Air'riela Tarot

The Air'riela Tarot

Introduction and Explanation

Perhaps one of the most famous known skills of the Air’riela gypsies is the reading of their famous Tarot. The Tarot is said to be a gift from Aireriel, the woman the Air’riela consider the Mother of Life herself. Aireriel gave the Air’riela the gift of ‘sight’, which manifests as many forms within these gypsies. Sometimes, they simply ‘know’ things. Other times, they use incredibly important form of divination for their work. These forms include stones, runes, reading tea leaves, reading palms, and the most famous of all… reading The Tarot. Fortune telling via the Tarot is vital because it provides three important things for gypsies. First, it gives them a level of acceptance into new cultures they are visiting, if for nothing more than for those people to utilize the gypsy’s skill for their own personal pleasure. Secondly, it provides a legitimate and often times significant source of income. Thirdly, it often opens doors, when their clients take them into their confidence, revealing facts about the local social, political, and economic climate of a region… aiding the entire Kumpania as it travels through. Fortune telling lends a gypsy an aura of mystery and magic that is approachable by a common person. And, depending upon the situation, gypsies can provide a whole spectrum of predictions from multiple sources to satisfy their clients needs. While many forms of fortune telling by other cultures can be considered charlatan in nature, Air’riela Gypsies do in fact have Mesaka inherent in their blood and their predictions are often more true than naught… if they are honest with their clients about what they see. Powerfully gifted fortune tellers are called Drabarni. To distinguish themselves, the Drabarni are often tattooed with a small splayed open hand on the back of their necks. To be considered Drabarni, an Air’riela must successfully learn three forms of divination; The Tarot, Palmistry, and one other of their choice which may include a unique form they develop all on their own.

One of the most popular forms of this fortune telling is The Tarot. The Tarot is a deck of cards that is primarily used to foretell the future. Forecasting the future, however, is only one of the many uses of the Tarot. The Tarot is a very powerful tool that gives a practitioner the ability look deep inside their subconscious and "see" the direction their or another’s life is taking. The Tarot is normally comprised of thin wooden or metal cards elaborately painted with images that depict what each card represents. Each deck is unique and often times they display unusual themes ranging from dragons to faefolk to more light-hearted themes of birds and flowers. A practitioner of the art of Tarot will lay the cards out in various patterns designed to answer a question, get insight on a problem, or give the reader a means to approach life in a different manner. The Drabarni or person who lays out and actually interprets the card is called “The Reader”. The person who is being read for is considered “The Querent”.

To use the Tarot cards, one must understand the universe is comprised of free will. In essence, the future isn’t set in stone. Rather, it is comprised of a many-branched road rather than a single straight path. Each new path has signposts and hints to guide the traveler along their way. Some paths offer immediate rewards, but are short lived. Other paths are complex and hard to navigate but promise ultimate fulfillment at the end. Some paths are easily traveled but offer no great prize at the conclusion. Each path has its own set of characteristics and remuneration. The Tarot provides images that act as these signposts passing messages to the seekers who use the Tarot. Through these images, one may draw forth information from the unconscious, illuminating and clarifying the profound meaning of the moment, circumstance, situation, or person in question.

Tarot cards can be read either right side up (RSU) or reversed. In general, they have two different meanings depending upon which way the cards are laid out. Right side up, they can be taken at ‘face value’ and often mean exactly what their names indicate. Reversed, or upside down, the cards often represent darker or opposite meanings.

The Layouts

There are a great many ways to lay down Tarot cards as a person reads them, most based on what answers or insights a reader is seeking. These methods of laying out the cards are called “Layouts” or “Spreads”. Each reader can either use time tested spreads, or they can develops their own methods as they grow better and develop their own styles at reading their cards. The following Spreads are common among the Air’riela and are separated out by ‘purpose’.

The Compass Spread:

Secrets :