Tarot Through the Looking Glass

by Pamela Colman Smith

Depression hit early in my life. I never actually wanted to deny it or get away from it or take a pill to remove it. I knew it was true and I needed to knowingly feel the weight of it. There began my deep dive into the darkness—like Psyche’s journey into the Underworld in search of beauty, love and redemption.

Enter Tarot—an imaginal realm of Archetypal structures that hold the timeless, formless templates of our lives. I’ve only just begun to see into the dynamic images of these cards.

I imagine each of us at birth, dropped out of some undifferentiated divine energy into a unique and separate body & mind. Now, everywhere, there are Two! Here, we seek relationship to provide for our safety, nurturance and vitality. We are lost and found all along the way.

Soon, we turn inward, tuning into our inner, private selves—perhaps curious and willing to allow unconscious patterns to be revealed. Some may notice the subtle hint of a path towards freedom—the Siren’s call towards some sacred reunion, strengthened through brief moments of peace and harmony.

That’s The Fool’s Journey.

In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, Alice magically climbs through a mirror into the fantastical world that she can see beyond it. To really engage in depth psychology, we look beyond our habitual consciousness, willing to see the upside-downness of things, surrendering to the unknown… trusting in what resonates, aligns, and frees us.

Removed from the confines of clinical work, reading Tarot is an opportunity to weave my understanding of depth psychology into the mystery of the Imaginal, guiding people in finding their own way.

Until next time…

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