References to cards and meditations are drawn from:
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness by Rachel Pollack, Weiser Books, 2019.
The Complete Arthurian Tarot by Caitlín and John Matthews, illustrated by Miranda Gray, Eddison Books, 2014
Forest of Enchantment Tarot by Lunaea Weatherstone, Illustrated by Meraylah Allwood, Llewellyn Publications, 2020
Rider Waite Smith deck: Originally published in 1909, updated, and republished by US Game Systems, Inc.
Original Rider Waite Smith artwork created by Pamela Coleman Smith, 1909. Scanned to https://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/xr/index.htm courtesy of Holly Voley. This original artwork is not the updated version created and sold by US Games and, therefore, is within Public Domain for use in this work.
Neverending Story. Peterson, Wolfgang, director. Warner Brothers, 1984.
Spontaneous Transformation Technique created by Celebrated Energy Medicine Healer-Jennifer McLean https://www.spontaneouslytransformtrauma.com/workshop-unwind-trauma
Tarot Adventures is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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“Good morning!” I say to the nearby chirping birds as I pack up my belongings and return to my quest. Walking along the path, I ponder yesterday’s interaction with the Green Knight and wonder, Where else in my life do I keep repeatedly fighting the same useless battles?
My fanny pack begins vibrating, and I open it to look inside. The Your Path Through the Enchanted Forest handbook is squirming around, and I pull it out, feeling intrigued. It falls open to the summary page for the Eights, and I read:
“The eights represent limitations, interference, a hard task, or a difficult life lesson. Often, the card doesn’t show an actual problem; rather, it shows ways you might react to the problem. Each of the eights shows a response to obstacles.”
Ooo, interesting, I think to myself.
In the distance, I hear a crackle of lightning and a loud thumping crash. Running towards the sound, I stop in astonishment, staring at the scene before me. It’s the Tower, the 16th card of the Rider Waite Smith deck’s Major Arcana.
The top of the Tower has been smashed off its perch by lighting and is falling in slow motion. A man and woman are heading toward the ground with shocked expressions. Dancing around them are flames in the shape of the Hebrew letter “yod.”
“There’s that Hebrew influence again. I wonder what it means?” I muse aloud.
“In Tarot, the Yod symbol represents the presence of the divine,” a voice responds.
Looking over my shoulder, I see a silvery white owl hovering next to me. I step back in surprise and then chastise myself inwardly. You asked a question out loud, and naturally, someone showed up to answer you. It’s Tarot Land! Rolling my eyes at myself, I shush my inner critic.
The owl gently descends and shape-shifts into a fairy woman dressed in a flowing gown with owl feathers decorating the hems of the material. “I am Blodeuwedd,” she states.
Feeling intimidated by her knowing eyes and the wisdom I can feel emanating from her, I shyly say, “Hi.”
She gestures back at the tower scene, and I see it transforming into a tower with white energy spiraling toward the heavens. Two white lightning bolts strike the Tower’s heart on either side, providing energy to the ongoing spiral.
Digging through my fanny pack, I find one of the blank cards is filling in the image of XVI-THE SPIRAL TOWER of the Arthurian Tarot deck, showing the moment the lightning bolts struck.
Gasping, I whirl back to the fairy lady and exclaim, “I know the Tower. It represents a change so intense it destroys life as we know it. It scares me.”
Blodeuwedd replies, “It scares many people who receive the Tower in a reading. However, in both cards, you can see that the Divine is present. The Seeker is not alone in this experience.”
I nod, “I get that. But it’s hard to trust that everything is unfolding as it should when the change is so abrupt and all-encompassing.”
She nods with gentle compassion. “The book Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom states, ‘The universe and the human mind will not allow us to stay forever imprisoned in our towers of illusion and repression. If we cannot free ourselves peacefully then the forces of life will arrange an explosion.’ The opportunity for significant change is present within the card, but it’s up to the Seeker to recognize and take it. Here’s an example.
She gestures, and the scene in front of me transforms. I see my mother as a little girl. She’s sitting up in her darkened bedroom, wide awake and alert. She turns and lunges under her pillow, pulling it down tight around her ears. Sound joins the scene, and I hear the pained wailing of a boy coming from a nearby room.
My heart thumping hard, I ask, “Wait, what is this?”
“This is a moment your mother lived through, which she continues to regret and mourn to this day. She has called us here and now to help her free herself from the emotional repression and self-limitations that she created due to this experience. If you’d like, you can utilize the energy of THE SPIRAL TOWER and the Eights to transform and bring healing to this memory for her. The memory is currently stored in the part of her brain where the flight, fight, freeze, and fawn responses will activate any time something triggers this memory. However, we can help her move the experience into a different portion of her brain, the prefrontal cortex, so that it will no longer activate her limbic system, and she can think about the incident with emotional detachment.”
I nod, saying, “Yes, I’d like to help her face and process that pain. How do we help her do that?”
“First, let us consider her options.”
Bloduewedd guides me over to a large floating card showing a swamp. It has sections of muddy water scattered throughout a grassy landscape. I can see mountains off in the distance, and storm clouds are moving in. A sword has been stuck tip-first into the ground and is standing next to a small circle of swamp water.
Blodeuwedd takes my hand, and we step into the card. A white horse and its rider clomp into view, the muddy water slowing them down. I realize it’s Artax and Atreyu from The Never Ending Story. My shoulders climb up to my ears, and I shudder. “Ugh, this is the Swamp of Sadness. I hate this scene! It’s agonizing to see Artax give up and get sucked into the swamp while Atreyu is helpless.”
I blink, feeling my shoulders abruptly drop as I realize, “Oh, just like Artax giving into his hopelessness, people can get stuck in despair, not realizing they simply need to continue moving through the swamp. My mother responded to that situation by getting stuck in despair for decades, which is why she’s called us to this moment in her life.”
Blodeuwedd nods and leads me out of the card. We walk over and stand in front of another card. This one shows an arched doorway. Through it, I can see a symbol hovering over an object. “Is that a table or a coffin?” I ask.
Blodeuwedd responds, “Do people typically place two burning candles and a tablecloth on top of a coffin?”
“Oh, good point,” I respond. “Maybe it’s a meditation table?”
In front of the archway lays a spilled cup of red wine and a small object that could be a cell phone.
“Whatever this place is, someone left in a hurry,” I note. I step into the card and rush over to the cell phone. Bending over to pick it up, I realize it’s not a phone but a Preseli bluestone. It looks like granite with little white spots scattered on its surface like little stars. I rub it absently with my thumb as I look around, trying to understand what happened here.
Blodeuwedd pulls out a firestick remote and, with a wink at me, pushes the rewind button. We hear the sound of a tape rewinding, and then she pushes the play button. We see a young woman with a thought bubble above her head, showing her working as a veterinarian technician and enjoying her time with the animals. She approaches the meditation table, lights the candles, and sits down. After a few minutes, the thought bubble above her head transforms into an image of her teaching at the front of a classroom. She leaps up and rushes out the door so quickly that she knocks over the cup.
I comment, “Well, that seems abrupt. She liked her job. I don’t get it.”
Blodeuwedd nods wisely. “Sometimes, we reach a point when we realize our journey is no longer suitable. It takes strength and courage to recognize this and leave a once stable and fulfilling situation to make room for a new journey.”
“Ahh. Gotcha,” I reply. “Still, since this is the grail card, I bet the spilled cup of wine represents upset emotions. Even though she was willing to change, I bet it wasn’t easy.”
Blodeuwedd gently smiles. “Yes, anyone in this situation would be well-served to grieve the time and effort they put into their old path, even as they move forward to their new endeavor.”
Continuing, we move to the next card. I see a rushing river in a tranquil landscape. As we gaze at the scene, the water carries a spear past us; its speed is astonishing.
“Wow, that spear was zipping down the river!”
Blodeuwedd nods. “Yes, one way people choose to react to different circumstances is with speedy action. They take advantage of the river’s power and sprint forward.
“Huh, ok.”
We move into the final card, Stone Eight. Stepping into the card, I see a cube with shavings scattered around it. Someone has meticulously carved a face into the cube.
Wow, the details of this project are so precise. It must have taken a long time!
Enthusiastically, I say, “Let me guess. Another way people respond to situations is through learning and perfecting a skill.”
She smiles. “Correct, and furthermore. As the artist carved this block, they likewise carved and transformed their innermost selves.”
Leaving the card, we move back to view XVI-THE SPIRAL TOWER. While peering at the scene, I notice all twelve astrological symbols at the Tower’s base. Gasping with understanding, I blurt, “The astrological symbols represent time passing. The spiral cone of energy moving from the Tower into the sky represents divine energy, which gathers that momentum and fulfills the Hermetic Philosophy, which says, ‘As above, so below.’
“However, the Tower transforms that gathering of year-long energy and releases it into a sudden blast. The Tower card represents a situation where the Seeker had plenty of time to change and free themselves from their self-imposed limitations. Yet, due to their dilly-dallying, the energy builds up until the situation explodes, almost like a volcano.”
Blodeuwedd smiles beatifically. “You got it!”
After a moment of silence, she continues, “Now, how would your mother use these 8’s to face her own Tower situation?”
“Hmm.” I tap my finger on my lips, thinking. “Well, she’s only six or seven years old here, which limits her choices. We know this event led to decades of repression and self-limiting beliefs. But what exactly is going on?”
Blodeuwedd gestures “after you” with her hand, and I step into the image of my mother’s bedroom when she was a little girl. The room is dark, and she hides under her pillow, frozen in fear.
Blodeuwedd says, “Now, let’s bring some healing energy to this situation. First, go within yourself and step into the energy of a neutral and compassionate Observer.”
I close my eyes and focus on dropping down into my heart space. I breathe while concentrating on embodying the Observer state. A few seconds pass, and I say, “I’m feeling expansive, like I have room to respond to the situation without diving into the emotions, as though I am her guardian angel.”
Bloduewedd quietly says, “Now, from that state of being, talk to her.”
I move next to the little girl and say, “Hello, Little One. I’m here, and I’m present, and I’m not leaving you. I’m not going anywhere.”
She moves out from under the pillow and gives me the side-eye, looking apprehensive. I gently smile and say, “Of course, you’d be scared to trust me. Of course, you would be. Given what’s going on, that feeling is correct and appropriate.”
Bloduewedd says, “She is scared and suppressing her feelings, locking them away to keep her safe. You are the first adult to allow her to be herself and to feel and express her feelings. If she keeps those feelings suppressed, they will stay in the wrong part of her brain. She needs to feel safe to feel and express them.”
I whisper to my young mom, “I’m so sorry you are going through this. Of course, you’d be scared. Locking away your feelings was brilliant and helped you survive in the moment. It probably wouldn’t have been safe to express your feelings at the time. But now you’ve called us to help you fully voice your feelings. Although you don’t need our permission, you can now express those locked-away feelings.”
She begins sobbing, moving from frozen fear into sadness.
After a bit, I turn to Bloduewedd and say, “We’ve already seen that she ended up stuck in the swamp of sadness, which led to decades of suffering. GRAIL EIGHT could be helpful if she had something she always did in these situations, and they hadn’t helped. But it doesn’t seem like she had a stable and fulfilling solution to turn from in the first place, so she could walk away and choose a new solution. GRAIL EIGHT does not work here. Poor thing.”
The little one wipes her eyes and holds her arms to me, seeking a hug. I gather her in close, gently stroking her hair. Her tears slow down, and she begins to breathe more calmly.
I continue talking to Blodeuwedd and observe, “STONE EIGHT, with its focus on honing a skill and changing herself, would make sense if she were on a debate team or something.”
“Which means?” Bloduewedd prompts.
“SPEAR EIGHT, swift action,” I say decisively.
My little mom sits up, moving into righteous anger.
Blodeuwedd nods and pushes play on her remote, and now that she’s been able to feel and express her feelings, the little girl leaps into action. I follow her as she races out of the room, through a cojoining bathroom, and into her parents’ bedroom. She darts in front of a man who is wielding a belt while a young boy sobs in pain. My little mother stands defending the boy, holding her hands out protectively. She yells, “Stop hurting my brother!”
The man backs off in astonishment, and whatever would have happened next vanishes as the scene dissolves into a blurring of colors.
Blodeuwedd says, “As you can see, the actual memory doesn’t matter. It’s long over and done with. Instead, she needed to express those stuck emotions.”
The little girl remains, but her posture has changed. She stands with her fists on her hips, and I can see the faint outline of a fluttering cape on her back.
Blodeuwedd explains, “By allowing herself to express her emotions, she’s reclaimed the little bit of herself, the power that she had suppressed for so many years. Now, she has processed this memory and moved it to the appropriate part of her brain. Thus, she regains her power and stands like a little superhero, knowing who she is and recognizing her strength.”
Blodeuwedd nudges me, and I step closer to my little mother and say, “Given all that has happened, what do you need now?”
She replies, “I must anchor this experience into my core self. Will you help me?”
I nod. My little mom steps forward and grabs both of my hands in her hands. She says, “Say ‘I am strong,’ with me.”
Together, we declare, “I am strong. I am strong. I AM STRONG!”
I step back as images of this powerful little girl growing up flood the room. As she changes over the years, my memories shift from a mom who struggled with ongoing depression into a compassionate mom who is comfortable in herself and is free from her prison of self-imposed limitations.
Blodeuwedd takes my hand, and we step back into the forest.
We walk together as I take time, slowly breathing deeply, thinking about everything that has happened. I am amazed by how transformative facing her feelings was for my mother’s young self. The ripples of changes throughout her life were impressive and inspiring to witness. I turn to Blodeuwedd and say, “It was like she was playing that wooden block tower game, where you pull just one piece out, and the whole thing comes tumbling down.”
Blodeuwedd smiles and says, “Exactly so. The program you walked your mother through is the Spontaneous Transformation Technique, created by Jennifer McLean. It is powerful, and I recommend you enroll in her certification program once you’ve returned to your world.”
Enthusiasticly, I reply, “Oh, absolutely. I’ve never seen anything like that before!”
I dig through my fanny pack until I find a paper to write myself a note. Concentrating, I spell out, “M-c-L-e-a-n. There!” and with enthusiasm, I underline her name.
Turning back to the cards, I say, “So the Tower card represents the destruction of the Seeker’s prison of illusions and limitations. When they get this card in a reading, they must gather the divine energy and take appropriate action, even if they are scared.”
She nods.
I continue, “Each of the 8s represents different ways to respond to a situation, but they aren’t the only possible ways to respond.”
“And?” Blodeuwedd gestures for me to continue.
I think more and realize, “Oh, these choices have an elemental alignment. For example, the careful carving represents an Earth energy response. The swamp of sadness shows how thoughts, represented by air, can trap you in helplessness. If the Seeker recognizes what they are doing, they can change their thoughts and escape the Swamp of Sadness!”
Blodeuwedd smiles gently, saying, “These are good insights, and I’ll leave you to study now.”
Hugging her, I say, “Thank you for your guidance. Blessed be!” She fades away, and I sit under a tree to consider the 8s a while longer.