THE TOMAR TAROT CARD RITUAL
CREATING Some simple 'Astral magic'
A tarot card doesn't have to be used in a tarot reading, we can also choose a sympathetic card and create an 'offering bowl' to ask for its assistance. Where, through a simple mediative ritual, we are relating to the qualities of a card, which we want to evoke in ourselves.
Chapter 15. 'The Magic and Ritual in Tarot' (Book Two of the TOMAR manual), explores the theory behind this ritual. It looks at the history of Western 'Astral Magic' (calling on celestial forces for assistance), how these principles have been adapted for use with the symbols in tarot cards - and these are the ideas we're drawing on to create our ritual bowl.
Below is a section taken from Book Five, where the ‘astrological correspondences’ for all 78 tarot cards are listed for quick reference, plus, some of the corresponding herbs, plants, resins (incense gums) and materials you can use to create an ‘offering bowl’. Only the ingredients for the 22 'Major Arcana' cards are listed, but for the remaining 56 'Minor Arcana' cards, these ingredients can be mixed and matched to create what we need.
There are lots of posts on the TOMAR Blog and Instagram for more inspiration on creating a tarot card offering bowl.
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Method, and mindful gathering of ritual ingredients

How we gather items for our offering bowl is as important as the meditation we perform with it. So be creative, and make connections in your own mind about the items you are collecting; how they make you feel when you 'see', 'touch' and 'smell' them, and why they are relevant to your intent.
 I’ve stuck to widely available ingredients - hopefully things you will find in your kitchen cupboard, local store, window box, garden or nearby green space. I’m based in South East England, but you can incorporate ingredients that are local to your area, and meaningful to you. 

- When gathering ‘wild plants’, always ask for permission where needed, don’t take any risks, and don't place anything in your mouth because it may be poisonous. Inform yourself on which plants are poisonous (most are to some degree) so you can choose the safest options.
- Only take a small sprig of something in plentiful supply, the ‘forces of nature’ won’t appreciate fistfuls of endangered plants as a gift no matter how good our intentions. It's good practice to ask the plant for permission before picking it, so that we are keeping our reasons for using it in mind.
- Consider the time of year. In winter, when there are fewer plants to choose from, you can substitute with objects you already have like pearls, trinkets, jewellery, shells and stones. Or store cupboard items such as nuts, dried herbs and dried fruits. Simple offerings of sugar, bread, rice, milk or wine are also good alternatives, or choosing something of a corresponding colour, like the bowl itself, is a good solution.

 - If possible, create your bowl, and perform your ritual, on the day of the week that corresponds to the card you have chosen. If it's difficult to fit in, you could cleanse the empty bowl on that day by leaving it on a window ledge until the next morning.
When you have curated your bowl, take it to a quiet space that you feel connected to. Begin to contemplate all the symbols on the card, and how they relate to the qualities you want to evoke in yourself. Although it's not essential, you can burn incense, and a good alternative is 'lighting a candle' because it also creates a sense of intimacy. Always attend to the candle when lit, and carefully blow it out once the ritual has finished, adding a few words of thanks to mark the end.

When deconstructing your bowl, place any fresh-cut plants or flowers in water, so that you can continue to enjoy them. Uncontaminated food offerings can be eaten, and hard offerings packed away to be used again. Jewellery can be worn, and/ or a pinch of the offerings can be kept in a small pouch in your pocket, so you can carry the 'magic' with you.


The Major Arcana 

0. The Fool - Uranus (element of Air). New perspectives, innovation, disruption of the established.
Pale blue colour. Neroli, lime, fennel, eucalyptus, cardamom, coffee. Mastic resin. Wednesday.

1. The Magician - Mercury. Inspiration, quick thinking, good communication, opportunity, enthusiasm.
Orange or silver colour. Celery, pistachio, lemon, lemongrass, parsley, fennel, cardamom, liquorice, pine. Mastic resin. Wednesday.

2. The High Priestess - The Moon. Intuition, adaption, alternative wisdom, self-wisdom.
White, mid-blue or silver colour. Almond, cucumber, jasmine, chamomile, pearls. Myrrh or benzoin resin. Monday.

3. The Empress - Venus. Nurture, love, powerful attraction, harmony.
Pink or green colour. Apple, pomegranate, fruits with many pips, rose, heather, lavender, mint, vanilla, coriander, strawberry, ash. Acacia resin.
 Friday.
4. The Emperor - Aires (Mars). Authority, ambition. The discipline that brings physical awareness.
Red colour. Honeysuckle, thistle, basil, 
garlic. Colophony or dragons blood resin. Tuesday.
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5. The Hierophant - Taurus (Venus). Dedicated, sensitive. Developing our spiritual awareness.
Green or pink colour. Lilies, thyme,
 rose, lavender, mint, coriander, fruits with pips. Acacia resin. Friday.
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6. The Lovers - Gemini (Mercury). Explorative, sociable, intellectually curious. Challenging, but ultimately harmonising.
Orange colour. Dill, parsley, anise, 
lemongrass, parsley, liquorice. Mastic resin.
 Wednesday.
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7. The Chariot - Cancer (The Moon). Nurturing, perceptive, independent, focused, forging self-will.
White, mid-blue or silver colour. Almond, cucumber, jasmine, chamomile, pearls. Myrrh or benzoin resin. Monday.
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8. Strength - Leo (The Sun). Self-assured, confident, inspirational, ambitious.
Yellow or gold colour. Sunflower, sunflower seeds, bay, tarragon, rosemary. Frankincense resin.
 Sunday.
9. The Hermit - Virgo (Mercury). Diligent, wise, economical. Industrious thinking.

Orange or silver colour. Clover, fennel, celery. Mastic resin. Wednesday.
10. The Wheel of Fortune - Jupiter. Joy, learning, progress. Bigger or broader thinking.
Blue, sea green or purple colour. Clove, nutmeg, pears, figs, grapes, raisins, sage, juniper berries, chestnuts. Sandarac resin.
 Thursday.
11. Justice - Libra (Venus). Independent, fair-minded. Developing our individual moral ethics.
Green or pink colour. Rose, lavender, fruits with many pips, ash. Acacia resin. Friday.
12. The Hanged Man - Neptune (element of Water). Dreams, illusions, meaningful change. Experiences that inspire inner repositioning and re-birth.
Deep blue or violet colour. Shells, any kind of nut or pod, hazelnuts, chestnuts, chamomile, lavender. Myrrh or benzoin resin.
 Monday.
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13. Death - Scorpio (Pluto, Mars). Passionate, intense, truth-seeking.
Deep red, burgundy colour. Beetroot, root vegetables, tamarind, nuts, red wine. Colophony or dragons blood resin. Tuesday.
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14. Temperance - Sagittarius (Jupiter). Idealistic, visionary, committed to making improvements.
Blue or purple colour. Chestnuts, honeysuckle, sage, juniper, barley or wheat (grain or flour), oak, acorn. Sandarac resin.
 Thursday.
15. The Devil - Capricorn (Saturn). Capable, experienced, enterprising. The physical talents that bring power and results.
Brown or dark colours. Any refined items such as bread or red wine. Myrrh, styrax or storax resin.
 Saturday.
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16. The Tower - Mars. Ambition, passion, aggression. The active intervention that asserts change.
Red colour. Chillies, cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic. Colophony or dragons blood resin.
 Tuesday.
17. The Star - Aquarius (Uranus, Saturn). Decisive, aspirational, progressive. The long-term visionary.
Dark colours. Orchid, neroli, patchouli, red wine. 
Myrrh, styrax or storax resin.
 Wednesday, Saturday.
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18. The Moon - Pisces (Neptune, Jupiter). Instinctive, passionate, impressionable. Receptive to natural forces.
Mid-blue or purple colour. Waterlily, magnolia, juniper, sage, chamomile, nutmeg. Myrrh or sandarac resin.
 Monday, Thursday.
19. The Sun - The Sun. Energetic, strong, enthusiastic. Clarity and self-guidance.
Yellow or gold colour. Olives, cinnamon, bay laurel, saffron, rosemary, sandalwood. Frankincense resin.
 Sunday.
20. Judgement - Pluto (element of Fire). Practical clarity, comparison, solutions.
Deep red, burgundy colour. Sandalwood, bougainvillea, chilli, black pepper, salt. Frankincense and myrrh resin mix. 
Tuesday.
21. The World - Saturn (element of Earth). Wisdom, responsibility, discipline, endings. The higher understanding that brings completion.
Black or any dark colour. Patchouli, cumin, tamarind, holly, ivy, shells. Myrrh, styrax or storax resin.
 Saturday.
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The Minor Arcana

The Suit of Wands

Page and Ace of Wands - Fire - Summer. Inspiration, motivation, assessment for change.
The Knight of Wands - Sagittarius Mj./ Scorpio Mn. Idealistic, visionary, impulsive.

The Queen of Wands - Aires Mj./ Pisces Mn. Leadership, authority, negotiation.

The King of Wands - Leo Mj./ Cancer Mn. Defiant, self-assured, ambitious.

The Two (Mars), Three (Sun) and Four (Venus) of Wands (in Aires). Awareness, motivation, achievement.

The Five (Saturn), Six (Jupiter) and Seven (Mars) of Wands (in Leo). Assertion, success, authority.

The Eight (Mercury), Nine (Moon) and Ten (Saturn) of Wands (in Sagittarius). Defiant, idealistic, strong-willed. 


The Suit of Cups
Page and Ace of Cups - Water - Autumn. Sociability, gathering new intelligence, nurturing new ideals. 

The Knight of Cups - Pisces Mj./ Aquarius Mn. Passionate, receptive, imaginative, idealistic.

The Queen of Cups - Cancer Mj./ Gemini Mn. Empathetic, perceptive, creative.

The King of Cups - Scorpio Mj./ Libra Mn. Compassionate, intense, productive.

The Two (Venus), Three (Mercury) and Four (Moon) of Cups (in Cancer). Attraction, prosperity, emotional security.
The Five (Mars), Six (Sun) and Seven (Venus) of Cups (in Scorpio). Deep emotional truths, processing, potential.

The Eight (Saturn), Nine (Jupiter) and Ten (Mars) of Cups (in Pisces). Emotional strength, enjoyment, reassurance.


The Suit of Swords
Page and Ace of Swords - Air - Winter. Reshaping, reprioritising, creating the right environment for new ideals to establish.

The Knight of Swords - Gemini Mj./ Taurus Mn. Explorative, idealistic, extroverted.

The Queen of Swords - Libra Mj./ Virgo Mn. Independent, fair-minded, assertive.
The King of Swords - Aquarius Mj./ Capricorn Mn. Decisive, aspirational, self-reliant.

The Two (Moon), Three (Saturn) and Four (Jupiter) of Swords (in Libra). Deliberation, assertion, reflection.

The Five (Venus), Six (Mercury) and Seven (Moon) of Swords (in Aquarius). Reassertion, reassessment, ambition.

The Eight (Jupiter), Nine (Mars) and Ten (Sun) of Swords (in Gemini). Expression, imagination, persuasion.


The Suit of Pentacles

Page and Ace of Pentacles - Earth - Spring. Materialisation, realisation, resilience.
The Knight of Pentacles - Virgo Mj./ Leo Mn. Diligent, dependable, strong.

The Queen of Pentacles - Capricorn Mj./ Sagittarius Mn. Capable, enterprising, nurturing.

The King of Pentacles - Taurus Mj./ Aires Mn. Dedicated, sensitive, powerful.

The Two (Jupiter), Three (Mars) and Four (Sun) of Pentacles (in Capricorn). Practical experience, focus, material success.

The Five (Mercury), Six (Moon) and Seven (Saturn) of Pentacles (in Taurus). Spiritual development, balance, choices.
The Eight (Sun), Nine (Venus) and Ten (Mercury) of Pentacles (in Virgo). Dedication, prosperity, security.