.  New things cannot be started without old ones coming to an end... One door closes and another one opens...

14.  Temperance is the archangel of balance. With dexterity and grace, Temperance demonstrates that moderation can serve as a bridge to wholeness.  Learn patience rather than rushing  forward headlong with your eyes closed...

 

15.  The Devil is the dark and shadowy side of our existence. With tongue firmly in cheek, he demonstrates how a selfish devotion to material possessions and ill-conceived passions can tie us down and keep us from true happiness. This is the archetypical Shadow self... Our internal demons...

16.  The Tower is a forceful clearing of pent-up energy that strikes like lightning. It’s a bolt from the blue, and it can shake any overbuilt structure to its foundation. Change can come out of the blue and can be positive or negative. Sometimes even apparently negative change cam bring positive results... “Until I lost the roof of my house, I never realised how beautiful the night sky was...” Overcoming black and white thinking

17.  The Star is a shining light in the darkness. Like the goddess of the night, she’s the blithe spirit who offers hope, inspiration, and guidance. No matter how dark the road might seem, hope, courage and inspiration will bring the promise of better days to come...

18.  The Moon is the ever-changing mirror of the sun, and a symbol of the unconscious mind. From its perch in the night sky, the moon represents secrets and mysteries that may not be understood—or even recognised.  I warns us to be aware that illusions and hidden forces can obscure what’s really happening. It also represents our imaginative and creative side.

19.  The Sun is a symbol of consciousness and action. It’s the centre of the universe, and the source of heat, illumination, and life on earth.  In the light of the Sun, the Fool has come out of the darkness and into a new awareness and strength. Revitalised by the power of life’s journey, he is at his strongest and ready to shine...

20.  Judgement reveals all, heralds the dawn of a new world, and stands as a reminder of the power of forgiveness.  Resurrection, the rebirth that comes with spiritual awareness. Arriving rat this step in his journey, the Fool understands the possibilities of transformation that can come with change. The Fool reaches for enlightenment.

21.  The World depicts the never-ending, spiral dance of life. It’s a card of completion, achievement and success—as well as the chance to start another round. The Fool understands  that life encompasses more than himself and his own journey. He is ready to begin again on a new cycle of learning: He can be reincarnated from the world of experience back to the innocence of the Fool...

The Tarot Deck - Part 1 - Overview

The 22 Trump cards in a Tarot deck are called the Major Arcana.

The card numbered 0 is called the Fool... and it is his journey of self-discovery that is described in the remaining 21 cards of the Major Arcana. The Fool is you or me... setting out on life's great adventure. Some see the Fool as an empty vessel... a tabula rasa... others see him as a fully-loaded set of templates waiting to be populated by personal experieces on his journey to 'self-actualisation', 'individuation' or 'self discovery' ...

The remaining 56 cards in the Tarot deck are called the Minor Arcana and they fall into 4 suits which correspond to our modern day playing card suits. The Tarot suits and their corresponding modern day suits and elements are as follows:

Denari or Pentacles = Diamonds = Earth

Bastone or Wands   = Clubs = Fire

Coppe or Cups = Hearts = Water

Spade or Swords = Spades = Air

The Minor Arcana might look unfamiliar to some audiences, but similar cards are still used in many parts of Europe as playing cards. The only real difference is that most Tarot decks will have 10 'Pip' cards and 4 'Court' cards per Minor Arcana suit (although some Tarot decks can have up to 6 'Court' cards); whereas the normal playing card decks will only have 3 'Court' cards - Jack, Queen and King.

The Minor Arcana is used in divination and fortune-telling as well as the Jungian approaches to Tarot. However, for the moment, I shall only be dealing with the Major Arcana in this blog.

If you need more information on the use of the Minor Arcana in Jungian Tarot then I would refer you to the excellent Jungian Tarot trilogy by Robert Wang (available on Amazon).

The Tarot Deck - Part 2 - First steps.....

Start at zero...The Fool from the Visconti Sforza Tarot deck

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot (Tarocchi dei Visconti) is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) deck on record. It was designed for members of the Visconti family who ruled Milan in the 15th century. They were commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, and by his successor Francesco Sforza.

Modern reproductions of the full deck and also just the Major Arcana are available and are very beautiful.

The name "Visconti-Sforza Tarot" is used collectively to refer to incomplete sets of approximately 15 decks, now located in various museums, libraries, and private collections around the world. Sadly, no complete deck has survived; rather, some collections boast a few face cards, while some consist of a single card.

To see images of the majority of the deck (with some unfortunately blocked by their owners) please follow this link: Visconti Tarot images.

The Tarocchi dei Visconti decks were hand painted  by the Milanese artist Bonifacio Bembo in the first half of the 15th century. They were only available to the very wealthy family that commissioned them. Many of the cards would have featured images that had the faces of family members.

It is most likely that the cards would have been used to play the game of Trionfi (or Trumps), which is actually still played in many parts of Europe. If you are interested in the game of Trionfi then follow this link: How to play 'French Tarot'. This game uses the full 78 cards of a Tarot deck and is the ancestor of Bridge.

Cheaper cards were also available. These were printed, but no decks survive. They were often burned as a sort of symbolic sacrifice at the end of festivals in a 'Bonfire of the Vanities'. By the end of the 15th century, Tarot cards were being produced in Florence, Urbino, Venice and other cities in Northern Italy.

It was only around 1530 that the decks started to be called Tarocchi... the origin of our word Tarot.

Some cards might have been used in Divination and Cartomancy as early as the 17th century,  but it wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that this became commonplace.

In the early 16th century a new version of the Tarot, called the Minchiate. was created in Florence. This became the most popular deck in all of Italy but was rarely seen outside of Italy until fairly recently.

The Minchiate has 41 trump cards (including the Fool) rather than 22 making the total number of cards in the deck 97. These 41 trumps include all of the 12 signs of the Zodiac, the 4 elements (Air, Earth, Fire and Water) and some other cards representing temporal rulers. For the Wikipedia article on the Minchiate use this link: 'Minchiate'. To see the Minchiate Trumps use this link: 'Minchiate Trumps'. Minchiate decks are available on Amazon.

In this blog, I will not be exploring the use of the Tarot in Divination, Cartomancy or Card Games. There are many other sites that deal with these topics and I would refer you to them. For the use of the cards in Card Games, then please follow this link 'French Tarot' and for information on the many decks available and for general information and links with regard to Cartomancy and Divination please follow this link to the excellent 'Aeclectic' site: 'Aeclectic.net'