Shadow work is a dark and unpredictable field. The themes and archetypes in Tarot are a natural bridge to shadow exploration, giving Tarot the potential to shine a light on our shadows in order to guide and heal.
The Major Arcana presents 22 archetypes that can guide us into our shadow to discover new or repressed things about ourselves. Have you suppressed The Fool into our shadow? Are you afraid to take chances on new ventures? What can you heal in order to see the gold that is unearthed when you allow yourself to embody the true nature of The Fool? What fears or triggers arise when there is an archetype you are afraid of embodying? The beautiful thing about Tarot is that there are no “bad cards.” Yes, even Death, The Devil, and The Tower have their hidden gems.
There are the four suits that comprise the Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Wands indicate passions, inspirations, ferocity and tending your inner flame. Cups indicate emotions, relationships and love, and cultivating love and fluidity. Swords indicate knowledge, pain, and the search for deeper truth and meaning. Pentacles indicate growth, security, and hard work. Each of these suits can help us dig into our shadow through exploration of hidden passions, buried emotions, lost truths, and the potential to grow. Each card can unveil something from our shadow, or at the very least take the first steps in healing.
The sixteen court cards are further archetypes that can give greater understanding to our lives. How can you bring youthful optimism into your life through the guidance of the Pages? How can you find balance and drive to pursue your goals strategically like the Knights? How can you learn to embody love, care, passion, and wit in order to inspire and nurture like the Queens? How can you step into confidence and lead like the Kings?
Using Tarot as a guide through shadow work gives a new direction and perspective in order to reach crevices and pathways in our shadow that we may never have realized possible.
Work through the spreads to give you precise direction and plans.
When new triggers surface, pull a card to help identify what is at the root of the problem that needs healing.
Explore the Major Arcana archetypes in order to discover gold that has been hiding in you all along.
Converse with the Court Cards to discover new ways of processing and growing your inner light.
What passions can be unearthed with the help of the Wands, what emotions can be processed with the help of the Cups, what truths can be uncovered with the help of the Swords, and where can you expand and grow with the help of the Pentacles?
Step into your shadow, hold tight to your Tarot cards, and light the way for exploration and healing.
