Sigmund
Freud once remarked that “the dream is the royal road to
the unconscious.” Tarot has been called the Royal Road to
mastery, and traveling the twists and turns of the Fool’s
Journey is not for the faint of heart. Tarot reveals the path
of initiation, the internal struggle of our own spiritual growth,
and the conflicts with others who become teachers and mirrors along
this quest. A powerful synergy seems to be at work when Tarot
and dreams work together. After decades of exploring this
combined way of working with the symbols, I wrote a book
on the subject. (Tarot & Dream Interpretation, Llewellyn,
2003).
I believe that using the archetypes of Tarot to interpret dreams
engages dream consciousness in the waking state. In a sense
we step through a portal or gateway, which is generally veiled
between these two “worlds,” and stand in both simultaneously. The
cards begin to move and dance and interact with one another in
amazing ways. Using Tarot images and dream symbols together
seems to open a dialog between the conscious mind and subconscious
mind that is normally closed. This may be akin to what Australian
Aborigine shamans do in Dreamtime work. There is an enhanced
ability to move outside of time. Subsequent scientific research
may reveal a relationship in brain wave patterns which explain
this.
Clients have reported breakthroughs in the release of lifetime
limiting patterns working with the symbols in this combined manner
that seem magical and alchemical. Tarot seems to act as a
linking mechanism, showing relationships between dreams and personality
level issues, enabling us to see patterns of self-defeating behavior
which were previously unclear.
Tarot decks tend to use universal symbols, although each deck also
bears the imprint of the author’s cultural orientation as
well as the artist’s unique and individual style. Through
the combined use of color, shape, numbers and symbolic imagery,
Tarot automatically communicates certain truths to the conscious
mind. Like any language, repeated use and reflection on the
symbolic language of Tarot helps us become fluent.
To heighten the effect use more than one deck of Tarot cards to
work with your dreams. One set of cards should be clear in
conveying the archetypal symbols and images. Additional decks,
including whimsical, artistic or unusual interpretations of the
Tarot, can be used for dream spreads.
Create your own “deck
of dreams” by collecting images that strike you from photographs,
greeting cards, magazines and catalogs. Cut and paste them
onto colored construction paper or poster paper. By bridging
the dream images into the waking dimension you strengthen your
intuition. These provide your own personal Tarot deck, tailored
to your individual symbolism to be used for interpretation. (These
cannot be reproduced for other than your personal individual use). You
can also draw the dream, or make a collage or a dream mosaic, using
your collection of images.
In general, dreams are not meant to be taken literally and this
is mostly true with Tarot as well. Symbols stand for something
else. For example, dreaming of an old man rather than a new-born
may indicate the stage of an enterprise, just like the Hermit or
Fool in Tarot. Within dreams symbols are the nouns; the persons,
places and things, and may either be universal, cultural or personal. The
nature or quality of the “nouns” in our dreams reveals
how and what the symbols are trying to tell us. For example,
water is generally said to represent emotions in dreams. How
the water appears in a dream provides clues to the dream’s
message. Do we dream of an ocean, and is it calm or stormy? Is
the body of water in our dream a clear, mountain lake or a stagnant
pool? Usually the most significant symbols in dreams include
the people, animals, houses, buildings, or vehicles. This
is all true in Tarot work too.
Central to spiritual work is formulating ideals in our life to
which we can aspire. These ideals become the central focus
of our dream work. Dreams are like a school we attend each
night. Since most traditions agree that our sleeping self
is more attuned to our soul and spirit, our job is to learn to
understand the language of dreams, becoming receptive to guidance
from Spirit. Adding Tarot to your dream work can enrich the
results, expanding and deepening your understanding of symbols. People
who incorporate Tarot into their dream work usually find that Tarot
images begin to appear in their dreams. This is an exciting
and enriching experience.
Julie
Gillentine is the
award-winning author of
TAROT & DREAM INTERPRETATION and other books and articles. She
teaches workshops around the country and leads sacred journeys to
Egypt & Greece.
Julie
Gillentine is the
award-winning author of
TAROT & DREAM INTERPRETATION and other books and articles. She
teaches workshops around the country and leads sacred journeys to
Egypt & Greece.
