I didn’t know my most-read essay was inside me — but Tarot did

Amanda Kay Oaks

May 24·4 min read

Throughout my adult life, I’ve gravitated to and away from Tarot and back again. My decks sit in our guest room, their own dedicated table ready for whenever the desire to pull a card strikes me.

In an ideal world, I pull three cards every morning — one Tarot card from my Starchild Tarot deck, one Oracle card from the Literary Witches oracle deck, and one self-care Oracle card from the Goddess Discovery book.

I lay these cards out to see how they speak to and inform one another, then I briefly jot down the thoughts and messages that came up for me.

Admittedly, I am better about this some weeks than others. I tend to have a bit of a “if I miss one day, this week is shot” mentality to habits, which is something I’m working on.

But, when it’s going strong, this simple daily practice has been the key to insights, including the idea to write my most-read essay on Medium to-date.

What Are Tarot and Oracle Cards

If you’re not familiar with the difference between Oracle cards and Tarot, I’ll break it down for you quickly here.

Tarot cards are decks which (more or less) follow the traditional archetypes set out in the a 78-card deck comprised of major and minor arcana. The cards are generally read in spreads, wherein the position of each card impacts and influences how you read its archetypal meaning. You can learn more about Tarot from many great online resources, including Biddy Tarot.

Oracle cards, on the other hand, are a bit more akin to fortune cookies. Each deck may have its own theme and way of presenting ideas, but they’re generally intended to be drawn one at a time, with a more direct message corresponding to each card.

Both can be used as divination tools or as tools to tap into your subconscious and reflect upon your current state of mind. I like using these cards together because it helps me understand my patterns of thinking and orientation to the world on any given day. By using a few different card types, I give my brain more options to string together meaning in the relationships between them.

The Three Card Daily Pull

Here is the practice I use for my daily card pull and reflection time, which usually falls somewhere between coffee and final touches on my work look for the day.

1. I shuffle each of the three decks separately, asking what wisdom they would offer me on that given day. I continue shuffling until I feel like I should stop, then flip over a card from the top of the deck. Or, sometimes, a card jumps out or sticks out of the middle, and I’ll pull that one, instead.
2. Once I’ve chosen each card from the respective deck, I reflect on their individual meanings first. I look at the words and images on the cards, considering how they me on a given day. Do I feel irritated? Surprised? Or not surprised at all by what the card has to say?
3. When all cards are face up, I review their meanings and often consult the guidebooks to see if anything new comes up. Some cards, like the Page of Wands, show up frequently, as if I am always beginning my creative journey (aren’t we all?). These cards, I tend to chuckle at, no longer needing to look up their meanings.
4. Finally, I reflect on how each card seems to agree with, add upon, or contradict the other cards. Generally, even if they don’t initially seem connected, I get some better sense of where I’m at from thinking about them together in this way.

The Spark to Write about Something New

Sometimes, I’m surprised by what leaps out of the depths of my mind, the associations it makes between the cards.

One such surprise came when I pulled a trio of cards that centered around creativity, fear, and the body. It struck me suddenly that my material, what I should write about now, was my body. Specifically, my chronic pain condition, and how I didn’t yet feel I could lay claim to the descriptor of “chronic illness.”

That morning, I sat down at my desk and typed out a frantic, cathartic first draft of what would become my first published story in Invisible Illness and my most-read story to date. Until I’d flipped over those particular cards, I didn’t realize I’d felt the call about chronic pain, let alone that I was ready to be brave and share it with the world.

To be honest, I still wasn’t sure I was ready when I first hit the “submit” button, didn’t know where it would take me, this new territory of writing about my pain and my body.

And yet, I’m glad I listened to what the cards helped me understand I wanted, perhaps needed, to write. Which is why I bring myself to the table with my cards each morning and go through my daily ritual of reflection.

I don’t necessarily believe my Tarot and Oracle cards can see the future, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful tools for learning to better see myself. By thinking about the associated meanings of the cards, I can tap into parts of myself I may not otherwise consciously consider.

If you’re ever feeling stuck and looking for inspiration, might I suggest finding it through unexpected sources, like a daily card pulling practice?

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