I don't know about a Tarot SPECIFIC "angel" but, as a reader, I think of myself as ine who "serves the oracle". The oracle manifests in all oracular systems ( at least according to my UPG). Having said that, I should also say that I work a lot with Hekate and Hermes who both "show up" a lit around my divinatory work.
Verry interesting question which opens into broader ones about the nature and "taxonomy" of disparate entities.
Thank you for this, I appreciate your perspective. I've not really utilized any other oracular systems, at least not in any sort of focused or longer term way, so it hadn't crossed my mind that the same could be set over all operations of the sort.
I look forward to thinking about this further, and dusting off my geomancy dice and book!
Thank you for the invitation to comment on this. I'm still working out an invocation that feels right to me, because I think it is important to acknowledge that I am asking for access to information that is vast and from an indefinable source. In the meantime I borrow language from the invocation that begins "Angel who records, whose hand writes upon the book of remembrance . . . " which I learned from one of Benebel Wen's videos. I respect the idea of an angel as a being made visible in medieval art and in Smith's designs, but I search for something more aligned to my own pantheistic inclinations.
I too tend to believe that there is a source, something that we are communicating with when we are fully engaged with Tarot, but like you I see that as 'indefinable.' Or at least I've never been able to define it. And perhaps that isn't a bad thing, as dogma can certainly be the enemy of spirituality.
Personally, I don't use an invocation, but I do what I consider to be a little 'opening' before I do a reading, and a little 'closing' after a reading. Primarily through visualization.
Yes, dogma and strict adherence to exclusive systems can be the enemy of the spiritual. I think at a basic level, whatever we use as an opening and closing brings our selves into focus and then into alignment with the cards. What happens after that is the mystery. May I ask, do you visualize an intent, or an image?
I visualize an intent, but it's certainly based on things I've done for a very long time, and experienced, so I presume there is an image in there somewhere. To be honest, I'll have to pay more attention next time, see what really is in back of mind.
You mention focus, and I think that is the main thing for me. That brief moment of complete focus before I begin. And end. I do think that closing at the end is quite important for me.
I mostly read with the Smith Waite and the Marseilles decks, and variants. I do have the Thoth deck and I do use it, but I started with the others. Artistically, I find the Thoth deck is more powerful, but historically I prefer the Marseilles. I may, but only if sitting alone with my cards, ask aloud that Uriel, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael may oversee the deliberations for the North, the West, the South and the East as I consider the elements in a reading. Points on a compass. Each with their areas or departments. Or I may ask Hekate. If not alone, I will do this silently beforehand, asking to see, to understand, and to speak to the issue for the highest possible good while doing no harm. First, doing no harm.
I too find the Toth deck artistically amazing, and I've owned one for more decades than I'd care to admit, but I don't read with it. Despite my love of the art, it and I have never seemed to get along.
I also orient my readings to the points of the compass. East, West, South, North. I think that there is power in doing so. And, luckily I was born with a pretty good sense of direction! 🤠 Seriously though, religious traditions of all kinds, for thousands of years have found it important to orient to the cardinal directions in this way, and I think it quite similar for Tarot.
I don't know about a Tarot SPECIFIC "angel" but, as a reader, I think of myself as ine who "serves the oracle". The oracle manifests in all oracular systems ( at least according to my UPG). Having said that, I should also say that I work a lot with Hekate and Hermes who both "show up" a lit around my divinatory work.
Verry interesting question which opens into broader ones about the nature and "taxonomy" of disparate entities.
Thank you for this, I appreciate your perspective. I've not really utilized any other oracular systems, at least not in any sort of focused or longer term way, so it hadn't crossed my mind that the same could be set over all operations of the sort.
I look forward to thinking about this further, and dusting off my geomancy dice and book!
Thank you for the invitation to comment on this. I'm still working out an invocation that feels right to me, because I think it is important to acknowledge that I am asking for access to information that is vast and from an indefinable source. In the meantime I borrow language from the invocation that begins "Angel who records, whose hand writes upon the book of remembrance . . . " which I learned from one of Benebel Wen's videos. I respect the idea of an angel as a being made visible in medieval art and in Smith's designs, but I search for something more aligned to my own pantheistic inclinations.
I too tend to believe that there is a source, something that we are communicating with when we are fully engaged with Tarot, but like you I see that as 'indefinable.' Or at least I've never been able to define it. And perhaps that isn't a bad thing, as dogma can certainly be the enemy of spirituality.
Personally, I don't use an invocation, but I do what I consider to be a little 'opening' before I do a reading, and a little 'closing' after a reading. Primarily through visualization.
Yes, dogma and strict adherence to exclusive systems can be the enemy of the spiritual. I think at a basic level, whatever we use as an opening and closing brings our selves into focus and then into alignment with the cards. What happens after that is the mystery. May I ask, do you visualize an intent, or an image?
I visualize an intent, but it's certainly based on things I've done for a very long time, and experienced, so I presume there is an image in there somewhere. To be honest, I'll have to pay more attention next time, see what really is in back of mind.
You mention focus, and I think that is the main thing for me. That brief moment of complete focus before I begin. And end. I do think that closing at the end is quite important for me.
I mostly read with the Smith Waite and the Marseilles decks, and variants. I do have the Thoth deck and I do use it, but I started with the others. Artistically, I find the Thoth deck is more powerful, but historically I prefer the Marseilles. I may, but only if sitting alone with my cards, ask aloud that Uriel, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael may oversee the deliberations for the North, the West, the South and the East as I consider the elements in a reading. Points on a compass. Each with their areas or departments. Or I may ask Hekate. If not alone, I will do this silently beforehand, asking to see, to understand, and to speak to the issue for the highest possible good while doing no harm. First, doing no harm.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts.
I too find the Toth deck artistically amazing, and I've owned one for more decades than I'd care to admit, but I don't read with it. Despite my love of the art, it and I have never seemed to get along.
I also orient my readings to the points of the compass. East, West, South, North. I think that there is power in doing so. And, luckily I was born with a pretty good sense of direction! 🤠 Seriously though, religious traditions of all kinds, for thousands of years have found it important to orient to the cardinal directions in this way, and I think it quite similar for Tarot.