Choosing Your Significator…
First, choosing a Significator is not mandatory. I like them, but they are not necessary.
After choosing the deck, you can choose a significator card to represent yourself in the reading. This is the card on which I will focus while I am shuffling. In general, any card can be used though most find one of the traditionally illustrated cards in the deck resonates best. If, for example, you are familiar with the deck and know that you self-identify most strongly with the Empress or the Hanged Man or even the Four of Coins, by all means, submit that as your significator.
If you are unfamiliar with the tarot, I would suggest the following flow chart method:
- Are you male or female, or do you heavily identify with masculine or feminine archetypes?
Males in the traditional tarot structure have Kings for men over thirty, Knights for young men (and occasionally Princes), and Pages for youths.
Females have Queens for their mature selves and either the aforementioned Page or occasionally a Princess as a younger option.
For example, I am a man over 40, so in the traditional tarot structure, I choose a King. If I happen to be reading with Crowley’s Thoth tarot, I may use the Knight since the Golden Dawn structure is slightly different. My wife is a Queen. My son who is in his early twenties is a knight, or in the GD structure, a Prince. (My daughters still consider themselves Princesses, but this has nothing to do with the tarot.)
- What is your general personality type?
The tarot is composed of four different “elemental” suits. I read using the following elements:
The suit of Rods/Wands/ Staves signifies the element Fire, which represents energy; animation; activity, both physical and mental; and growth.
The suit of Cups signifies Water, which represents the emotions; love; the subconscious; and nurturing attitudes.
The suit of Swords signifies Air, which represents the ideas; the mind; wit and intelligence, but sometimes aggression.
The suit of Coins/Pentacles signifies Earth, which represents the physical world; the worker; someone who places value on things that can be touched and used.
For example, I know already that I am a King, and since I am actively involved in matters of spirituality, language, and communication, I choose Cups. My significator is, therefore, the King of Cups. My wife is the Queen of Coins.
In lieu of this personality typing, if you have physical or electronic access to a deck, go through the cards and see which card or cards resonate with you. I once had a young woman who knew nothing about the tarot choose a Marseilles-style Five of Coins, simply five coins on the card. She then proceeded to ask about her financial woes. The card that speaks to you is generally correct.
And finally, what do you want to know…
The Tarot King of Mississippi 