Revisiting the Market of Memory
When I first created the Market of Memory tarot spread, it was an opportunity to introduce depth into a minor arcanum that is easily overlooked. It was also my way of helping a student tap into her inner child. In response to one of my newsletters, she had specifically asked for a spread to help with that, and I was happy to provide something that we could all use.
At the time, my understanding of the inner child was limited, and I thought it was too narrow a scope for the 6 of Cups, so the spread I created (the Market of Memory) was geared toward understanding wisdom from any of the past versions of ourselves that live within us. Fast forward a bit, and I would eventually realize that the inner child can be found on the banks of the River of Time, just as our past lives and ancestors can. I even added that as an extra focus for my Reading the River of Time course.
And through that course, I realized that I needed to focus my new deck on ways to connect with an understand the inner child. In writing the guidebook to that deck, this spread seemed like a great place to start because sometimes we get glimmers of the past, but we’re not really sure which past is calling us.
The spread hasn’t changed, but I’ve discovered new purpose for it. That first card is now also a clue as to the source of this past. If you believe only that it’s your lived past as experienced by your physical body, that’s fine; it’s still a powerful spread. But it might be coming from a past life or an ancestor or the mental construct known as the inner child.
All of these lives exist within us in some form, whether we can say with any confidence that our bodies and souls carry those memories with us literally or we rely on those “memories” in a symbolic way to help make new understanding of past patterns. Open up to the gifts of the pasts.
The Offering: What is coming forward from the past?
The Gifted: What pleasures will this help me reawaken?
Clear Skies: How can I use this to shine a light on my future?
Other Wares (2 cards): What of the past remains under the surface, out of sight for now? Why let it stay there?
The Flower’s Scent: How will I know that it’s time to bring more from the depths? (a sensory cue exercise)
See my blog post “Sensory Cues and Intuition” for more on sensory cue exercises.
If you’re curious to learn more about my work in reading the river of time, you can order a reading to help you heal or empower parts of your inner child or a reading to understand some of the lessons carried over from a past life or guidance handed down the generations by an ancestor. (You can also purchase a gift card for someone else to use if you think they’d enjoy one of these readings!)
And consider signing up for my course on Reading the River of Time. Currently, I am teaching this only once per year, so sign up for the waitlist if there is not currently an open session.
Want help creating your own layouts?
You’ve got options! Join my upcoming semester of tarot and take advantage of 20+ office hours, where we can talk through your ideas and how best to ask the questions that matter most and create a custom signature layout for you.
Can’t wait? Sign up for my intensive fundamentals course for new and experienced readers, Read Tarot like a Nerd, where we get into the heart of asking questions that matter, along with a dozen or two other valuable topics to take your tarot readings beyond the basics. Or check out my Saturday seminars, including past recordings of Reading the Big Picture and Getting Intentional, which will help you create your own spreads.