At my last Tarot Circle Meetup group, I chose the theme of gratitude for our work with the cards. I have to admit, when I was preparing the materials, I wondered if I was on thin ice…would the group embrace my foofy topic? This was not cut and dried Learning Tarot, working with reversals, getting to know the Court Cards etc. I prepared myself for some resistance, took a breath, and just put the topic out there.
I was overwhelmed by the way this wonderful group whole-heartedly tackled the concept. And by the beauty that they produced. I am still feeling grateful about it. (See more in my video here.)
I feel that cultivating true gratitude in our daily lives is the first step to deeper spiritual practice. It’s simple, being aware of and acknowledging the good things in our lives brings peace, optimism, happiness…it can pull you out of a negative spiral and inspire you when you feel stuck or are facing a challenge.
And with Tarot, a reading can be light and positive, and it can be challenging and deeply unsettling at times. Integrating the idea of gratitude into your Tarot readings can help you and those you read for find tools for healing, shifting perspective and moving forward joyfully.
Here is a spread that I put together for the class on this theme, my Gratitude Spread.
Here’s what I like about this spread…the first card points out something to us that we can be grateful for. This may be something that we immediately recognize and can easily acknowledge, but more often than not it can be a challenging card, a darker card, and greater illumination may come through exploring how it can in fact be a blessing.
And that being said, the alternative way to use this spread is to ACTIVELY choose that first card, to look through the deck and choose a card that most closely illustrates something in your life that you know you are grateful for, or want to feel more grateful for.
So, the main theme appears in that first card, and the next row of three help us to further “unpack” or more deeply understand and make the most of that card. How does this card give me joy, challenge me, and how can I act on it.
The final card, underlying everything at the base, gives us some insight into a blessing in disguise, or something positive in our life that we may not have noticed or acknowledged.
I tried this spread for myself before putting it out there to my Tarot tribe, and here’s a somewhat abridged interpretation:
The first thing that struck me was that strong row of Major cards right in the centre. This tells me that the time is right to explore this topic, it is significant for me and has a powerful message. And those larger than life archetypes are balanced by those very human and small figures at the top and bottom, showing me what I can be grateful for in everyday, ordinary life.
So let’s dive in!
What Can I Be Grateful for Right Now: Two of Pentacles
I laughed out loud, this is me, alright! I see myself here juggling my finances, trying to find some work/life balance, using a lot of energy to keep all my plates in the air. Yes, this takes a lot of effort, but yes, I am so grateful for the life I am building! This card tells me to be grateful that although they need to be managed, finances and career are flowing, so just keep on juggling.
What joy does card #1 bring to me: Strength
How lovely. The process of building my Tarot business, my Tarot career, and adding to the security and prosperity of my household, this is building my internal fortitude, showing me depths of strength that I didn’t know I have. It is teaching me how to wrangle my passion…to take my love of Tarot and find a way to harness it and use it in a compassionate and beneficial way, without losing that passion that got me into this in the first place.
What challenges does card #1 bring to me: The Fool
Yes, makes sense! Running a Tarot and wedding officiant business, now that took a leap of faith to get things started! My challenge now is to access that Fool energy, to take further leaps into the unknown, to trust that everything is happening as it should. This is a sometimes a challenge for me, to allow the universe to work with me without fretting and trying to control every outcome. I relish the idea of being a Fool more often!
What beneficial action can I take based on card #1 – The Sun
Another beautiful card! It says to me that (as corny as it sounds) it is time to really put myself out there, to let the world know who I am and what I can do. Again, this isn’t so easy for me. It makes me feel vulnerable. I’m an introvert, I like being behind the scenes. But, is that going to work for me, business-wise? Nope. So, my work for the coming months involves more clearly getting my message out, not hiding behind the computer all the time, shining like the sun!
What blessing in disguise am I not aware of: Page of Swords
This is an interesting one. I don’t feel a particular affinity with this card, I feel much more comfortable in that Strength and the Fool. However, this card tells me to be grateful that I am still at the beginning of an exciting journey, to know that there is a lot out there for me to learn and that is a beautiful thing. Also, I feel that this Page is saying that I do have the intellect, clarity of vision, and strong ethics necessary to thrive in my profession, and that there is no need to rush things forward, I will grow and progress in time and in accordance with my focus and dedication to my purpose.
So I feel that this spread really works. That was a powerful message that really resonates, and I think more will percolate to the surface over the next few days. I feel happy and grateful, I have a feeling that all this juggling and calling on inner strength is taking me to where I want to be.
If you are thinking about gratitude, and how you may be able to invite more of it into your life, your cards are there to help. Even if you just pull that first card, muse and meditate on it, you will gain some powerful insights. And you may just feel happy! Go with it.
Give my spread a try, I’d be grateful to hear how it works for you! 🙂
Willow has her own take on the Gratitude Spread
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