Using Tarot in Ancestral Work

By Nancy Hendrickson, a featured speaker in the Ancestral Healing Summit
 

The idea of the souls of the dead returning home on one night of the year has ancient origins and is found in many cultures throughout the world. In October and the first two days of November we celebrate Samhain, Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Soul’s Day, and All Saint’s Day. 

However, you don’t have to wait for a specific season or date to work with your ancestors. It’s always the right time to honor those who lived before you, and to ask for their aid in doing healing work for your family line or healing work for yourself. 

In my book, Ancestral Tarot, I created multiple spreads for using the cards to communicate, honor, and work through family issues with those who have departed. It doesn’t matter if you know who those ancestors were because the ancestors know you. 

One spread I’m particularly fond of is asking an Ancestor for help or advice for healing work. This is a simple three-card-spread, with positions of:

1. Which Ancestor wants to work with me on this issue?
2. What do I need to understand about this Ancestor?
3. What advice does the Ancestor have for me?

You might feel challenged to identify the Ancestor in Spread Position #1. Don’t be. This is a time to go with your gut. Look at the card you drew and trust what you hear. For example, I asked about completing a book proposal project. My cards (DruidCraft Tarot) were Four of Swords, King of Pentacles, and the World.

This spread told me that my Ancestor was a male who was engaged in work that was mentally taxing. And, at times, he wanted to abandon a project (just like I do). However, what I need to understand was that he stepped up to the plate (King of Pentacles) and made sure his projects were completed to the absolute best of his ability. 

The advice for healing my issue – and probably that of several of my ancestors – is to realize that the arduous work has already been done. The knowledge and experience are already there, it just needs to be captured in words. 

Figure 1 DruidCraft Tarot
 

Does this help? Yes, it tells me that I had at least one Ancestor who also did mental work and got tired of it. As you can see from the Four of Swords, he’s taking a time out. Perhaps, before taking on that last little bit of my own project, a brief respite would do me a ‘World’ of good.

Sometimes, it only takes drawing a few cards to receive a clear message from the Ancestors regarding healing. Your issue may be a personal healing challenge or one from your everyday life. In either case, the Ancestors are always there to help. You just have to ask.
 

Nancy Hendrickson is the author of Ancestral Tarot, and Ancestral Grimoire (Fall 2022) as well as several books on genealogy and history. She is a columnist for The Cartomancer Magazine, writing about tarot, the ancestors, and healing family patterns.

Ancestral Tarot was voted the Best Divination Book of 2021 by the World Divination Association. She shares weekly ancestral messages on her Instagram account (@NancySageShadow) as well as in the Ancestor Cafe, Facebook, and through her Free Tarot Newsletter.