The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life

Product Information

I have a feeling some creative types will balk at the notion of being a conduit for a muse instead of a godlike, ex nihilo creator. Why do you think this reframing of the writer/artist’s role can be so helpful? BRIGIT: A lot of people can relate. Many start learning Tarot and think, “Oh my goodness, what’s everyone going to think of me? This is not who I really am.” Then, after working with the Tarot for a bit, you can start to see that it actually interests many different types of people. I’m glad to hear from your perspective as a writer, and how that’s connected you even more to your writing friends. In today's episode, Caroline Donahue talks about how to use the Tarot to find a way into your creative unconscious.

I worked very hard to provide something for everyone, no matter his or her level of expertise. That’s both for readers’ familiarity with the tarot and for how advanced they are in their creative expression. Tarot’s history–Observe how it evolved from a game to a system of introspection and divination, from its roots to its modern-day existence.Whether you’re a journalist or an artist or a musician, everybody who makes stuff is familiar with this feeling of staring into the abyss when you look at a blank sheet of paper or a blank Microsoft doc,” Dayal told me recently from her home in Los Angeles. “This feeling of panic sets in, where you’re like, ‘Oh my God, how am I going to do this? How am I going to make something happen?’” Part of that is the way stories are constructed and understood. And if you establish a meaning for one aspect of the card—say, that Sword refers to air, and air refers to thought and communication—then it makes sense that a story would arise rather naturally from a progression. That said, it’s important to remember there is no right or wrong way to interpret a card. I have been studying tarot for a long time, but I am constantly surprised and learning more. This book is not meant to be the last word on the tarot. Consider it one step in the process, or a friend to help you along the way.

BRIGIT: So when you’re looking at the Tarot card meanings from a creative angle, what’s different? How are you looking at them differently? On the negative side, I didn't like her approach of having to memorize themes for cards. When I do readings, I use my intuition for what the card means for the person I'm reading. Instead, her approach is memorize everything! Which is okay, but doesn't use your intuition at all (which I rely on my intuition more than anything). A hip, accessible, and practical guide for artists and creative people looking to tarot for guidance and inspiration in the tradition of The Secret Language of Birthdays and Steal Like an Artist.With the Devil, I was interpreting it as that person needed to go deep and dark. That resonated with her very strongly. The project she is working on was too on-the-surface and she needed that ‘oomph’ quality that the Devil could give her. I find that the cards change meaning. JESSA: I just finished this big thing so now I don’t know. I just finished a book that’s going to be out in February. It’s Feminist Manifesto, and it’s incredibly different from what I have been doing, and then after that I’m not sure. We’ll see what happens.

BRIGIT: I haven’t heard of that book before. We’ll make sure to get link it in the show notes because I’m sure people will be fascinated to read it. So, the author literally laid out all the cards, and that was the story, and he wrote it? Even readers with no previous interest in the tarot will be intrigued and delighted by Crispin’s ardently researched, spirited, creative, and inspiring elucidation." Booklist In addition to the psychological mechanisms behind tarot reading, it is also important to consider the cultural and spiritual context in which it is practiced. Tarot has a long and complex history that is rooted in a variety of spiritual and cultural traditions, and it is important to approach it with respect and openness. Indeed, Hollington has developed a trademark aesthetic that mixes contrasting colours with a linocut printmaking process to create artworks that are full of folkloric forms and symbols, yet distinctly contemporary in their rendering. Her natural interest in arcane subjects and traditions makes her illustrations the perfect match for the tarot cards and Keenan’s writings.

You might also enjoy these...

In this interview, you’ll hear Jessa talk about how she uses Tarot in her writing, plus how she’s now serving other writers in this interesting way. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Jessa! James C. Kaufman, a psychologist whose research focuses on creativity, hypothesizes that the power of tarot cards to jumpstart creativity lies in their ability to stimulate “associational thinking.” That’s what happens when the brain tries to synthesize multiple distinct inputs, forming associations between ideas that, at first, seem unrelated. (For example: How can you link together the words “Swiss,” “cottage,” and “cake”? The answer: Each word can be paired with a fourth one, “cheese,” to take on new meaning.) A hip, accessible, and practical guide for artists and creative people looking to tarot for guidance and inspiration in the tradition of The Secret Language of Birthdays and Steal Like an Artist among tarot books.