face up * Whole Self Mandala * reading

If you’re like me and did the requisite Solstice reading over the Yuletide, and maybe even a few days after the fact, and all of the sudden it’s New Years and time to do another reading, and you’re just not feeling it so soon after just doing one for the shortest day of the year, how ‘bout considering doing a face up reading for yourself ?? And just how do you go about doing that ?? It’s easy, and can often be surprisingly illuminating. First thing you do is get the deck and turn it face up as there is no real need to shuffle, unless of course you feel so inclined. Start to sift thru the deck face up and remove any card which is talking to you, even in the remotest of fashion. When you get thru to the end of the deck, set to the side any and all cards remaining in your palm. Pick up all the cards previously set in a pile of your choosing and go thru them once again, this time being a bit more discriminating as to which cards are really speaking to you. When that pile is set to the side, pick the remaining cards for a third time thru, this time being conscious that you are looking for your final or top ten cards, or thereabouts.

After you whittle things down to your top ten or so cards, begin to look thru them to begin to decide which position on the layout you think they warrant, between who am eye, mind, heart, body, soul/feminine, spirit/masculine, finance, work, relationship and home. Begin to place your ten cards accordingly. After successfully placing each of your remaining cards in position for the Whole Self Mandala layout, begin your reading. For myself, and when I read for myself, I prefer to get out the Voyager Tarot book, Way of the Great Oracle, and read thru the explanation for each individual card. Again for myself, that precludes me from having to second guess myself doing a reading for myself, and also is good practice in reacquainting myself with what James Wanless has written to go with each of his cards. I make the requisite notes in my journal, and at the conclusion of each card, I do give the card a last look and see if there is anything else there for me, which I again make note of. After doing this for all ten cards in the reading, I read back thru my notes and highlight the things that really stick out for me.

If there are leftover cards, you can place them at the base of the Whole Self Mandala/Tree of Life, and acknowledge them as seed for future installments of your ongrowing story, or if you’re a creative type, perhaps you prefer them as tree of life blossoms or fruit borne of your Tree of Life. Whatever the case, real eyes that a face up reading invokes a transmission based on the cards of your choosing and as you fashion yourself in alignment with. It’s intention provides good direction for your 2015 new year ahead.