By: Suzi

This is probably one of the best posts that I have ever seen on Court Cards. I am definitely going to refer my students to it.

Storm

4 months, 1 week ago by Storm Cestavani on Wordpress

Hi Teresa! Nice to see you

Do you remember sometime this summer when we talked about court cards and you shared your thoughts and class materials? This is what I was working on! “Observing” and “learning” are kind of similar, but observing is more passive, I think.

Thanks for the recommend!

4 months, 1 week ago by Barbara on Wordpress

This is definitely the way I have come to view/work with court cards, although I also like the dual-element approach. Rather than people or personality traits, this methods allows you to differentiate among the ranks by what they do. My keywords are slightly different, for example Pages = learning, Queens = nurturing but otherwise very similar approach. Folks on CompTarot are finding this more intuitive than many other approaches we’ve discussed, and I’ve recommended your excellent blog to their reading pleasure ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 1 week ago by Teresa Michelsen on Wordpress

Hi Margaret – thank you for such a lovely comment. I have the Gilded Tarot and the book by Josephine Ellershaw – it’s a nice book and not too heavy, it will be of great help to you, though I wouldn’t try that big spread at the back of the book just yet!

The Joan Bunning book is also great for beginners and you can download her course for free. I pretty much have the whole thing printed out, in folders and often refer back to it. If there’s anything I can help you with at anytime, please just drop me a line ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 1 week ago by Catherine on Wordpress

Poppet – you’re too kind, both of you, though I shall accept my compliment graciously

4 months, 1 week ago by Catherine on Wordpress

Thank you for your kind words, Barbara! I guess I just keep thinking that I’m too “tarot young” to be able to have any real sort of opinion on the inner workings of the cards, but writing it out is definitely a way of learning and gaining insight. I’m probably going to find myself in a place where the Courts _do_ start to confuse me, as I learn more and more about their roles , the double-elements etc. and then eventually come to understand them on a whole deeper level but for now, ignorance is bliss

The only one who really displeases me is the King of Pents. We do NOT jive. There is something about him that makes me go ballistic, ergo, I assume I have some serious issues that need uncovering in this field! It is only through understanding everything he represents that I’m going to figure that one out. I predict much cursing and throwing if tantrums in that little project ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Submerina on Wordpress

Lori, I know what you mean about the King of Cups, particularly in the RWS version. It is true that you can glean meaning from expressions and actions on the court cards. Although in some decks, the differences between the court cards are so subtle that it can be frustrating for beginners.

Thank you for your kind words. If the article helps at all with understanding or by inspiring people to develop new or different templates (as Lionel mentions in his comment), then I’ll be very happy. ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Barbara on Wordpress

Lionel, wow, I love the immediate application and feedback

I like the idea of Kings setting broader goals. To be honest, it was the Kings’ role that I am least satisfied with in my technique. It seems far too passive. Incorporating the idea of “fast-moving” (which I always do with the knights) in decision making is quite brilliant.

I am going to see how much I can build on your idea of the court cards and the practice of decision making. Perhaps we could co-author an article While I’m raking leaves today, I’ll think about the Pages and Queens and set them into the decision making template.

Thank you! Keep me posted. ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Barbara on Wordpress

I am always very drawn to articles which try to explain how the tarot court cards work in a reading. A very simple method I often use, if appropriate, is to simply look at the figures (using RWS) and at what they are doing, how they are feeling and even the expression on their faces and apply that to the reading. For example, the King of Cups always looks to me to be unsure of himself, he is all at sea and seems detached and disconnected from reality. He may be responsible and compassionate but having to make decisions and be in authority sometimes conflicts with his watery element and he seems to me to be uncomfortable with his role. He certainly seems to look ill at ease by the expression on his face.

A very interesting article Barbara and greatly appreciated – anything that helps with these court cards is wonderful! Thank you. ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lori on Wordpress

Did you miss the awesome guest post by @barbaramoore called Order in the Court? Read it right here: http://bit.ly/1njDtu #tarot #tarotsage

4 months, 2 weeks ago by TarotElements on Twitter

Beautifully well put Barbara. This is very closely reminiscent of the structure I’ve laboriously promoted for some time now. I think we must be joined beyond this realm. A test drive would most definitely not be necessary, as I am certain that you have nailed it. Your book shall be promptly whisked to the top of my, “must buy,” list.

Love and Light,

Bulal

4 months, 2 weeks ago by BQ on Wordpress

Phine,

I love your formulas! They do make sense and nicely encompass the generally accepted interpretations. Do let me know how it goes when you blend in my perspectives. I really do want to know how it works for others.

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Barbara on Wordpress

Lionel,

I have tried to employ and teach the elemental combos (The queen of wands is the watery aspect of fire, etc.). Intellectually, I get it, I really do. But the practical application and concrete examples are where I get stuck. I think you hit it on the head when you say “too difficult in a book for beginners to offer those more abstract assignations.” People who know tarot very well sometimes forget what it is like to have reference point for things that we take for granted, such as the elements.

PS I like your fast exercise in your current blog post. I recently wrote an article about techniques to break a tarot rut. One of the techniques included a fast exercise (not like yours, but the point is the quick reaction). Fun and useful! ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Barbara on Wordpress

Thanks, Helen! The way you describe the courts is exactly how I learned, too! It is useful and I like it, but I had a hard time explaining that to beginners. Layers and layers of interest and meaning…that’s why tarot keeps us all so interested forever

PS I loved your blog post on the Boho Gothic Devil card.

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Barbara on Wordpress

Hi Barbara,

thank you very much for sharing your splendid approach to the court cards – I will add this to my “template of meanings”! (I know this feeling oh so well when courts show up in a reading: “No, please – not a court member, please…! Who is this? A person involved? A consultants facet of personality?”)

That´s why I tried myself to create short “formulas” to condense their meanings lately… As you did, I paired elements and lines of their characteristic action to put words in the court members mouths.

• The King (control) of Rods (will, power, motivation, sex): “I´m willing to put my power into action.”

• The Queen (feeling) of Rods: “I´m feeling what I want to do and follow my motivations.”

• The Knight (fighting, enforcing) of Rods: “I´m planning my actions and fight for my goals.”

• The Page (learning, realizing) of Rods: “I´m just realizing my will, my motivation – see what keeps me moving.”

My translation might be a little clumsy… But I´m sure you got an idea of it. Letting the courts explain their character of behaviour themselves worked nicely for me.

Now I will add your perspective and test it.

Warm wishes,

Phine ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Phine on Wordpress

I have needed to use a host of strategies to interpret court cards creatively, since they definitely don’t evoke the sort of ‘gut reaction’ that a 6 of Wands or 10 of Swords does.

I like your way of interpreting, its very intuitive to relate such archetypal roles of each member of the court in a way that is general enough to relate to modern life. Its clever and fast for readings, and I may try it next time I find myself glaring at a court card in my spreads!

It may be conventional, but I have always had a lot of success relating the elements directly, and treating court cards as combinations of two elements with an emphasis on the suit; I can certainly relate the roles you assign above elementally as well, but I wonder if you also enjoy combining the elements so directly? Do you think that its too difficult in a book for beginners to offer those more abstract assignations?

Thank you again! ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lionel on Wordpress

I totally agree with you Babs, that no matter how long one has been doing tarot, those Court Cards always induce an “oh no” feeling. I do tend to think of those Pages as the messengers of their suit and are somewhat immature, while the Knights rush off and deliver them, in that teenage sort of way the Queen does tend to assimilate the message and adds some of that water element to it, while that King has learnt to master it.

This was a wonderful post and I shall look out for your book. ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Helen on Wordpress

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by TarotElements: @TarotElements proudly presents @barbaramoore in her debut article Order in the Court: http://bit.ly/1njDtu #tarot #tarottips #tarotsage…

4 months, 2 weeks ago by uberVU - social comments on Wordpress

Check it out! My 1st post for Tarot Elements, one of my fave tarot sites~ http://bit.ly/u7ijY

4 months, 2 weeks ago by barbaramoore on Twitter

If this is any indication of what is to come, I can’t wait to buy the book! So many of my tarot students have trouble with those pesky court cards – but this simplified method not only makes sense and lays a foundation – it also creates room for creative interpretation. Awesome!!!

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Theresa on Wordpress

@TarotElements proudly presents @barbaramoore in her debut article Order in the Court: http://bit.ly/1njDtu #tarot #tarottips #tarotsage

4 months, 2 weeks ago by TarotElements on Twitter