Learning the Minor Arcana

[Chesna]

I am need of some suggestions. I decided that this year I would dedicate myself to learning the tarot. It has always facinated me and so I made my self a committment to do so. I just finished with the Major Arcana. what I would do is on my lunch break, ( it was time I knew I had each day) I would pull a major arcana card, journal what I saw felt and other general impressions then I would go a research it and journal what I found. Today I finally finished the Major Arcana ! yea me!!!
I am trying to figure out the best way to do the minor arcana. I was thinking by suits or by numbers..but not sure..any ideas would be great.

Chesna

[SilverClaw]

Congrats on finishing the Major cards :D
For me I am trying to figure out which way to explore the minor cards more and I have tried doing it by the suit I am drawn to most first.... another thought I had is doing the same card for each suit and comparing them and meditating with them. So for example Ace card I do all suit Aces.... and darn the other suggestion I had just flew the coop so If I remember what it was I was going to I add I will be back.

Good luck.

[Windsmith]

I was thinking by suits or by numbers..but not sure..any ideas would be great.This is going to sound like overkill, but...you may ultimately need to do both.

When I first started learning Tarot, I learned the Minors by suit. It was extremely helpful for me, as a storyteller, to view each suit as a story. In fact, until I really learned the cards, I had trouble interpreting any Minor in a reading without consulting my notes about the card on either side of it. As you can imagine, that got pretty tedious. But it was the best way for me to learn and gave me, I think, a stronger sense of the cards as interconnected, rather than viewing each card singularly.

But the more I work with Tarot, the more I realize that having a sense of each number helps a lot. Like, for me, 4s are all about foundations. Knowing that, I can see how the 4 of each suit relates to the 4s of the other suits, and that can help in a reading, too.

My theory is, you can never learn too many different ways of understanding the cards. That doesn't mean you have to pull out all your notes for every card that comes up in a spread, but the more knowledge you have in your memory banks, the richer your interpretation will be.

[SilverClaw]

But the more I work with Tarot, the more I realize that having a sense of each number helps a lot. Like, for me, 4s are all about foundations. Knowing that, I can see how the 4 of each suit relates to the 4s of the other suits, and that can help in a reading, too. I would love to learn more about the numbers and your views with them , my view of the numbers is more of a time line is that what you use them for?


My theory is, you can never learn too many different ways of understanding the cards. I totally agree with that :)

Chesna start out one way for now and you can always go back and try another, do you what you think is best for you at this time.

[LisaT4P]

We've done some work with this ourselves. Up under the TAROT FAQ is the index of study threads. We go through by numbers & relate them to each other and to the majors. See if any of that helps you out, and feel free to post your thoughts in any of those threads. :) We'd love to have your insight.

[Against The Tide]

I learnt mine by suit but there are themes if you learn by numbers that might help you learn in a shorter period of time. I agree with the story telling idea, it anchors it into your mind so yay :)

Good luck in your quest!

[Brightshores]

The best thing I did (though I'm no expert!) was to create my own tarot journal. I went through all the books, LWBs, Internet, and other resources I had and wrote a whole list of keywords for each card. I wrote it out by hand (i tend to remember things better when I write them out). I actually ended up copying it out again when the first book fell apart, LOL!

That really helped things to stick in my mind. When I get a new deck, or figure out a new interpretation of a card, the new information goes in the book along with everything else. My book is organized by suit, but you could certainly do it by number if it helps you.

[Chesna]

Wow..lots of ideas and support. I truly found the MajorArcana fun to go thru. I saw the story in them. Like you Brightshores...I remember better if I write it down..hence my oun Tarot journal. My plan is once I am doing going thru them..at least for the 1st time..I'll fournal the readings I do..I figure that will help me learn as well. Keep the ideas coming.

Chesna

[Zephyrstorm]

One of the ways that I have studied the minors (and you can do this with the majors too) is to look at how numerology sees the numbers and see how that's reflected in the cards.

[Windsmith]

I would love to learn more about the numbers and your views with them , my view of the numbers is more of a time line is that what you use them for?Each number has a general sense.

1 - inception
2 - collaboration
3 - expansion
4 - foundation
5 - principles
6 - tradition
7 - innovation
8 - harmony
9 - completion
10 - reflection

What I look for is patterns. If the 4 of Discs pops up in a reading, I won't make a huge deal of the 4 as a 4. But if the 4 of Discs and the 4 of Batons and the Tower (16 = 4 4s), then I'm going to take heed that I need to double-check the foundations of the situation I'm asking about to make sure they're stable and can support me.

[Spookytooth]

I read "Majors only" for years before adding the minors. When I was finally ready, I found that I could focus on the minors' meanings by seeing how the element of the suit was reflected by the Majors of the same number or number reduction (Aces as I, X or XIX, e.g.)

Although certainly not the only way to read the minors, certainly a start in the right direction, especially since you have just finished with the Majors.

[SilverClaw]

Each number has a general sense.


1 - inception
2 - collaboration
3 - expansion
4 - foundation
5 - principles
6 - tradition
7 - innovation
8 - harmony
9 - completion
10 - reflection

What I look for is patterns. If the 4 of Discs pops up in a reading, I won't make a huge deal of the 4 as a 4. But if the 4 of Discs and the 4 of Batons and the Tower (16 = 4 4s), then I'm going to take heed that I need to double-check the foundations of the situation I'm asking about to make sure they're stable and can support me. Ah ok somy view is not far from yours - If I recall correctly my meanings 5-8 are a bit different, I will have to go look. :)

[Spookytooth]

Here is something I have been playing with:


2's are a pair of hands, beginning something new
3's are a pair of hands and a head, growth or output
4's are two hands and two feet, a plan or course of action
5's are two hands, two feet, and a head---the number of man, results
(here we depart from merely "the physical")
6's are pathways to be taken
7's are magical, and signify the tools we pick up along the way
8's are our goals and destinations, though not final
9's are material means by which we complete the cycle---things
10's are completion as well as a new beginning (10 = 1 + 0 = 1, Ace)
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