Welcome!
Ahh...Fall! School is in session, a slight chill is in
the air, and it's time for the many traditions that
help draw together our immediate family as well as our
extended family. Family defines who we are and gives
us the sense of belonging.
Elements of tradition and family can be found in the
tarot. There is the masculine, the feminine, the
archetypes of father and mother, and there are many
esoteric communities and traditions. No matter what
our tradition, we want answers to life's questions.
When we grab a deck we are going to our "family" for
guidance. This guidance is given through the structure
of the spread. We will discuss spreads in this issue.
Tarot Tips is here to help you with the practical
side of your tarot journey. In order to take the
greatest advantage of this newsletter, please send
us your questions regarding any aspect of your
tarot study or practice and we'll do our best to
answer them in an upcoming issue.
Spread the experience of tarot - share this newsletter
with your Tarot Family!
Enjoy!
Ruth Ann, Wald & Gina
Tarot Tip
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF A TAROT SPREAD
There are countless spreads used to gain insight from
the cards. In choosing a spread, one size does not fit
all and you may want to select or design one that is
practical and straightforward.
With this in mind, determine the goal of the reading
you are about to do. There may be three or four
questions about a specific topic or something general.
Next, decide what information you want from your
layout, and how many cards and positions will be
necessary to give you that information.
Spreads help give you focus and clarity in a reading.
The source of your insights will come from the
individual cards in the context of the spread.
Structure your spread and reading in a way that tells
a complete story, rather than depending on rote card
meanings that may or may not make sense.
Before you start the reading, pause for a moment.
Dwell on the cards and the positions. Take the time to
let the cards speak to you. No matter what spread you
decide to use, the wisdom of the cards and your inner
guidance will have something useful and accurate to
offer.
For more information on tarot spreads, we recommend
the following books:
Tarot Spreads Collection: 300 Tarot Spreads by
Velvet Angel
Power Tarot: More Than 100 Spreads That Give
Specific Answers to Your Most Important Question
by Trish Macgregor and Phyllis Vega
Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads (Special Topics
in Tarot) by Teresa Michelsen
Tarot Card Showcase
In this section we will feature tidbits on a
specific tarot card. While there are many
systems and decks to choose from in the world
of tarot, here we will utilize the Universal Waite
Tarot images and symbols.
Copyright 1992 U.S Games.
THE FOOL
Esoteric Title: The Spirit of Aether
Hebrew Letter Correspondence: Aleph (Ox)
Element: Air
Astrological Attribution: Uranus
Zero is the number of The Fool. Zero is a continuous
circle, a beginning without an end. In most decks it
begins the Major Arcana, though in some decks it is
placed toward the end of the sequence of Majors. When
you look at the figure in the Waite-Smith version, can
you tell if it is male or female? As you look at this
card, you might have a hard time deciding. The zero
often is symbolic of an egg, suggesting fertility. The
Fool can be seen as Spirit, and its connection to the
egg would refer to the unborn, whose sexuality is not
yet determined.
The Fool, like all tarot cards, has many layers of
meaning. We can easily identify with The Fool,
although it seems so otherworldy. The Fool is not
always foolish. Kings and noblemen of old often had a
court jester or fool by their side. The court fool
often had the right to say whatever came into his
mind. Some ramblings of the fool were seen as profound
messages for those in a position of power.
Suggested meanings: Taking a leap. Free-spirited.
Quest for knowledge or experience. Innocence. New
adventures. Seeker. Erratic behavior. Complete trust.
Juvenile. Simplicity.
Suggested reading on tarot symbolism:
The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination
by Robert M. Place
Secret Symbolism of the Tarot
by Doris Chase Doane
Do you want to learn more about tarot but don't have
time or the resources to attend a class? The Tarot
School Correspondence Course was created just for you.
Study at your own pace and get one-on-one coaching
from Grandmaster Wald Amberstone. For details, click
http://tarotschool.com/Course.html
Best Practices for Professional Readers
DELIVERING A PROFESSIONAL READING
By Gina Thies
It's probably common sense to have certain
guidelines in your practice when you charge fees for
your readings. This gives a level of professionalism
to what you do, and will set you apart in a field that
is saturated by all sorts of psychics, intuitive
practitioners and channelers. For your professional
tarot practice you may want to consider establishing
boundaries between yourself and your clients.
Here are a few guidelines:
- Respect the client's time and your time. Do not
use the allotted time on trivial matters.
- Confidentiality is key and shows respect to the client.
- Develop a set of ethical guidelines. For a sample
Code of Ethics go to:
http://tarotadvisor.com/Code_Of_Ethics.html
- Educate yourself about basic counseling methods.
There are limits to the kind of advice you are allowed
give, e.g. legal, financial, and medical; in doing
readings, you are primarily giving emotional,
spiritual and practical guidance.
- Deliver the reading with sensitivity. Many times I
have heard clients say, "Don't tell me anything
bad or scary." Try to educate your clients that
tarot readings are a tool for problem-solving and not
just predictions.
- Grow your skills and abilities through continuing
education with tarot classes.
- Send thank you notes when possible, and provide a
way for the client to have a follow up session.
Although none of these guidelines are absolute, I
believe that if we present ourselves as business
professionals, this will give credibility to tarot as
an accepted method of counseling.
Featured Tarot Blog / Newsletter
CIRCLE WAYS
James Wells has an informative newsletter filled with
his techniques on tarot and reiki. James is a
Toronto-based motivational listener, consultant,
teacher, and facilitator who is dedicated to merging
soul and strategy.
Visit him at:
http://jameswells.wordpress.com/
