Exercises - Lesson 14

Court Cards

Exercise 1 Tarot - Reviewing the Court Cards

Remove all 16 court cards from the deck, and place them in a four-by-four square as follows:

Take a moment to look at these royal figures together in one place. They are unique individuals, but they also share commonalities with the other cards in their suit (row) and rank (column).

Exercise 2 Tarot - Kings

For each item below, decide on an action you might take that reflects the personality of the King. Here's an example:

King of Wands: You've been accused of cheating on an exam, but you know you're innocent.

Possible Action: I would confront my accuser boldly and ask for proof.

1. King of Cups: Your spouse complains that you're never home on weekends.
2. King of Pentacles: A panhandler asks you for one dollar.
3. King of Swords: You find a marijuana cigarette in your daughter's coat pocket.
4. King of Wands: Your roommate keeps borrowing your car without asking.
5. King of Pentacles: Your friend begs you to skip work and go fishing with him.
6. King of Swords: You get an invitation to speak at a conference.
7. King of Cups: A waiter gets your order wrong twice in a row.
8. King of Wands: You're discouraged because your team is playing badly.

Exercise 3 Tarot - Queens

For each item below, decide on a feeling or thought that reflects the personality of the Queen. Here's an example:

Queen of Wands: You've been accused of cheating on an exam, but you know you're innocent.

Possible Feeling/Thought: I'm confident that I can prove my innocence.

1. Queen of Cups: You find out your cousin has cancer.
2. Queen of Pentacles: You lock your keys in the car.
3. Queen of Swords: You're asked to take over a failing project at work.
4. Queen of Wands: You begin Day One of your new diet.
5. Queen of Pentacles: Your best friend admits to having an affair.
6. Queen of Swords: You interview a promising new employee.
7. Queen of Cups: You decide to take a long walk after lunch.
8. Queen of Wands: You go to a party where you only know the hostess.

Exercise 4 Tarot - Knights

For each scenario, decide which Knight best reflects the situation. Then, give a few phrases that describe that Knight's warning message. Here's an example:

You've been working 12 hours-a-day for six months. There's so much to do. Knight of Pentacles: You're working too hard. You're too compulsive. You never play.

1. You feel depressed and weepy all the time. No one seems to care how you feel.
2. You've bragged that you know lots of important people, but you really don't.
3. The stock market keeps going up. All your money is in a risk-free savings account.
4. You're always yelling at the kids. Their constant fighting is driving you crazy.
5. You told your new assistant that his work is hopelessly sloppy and incomplete.
6. You think your partner is always flirting with others. You don't like it at all.
7. Your son disobeyed you. You won't tolerate that! Your word is law in your house.
8. You refuse to consider retiring even though your spouse wants to discuss it.

Exercise 5 Tarot - Pages

Remove the four Pages from the deck, and place them face down in front of you. Mix them together, then turn over one card. Assume this Page represents an opportunity available to you right now, one that reflects the magic of his suit. What do you think it might be? Does this possibility excite you? Is something holding you back?

Exercise 6 Tarot - Court Cards are People

The more you understand your fellow humans, the more you will understand the court cards. Over the next few weeks, observe your relatives, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Consider celebrities. Ask yourself:

1. What qualities does this person have? Not have?
2. What qualities are helpful to this person? Not helpful?
3. What court card is this person most like? Least like?
4. How is this person unique...unlike any type at all?
5. What court card types are common in my life? Uncommon?

Exercise 7 Tarot - Court Card Families

Create a cast of characters using the personalities of the court cards in four families - the Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. Each family has a father (King), mother (Queen), teenager (Knight) and young child (Page) of either sex.

Describe these four families so their unique styles are revealed. The members of each family share an approach to life (suit), but have separate positions within the family (rank). What vacation would the Pentacles family take? Would the Knight of Wands drive a Buick or a red Mustang? Here are some props you can use to flesh out your characters:

1. physical characteristics - body type, hair color/style, features
2. home - location, type, furnishings
3. education and occupation
4. possessions - clothes, car, toys
5. free time - vacations, hobbies, sports
6. favorites - foods, movies, songs, books, colors
7. habits - strengths, weaknesses, peculiarities

• TAROT EXERCISES
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 1 tarot: introduction to the tarot;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 2 tarot: the major arcana;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 3 tarot: the minor arcana;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 4 tarot: the spread;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 5 tarot: the daily reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 6 tarot: the environment;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 7 tarot: writing a question;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 8 tarot: the question reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 9 tarot: the other reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 10 tarot: the open reading;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 11 tarot: interpreting a single card;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 12 tarot: major and minor arcana cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 13 tarot: aces;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 14 tarot: court cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 15 tarot: card pairs;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 16 tarot: position pairs in the celtic cross
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 17 tarot: reversed cards;
• Tarot exercises, exercises lesson 18 tarot: creating the story;