26 —- Sunday, November 17, 1991 - North Shore News SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING Secrets of the ‘Tarot HUMAN BEINGS have both the fortune and misfortune of perceiving themselves in time. We suf- fer from an incurable curi- osity about our own future. 8yv Barbara Black News Reporter From the earliest times, people have devised ways to divine the future or interpret the present, from throwing arrows into a circle on the ground to consulting the stars or reading the lines on a per- son’s palms. Although the study of barley cakes, onion sprouts and melted wax are no longer in vogue as methods of divination, cartoman- cy — or foretelling with the use of cards — is stili popular. And while there aren’t scores of scarved gypsies huddied in dim Bohemian cafes waiting to foretell your future, there are still some cafes in the Vancouver area that offer the services of a tarot reader. On the North Shore there are several tarot readers, some of whom do readings at restaurants, or privately. Maria Armiss, of Spirals Resizurant on Lonsdale, does readings using the Thoth deck, which she describes as ‘“be- ing drawn from Greek, Egyptian and Syrian pantheons.”’ “I chose that deck because it covers a wide range. It covers alchemical principles and seems to carry the most symbols I need,’’ says Armiss. Armiss has been doing tarot readings for 52 years, since she was 21. Why tarot? ‘4 was having a lot of dreams and out-of-body experiences which couldn’t be explained by Western point of view. I found a Rosicru- cian group and learned about (tarot) by someone just saying to me to look at the pictures and tead it like you would a story.” She now studies the cards in meditation. The tarot dates back to the 1300s and is said to have been in- fluenced by ancient Egypt. The pack consists of 78 cards. Of these, 56 are suit cards similiar to those of modern packs except that the suits are’ swords, cups, wands and pentacles. THE TAROT dates back to the 1300s: the pack con- sists ef 78 cards; 56 are suit cards similiar to those of modem packs except that the suits are swords, cups, wands and pentacles; the additional 22 cards all have symbciic pictures and are called the major arcana. The additional 22 cards all have symbolic pictures and are called the major arcana. . These cards depict personages which include the juggler, the high priestess, the fool, the lovers, the hermit and others. Each card has its own divinitory significance, which, when dealt inverted, changes its interpreta- tion, often for the worse. The suit cards from the lesser arcana also have their own interpretations in combination with other cards. There is no secret wisdom con- tained in the symbolism of the Tarot cards — the ‘‘secret’* of the Tarot is what it symbolizes for each individual. This all depends on the configuration of the cards when they are laid out. Although practices vary, gener- ally in a tarot reading the client will be asked to shuffle and cut the pack of cards and pass them back to the reader who then spreads them out in a prescribed pattern. The reader then “reads”? the cards according to their configu- ration and proximity to each other. Armiss uses a layout based on the Kabbalarian Tree of Life, which she says also incorporates elements of the human chakra (or energy centres) and human body. “J put it into a diamond light shape...a very healing configura- tion... well-balanced,’’ she ex- plains in her velvety soft voice. “Every card is dependent on every other card,’’ Armiss points out. ‘‘It all depends on the reader’s ability to make a coherent picture out of it.'’ As for psychic powers, much of it is derived from a good groun- ding in psychology and _ being “aware, being wide open and un- derstanding,”’ Armiss believes. “It’s trusting and knowing that the pictures that come up have a reason to.”’ She also cites empathy as a nec- essary art of the psychic. Armiss believes the cards can help people to interpret their past and that they ‘‘validate, give clues and... give warnings. It grounds the person to take a look at what’s happening.” When asked how the cards work, Armiss exclaims good- naturedly ‘‘I don’t know how it think synchronici- ty....The cards trigger and whatever the person needs the cards shift to that.”” The A633 snow performance radial chews through the worst and keeps on hoiding. its deep dual grooves reduce skidding and provide premium traction and handling in snowy, slipperv conditions. The product of 70 years of tire engineering excellence. Covered by Yokohama's Road Hazard Protection Plan. Don’t wait, order your snows now!! DWIGHT MAHER OWNER / OPERATOR DUNDARAVE 2504 MARIME DR. WEST VANCOUVER ay NOW YOU'VE GOT CONTROL YOKOHAMA Performance Radials 926-7301 CAPILANO COLLEGE eons ‘I Teeny NG ble UL Dele TERS 76 You EVES. WITH Ob FABOLOUS THREE COVES E Diol te, Fo FBO ONLY S20 Fee PRRSON “The Onteov Conifanly ” BLITISA PPIMbWC. THAT LL * MAKE YOU AOGH FU, You ef! A Ee, LaF MRI E DE YE WiAr! 926-F83&E Join the Information Revolution with the Applied Information Technology Program Are you interested in learning: * interactive communications * hypermedia ° critica) thinking © desktop publishing ® graphics © writing ® computer-based instruction and training © research methods © telecommunications ¢ digitized sound ¢ interactive video disk ¢ CD Rom © and everything else connected to this fast-moving new field ... Then join the Applied Information Technology Department for an information evening on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Room G117, For more information, call 984-1727. Don't miss out. Courses fill fast! 2055 Purcell Way » North Vancouver » B.C. V7J 3H5 \q > wednesday Woolca / Eaton’s / *Sears The Bay /* Lumberland Future Shop * Safeway > friday Watch for our Real Estate Homes section * Real Estate Weekly * Consumers Distributing > sunday Safeway / Save-On-Foods / *Sears Shoppers Drug Mart * Super Valu * Zellers / B.C. 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