THE THERAPEUTIC READING

(excerpt from chap. 3)

   Here we have cards 1 and 2.

    Card no. 1 covers the witness card and reflects the moment the person is experiencing, his/her attitude towards life, and current environment. Card no. 2 crosses the first card. It informs us of a second attitude or tendency. It may also show us the effects of the previous card, something that is still not manifest yet is already being incubated. Some authors see in the first card the factors that favor the person's evolution, or the fulfillment of the person's goals, and in the second, that which impedes personal evolution, rendering his/her endeavors difficult. These cards make up the so-called "Dynamic Cross", which shows a pair of forces that, combined, render the person's life more dynamic.

The Anchor

    The position of card no. 4 is traditionally deemed as revealing the past, showing situations, facts, and actions in the past that somehow still exert an influence on the present moment. From this standpoint, the card shows the past foundations of the current issue or behavior. I preferred to dub it "Anchor", since we study the darkest aspect of the person's personality - the set of psychic traits that chain him to programming, to his past, and that constitute a knot to be undone in order for the person to mature and transform.

    This group of traits can crystallize into a mask with which one fantasizes and hides to avoid facing reality and oneself. This position is one of the reading's main axis. It delineates the basic obstacle one can and must overcome in order to continue on the path of self-fulfillment.

Internal Need

    Card no. 7 is traditionally associated with carisma, which is profound and inherent to the being. In the Therapeutic Reading we become aware of our inner being's most important and urgent needs, its cries for help that require attitudes consistent with its essence, health, and well-being.

    Card no. 8 relates to the world of relationships and informs A) about the most important affective-sexual relationship or B) the way in which the questioner relates with others.

Childhood

    Card no. 9 reveals, according to tradition, the most intimate emotions, fears, hopes, and hidden desires and sentiments. Some modern authors study the unconscious factors that influence or impel us in the present moment. Since these factors basically stem from childhood programming, which continues to manipulate us from the unconscious realm, the therapeutic reading looks at our childhood in this position. We may also discover which behavioral patterns the child needed to adopt to receive minimal approval or attention. The anchor is clearly deeply rooted in this card.

Method

    In this position we have card no. 5, which reveals the method to be followed in order to deactivate the anchor's blocks. A second card in this position would indicate what to do in order to strengthen and develop one's own individuality.

The Path of Growth

    Card no. 6, commonly known as the future card, which we call here the "Path of Growth" card, speaks of the questioner's possible trajectory after taking some step in the direction the cards indicate in terms of internal need and method. Under no hypothesis can we read this card as what will inevitably happen. It is important not only to be clear with the questioner, but also to make him/her understand that one's destiny was, is, and always will be in one's own hands, and that, with attentiveness and courage, one's life can change.

Internal Result

    Postion no. 3, known as the Crown of the Celtic Cross, indicates the most sublime and heightened level the questioner can obtain. Since this occurs internally, I preferred to call it the Internal Result. Here, we see emerge the qualities and potentialities that were recovered as well as the blocks and fears that were dissolved.

External Result

    Finally, card no. 10 reveals the external result (Final Result in the Celtic Cross) of this whole process, including the questioner's attitude before the world, his actions, projects, etc.

    The cards should not be read in the order in which they were placed on the cloth. We work in the following fashion: once the ten cards are in their respective conditions, we pick up the cards in the Current Moment, Anchor, Relationships, and Internal Need positions (nos. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8), always laying them upside down; that is, we shall not worry about the fact that some cards seem to be inverted. The interpretation of each card depends on its position and on the setting created by the other cards.

    These are the so-called "diagnostic" cards, since they give us a meaningful idea of how the questioner is doing and what his/her problems are (cards 1,2, and 8); the origin of these problems (card 4), as well as what the questioner needs most urgently (card 7). It is important to look at the cards as a whole, seeking integration within a harmonic unity that makes sense. Once the diagnosis is done, we lift the other cards one by one, reading first the Childhood card (no. 9), reconstructing the person's history of programming. Then comes card no. 5, giving the concrete instructions, work method, and specific techniques: exercises, meditations, attitudes, nutrition, changes, etc. Next we read the Path of Growth, and finally, the Internal and External Results.

    Although initially we only have one card for each position, during the course of the reading we may draw from the deck as many cards as necessary for each position. To do so, we place the left hand on the deck and ask mentally three times for the cards that we need to conclude the reading. For instance, I want three cards for the Path of Growth. With what attitude can the questioner improve her relationship with her husband? How can the questioner manifest himself in his true nature?

    Speaking of true nature, we know that the numerology of a person's birthdate, or life number, can shed light on many important elements, as we see in appendix 1.