Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com
ISSN: 1529-0565 
Vol. 9 #2 /
                                                                  
 In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Physical Descriptions and Characteristics of the Tarot Court
- Tarot School Aphorism
- What’s Gnu?
- Guest Article: Tarot Counseling, Skills, & Ethics (Part 3)
- PsychWise: Love, Tarot and the Borderline Querent
- Upcoming Events

 
Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.

 
Happy 22nd Birthday to The Tarot School!

 
Happy 22nd Birthday to The Tarot School!
Today, we are a full Major Arcana of years
in service to you, to the tarot community,
and to the cards.

February is often considered a month of love,
and we want to show how much we love you by
offering you a special birthday gift to help us
celebrate. (It's also Ruth Ann's birthday this month!)
See "And one more thing..." for the details.

Speaking of love, users of oracular systems such as
tarot are said to have relationship questions as a top
life concern. Life doesn’t come with a manual, and
love relationships don’t either, but tarot is certainly
useful in navigating matters of the heart.
 
In matters of love, the questions of who, when and
what are possibly asked the most. In this issue, we
offer some traditional outlines as to the physical
descriptions of the tarot court. In PsychWise, Dr. G
discusses the kind of querent who would be most
interested in a love relationship reading, and our
guest columnist Katrina Wynne concludes her
Tarot Counseling Skills and Ethics series with Part 3:
Ethical Considerations for Readers.  
                  
 
And one more thing...

At the last Readers Studio, Barbara Moore taught
us about the special magic of blessings. Our gift
to you, in celebration of our 22nd Birthday, is
the Tarot Blessings Book -- a collection of 22 
blessings from the Major Arcana, written by
Ruth Ann Amberstone. She has matched them
with beautiful photographs, some of which you
may find surprising.

Tarot Blessings Book cover

You can download your copy here:
http://tarotschool.com/Tarot-Blessings-Book.pdf
(Please give the file time to open.)

Enjoy!

With love and gratitude on the tarot journey,
Ruth Ann, Wald, Gina & Elinor


Tarot Tips is here to help you with the practical side
of your Tarot journey. In order to take the greatest
advantage of this newsletter, please send us your
questions regarding any aspect of your tarot study
or practice and we'll do our best to answer them
in an upcoming issue.

Spread the experience of tarot - share this newsletter
with other Tarot Enthusiasts!
 

 
Tarot Tip
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS & CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE TAROT COURT

by Gina Thies

 


The human figure has been the subject of drawings
and art from the beginning of history. It has been so
significant to art, partly because it is used to express
the cultural values and viewpoints of the diverse eras
in which they are composed. The Renaissance having
the most influence on tarot is possibly also most
detrimental in terms of representing all spectrums
of people. It is a reminder of how small the world
once appeared.
 
In the telling of any story, the physical descriptions
of characters help to bring the story to life.
 
One could liken the reading process to telling one’s
life story, with a host of characters that influence
the tale. In matters of love, querent regularly ask,
“What does the future hold for my love life?”
followed by “What does he/she look like?” Even
when matters are not so close to the heart, querents
naturally want specific information to make a reading
more relevant and personal.
 
The tarot court cards are without a doubt descriptive
of personalities in the cast of life. The following are
a list of traditional and not-so-traditional physical
descriptions of the 16 types of people represented in
tarot royalty.
 
King of Wands
 
Physical type: Red or reddish-brown/auburn hair, fair
or light skinned complexion that could be freckled or
with a distinct mole or scar on the face or head. Eye
color ranges from hazel to green blue or turquoise.
Appearance can be husky or muscular with pronounced
nose, chin or brow areas.
Mature or 35+ in age.
 
Characteristics: Headstrong, vibrant, impulsive,
capable, dedicated, driven and typically has a good
sense of humor.

 
King of Swords
 
Physical type: Blond hair or hair with blonde
highlights or streaks. Fair complexion, may be darker
due to sun exposure. Eyes glitter or shine and colors
range from blue, bluish-gray to bluish-green to light
brown. Often features a long nose and a high forehead.
Mature or 35+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Rational, perceptive, can be selfless
or self-righteous. Reasonable, poised, judicious, and
often speaks through facial expression.
 

King of Cups
 
Physical type: Light brown to golden blonde hair or
highlights. Hair is usually thick and leans more to
brown. The complexion is medium fair to olive with
piercing eyes having colors that range from
grayish-blue to brown. The face shape typically is
square with distinct features, sultry lips and high or
prominent cheekbones.
Mature or 35+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Malleable, moody, tender, devoted,
loving, focused with creative tendencies.
 

King of Pentacles
 
Physical type: Dark brown to black hair or highlights.
Hair may gray in early years leaving a salt and pepper
appearance. The complexion ranges from fair to any
dark-skinned tones. The eyes are clear and bright and
in fairer skin can be blue, green or violet. With
darker skin tone, they range from hazel or light-brown
to dark brown. The face tends to look serious and the
body type can be slender or lean and tall.  
Mature or 35+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Physically strong with high endurance,
capable, confident, resourceful, enterprising and
dependable.
 

Queen of Wands
 
Physical type: Auburn, burgundy, red or reddish-brown
hair with red highlights or henna rinse. The complexion
is extremely light to darker fair with freckles, spots
or moles. The eyes are pleasant and color ranges from
light amber to hazel or from blue to grey. There is
tendency to have prominent facial features and a stout,
sturdy frame.
Mature or 35+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Dramatic, passionate, vibrant, feisty,
impulsive and busy. Can also be aloof or egotistical
and haughty.
 

Queen of Swords
 
Physical type: Light blond to dark brown hair with
blonde highlights or ombre coloring. Medium-skinned,
may be darker due to sun exposure. Eyes can range from
blue to bluish gray or greenish-brown. In older people
of darker skin tones, eyes can have a bluish appearance.
Often features an oval face and appear younger than
they actually are in age Typically of average to above
average height. Very sophisticated.
Mature or 35+ in years.
  
Characteristics: Intellectual, ingenious,
perfectionist, straightforward and honest. Loves
harmony, balance and pleasantries. Diplomatic, tactful
and discriminating.
 

Queen of Cups
 
Physical type: Light blond to sandy blond hair or dark
hair with blonde highlights. Hair may also be thin.
Light to medium olive skin tones, may be darker due to
sun exposure. Eyes are blue, blue-gray or light brown
with specks of yellow or blue. Often features a a short
nose and round facial details. Height tends to be below
average to average.
Mature or 35+ in years.

Characteristics: Charming, alluring, mysterious,
soothing, loving and soft attitude. Can be naïve,
trusting and innocent.
 

Queen of Pentacles
 
Physical type: Dark brown to black hair or dark hair
mixed with gray and straight or coarse. Complexion is
medium to dark and deep-set eyes tend to be darker no
matter the hue, ranging from hazel to green and
sometimes violet, which is really a very deep blue. 
Features are fine and the nose long and thin or broad.
Body frame has tendency to be thin and bony and small
to below average height.
Mature or 35+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Studious, resourceful, public-minded,
charitable, service-oriented, philanthropic, aspiring
and inspirational.
  
 
Knight of Wands
 
Physical type: Blond or red hair that is thick and
bushy.  Fair or light skinned complexion. Eyes range
from blue to green-blue or turquoise. Features include
a large aquiline nose, wide forehead and often a large
prominent mouth.  Body is top-heavy and can have long
legs and there may be a tendency towards clumsiness.
Young adult 18+ in age.
 
Characteristics: Intuitive, vibrant, politically-motivated,
philosophical, natural leadership abilities.
 

Knight of Swords
 
Physical type: Blond hair or dark hair with blonde
highlights or streaks that is straight and thick. Fair
complexion or light-skinned, may be darker due to sun
exposure. Eyes are sparkling bright and colors range
from blue to bluish-gray to light brown. Often features
a prominent nose and a high forehead. Body is tall,
lean and sinewy.
Young adult 18+ in age.
 
Characteristics: Eccentric, vivacious, dramatic,
quick-witted, experimenter, social-engineer, outgoing
and wish-washy.
 

Knight of Cups
 
Physical type: Light blonde to amber brown hair or
highlights. The complexion is fair to light olive with
piercing eyes having colors that range from gray to
brown. The face shape typically is square with shapely
lips and high or prominent cheekbones.
Young adult 18+ in age.
 
Characteristics: Honorable, compassionate, sacrificing,
nurturing, ideal lover, romantic, flirtatious, kind and
considerate.
 

Knight of Pentacles
 
Physical type: Dark auburn to black hair or highlights.
Hair is quite thick with a healthy appearance. The
complexion ranges from medium olive to dark. The eyes
are piercing, serious. With fairer skin, eyes can be
blue, green or violet; with darker skin tones, eye can
range from hazel or light-brown to dark brown. The face
is bold either in round or square shapes attached to a
long or thick neck and well proportioned body.
Young adult 18+ in years.
 
Characteristics: Protective, involved, responsible,
hard working, dependable and dull. Serious, practical
and concerns with the important duties of life.
 

Page of Wands
 
Physical type: Fair, strawberry-blonde or light brown
hair.  Very fair or light skinned complexion. Eyes
range from green to blue or blue-gray. Face is marked
with a distinguished nose with a high bridge, large
forehead and often a prominent chin.  Bone structure is
average but sturdy.
Either sex and under 18 years of age.
 
Characteristics: Light hearted, playful, sincere,
active, athletic, adventurous, supportive and team
player.
 

Page of Swords
 
Physical type: Medium blonde or dark hair with blonde
highlights or streaks that is straight with a tendency
to be sparse. Fair complexion or light-skinned, may be
darker due to sun exposure. Eyes are sparkling bright
and colors range from, bluish-gray to greenish brown.
Body is lean, muscular and toned.
Either sex and under 18 years of age.
 
Characteristics: Curious, nosey, impressionable,
practical, patient, cooperative, thinker and
daydreamer.

 
Page of Cups
 
Physical type: Fine, light blonde to honey blonde hair
or highlights. The complexion is fair to light olive
with large, hypnotic eyes having colors that range from
gray to blue and hazel. There is a tendency to have a
small frame that is dainty or delicate.
Either sex and under 18 years of age.
 
Characteristics: Emotional. Sensitive, intuitive,
vulnerable, warm, friendly, talkative, creative and
affectionate.
 

Page of Pentacles
 
Physical type: Dark brown to black hair or highlights.
Hair can be coarse and thick or wavy. The complexion
ranges from medium olive to dark. The eyes can be blue,
green, violet or dark brown to black. With darker skin
tones, eye color can range from hazel or light-brown to
dark brown. The body is stern, solid and they can
appear more mature than their actual age.
Either sex and under 18 years of age.
 
Characteristics: Instinctual, earthy, practical,
emotionally secure, productive, patient, conservative
and enthusiastic.
 
 
         
   


 Tarot School Aphorism
 
 
            Tarot images are famous for being evocative. All by themselves they can tell us what is relevant in any situation.   Anyone can be a reader if they open themselves to the message of the imagery. The more of that message they’re aware of, the better their readings will be.
 
                         
       
 
 

 
I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT!

Banging my head on a brick wallOr rather, I can't believe I forgot to do that!

At the end of January, I was about to
let everyone know that there were
just a few days left to take advantage 
of the 2-month payment plans for 
Readers Studio and the RS + Tarot &
Psychology Conference combo, when I discovered that I
never updated the store or the website. What I found instead,
was the notice that the 3-month plan expired at the end of
December, 2016. ARRG! I wondered why nobody was
taking advantage of the payment plan anymore! 

I could've just let it go. Frankly, it would've been easier for me.

Instead, I decided to extend the payment plan through the
end of February. So, if you've been on the fence about attending
because of finances, and will find it helpful to split the conference
tuition into 2 installments, now is your chance to go for it!

http://tarotschool.com/RS17/payments.html

This offer is good through February 28, 2017.

Back in the '80s, I wrote a song entitled I Like to Bang My Head...
Because it Feels Good When I Stop
. Well I think I've outgrown
that way of thinking because now all I've got is a headache!
Please accept my apologies for the oversight -- I hope you'll
take advantage of the payment plan so we may have the pleasure
of your company at Readers Studio in April!

~ Ruth Ann 
         

 
Guest Article
by Katrina Wynne, MA, CTM, CTI, CLC

TAROT COUNSELING, SKILLS & ETHICS
Part 3: Ethical Considerations for Readers

 
(Miss parts 1 and 2? Read them in the Archives
at
http://tarotschool.com/Newsletter.html)
 
Talking about “ethics” can bring up fears or fall
upon deaf ears at times, although it is the foundation
upon which most relationships rely, be they social or
business. It helps us build trust and offers a sense of
security that allows us to develop more meaningful
connections. In my final piece on counseling skills I
invite you as a Tarot Tips Newsletter reader to
consider various ethical issues that arise from your
chosen profession or pastime.

Business ethics overlap with topics we covered in the
December 2016 Tarot Tips Newsletter, especially
understanding various boundaries for the client, as
well for the reader.

I would add “Truth in Advertising” as a major
consideration for the foundation of our work.
Developing repeat customers is established by the
quality of service the client experienced and can
expect to receive in future sessions, based on what
inspired them to reach out for a reading and whether
that was satisfied… or ideally exceeded.

Clear and consistent financial or other transactions
are paramount, especially for ethical readers. We have
all heard the stories about those other readers who
lure their customers in by offering a $5 reading that
turns into investing thousands of dollars to guarantee
a particular result. If you charge by the minute, have
a timepiece visible. If you charge by the hour, start
on time and keep to your hour. Having a clear price or
exchange agreement includes a mutual understanding of
the time and place of the session, as well as
fulfilling the appointed service.

In the last newsletter I talked about creating public
or customer statements that reflect your personal
service values in the form of…. 

Code of Ethics — a series of statements about your
values and your boundaries.

Tarot (or other service) Philosophy — declaration
about your approach to your work. May include why you
are offering your service.

List of Services and Prices — list and description of
services your provide and the cost for each. 


In addition, here are considerations for ethical
proclamations:

Mission Statement — A simple sentence or paragraph
that expresses your purpose, whether it be your
personal vision or the focus of your work. Here is an
example from my weblog:

     “I am a Forest Mystic whose courageous LoveLight
       inspires and supports individual and collective
       social-spiritual transformation.”

Scope of Practice — If you have special or official
credentials, such as a medical, legal, or counseling
degree and/or licensure, based on the requirements in
your location of practice, you can state them, while
also making clear delineations about topics that do not
fit within your expertise. For example, if you are not
a medical professional, your Scope of Practice
disclaimer would say that you do not give medical
advice.

Legal Scope of Practice is a very serious topic that
deserves our attention. In the spirit of transparency,
I am not a legal professional and cannot give legal
advice. I recommend that you consult with a legal
advisor in your area who can support better
understanding of the rules, ordinances, and/or laws in
your community, state, and nation that effect your
practice.

Here are a few legal-related questions I wish to
highlight:

—    What name do you call yourself or your service? Is
it an acceptable title that matches your service, yet
does not violate local rules, ordinances or laws.
Examples: counselor, consultant, reader,
fortune-teller.

—    If there are strict rules in your location for
oracle reading, how do your feel about the “For
entertainment only” provision, if this is an option?

—    If you are a legal or medical professional offering
readings on these topics, do you also have the
counseling skills necessary to support the emotions
that may also be expressed by your client when focusing
on tough topics? Do you have a sense of your own limits
and are you prepared to share from your Referral List
(covered in Part II of this series)?

—    If you are not a legal or medical professional and
unintended medical or legal messages come through the
reading with a querent, how do you handle that
message?
 
In addition to my book, An Introduction to
Transformative Tarot Counseling
, I recommend the
resourceful writings of Christine Jette in Professional
Tarot
, and Christiana Gaudet in Fortune Stellar
(currently being updated for release in 2017). Feel
free to send questions you may have for me to the
Tarot Tips team.           
          


============================================================

KatrinaKatrina Wynne, MA, CTM, CTI, CLC
is an internationally renowned Transformative
Tarot Counselor™ and trained psychotherapist
with 45 years’ experience living the wisdom
of Tarot.

Katrina will be a featured presenter at the
2017 Tarot & Psychology Conference


Contact Katrina at:
www.TarotCounseling.org  - website
www.MySacredJourney.org - weblog
www.OracleSoup.org - podcast
www.Facebook.com/katrina.wynne/

           
 
          
 



                                  2017 Readers Studio Poster by Ryan Edward Capogreco
         The 2017 Readers Studio is coming soon!

 Click the poster above
for all the details
!
                   

                     


PsychWise – Tarot & Psychology Q & A
with Elinor Greenberg, PhD, CGP, CPTR

LOVE, TAROT, AND THE
BORDERLINE QUERENT                                   


Last month’s column dealt with Narcissism and Tarot,
so I thought this month I would talk about Borderline
clients and the use that they make of Tarot. It is my
belief that clients who have made Borderline
adaptations to traumatic early childhood situations
that left them feeling needy, often come to Tarot
readers for repeated relationship readings. Then, if
they are in emotional distress, they sometimes cross a
line and start to ask for and expect more than most
Tarot readers are prepared to give them. This is not
always obvious at the beginning of the relationship. 
Part of why it is not obvious, is that most books and
movies paint an exaggerated picture of what someone
suffering with Borderline problems looks like.  

I have found that when most people think of Borderline
Personality Adaptions, they often picture an extremely
demanding emotional woman who is behaving
self-destructively and impulsively, creating havoc in
the lives of the people around her. When she is not
threatening to kill herself over some imagined
abandonment, she is taking drugs, sleeping with
strangers, and cutting herself. She is dramatic,
histrionic, and quickly switches from love to hate
and back again. Of course, such women do exist,
but they are usually the lowest functioning and
least intelligent of all the people that struggle with
typical Borderline issues, such as: 
 
    •    A single-minded focus on getting love and
          nurturing
 
    •    The desire for reparenting to make up for what
          they did not get in their childhood
 
    •    Extreme fears of abandonment or engulfment
 
    •    A sense of emptiness and restlessness when
         alone
 
    •    An inability to self-soothe and manage emotions
         constructively
 
    •    Difficulty organizing their life in order to meet
         everyday adult responsibilities   

Most of the people, both men and women, with the
above issues are not so obvious that we immediately
recognize the Borderline pattern when we first meet
them. Only their best friends and their close family
are likely to understand how much they are suffering. 
        

The Borderline Querent 

The individual with Borderline issues that most
Tarot readers are likely to see presents as a
love-obsessed querent who is preoccupied with
finding his or her “Soul Mate.”  These are the
querents who come to Tarot readers and ask some
variation of the following questions over and
over again: 
         
    •    Does he/she really love me? 
    •    How do I get him/her back? 
    •    Will he/she call me again? 
    •    Why haven’t I heard from him or her? 
    •    Is he/she going to go back to his wife/husband? 
    •    What can I do to make him/her love me? 
    •    Why is everybody so mean to me? 
    
If their finances allow, and the readers were
willing, they would come daily for a Tarot reading to
ask very concrete questions about their life, such as:
“Will he call me tonight?” and “Is he thinking of
me right now?”  (or in the case of heterosexual
Borderline guys, “Does she really love me? Why is she
being so mean to me?”).  When the cards do not show
an answer that reassures them, they will simply
rephrase their question a slightly different way, and
ask again and again hoping for a different answer. 


Love Is the Only Borderline Solution 

We have all been in love, longed for love, or
wished that someone we desire would desire us
back. So you may be wondering, what’s the big deal?  
Why single out these querents as having Borderline
issues?  Doesn’t everybody want love? Yes, but most
of us can tolerate those times when we are not in
love and no one is in love with us. Our life still goes
on and there are other things we focus on besides
love and finding our “Soul Mate.”  

These querents that I am describing are obsessed
with love and relationships. Nothing else really
interests them very much. They truly believe that
ALL their life problems would be solved by finding
what they think of as their “Soul Mate”: someone
they believe was meant only for them who will love
them perfectly and forever, no matter what. Love is
the only solution that they see to any of life’s problems,
and the lack of a perfect mate is the only life problem
that they truly care about on a deep level. 


Everything Feels Like an Emergency 

The other common feature is that Borderline
clients experience many everyday situations as dire
crises. When they are not calling you for a love
reading, they are calling late at night for an
emergency reading or some reassurance and contact. 
They are upset and want you to immediately stop
whatever you are doing and read for them or at least
talk to them until they feel better. They stop
noticing normal boundaries, forget that you, their
reader, have a personal life that doesn’t involve
them, and may send you long rambling late night texts
looking for instant advice and some reassurance that
you care about them. They now have blurred the line
and are trying to make you into a parental substitute
who will take care of their emotional needs—not just
be their Tarot reader.  


Children in Adult Bodies 

Many clients who have made Borderline adaptations
report feeling as if they are children in adult bodies
who cannot function at an adult level. This is like
those Hollywood movies in which a young teen and
her mother suddenly switch bodies. The teen now
goes to the Mother’s workplace and tries to mimic
how they think their Mother would act there. This
is played for humor in these movies, but those
Borderline individuals who actually feel this way
do not experience their situation as humorous.  
Instead, they tend to experience life as a series of
emergencies because they have not internalized
appropriate adult strategies for self-care, self-support,
managing their emotions, and dealing with adult
responsibilities. There is a Bruce Springsteen
song, “For You” whose chorus captures this.  
He sings:  

   I came for you, for you, I came for you  
   But you did not need my urgency  
   I came for you, for you, I came for you  
   But your life was one long emergency  
  
    
What to Do? 

If you let these clients continue using you as a prop
and substitute parent, this will just increase their
dependency on you for soothing and insight. This
may seem fine in the beginning when you are happy
to take their money for readings, and are delighted
that they are turning into regular clients. At that stage, 
you may not have minded or even noticed that these
querents are becoming increasing dependent and
coming to you for more than just Tarot readings.  
It probably felt flattering and good for your cash flow.  

So….

You gave them the extra care and time and may have
tolerated them crossing some boundaries. You may have
even discounted your rate or given them free sessions
because you felt sorry for them. Now, they have come to
expect that you will do this on a regular basis and
they are becoming a pest. You may begin to feel as if
they are invading your life and you experience the
sudden need to extricate yourself from this situation
pronto.   


Clear Boundaries and Policies are Necessary 

Psychotherapists are taught to develop clear
policies about boundaries and policies. We decide
what our office hours are, what are fees are, when
people can call us, and how often we are willing to see
a client. Then we insist that our clients stay within
the boundaries that we set up. Many of our clients
lead impulsive and disorganized lives. If we allowed
them total freedom to enter our lives whenever they
wanted to, we would soon resent the disruptions and
our life would become as chaotic as theirs.   
 
I recommend that you develop your own set of rules
that you would like your clients to abide by.  This
can include such things as: 
    
    •    How do you want to be contacted? Text, email,
or phone call? 

    •    When can they contact you?  For example, I am
available from 10:30 am to 8 pm. If someone contacts
me outside of those hours, I do not return their texts,
emails, or phone calls until it is convenient for me. 

    •    How much notice do you require in order not to
charge someone for a cancelled session?
 
    •    How often are you willing to read for the same
person on the same topic? 

    •    Will you read for the same person more than once
per week? 
     

Love and Self-Control: The Borderline Dilemma 

As I was writing this article, in the back of my mind
I was playing with the question: What Tarot cards
relate to Borderline adaptations?  I came up with the
obvious choices like the 2 of Cups and Key 6 The
Lovers, but I also had some insight into cards that
relate to the issue of abandonment and how Borderline
clients need to approach their issues. I will share
some of my process with you. 

When I started thinking about the Borderline
querent’s desire for love and their fear of
abandonment, I first thought of the 5 of Pentacles. 
That has always been my abandonment card that
represented some of my early experiences with
homelessness. But the figures in that card are not
actually being abandoned. They have each other, and
there are no Cups in the card. It is all about Pentacles. 


Abandonment and the 8 of Cups 

Suddenly, the 8 of Cups flashed in my head.  Here
is a person walking away from all these perfectly good
Cups to search for something he wants even more. I
started thinking about the Cups he was leaving behind
and how they felt. Poor abandoned Cups. These
abandoned Cups were not enough to keep the person
from leaving. To me they represent all the feelings of
the Borderline querent who is watching someone go,
who they hoped would be the love of their life—their
soul mate. I will never look at the card in quite the same
way again. 


Key 8 Strength: Subduing the Internal Lion 

After the abandonment come feelings of desperation.  
Life seems pointless without the lover who left, and
the Borderline querent is desperate to get the person
back. It literally feels like a life and death situation. 
Their moods can rapidly fluctuate from longing to hatred,
then to depression, and back to hurt and rage. At this
point they are likely to make very bad choices because
they are overwhelmed by feelings and not thinking
rationally. This is the source of those late-night
rambling text messages that the person sends while
crying, probably after drinking too much as well. 

I had a sudden insight that the solution to their problem
and out-of-control feelings and behavior could be
found in Key 8 Strength. The calm woman in the card,
with the symbol for eternity over her head, wrapped in
a girdle of red roses representing passionate desire, 
is gently subduing a red lion.  On an esoteric level,
the Kundalini life energy that is involved in sexuality
is represented by the curve in the lion’s tail.  The red
lion himself can be seen as our animal nature and all
the impulses that could use a little gentle control and
direction. All of us have this lion within us, and all of
us have the choice of learning when the lion’s power
and energy needs to be taken in hand so our passionate
and impulsive animal nature does not control us.  
When we can use our strength to gently subdue and
quiet our lion, we can then access the most evolved
and wisest part of ourselves to make our decisions. 
     

An Exercise for your Borderline Querent 

If you are reading for someone like this, you can
explain what Key 8 Strength represents in this context,
and suggest that the querent meditate on this card for
five minutes when they would like to feel more in
control of their feelings. The basic idea here is 
that the symbols on this card can act as positive
suggestions to their subconscious mind that they are
strong enough to calmly and gently take control of
themselves, even though a lover has disappointed
them. Then instead of frantically calling you for
reassurance, Key 8 Strength acts as a substitute for
you (a transitional object that represents a source of
comfort) and they can use it to help themselves. 
 
                  
           
============================================================

Dr. Elinor GreenbergDr. Elinor Greenberg, PhD, CGP, CPTR
is an internationally renowned Gestalt therapy
trainer who specializes in teaching the diagnosis
and treatment of Borderline, Narcissistic, and
Schizoid adaptations. She has been studying
tarot since 1995 and is psychology consultant to
The Tarot School, where she earned a Third Degree
in Tarot. She is a member of B.O.T.A. (Builders
of the Adytum) and has been certified as a professional
tarot reader by the American Tarot Association. 

Dr. Greenberg is the author of Borderline, Narcissistic, and Schizoid
Adaptations: The Pursuit of Love, Admiration, and Safety
, which
demystifies the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders.

           
          
 

 
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