This is a counselling exercise I’ve used with clients (and myself) for about 20 years, which I’ve adapted into a tarot spread. Feel free to adjust any instructions to your personal preferences; for example, I place the cards face down horizontally at the top of my cloth, so that I can deal with each question/column one at a time, adding further cards underneath for clarification if needed. If you want to place the cards vertically and face up, dealing supplemental cards next to them in a line, please do so.
As we journey through life, we accumulate things; feelings, thoughts, behaviours and preferences. Through the ups and downs, lefts, rights and roundabouts, each experience has an effect on us, our beliefs about ourselves and the world, and how we interact within the world. You’re going to unpack your luggage, and take a look inside: who knows what’s in there, so be aware of your triggers and take care of yourself.
First of all, before we get to the spread, think about what your luggage looks like, and try to picture it in your mind. Try not to think of luggage you already have - if you could design your luggage, what would it look like? Do you have lots of brown paper bags, with words scribbled on them in black Sharpie? Black duffel bags or rucksacks? A matching set? Do you have a few bags, or do you need a trolley? When you know what your luggage looks like, ask yourself what you think your luggage says about you… are you colourful, muted, or somewhere in between? Are you guarded or open, light or weighed down… take a moment to think about this, and whether your luggage could represent any barriers you may have. One more thing, to consider throughout the exercise… just like being at the airport, you should ask yourself whether you packed your bags, or whether you had help. Family, friends, generations, cultures, ancestors… ask yourself whether the belief you’re contemplating is yours, or if you internalised it from an outside source. I leave it up to you how to deal with the answers.
Place 10 cards face-down in a horizontal line - these are your core answers. Turn over the cards one at a time, and add additional cards (I usually add 2) if you need further insight before moving on to the next question. Shuffling in between questions and/or answers is your choice.
Card 1 - Beliefs about myself
Maybe you feel strong, calm and confident. Taking risks is okay. You deserve to be happy. Or maybe you believe you’re struggling, unsure. Taking risks leads to trouble. You don’t deserve happiness. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between.
Card 2 - Beliefs about the world
The world has many wonderful things to offer vs the world is a dangerous place. The world is magical vs the world kinda sucks. Or maybe you believe a mixture of both.
Card 3 - Emotional Beliefs - Positive
This is the emotion(s) you usually carry with you; when did you last feel it? How does it affect the people around you?
Card 4 - Emotional Beliefs - Negative
Whether you express it or not, you carry this with you too. In what situation do you feel this, and how does it affect others around you? How do you feel about that emotion?
Card 5 - What have I forgotten?
It could be an emotion, an activity, person, anything you’ve forgotten that you might want to think about.
Card 6 - Something I’ve neglected
Same as card 5.
Card 7 - What do I need to embrace?
Same as card 5.
Card 8 - What do I need to release?
Same as card 5.
Card 9 - Am I carrying anyone else’s bags?
This could be the person you’re carrying for, or the luggage you’re carrying for them.
Card 10 - What skills have I acquired to help me on this journey?
It is important to remember that we have skills we’ve developed, and they’ve helped to get us this far: with further development, who knows where they’ll take you!
If you want to explore further, consider drawing a card for a piece of luggage. Whilst experiences add things to our luggage, significant events tend to add a whole piece of luggage, and they can be unpacked too, as many or as few as you want. Maybe it was the time someone stole one of your toys, or a really good birthday party; it could be emotional luggage, holiday memories, ancestral luggage, familial, spiritual or financial.
Whatever it is, positive or not, have a look inside and decide if you should still be carrying your luggage and it needs to be repacked, whether it can go in storage, or you can let it go.
x Blessed Be x
