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| Getting To Know the Tarot FOR THOSE OF YOU completely new to Tarot, let me briefly explain Tarot structure.
Some deck designers get quite creative in naming the suits, especially
with theme decks. For example, The sixteen court cards (four for each suit) are often called pages, knights, queens, and kings. Some decks, such as the Quest Tarot, use attributions such as sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. The World Spirit Tarot labels them seers, seekers, sibyls, and sages. The DruidCraft Tarot and other decks have princesses, princes, queens, and kings. The Oracle Tarot forgoes court cards altogether.
Choosing a Tarot Deck
Artist Pamela Colman Smith, under the direction of Arthur E. Waite, had an uncanny knack for capturing ambiguous situations and emotion when drawing the images for the Rider-Waite Tarot. Rider and Sons was the company that originally published the deck in 1909, which is why the deck is referred to as the Rider-Waite. In homage to the previously oft-forgotten artist, many Tarotists now refer to the Rider-Waite deck as the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, or RWS for short. Because the Rider-Waite is one of the most influential deck designs in the world of Tarot, many artists and deck creators understandably use Rider-Waite imagery as a basis for their own designs. For example, just as the Rider-Waite shows the Magician standing before a table lined with symbols of the four elements, one arm raised with a finger pointing skyward and the other hand pointing downward, many deck artists portray similar imagery. Decks illustrated in the spirit of the Rider-Waite are often called Rider-Waite clones because of the card-for-card resemblance. Two fine Rider-Waite-inspired decks are the lively Sharman-Caselli Tarot, conceived by Juliet Sharman-Burke and illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, and the gorgeous, gilt-edged Golden Tarot by Kat Black. Interestingly, there are also several versions of the Rider-Waite deck; the differences between them are mostly based on coloring. For example, Frankie Albano colored the Albano-Waite Tarot, while Mary Hanson-Roberts colored the Universal Waite Tarot. With its soft tones, the Universal Waite deck happens to be my personal favorite and the deck I used in most of my BIT Snapshots. Because of the ambiguity of the scenes and animated countenances of the figures, any version of the Rider-Waite deck that you're drawn to would be a good choice to use with the BIT Method, as is any of the Rider-Waite-inspired (or clone) decks. Many other decks use images that bear little resemblance to Rider-Waite imagery, instead drawing inspiration from a wide variety of cultures, religious paths, esoteric traditions, mythology, pastimes, art movements, works of literature, and even movies, rock music, or comic books. As long as a deck speaks to you and depicts imagery that you can easily connect to memories and events, it would be a fine deck to use with the BIT Method.
For other good choices that have the added bonus of benign renderings of the Devil and Death cards, here are some other favorites:
Reversed and Combined Cards
I've chosen not to use reversals to create BIT Snapshots in this book as a matter of practicality and simplicity. Although addressing reversals in a comprehensive manner is beyond the scope of this book, I recommend The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals, by Mary K. Greer, or Learning Tarot Reversals, by Joan Bunning, if you'd like to explore the use of reversed cards. Sometimes
the nuance of a situation or person is better captured using two or
more cards in concert. For example, although someone may choose the
Lovers card alone to represent a marriage, I may choose, The keywords in parentheses in these examples are my own associations, and I include them to give you examples of how you can use card combinations to represent a component of the past if one card doesn't seem sufficient. A few of the BIT Snapshots use card combinations to represent one aspect of a memory or story, but the majority pair only one card per component.
The Light/Shadow Continuum Another example is the Three of Swords. Although this card often depicts a heart impaled by three blades, often seen as indicating heartache or failed romance, the image can also represent a much-needed release of pent-up emotions (including grief). The Rider-Waite image might even remind someone of the Three Musketeers, friends who stick together through both good times and extraordinary challenges. The BIT Method can help you realize where you see specific cards of your own preferred Tarot deck (or decks) falling on the light/shadow continuum. How
To Use the BIT Method
The
original snapshot that you use can be an event from the distant past,
if you'd like - such as the first Christmas you can remember
What to Do
The other way to choose cards is to hold the entire snapshot in your
mind's eye instead of writing down its individual components. Then look
through the Tarot deck and pick the cards that seem to "speak" to you
about the situation in general. Your level of experience with the Tarot will likely determine how you select your corresponding cards. If you're familiar with all seventy-eight cards of the Tarot and already associate a certain meaning with each card, you might find that a particular card automatically springs to mind for each element.
Then again, it may not. You may find yourself shuffling through your
deck and coming across a card that may not be one Because I've studied and used the Tarot for years, I have dozens of associations stored in my particular "Fool's pouch." While I often dig around in there when doing readings or contemplating the Tarot, I remain open to intuition for fresh interpretations or use the BIT Method to generate new ones. A
Sample BIT Snapshot My husband, Ron, worked half a day one Saturday since he had an appointment to take our car for its yearly inspection. Later, we sat at the table in our backyard and talked about our day. I happened to have the Universal Waite deck with me and used the opportunity to take a BIT Snapshot of his day and re-create it with the Tarot. I went through the deck, picking out cards that seemed to jump out at me as I thought about what we shared. Interestingly, after I quickly picked several cards and explained my selections to Ron, he pointed out additional insights that correlated with his experience.
Deck used: Universal Waite Tarot
Eight of Pentacles: Ron works at a local factory as a radio-frequency technician. He welds cleats onto conveyor-type belts using high-frequency waves, and these belts are used by companies all over the world. His work creating custom belts for clients is quite specialized, requiring innovation and attention to detail. I chose the Eight of Pentacles because it shows an artisan at his workbench, hammering details onto a golden disc, dedicated to doing the best job he possibly can. The Chariot: When I think of the Chariot in literal terms, I usually think "car." Seven of Pentacles: A man standing in a field leans on a shovel or hoe, looking at a bush sprouting six pentacles. One coin lies on the ground. When I saw this card, the man seemed to be inspecting the bush, contemplating if it was up to his standards. I chose this card to represent the man who actually performed the car inspection. He told Ron that one of the coil springs in the rear was cracked, and the mechanic recommended that both springs be replaced, at a cost of $300 or more. Our car wouldn't pass inspection without the repairs, and, if the spring snapped, it could possibly puncture a tire.
As I looked at the Seven of Pentacles, Two of Pentacles: A figure juggles two coins, and there is a green infinity "belt" that seems to surround the coins. In the background, two ships sail on tumultuous waves. I chose this card because the figure seemed to be juggling the coins, which made me think of juggling finances. Ron and I had to figure out when to schedule the appointment for the repairs based on our current financial situation. This card represented our debate about the when and how of paying for this repair. Ron pointed out that there were two coins in the card - and two springs needed to be replaced. The mechanic noted that if only one of the springs were replaced, the car would be off kilter. The figure in the Two of Pentacles seems to be balancing his coins quite admirably, even as he stands on one foot; replacing both springs would literally keep our car in balance. Four of Pentacles: A seated figure holds one coin tightly to his chest; two are firmly under his feet, and another sits atop his head. I chose this card because the unexpected repair would make finances tight until our next payday, and I knew we'd have to watch our money closely.
Ron observed that the man's back was to numerous buildings in the background,
which looked like a populated area. Ron commented that it was as if
the man had to turn his back on the city. Nine of Cups: Ron happened to bring an assortment of snacks and a cold drink to the table, so as we shared the events of the day, he was munching rather happily. I felt this card, which shows a smiling man seated in the foreground with a cup-lined table behind him, aptly represented my snacking husband. Ten of Cups: As I was selecting cards to represent Ron's experience, our son, Noah, came out to the backyard and began chattering away, frolicking in the warm sun and pretending to be an astronaut on the moon. Meanwhile, Ron recounted some hilarious pictures he saw at work called "Porn for Women," which depicted one man vacuuming and another offering a large piece of chocolate cake to a woman, saying, "Here, eat this. It pains me to see you so thin." (I laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair!) I couldn't help but think of the Ten of Cups, which shows a couple with arms outstretched, a rainbow of cups above them with two children playing to the side. There is a decidedly rural scene in the background, including a stream. And it just so happens that after a downpour of rain, we have a small creek running behind our house. Commentary
Before re-creating this particular situation using the BIT Method, I
wouldn't have associated the Seven of Pentacles with an inspector. Now,
I can add "car inspector" or "mechanic" to my cache of associations
with that card. In fact, I can now see how the Seven of Pentacles could
represent Your Turn
© 2008 by Janet Boyer Excerpted from The Back in Time Tarot Book by Janet Boyer. Used with permission from Hampton Roads Publishing Company. Available at your local bookstore, Amazon.com or at hrpub.com. |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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A
typical Tarot deck contains seventy-eight cards. The Major Arcana (also
known as Trumps) are twenty-two cards typically numbered from 0 to 21
and named to match the imagery they depict. Cards from the Majors include
the Fool, the Magician, the Lovers, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune,
the Moon, the Sun, and the World. Some deck creators rename the Trumps;
for example, the Oracle Tarot substitutes a card called Tradition
for the Hierophant and one called Bondage for the Devil. The Minor Arcana
consists of forty cards that are much like a deck of playing cards because
they're organized in four suits numbered from ace to ten.
the suits in the Halloween Tarot are imps (fire), bats (air),
ghosts (water), and pumpkins (earth). Another example is the Osho
Zen Tarot, which names the earth suit rainbows and the air suit
clouds. In the True Love Tarot deck, the fire suit is roses,
the water suit shells, the air suit wings, and the earth suit gems.
For
the Back in Time (BIT) Method, you'll want to use a deck that has an
illustrated Minor Arcana. This means that the numbered cards of each
suit depict people and scenes rather than just suit symbols, such as
actual cups or swords.
In
addition to the Sharman-Caselli Tarot, Universal Waite
Tarot, and the Golden Tarot, a few of my favorite decks
that work well with the BIT Method include the Lisa Hunt Fairytale
Tarot, Victorian Romantic Tarot, and Pictorial Key
Tarot.
The
BIT Snapshots presented in Back in Time Tarot use cards from
more than forty decks. To see the actual cards used for each BIT Snapshot,
please visit 
because of my personal associations, the Hierophant (a clergyman) plus
the Two of Cups (romance) to represent a church ceremony, or the Two
of Cups, Three of Cups (celebration), and Four of Wands (a pastoral
scene) to represent an outdoor ceremony with lots of friends and family.
For a marriage in front of a justice of the peace, I might choose the
Two of Cups and Justice (often a card showing the "scales of justice,"
representing the legal system). The Two of Cups, the High Priestess,
and the Four of Wands might reflect a pagan ceremony. The Knight of
Cups (a proposal), the Eight of Wands (speed), and the Lovers (contracts
or marriage) could depict an elopement. 
-
but you can also use a snapshot of something that happened to you five
minutes ago. Events can range from momentous occasions, like graduating
from high school, to more mundane situations, like taking your car to
the mechanic for an inspection. Snapshots can also be situations that
you've witnessed, such as an amusing exchange between a department-store
clerk and a shopper or a current event that has just scrolled across
the ticker on a twenty-four-hour news channel. You can use a historical
event as a snapshot, or, if you're a fan of celebrity gossip, you could
even use scenarios found in your favorite pop-culture magazine or tabloid.
Your snapshot could even be a dream you had one night or a favorite
movie, book, or song. The possibilities are only as limited as your
imagination.
Set
your chosen cards apart from the rest of the deck and record your reason
- even if it is "just a feeling" - for selecting each one. My husband,
Ron, prefers to use this method when creating his BIT Snapshots; he
forgoes writing down the actual components but holds the memory, movie,
or situation in his mind's eye as he's looking through a Tarot deck.
In one instance, he created at BIT Snapshot of a pivotal day when he
and I, just friends at the time, connected deeply at a golf outing.
That event signaled the rapid evolution from us being "just friends"
to something else. The day before the outing, Ron's dad had written
him an enigmatic note saying, "Look for her, son. She's there." As my
husband went through the Tarot to capture the event in a BIT Snapshot,
he chose the King of Swords to represent his dad, because the man shown
on this card of his Tarot deck physically resembled his father.
The
Sun: I picked this card for obvious reasons: the day
was gorgeous, one of the first spring days we'd had in a while. There
wasn't a cloud in the sky; the sun was bright and warm - perfect. The
sunflowers in this card reminded me of the yellow dandelions dotting
our yard that seemed to have sprouted overnight.
To us, the city represents shopping and dining out, and since we live
in a rural area, the city is miles away from our home. As a result,
it was important for us to stay close to home until the springs were
fixed, for safety's sake. Noting the coin on the card figure's head,
Ron mentioned that he had to use his head with the coin (finances) -
something that we would, indeed, need to do in terms of budgeting.
