Doors that Open into Unexpected Chambers

Arthur Waite, the author who created the pivotal tarot deck popularly know as the Rider with artist Pamela Colman Smith, advised us "to look at the images in the deck as doors that open into unexpected chambers."

Images are powerful means of communication. One time when looking at a card, the central figure in the holds the answer to our question. Another time, looking at the very same card, a detail in the background captures our attention. Another time we look at the card and it is a detail in the foreground which speaks to us. Other times when we draw the same card, different stories come to mind. Why? It is our feelings that guide us.

On a given day, in a given reading, we suddenly get the feeling that this aspect of this image, together with the other cards that have been drawn, drive the narrative that answers this person's questions. Feelings are an expression of intuition. We may not know what was on the artist's mind when they drew that picture, but we know how we feel when we see it. And that feeling leads to communication from the doors that have opened into unexpected chambers.

Here is an image exercise you can apply to yourself. When we hold images of ourselves, how do we feel? When we visualize ourselves doing the work we want to do, how do we feel? When we visualize ourselves how do we feel? If the image we are holding of ourselves is not one that makes us feel good, then we are not being true to ourselves and we need to reformulate our vision until we do have one that feels good.

That is why we often do not achieve our goals. When we look ahead and we do not feel great about the direction we are going, we lose the energy to press on and achieve it.

The pictures that serve as doors that open into unexpected chambers will lead us to surprising places when we look at those pictures and feel them.

Those who make vision boards create such pictures for ourselves. Those who retell their life stories from different perspectives create different pictures for themselves. Those who use their imagination to create pictures of themselves in their future open doors that open into unexpected chambers.

What do you see now?