5 Ways to Use Tarot Cards to Blast Through Creative Blocks
At one time or another it happens to all of us.
The blank screen on your laptop, the empty canvas that sits while your paint dries, the song you want to write but….
Nothing happens.
Your Muse has run off with another artist leaving you feeling creatively….
Impotent.
If we are to let the creative juices flow, then we also need to be spontaneous, not bogged down with anxiety over the blank screen, the deadline or the pressure we have placed on ourselves to outdo our last masterpiece.
Being in the flow of spontaneous energy is also an important aspect of connecting with our intuition.
Here is an introduction to ways that you can use a common Intuitive Development tool- the Tarot (or any oracle deck) as a tool to also help you blast through creative blocks.
- One Card Meditation
Take a moment to meditate in a quiet place. Set an intention to gain clarity on the best use of your creative energy and/or what is in the way of your creative expression. From a relaxed, calm state of mind, shuffle your oracle or Tarot deck and draw one card. Allow the images on this card to speak to you. Even in this simple step, you are engaging your intuition and creativity simultaneously.
- Discover the Mission of Your Project
Use your Tarot cards in this simple spread to help clarify the mission of your creative project. Yes, you want to write a story, a song, or create a painting, but what is moving you to express yourself in this way? Ground your energy with a brief meditation, then shuffle your cards and set the intention of gaining clarity about the mission fueling your project. When you feel ready, place the deck face down and fan the cards out before you. Trust yourself to feel three cards that you are drawn to and place these three cards separately in the order you chose them. The first represents the insecurities, doubts or excuses holding you back. The second is the heart of your mission, and the third is the ideal, what you are being called to create once obstacles are cleared.
- Let the Cards Tell the Story
Tarot Cards make great writing prompts. Calm your mind and ground your energy with a brief meditation. Shuffle your cards with the intention of connecting with your powers of creativity to guide you. As you complete the spread, remember you are surrendering the creative process, so relax and let the images and symbols on the cards help you create the story.
Suggested Spread:
When you feel it is time to stop shuffling, place the deck face down, then fan out the cards and select one card. Allow yourself to meditate on the story taking place within the image on the card. Let this be your writing prompt. If you choose, you may add other cards to help the story unfold, but remember that sometimes less is more.
- Discover Your Characters
Writers know that characters can take on a life of their own. Why not give them a platform to show you who they are and how they fit into your work? Repeating the initial process of grounding and shuffling as outlined above, set the intention that you wish to meet (or even converse with) specific characters, one at a time. Select one card at random with the intention of this card representing your “initial meeting” with your character. This is the energy of your character’s public face. Take notes on what you feel, sense, see or associate with the images and symbols or the scene on this card. What does this tell you about your character?
Next, choose another card to represent your character’s internal world. What does this card tell you about their secret life and Shadow self?
Finally, draw another card to explore how your character fits into the story. What resolution or conflicts do they bring? You may continue this process to explore other dimensions of your character as well.
- Align with Air Energy
For this exercise, sort through your cards and intentionally set aside the court cards aligned with Air energy. Those would be the Queens, Kings, Knights, Pages (other decks use other names such as Princess, Father, Son, Daughter, Mother etc.) of Wands. Depending on the deck these may also be labeled batons, staves, feathers etc. (Note, if you are used to reading Swords as Air and Wands as Fire, adjust accordingly. If you have no idea what this note refers to, don’t worry, topic for another blog, disregard and continue).
Air energy corresponds to the power of creativity and communication. Take a moment to ground yourself and set the intention that you wish to tap into your highest source of creativity at this time. You may also choose to utilize a prayer for protection and inspiration. Shuffle the Wands court cards and choose one at random.
Meditate on this card and picture yourself aligning with the energy of the figures and symbols depicted on the card. Imagine yourself as the embodiment of this power.
For more information on practical ways to align with the archetypal power of the Tarot Queens, pre-order your copy of Queen Up! Reclaim Your Crown When Life Knocks You Down (Conari, 2018).
