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The Butterfly Throne Method

Part One: The Internal Reference Library

The underlying structure beneath my entire teaching method is a concept I call the "Internal Reference Library". Everyone has one, a built-up catalog of knowledge and references that you've put together over your entire life, not just your study of Tarot and other occult practices.

Your favorite TV show, a book you read once, a Wikipedia deep-dive you went on one sleepless night, everything you know is stored in your mind and connected to everything else by shining threads of free-association. Yes, the traditional meanings of the Tarot cards can be a book in this library, but the important thing to remember is this:

The traditional meanings are only one book on the shelf.

In other words, they're no more or less important than any of your other knowledge or wisdom. Some readers find learning the traditional meanings helpful, some people find it overwhelming or difficult, and that's fine. Study the traditional meanings if you want to. Don't if it feels like too much. It's a good idea to learn them at some point, because they provide a common touchstone with your deck (more on this in a future article on choosing the right deck), but it's absolutely not a prerequisite! In fact, I advise new readers to study the traditional meanings of the cards after they're already comfortable with their deck.

Instead, build your Internal Reference Library! Read the things that you like, study the things that matter to you, and learn to value all of your unique knowledge and insight. Occult or not, "serious" or not, your most valuable asset as a reader is your own wealth of knowledge and the strings of free-association you've drawn between these things.

For an easy example, let's look at the Magician in Leon's Tarot. He looks like this:

What do you see when you look at this Magician? What does that remind you of?

You might think:

• He has the head of a corvid, a tool-using animal.
• He seems like he is dancing with flame, something flashy but difficult.
• His flames are illuminating everything around him.
• The flames make him appear rainbow-colored.

These things could remind you of anything! You could think of a favorite corvid fact, a time you watched fire-dancers in person, a trick in chemistry class that made the fire look colorful!

Whether I intended it as the artist or not, everything you think of when you look at this card is valid, because it's coming from your own knowledge and intuition! You may end up very close to the traditional meaning of the Magician (I did, after all, try and choose images that would remind you of the idea of mastery that the Magician represents), or you may come up with something completely different.

Trust your Internal Reference Library. That's the key to the Butterfly Throne method.