Today I’d like to delve more into the Emotional Intelligence concept of Empathy. I see this concept vividly in the tarot.

First I’ll add a brief recap of Daniel Goleman’s second cluster of emotional intelligence: self-management or self-regulation. Using the first emotional intelligence cluster,  self-awareness, one decides to change.

In my September 6, 2014 post I included examples such as The Magician and several minor arcana cards: The V of Cups, The VI of Swords and The VII of Pentacles. These cards all illustrate choice – whether difficult or pleasant.

So now that I’ve decided to make a choice, what can I do to make the most of it? Empathy might be a good place to start.

Empathy and Autobiographical Listening

The concept of Empathy involves getting into the other person’s perspective. This isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Many of us attempt to do this through what Stephen Covey calls “Autobiographical Listening.” I love that term. It’s inserting our own experiences into someone else’s. We often do this when commiserating with a friend. It can be quite appropriate at certain times.

It can also be vastly inappropriate when we insert our own experiences too soon. This shifts the focus to “me” before I have fully heard and understood the other person.

I see the major arcana Strength card as prominent here, along with The Lovers and the minor arcana II of Cups. Each of these cards symbolizes getting into the other’s perspective in order to form a close relationship.

When these cards appear in your reading,  it might be a good idea to examine the depth of your relationships with others.