—DIVINE ARCANA: A TAROT-THEMED DEVOTIONAL CHALLENGE.
This challenge was inspired by the book The Temple of Hekate, in which the author, Tara Sanchez, explores the goddess Hekate across the themes and archetypes of the tarot's major arcana. This challenge was conceived for deity worship, but it can, in theory, be used for any being one might venerate in their practice, such as ancestors, nature spirits, and so on.
You'll need two things for this challenge:
A tarot deck. Ideally, this is a physical deck that you own, resonate with, or use frequently. You want to be familiar with the imagery already. If this is impossible, or you don't own a physical deck, feel free to use digital imagery, e.g. a tarot app or other reference images.
A journal. Physical or digital, whatever works for you. A small physical notebook might be preferred, especially if you want to turn this challenge into a devotional ritual.
Pick a deity (or spirit) you wish to honor, commune with, or explore more deeply. Once you have one in mind, your task is simple: meditate on each card in the major arcana and write out all the ways you perceive your deity within the card's meaning, symbolism, or imagery. You don't have to go in order, though it may be helpful to do so.
Depending on your deity or spirit of choice, this challenge may be difficult. For example, Hekate is an easy goddess to explore across the major arcana because She embodies so many spheres of influence. A more "specialized" deity or spirit (e.g. Selene, Hypnos, elementals, etc.) may be harder to recognize in certain cards. Don't worry if you can't write paragraphs for each card; just try to write something.
Depending on the deck you're using, you may wish to incorporate the cards' unique illustrations in addition to the core meanings of the arcana. Some decks deviate somewhat from traditional symbolism, so it may be beneficial to go deeper and explore your deity in those images. For example, not all tarot decks use an actual image of a tower to represent The Tower; perhaps your deck uses an animal or human figure instead. Or, your tarot deck may include unique cards or revised arcana. Exploring the theme and motifs of your personal deck can help you see your deity or spirit's presence more clearly in future readings with them.
If you'd like to give yourself an even bigger challenge, you can try delving into the minor arcana, as well, but I suggest sticking to the major arcana, since they already represent broader archetypes.
Need an example of how this works? Here's a sample from me. My deity of choice is Hekate, and I'm using my TrueBlack deck:
THE HIGH PRIESTESS.
This card already screams Hekate, as it tends to refer to intuition, occult knowledge, the subconscious, and mysteries. We speak often of Hekate's Mysteries and Her powers over magic and occult wisdom. The High Priestess, much like Hekate Herself, is a vessel of divine wisdom, as well as the bridge between the material world and the spiritual world. She is incredibly liminal.
In the TrueBlack deck, the High Priestess possesses several Hekatean symbols: she sits upon a crescent moon; she wears a key around her neck; she holds a dowsing pendulum; she is hooded; and a pomegranate hovers over her free hand. There is also a topographic map of the Mariana Trench depicted behind her. When I see this, I think of the abyssal depths and the darkness of the unknown—something very much associated with Hekate.
Simple enough, right? Of course, not every card is going to be a perfect fit, but the point is to encourage us to think more deeply about the nature of the deities or spirits we honor using well-known archetypes. A card like the High Priestess or the Empress might be hard to find in a deity like Ares or Odin, but try your best.
I'd also suggest turning this into a daily ritual. Sit down at your desk or altar and just allow yourself to focus on one card a day (or week), perhaps with a lit candle or a bit of incense burning beside you. Reflect on the card, write down your initial thoughts, and then ask the deity or spirit for any additional insight. See what comes up.
If you attempt this challenge, let me know how it goes! If you'd like to share your entries, feel free to tag them with #Divine Arcana; I'd love to see them. 🖤
This challenge was originally posted on my Patreon.
