Hey everyone! I am really excited to launch No Fear Tarot. Now, I will be the first to admit, I know nothing about tarot. That's why I'm very excited to bring on Runa Heilung as tarot columnist here at No Fear Astrology. You can find out more about Runa here. Her website is here.

Hi, my name is Runa Heilung. Abby has graciously invited me to contribute to her No Fear Astrology platform with articles about tarot. I am honored and excited!

Like Abby, I believe that astrology and tarot, among other Inner Wisdom Tools, needn’t be gloom and doom, certainly not anything to be afraid of. These tools can be incredibly enlightening and empowering. I am sure if you are a subscriber to Abby’s amazing work, that you feel the same.

My views on tarot

Tarot is an oracle, a form of divination. Divination - meaning to communicate with the divine, whatever your definition or name for the divine is. In many ways astrology is an oracle as well, although it tends to move in more predictable patterns, or orbits. Interestingly, there are correspondences between astrology and tarot that are quite fascinating. If divination proves to be an uncomfortable word for you, you can consider tarot as a means to tap into latent energies that are below the surface and looking to be drawn out.

I approach tarot as prescriptive and not predictive. Many people consider tarot to be a means to tell fortunes or predict futures, and it can do that to some degree, as can the study of any pattern. But humans have free will, and humans looking for transformation seem to have more interest in exercising that free will for positive change, which contributes an energy to the cards that is no longer static and predictive. A prescriptive approach (always self-prescriptive) assumes that the querent possesses a personal authority and an inner wisdom or knowing that takes responsibility for any or no decisions made following a tarot reading.

I am most familiar with the Rider Waite Smith deck, along with two other interpretative decks, one being an amazing Shamanic Tarot deck called The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot by Phyllis Curott (and artist Danielle Barlow), the other being The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris Anne. I am just beginning to explore the Marseille Tarot and it is quite fascinating, and perhaps one day I will delve into the Thoth Tarot. I do have a few other tarot decks that might make their way into my articles as well. If you have a favorite deck, both Abby and I would love to hear about it in the comments, of this post or subsequent articles.

You will find that I espouse a very flexible and intuitive approach to tarot readings, even advocating for the possibility of changing card positions if it makes sense. Or deciding what a spread is about after the cards are drawn. Of course, these are potentially advanced techniques, and are for those who are practiced in recognizing their own inner wisdom without a tendency to sugarcoat or bypass important messages.

I am also a firm believer in context. A 3 card layout (past, present, future) might mean one thing to you and something entirely different to someone else, even though the cards turn up the same.

The tarot is dynamic and so are the understandings and interpretations of cards, layouts, and readings overall. It is your interpretation of the tarot that will have the most meaning for you. It is my goal to help you discover that meaning for yourself.

Finally, No Fear Tarot espouses a philosophy for living a better life in which the querent is able to abandon the shackles of victimhood and embrace an attitude of self-determination.

I focus on the holistic energies of each card, the interplay between cards, and the reading as a whole, while allowing both light and shadow to provide messages of encouragement and forward moving energy. For that reason, I do not use card reversals. Shadow and light can be seen regardless of card position, and it is important that reader and querent understand the energies at play without deceiving themselves for better or for worse.

I hope you enjoy this addition to No Fear Astrology!

A little about me...

I am an Inner Wisdom Facilitator. That’s my way of saying that I am a life coach with the specific focus of empowering you to find your own inner wisdom, so that you can ultimately learn to coach yourself. I have been coaching in some form or another for over 2 decades.

I currently teach Imagination as Meditation for Relaxation, Illumination, and Transformation. I believe that the images and symbols that come to us (in a tarot reading, in Dreams, in Guiding Imagery, and more) are full of power and meaning, and I am continually amazed at how what has been considered quite insignificant by modern society can effect positive change in my client’s lives. I am also a Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher, and all of my work is energy based in some form or another. You can find my website here.

♥ Runa

Runa Heilung is the founder of Old Soul Alchemy. She uses imagery and the imagination in meditative formats for healing, illumination, and transformation.

A little note from Abby...

Just as a quick P.S. Runa does guided meditation type readings :) I've had one and really enjoyed it. You can find out more by contacting her or checking out her website. Hope you like this new addition to No Fear Astrology! Be sure to reply to this email or contact me with any questions. Thanks for reading! Much love as always. <3