Tarot Creativity Prompts

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Hierophant

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Prompt:“Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden RealmTarot of the Hidden Realm – Here in this card I see a kind old man willing to guide and teach, but not with a strict demeanor.  Instead he nurtures our curiosity, provides us room to grow and guidance to keep us on the straight and narrow path as we explore and learn. He’s understanding, and willing to listen as well as to teach, and it is this energy that fills the card and any reading that this card would fall into.

The Hierophant in the Wandering Moon Major Aracana, Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Mara Lunne Tarot, Radiant Tarot, and Second Sight Tarot

The Wandering Echo Major Arcana – In this deck, the Hierophant is renamed the Teacher, and we see in the imagery the shifting grow of a moon from half to three-quarter and finally to full.  The keys in the half moon speak of the tools we have and the knowledge we must gain, where the development of the moon speaks of growing into our knowledge as we learn more and more until finally we come to a place where we have the keys needed to unlock the doors to even more knowledge… and still more to explore.

Mara Lunne Tarot – One of the more traditional imagery cards in those chosen for this activity, this card depicts the Hierophant as a robed religious figure with a halo of holy knowledge surrounding their head and a tomb in their hands. In this depiction I see peace and serenity. There are no harsh lessons here, only trust and guidance passed down from generation to generation, and entrusted to us to be passed down as well.

Second Sight Tarot – Although the imagery in this card is not as traditional as the one to either side of it, I see this one as far more leaning into the “atmosphere” of the traditional imagery in the RWS tarot. It is in the ruffled cuffs of the sleeve, and in the Marionite cross (which I believe was meant to be the Papal cross) which serves as an emblem for the office of the Pope in ecclesiastical heraldry.  This card speaks to me of stringent rules and rigid tradition.

Radiant Tarot – In this card we see the crow figure standing crowned and holding a key of knowledge. He is robed in red, speaking of knowledge and authority, and the head is turned to the past, speaking of knowledge that comes from the past through generations and traditions held in long standing.  This card speaks to me most strongly of tradition and knowledge that holds structure and formality, but is perhaps not quite as stringent as what is seen in the Second Sight Tarot card mentioned above.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, THE WANDERING ECHO MAJOR ARCANA, MARA LUNNE TAROT, SECOND SIGHT TAROT, RADIANT TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – April Fools

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Prompt: Draw (at least) three cards and use them to tell us the story of a (real or fictional) April fools trick.

Starless Sky TarotPeople express love in different ways, and sometimes we forget this.  When the old man’s daughter in law and new husband moved in across the street, he had high hopes that he would be able to connect closely with them. (The Star)

Sadly, there was no connection at all and he resigned himself to the idea that the rest of his years in his old farmhouse would be lonely ones.  It wasn’t that they didn’t wave hello now and then, it’s just that it seemed they were so… distant.

After a few years, he wasn’t able to live alone anymore, and he began to look at moving into an assisted living facility. Then in April, he heard sirens and he came outside to find the house across the street on fire! (The Tower) He rushed across to help and brought them home with him. He spoke with them and expressed how sad he was for them, and how he’s sorry that he didn’t take more of an effort to stay close.

They in turn took him outside and showed him where the firemen were standing in the yard laughing.  The fire was out, and it was now obvious that the house wasn’t destroyed but a facade had been built to fool him into thinking it had been.

They brought him over and showed him that behind the facade, the house still stood, and while the facade had stood for months, they had built onto their house to create a small apartment for him to come join them.  The firemen had been in on the trick, and they came over to say hello and wish him a happy April Fools.  And in the weeks that followed, the old man moved in with his daughter in-law and her family so that he was not alone any longer (The Sun).

DECK USED: STARLESS SKY TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The First Flower

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Prompt: “Draw (at least) three random cards. Use these cards to tell the story (real or fictional) of one of spring’s first flowers and its experiences.”

Aisare Garu No Gaikotsu TarottoBuried deep within frozen soil
darkness pressing in
on all sides
I wait
until the thaw begins
to relax the earth
and my cage becomes a womb
and as I am nurtured
in that mothering embrace
I break free of my shell
and begin to stretch
and stretch
a calling from within pulling me
from furled tender stem
to towering stem
where the sun bathes my petals
and I watch over those below
still waiting
to grow

DECK USED: AISARE GARU NO GAIKOTSU TAROTTO

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Alternate Realities

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Prompt: “Pick a random card. Describe how you would translate this same card into a general reading for each of the following different hypothetical scenarios. In each case, the person you are reading for has shared only that one piece of information with you when asking for a general reading.”

Pinokkio Tarot by Sagittis• Seeker has a crush on someone.

You are going to find that you are projecting your ideal on this person, but in truth they are someone else entirely. Take some time to pause and really look at what you’re getting into. Talk to others that know this person, and take their observations and perceptions to heart, because you aren’t seeing things clearly right now yourself.

• Seeker just lost their job.

It hurts now, but there is something to learn from this experience.  Wait for the sting to ease and then take a moment to look at your situation. Tend to your wounds and a step back emotionally so that you can look at  your situation with a calm heart and a clear mind, instead of one clouded by pain and emotions.

• Seeker just graduated from college.

It’s time to get some advice from those who have experience in helping you into your next steps (ie: a career counselor, etc).  Right now you feel stuck  and a bit overwhelmed. Too much going on to feel like it’s a time to celebrate. Let someone with a strong background in helping others in your situation to figure out what to do next step in and help you and take a part of that burden you’re carrying.

• Seeker is getting married next week.

You are feeling trapped and the whole “cold feet” thing is really hounding you at the moment. Don’t listen to the whispers of fear that are trying to slip in and lead you astray, instead reach out to your priest, councilor, therapist, or other confidant that you can trust to give you stable unbiased advice and help you through this inner struggle you’re experiencing.

• Seeker is struggling with depression.

Depression is painful and is often a clinical issue that needs the help of a doctor, therapist, or psychologist. It’s time to reach out for help from a professional in these areas. You need someone that can help give you the tools you need to handle your depression in a healthy way, and assist in making the experience easier to work through.

• Seeker wants to have a baby.

There is something going on physically with your body that is holding things back. There is a good chance that doing this on your own without the assistance of a medical professional is going to result in painful experiences that can be avoided if you visit a doctor and look into what’s wrong and what’s holding you back from this dream.

DECK USED: PINOKKIO TAROT BY SAGITTIS

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Stealing of Fate’s Shears

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Prompt: “Draw (at least) three random cards and use them to write about a very delicate or fragile object.”

Tarot du CrépusculeSeduction whispers
sweet and soft (1)
within the mind
as with eyes closed
chaos reigns (2)
and a battle is fought
cacophonous within
and silent without (3)
as confusion
blends with aching pain
and the red thread (4)
dances
behind eyelids
until he reaches out (5)
with fate’s sharp shears
to snip
himself free (6)

DECK USED: TAROT DU CRÉPUSCULE

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Different Perspectives

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Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - Wheel of Fortune (aka Fortune Faery)Tarot of the Hidden Realm – In this imagery (not surprisingly), I see wishes and hope. In the golden glow and wistful expression there is hope for good things to come, and in the blowing purse of her lips and preparation to send seeds to fly is the wish she will use to give those hopes flight.

The thing is?  Wishes sometimes come true, but sometimes they don’t.  Blowing those seeds into the wind sets flight to one’s hopes and wishes, but it doesn’t guarantee results.

The Greater Secrets Tarot, Gravity Falls Major Arcana, The Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot

The Greater Secrets Tarot – (From the COTD reading I did on this card the other day.)

In the imagery of this card we see a representation of the three fates.

The idea of the three faiths that not everything is under our control, no matter how much we want it to be. Some things will be decided for us, depending on the situation and external forces. There’s nothing we can do about this except to be adaptable and prepared to adjust to what is thrown in our way upon our path by chance or fate.

Gravity Falls Major Arcana – The “shut your yap” in this card says it all for me where this card is concerned.  Well, that and the reference in the imagery back to the “Wheel of Fortune” game show. Here, again, I see an indication that being clever and making smart decisions can help to protect one from the fickleness of chance, but not mitigate it entirely. Sometimes you just have to accept what’s being dealt and deal with it.

Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot – Could you imagine the amount of balance it takes to ride one of those penny-farthing bikes?  It’s not as if you can stick out a leg to catch yourself if you begin to fall. It’s almost a unicycle.  Unicycle with training wheels, right?  What I see in this card is that when you take risks, there’s a chance you could fall down.  You have to make the decision for yourself if the risk is worth the chance you take or not.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, ORPHANS OF DUDLEYTOWN TAROT, GRAVITY FALLS MAJOR ARCANA, THE GREATER SECRETS TAROT