Make Your Own Tarot

I’ve always had an ambivalent relationship to Tarot and other divination decks. But I came across blank Tarot cards at Seagrape in Portland. I realized that a cure for me could be to make my own, since part of the problem I had always had was that I felt directed into symbols and images defined by someone else, some of which feel dark to me.

Having made my own deck now (I ended up using two packs, so my stack is fairly tall), I am enjoying my readings. I cannot recommend this exercise highly enough!

For inspiration, I share some of my cards here and how I've begun to use them.

My invitation to you: either order yourself a blank deck like me to dash some out, or undertake the bigger project of creating your own deck. Reflect on what you need to be reminded of, what powers and forces you want to co-create with.

It's nice to have a special ribbon or cloth for one's deck.

I spread the cards out, so that I can lay my hands on them. I ask my question, then let my body impulse spontaneously towards a card lying somewhere under my fingers.

The first card I draw is usually in answer to the query, "What is influencing my current situation (or mood, or this issue?)" Sometimes I draw multiple cards for this query but for now have just chosen one. Aptly, "negative ego" shows up. Always a goodie.

The next question I asked in this case was, "What is my invitation or challenge with this?" By this I meant, what is the universe inviting me to address with the issue I am currently struggling with? Here I have drawn the Younger Inner Child card, suggesting that it is earlier childhood wounding that I am invited to heal.

In my third query, I asked, "Who or what is helping me with this issue?" Here I have drawn the Surrender to Flow card, which always feels nice. In this case I interpret it to mean I don't have to "do" much here, just allow the healing to take place naturally in its own time, letting go and allowing flow.

The final question I asked was "Is there any action I should take?" Here I have drawn the Integrate Polarities card, which says to me that I can, if I like, work on bringing together opposite poles. In this case, it may be to discover how the negative ego-influenced issue is an expression of polarities, and try to collapse and integrate them.

Given that the area I am invited to heal is Younger Inner child, and that Surrender to Flow is what will help me, I interpret this as a need to integrate my more rational, "older child" left brain (where Ego often dominates), and my younger, more sensory, fluid younger self. I can do some polarity integration work, if I want to follow up, in some dialogue, or through imagining a kind of meeting of these energies within me. The interpretation, of course, is up to us as the reader.