In the dark with tarot
Literally, in the dark with tarot! It is 10:30 PM on Sunday, August 28, as I write this. Hurricane Irene passed through my state today. The storm had barely begun when my power went out at 1:30 AM. The rest of the night seemed to go on forever, until finally, at daybreak, I was able to see the trees swaying and bowing in the strong winds and pounding rain. During the daylight hours, I read books, I listened to the same music and weather reports over and over again on a battery powered radio. I cringed every time I heard power would be restored in one to three days. Hopefully!
So, to keep my mind off the food in my refrigerator and freezer being spoiled and having to be thrown out, I continued to read books and drink tea. Fortunately, I cook with gas, so I was able to make tea! I can’t wash the dishes, but I can still cook!
Eventually, as darkness fell once again, I brought out several of my tarot decks. One deck at a time, I turned over one card at a time and studied it carefully, and thoroughly, looking for tiny details I may have previously missed. It is amazing how many symbols and images jumped out when the cards had my complete attention and were illuminated by flashlight.
I then took each deck and started dealing three cards at a time, analyzing the three card spreads and telling their stories. This was repeated until I had dealt every card in one deck, then on to do the same with the others.
My dogs have finally settled down and accepted that we are in the dark and the wind outside is no longer a threat to our safety. I pretended they were my clients as I practiced readings. There is just so much one can handle being alone in the dark for so many hours without lights, phone, cell phone (yes, that also was out of service), water, and especially, without a computer!
But the tarot was with me through these dark hours. It was honest and true to itself, and my companion in the loneliest of hours.
Day two: No power, no water, no phones—there is a lot of destruction around the area—trees and wires down. However, I think of the tornados in Joplin, Missouri, or back to hurricanes Katrina and Andrew, and I realize just how fortunate we are to have come through this with no serious destruction.
And so, as the sun sets tonight and darkness settles into the quiet night, I will turn again to my faithful tarot cards and will once again, by flashlight, do readings for my dogs!
(Update: it is 12:57AM, Saturday, September 3—the power came on just about one hour short of six full days! )