4 Weeks to Reading Intuitively Part 2

Welcome to part two of the 4-week Intuitive Tarot course where we are working our way through Four Elements. (CLICK HERE for lesson 1). This is course is suitable for intermediate and advanced students. By the end of the four weeks, you will have connected deeply with the cards, and should be able to sense the card energy flowing between cards as well as how it rises to meet the question at hand. Now, let’s dive into 4 Weeks to Reading Intuitively Part 2 which is all about the suit of Cups!

This week, we will be diving deep (no pun intended) into the Element of Water. There are 5 exercises which you can space out one a day, with the weekend off, or you can do a couple of them in one go. There is no homework to hand in and you are free to work at your own pace. Subscribe to my newsletter to get updated as soon as the next lesson becomes available or you can check in on the blog for the week 3 lesson on 28 of February.

General instructions

You will be working with the Element of Water all week, so this will be a week of going within (Water is Yin/Feminine). The colors of Water are aqua, white, turquoise, and teal. Cucumber and watermelon are examples of Water Element foods. Being near bodies of water helps you connect with the Water Element. The quality of water is cleansing but if it becomes stagnant, it quickly becomes toxic.

The corresponding Tarot Suit is Cups.

I strongly recommend that you keep a dream journal all week. Anything to do with the astral plane (including your dreams) corresponds with the Element of Water. When we dream of water, our subconscious mind is trying to tell us something about the state of our relationships, whether with other people or things like our career.

Love and relationship issues are highlighted in the Water Element suit of Cups. Psychic ability, intuition and internal emotional tension is also shown through this suit. Strong emotions can be like a tsunami or strong tidal wave that can pull us under if we let our feelings get on top of us. It is important to find balance between all four Elements within one’s own being in order to stay well.

For each day of doing the exercises below, keep a journal and in addition to taking notes about the exercises, make a note of your own Water levels for that day. A heads up that your Water is high is that you find it difficult to detach, you are more sensitive than usual and you find it difficult to sense where you end and another person begins.

Make sure that you can do the work for this week’s lessons undisturbed and let your family members or flat mates know that you will needs some time to yourself.

Day 1 – Locate the cardinal direction of West in relation to where you live. Place a cup of Water in the West and invoke the guidance of Archangel Gabriel. Place the deck you will be working with (preferably one you are familiar with) by the cup and ask God to bless your cards and your mind with an understanding of the Element of Water. Draw the alchemical symbol of Water in the palm of your hand with the index finger of your dominant hand. Visualise a beautiful drop of water in your hand, a couple of inches high, glimmering in the light. Place the palm over your sacral chakra (Water centre) and breathe in Water. Every time you see/sense/become aware of Water in the week ahead, draw the symbol in the palm of your hand to strengthen the connection. Complete the exercise by asking Archangel Gabriel to bless the water in the cup and drink it mindfully, with the intent to purify your being on all levels.

Day 2 – Separate out the Suit of Cups. Create a clockwise circle with the Cups cards, big enough for you to sit comfortably inside it. Start with the Ace of Cups  in the West. Sit down and visualise a curtain of gentle, warm summer rain all around. Relax and breathe normally, with your eyes closed, for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. Allow images to arise – do not force anything. You can go around the circle with your mind if you like, to see if any of the cards want to step forward. You may notice that the Court Cards can get quite chatty. Complete the exercise by raising your arms over head in a V-shape and visualise the warm water forming into a beautiful waterfall. Become the Ace of Cups and allow the grace of Mother-Father God to fill you to the brim. Give thanks.

Take notes of any visions or sensations that you experienced.

Day 3 – With the Suit of Cups spread out before you, turn on some music that you feel represents the Element of Water. The music should have a lyrical and flowing quality. Piano sonatas work well but allow your intuition to guide you. Grab one of the Cups cards and express its energy through movement (please make sure you are sufficiently warmed up).  Repeat this exercise with as many cards as you like (a minimum of three) and change the music if need be, to be more in harmony with the energy of the card you are working with. You will need to set aside an hour for this exercise.

Cool down and stretch your muscles.

Write down what you learned and make a note of which cards you struggled with. Repeat the exercise for those cards in a day or two.

Day 4 – Lay out the four Aces before you in the following order: Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Swords (Air) and Pentacles (Earth).  Focus on the Ace of Cups. Meditate on how Water interacts with the other Elements. Fire turns it into steam, Air stirs up waves and cools the Water; Pentacles can turn Water into mud or serve as a container.

Shuffle the Aces back into a Minors only deck (simply take the Majors out). Without asking a question, lay out five to ten cards in a row before you (keep going until you have at least one Cups card on the table), paying attention to how the Cups card(s) interacts with the other cards. Is it happy? Is there balance? What temperature is the row of cards before you? How wet or dry does it feel? What is the volume and what kind of music would be playing? Is the energy flowing smoothly from left to right or are there major blocks/interruptions? Check if the flow is better or worse when reading from right to left. Sway gently from left to right as you check the first direction and let your body guide you to where the blocks are. Repeat in the other direction. The left can be seen as the past and the right is the future.

Ponder what you learned and make some notes in your journal.

Day 5 – From a full deck, fanned out face up, intuitively choose the card that represents how Water is currently being expressed in your being. Keep this card out.

Reshuffle, cut and look through the deck face up until you come across the Water Major, XII The Hanged Man. The card on the left is a clue about what you need to do less of to balance your Water and the card on the right is a clue about what you need to do more of. Place these three cards below your chosen card and see/sense how the energy flows between them.

Write the reading down.

As usual, I would be delight to hear about your experiences with these lessons and experiences. Feel free to share in the comments  below, or to ask any questions you may have! (Please note that comments close after two weeks)

Love and Blessings,

Lisa Frideborg