A Christmas Carol-spread

We all know the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, the insensitive and grumpy business owner, the character created by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol.

I still remember the first time I watched the film on Christmas Day. I was captured. The film was so scary for a young child, with the music, the squeeking of old doors in the middle of the night, the sound of Marley's rattling chains, the anger of Ebeneezer - - -

The movie was so exiting, terrifying, yet also so sad and touching. Because it went well in the end: Marry Christmas Everyone! It is to this day the best Christmas movie I have ever seen. It tells us stories about unconditional love, caring, helping others in need, sharing if you have something to share, treasure the moments here and now. But it also told the story about how life circumstances and traumas can turn loving, caring people into cold, miserable humans.

I was of course very intrigued by the visits of Marley's ghost and the spirit guides, about the concept that passed loved ones watch over us and can give us advice even after physical death. That they even present us with a chance to turn things around, doing right where we previously have done wrong.

Later on, I read the play, read books about the play, went to the theatre to see Ebeneezer on stage - I still really treasure A Christmas Carol for everything that it is.

But what has this to do with tarot and cartomancy? Perhaps The Tarot first and foremost, as the fabulous self-transformation tool it is. Well, The Tarot can be Ebeneezers ghost, its cards the spirit guides. To really grasp the potential of the Tarot, one must not read it as a prediction of destiny. No, as Charles Dickens so superbly points out to us: We all have free will.

Scrooge was invited to take a look at his own future, shown to him by his friend Jacob Marley with the help of the spirit guide Yet To Come. He saw the future laid out for him, if he continued to do as he had done until then.

The spirit guides also showed him the past, and the present. They showed him his history, pointing out when had actually been really happy. The guides showed him which people had influenced him on the way, how they had influenced him, they showed him important crossroads in his life, choices he had made. They showed him his present, which possibilities was there, the people around him and the support he had (if he was willing to accept them), they showed him that he had choice and possibilities.

But the choice was one Scrooge had to make himself.

Sounds very much like a tarot reading, doesn't it?

As we go into the time of Christmas, why don't we make a spread for ourselves, to see if there is anything, anything at all, that we can change in our own behavior, for a better new year for ourselves and our loved ones?

Do not forget to "open" the cards. How will my future look like, if I change? How can I change? Where do I start?