Whether you are reading this January or not, many people at this time feel compelled to review their lives. You may feel introspective in light of any resolutions that you've made, or changes that you would like to integrate into your life now. Reviewing your life can indeed be a powerful process to undertake and you may wish to look to your Life Path to aid you in this process. It can also be powerful to work with your dreams, especially when you are pondering changes in your life. Working with dreams really involves working with symbolism and imagery from within your own psyche. However, if you haven’t worked with dreams before then the Tarot is a simple, fun and powerful tool to begin working with symbols and images.
Utilizing the card that is related to your Life Path can help you to learn more about your own personal story. The symbolism on each card is stirring, unique and powerful. Looking at the cards can be like catching a glimpse of a dream. Now, if you have Life Path 4 then your corresponding Tarot card is the Emperor card.
You can work with whatever deck you feel drawn to, but the Rider Waite deck is widely available, although a variety of decks can be easily found online. In the Rider deck the Emperor is seen as a figure sitting on a stone chair. Too me, he seems like a very powerful authority figure. What are your impressions when you see the Emperor? What strikes you about this card? What would you like to know about the Emperor?
Here are the cards and corresponding Life Path’s:
- Life Path 1 - Magician
- Life Path 2 - High Priestess
- Life Path 3 - Empress
- Life Path 4 - Emperor
- Life Path 5 - Hierophant
- Life Path 6 - Lovers
- Life Path 7 - Chariot
- Life Path 8 - Strength
- Life Path 9 - Hermit
- Life Path 11 - Justice
- Life Path 22 - Emperor
The guidance your Life Path provides can help you to find your balance in life, especially as it relates to finding avocational/vocational direction. By working with your Tarot card, you can find solutions to situations in your life which you may have been ignoring, put on the back burner or forgotten about. For instance, as an individual with a Life Path 1, you might not remember or value your artistic talents when you think about making a decision, especially one related to career changes. However, your talents do have a purpose and they may help you to widen your choices.
Grab a pen and some paper or open up your word processor and collect your answers to the questions below. You may want to imagine yourself sitting down with the character on the card and talking with him as if he was a well known friend or adviser. You may wish to close your eyes and imagine yourself entering the card and interacting with the characters there, almost as if you were experiencing the scene in a dream.
Find the time and space to feel comfortable and at ease doing this. You will want the music and television off, and have ample time to settle in and allow the answers to come to you.
Don’t force or censor your answers. Write down what comes to mind. Have compassion and be gentle with yourself. Also, allow yourself the space and time to deal with memories or emotions that come up. If a particularly troubling issue comes up, you may want to put this work aside and find someone to talk with and support you while you process your feelings.
Questions:
- How do you support me on my Life Path?
- How have I been ignoring you?
- How have you guided me along my Life Path?
- What talents does this card represent?
- What do I need to focus on right now?
- How can I incorporate the dignity and strength of this card into my life?
You can repeat this exercise at different times in your life. I’ve worked with this exercise as part of welcoming in the new year. At the start of the year I review the changes that I would like to make, and work with my card to see where I might need to focus and where I might not. It can be very moving to come back to your answers in a few months, or a year later to track your progress and your willingness to listen and act.
At first, some of your guidance that comes up might not even appear to make sense. It might be like you’re looking at a puzzle with missing pieces, wondering what it all means. Over time you may begin to notice that an event happens, or someone new enters your life, and new pieces appear to fill in the pieces of your puzzle.
Be patient and use your information from this exercise to make healthy and constructive changes in your life. Remember to take your time and don't feel like you have to answer all of the questions in one sitting. Also, remember your answers might not make sense in the moment, but over time, as life unfolds, you may begin to better understand them.
