Past Life Relationship Reading: Dreaming Way Tarot

Back in August I did a Past Life Relationship Reading for a friend (click HERE to see this reading).

Today I am doing the same reading for myself and my husband (in honor of our 16th anniversary). The layout is from Sasha Graham’s 365 Tarot Spreads (Llewellyn). I am using the Dreaming Way Tarot by Rome Choi, illustrated by Kwon Shina (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

One difference between this reading and tha last one I did: I am pulling a card from The Phoenix Cards by Susan Sheppard, illustrated by Toni Taylor (Destiny Books) to get some insight into the place and/or time where this past-life relationship might have existed.

From The Phoenix Cards: 

EGYPTIAN BUTO GODDESS, Card 5

Place: Ancient Egypt

Time: This Buto design dates from around 1567-1085 B.C. 

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If you would like me to do this reading about you and your partner,

just purchase a 7-9 card reading using the drop down menu 

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Specify in a message that you want the Past Life Relationship Reading.

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Layout:

1……………………..2
…………..3………….
4…………5…………6
7…………8…………9

Positions:
(1) Who was I in a past life?
(2) Who was he in a past life?
(3) What was our relationship?
(4) Was it a stable relationship?
(5) Did we have children?
(6) Were we together a long time?
(7) What lesson did we learn together in our past life?
(8) What lesson are we learning in this life?
(9) Are we evolving and moving forward?

The reading:

(1) Who was I in a past life?

STRENGTH (Trump 8)

I was a person with an inner core of strength and power, able to exercise that strength and power gently and compassionately, with restraint, rather than forcefully. I may have had a special rapport with animals, or may simply have had a mutually respectful, beneficial relationship with my own inner “beast.”

(2) Who was he in a past life?

FOUR OF CUPS

He was someone who was perhaps so focused on his own emotional disappointments or misfortunes that he was unaware of other people or had trouble engaging with them. It was difficult for him to share with others, to listen to their advice, or to become involved with them. The number Four suggests stability and/or conservatism, possibly stagnation.

(3) What was our relationship?

KING OF CUPS

The suit of Cups (emotions) suggests a close emotional connection, and the King typically represents authority, power, or control. I would describe the relationship as strong and loving.

(4) Was it a stable relationship?

THE WORLD (Trump 21)

Typically, I see a Major Arcana card as a “Yes” answer to a “yes-or-no” question like this. The World card also suggests accomplishment, completion, and fulfillment at a high level. I think stability would very likely be an aspect of that.

(5) Did we have children?

THREE OF WANDS

The suit of Wands is the suit of creativity and as a “masculine” or active suit, I see it as offering a “Yes” answer to a yes-or-no question like this. Both of those factors suggest that we did have children, perhaps three of them, or perhaps one, making us a family of three.

(6) Were we together a long time?

THREE OF PENTACLES

The passive/feminine suit of Pentacles (Earth) sometimes represents a “No” answer. This card can suggest insubstantial or temporary benefits. Perhaps we were together for three years?












(7) What lesson did we learn together in our past life?

THE MAGICIAN (Trump 1)

We learned how to use all the tools at our disposal to achieve what we wanted to achieve, perhaps at a very high level. As partners we learned to be confident and efficient, to achieve our ambitions with skill and talent.














(8) What lesson are we learning in this life?

THE TOWER (Trump 16)

We are learning that abrupt change will not destroy us, even if we didn’t see it coming, because fundamentally we brought that change about through our own actions and decisions. What might appear to be disastrous to others can be handled and worst-case scenarios can be avoided.

(9) Are we evolving and moving forward?

THE EMPEROR (Trump 4)

The answer here seems to be “Yes,” not only because this is a Major Arcana card but because The Emperor is typically about being mature, responsible, and capable. He protects and values what he has, takes charge, and is confident of his own authority. Now, this could suggest a tendency to become “stuck” in one place (number 4), preferring the security of the status quo to changes that come with moving forward. However, I also think of the astrological association of The Emperor with the sign Aries, first sign of the zodiac, an active, motivated Fire sign.


The abundance of Major Arcana cards (5 out of 9) gives me a sense of a strong past-life and/or soulmate connection. The past life relationship seen in these cards may not have lasted a long time by some standards, but it does seem to have been productive.

Past Life Relationship Reading: Llewellyn Tarot

Many of us are fascinated by the idea of past lives and past life relationships. I am doing this reading for a friend who is in a new relationship, and wondering what connections (if any) she and her partner might have from a past life.

The spread is from Sasha Graham’s 365 Tarot Spreads (Llewellyn), so I thought it would be fitting to use the Llewellyn Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson (Llewellyn Publications).

Layout:

1……………………..2
…………..3………….
4…………5…………6
7…………8…………9

(1) Who was she in a past life?

THREE OF WANDS

I get the impression that she was an entrepreneur, a person who was not afraid to launch new enterprises, investigate new directions, and explore adventure. Perhaps she was a merchant involved in trade across the oceans. In her book Tarot Life Planner (Hamlyn), Lady Lorelei associates each card with several careers. For the 3 of Wands she lists “sailor, explorer, prospector.”

(2) Who was her partner in a past life?

PAGE OF WANDS

I get the sense that her present partner was, in a past life, a youthful person (perhaps immature or naïve, or maybe just young at heart), someone with a lot of potential and flexibility, open to new ideas and to broadening horizons. Perhaps they worked together in some enterprise, as mentor and apprentice? Lady Lorelei lists the following likely careers for the Page of Wands: “religious counsellor, church worker.”

(3) What was their relationship?

EIGHT OF WANDS

Interestingly, the companion guidebook for this Tarot deck states that this card can suggest “falling in love” or a “whirlwind romance.” An opportunity for adventure plays a part, but we might also be looking at the potential for “quarrels amidst partners and friends” or “choosing to let an opportunity or love die.”

(4) Was it a stable relationship?

THREE OF SWORDS

This positional definition is phrased as a yes-or-no question, which can be tricky to interpret in Tarot. I tend to avoid doing that in readings, but decided to leave this as is for this reading. My impression here is that it was NOT a stable relationship. The 3 of Swords is typically a card of heartache, hurt, distress, severance, perhaps even unrequited love. Certainly the more negative meanings of the 8 of Wands (above) make sense when paired with the 3 of Swords. I have seen the number Three appear in readings with reference to a love triangle.

(5) Did they have children?

KNIGHT OF SWORDS

Again we have a yes-or-no question and must decide what qualities of this card would suggest a “yes” answer and which ones might suggest a “no” answer to the question. One method I have used with some success assigns a “yes” answer to the two active elements (Fire/Air, Wands/Swords). Here we have not only an active suit (Swords) but the Knight, who generally symbolizes activity.

(6) Were they together a long time?

THE MAGICIAN

Another yes-or-no question. In general, I view Major Arcana cards as providing a “yes” answer to such questions. Not only that, but The Magician is linked to the active element Air in many systems. I think perhaps they were together a long time (whatever that means), plus I feel that The Magician (as a Major Arcana card) reinforces the idea of a soulmate and/or past-life connection between them.

(7) What lesson did they learn together in their past life?

FOUR OF CUPS

In their past life they seem to have learned what it is like to feel discontent, isolation, doubt, and loss. And perhaps they also learned that it is possible to focus entirely on what one does NOT have, thereby failing to see or appreciate what one DOES have.

(8) What lesson are they learning in this life?

FIVE OF WANDS

Back to the suit of Wands we go with a card that typically represents confusion, erratic energy, stress, clash of ideas and principles. They seem to be learning how to deal with this type of conflict and inconsistencies in their lives, possibly within themselves and from people around them. They need to learn how to resolve these conflicts and channel conflicting energies toward a common goal.

(9) Are they evolving and moving forward?

NINE OF WANDS

This yes-or-no question is answered by a Wands card, which suggests a “yes” answer (see my explanation above). The 9 of Wands seems to me to indicate the importance of guarding one’s assets and preparing to defend one’s position or place. In order to evolve and move forward, they will need to anticipate possible hostility towards their relationship, outwit adversaries, and use the experience to grow and refine their own characters.

REVIEW: 365 Tarot Spreads

R E V I E W

365 Tarot Spreads:

Revealing the Magic in Each Day Paperback

by _Sasha Graham_

_Llewellyn Publications_ (May 8, 2014)

Paperback: 408 pages

ISBN-10: 0738740381 / ISBN-13: 978-0738740386

Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches

_About My Reviews_

TOP LINE (formerly Bottom Line)

‘Tis the season for new book releases and the next one in line for me is 365 Tarot Spreads by Sasha Graham. In her introduction, Graham tells us that after a bit of searching, she noticed that there were “a plethora of 365 books” on every subject imaginable – except Tarot.

I am familiar with several of these types of “365 books,” and I am truly delighted with what Graham has done to apply this format to Tarot reading. I wish I had thought of this idea! But if it couldn’t be me, I’m glad it was Sasha Graham. The concept is brilliant. The choices of occasions or events for each day are excellent. The information provided for each occasion or event is fascinating. Let’s see… what else? Oh, yes, you get 365 spreads that cover every subject imaginable, from Animals to Cinema to Finance and Legal Matters to Love and Romance to Self-Knowledge and Personal Growth to Work and Career. And the Index in the back gives you a way to look up a topic on which you’d like to do a reading.

This is just a splendid book all around. As a writer myself, it’s easy for me to see how much time, energy, research, and heart went into this work. Well done, Sasha Graham!

THE PUBLISHER'S PRODUCT SUMMARY

A tarot reading is a quest for answers to your greatest questions, deepest desires, and most profound needs. The power of tarot lies in the questions, and now you can discern answers to those questions with fascinating and magical results 365 days a year. Explore a tarot quest on any topic with extensive spread categories, including:

• Love and Romance
• Money and Career
• Health and Well-Being
• Home and Family
• Personal Growth
• Astrology and the Zodiac
• Multicultural Holidays
• Rituals and Occult Studies
• Grief and Moving Forward
• Spirituality

Use 365 Tarot Spreads year after year with spreads you can apply anytime and in any situation. Each spread is based on a significant historical or magical occurrence on that particular day, and each one is accompanied by a detailed explanation and sample questions to focus on while reading. This wondrous guide provides a magnificent journey to achieve enlightenment every day.

Sasha Graham

THE AUTHOR

Sasha Graham was born in Saranac Lake, NY, to a free spirited hippie mother. She is the great grandniece of famous Chilean painter Alvaro Guevara and proud to descend from a long line of creative, outrageous women. Settling in Manhattan in the late 80's, Sasha acted in over 15 B-horror films, received a BA in Literature at Hunter College and began working with Tarot. Sasha now organizes tarot events, teaches tarot classes and provides tarot outreach to young people all over NYC. Sasha and her tarot work have been featured on various documentaries and media outlets including; The Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, CBS Early Morning Show, WPIX Channel 11, and recently she was featured on the cover of Crain's New York Business.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE SPREADS FROM THE BOOK

January 2: Speak with Ancestors Spread
(Ancestors’ Day occurs today on the tropical island of Haiti.)

February 16: Pamela Coleman Smith’s Synesthesia Experiment Spread
(Pamela Colman Smith was born this day in 1878. Smith had a high degree of synesthesia, a condition where one sense, like sight, is perceived with an additional sense, like hearing.)

April 10: Magical Trees Spread
(On this day in 1872, Nebraskans celebrated the first Arbor Day.)

May 1: Beltane Crossing Over Spread
(Beltane marks the second half of the Celtic year. . . Like Samhain, the veil between worlds is at its thinnest right now.)

May 2: The Loch Ness Magical Scotland Spread
(The first sighting of the Loch Ness monster was reported on this day in 1933.)

June 2: Circus Spread
(Legendary huckster P.T. Barnum began touring with his circus on this day in 1871.)

July 7: Houdini’s Transformation Spread
(Harry Houdini first performed a handcuffed escape from a nailed, roped packing crate lowered into the East River in New York City on this day in 1912.)

August 8: Should I Quit This Job Spread
(President Richard Nixon announced that he would resign from office today in 1974.)

September 30: Rumi’s Poetic Life Spread
(Rumi, the Persian Muslim poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic, was born on this day in 1207.)

December 5: Bermuda Triangle Lost Object Spread
(A training flight of five American torpedo bombers vanished over the Bermuda Triangle on this day in 1945, one of many strange, unexplained disappearances attributed to the Bermuda Triangle.)

December 31: World Card Spread
(Tonight’s yearly culmination is the perfect time to reflect with a spread based on the World card.)

BASIC INFORMATION / APPEARANCE, SIZE, QUALITY / ART

This is a large, high-quality paperback book measuring 9 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches. Contents are printed in black on white stock. Layout is clean, inviting, and logically arranged. Dates are printed in white on a dark gray banner. Discussions of individual cards are printed in black on light gray.

Following seven-page Introduction are 365 pages of spreads. Each page has the calendar date, title of the spread, On This Day, Summation of Spread, and Cast Your Cards, which consists of positional definitions and the spread layout. For each day we also have a sidebar that contains “fun facts” or tidbits of information, along with a black-and-white image of a Tarot card from the Universal Tarot by R. DeAngelis (Lo Scarabeo), with a few words about that card.

The spreads Sasha Graham provides for each day of the week are not just random spreads. Each one relates to a specific event, holiday, or occasion that occurred on the date in question. For example, February 7 is the date when the tale of Pinocchio was released in 1940. The spread presented for that day is called Pinocchio’s Truthfulness Spread. Positional definitions “regard all areas of truthfulness in our lives.” The sidebar lists signs that indicate when a person might be lying, such as nose twitching, mouth covering, fidgeting, and tense lips. The Tarot card is the King of Cups, which is “connected to lying, fabrication, and tall tales.”

Placed throughout the book are spreads designed around Major Arcana Cards. The positional definitions for these spreads are based on various objects shown on that card. For example, the World Card spread has eight positions based on the Dancer, Magic Wands, Wreath, Androgyny, Head, Lion, Ox, and Eagle.
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In accordance with the FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, I hereby disclose that this product was provided by the publisher for free. Other than the occasional review copy, I receive no monetary or in-kind compensation for my reviews.  The substance of my reviews is not influenced by whether I do or do not receive a review copy.