For over 25 years, tarot has been a huge part of my life. I love the tarot for so many reasons. It functions perfectly in so many ways, as a system of divination, as a way of getting in touch with both the higher self and the divine, as a source of creative inspiration, as a portal for meditation, as a portable set of ritual tools, as a focus for spellwork and manifestation and the list goes on, perhaps endlessly. Any time I have asked the question “I wonder if the tarot can be used for. . .?” the answer has always been a resounding yes. From ritual work to class planning tool to cake-decorating inspiration, the tarot always come through as a source of profoundly meaningful assistance.

Often, the tarot is used as a gateway for getting in touch with something else, like the root of an issue or the interpersonal dynamics at play in a situation. But the longer I have worked with the tarot, the more I have become both aware of and enchanted by what I call the Spirit of the Tarot. It seems to me that this Spirit is a living, active dynamic presence and it has come to be one of my most trusted spiritual guides. For me, the Spirit of the Tarot can show up in any time or place with a message for me. Sometimes this Spirit will appear as a particular card, maybe the Fool or the High Priestess or the three celebrants from the Three of Cups, but at other times the Spirit does not seem to take a specific form. Regardless of its appearance, I always recognize its voice. I first started noticing this Spirit when it would pop into my meditations to bring me a message, frequently when the focus of the meditation was decidedly non-tarot in nature. That didn’t seem to stop the Spirit and the more I paid attention, the more the Spirit of the Tarot seemed to be around.

I suspect that a great many tarot lovers out there are already on intimate terms with this valuable and trustworthy guide. In my experience, just being open to the presence of this energy is enough to invite it in. If, however, you have not yet noticed the Spirit of the Tarot at work in your life, here is an invocation to assist you in issuing an invitation. Find some time and create some sacred space, perhaps by setting up a tarot altar, then light a candle, speak the invocation out loud and prepare to begin your own magickal relationship with the Spirit of the Tarot.

Tarot Invocation

Spirit of the Tarot, I invite you into my life,
I seek your wise guidance in joy and in strife,
Come Arcanas, Major and Minor, bringing all your energy and power,
I open myself to you in this magical hour,

Come, Fool, who inspires me to take the leap of faith,

Come, Magician of Mysteries, bold and bright,
Come, High Priestess of Moon and Magick, gifted with sight,
Come, Empress, Abundant Mother, thou radiant queen,
Come Emperor, Horned Father, from your forest green,

Come Hierophant with your wise teaching voice,
Come Lovers who call me to make a choice,
Come Chariot that I may learn to chart my own course,
Come Strength who teaches me to access my source,

Come Hermit who leads me to the light within,

Come Wheel of Fortune with your ever cycling tales,
Come Justice with your perfectly balanced scales,
Come Hanged man to show me a different point of view,
Come Death with your transformation that creates anew,
Come Temperance with all the alchemical magick you blend,
Come Devil who encourages me to embrace my shadow as friend,
Come Tower tearing false foundations away,
Come Star who appears like hope to guide the way,
Come Moon mysterious beauty who graces the night,
Come Sun who radiates warmth and light,
Come Judgment with your final resounding call,
Come World that I might celebrate my connection to all,

Come Suit of Swords with your gifts of clear insight and the ability to know,
Come Suit of Wands with the fiery passion, courage and energized will you bestow,
Come Suit of Cups to open my heart and intuition to your ever abundant flow,
Come Suit of Pentacles with the power to help my dreams manifest and grow,

Spirit of the Tarot, I invite you into my life,
I seek your wise guidance in joy and in strife,
Come Arcanas, Major and Minor, bringing all your energy and power,
I open myself to you in this magical hour.

***

Emily will be leading “Devotional Tarot” atTarotCon Denver 2015. Visit our Speakers page for the full line-up of presentations and workshops.

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About the Author

A self-proclaimed Tarot fanatic who has been in a fulfilling relationship with the Tarot for 25 years, Emily is an eclectic Wiccan High Priestess who works closely with the Tarot, shamanic journeying, and the Egyptian pantheon. She is always looking for new ideas, events, and practices to inform her spiritual journey.  She works at Full Moon Books & Event Center where she also teaches classes on Tarot, witchcraft, moon magick and stone magick.

© 2015 by Emily Jones. All rights reserved.

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