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Introduction and instructions for THE

PYTHO’S PRISM ORACLE

Designed by Collin Tew

(c) 2018 Staircase2Subconscious@gmail.com

“ Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s

being, but by integration of the contraries.
- Carl Gustav Jung
Written by Collin W. Tew

(c) 2018 Staircase2Subconscious@gmail.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

SECTION: PAGE:

Backstory……………………………………………………………….. 3.

Prism One………………………………………………………………. 10.

Prism Two………………………………………………………………. 19.

Prism Three…………………………………………………………….. 52.

Hexagram Development Worksheet…………………………………. 61.

Trigram Chart…………………………………………………………… 62.

Symbol Thesaurus……………………………………………………… 63.

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B A C K S T O RY

I sat down to meditate one afternoon, just as I had done each day for the
prior year. Using my standard technique, I calmed my mind like a mountain lake
after a wind storm. My thoughts, more than usual, seemed to completely turn
off. Down to a state of nothingnesses, I began to “blank-out.” With my mind
void of thought, an hour passed and I barely noticed. Moving into this state of
consciousness was a new experience for me. I felt as though I didn't care about
anything. Perhaps this dark place I entered was the result of me losing interest
in my year-long experiment with meditation. It’s also possible that I was extra
tired and on the verge of sleep. Either way, what happened next was a
remarkable moment in my life.

While feeling almost comatose, I suddenly sensed something or someone

had entered into my personal space. Slightly awakened, but still deep in
meditation, I began to have a hypnogogic inner vision. This wasn't like a movie
projector on my eyelids, but more like a dream. Deep in my imagination
appeared the outline of a snake. Within this waking dream, I could see and feel
myself sitting on a cement floor. I then realized there was a coiled python several
feet from my face! Instinctively, I opened my eyes as fear and surprise rushed
through my body. After seeing my bedroom around me, I closed my eyes quickly.
I thought the vision would no longer be available, but I somehow remained in
the same state of hypnogogia. Realizing that I was simultaneously dreaming and
conscious, I attempted to remain calm and allow the images to continue.
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As I sat facing this angry looking serpent, I noticed adrenaline surging
through my body. My heart rate was increasing and I wondered if I would have a
panic attack. Despite my fear, I assumed the vision was intended to teach me
something valuable. I welcomed the serpent’s message. My heart rate slowed
and I settled back into my meditative state. My calmness, however, seemed to
have the opposite affect on the python. It was apparent, the more I remained
calm, the bigger and scarier the snake appeared in my vision.

With each breath I took, the snake (who I now call “Pytho”) grew taller and
became more agitated. Soon, towering over me like a dragon, he was large
enough to swallow me whole. Using great speed and ferocity, he attempted to
bite me without success. Each time he tried, he passed through my astral body
like I was a ghost. As we both realized that he could not physically harm me, I
began to smile. It seemed to me, the snake was powerless and I had won the
battle. I was wrong, however. I underestimated Pytho’s cleverness and he was
more than capable of turning my dream into a living hell.

While there was no way for Pytho to physically harm me, he quickly
learned how to attack a different vulnerability that was available to him. His face
dropped down to my eye level and he began vomiting and spitting at me.
However, this was not regular venom or regurgitation. Rather than spewing
liquid, Pytho was projecting a streaming horror movie from his mouth. Each
time he spat, it was like I entered a new, miniature nightmare. One image after
another flowed forth—each contained disturbing memories from my past and
fears concerning my future. He projected out the scenes of dead and injured
Soldiers that I had witnessed during my time in the military. He knew my
failures in life, my sins, and my hatred.

Breathing became more difficult as the feelings of shame and suffering were
overwhelming me. My heart, was again, beating quickly. He then forced me to
re-experience the day I was separated from my children due to a divorce. I could
see my family members in their future coffins. There was nothing off limits to
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Pytho. Each time he cruelly spat, the impact of the images on my psyche were
powerful and devastating.

Pytho made a respectable attempt to harm me. His attack was robust and
creative enough to cause a stream of tears to roll down my face. Nevertheless, I
remained calm and unharmed until I noticed the snake was running out of his
nightmarish venom. With no disturbing images left to spit, Pytho became
desperate and began thrashing and biting at everything he could. Moving like a
bolt of lightning, the snake’s body appeared to me as an undefined, blur of
motion. His final attempts of aggression were no longer frightening. Intuitively, I
knew his self-destruction was forthcoming. I smiled as Pytho tried in vain to
strike me. He and I knew the end was near. Eventually, the frantic snake
swallowed the only thing available to him: his own tail. The snake’s own foolish
actions, caused him to become locked in an infinite
loop. He was now the ouroboros. With his tail My tattoo of Pytho as the ouroboros.
stuck in his own throat, Pytho appeared to me as
a symbolic victory over my own fears and shame.
My inner dragon had been defeated. With great
satisfaction, I watched as the snake-like infinity
symbol swirled off into nothingness. After Pytho
was gone, nothing but the sensations of joy and
clarity were left in my body and mind.

Although I
wasn’t familiar with the symbolic
meaning of the ouroboros, I intuitively
knew the experience was profound and
transformative in some way. Pytho was a
Apollo Slays the Python
representation of my anxiety and shame
devouring itself. By facing my own shadow, it lost all power over me. Pytho was
there to set me free—not harm me. This realization was astonishing and I
became deeply curious about all that I had witnessed.
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As I began searching for explanations to the meaning of the vision, I soon
discovered the symbol of the ouroboros. Later, I also came across the the Greek
myth of Apollo and Python. I came to find out, the ancient symbol of the
ouroboros represents wholeness and renewal. How could a symbol so profound
and unfamiliar appear in my mind? Had I previously been interested in the
ouroboros, I may not have been so captivated by the imagery. But this was
strange. Never before had I thought about a snake swallowing its own tail. The
ideas of alchemy and magic were silly to me…I had never even watched Harry
Potter. Yet, the more I replayed the vision in my mind,
the more I began to wonder if I had tapped into a
source of knowledge from my ancestors. Was this
symbol given to me from a supernatural source? The
vision was beyond my normal capability to imagine
stories and images. Was it possible that I accidentally
traveled into a dimension only known to shamans and
oracles? I needed to know what happened!

As a scientifically-minded person, I decided I

should try to replicate the experience by inducing a similar vision. Several more
times I meditated in the same manner as when I had the vision. During these
attempts, nothing unusual took place. However, a thought did occur to me. I
remembered there was a deck of tarot cards somewhere in my basement. These
cards were a gift to my wife, and had been sitting unopened for a couple years. I
recalled looking at tarot cards in the past, and I associated the card’s artwork
with the images found in dreams. I also knew the cards were full of symbolism,
completely foreign to me. With this in mind, I wondered if I could somehow use
the cards to trigger a vision and acquire insights into their mysterious meanings.
The ouroboros was revealed to me, so why not the symbolism of the tarot?

After locating the deck, I opened it and shuffled it thoroughly. Of the 78

cards, I pulled one of them at random. It was the eight of wands. As you likely
know, the card shows eight sticks hovering in the sky with a natural and simple
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landscape in the background. This was an excellent card to
select, because its meaning is not obvious.

Sitting on my meditation cushion, I stared at the card

until the image was essentially burned into my mind. I then
closed my eyes and continued to hold a mental image of the
card stable for approximately 30 minutes. Finally, I allowed
the mental depiction of the Eight of Wands to take on a life
of its own. The image quickly embarked on its mission to rearrange itself within
my mind. My hope was, the symbols on the card would move around until
something new had formed. I believed the new formation would provide me
with a message. My experiment did not disappoint.

After giving my mind permission to freely

create a new image, the eight wands organized
themselves into something like a spiral staircase. In
the center of the staircase I could see a half moon
that was similar to the yin yang symbol. The spiral
shape continued to morph, eventually becoming a
wheel, with the eight wands as spokes. Surrounding
the wheel, I could see the card’s various elements.
Depiction of my Inner Vision
The sky, mountain, river, valley, trees, sun, earth,
and a small building sat at the ends of the spokes.
Each of these aspects in the card seemed to vaguely
represent elements of nature, energy, and the unity
of opposites. Next, I watched the wheel turn. The
elements changed forms and interacted with each
other; however, the vision eventually just faded
away. Afterward, I quickly sketched what I had
witnessed to the best of my ability.
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Clearly, my meeting with Pytho was meaningful. The serpent tested
me and taught me a lesson about my fears. The vision of the wheel was
different. This time, there was no frightening initiation or test to endure. Also, I
wasn’t sure if the wheel was helpful to me in any way. The experience was
interesting, but I wasn't sure if it was important. With those sorts of thoughts
going through my mind, I fell asleep that night and had a dream. I saw myself in
a workshop. I was building game boards that looked somewhat like the sketch I
had created. As I was waking up, I began thinking about my dream. Out of the
blue, a game concept popped into my mind. This was surprising to me, because I
don’t usually play video games or board games. The game I had in mind was for
two players and would be used for improving telepathic abilities. (The
instructions on how to play this game is given in Prism Three.) With the idea of
a game in my mind, I decided to start designing and building “Pytho’s Prism.”

Over the next few months, I worked on designing and building a game
board. During this time, I played around with many different concepts.
Eventually, I even began having lucid dreams about being in a
workshop. In these lucid states of dreaming, I continued
working on the game in my sleep. I felt like I was a magician or
alchemist in my dream workshop. There, I could play with tarot
cards on the oracle and try to come up with unusual ideas.
After many experiments and failures, I finally dreamed of what
I now call the “Core Concept” of Pytho’s Prism. (This concept is
found in Prism Two and I consider it my most important
discovery.) Here’s the idea: 1) Use the oracle + tarot cards to
trigger memories. 2) Use the memories + oracle to create an I Ching Hexagram.
3) Use the oracle to sort through and eliminate tarot cards from a deck. 4) Keep
a small number of cards. These are the cards which were never selected. 5)
Analyze the cards. These cards represent things which are unconsciously being
avoided, ignored, and repressed in the psyche. 6) Use the hexagram to consult
the I Ching for deeper insights + advice. 7) Create a journal for future reference.
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There’s not much more I can say about the backstory of Pytho’s Prism.
After conceiving the ideas for Prism Two and Prism Three, the rest was a matter
of testing concepts, applying all that I was studying, and refining the processes.
Around the time I first started designing Pytho’s Prism, I discovered the work of
depth psychologist Carl Jung, and stumbled across the ancient Chinese oracle
known as the I Ching. If you're familiar with Jung or the I Ching, you’ll know
these topics can be studied for a lifetime. As someone who has only studied
these subjects for a short time, I’m sure I have much left to learn. That being
said, I believe Pytho’s Prism can—and hopefully will—evolve and grow alongside
me. My goal is to help bring divination and psychology together. If you have any
new ideas on how to use Pytho’s Prism, I’d love to hear from you as well! This
project is still alive, and I’m open to suggestions.

As my understanding grows, my vision continues to unfold. I’m sure I will

discover new methods for using the oracle. There is already a constant backlog
of ideas in my mind. My biggest challenge is finding the time to design, film, and
write down my ideas. For that reason, I’ll be working to keep this document
updated online—check back every so often if you’d like to watch Pytho’s Prism
evolve and grow! Also, be sure to subscribe to my channel on YouTube (just
search for “Pytho’s Prism” and you’ll find me) and to the community subreddit
at https://www.reddit.com/r/PythosPrism/

The Oracle at Pytho (aka Delphi)

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P R I S M 1.
B A L A N C E - D I V I N AT I O N - FA M I L I A R I Z AT I O N

Preparation:
Time Requirement: Thirty minutes daily for five consecutive days.

Goals and Outcomes: Conduct five unique tarot card readings.

Familiarization with Pytho’s Prism Oracle. Gain insights from items of
symbolic importance. Improve intuitive ability. Meditation on Balance.

What You’ll Need:

• Pytho’s Prism Oracle.
Purchase at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PythosPrism

• Game Piece.
(Monopoly or D&D game piece works well.)

• Tarot Cards.
(Universal RWS deck highly recommend. Deck must have 78 cards.)

• Note Paper.
(Laptop or tablet could also work.)

• Various Items of Symbolic Importance.

(Examples: Photo of departed loved on, I Ching hexagram, runes, oracle cards, small totem,
etc.)

“ When the psychic process is allowed to grow in peace, the unconscious

fertilizes the consciousness, and consciousness illuminates the unconscious; the
infusion and union of the two opposites result in increased awareness and a
broadening of personality .
- Radmila Moacanin
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Getting Started

1. Find something small with symbolic

importance. Place the item near your Pytho’s
Prism Oracle.

Example: Perhaps, try using an I Ching hexagram, oracle card,

sigil, or rune. You may also use a photo of a loved one who has
passed away or a piece of their artwork. I have always been
fascinated by crows; for that reason, I will us an illustration of a
crow. Be creative! Whatever you select, ensure it has the
potential to stir up your imagination.

2. Place a game piece on the first position (1. ACCEPTING) of the Pytho’s
Prism Oracle.

3. After shuffling the cards, place five cards down. Ensure they are face-up.
Place the symbolic item on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle, next to the word,
“ACCEPTING”.
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Selecting Cards

4.A. Take a few moments and consider the meaning of the word
“accepting”. Using a thesaurus to find similar words can be helpful. Also,
on page 63 there is a resource provided to help with this process.

4.B. Think about the significance of the symbolic item. What are its
qualities and characteristics? How have people thought about its meaning
in the past? What does it mean to you?

5. Calm your mind and use your imagination to combine the idea of
accepting with the meaning of your symbolic item. Allow new images to arise
in your mind. Perhaps, even allow a story or memory to play out.

Ask yourself: Symbolic item + Accepting = ?

Symbolic Item
+
=?

6. Write down a short description of what you imagined. Did you come up
with a story in your mind? Did any memories come to the surface? How
about a word or image? If not, that’s alright. Try to write down any
thoughts you have when combining your symbolic item with the idea of
“accepting”.
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7. Look over the five tarot cards and select the one which best represents
the meaning of the symbolic item + accepting.

Tarot Card
Symbolic Item
+ =

Example: For me, I thought about a crow flying through the air and allowing the wind to guide its
journey. I said to myself, “wherever the wind blows, the crow is happy to go”. When I looked over
my five tarot cards, I thought The Wheel of Fortune was the perfect card to represent this idea. I was
fortunate to have a card that represented my fantasy so well. Oftentimes, there is not such a perfect
card. That’s alright, this exercise requires a lot of imagination, intuition, and creativity. Your card
selection is subjective. There are no “right” or “wrong” choices in this process. For that reason, just
pick the card that “feels” right to you. Don’t worry, your choice is always the “right” card.

8. Place the selected tarot card off to your side. This card needs to be saved
for a later time. Today you will select a total of four cards. Later, these four
cards will be used for a tarot card reading.

9. Return the other four tarot cards to the bottom of the deck. Shuffling
your cards is optional at this point.

10. Move the game piece to the second position (2. CREATING) on Pytho’s
Prism Oracle. Also, move your symbolic item near the second position.

11. Select five cards from the deck and lay them out, face-up.
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12. To select your second card, you will repeat the same steps. The process
is the same; however, you’ll combine your symbolic item with the word
“CREATING” this time.

Ask yourself: Symbolic item + Creating = ?

CROW + CREATING =
My Selection

13. Once a card has been selected to represent the symbolic item + creating,
place it to the side with the card selected earlier. Return the other four
cards to the bottom of the deck.

14. Repeat the same process of card selection on the third and fourth
positions of Pytho’s Prism Oracle. Once all four positions are complete, you
will be ready to conduct your first tarot card reading with the four cards
selected.

Example: As you can see

(photo to the right), I
selected the Six of Cups as
a representation of the
crow + fantasy. Therefore, I
place the Six of Cups with
the other two cards which I
have already selected.
Nearly ready for my first
tarot card reading. CROW + FANTASY = My Selection
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Example: Finally, I selected

the Seven of Pentacles as a
representation of the crow +
reality. Therefore, I place the
Seven of Pentacles with the
other three cards which I
have already selected for a
tarot card reading.

Now I have all four cards CROW + REALITY = My Selection

needed for my first reading.

TAROT SPREAD DAY ONE

Example: These are the

four cards I selected on day
one. I can now use these
four cards to conduct my
first tarot reading.

15. Prism One takes five days to complete. On the first day, advance
through the first four positions (1, 2, 3, and 4). Once this is completed,
layout a four-card tarot card spread. On day two, advance through the next
five positions (5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). After which, layout a five-card tarot
spread. The process continues in this same manner until you have moved
all the way through all 32 positions of the oracle.

See the chart below for a schedule of how to complete the process over a
five days period. Remember to return all cards to the deck after each day.

Day One: Positions 1 through 4. Four card spread.

Day Two: Positions 5 through 9. Five card spread.
Day Three: Positions 10 through 15. Six card spread.
Day Four: Positions 16 through 22. Seven card spread.
Day Five: Positions 23 through 32. Ten card spread.
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Reading Cards

These spreads are meant to be recommendations. Using modifications is

perfectly alright. You may choose to shuffle the cards or keep them in the
order they were selected in. Pytho’s Prism is designed to allow for your
own experimentation. Feel free to try different layouts on each of the five
days. That being said, it may also be beneficial to learn some of the
fundamentals before making modifications.

Keeping a journal is important during these five days. You may find that
reviewing all five readings at once reveals a common thread that ties them
all together. Without a journal, it’s easy to forget information from
previous readings.

Day One - Four card spread:

First Card: Past.
Second Card: Present.
1 2 3 4
Third Card: Future.
Fourth Card: Outcome.

Day Two - Five card spread:

4
First Card: Situation.
Second Card: Challenges.
Third Card: Strengths. 3 1 5

Fourth Card: Guidance.

Fifth Card: Potential. 2
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Day Three - Six card spread:

6
First Card: Accept.
Second Card: Forgive.
Third Card: Release. 4 5
Fourth Card: Discuss.
Fifth Card: Learn.
1 2 3
Sixth Card: Create.

6
Day Four - Seven card spread:
First Card: I have. 5
Second Card: I feel.
Third Card: I can. 4
Fourth Card: I love.
Fifth Card: I speak. 3
Sixth Card: I see.
Seventh Card: I know. 2

1
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Day Five - Ten card spread: 10

First Card: Situation.
5
Second Card: Challenge.
Third Card: Belief. 9
Fourth Card: Distant past. 4
2
6
Fifth Card: Near past. 1
8
Sixth Card: Near future.
Seventh Card: Self-perception. 3
Eighth Card: Outside influences. 7
Ninth Card: Action advice.
Tenth Card: Likely outcome.
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PRISM 2.
I N D I V I D U AT I O N - S H A D O W W O R K - D I V I N AT I O N - J O U R N A L I N G

Preparation:
Time Requirement: Three hours.

Goals and Outcomes: Enter flow state. Explore the unconscious. Encounter the
archetypes. Uncover complexes. Shadow work. Individuation. Divination. Journaling.

What You’ll Need:

• I Ching Hexagram Development Worksheet.
See Page 61 / Download: https://www.scribd.com/document/390055515/Hexagram-Development-Worksheet
• Hexagram Chart.
See Page 62 / Download: https://www.scribd.com/document/390055791/Hexagram-Chart
• I Ching Book or I Ching Website for Reference.
Online version available: https://cafeausoul.com/read/hexagram-detail-pages
• Three Coins.
• Tarot Cards (Universal RWS deck recommended. Deck must have 78 cards).
• Game Piece (Monopoly or D&D game pieces work well).
• Pen or Pencil.
• Ruler or Straight Edge.
• Pytho’s Prism Oracle.
See Page 1 / Purchase at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PythosPrism
• Note Paper (Laptop or tablet may also work).

Getting Started

1. Separate your deck of tarot cards in the following

Keep the major
way: arcana and court
cards in front of
a) Create a pile of MAJOR ARCANA (22 cards). you.
b) Create a pile of COURT CARDS (16 cards).
c) Create a pile of 20 MINOR ARCANA cards.
d) Create a second pile of 20 MINOR ARCANA cards.

2. You now have four separate piles of cards. Take the

two piles of minor arcana cards and place them off to
the side. You will not need the minor arcana at this
time. This leaves you with two piles of cards
in front of you: 22 major arcana and 16 court You won’t need
the minor
cards. arcana until
later.
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Discovering Memory #1

3. Shuffle the pile of major arcana cards. Shuffle the pile of court cards. Ensure the two
piles of cards are kept separate.

4. Place the major arcana stack of cards to your right. Next to the major arcana cards, place
a coin with heads facing up. See photo below.

5. Place the court cards to your left. Next to this pile of cards, place a coin with the tails
facing up. See photo below.

ana
s Major Arc
Court Card Major Arcana

Coin = Heads Up

Court Cards

Coin = Tails Up

Used in Step 9

Third Coin

Note: In the future, you may want to experiment with which pile of cards you place on the right and left. It doesn’t
actually matter. However, to keep things simple and uniform while you are learning, make your piles match the photo
above.

• COURT CARDS on the LEFT / coin has TAILS facing up.

• MAJOR ARCANA on the RIGHT / coin has HEADS facing up.
• THIRD COIN may be used during step 9.

6. Place your Hexagram Development Worksheet in front of you where you can write on
it. Ensure you have a something to write with and a straight edge.
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7. Look at the pile of cards to your left (court cards). Examine the card on top. Imagine
that card represents you. Try your best to remember a time in your life when you
embodied the energy of the court card you are looking at. Take note of your memory.

Example: In the photo on the previous page, you see the Page of Swords is on top of the court card pile. This card
reminds me of being a young man and starting my career in the military. I look at the card and remember the feeling
of going out into the world with big dreams and finally becoming independent. I remember feeling passionate about
life. I want to start thinking about that time in my life and how I felt back then.

8. Keep the memory from ‘Step 7’ in your mind. Now, look at the pile of cards to your right
(major arcana). Examine the card on top of the pile. This card represents your memory of a
place, event, or situation in your past. Take note of the memory this card brings up.

8.A. In your imagination, try to combine the two memories you have thought of. Doing so
may cause you to think of a third memory. It’s also possible that your attention becomes
more focused on one of the two memories that you have already thought of. Take note of
whatever takes place in your imagination.

Court Card (You)+ Major Arcana Card (Place / Event / Situation) = Memory

If no memory comes to mind, proceed to step 9.A. If you were able to combine the two
cards and think of a memory, proceed to 9.B.

Example: In the photo above, you will see the Strength card on my right. This card reminds me of all the strong people
who were testing me while I went through boot camp as a young man. Now, I can combine the two cards and see if they
remind me of a time in my past. This combination of cards reminds me of being a young Soldier (Page of Swords)
training in boot camp (Strength).

Note: If you are having a difficult time, it’s okay to simply look at the two cards and allow a memory to come to mind.
You do not need to think of the court card as “self ” and major arcana as “situation”. Using this method is only a
recommendation. Experiment with the process. It important that you come up with a memory using two cards, but how
you do this can be simplified.

9.A. If combining the two cards did not help you recall a time in your life, that’s alright.
Pick up the third coin and flip it. Look to see if the coin landed on heads or tails.

If the coin landed on heads, remove the top card from the pile of cards on your right
(major arcana) and place that card at the bottom of the pile. If the coin landed on tails,
remove the top card from the pile of cards on your left (court cards) and place that card at
the bottom of the pile. Now that you have a new card on top, repeat steps 7 and 8.

“ The past beats inside me like a second heart.

- John Banville
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The Hexagram Development Worksheet

9.B. On the Hexagram Development Worksheet, write down the two cards used to come
up with your memory. Write the name of the court card in the block called ‘Symbolic Item
1.” Write the name of the major arcana card in the block called ‘Symbolic Item 4.”

Page of Swords: I recalled Strength: I recalled the boot

being a young, excited Soldier camp environment and being
in training. surrounded by strong people.

Represents your “inner energy” at Represents your “outer energy” at

the time of the memory. What the time of the memory. What was
were your emotions and thoughts your environment or situation
like? like?

10. In a notebook, write down the details of the memory (I would write about being in boot
camp). Label this memory as, “Memory #1.” Include how you felt at this time in your life.
What type of emotions and energies were going on inside of you? Be specific and concise.
Include what the environment was like. What was the energy in the world around you like?
This could be on a small scale (in the room), or a large scale (in your city or country).
Describe what you recall about the energies of your “inner world” and the “outer world” at
that time.

11. There are 32 positions on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle. You’ll see
the first position is ‘1. ACCEPTING’ and the last position is ‘32.
LIGHT’. Read over all 32 positions and find the word which best
describes the energy / emotion you were experiencing during the
time of your memory. Consider this your internal / inner world
energy.

TIP: Try using a thesaurus or dictionary to look up various meanings for each of the words on the oracle. Also, you can
use the symbols on page 63 to get a deeper understanding of each position of Pytho’s Prism.

“ The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.

- Blaise Pascal
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12. On the Hexagram Development Worksheet, find the block that

says, “memory 1.” Below that block, you will see a block labeled,
“Inner World”. In that block, write the word you selected from the
previous step.

EXAMPLE: My memory was provoked by the Page of Swords and Strength cards. These two
cards brought up a memory of when I was in boot camp as a young man. At that time, I felt
the inner energy or emotional state most like position ‘24. Courage’. For that reason, you can
see that I wrote, “Courage” in the ‘Inner World’ block. Page of Swords + Strength = a feeling
of courage for me.

13. Again, read over all 32 positions. This time, find the word which best describes the
energy of your environment at the time of your memory. Consider this your external /
outer world’s energy.

14. Above the ‘memory 1.’ block, you will see a block labeled, “Outer
World”. In that block, write the word you selected from the previous
step.

EXAMPLE: As I explained before, the Page of Swords + Strength reminded me of my time

in boot camp. In that memory, I felt my environment was creative. The drill sergeants were
building Soldiers. Everything in my environment was intended to be creative in a sense.
After reading all the positions on Pytho’s Prism, I decided to select position “2. Creating” as
the representation of my “Outer World.” Page of Swords + Strength = the idea of a creative
environment for me.

15. On the Pytho’s Prism Oracle, you’ll notice there are symbols under or above the words
of each position. Each of the words you wrote down in the ‘Inner World' and ‘Outer World’
blocks each has a corresponding symbol on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle. Locate the
corresponding symbol for the word you have written in the ‘Inner World’ block. Draw the
symbol in the ‘Line 1’ block on the Hexagram Development Worksheet.

“ One is a great deal less anxious if one feels perfectly free to be anxious. The same
may be said of guilt.
- Alan Watts
 24

16. Place the cards you used for ‘Symbolic Item 1’ and ‘Symbolic Item 4’ off to your side.
Those cards are the start of your “discard pile”. Your discard pile only has two cards in it
for now, but it will grow a lot as this process continues.

Next, pick up your piles of court cards and major arcana and shuffle the two piles together.
This will give you one mixed pile of court cards and major arcana. Place that stack of cards
off to your side. You will not need those cards for now.

Journal - Memory # 1 (example)

Self = Page of Swords: I’m young and full of excitement. I feel fearless and I’m looking for a great adventure.
Environment = Strength Card: Drill sergeants are instructing new Soldiers how to fight. People are trying to
survive boot camp. We are learning to become strong. The military is creating the next generation of warriors.
Cards Combined: I’m crawling through the mud and over rocks. My knees and elbows are bleeding and I’m
sweating. Despite being tired, I want to succeed. Drill sergeants are yelling at all of us as we are going through an
obstacle course. A guy next to me quits because he is not driven enough. I know he is going to go home and will not
become a Soldier. I continue on because I know this is an opportunity for me to have a career…I truly want to see
what will happen if I challenge myself and finish the training program.

NOTE: The yin yang symbols originated in ancient China and have been used in divination for thousands of years.
The I Ching has withstood the test of time and I do not claim to have made improvements to the ancient oracle.
Pytho’s Prism utilizes ancient Chinese wisdom in a new method of self-analysis. That being said, using the I Ching
in the traditional way is still worthwhile.

EXAMPLE: The Hexagram Development Worksheet you are creating should look something like the example
above at this point. In my case, I have: Page of Swords + Strength = Creating / Courage. You’ll also see that I have an
Old Yang symbol over a Young Yang symbol. Once the worksheet is complete, there will be six I Ching symbols.
These six symbols will create one larger symbol, called an I Ching hexagram. The hexagram can then be used for
divination.

“ It’s your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you,
but no one can walk it for you.
- Rumi
 25

Discovering Memory #2
17. Earlier you created two equal piles of minor arcana cards. It’s now time to use them.
Take the two piles of minor arcana cards and place them in front of you. Shuffle the cards
as much as you like, but ensure you keep them in two separate piles (20 cards each).

ana
ana Minor Arc Minor Arcana Right
Minor Arc
Coin = Heads Up

Minor Arcana Left

Coin = Tails Up

Used in Step 19

Third Coin

18. The process will now essentially be the same as what you did while coming up with
your first memory. In your imagination, combine the card on your left with the card on
your right. Think of the card on the left as yourself and the card on the right as the
environment / situation surrounding you. See if the two cards can combine to remind you
of a time in your life.

If no memory comes to mind, proceed to step 19.A. If you were able to combine the two
cards and think of a memory, proceed to step 19.B.

19.A. If combining the two cards did not help you recall a time in your life, that’s alright.
Pick up the third coin and flip it. Look to see if the coin landed on heads or tails. If the coin
landed on heads, remove the top card from the pile of cards on your right and place that
card at the bottom of the pile. If the coin landed on tails, remove the top card from the pile
of cards on your left and place that card at the bottom of the pile. Now that you have a new
card on top, repeat step 18.
 26

19.B. On the Hexagram Development

Worksheet, write down the cards you
used to come up with a second
memory. Write the name of the card on
your LEFT in the block called
‘SYMBOLIC ITEM 2.’ Write the name
of the card on your RIGHT in the block
called ‘SYMBOLIC ITEM 5.’
20. In a notebook, write down the details of the memory.
Label this journal entry as, “Memory #2”. Include how
you felt at the remembered time in your life. What type of
emotions and energies were going on inside of you? Be
specific and concise. Include what the environment was
like. What was the energy in the world around you like?
This could be on a small scale (in the room), or a large
scale (in your city or country). Describe what you recall
about the energies of your “inner world” and the “outer
world” at that time.

21.A. Just as before, read over all 32 positions of the Pytho’s Prism
Oracle. Determine the internal energy (emotion) that you experienced
during the time of the memory and find the word on the the oracle to
best describe how you were feeling at the time of the memory.

21.B. On the Hexagram Development Worksheet, find the block that

says, ‘memory 2’. Below that, you will see a block labeled, ‘Inner
World’. In that block, write the word you selected in step 21.A.

22.A. Again, read over all 32 positions. Find the word which best
describes the energy of your environment at the time of your memory.
This is considered the “external / outer world’s energy”.

22.B. Find the ‘Outer World’ block for memory two. In that block,
write the word you selected to represent your external energy in step
22.A.

EXAMPLE: The Two of Cups + Ace of Pentacles brought up a memory for me of a time when my wife and I came together
and figured out a plan for paying off debt. I remember our first step was to move into an affordable house. Specifically, I
have a memory of sitting at my kitchen table and figuring out a budget. Working with my wife to solve a financial
problem gave me a peaceful feeling. Knowing that my finances were improving and my bills were no longer going to be
overwhelming made me feel safe and secure. For that reason, you can see I selected the words, “safety” and “peace” to
describe my inner and outer worlds during the memory.
 27

23. On the Pytho’s Prism Oracle, you’ll remember there are symbols under / above the
words of each position. The two words you wrote down in the ‘Inner World' and ‘Outer
World’ blocks each have a related symbol. On the Pytho’s Prism Oracle, locate the
corresponding symbol for the word wrote in the ‘Inner World’ block. Draw the symbol in
the ‘Line 2’ block on the Hexagram Development Worksheet.

Line symbols from the I Ching are known as, “yáo”.

NOTE: Your worksheet should now look similar to the example below. Repeating the same process as before, you will
soon discover your third memory and complete the worksheet. Once all three memories have been discovered, lines one
through six will be used to create an I Ching hexagram. This hexagram symbol will later be used for consulting the I
Ching oracle.

Thus far, you should also have two entries in your journal. Once the worksheet is complete, you will have three journal
entries. Each time you complete this prism, your journal will continue to grow. If you complete this prism often enough,
you will create a robust journal—one full of memories and useful information. The journaling aspect of this prism can be
a valuable asset. With time, you may notice the same type of memories come up often for you. Using this data, you can
track your internal and external energies and see how or why they have changed. Use your journal to gauge where your
psychic energy is flowing. As you track memories and energies, a figurative guiding star will begin to appear for you! For
this reason, I advise you keep your worksheets inside of your journal and reflect on them often.
 28

Discovering Memory #3
24. The two tarot cards used for
discovering your second memory can
now be placed in the discard pile. After
doing so, you will have a new card
showing on the top of each of your two
minor arcana piles.

EXAMPLE: I used the Two of Cups and the Ace of

Pentacles to discover my second memory. Once that
memory was compete, I discarded those two cards. I
then have four cards in my discard pile. By discarding
two cards, two new cards are revealed that I can use
for discovering my third memory. You can see , I now
have the Ten of Wands and the Four of Wands ready to
use for my third memory. Remember, my pile of court
cards and major arcana are sitting off to my side—
these will be used at a later time.

25. You have already discovered two

memories; therefore, repeating the same
process for a third time should be fairly
easy. Just as before, combine the card on
your left with the card on your right to
discover a memory. The steps here are
d Memory
ard = Thir
the same as they are for “Discovering + Right C
Left Card
Memory #2”. The only difference is, you
will now fill in the top blocks of the
Hexagram Development Worksheet and
label this journal entry as, “Memory #3”.

Pile 3.
26. Once you have used two cards to discover your third
memory, place those cards in the discard pile. You should
now have six cards in the discard pile. Shuffle your two
Pile 2.
piles of minor arcana cards together and place those to the
side. This leaves you with three piles of cards: 1) Discard
pile with six cards; 2) Major arcana / court cards with 36
Pile 1.
cards; 3) Minor arcana with 36 cards.

“ The meaning of our lives is found through living in harmony with our true nature and
expressing our uniqueness.
- Hanna Moog
 29

Completing the Hexagram

27. On your Hexagram

Development Worksheet, you now
have six I Ching symbols. Each of
the symbols has a line number.
Transfer these symbols to the the
‘Primary Hexagram’ portion of the
worksheet. (See the example
below.)

Hexagram 55

MOVING LINE:
This line changes to its
opposite. The change is
shown within the ‘Relating
Hexagram’ portion of the
abundance worksheet.

Example: After transferring my six lines, you can see that I have created an I Ching symbol known as, “Hexagram 55 /
Abundance”. You will also notice that line four has a circle in the middle of it. My line 4 is known a “moving line”. This
line indicates there is a change taking place in my life (the hexagram is “unstable”). When a line has an “O” or “X” in
the middle of it, that yin or yang energy has become old. This means it will soon die and change into its opposite. If
there are no moving lines in a primary hexagram, the relating hexagram will be left blank (remain unchanged). If there
is a moving line in the primary hexagram, a relating hexagram will be needed in order to show the change taking place
in your energies. You can see below how I created a relating hexagram because of the moving line 4.

Line 4 changes
to its opposite.
(old yang to young yin)

Hexagram 55.4 Hexagram 36

“Abundance” changes to: “Clouded Perception”
 30

28. Discover which hexagram(s) you have created by using the “Hexagram Chart” below.
In order to find which hexagram you have, you first must divide the hexagram’s six lines
into two parts. The bottom three lines are the “bottom” / “inner” trigram. The top three
lines are the “top” / “outer” trigram. Find the location on the chart where your bottom and
top trigrams meet, and take note of the hexagram number. Also, take note of each of your
trigrams. (See example below.)

Primary Hexagram

THUNDER HEXAGRAM
External Energy
#55
FIRE ABUNDANCE
Internal Energy

EARTH HEXAGRAM
External Energy #36
CLOUDED
FIRE PERCEPTION
Internal Energy
Relating Hexagram

Note: “55.4”
indicates line four
is a moving line.

Example: In my case, I have hexagram #55 (abundance). You will notice that my bottom (inner) trigram is fire and my top
(outer) trigram is thunder. When these two trigrams come together in this order, hexagram #55 is created. For practice,
take a look at the chart above and find #55. You’ll notice the trigram of ‘fire’ is to the left of #55, and the trigram of
thunder is above #55.
 31

Card Reduction
Major Arcana & Court Cards Sorting “Pile B” Cards

29. Place your game piece on the first position on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle, ‘1.
ACCEPTING’. Leaving the discard and minor arcana piles off to your side, pick up the
court card / major arcana pile of cards (there should be 36 cards in this pile).

30. Look at the first position on the Pytho’s

Prism oracle. You’ll notice on position ‘1.
ACCEPTING,’ there is a small roman numeral
‘ix’ on the left corner. This number indicates
how many cards to place down. Go ahead and
place down nine (ix) cards from the pile of cards
you are holding. The cards should be face up.

31. Think about the word, “accepting” and how

it makes you feel. Now, look at the nine cards
sitting in front of you. Allow your intuition and Place nine cards down. Select the card which
feelings to guide you in selecting the card which best represents, “accepting”.
best represents the feeling of “accepting”. Keep
in mind, there is no “wrong” choice.

32. Pick up the card you selected and place it in

the discard pile. Put the remaining eight cards to
your side in a new pile. These cards will be
picked up and used again soon. For that reason,
we'll call this new pile, the “recycle pile”.

Example: Of the nine cards I placed down, I felt the Queen of Pentacles best represented the word “accepting”. Therefore, I
place the Queen of Pentacles in the discard pile.

Recycle pile now has

eight cards. These Pile of 36 minor
cards will soon be arcana. Keep these
reused. to the side for now.
Card selected is
placed in the
discard pile. Discard pile. There
Pile of 27 court cards
should now be seven
and major arcana.
cards here. This pile
Keep these cards in your
will grow a lot over
hand.
time.

Example: In the photo above, you can see how my cards are organized at this point. If you have been at all confused
about the process, now is a good time to ensure your cards are organized correctly.
 32

33. Place your game piece on ‘2. CREATING’. Just as before,

lay down nine cards from the 27 cards you are holding.

Note: You’ll find the second position directly across the oracle from the first
position. Also, you’ll notice the first four positions are within the same red ring on
the oracle.

34. Think about the word, “creating” and how it

makes you feel. Now, look at the nine cards sitting
in front of you. Allow your intuition and feelings to
guide you in selecting the card which best
represents the feeling of “creating” in your opinion.

35. Pick up the card you selected and place it in the

discard pile. Put the remaining eight cards to your
side in the recycle pile.

Example: Of the nine cards I placed down, I felt the Knight of Cups
Place nine cards down. Select the card
best represented the word “creating”. I debated selecting The Sun as
which best represents, “creating”.
well, but the Knight of Cups kept grabbing my attention. The way my
attention was drawn to that card let me know it was the correct
choice for me. Therefore, I will place the Knight of Cups in the discard
pile.

Note: You will now have 16 cards in the recycle pile and eight cards in the discard pile. In your hand you should have 18
cards remaining. These 18 cards will be used in the same way for positions three and four.

36. Place your game piece on ‘3. FANTASY’. Lay down nine cards from the 18 cards you
are holding. Repeat the same process as what was used on position one (accepting) and
position two (creating). This time around, use the word “fantasy” when selecting a card.

37. Place your game piece on ‘4. REALITY’. Lay down the remaining nine cards in your
hand. Repeat the same process as used during the first three positions.

38. Pick up the 32 cards in the recycle

pile and place your game piece on “5.
UNITY”.

Note: You will notice that you have completed all four
positions in the red ring. You have now entered the
orange ring of the oracle (position #5). Each time you
enter a new ring, the first position in the ring will have
a roman numeral. Position five, “unity” has the roman
numeral iv printed on it. This means, you will place
four cards down for each position in the orange ring.

“ There is no consciousness without discrimination of opposites. - C.G. Jung

 33

39. From the 32 cards in your hand, place four Place four cards down. Select the card
cards down. Select the card which best represents which best represents, “unity”.
your idea of “unity”. Place that card in the discard
pile. Take the remaining three cards and place
them in a pile to the side. This is the start of your
new recycle pile.

Note: You will now have 11 cards in the discard pile and three
cards in the recycle pile. In your hand, you should still be holding
28 cards. Off to your side, there should still be an untouched pile
of 36 minor arcana cards. These will be used later.

40. Continue advancing your game piece in the

manner as before. (Next, you’ll move to “6.
CONFLICT”.) Repeat the same process for all of
the 32 positions on the oracle. Once you have
completed all 32 positions, proceed to step 41.

Tip: Every time you complete a ring, you should have zero cards remaining in your hand. For that reason, you’ll have to
pick up the recycle pile before you can proceed to the next ring. Also, when you begin a new ring, you’ll start creating a
new recycle pile. You’ll notice the discard pile grows and the pile of cards you are working with decreases as you proceed
through the 32 positions.

Reminder: Each time you advance to a new ring, look at the roman numerals on the first position. It’s important you
place down the correct number of cards or the system will not work. Here’s a list of the roman numerals for each of the
rings: Red ring: ix. Orange ring: iv. Yellow ring: iii. Green ring: iv. Light blue ring: iii. Dark blue ring: iv. Purple ring: iii.

Note: After completing all 32 positions, you should have four cards remaining from the major arcana and court cards.
The discard pile should have 38 cards.

41. Write on a small piece of paper (such as a sticky note) the letter, “B”. Place this piece of
paper on top of the remaining four cards from the major arcana and court cards. Set this
pile of cards off to the side. These will be used later, when the cards are interpreted.

Four cards in “Pile B”.

These are the remaining
major arcana and court
36 cards in the minor cards.
arcana pile.
These cards will be sorted
next.

38 cards in the “Discard

Pile”.
 34

Minor Arcana Sorting “Pile C” Cards

42. With the pile of 36 minor arcana cards, you will now complete the same sorting
process as you did with the major arcana / court card pile. Start by placing your game piece
on the first position and laying down nine minor arcana cards. Select the card which best
represents the word, “accepting”. Discard your selection. Start a recycle pile with the
remaining eight cards. Advance your game piece to the second position (accepting).
Complete each of the 32 positions, just as as before (steps 29 - 40). Once you have
completed all 32 positions, proceed to step 43.

43. Write on a small piece of paper (such as a sticky note) the letter, “C”. Place this piece
of paper on top of the four remaining minor arcana cards. Set this pile of cards off to the
side. These will be used later, when the cards are interpreted.

Four cards in “Pile B”.

These are the remaining
major arcana and court
70 cards in the “Discard cards.
Pile”.

Four cards in “Pile C”.

These are the remaining
minor arcana cards.

“ Depth psychology sees us as bound by nets made up of our past

experiences and our unconscious complexes, and by our instinct and
inborn patterns, all of which limit our freedom of choice. This situation was
envisioned by the ancient Greeks as Fate, and by the Roman Stoics as
Heimarmene: the inexorable rule of the stars of human life.
- The Book of Symbols
 35

Associating Tarot Cards to Trigrams

44. Before completing the next several steps, it’s important that you familiarize yourself
with the trigrams of the I Ching and what their symbolic meanings are.

Note: You’ll notice there are eight symbols around the outside of the oracle. These represent the eight I Ching trigrams.
Find the first position of the oracle, “1. ACCEPTING”. Directly above this position, you’ll find the trigram of “earth”.
Moving clockwise (to your right), you’ll see mountain, fire, lake, heaven, thunder, water, and wind. It might be helpful to
read about these symbols in your copy of the I Ching or to look them up online to gain a deeper understanding of their
meanings. See below for short notes on each of the trigrams.

Pytho’s Prism Arrangement of Trigrams

earth PYTHO’S
PRISM

wind mountain

water fire

thunder lake

heaven

✴ Earth: The Receptive. Acceptance, devotion, yielding, sustainer of life and growth, openness, receptivity.
✴ Mountain: Keeping Still. Limitations, resting, endings, completion of experiences, retreat, improved
perspectives, wisdom.
✴ Fire: The Clinging. Consciousness, light, clarity, awareness.
✴ Lake: The Joyous. Abundant energy, communication, enjoyment of life, satisfaction of desires.
✴ Heaven: The Creative. Creativity, strength, force that drives change, power to act, cosmic law.
✴ Thunder: The Arousing. Shock, upheaval, spark of something new, awakening.
✴ Water: The Abysmal. Unconscious, intuition, emotion, danger, isolation, the unknown.
✴ Wind: The Gentle. Whatever grows, spreads, or penetrates, conforms to the space available, flexibility,
adaptation.

45. Pick up the discard pile and look at the card on the top of the pile. Think about how the
card makes you feel and what it represents in your mind. Now, look at the eight trigrams on
the oracle and decide which one shares the energy of the card you are looking at. Place the
card on the trigram it best represents. (See photo on next page for example.)

Example: If you are looking at “The Knight of Swords”, you may think it has a thunder like quality. Therefore, you would
place the Knight of Swords on the thunder trigram. If you are looking at “The Sun” card, you may find it shares a quality with
the trigram of fire. If that’s the case, place The Sun on the fire trigram.

“ He who is oppressed above is sure to turn downward….In the well there is a clear,
cold spring from which one can drink.
- The Book of Changes (Hexagram 48)
 36

46. Continue matching each of the cards in the discard pile to the trigrams which best
match their energies. Matching cards is subjective and should be done using intuition,
imagination, and emotions. Your results will not be as meaningful if you make selections
based purely on your knowledge and rational thought. Try not to spend more than a few
seconds on each card. Be free and let the process flow!

earth
Match all 70 of the cards in your discard
pile to the trigrams. When completed, you will
have eight piles of cards on the oracle.
wind mountain Each of the piles could have different number
of cards in them. That’s alright. However, you
will need to have at least four cards in each of
fire
the eight piles.

water

lake

thunder heaven

Discovering Primary Hexagram Cards

47. On your hexagram development worksheet, look at the lower trigram (inner trigram)
of your primary hexagram. Is the trigram earth, heaven, thunder, mountain, water, fire,
lake, or wind? If you need to, use the Hexagram Chart to determine which trigrams you
have. (Familiarizing yourself with the I Ching may be helpful here.)

Lower
Trigram

48. On your oracle, you should have a pile of cards which correspond with your lower
trigram. Select one random card from that pile and place it to your side.
 37

Example: My lower trigram is “fire”. Therefore, I select

one random card from the pile of cards sitting on top
of the fire symbol. You can see that I happened to pick
The Page of Pentacles to represent the trigram of fire.

49. On your hexagram development

Select random
worksheet, look at the upper trigram card from pile
(outer trigram) of your primary
hexagram. Is the trigram earth, heaven,
thunder, mountain, water, fire, lake, or
wind? If you need to, use the hexagram Represents:
chart to determine which trigram you Lower Trigram
have. “Fire”

50. On your oracle, you will have a pile of

cards which correspond with your upper
trigram. Select one random card from
that pile and place it to your side.

Upper
Trigram

Example: My upper trigram is “thunder”. Therefore,

I select one random card from the pile of cards
sitting on top of the thunder symbol. I happened to
pick The Knight of Swords to represent the trigram of
thunder.

I now have The Knight of Swords over The Page of

Pentacles. When it is time to consult the I Ching for
the final reading, I can use these two cards to help Select random
me understand the meaning of the reading.
card from pile

Take notes on the hexagram development

worksheet, indicating the cards you draw. Represents:
Upper Trigram
“Thunder”

Lower
Trigram
 38

Discovering Relating Hexagram Cards

51. If you do not have a relating hexagram, proceed to step 47. If you do have a relating
hexagram, repeat the same process as you just used to discover the two cards which
represent your primary hexagram.
Example: (Lower Trigram) Because none of my
bottom three lines are moving (changing), my
lower trigram remains “fire”. Therefore, I select Lower
Trigram
one random card from the pile of cards sitting
on top of the fire symbol. I happened to pick
the Ten of Wands. This card will now represent
the lower trigram of my relating hexagram.
Upper
(Upper Trigram) As a result of line four moving Trigram
from old yang into young yin, my upper trigram
changes from thunder to earth. Therefore, I
select one random card from the pile of cards Primary Hexagram Relating Hexagram
sitting on top of the earth symbol. I happened
to pick The Queen of Cups. This card will now
represent the upper trigram of my relating THUNDER EARTH
hexagram. External External
Energy Energy
(Complete Hexagram) You can now see that I
have four cards representing my two Upper Trigram Upper Trigram
hexagrams. If my primary hexagram was
“stable” (meaning it had no moving lines), I
would not have a relating hexagram. Therefore,
I would only have two cards. Lower Trigram Lower Trigram

You will also notice that I made a note of the FIRE FIRE
order of the cards on the hexagram Internal Internal
development worksheet. At this point, the Energy Energy
worksheet is complete.

52. Once you have a card for each trigram, place them in a pile under a note labeled, “A”.

Place all cards

which represent
the trigrams in
Pile A.
 39

Creating the Tarot Card Spread

Pile A: Cards Related to I Ching Hexagram
Internal Energy
53. Notice on the oracle, there are words above each of the
trigrams. Above wind, you will see the words, “Internal
Energy”. Place the cards which represent your lower
trigrams on the oracle, just below the words, “Internal
Energy.” Make sure the card on top is from your primary
hexagram and the card from your relating hexagram is on
the bottom.
Example: My primary hexagram has the Page of Pentacles representing the
lower (inner) trigram. Therefore, you can see I placed this card under the Card on top
represents lower
words, “Internal Energy” on the oracle. My relating hexagram has the Ten of trigram of
Wands representing the lower trigram. Because the relating hexagram is primary
hexagram.
evaluated after the primary, I placed the Ten of Wands underneath the page.

54. Now, find the words, “External Energy” on the oracle.

The cards which represent your upper (outer) trigrams will be
placed on the oracle below the words, “External Energy”.
Ensure the card from your primary hexagram is on top.

Example: My primary hexagram has the Knight of Swords representing the

upper (outer) trigram. Therefore, you can see I placed this card under the
words, “External Energy” on the oracle. My relating hexagram has the Queen of
Cups representing the upper trigram. I place the Queen of Cups underneath the
knight.

Pile B: Cards Related to Archetypes

Ego Card Card on top

represents upper
trigram of
55. Lay all four cards in “Pile B” out in front of you. Ensure primary
hexagram.
they’re all facing up—you will be evaluating each of them.

56. At this point, ensure you are in a good environment for a short meditation. There
shouldn't be any distractions around and you should make yourself feel comfortable.

57. Imagine someone in your life who never (or rarely) lets you know their true emotions.
For example, this person may always say they are happy, but you wonder if they are
actually sad. Or, they may act like they are calm, but you wonder if they are actually
anxious or uncomfortable. Allow an image of this person to form in your imagination.
Allow the image to be animated in your mind. What is this person doing in your fantasy?
What are their characteristics? How do they look? What do they say? Take as long as
needed here.
 40

58. Keeping this image in your mind, look at the four cards and select the one which best
represents a behavior or characteristic typical to the person you were imagining .

Place the card you selected on the oracle, under the word “Ego”. You may want to reverse
the card (turn it up-side-down). Doing so, may help you gain a better understanding of the
negative aspects of the card’s symbolism.
Example: I will not mention the person who I
thought of, but I will describe something about
what I envisioned. I could see an image of a
person I know who tries to keep an image of
perfection. She typically is wearing expensive
clothing and enjoys talking about her
professional life. In the many years I have
known this person, I have never had a deep
conversation with her. The way she speaks to
me is overly proper. She rarely says anything
funny, but she always has a smile on her face.
Ego
Based on this image in my mind, I selected the
Queen of Swords from Pile B. I wanted to see the negative aspects of the card, so I
placed it up-side-down (reversed) on the oracle.

59. Take some time to learn about and contemplate the meaning
-ofthe card you selected to represent “Ego”. Once you have an
idea of what this card means to you, it’s time to meditate on how
the meaning of the card makes you feel. Take several minutes and
hold an image of the card in your mind. Imagine how you might
sometimes embody the card. Identify the emotions or energies
the card brings up inside of you.
Once you begin feeling an emotion / energy (especially restrictive or limiting ones), allow
yourself to temporarily “let it go”. Breathing may help you to relax and detach from the
emotion. Give yourself permission to move past whatever this card represents to you.
Repeat to yourself words of affirmation to counteract the negativity (a mantra might work
well). The goal here is not to kill the ego, but to temporarily disarm it and allow deeper
access to the unconscious mind.

Example: I have the reversed Queen of Swords as my ego card. After doing some research and thinking about what this
might mean for me, I decided that she is connected to feelings of resentment and bitterness I sometimes experience.
These feelings often prevent me from delving deeper into my psyche. I dislike the feelings of resentment and bitterness.
For that reason, I often like to avoid these emotions by remaining on the surface of consciousness—strictly using my
rational mind to solve problems. During my meditation, I allowed resentment and bitterness to manifest. I then focused
on my breathing until I moved passed these emotions. Temporarily sitting with these emotions helped me to move
passed them and into a new state of consciousness. Letting down my guard in this way helped me disarm the ego.
Eventually, I sensed a change in my mental and physical state and moved forward to step 60.
 41

Shadow Card

60. Think of a person who you do not enjoy spending time around. **This person should be
the same gender as you. You do not need to hate this person, but they should at least make
you feel uncomfortable. Oftentimes, you may even go out of your way to avoid them.

**Rather than using gender, you can also use “masculine” or “feminine” energies. For
instance, if you consider yourself to have more of a masculine energy, this person should
also have a masculine energy. If that still doesn't make sense for you, “yin” and “yang”
energies can be used a substitute for gender. Most importantly, you need to begin
envisioning someone who you generally try to avoid or that you have conflict with.

61. Allow yourself to create an image of this person in your mind. Let the image become
animated within your mind. Watch and listen to what takes place in you imagination. Pay
attention to the characteristics and behavior of this person who you are envisioning in this
fantasy.

62. Of the three remaining cards in Pile B, select the card which most reminds you of the
behaviors or characteristics of the person you imagined. Place this card on the oracle under
the word, “Shadow”. You may want to reverse the card (turn it up-side-down), to gain a
better understanding of the negative aspects of the symbolism.

Example: The person who came to my mind has

dedicated his life to money. He was my boss at
one time and tried to get me involved in a few
“get-rich-quick” type of schemes. Despite his
shallow view on life, he often acts like he is
smarter and more ambitious than everyone
around him. I do not like when he gives advice
Eg o Ca rd
and I often avoid spending time with him. Of the
three cards I can choose from, I feel the Knight of
Pentacles most reminds me of who I imagined in
my fantasy. You can see that I placed the Knight
of Pentacles in its reversed position, under the Place card
word “Shadow”. under the
word
“Shadow”
w

Note: Later, after all of the cards have been placed on

Shado

the oracle, there will be instructions on how to

interpret their meanings. Therefore, the significance
of this card being placed under the word “shadow”
will not be explained at this point.

“ Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding

of ourselves.
- C.G. Jung
 42

Anima or Animus Card

63. Think of a person with a personality or “essence” that you generally feel attracted to.
**This person needs to be the opposite gender as you. You do not need to be physically
attracted to this person. Keep in mind, everyone has flaws and perfection is not required.

**Rather than using gender, you can also use “masculine” or “feminine” energies. For
instance, if you consider yourself to have more of a masculine energy, this person should
possess more feminine energy. If that still doesn't make sense for you, “yin” and “yang”
energies can be used a substitute for gender.

Allow yourself to create an image of this person in your mind. Let the image become
animated. Watch and listen as the fantasy plays out. Pay attention to the characteristics and
behavior of this person who you are envisioning.

64. Of the two remaining cards in

Pile B, select the card that most
reminds you of the behaviors or
characteristics of the person you
imagined. Place this card on the
oracle under the words, “Anima / Eg o Ca rd ow C
a rd
Sh ad
Animus”. This card typically
represents a positive aspect of
yourself; therefore, keep it in the
upright position.
Place card under
Example: The person who came to my mind is
us
a

the words,
Anim
Anim

interested in love. I have heard her say, “I love, love” “Anima /

on many occasions. Every time she says this, it Animus”
makes me smile. Her view of love is positive and
reassuring to me. For that reason, I selected The
Lovers to represent the person in my fantasy. You can
see that I placed this card below the words, “Anima /
Animus”.

65. Move the final card in ‘Pile B’ to Tra ns fe r Ca rd

‘Pile C’. There will now be five cards
in Pile C.

Example: The last card remaining in my ‘Pile B’ is

The Hermit. As you can see, I transfer that card to
‘Pile C’. Now, I have no cards in ‘Pile B’ and five
cards in ‘Pile C’.

“ Tarot and dreams are two dialects in the language of the soul.
- Philippe St Geoux
 43

Pile C: Complexes, Divination, and Persona

Deficiency Card

66. Lay all five cards in ‘Pile C’ out in front

of you. Ensure they’re all facing up—you
will evaluate each of them.

67. Looking at the cards, determine which

card feels “unfamiliar” to you. Meaning, Place card under Deficiency

find the card that does not seem to the word,

“Deficiency”
represent the “story of your life” or the
typical life experiences you have had.
After you have selected a card, place it on the oracle under the word
“Deficiency”. You’ll come back to this card later. At that time, you
may want to experiment with placing it in the reversed and upright
positions. Doing so may help you gain different perspectives.

Example: When selecting this card, I was drawn to the Eight of Swords. Looking at each of the cards brought up specific
memories in my imagination. However, nothing seemed to come up as I looked at the Eight of Swords. I continued to look
at this card and felt a bit confused by its meaning as well. Without over analyzing the cards, I decided to go with this
initial feeling. It’s important to trust your first instinct while selecting which card represents a deficiency.

Current State Card

68. Look at the remaining four cards from

‘Pile C’ and notice which of them gives you a
negative feeling. For instance, the card may
induce a feeling of uneasiness, dread, or
anxiety. Oftentimes, people look at cards
such as The Devil or the Three of Swords and Deficien cy
Card
have an adverse, emotional reaction. Of the
cards you are examining, select the one that
has this type of effect for you. Current State

After you have selected a card, place it on the oracle under the
words, “Current State. You will likely want to place the card in
its reversed position, to help you understand its negative
aspects as you later interpret its meaning.

Example: When selecting this card, I noticed the Two of Swords gave me a feeling of
anxiety. The card has the image of a person who looks uncomfortable. She is also
alone and unable to see. Personally, I would not enjoy being in the situation shown
on the card. When I imagined myself in this position, I noticed a feeling of anxiety
within my body. Consequently, I selected the Two of Swords to represent the card for
“current state”. I placed this card in its reversed position.
 44

Persona Card

69. Think of someone who you consider an

acquaintance. This person should not be
someone who you are close to, but you
generally like them. You typically do not tell
them anything personal about your life.
Now, imagine how that person would likely
Current
describe you to one of their personal friends. Deficien cy
State
Card
What kinds of things would they say about Card

you? Take a few moments and imagine this

type of scenario. Persona

70. Select the card that most reminds you of the description
you imagined. Place this card on the oracle under the word,
“Persona”.

Example: One of my neighbors is aware of my interest in tarot cards and

meditation. They live close to me and know that I spend a lot of time alone, reading
and searching for knowledge. Other than that, they know very little about me. I
imagined my neighbor describing me to one of his friends. Based on what they
know about me, I thought The Hermit was a fairly accurate symbol of how they
might explain my personality and behaviors.

Center and Final Cards

Persona Deficien cy Current

Card Card State
Card

Pick Up the Final Two Cards

71. Hold the final two cards in your hand. Notice which one directs more of your attention.
Close your eyes and see if you naturally visualize one of them more than the other. Allow
your attention to drift to one card or the other until you can determine which one
captivates or fascinates you the most. Once you know which it is, proceed to step 72.

“ We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. - Albert Einstein
 45

72. Once you have decided on the

card, place it in the center of the
oracle. At this point, all the cards have
been placed. You have one card
remaining in your hand. You can keep
it there or set it to the side.

“ We can all create sacred

books and boxes—a volume of
dreams, a heart-felt diary, a
notebook of thoughts, a
particularly meaningful album
of photographs —and thus in a
small but significant way can
make the everyday sacred.

- Thomas Moore
 46

CARD INTERPRETATION
Ego Card
This card is mainly used for meditative purposes. Before you can look deeper into your psyche, you must move past your
normal state of consciousness. This does not mean you need to “kill your ego”. Simply put, you need to let go of who you
think you are, in order to discover aspects of yourself which are less familiar to you. This card is a tool used for disarming
your ego temporarily. How this is done, was already covered in step 55. For your convenience, however, the instructions
will be included here as well.

Take some time to learn about and contemplate the meaning of the card you selected to represent “Ego”. Once you have
an idea of what this card means to you, it’s time to meditate on how the meaning of the card makes you feel. Take several
minutes and hold an image of the card in your mind. Next, imagine how you might personify the card in your everyday
life. Identify the emotions or energies the card brings up inside of you.

Once you begin feeling an emotion / energy (especially a restrictive or limiting one), allow yourself to temporarily let go
of the emotion. Breathing may help you to relax and detach from the emotion. Give yourself permission to move past
whatever this card represents to you. Repeat to yourself words of affirmation that counteract your need to control
everything (a mantra might work well). The goal here is to temporarily disarm the ego to allow for deeper access to the
unconscious mind. Continue the process until you notice that your body and mind have thoroughly relaxed.

Shadow Card
Oftentimes, we see ourselves as justified in all of our thoughts and actions. In doing so, we may fail to see our role in
causing unfortunate events to take place. For instance, I might believe I was fired from my job for the fourth time because
my bosses are always too harsh. With deeper examination, however, I might come to realize that I have been late to work
regularly and I need to start addressing this behavior if I want to have a stable career. By blaming my bosses, I can avoid
the act of self-analysis. The more I fail to reflect on my own thoughts and behaviors, the more I will become confused
about the cause of my problems. Eventually, I may come to believe the world is a cruel place. I will likely say that I have
bad luck and fate is the cause of all my problems. That being said, sometimes there are factors outside of ourselves which
may cause us to struggle as well. It’s not healthy to blame ourselves for every unfortunate event that takes place.
Sometimes things are out of our control. So how do we know when we are the cause of our own suffering?

The shadow card is intended to help us recognize something within the unconscious mind that may be causing troubles
in life. A military general has a difficult time making a plan if he doesn't know who the enemy is. The same idea holds
true when trying to solve our personal problems. We need to clearly see why we are having problems if we are interested
in solving them. Using our imagination and the symbols on the shadow card, we can discover unfamiliar things about
ourselves which need deeper examination. This type of analysis can help us become more self-aware and in control of
how we are affecting each circumstance.

It’s normal to feel uncomfortable with certain aspects about ourselves. Let’s take jealousy as an example. Although most
of us feel jealous on occasion, it’s rare to hear anyone admit to it. Although jealousy is a natural emotion, we have been
taught that it is not an acceptable feeling to have. For that reason, it’s easy to deny that jealousy is a part of who we are.
Over time, one might become unable to see their own feelings of jealousy. It’s as if their jealousy has been locked in a
dark basement and forgotten about. Of course, it’s not just jealousy in the basement—we place many emotions and
thoughts down there. This dark basement of the mind is called, the “shadow”.

The goal here to use the shadow card and find a personal belief, thought, or emotion which has been completely relegated
to the shadowy part of your psyche. Next, you should begin figuring out how you can remain mindful of it. Finally, you
will want to envision how to incorporate this personal characteristic into your life in a more mature and healthy fashion.

To illustrate how one might work with their shadow card, let’s imagine a situation and see how it plays out:

Backstory: Sue is a middle-aged woman who’s held dreams of becoming a doctor ever since she can remember. However,
things don’t always go as planned. During Sue’s second year of college, she got married and had a child. These
unexpected events prevented her from finishing college and Sue now feels too old to return. Rather than becoming a
doctor, Sue became a lab technician instead. Throughout her adult life, Sue has been unhappy at work. Recently, Sue was
fired for the fourth time. Her former boss had warned her several times that she needs to take her job more seriously and
stop being late. Unfortunately, Sue didn’t take the warnings seriously and she is now unemployed.
 47

Reading: Sue used Pytho’s Prism in hopes of finding some answers to why she continues to struggle at work. The card
that represented her shadow was the Justice card in its reversed position. After studying and pondering on the card, she
decided that her regrets about not finishing school are causing her to feel jealousy towards the doctors she works with.
Her jealousy is leading her to be unhappy at work. For this reason, she has been terrible at showing up to work on time.
She suddenly realizes that her bosses had good reason to fire her. As a child, Sue had been taught that jealousy was a bad
thing. Also, she had become numb to her feelings of jealousy. With this emotion suppressed, Sue was unable to see what
had been causing her problems. Undiscovered feelings of jealousy had essentially been poisoning her. Pytho’s Prism was
able to help Sue bring her unconscious issue with jealousy into the light.

Resolution: Sue could find another position as a lab technician or change careers. She decided to remain a lab technician
and to work on dealing with her jealousy issue. For all this time, Sue felt it was unfair that she was not able to go to
medical school when she was younger. However, after reflecting on her life, she realized that she still could have done it if
she had truly wanted to. Yes, it would have been difficult, but she could have found a way. Many of the doctors she has
worked with went to school while raising children and she could have done the same. Sue decided to redirect her
jealousy. Whenever she now feels jealous at work, she acknowledges her emotion and consciously transforms it into
respect towards those who were able to become doctors. The idea that Sue could transform her jealousy into respect, is
similar to the idea of that lead can be turned into gold. In short, this is an exercise of psychological alchemy.
Anima or Animus Card

There are a wide variety of personality characteristics that each of us identify with. For instance, I often see myself as
masculine, introverted, and rational. Someone else may consider themself to be feminine, extroverted, and intuitive.
Naturally, we use labels and categories to define who we are. That being said, all of us have attributes of our opposites. A
right handed person values their left hand. So too, a rational person can appreciate their intuitive side. Below the surface
of our conscious awarenesses, we possess innumerable energetic possibilities. Each one of us contains a multiplicity of
opposites. We can perceive these opposites through dreams. I commonly have dreams where I encounter images of my
wife, mother, or daughters. I consider these dream characters to be reflections of the feminine energies within my
predominantly masculine mind. The anima / animus card is intended to help you form a union with an element of the
unconscious that feels like your opposite.

Take some time to study the card and form a clear mental image of how it looks. Next, close your eyes and hold the image
of the card in your mind for several minutes. Keeping your eyes closed, let your imagination bring the image of the card
to life. Try asking the mental image some questions. With each question, allow your imagination to provide the answers.
Try not to force them. Typically I “hear” a voice in my mind, but I have also received answers in the form of images. You
will need to experiment to find out works best for you. Ensure you take detailed notes after you receive an answer!

Sample questions to ask the card:

1. What is most important to you?
2. How can I best provide that for you?
3. Can you show me what is holding me back?
4. How can I better integrate my shadow?

Remember, your anima or animus is part of yourself. By communicating and caring for this aspect of your psyche, you are
looking after yourself. If the answers you received are not completely clear, do not feel discouraged. Write down whatever
your impressions were and continue to ponder their meanings. Each time you attempt to integrate this experience into
your life, the messages will likely become more clear. Also, you might try reviewing your notes before going to bed and
watching to see if your anima / animus appears to you in your dreams. Ask your inner dreamer and it shall be given!

“ The integrated anima and animus function in the psyche in the elevated role of
psychopomp, meaning a gateway to the unconscious.

- Jane Weldon
 48

Persona Card
Most people prefer authentic things over forgeries. Who wouldn’t rather have a real diamond over a cubic zirconia?
However, when it comes to human interactions, authenticity can sometimes be problematic. We learn at a young age that
society expects us to conform to what is collectively thought of as “normal”. Societal expectations may prevent us from
expressing certain aspects of who we are in the presence of others. We see politicians with the same ties, lapel pins, and
haircuts. Who would vote for a candidate wearing a mohawk or tattooed face? The same is true for most job interviews.
Like it or not, we all must create an image of who we are—and it’s not always authentic. Whether we are meeting friends
at a bar; helping a customer at work; or relaxing at home with our family members, we are rarely showing others the
purest form of who we are.

The persona card can be used to help one see how they are viewed in the eyes of others. Sometimes we think people view
us a certain way. For instance, I still think people see me as a military person. However—after examining my persona card
—I realize they may actually be seeing me as a hermit-like seeker of knowledge and elder with life experience. I now have
something new to consider. With that, here are several things you may want to go over while examining your persona
card.

Things you may consider:

1. What does my persona card symbolically represent?
2. Does this card authentically represent who I am?
3. Would I like to be more or less authentic with people?
4. How is this persona helping me?
5. How is this persona harming me?
6. Is there anything I would like to change about my persona?
7. What steps might I take to transform my persona?

The persona is something we are typically conscious of. Yet, as with most aspects of the Self, there is usually some aspect
we are failing to notice. Use this card as a magical mirror that can show you from the eyes of another. Image isn't
everything, but sometimes it can make a bigger difference that we think.

“ One’s own self is well hidden from one’s own self;

of all mines of treasure,
one’s own is the last to be dug up.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

Deficiency Card
The process of becoming a well adapted adult is complex. We know a tree needs the proper amounts of water, sunlight,
and nourishment before it can blossom and produce fruit. If any of these things are neglected, the tree will never reach its
potential. Much the same, the human psyche requires a variety of experiences in order to flourish. At the moment of
birth, the infant begins to cry. If the baby is not shown love at this time of extreme vulnerability, how might this affect her
later in life? Perhaps this moment will make the act of bonding more difficult for her. With each unsuccessful
relationship, the problem could worsen over the years. Like a snowball picking up more snow as it rolls down a
mountain, this one event could be the beginning of a life filled with emotional heartache. Everyone's lives play-out
differently, but consider how one single moment can turn a person's life upside down. This is why we should examine
what was, or is, missing from our lives. The consequences of not doing so can be disastrous.

This card can be used to spark a brainstorming session. Study the card and learn about its symbolism. Next, allow the
card’s imagery to bring up a memory. Try to focus on a time when you felt neglected, insecure, envious, uncomfortable, or
unprepared. Take a few moments to write about the experience. Once you have done that, ask yourself some questions
about the situation.
 49

Sample questions to ask yourself:

1. How did I feel at the time of the memory?
2. How would I have preferred to feel?
3. What might have helped me to feel the preferred emotion?
4. How do I feel now when I recall this time?
5. If I were in a similar situation today, would I feel any differently?
6. Can this card help me identify something I missed out on in life?
7. How has this deficiency effected me?
8. Is there something I can do to begin healing?
9. Is there a way to recover some of what I missed?
10. How can I make peace with what I missed out on?

Simply put, this card is used for bringing attention to an unresolved problem in your current situation. We often
live in denial about our unhappiness. Sometimes we remain in a career, relationship, or living condition out of
necessity, comfort, or indecision. It’s difficult to make big changes in life, but change is something we cannot
avoid forever. It is wise to address our problems before they make us ill or desperate.

Current State Card

Take some time to study the meaning of the card. Try to absorb the card’s imagery into your psyche until you can hold a
steady picture of it in your imagination. Next, close your eyes and allow the image of the card to spark thoughts within
your mind. Let your imagination show you a current problem in your life which has been difficult to resolve.

Keep in mind, using the imagination to make connections between a card and a current situation can take some patience.
The first thing that may come up in your imagination could be vague. For example, a thought of talking to a coworker
may come up. This might seem irrelevant because the coworker is a good friend. However, if you stay with the fantasy,
the coworker may say something unexpected about your relationship or unhappiness at work. Suddenly, the connection
will become clear. These types of fantasies can do strange things. Therefore, do not get discouraged if the card is not
giving you an obvious answer at first glance. Oftentimes in fairytales, the main character has to follow a feather in the
wind or a rolling ball to discover where their journey will end. Think of this fantasy in a similar way—just let your
imagination take you wherever it goes.

Once the meaning of the card has been determined, you may want to write in your journal about what took place in the
fantasy. From there, you can begin coming up with plans on how to approach the unresolved problem. Your final card and
I Ching hexagrams will offer further advice for you to consider when it comes to this matter.

Center Card
The card in the center of the oracle represents a potential future outcome. The outcome may be positive or negative.
Either way, the card provides motivation for making changes. If the card appears to have a negative meaning, the outcome


may be the result of your idleness or a negative mindset. If the card appears to have a positive meaning, this outcome
might be obtained by your dedication to making progress and willingness to make changes. With this card, we can gain
awareness of what our future may hold. Moving forward, continue the process of introspection and integration. When the
conscious and unconscious form a union, the path becomes clear. How will you obtain or avoid the outcome seen here?

Final Card
Throughout this long process, your deck of tarot cards has been sorted through many times. Nearly 70 cards were
selected and placed in the discard pile. Later, 10 - 12 cards were chosen to represent such things as ego, shadow, internal
energy, persona, etc. However, there is only one card in the deck that was never once selected. This is the last card to be
interpreted before moving on to the I Ching consultation.

Pick up the final card and take a good look at what’s in your hand. This card offers advice. Remember, the “Current State”
card identified a problem that needs to be addressed. The final card shows you how to take action! After studying the
card, use your imagination to determine how you can approach your unresolved issue. You must decide how to interpret
this card! Where will this card take you?
 50

I Ching Consultation

Arranging Cards

Prior to consulting the I Ching, you may want Primary Hexagram Relating Hexagram
to lay out your cards in a way that reflects the
hexagram(s). If so, use the notes you took on
the hexagram development worksheet. THUNDER EARTH
External External
Energy Energy

Upper Trigram Upper Trigram

Lower Trigram Lower Trigram

FIRE FIRE
You may also choose to leave the cards on the
Internal Internal
oracle. Either method is perfectly alright. Energy Energy

Primary Hexagram
There are 64 unique hexagrams found within the I Ching. Look
on your Hexagram Development Worksheet and find the
number indicating which hexagram you have (this will be a
note you left earlier with a number between 1 and 64). If you do
not see a number, you may have missed a step. In that case, Example: Hexagram #55 with line 4 changing.
return to step 27 for guidance.

Once the hexagram number has been determined (1 - 64), research can be done by using a hard copy of the I Ching or by
going online. For beginners, I recommend the website: https://cafeausoul.com/iching/hexagram-detail-pages or the book:
I Ching: Walking Your Path, Creating Your Future. That being said, any translation you prefer is alright. The I Ching text
comes in various formats; therefore, you may need to spend some time learning how to use your specific copy. For those
who are interested in learning the basics about traditional I Ching divination, try this website: https://
www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/beginners/

Once you are familiar with the concepts of I Ching divination, proceed with the following steps:

1. Use the I Ching’s Table of Contents to locate the page number of the hexagram.

2. Once you’ve located your hexagram, read all of the text which describes the hexagram. Stop reading once you come to
the information regarding changing /moving lines. How to read changing / moving lines will be explained later.

3. Look at the tarot cards which represent the inner and outer trigrams. The cards are symbols intended to provide new
insights into the meaning of the hexagram. The “internal energy” card represents your current thoughts and emotions.
The “External Energy” card represents your current environment. Having these cards in front of you provides a visual
element to the hexagram. There is no right or wrong way to interpret these cards. Simply use the cards to stir up your
imagination and intuition.

4. If you have a relating hexagram (two hexagrams), there is more research required. For further instruction, proceed to
the “Moving Lines” section below.
 51

5. If you only have a primary hexagram (one hexagram with no moving lines), complete the three steps below (a, b, and
c). Once you have finished those steps, proceed to the section below called, “Review”.

a. Consider looking at several other translations of the I Ching to better understand your hexagram.
b. Using your own words, write a journal entry explaining the advice you received from the I Ching.
c. Read over your journal entry pertaining to the “Current State” card. How does the I Ching reading apply to the
problem discussed in the journal entry?

Moving Lines
If you have both a primary and relating hexagram, that means you have at least one moving (changing) line. Changing
lines come with their own pieces of advice. Look towards the end of the hexagram text to find the changing / moving
lines. There are various ways to approach moving lines text. Again, it’s smart to utilize resources online that explore and
explain the different methods of reading moving lines.

Here are the rules I typically use:

1. If there is one moving line, read the advice regarding that line.
2. If there are two moving lines - one Yin and the other Yang - consult only the Yin moving line.
3. If the two moving lines are both Yin or both Yang, consult the lower of the two lines.
4. If there are three moving lines, consult only the middle line.
5. If there are four moving lines, consult only the upper of the two non-moving lines.
6. If there are five moving lines, consult the only non-moving line.
7. If six lines are all moving, do not worry about the moving lines. Changes have already taken place for the most
part.

Once you have consulted the I Ching to understand the moving lines, take note of the advice and proceed with the
relating hexagram.

Relating Hexagram
Begin researching this hexagram in the same way as you did with the primary hexagram. Read the description of the
hexagram and research the advice provided. The primary and relating hexagrams are connected through a moving line
which you have already looked into. Think of the moving line as a bridge between your two hexagrams. Why these two
hexagrams are joined in such a way can only be understood through your personal intuition. The energies of the primary
hexagram are somehow transforming into the energies of the relating hexagram. How and why this is happening is a
mystery for you to solve.

Typically, solving this mystery requires some time for reflection. Read over these two hexagrams and contemplate how
they are linked. This pattern of yin and yang energies symbolically represent a pattern within your life. Symbols are
understood over time and on many levels. You may recognize the pattern tomorrow better than you do right now. The
goal is to understand how the I Ching’s advice might help you make a positive modification to that pattern.

Review
Congratulations for making it through the second prism! This is not an easy task. For that reason, you may not be fully
grasping the entirety of the reading in this moment. It’s normal to feel a bit tired after completing Prism #2. In order to
get the most out of this exercise, I suggest leaving the cards out for a few days. As the cards sit out in plain sight, new
thoughts will emerge. As this happens, be sure to add ideas to your journal. The information you have gleaned here will
only become more valuable over time! Also, be sure to make notes of your nightly dreams—you may be surprised how
closely they reflect the cards and hexagrams.

“ Darkness is not forever, eventually there will be stars. - David Paul Kirkpatrick
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P R I S M 3.
T E L E PAT H Y - D I V I N AT I O N - H A R M O N Y - F U N

Preparation:
Time Requirement: Thirty minutes per day for five consecutive days.

Goals and Outcomes: Practice telepathy. Have fun with a friend or

partner. Create psychic harmony with another person. Conduct five
unique tarot card readings for personal / relationship advice.

What You’ll Need:

• Pytho’s Prism Oracle.
Purchase at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PythosPrism

• Game Piece.
(Monopoly or D&D game piece works well.)

• Tarot Cards.
(Universal RWS deck highly recommend. Deck must have 78 cards.)

• Note Paper.
(Laptop or tablet could also work.)

• Various Items of Symbolic Importance.

(Examples: Photo of departed loved on, I Ching hexagram, runes, oracle cards, small totem,
etc.)

• Another Person
(Someone who is interested in having a great relationship with you.)

Game Play

1. Essentially, this prism is a game. For that reason, each participant in the
“game” will be referred to here as a “Player”. Prior to playing, determine
who will be called “Player One” and who will be called “Player Two”. This
will make the instructions easier to follow.
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2. Player One: Place a game piece on the

first position (1. ACCEPTING) of the
Pytho’s Prism Oracle.

3. Player One: Lay out five tarot cards

from the deck. Ensure the cards are
face-up and can easily be seen by yourself and Player Two.

Player One lays

out five tarot
cards so both
players can
easily view them.

4. Player One: Look at the the position the game piece is on (1.
ACCEPTING). Think about what that word means to you. Now, look at the
five tarot cards and decide which one best represents your idea of
“accepting”. Keeping your choice a secret, discreetly write your card
selection in a notebook.
Player One
writes a private
note indicating
their choice of
card.
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5. Player Two: Look at the the position the game piece is on (1.
ACCEPTING). Think about what that word means to you. Now, look at the
five tarot cards and decide which one best represents your idea of
“accepting”. Pick up the card you decided on and hand it to Player One.

6.A. Player One: Show Player Two the note you wrote in the notebook. Did
you both select the same card to represent the idea of “accepting”?

6.B. If you both selected the same card, you will advance to the second
position (2. CREATING) on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle.

6.C. If you selected different cards, you will remain on the first position (1.
ACCEPTING) on the Pytho’s Prism Oracle.

7.A. Player One: If you are remaining on the first position (1. ACCEPTING),
return all five cards to the bottom of the deck.

7.B. Player One: If you are advancing to the second

position (2. CREATING), keep the card you both selected
and place it off to the side. Later this card will be used
in a tarot card reading. Return the other four cards
back to the bottom of the deck.

“ The Tarot’s approach to consciousness is not that of seeking out what is

“wrong” or needs to be fixed. Rather, the tarot focuses on what out gifts are,
what we have come here to experience, where we are blocking ourselves, and
how we can recognize projected parts of ourselves…
- Anne Stine
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8. Player Two: Regardless of whether you advanced or not, it is now your

turn to place five new cards out. Essentially, you are going to repeat what
Player One did during steps 3 - 7.

Player Two
takes their
turn laying
out five new
cards.

9. Player Two: Look at the

the position the game
piece is on. (Note: If you
did not advance, you’ll still be
on “1. ACCEPTING”. If you Player Two
did advance, you’ll be on “2. writes a private
note indicating
CREATING”.) To make this their choice of
card.
easier, let’s assume you
have advanced to the
second position. Look at the five cards and decide which one best
represents your idea of “creating”. Keeping your choice a secret, discreetly
write your card selection in a notebook.

10. Player One: Look at the the position the game piece is on. Think about
what “creating” means to you. (Or if you didn’t advance, what “accepting
means.) Now, look at the five tarot cards and decide which one you feel
best represents the position. Pick up that card and hand it to Player Two.
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11. Player Two: Show Player One the note you wrote in the notebook. Did
you both select the same card?

If you both selected the same card, you will advance to the next position.

If you selected different cards, you will remain on your current position.

12. Player Two: If you are remaining on your current position, return all five
cards to the bottom of the deck.

If you are advancing to the next position, keep the

card you both selected and place it off to the side.
Later this card will be used in a tarot card reading.
Now, return the other four cards back to the
bottom of the deck.
If you have
advanced twice,
you should have
two cards that will
be used for a
reading later.

Tip: Both players have now had the opportunity to lay out cards and write a note to indicate their
card selections. You may still be trying to advance from the first or second positions, or you may
already be advancing to the third position (3. FANTASY). For that reason, you may want to make
adjustments to the difficulty level of the game at this time. The game can be made more challenging
by simply laying down more cards to chose from. If you are finding the game to be too difficult, you
may lay down fewer cards as well. If you’re interested, it is possible to incorporate a symbolic item
into the process. Learning how to do this, is best done by practicing Prism One. You can find Prism
One at the beginning of this instruction book.

13. Continue playing the game in this manner until you have completed
the first four positions of Pytho’s Prism Oracle. Once all four positions are
complete, you will be ready to conduct your first tarot card reading with the
four cards you have put aside.
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After completing
four positions, use
the cards you have
collected to
conduct a tarot
card reading.

Example: In the picture above, you can see it took me five attempts to complete the first four
positions (two attempts to move past the third position). This could indicate the game is too easy
for me. Moving forward, I might increase the difficulty by adding additional cards to choose from or
include a symbolic item in the process (see Prism One to learn how this is done).

14. The game takes five days to complete. Throughout the process, you will
conduct five separate tarot cards readings. While game play remains the
same throughout the entire 32 positions of the board, on each day you will
advance your game piece through a greater number of positions as the
previous day. Therefore, use the schedule below to know when to stop each
day. (Note: The schedule is the same is what is used for Prism One.)
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Tip: If you play this game often, you may want to keep your notebook and track your progress. Is
your telepathic ability improving over time? If you are finding this game too easy, try using a
different deck of cards. Not only does this process help improve intuition, it also offers an
opportunity to study a deck of cards and the archetypal images may hold.

Five Day Schedule:

Day One: Positions 1 through 4. Four card spread.

Day Two: Positions 5 through 9. Five card spread.
Day Three: Positions 10 through 15. Six card spread.
Day Four: Positions 16 through 22. Seven card spread.
Day Five: Positions 23 through 32. Ten card spread.

Reading Cards

The card spreads below are meant to be recommendations. Using

modifications is perfectly alright. You may choose to shuffle the cards or
keep them in their original order. The cards can be used for a combined
reading for both players, or each player can read them for individual advice.
Remember, Pytho’s Prism is designed to allow for your own
experimentation. Feel free to try different layouts on each of the five day.
That being said, it may also be beneficial learn some of the fundamentals
before making modifications.

Keeping a journal is important during these five days. You may find that
reviewing all five readings at once reveals a common thread that ties them
all together. Without a journal, it’s easy to forget information from days
past.
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Day One - Four card spread:

First Card: Past.
Second Card: Present.
1 2 3 4
Third Card: Future.
Fourth Card: Outcome.

Day Two - Five card spread:

4
First Card: Situation.
Second Card: Challenges.
Third Card: Strengths. 3 1 5

Fourth Card: Guidance.

Fifth Card: Potential. 2

Day Three - Six card spread:

First Card: Accept. 6

Second Card: Forgive.

Third Card: Release. 4 5
Fourth Card: Discuss.
Fifth Card: Learn.
1 2 3
Sixth Card: Create.
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6
Day Four - Seven card spread:
First Card: I have. 5
Second Card: I feel.
Third Card: I can. 4
Fourth Card: I love.
Fifth Card: I speak. 3
Sixth Card: I see.
Seventh Card: I know. 2

Day Five - Ten card spread:

10
First Card: Situation.
Second Card: Challenge.
5
Third Card: Belief. 9
Fourth Card: Distant past. 4
2
6
Fifth Card: Near past. 1
Sixth Card: Near future. 8

Seventh Card: Self-perception. 3

Eighth Card: Outside influences.
7
Ninth Card: Action advice.
Tenth Card: Likely outcome.
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