Tarot or metaphorical cards: where do I start?
Start with what you want from the card. If you want an image that helps you find your own words, try metaphorical cards. If you enjoy comparing written meanings and considering two sides of a situation, try a Tarot-style reading. You do not need to learn the whole deck before your first card.
What changes between the formats?
With metaphorical cards, your association comes first. A doorway might look inviting to one person and lonely to another. Describe what you see before reading the explanation. With the Grimoire's Tarot-style format, you compare an upright meaning with a reversed meaning: a useful quality and a way it might become difficult. Neither interpretation is a verdict about you.
The Grimoire is an original 113-card deck from Children of Shadows. Its Tarot-style option uses this deck's own characters and meanings; it is not a traditional 78-card Tarot deck. Both formats can be used for journaling, a creative scene or thinking through a situation.
Ask about something you can influence
Instead of asking what another person secretly thinks, try: “What do I need to clarify in this conversation?” Instead of asking whether everything will work out, try: “What could I check before I decide?” A useful question leaves room for facts, your own judgment and a next step.
A five-minute first reading
Write one sentence about the situation. Choose one card. List three things you notice in the picture, then finish this sentence: “This reminds me of…” Read the explanation and keep only the part that fits your actual experience. Finish with one action you could take today, even if that action is asking for more information.
If nothing fits, that is useful information too. You can put the card aside. You do not have to keep drawing until you receive permission for the choice you wanted to make.
Try one of the 9 free cards
