Breath of the Tarot

Daily life is like navigating a Dungeon (or several Dungeons at once). Grinding, solving puzzles, confronting enemies, defeating them or getting hurt, going through every twist and turn, springing the occasional trap, and searching every nook and cranny. And like any Legend of Zelda fan will tell you, navigating a Dungeon is a pain in the Heart Containers. Luckily, inside Dungeon corridors we will always find chests containing useful items to assist us in our journey to the boss chamber and to that which we desire. This Tarot Spread lets us open chests. It uses an easy chart that will tell us what kind of item we have found.

Maybe a Heart Container, indicating that, for better or worse is time to take care of our spiritual, emotional and/or physical health. Maybe Rupees, indicating that is time to check our finances; after all, rupees make Hyrule go ´round. Maybe we will find the Map, Compass and Key, giving us the orientation we need to keep navigating the dungeon and getting near our ultimate fate. Perhaps we will find a fabled Weapon, which tends to be of the physical variety (maybe a friend, a new job, an ability that will come in handy soon). Or maybe, we already have everything we need to take a last stand against demons in and out of ourselves. If this is the case, inside the chest we will find the Boss Key, indicating that is time to confront the darkness; we are ready to finish the dungeon for better or worse.

First ask the querent which dungeon is he or she navigating (relationships, health, love, school, work, etc.). Then, let him or her shuffle and divide the deck into three smaller parts. Then ask him or her to proceed to open the chest by taking the top card of each pile. The reader will take notice of which suit predominates (Cups, Pentacles, Swords, Wands, or None) and consult the chart while that epic music when you open a chest in a Legend of Zelda game plays in your heads (this last part totally optional).

Chart:

1.  Heart Containers (Cups/Bottles): You found a heart container. Time to heal yourself, spiritually, emotionally and/or physically. The cards shall reveal how. 

2.  Rupees (Pentacles/Rupees): Time to work on your finances. Let the cards reveal the secret to wealth.  

3.  Weapon (Wands/Swords): You are now in possession of a very powerful artifact (be it spiritual, mental or physical, but physical is the predominant theme here). The cards shall reveal its nature. If you have found it, you are about to need it. Pay attention to the cards. If you have doubts, check the Inventory Spread to take note of the abilities you already possess. 

4.  Map, Compass and Key (Swords/Wands): You have found the map, the compass and a small key. Together they shall tell you what your next action should be to get near your objectives.

5. Boss Key (none predominates or you have two or more Major Arcana cards): You have found the Big Key. It´s time to face your outer and/or inner demons. Pay attention to what the cards are about to say, for the end is at hand. When you find the Big Key, my suggestion is that just for a day no additional cards must be drawn regarding the particular dungeon the querent mentioned earlier when asked. He or she already has everything they need to face the Darkness and win.

Note: The suits writen inside the parenthesis, followed by a slash are because originally I wrote the spread to be used with Deosil Design´s Legend of Tarot product. Where the swords represent the Wands and the Swords are represented by Deku Sticks. I think the associations are respected in both cases. 

Also, I was toying with the idea of doing this spread just with cards from the Minor Arcana. Ultimately I decided against the idea because a lot of time you need to look at the big picture and the cards from the Major Arcana let you do that. Still, if you want to use only cards from the Minor Arcana, it is your choice. 

YOU GOT THE FIRE ROD!!

With this Magical Spread you shall attempt to re-ignite your passion and spiritually deal with any obstacle. 

First, after shuffling your deck, lay down a vertical line of four cards in front of you. They are numbered 4 to 1 from top to bottom. 

Search your deck for 4 cards associated with the element of fire and place each one left or right any of the four original cards in the spread. Remember, it´s one fire card per one of the four cards on the table. 

Read one by one the original cards: 1) Root feelings that need to be remembered, they are the reason you want this; 2) Give up this feeling, it no longers serves you and it just get in the way; 3) Let everything be as it is right now, this card will show you the benefits of doing so; 4) When to strike, look for this signal and act when you see it (could be a feeling, an actual physical sign, and idea, an event, etc.) and upon finishing interpreting this card, make a statement of your victory in present tense. 

Take notice how many cards face each other (the fire cards and the original four cards you put on the table at the start of your reading) and interpret accordingly to reveal the spiritual practice you need right now to succeed: 

1) One Pair of Cards: Practice Concentrated Gratitude for about an hour each day. The way you go about this is entirely up to you.

2) Two Pair of Cards: A session of meditation will prove useful.

3) Three Pair of Cards: Letting Go of the need to control everything.

4) Four Pair of Cards: Sacrifice a Bad Habit and offer your sacrifice for world healing. 

Note: At the end, take the four Fire Cards you used and examine them. Do any of them moves you in any way? Do any of them removes thoughts and feeling within you? If the answer is yes, examine that card or those cards more closely, for they hold an important message for you. 

This is a very easy spread. For some reason I love this spread as one that can be done first thing in the morning, especially after having some kind of agitated dream. 

Shuffle the Deck and lay down the following spread. The first Major Arcana Card that comes forth (if any) shall be the place where there is a spiritual block.

THE READING:

1. Your Roots: Your core beliefs, which ground you in the life you are experiencing in the Now.

2. Your Physicality: The most important physical subject you are focusing on at the moment and the state it is in.

3. Nutrients: Your main source of nourishment for carrying on with your life as is. Any feeling will do.

4. The Bridging Heart: Your connection to your higher-self and the state of it said connection.

5. The Thoughts: This are the predominant thoughts you keep going back to that mayo r may not hinder you in living your life to the fullest.

6. The Dreams: Your wishes, spoken and unspoken, that you keep hidden or try to nourish.

7. The Voices: The calling of the spiritual realm as they try to get your attention to change your life to the better.

8. The Fruits of your Labor: The results of your present-moment life, as a result of all the cards that came before.

Cards number three and four must be aligned somehow. Card number four in turn is influenced by cards six and seven. There is a connection between this cards and said connection holds the key to your progress in life and achieving alignment between earth and the sky, that is to say, between the physical and the spiritual.

A witch once told me that being joyful open the heart, and when the heart opens our magickal energy or force flows through us and around us. Now, the story goes that I once used this secret and found life magickal and spells binding, once before I filled my heart with sadness and bitterness.

But now... now I will change and I want others to join me in my figurative magick spell. I am using this tarot spread and ritual every night to send all of my positive thoughts, feelings, vibes, energies to all the wonderful things that I have now. For I now know that forces beyond my comprehension love to give to some that freely gives love. 

Here, this is the spread:

THE RITUAL:

The card are to be turned face up one at a time for each one of the phases of the rituals. When on phase 1, turn card number 1. Focus on that card, that is where you should put your appreciation on. A wonderful memory stired inside your soul, a danger averted, a change of heart, the coming of light, the laughter that echoes within your heart.

What I want you to do is, before going to bed and without being interreputed, take a stand-in for the Wind Waker and shuffle the deck and lay down the cards face down. 

You are going to turn face up one at a time and let them stired something nice from your past that made you feel good. Point your Wind Waker to the card, cloase your eyes and imagine sparks coming from the tip. Trace a circle in the card´s - the memory´s!- direction and then swing it sideways and focus on one more cute, nice, beautiful thing related to it. Encircle it with another wave of your Wind Waker and a smile in your heart and face. 

When you are feeling bubbly, turn face up the next card. You have the Wind Waker and with it you will stir the Winds of your Love and Appreciation to those memories and let your joy soar high.

The cards´ topics: 

Your Home

Your Friends

Your World

Yes, the cards indicate something related to the card´s topic. You could even start in any order you´d like! Just wave the Wind Waker. Don´t feel dumb or stupid, you are not. You are just using the help of the cards and a physical wand to help you direct your Appreciation Energy without getting distracted, in a powerful ritual that is meant to leave a lasting impression in your brain. 

You might even feel like crying of happiness because a sublime happy memory was evoked. Encircle it, keep smiling and shift to a new one. 

When you wake up, eat your breakfast and are about to go out, please spare some few minutes to lovingly shuffle the cards while asking the universe for a sense of adventure and awe, because nothing gets the magick of life flowing beautifully than an open eager and joyful heart. 

This spread is not traditionally numbered because it also is used to gradually fine-tune your intuition. So, relax and breath deeply before turning the card face up, one Blessing at a time, following the order of the reading of the Blessings as explained below. Just select a card for the Blessing in turn.

THE READING:

Blessing from the Fairies: A jolt of energy, a flash of inspiration, laughter heard from within the woods, healing waters and a friend´s company. The card you select talks about the Positive Undercurrent Energy this day that will inspire you to venture forth, knowing deep in your spirit that you are loved and adored and protected by forces beyond your grasp that are always at hand. Even when a negative card, it shows something that was averted because the universe loves you. So take heart, say thanks, and part because this day is going to be awesome.

Blessing from the Princess: A voice that calls you from inside and outside dreams, that knows you, that trusts you and the is in need of you. The card you select talks about the Ideals to pursue this day, that calls you on a mission to restore light in your life and in the lives of others. Even if it is a negative card, it is always about other´s suffering, not your own. Keep you eyes open and your heart ready.

Blessing from the Sage: An useful artifact, a secret song, a mysterious legend, words of wisdom and of optimism. The card you select for this blessing talks about that which you must acquire to complete your day´s quest. It is always a surprise. Keep an eye out for it, even if it is a negative card, for even apparent darkness, shadows and twilight can be of help.

Blessing from Within a Hero´s Heart: Courage that, even in the face of your greatest fear, still gives you the power to saddle on. Courage, the power to help a friend´s need. The light that shoots from the forest holding a green mystical stone. The last card will be the one that speaks and inspires Courage inside your heart, that gives you a reason to venture forth even when darkness engulfs everything. Even if it is a negative card, it is an augur of your victory.

As a highly powerful technological device, the Sheikah Slate offers all kinds of functions to assist you in your quest. It has a Scope, a Map, it operates with well-developed apps Runes, and it even has advanced sensors for unopened Shrines. So, I went pondering about a Spread that could replicate those functions somehow. After all, a highly advanced piece of technology needs highly advanced divination techniques. So, I worked hard like a Sheikah these past days, trying my hand on every bit of divinatory techniques that could lend itself quite nicely to a Sheikah Slate Spread.

So, now, I didn´t invented these techniques at all. BUT, I took everything that could work for this project and gave it a twist here and there to make it functional. I used everything, from traditional tarot techniques, methods found in traditional cartomancy, and fun tricks found in Lenormand reading. In fact, the fabled Grand Tableau served as the basis for this spread… with proper Zelda twists to create a fun spread that offers the wonderful things found in the Sheikah Slate. Heck, I even think I managed to channel Steve Jobs to pitch this spread to my followers and lovers of all-things cartomancy!

So, without further ado, let me present the Sheikah Slate Spread!

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

Begin by selecting a Significator for yourself. If there are other persons involved, select one for each of the. Don´t overstuff, though, keep it simple. And remember to take note on which card represents who. Proceed to shuffle the cards and pick the cards you need to complete a set of 16 cards, bearing in mind that from those 16 you already took one when you choose a Significator for you. Maybe you took more than one for each additional persons involved. It doesn´t matter, just pick as many as you need from the deck to complete a set of 16 cards.

Spread them out the following way, already face-up. I will guide you through this lengthy process to read this spread in an appropriate manner.

Part 1: The Scope and Pins Functionality

The Sheikah Slate uses state-of-the-art technology to zero in something of importance, that is maybe distant from where you stand. The Scope is represented by the Four Central Cards of the Spread (that is A, B, C and D). These cards zero in something very important for your life right now. It is not just about something simple, this four cards reveal the most important thing on your life journey as of now.

Once you read those four cards, read the Four Corner Cards, the give additional information regarding the Central Cards. These Four Corner Cards (I, IV, XIII and XVI) complement the Central Cards by showing more mundane and immediate things.

Part 2: The Map Functionality

The Sheikah Slate always pinpoints your exact location and/or that of other important individuals/things. Kindly, please, locate Your Significator Card and take notice of the Numbered Position it landed on. This Numbered Position corresponds to which part of the land of Hyrule you are currently residing on. This will give you further information regarding your current life position on the Map Functionality.

The cards above you deal with what is exerting the most pressure on your mind and emotion. The cards below you are those thing you have under control. The cards to your left represent your past. The cards to your right represent what is to come. If no further cards are on your right, then you are on the brink a new cycle in your life.

If there is more than one person involved, proceed to do the same for them. Also, take notice if you share the same row or column with them. If not, then you might not be on the best of terms with them and so you can use the Yiga´s Spell: to further explore that situation, trace imaginary lines parting from both Significator Cards in a Vertical and Horziontal way. Those lines emanating from both cards will intersect in two card positions. These two cards will let you explore what is happening between you two.

Part 3: The Places of Power

It is imperative to analyze the Map the cards offer you in much more detail. As a continuation from the Map Functionality part, we shall delve further into the Hyrulian Landscape as follows:

I. Shrine of Resurrection: Project in hand

II. Temple of Time: Hope

III. Sheikah Towers: Luck

IV. Great Hyrule Forest: Wishes

V. Hyrule Castle: Injustice

VI. Death Mountain: Trouble

VII. Karusa Valley: Rivals/Deceit/Gossip

VIII. Gerudo Desert: Sickness

IX. Zora´s Domain: Friendship

X. Kakariko Village: Joy/Home

XI. Spring of Wisdom: Love of any kind

XII. Tarrey Town: Marriage

XIII. Spring of Power: Money/Fortune

XIV. Great Fairy Fountain: Gift

XV. Spring of Courage: Kindness

XVI. Shrines: Prosperity

Each of the sixteen cards is located in one of these Hyrulian Places of Power, including the Significators. You must interpret the card that landed there, taking into consideration that its position in the spread is colored by what the Place of Power brings to that card.

Note: More information regarding the possible interpretations will come in a follow-up post. In said post we will delve on the significance of the Places of Power based on the suit of the card it landed on them.

Part 4: The Heroic Columns

The Sheikah Slate is equipped with powerful software capable of identifying your present quest for the day and assisting you in managing that day´s quest. Keep in mind that for the interpretation for these columns you are NOT required to take the Places of Power into consideration. And please, scale down the interpretation for we are dealing with more mundane situation, although certainly not less important.

   E. Present Day Quest: This Column tells you about the present day´s most pressing concern.

   F. Keys to the Shrine: The things that will open the way for you to make progress towards your goals. Could be anything, from pep-talks, to magick spells, to meditation, to affirmations, to prayers, to simple everyday actions like getting out of the house, doing homework, visitng friends, etc.

   G. Puzzle Solving: The first two cards from top to bottom tell you about the obstacles. The last two cards are how they are meant to be resolved.

   H. Spirit Orbs: The things you shall receive that at the end of the day you shall stop and appreciate the best you can. Every day you receive blessings, this are the things that you should shower with your appreciation to open the doors for even more blessings.

Part 5: The Malicious Rows

Of course, the Sheikah Slate can further analyze your Life Position, help you remember even things that are important, store revelations, and recall a compendium of information for you to review and reflect when you have the opportunity to do so. These are not be taken in a broader way than the Heroic Columns, for they reveal things that have happened in the last month. Also, you don´t need to take into account the Places of Power when interpreting the rows.

   1. The Spirit: These are the Higher Things, those that are bigger than you and that explain your current Life Situation. These are active forces.

   2. The Mind: These is the preponderant mind state for the month that colors all your interactions with all aspects of your life.

   3. The Physical: Important aspects of your body, your needs and satisfactions that have dominated the last month.

   4. The Undercurrent: Important yet subtle forces at work, that are born from other´s actions and decisions all around you that may directly or indirectly impact you. Again, this is information about last month.

Part 6: The Runes

Further powers can be unlocked for the Sheikah Slate. For that matter, part from the card that is directly placed under the Symbols of each Rune. Interpret the cards following the colored line. Each Rune reveals things, show you secret ways to influence the events and deal with both everyday problems and life problems.

The Remote Bomb Line: This line reveals a connection between the cards the line touches, how they overtly or secretly relate to each other, and how if you impact any of the cards in this line you will set off a chain reaction to help you blast through the obstacles one or more cards in the line represent. The preceding cards shall impact the next one, and so on and so forth.

The Magnesis Line: This line reveals a connection between the cards the line touches, how they overtly or secretly relate to each other, and how if you manipulate any of the cards in this line you will set off a chain reaction to help you moves things in your favor. Be careful, for it also generates enough force that could potentially damage you, and is represented by the line returning to its starting place.

The Stasis Line: This line reveals things that, for the time being, you should nurture and keep them as they are. When the effect expires after some time (probably withing the next lunar month), the “kinetic” energy that your kindness and nurturing bestowed upon them shall be released in a way that blesses yourself and make things fall into place for you, even the universe bending over itself to help you if you keep doing it consistently. Again, the arrow line flies towards its starting point, the second to last card represents that which you shall receive, be it the destruction of an obstacle or the securing of success. Even seemingly immovable objects can be impacted this way.

The Cryonis Line: The cards on this arrow line are stepping stones that you should use to balance your life. Keep in mind that they may also represent obstacles for your enemies, offering protection from their vicious attacks if you procure them.

Part 7: The Sheikah Sensor+

This sensor is the latest of functions added to the Sheikah Slate, giving you the ability to discover secrets hidden all around you that will give your more information regarding any of the Sixteen Cards that conform the Spread.

How you go about it by using the Lenormand technique called Knighting. Yes, this technique comes from the Knight´s movement in chess and works the same. You part from the card you want to learn secrets from and count three cards forming a letter “L”. You will arrive to a second card after you Knight, and this card will give you information about their secret.

Part 8: The Divine Beasts

Dealing in with the Main Computer in certain Sheikah Places can bestow power and the ability to take possession of one of the Four Divine Beast. These shall be taken with the power of your intuition from the deck of unused cards at the end of a Sheikah Slate Spread reading. So you will take four cards and place them, one by one in the order of your liking, over one of the 16 cards so you can summon further introspection, hints and solutions for what the cards reveal. Take in mind that the Divine Beast will bestow its power to the card randomly picked, and the interpretation must come from that perspective.

Vah Ruta: The powers of positive feelings will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.

Vah Medoh: The powers of intellect will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.

Vah Rudania: The power of direct confrontation will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.

Vah Naboris: The power of spirits and magick will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.

So there you have it. One fun way to kickstart and re-energize this blog once more. I hope you enjoy this spread as much as I did putting it together though I am reeeeeally nervous about this post. What if you hate it? Still, Power and Wisdom cannot be balanced without Courage, no? *Inhales deeply before clicking to post* 

So, stay tuned because there is much, much more to come for all THREE of my blogs.