Over the next year I am going to be writing about Tarot Birth Cards, what they mean and how we can work with them. I use the system of Tarot Birth Cards developed by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone of the Tarot School (www.tarotschool.com). Using the Seeker’s birth data (month, day and year), pairs of birth cards are defined. (For more information, and to calculate your own Birth Cards, go to http://tarotschool.com/Calculator.html.)
Please note: I have a book being published by Schiffer Books in fall of 2011 – “Tarot, Birth Cards and You: Keys To Empowerment” (http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764339028), incorporating images from Karyn Easton’s “Tarot Lovers Tarot”. This was to have been a joint project (book and deck published together), but the decision was made to publish both separately, which I find very exciting! Karyn has a Birth Card calculator up on her site, where you can also view her incredible deck (it really is!) –http://paranormality.com/tarot-birth-card-calculator.shtml.
A special thanks to Leisa ReFalo www.tarotconnection.net, who developed the Birth Card Calculator, and graciously gave us permission to use it.
Our seventh pair of Birth Cards are the Tower (Key 16) and the Chariot (Key 7). Some of the associations for these cards are:
The Tower:
Astrological Sign: Mars
Keywords: spiritual awakening, sudden/unexpected change, chaos, abrupt change in life structures, “lightening bolt” of wisdom, frustration, anger, fear, freedom from restrictions, setbacks, suppressed anger, clearing that which no longer serves you well out of your life, unwillingness to let go of established structures.
The Chariot:
Astrological Sign: Cancer
Keywords: self-control, victory, triumph, confidence, faith, mind over heart, depending on yourself, making use of your skills/abilities, over-confidence, recklessness, scattered energy, anger, rebelliousness, inflated ego.
The Theme for this lifetime is that of releasing ego and old structures, grounding yourself in the present and the day to day of life.
We can choose to do personal work with our own Birth Cards, we can use Birth Cards in conjunction with a reading for a client (place their birth cards, drawn from a deck other than the one you are reading with, above the spread(s) laid out for them). The spread(s) are then read through the lens of perception of the Seeker’s Birth Cards. As added value, a reader could give their client scans of their Birth Cards, along with a short write-up about them. Readers can also use the Birth Card system to better understand other people in their own lives (family, co-workers, friends etc.).
The key to bringing balance to any lifetime is that of understanding how and where your Birth Cards are operating in your life. The Tower and the Chariot represent the two aspects of the gateway into a 16/7 lifetime. The Tower is ruled by Mars, placing focus on intense, warrior like energy – the energy that it takes to bring old structures down. (Note: The structures we are referring to here are ones that man has put in place himself – religious strictures, boundaries set by governmental law, and boundaries set by culture.) The Tower is an intensely active energy, expressing the need for things to happen in a very immediate manner. The Seeker does not have control over themselves or their environment here.
The Chariot is ruled by Cancer, placing the focus on home and family. The need for close personal relationships is shown here. It is important to pay attention to the day to day of life, make informed decision and take decisive actions. This is where the Seeker balances his or her emotional and intellectual selves. This is also where we see the union of our Higher Self and our Spiritual Self.
The Tower and the Chariot set the tone for this lifetime. The path that the individual walks is one that addresses the lessons of how they express control in their life, and how they bring about a sense of balance. The Tower with its Mars-like warrior energy blasts away at the structures in its environment, and insists on charging ahead quickly. The Chariot carries a gentler energy, seeking to balance life by maintaining control of impulses and actions. Change is still the result, but change that is brought about by informed decision making and actions.
A 16/7 (Tower/Chariot) individual empowers themselves by balancing the need to release non-functional social structures and establish new social structures (the Tower) with the areas of self-control, self-discipline and self-confidence (the Chariot).
The Tower and the Chariot work together to release the hold of the ego. The Tower brings abrupt change, blasting apart personal structures that are no longer serving the individual well. The Tower brings a spiritual awakening, as old beliefs and habits are released, and shadows faced.
The Chariot teaches self-control and self-discipline. Here we see a balancing of intellect and emotions, the development of self-confidence and a sense of personal direction. The ability to use your own skills and abilities to take you past all challenges into success.
Images from the “Tarot Lovers Tarot”, Karyn Easton, 2008, paranormality.com.
© July 2011 Bonnie Cehovet
