Week 23

Along with another fabulous volunteer I run a weekly Pagan circle at the prison.  This group is open to everyone who is interested in either learning about or practicing Paganism.  It can sometimes be a challenging group to lead because we can average between six to twenty people depending on the season, and have a huge range of experience levels and types of Paganism represented at any given meeting.  

This past week I didn't feel well prepared for the group.  I had a horrible headache all day long and was finding it difficult to keep my mind focused.  I was hoping we would have a small enough group that we could work with some tarot decks.  This prison allows inmates to purchase one of three decks for their personal use.  I have purchased a small collection of decks for us to use.  Unfortunately two of them have been stolen from the group as well as one of the little booklets that come with the decks. One was discovered and returned to me, but the other never was.  Now I have had to mark all of my decks so that to discourage them from wandering away from the group.

We had just the perfect number of people to be able to all have a deck to work with.  I have been using a wonderful book called Tarot Shadow Work by Christine Jette.  Christien Jette defines the shadow as "...unresolved inner conflicts and unexpressed emotions.  It refers to those archetypal images which are intuitively recognisable as a troubling part of us: saboteur, martyr, victim, addict, sadist, masochist, or tyrant.  The shadow is also present in those latent talents and positive impulses which we discouraged or even banished from our lives at some time on our life path: artistic, musical, athletic, creative talents which have never been realized."

The book is set up to have a different star shaped tarot spread for each chapter.  Each spread helps uncover a particular aspect of the shadow and how it is working in your life.  So far we have worked on the first two spreads, both of which were very easy for the inmates to understand and connect with.  The Star of Discovery focuses on uncovering what shadow types are working in your life.  As we worked through this spread I heard a lot of people sighing and exclaiming as their cards pointed them towards a deep truth.  It was very moving to witness.  

This week we worked through the second spread, the Star of Recovery.  This spread helps you learn more about why a particular shadow got a hold in your life and begins to look at what you need to move past it.  I heard several reaction as we used this spread.  Some people were frankly unhappy with what the cards had to say!  They knew that it was the right information, they just weren't sure if they were ready to deal with it.  Other people felt that their reading gave them the affirmation that they were on the right track.  

Tarot Shadow Work is a fantastic book, and I am finding it to be natural fit for prison populations.  It is wonderful for anyone working on addiction, dysfunctional relationships, and anxiety or depression. I highly recommend it!  Christine Jette has also written a booked called Tarot for the Healing Heart which looks quite promising as well.  I have just ordered two used copies of the book.  One for myself and one for the prison.  

Learn more about Christine Jette and her wonderful tarot spreads with the links below.  

An article by Christine Jette from Llewellyn

An interview with Christine Jette about grief and healing from atatarot.com

A tarot spread for spring 

Spring Blessings,

Holly