Choose a time when you will be undisturbed for twenty minutes. Loosen any tight clothing. Disconnect the phone. Light incense and a candle from your shadow altar. Play relaxing, soft music. Tape-record the meditation or have someone read it to you.

Begin as with all the exercise in this book—breathe slowly and deeply. Exhale all your concerns and worries of the day. Inhale a feeling of calm and well-being. When you notice yourself becoming more relaxed, focus your attention on the area around your heart. This is the area of your spiritual ideal and it is where all healing takes place.

Breathe out your cares. Breathe in a beautiful rose-pink light. Let it surround your heart and fill you with a sense of well-being. Allow the rose-pink light to expand, fill your body, and radiate all around you. Take your time. Breathe slowly. You feel safe, calm, and loved.

Without expectation, know you are entering sacred space to be with your Higher Self. Be still and at peace. Allow your thoughts to end and leave without censoring them. Regard them with detachment and, if your mind wanders, bring it back to your rose-colored heart center and your slow, deep breathing. The still, small voice within you only whispers, it never shouts. Listen for communication with your Higher Self.

Come back into your body calmly and deliberately. Become aware of your surroundings, the placement of your feet and your contact with the ground. Open your eyes and gradually return to normal consciousness. Know that the feeling of universal love is available to you again, anytime and anywhere. It is always surrounding you whether you are aware of it or not. Feel connected to something greater than yourself. Above all, know you are loved and have always been so. Record your experience in a journal.

Excerpted from Tarot Shadow Work by Christine Jette