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Decan Walk

For those who are unfamiliar, a decan walk is a deep look, or walk, through each decan of the zodiac. The 30-degree sections of each sign are divided up into 3 sections of 10 degrees each. These sections are called decans.  From an astrological perspective, Austin Coppock has written an insightful and detailed book called ’36 Faces’. T. Susan Chang followed up with ’36 Secrets’, a book she states in the introduction took its inspiration from Austin’s. It examines each decan through a Tarot lens. Both are fabulous resources.

I started a decan walk back during Libra season, using several resources (including the two mentioned above) to learn everything I could about at least three cards per decan: the card associated with the decan in question; the card that corresponds to the planetary ruler of the decan, and; the card associated with the sign of the decan. I’d also explore other associated cards or cards from different decks and see what kind of learning would emerge. But, as life often does, my walk started out as a run then slowly morphed into a stroll, then a crawl and finally a retreat. 🙂

With Aries season only 10 days old, our home renovation mostly complete and me about to return from Australia and settle back into life at home, I thought it was a great time to restart a ‘true’ decan walk, one that starts at Aries I and ends all the way at the other end of the zodiac with Pisces III. I’ll explore each minor arcana card that corresponds with the decan, the card associated with each planet that rules the decan and the card that corresponds to the sign of the decan in question. 

I’ll then post here at the end of each sign (for example, expect a post at the end of Aries, covering Aries, I, II, and III) about discoveries, reflections and ‘a-ha’ moments. I’d love for you to add your questions or comments. Although I certainly have an interest in astrology, my primary focus will be on the Tarot. (I leave most of the astrology to my wife – or to you if that’s your thing and you choose to comment!)

Speaking of astrology (and my wife), Kelly and I have completed the second video of our quarterly tarot and astrology insight ‘series’. In this offering, Kelly looks at some of the astrological events of the Aries, Taurus and Gemini season and I add some insights from corresponding cards from each month. We have fun recording these sessions. The funnest part for me is that, although we each plan our section, we don’t collaborate about the video beforehand. I love seeing what emerges!

If you’d like to check out this quarter’s offering, click on the video below.

As always, I am available for in-person and online Tarot consultations. Just visit the ‘Tarot Consultations’ page. I have dates for consultations open in late April and May. And, if you’re a returning client, make sure you email me at peter@peterwhitetarot.com for your special booking calendar link and discounted price!

Yours in Tarot,

Peter

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I felt The Sun

I have done this action many times. Every morning. Let me know if this seems familiar to you. 

I get up, follow my morning routine which includes, among other things, a daily Tarot card draw. 

This past Sunday morning, almost immediately after getting out of bed, I was drawn outside. Maybe it was because the sun was shining and visible for the first time in weeks. Despite the cold, I wanted to feel it. So out I went.

And… I felt the sun. On my face, my head (my hat came off pretty quickly), and my hands. 

But, I also felt The Sun. The 19th card of the Major Arcana. The jubilation. The joy. The awe. The alive-ness.  I immediately saw in myself the child riding horseback on the Rider-Waite-Smith version of this card. I smiled. I laughed out loud. 

And then I thought about my daily Tarot practice. What if, instead of drawing a card and looking for iterations of it throughout my day, I instead looked for elements of the Tarot in my everyday life and then selected the card that might best represent what I saw, felt or experienced. After all, the Tarot represents all aspects of our life: big picture, small picture, long term, and everyday elements. 

This is how it could work. Let’s say I see two people walking together. I note their circumstances. Are they engaged in a deep conversation? A warm embrace? Strolling hand in hand? Do they suggest The Lovers, the Two of Cups, the Two of Wands or a pair of court cards?

I really do like my daily card draw. I find it helps ground me in the energy of the day. It gives the Tarot an honoured space as the day begins.  But I might also give this a try and hope it will help me notice the Tarot in my life and the lives that unfold all around me. 

Are there places and spaces where you see the Tarot?

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Continuous Learning

 I’m comfortable with my knowledge base in the tarot. It’s deep. It’s varied. It’s long-studied and long-lived. But it is not, nor will it ever be, infinite. I want to spend time among those who know so much more than me. After all, as the expression goes, if you’re the smartest person in the room, seek another room. For that reason, I am always looking to deepen my knowledge when it comes to the Tarot. Despite having spent almost 40 years(!) exploring the cards, there is always much more to learn. Therefore, finding myself with significantly more time on my hands, I enrolled in a course.

Continue reading → Continuous Learning
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Baring Your ‘Tarot’ Self

A few days ago, Liz Worth posted about some modern classic Tarot books from her personal library. It got me thinking… we must all have collections of Tarot paraphernalia. Some large; some small. Some new and some collected over decades. Regardless, I believe what we choose to add to our Tarot space must say something about us as Tarotists.

Are we just learning? Are we looking for a deeper understanding? Do we lean towards a particular type of deck or system? Do we have favourite authors or creators? Do we blend our Tarot work with other types of divination? Is our work spiritual or practical?

I took a Sunday morning and laid out my current card and book collection. And I posted on both my Instagram story and feed. And then reflected a little more.

Based on my current collection, I know I am a Rachel Pollack fan (since I also lent out 2 others), but also appreciate Janet Boyer and Corrine Kenner. I have a more blended collection between Thoth-based and RWS-based decks than I thought. I have added a few French books and deck since my arrival in Belgium just over a year ago. And the visual appeal of the deck is important to me.

So what’s missing? What’s next?

There are a few limited, modern decks I am hoping to add. I am dreaming of a quick drive to the Belgian Tarot Museum once restrictions lift. This is a must-do before heading back to Canada! I am also looking for a couple of ‘deep dives’ into the complexity of Tarot but have not yet found a fit that I am prepared to commit to yet. I’m open to suggestions!

What about you? If you laid out your collection, what would it reveal? Please share in the comments or post on Instagram and tag me at @peterwhitetarot. Or share on Twitter at PeterWhiteTarot I would love to learn a little more about you and your tarot journey!

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The Hanged Man and The Empress

This year’s Tarot card calculation offers a bit of a twist.

2019cardsofyear

It is common to identify The Hanged Man (card XII of the Major Arcana) as the year card for 2019.  The numerological process for determining this is simple: add the digits 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 together and get 12. I’ve seen it highlighted on my social media feeds, on email newsletters I receive and on blog posts. (Biddy Tarot’s post is a great example.) Continue reading → The Hanged Man and The Empress