I have just finished your beautiful book...did a few of the exercises too...really, really good!
Thanks so much, Tilly! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Firstly, how did you become involved with Tarot?
It was the strangest thing, really. One day, I just "felt" that I was supposed to begin learning Tarot. In fact, my husband remembers the day much better than I do. We were just sitting at the dining room table together talking and I come out with "I feel to learn Tarot". This wasn't the first time I had a sudden cosmic knowing about pursuing a new path, and I'm sure it won't be the last!
The flash of claircognizance occurred about seven years ago. At that time, I tried researching Tarot on the web (I live in a rural area in the Northeastern U.S. and we have NO New Age bookstores anywhere near us, let alone regular bookstores!), but it was slow going, and very confusing. I couldn't figure out why certain keywords and phrases were ascribed to various images and it didn't help that I was trying to learn Tarot with Thoth images AND Rider Waite decks--two very different traditions.
Janet, how did the idea of Back In Time Tarot come to you?
Tilly, would you believe it came to me in the bathtub? *chuckle* Now that day I remember clearly. I was taking an afternoon bath in my old claw tub. It was the cusp of Spring, and I had a great view of a large cherry tree outside the second floor window of the bathroom. The branches were beginning to bud, the sky was bright blue and the sun was shining. As I was "zoning out", I heard the words "Back in Time".
I bolted upright and suddenly had what I can only call a "cosmic download" about a method to experiencing Tarot that began with the person, not the cards. This Back in Time (BIT) Method would start with a memory, conversation, movie, biography, world event, personal milestone, etc., and then work outwards to the cards--a BIT Snapshot, as I call it. I then had the idea to contact colleages and Tarot writers to see if they'd contribute a BIT Snapshot for my book to demonstrate not only how easy it was to use, but also how different personalities utilized the BIT Method.
I was so excited that I dried off quickly, went downstairs straight to my computer and emailed my colleague Mark McElroy, telling him of my idea and asking if he'd contribute a BIT Snapshot to my book. He emailed me back with an incredibly heartfelt and well-written BIT Snapshot within an hour of my email; his BIT Snapshot appears in Back in Time Tarot exactly as he wrote it.
Can beginners use the Back In Time technique?
Absolutely! In fact, beginners don't even need a Tarot deck to use my BIT Method, especially if they have my book. Back in Time Tarot shows all 78 images from the Universal Waite deck, so those unfamiliar with Tarot can begin to use my BIT Method immediately. All you need is a "snapshot" of a past event frozen in your mind--whether it occurred ten minutes ago or ten years ago--and then pair up Tarot cards according to the components of your memory or the past event.
In what ways has it helped people grow and heal in the past?
Individuals have written to tell me that they've gained objectivity and clarity about past events, especially troubling ones that they've had some difficult processing. Also, readers have told me that my BIT Method has helped them bond with a particular deck, gain confidence with cards and forge a vital link with the realm of intuition, symbolism and collective archetypes.
Can you explain how snapshots from the past help us to interpret the Tarot?
Tarot reading doesn't occur in a vacuum. Especially for those completely new to Tarot, reading an expert's list of card keywords and meanings can be confusing at best and discouraging at worst--especially if there's no real-life context for such meanings. Let's take the Rider-Waite image of the 6 of Cups, for example, which shows one figure giving a cup of flowers to another. Most experts assign the word "nostalgia" to this card. However, nothing about the image itself hints to "nostalgia" or being stuck in the past! This results in a disconnect between the user and the deck, which often ends in frustration--or even abandoning the attempt to learn Tarot altogether.
However, if a person begins with their own experience--whether it be personal, as a bystander or from the word stage (including literature, music and world events)--and then assign cards to the components of that memory, then a link is forged. This is because sensory data elicited by memories--feelings, mental picture, smells, reactions, associations, etc.--stick with us; they are indelibly etched in the reaches of our mind. When we then pair these associations with specific Tarot cards, we create powerful, lasting, relevant meanings that we can use for readings for ourselves or others.
Instead of a guidebook, Back In Time Tarot is very interactive. How does this work?
After each BIT Snapshot in my book, I provide three exercises--over 100 exercises in total. This way, readers can benefit immediately from my BIT Method by doing one of the fun, interactive exercises that appeals to them.
The book is very easy, yet informative to read Janet. What are your thoughts on bonding with a Tarot deck better with the Back in Time Tarot method?
Well, as I mentioned, the keywords or meanings sometimes given to a particular card--whether it be via a book, Tarot expert or deck creator--may not have an obvious connection to the image. The meaning may be steeped in esoteric associations or traditions, or perhaps have a meaning personal to the deck creator. Thus, when it comes time for an individual to do an actual reading and one of those cards come up--confusion ensues. Even if a meaning is remembered, how it applies to the person receiving the reading compounds the confusion.
However, when you have bonded with the Tarot deck of your choice using your own memories, then you will remember the associations you create using the BIT Method--and that cache of personal meanings will increase each time you practice creating a BIT Snapshot. Then, when you perform a reading and a particular card comes up that you've bonded with via the BIT Method, the meanings will bubble up to you easily and clearly--because they are your own.
In the modern world what other ways can you use the Back In Time method?
Well, you could use the BIT Method for fun at parties, especially if everyone has a Tarot deck with them! For example, start with a world event, story or movie that everyone in attendance is familiar with. Then, ask everyone--separately--to deconstruct that memory and pair up Tarot cards with the various components. Then, have each person explain why they paired a particular card with a specific component. Not only does this make a great ice-breaker, but also fosters a sense of community. And arguably the best benefit is that you'll gain additional insights into the Tarot when each shares their personal reasons for the card choices!
On a more serious note, though, an individual can use the BIT Method to gain clarity into a troubling or puzzling dream, as well as personal events that need the lens of a broader perspective. The latter can aid in getting unstuck, resolving conflict, gaining valuable insight or even fostering forgiveness and compassion.
What is the best approach to reading the cards with the Back In Time technique on a personal and intuitive level?
The best approach to have with the BIT Method, and Tarot in general, is to realize that anyone can bond with the Tarot deck of his/her choice--and it can be an exciting and engaging process. Trust your instincts and your own personal associations above all. The more you trust your intuition, the greater the rewards in terms of accuracy and confidence. Your personal meanings created via the BIT Method have just as much validity as anyone else's. Trust them!
