Here is a brief summary and explanation of Cherie Carter-Scott’s ‘rules of life’.
(Carter Scott references this quotation:) "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood." (Helen Keller)
Rule One – You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what’s inside.
Rule Two – You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them ‘is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life’.
Rule Three – There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it’s inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you’d want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement – of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine – it’s also ‘the act of erasing an emotional debt’. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour – especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps – are central to the perspective that ‘mistakes’ are simply lessons we must learn.
Rule Four – The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons – they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance – ‘causality’ must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required – change doesn’t happen overnight, so give change time to happen.
Rule Five – Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the ‘rhythm of life’, don’t struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change – be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities.
Rule Six – "There" is no better than "here". The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what’s good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace.
Rule Seven – Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others it is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs.
Rule Eight – What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don’t get angry about things – bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us – use it when you need to do what’s right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead.
Rule Nine – Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration.
Rule Ten – You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities – our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise – wisdom the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself.
2. One piece of paper per
participant with a different
occupation on each.
Who Am I?
1. Each participant is given a piece of paper with an occupation
on it, e.g., teacher, fire fighter, nurse.
2. Ask them not to show anyone else.
3. Direct the participants to form a circle and have everyone
tape the occupation they were given on the back of the
person to their right.
4. The object is for each player to find out who they are, named
by the card on their back, by circulating around the play
space asking other participant’s questions that can only be
answered with a “yes” or “no”, e.g., “Am I female?”, Do I
travel because of my occupation?”, “Am I a teacher?”
5. Each participant is only allowed to approach the same person
6. Once the person has successfully determined their
occupation they stand on the outside and begin to form a
circle with the other people who have discovered their
identity. This continues until everyone is a part of the circle.
12 Week Course 12 x 3hour sessions
Working with the Tarot Symbols and Meditation
1. INTRODUCTIONS: to each other and the contents of course
The first two weeks I am introducing skills that will
Prove invaluable in your own development as a reader
And to your level of skills for yourself.
2. Ices breaker ( 15mins)
3. Group skills listening and hearing (40mins)
4. Who reminds you of whom- Psychic Ability( 20mins) 1-2-1
5. Why the Tarot- your experience?(30mins)
6. Tarot Cards- a little history (30mins)
7. Fortune-telling or Self Development(30mins)
8. 78 Cards Major/Minor Arcana (book)(45mins)
9. Star signs (handout) Rising sign***(35mins)
10. The Elements and Psychology(20mins)
11. Symbols (20mins)
12. Numbers (20mins)
13. Meditations (30mins)
14. Readings for self and others (30mins)
15. Next sessions (10mins) mins.
16. ***(To be filled in the following week)
What’s in a name.
Where did your name come from and do you like it.
Feedback to the group.
Who reminds you of who
Feedback to the group
Listening and Hearing:
Do you feel listened to?
Do you hear what people say to you?
Are you aware of how you listen or not?
Talking and Listening to the Deck
Have you had the experience of reading cards before?
Or has someone read them for you?
Where is your interest?
What do wish to get out of this?
Feedback to the group
Please make notes and have some one repeat the larger group your overall goals.
Jung saw the human psyche as a rich tapestry of forces and interactions.
The Order of the Golden Dawn: Who saw the Tarot not as a lowly series
of game cards but as a series of images representing the total knowledge
of the entire world.
KNIGHT OF SWORDS: PAGE OF CUPS:
This card signifies:
The Persona, self-expression, and self-image
Idealistic, aspir.ing, and positive combination, these Fire of Air individuals are optimistic and creative, their aspirations
and expectations are frequently unrealistically high.
Verbal ability and vigilant in speech.
Needs action and has a keen sense of humour.
The Prince of the Chariot of the Winds, this is the sign of speed and swiftness, this prince or energy show that at times an intensely
Analytical frame of mind should be adopted.
Logic and reason could be allowed to scrutinize every aspect of the person’s self-development.
Apply it is the correct manner and it will heighten the intellectual capabilities.
Exploration into other realms.
This describes my journey in the early part of my self- development, just getting me to think was a major obstacle and then to think the right thoughts.
My knowing that I seemed to beating myself up with the things that I told myself defeat thoughts all the time
The crystallization of ideas is essential. If thoughts are not acted on or actualized in some way then they become mere flights of fancy, escapist dreams without hope or intention of fulfillment.
The impressions from the unconscious must be applied and that despite the passive action of water, it is vital to use insight gained in this way to ‘open the lotus of understanding’ rather than let a flood of impressions obscure one’s purpose.
Find new people so that development and growth is important and not to judge and limit through past experiences and fears.
So now, I have learned how to think and what to think I had better start putting it into practice.
FIVE OF DISKS: THE EMPRESS
This Card crosses me and the resources available to me.
The danger in self-development of staying forever centered is that of developing the ‘me and God’ complex where the individual is so concerned about preserving an internal stability that outside factors and inner emotions are ignored. This is where I am now I need to move on and start to learn to deal with the outside world and find a balance between inner and outside emotions. I am mean with myself, and have stopped myself from earning my own living.
:Venus the creative process in the individual. She synthesizes new things through the union of opposite and sometimes even contradictory forces. She is the subconscious in motion. So the knowledge that I have infinite resources.
This card is my unconscious habits. How do I communicate and what is in my immediate environment.
I give myself lots excises for my lazy attitudes, but the truth has been I have allowed my fears and insecurities to get the better of me. I have has the habit of needing to be needed and found it difficult to look after myself. This is because I have been overwhelmed with the defeat thoughts and sometimes it’s easier to sit down. Still I have thought about how I speak to others and changed in order to make the best use of my personality.
: The Magus of the Voice of Power this card recall the importance of looking within the self, of self examination and contemplation rather than seeking answers outside the self. The light from my lamp shines to illuminate the lives of others. This reminds individuals that the greatest good they can do for any other person is to be fully integrated being. I flippantly write these words without expressing what a long way in my spiritual journey I have come. It has been this light that has held me to the road of healing, meditation and learning to write all these energies are now innate.
This card is about domestic situation, home, and family.
The importance of determined effort to be able to marshal diverse resources in order to perform the work of individuation. This I have been very possessive about and not been balanced about it. I know some of the theory but not really put into practice.
This card counsels the individual to take opportunities, as they are presented, and to keep a determined purpose. The family now recognizes the changes that have been made and how peaceful the house are these days. I know I have a yearning to move forward, find new pathways, and find the truth.
FOUR OF DISK S: TWO OF SWORDS
This card signifies the personal creativity, ones children, new projects, and romantic life.
I have able to establish some security and permanence but has with everything these states are in constant flux and change, but I know from my deepest well of being I need a supportive environment.
Deciding on an intellectual course, of following the investigative process and of applying the intellect to levels other than the pure abstract. A warning against ‘armchair intellectualism’ which may evolve brilliant ideas but nothing of applicable worth. I have a need to protect myself against negative relationships and to stay home. I cant make a decision to move on my heart keeps me close to Rob and I am doing nothing about it.
SEVEN OF CUPS: THREE OF DISKS
This card signifies employment, health, pets, and personal service to individuals and other organizations.
I have taken to many roads in a halfhearted way rather than making a determined choice, and I have tried to develop to many skills and tried for jobs that have been unsuitable for me. I have only given if I could get back and in my own terms which is not the universal way. I feel emotionally confused and do not keep to the plan. Its never to late to start again In which way do I express the truths within myself? There is a definite warning against being one way and acting another. The injections to get one’s hands dirty, to work for one’s own individuation and to express it at a concrete level is included here. This has been one of my main fears about being “Taken.”
QUEEN OF SWORDS Significator: SEVEN OF DISKS
Take the opportunity to stand apart from my emotions and those of others, and by taking a dispassionate stance, a situation may be seen more clearly and a definite and correct choice of action can be taken. This is a skill I have found hard to develop. Recently I have been able to see what was really happening between myself and Rob and been able to see things clearly because I have tried not to react and look at all my emotions as they have appeared.
A period where factors which limit or appear harmful to one’s purpose may be reconciled and incorporated into one’s plans to help rather than hinder. I cannot control everything and having gained a sense of self-determination through self- development there may be a tendency to expect everything to submit to one’s own design- there is a futility to such an attitude. If it flies away it was not yours if it comes back it is.
The Sexual element of the personality, Occult, psychic abilities and the Transformation of the self
You inherent quite genuine artistic qualities never blossom, as they should. I am afraid of my own emotions and not trust my own instincts, sticking to the practical and logical pathways.
Shows the importance of integrating all the elements of the self. To ‘like you’ is a natural precursor to ‘know thyself’ this card shows that the individual must be aware that I have emerged anew from the cycle that the previous cards represented. Moreover, there is a directive to continue this process that individuation is a continuum of experience, refining and reestablishing and this ‘deliverance’ comes with an acknowledgement of the joyful dance of creation and destruction implicit in all levels of existence.
Kin-in-laws, moral issues, long journeys and higher education, the morality of the environment.
Do not adopt a fanatical or highly abstract mentality and ignoring the relative nature of “truth” Being open to change and the revision of ideas, and even to question what appear to be self-evident or absolute truths. Actual experience is worth a thousand idle theorization’s.
The wheel affirms that movement from one state to any other state is possible- a cup that is empty can only be filled. The wheel suggests a playful attitude to the quest of understanding the self and life in general. When the individual returns to what appears to be the same point in life it becomes apparent that the return is actually at a different level, or in a different role.
FIVE OF SWORDS: DEATH
The public image, dominant characters in the formation of the individuals nature. The boarder implications of ones employment and ones social standing
An excellent opportunities for extending one’s knowledge. Communication can be established with others, new experience gained and a richer understanding may result. A time to listen rather than to act or speak. I could feel empty or like a ship without an anchor. Wait, watch, and learn rather than to attempt to force oneself back into ‘normality’. The “defeat’ mentioned in the title of this card occurs when released from the rigidity of conventionality is seen not as a chance for new input but as a fearful state to be repaired as soon as possible.
Death counsels the individual to accept that the old must be banished before the new can develop. It reaffirms that all loss, as it may appear, is only a stage in the cyclic progression of the Universe. Moreover, regeneration and transformation of the old mean nothing is truly lost: instead it is reabsorbed and reborn in anew and richer form.
Friends and associates. Major life changes and crises. The process of boarding one’s ideals and social aspirations. Ethics and Inspiration.
The four shows that subscribing to a belief system can only be productive if one acknowledges the possibility of changing one’s views, either within the system or adopting a new one. This shows the danger of becoming caught in the superficial aspects of the unconscious, of concentrating too much of the appearance of the message and missing its contents. The reflective quality of this card shows the importance of attending to the tides within the unconscious mind and using these as springboards to other activity.
SIX OF SWORDS: THE MAGICIAN
Hidden factors and the Individuals ability to overcome entrenched patterns of behaviour. The ability to flow with the natural currents of the universe.
As a symbol of communication, this image shows the beginnings of union between the intellectual and inspirational qualities of the human psyche. Developing an ‘inner language’ with which the logical and intuitive faculties of the mind can communicate information through all parts of the self.
The importance of developing a swift communication system to facilitate the exchange of ideas.
The use of the Tarot as a means of relating to the working of the both conscious and unconscious worlds.
The magician makes us aware of ourselves and therefore of the abilities which lie within us all to heal and to harm. This card represents spontaneity and an injunction to make a decisive action. Standing with one foot in each world i.e. the conscious and unconscious this card symbolizes the importance of linking together. And of communication between apparently opposed facets in human nature. A bold step