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I recently came across some wonderful work (Essence Of The Tarot - Modern
Reflections On Ancient Wisdom) that was done in connection with Tarot and the
Hero's Journey. The author is Megan Skinner, a professional clairvoyant, Tarot
reader and astrologer with a counseling practice in Seattle.
Megan has agreed to sit down and talk with us about how she came to the
Tarot, the place that is holds in her practice, and how we can relate the sacred
Journey of the Hero into everyday life.
BC: Megan, thank you for taking the time to be with us. Perhaps we should start with how the Tarot come into your life. MS: Thank you Bonnie for this opportunity to talk about my work. I received my first deck of Tarot cards when I was 14 years old (a Christmas gift from my mother) and will never forget the first moment I laid eyes on the cards--I was instantly mesmerized. I was a sensitive, dramatic child interested in the occult and all things supernatural and there, within that deck of Tarot cards, was the opportunity to fully engage my imagination in the most sublime magic! When learning how to do readings, it was the characters that first intrigued me - Kings and Queens, Devils and Angels, High Priests and Priestesses--and as I laid out the cards, stories unfolded. Stories that seemed to reflect my inner-most secrets and desires. I was hooked. I set up shop immediately, doing readings for all my teenage girlfriends, and even though they generally focused on who liked whom, prom dates and whether one would get the lead in the school play, it was all good and an interesting first foray into the Tarot. Plus, I found I had a knack for reading the cards. BC: I know that you worked in the world of business before you started your Counseling practice. What catalyzed this very major life change? MS: I was raised in an achievement-orientated family with an emphasis on academics, so there was not a lot of question about going to college and pursing a professional career. After graduating from the state university with a degree in communications I got a job at a Seattle Advertising firm. I climbed the corporate ladder quickly (mostly from being at the right place at the right time) and, quite frankly, was completely and utterly miserable. One day I surprised everyone by just up and quitting. In hindsight, I now know that my sensitivities were not a good match for the corporate environment. But I value that experience because it gave me an understanding and foundation in the business world which has been useful. After I quit my corporate job I went to have my first psychic reading. The psychic, a very in-tune individual, asked me if I read Tarot cards. I answered that I used to, but wasn't into "that stuff" any more. He smiled knowingly and told me that the cards would come back into my life, and that I would be doing readings again. I thought he was crazy, but the next day, my roommate, not knowing anything about the reading, was doing some housecleaning and came upon an old deck of Tarot cards. He presented them to me, saying: "I thought you might be interested in these." I was, of course, astounded and took as a sign. It was then that my career as a Tarot card reader began. At first, I started doing readings for my friends, and then gradually, through word of mouth, it turned into a full-time career. Did I set out to be a professional Tarot card reader? No. It was as if the cards chose me, and I have to say, it has been wonderfully fulfilling "job", both on a personal and spiritual level. BC: How do you see numerology, astrology and the Qabalah fitting into the world of Tarot? MS: Great question. Although there are some who would disagree, I believe that the Tarot is not based on any other (or separate) system of knowledge -- that it was developed as an entity within itself, most specifically as a part of the mystery schools of ancient Egypt. Yet, because the Tarot is comprised of symbols and images, their meanings can prove elusive, and the use of correlating systems of knowledge, such as numerology, astrology and the Qabalah can be helpful in understanding and interpreting the cards. All these different systems share fundamental spiritual truths and by incorporating their different elements, we gain a depth of perception that has been lost through time. Here, we can learn through association. BC: What prompted you to focus on the Major Arcana, specifically the Hero's Journey, in your work? MS: I have come to believe that the two Arcana's of the Tarot originated separately. That, what we now know as the 22 cards of Major Arcana, were developed as a series of spiritual exercises for those being initiated into the Egyptian mysteries. They are the spiritual foundation on which the Tarot is based. (The Minor Arcana has its own significance, yet I see these cards as relating more specifically to the process of divination, which although worthwhile, not what I believe to be the original author's intent.) The 22 cards of Major Acrana reflect nicely, what Joseph Campbell has so eloquently described as the Hero's Journey: a continual process of trials and triumphs, with the end result being, a life lived through self discovery. Within each card of the Major Acrana lies a specific life lesson--both universal and deeply personal. The Major Arcana takes us, if we are willing, card by card, through a journey of supreme self-realization. In the Tarot, the Hero's journey mirrors The Fool's journey, and like The Fool card, here we must being willing participants in the Divine process, and most importantly, to be completely open and fearless to what we may find. What I say in the book about The Fool is: "The Fool jumps off the cliff because he knows the angels will catch him", and this is an appropriate metaphor for one's journey into the mysteries of the Tarot. BC: What prompted you to write "Essence of the Tarot"? MS: I love the cards. They have been so much a part of life, greatly shaping and influencing my journey and I wanted to share with others their powerful ability to reflect one's own journey of self-discovery, and as a profound tool in providing guidance on both a spiritual and tangible level. Also, as a writer, I wanted to present a thoughtful and literary book about the Tarot. To be able to express my passion for the Tarot has been a life-long dream. BC: I have to get this in here somewhere - I love your use of charts in this book! Can you talk a little bit about what you term the Path - the keyword for each card, and what it represents? MS: I use the term "path" in the book to represent the specific essence or singular expression of each card. In a word, it defines the experience of the Arcanum. Because the Tarot can be so complex, I think it is important (whenever possible), to simply the process, and both the charts and keywords give us a way to do this. BC: I also have to compliment you on your presentation of the Moon spread. It is a short (four card), simple spread using the cycles of the moon to process ideas or issues in our lives. How did this spread come about? MS: I like using the Moon Spread because it, like the moon, reflects a specific cycle or period in time. This spread gives us a beginning, middle and end to a question, and how best to apply one's energy in the process. Also, the Moon is a symbol for the scared feminine in terms of knowledge, representing the intuitive/psychic realm, and the very mystery of life. By applying the Moon's essence in the divination process, I think it, whether consciously or unconsciously, engages one's own sense of inner knowing in a profound way. BC: I am very impressed with the dual presentation of the cards in this book. The traditional explanation of what the card associations are, and what constitutes the archetypal energy, is followed by a section that takes the cards into "real life", using examples from your own practice. This is an Excellent teaching tool, and could certainly act as an "Aha!" experience for any level of Tarot student. How did this concept come about for you? MS: I am a film buff and the idea for the second section of the book (Modern Reflections) came to me one day when I was watching a DVD version of a movie, what they call the "director's cut". It included the behind the scenes action, with interesting asides by the actors, screenwriter and director--basically a lot of material that wasn't appropriate to the story or flow of the movie, yet fascinating all the same. And at the time, I thought: that's what I want to do with the cards. To tell the stories behind the cards, the stuff that is not always academic or completely relevant on a higher or spiritual level, but ultimately interesting and useful. It was great to impart (my version of) the ancient wisdom of the cards, but there was so much information that I had to leave out. Plus, having read cards for so many years, I had a wealth of information from not only my personal experience, but those of my clients as well. These stories, I think, help to make the cards real and alive, taking them out of the realm of meta-physics and into everyday, modern life. BC: Megan, what projects can we expect from you in the future? "Essence of the Tarot" looks like the beginning of some very fine work! MS: Again, thanks. The Publishing Gods willing, I have two new books in the works. The first is tentatively titled "Alchemy of the Tarot", which focuses more on the Minor Arcana, the remaining 56 cards of the Deck, and explores the art of divination, both as a form of personal storytelling and as a tool for intuitive development. The second, "The Invisible World" focuses on my work and experiences in the psychic realm. It will be like a "how to" guide in discovering one's own psychic and intuitive abilities. It could be described as an "Everything you ever wanted to know about being psychic, but were afraid to ask". BC: Megan, this is your time. What wisdom would you like to share about the Tarot (or about anything!) with us? MS: As a teacher of the Tarot for many years, what I have found is that some of the most profound and significant readings I have received have been from beginners, those who supposedly "don't know anything" about the cards. I offer this as a reminder, all academics aside, that understanding the Tarot is largely an intuitive process, and by giving our intuition and imaginations free reign to explore, is how we truly come to not only understand the cards, but ourselves as well. I want to thank Megan for sharing her time with us, and certainly wish her well in her future endeavors.
Bonnie Cehovet
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