Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com
ISSN: 1529-0565 
Vol. 12 #10 / September 1, 2020
                                                                  
 In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Deck Clearing Rituals
- Tarot School Aphorism
- That's Cool!: Tarot Off the Cuff
- Diviner's Corner: Apantomancy
- Best Practices: Client-centric Service

 
 
Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.


        Welcome to The Tarot School














When I was growing up, I remember a certain
excitement right before the start of school.
Of course, I was sorry to come to the end of
summer vacation but I enjoyed shopping for
new clothes and school supplies with my mom,
and the anticipation of cooler autumn days.
I was curious to meet my new teachers, learn
new things, and hang out with my friends in
the drama department.

It pains me to say “Those were the “good old
days,”  but things have definitely changed
this year. The start of school is filled
with anxiety for students and teachers
alike. Friends can’t (or at least shouldn’t)
hug each other, and even the change of
weather is uncertain.

So my usual “Back to Tarot School”
greeting isn’t filled with that sense of
excitement, but it’s still appropriate.
Distance learning is the “new normal”
(boy, do I hate that phrase — apologies for
using it!) and that’s something we’ve been
offering since the mid-90s. We’ve amassed
quite a large body of work in all that time.
Perhaps you’ll find something on our website
that will spark that sense of excitement
during this unusual school season. 
https://tarotschool.com



In this month’s Tip, we answer the question
of whether and how to clear your deck of
negative energy. The Diviner’s Corner offers 
wonderful information on fortuitous divination.
(How often does a chance encounter present
as an omen to you?) And the Best Practices
column discusses the importance of putting
your clients first. 

 
 
 
And one more thing...

 The Tarot School Birth Card Course

In case you missed our
announcement in last month's
Tarot Tips, we have added a 
3-month payment plan for our
Birth Card Course! At only
$65 per month, this ground-
breaking course is now even
more affordable!

Six years in the making, The
Tarot School Birth Card Course
is unlike anything else you may
have read on the subject. Gain
new insights into yourself, your
clients, friends and family ––
anyone whose birthdate you know.

You'll be surprised how much you
can see with just 2 (or 3) cards!


Learn more here:
https://tarotschool.com/Birth-Card-Course.html

 

Take care, stay whole and healthy and
move forward on your tarot journey,
Ruth Ann, Wald, and Gina

 
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 other Tarot Enthusiasts!
 

 
Tarot Tip
DECK CLEARING RITUALS


Tarot deck with crystal



Heather asks...

"I am unclear on clearing, and its
importance. I have been reading cards
(mostly for myself) for years. I've heard of
people 'clearing' and 'energizing' decks
frequently, but haven't bothered to with
my own. How is it done, and does it affect
a reading?"


ANSWER:

That's a great question, Heather!

When it comes to rituals like clearing,
cleansing and energizing the cards, I've
always maintained that it's a personal
decision whether to do them or not. I don't
believe that the cards themselves are
affected -- when you come right down to it,
they are just pieces of cardboard after all
-- but the energetic link between you and
your deck can be. In fact, I lost the deck
I'd been using since Wald and I started The
Tarot School, and found the experience
emotionally wrenching to say the least.
That link was very strong.

For some people, being conscious of and/or
working with energy is not important. It is
entirely possible to read cards from a
purely intellectual standpoint. In fact,
once you know enough tarot, you don't even
need physical cards to do a reading. In this
case, there would be no deck to clear or
energize.

However, if you are the type of person who
is sensitive to unseen energies and enjoys
working with them, your personal energetic
state and the links you forge with your
sacred space and tools are often very
important and can certainly have an impact
on your readings.

I am personally energetically sensitive so I
like to clear my deck before I begin a
reading, and then again at the end before I
put my cards away. I do this very simply by
holding my hands over the deck, palms-down
and crossed at the wrists. I then pull them
apart with a forceful motion. That movement
sends a signal to my sub-conscious (and
possibly the deck itself) that renews my
connection with the cards and lets me start
fresh without any residual energy from a
previous reading session.

Another way to freshen your deck is to
include a favorite crystal in the bag or box
you keep your cards in. Clear quartz,
amethyst, selenite or black tourmaline
are good choices. From time to time, rinse
the crystal under running water to keep it
energetically clear as well. (This is not
necessary for selenite as it is "self-cleaning.")


Here are some other methods you might
like to try:


• Put the cards in sequence before shuffling
them again.

• Rap the edge of the deck on the table 3
times.

• Fan out the cards and blow on them.

• Smudge the cards with sage or other
favorite herb or incense.

• Charge them on the windowsill under a
full moon.

• Place your deck in or near a singing bowl
as you ring it.


Remember though that rituals are for you --
the cards don't need them. Your own state is
what will affect your readings most of all.
If clearing or energizing rituals support
that state then go for it. If they make no
difference and you don't feel like doing
them, nobody says you have to. :) 

       
~ Ruth Ann          
                 

 
    


 Tarot School Aphorism
 
 
            The Empress is a being whose force and form alike are made of light. It is with this light that she fills her creations, so they shine from within no matter where in the ever-darkening creative process they find themselves.

           
            
 


That's Cool!




      TAROT 
OFF THE CUFF

YOUTUBE CHANNEL








Tarot Off The Cuff logoCreated by Kevin Quigley and
Nancy Antenucci, this series of
short, unplanned talks from 10
different masters is aimed at
helping developing readers to
deepen their own process.

The master reader chooses a card on the spot
and speaks on whatever comes to mind
including tips, techniques and curious stories
of reading professionally.

This is a unique way of teaching tarot,
which we think is really COOL!

Current videos feature Jaymi Elford, 
Janis Garan, Melissa Cynova, Nancy
Antenucci and Sarah Barry, and run
between 6 to 17 minutes. Be sure to
subscribe to get notified when new
videos are available!


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6eXTlM11xbpM_DF8HdhjDg


Have you found something cool?
Tell us about it! 
Email tarot@tarotschool.com



 

Diviner's Corner
APANTOMANCY: 
USING SIGNS FOR DIVINATION


By Lisa Boswell

Black cat with tarot cards
             


Not everyone knows what Apantomancy is,
and yet, millions of people worldwide practice
it. In the UK, you practice Apantomancy
every time you avoid a black cat, magpie, or
refer to Doreen Virtues “Angel Numbers”
guidebook. So, what is Apantomancy?
Apantomancy is divination by omens you
come across by chance. 

Apantomancy is a form of prognosticating
the future which you can practice on the go.
Say, you are on your way to an important
event, and you see a caterpillar on the way.
What is the significance of this animal? Why
is it in your path? Perhaps you keep seeing
the number three. Why would the number
three consistently make an appearance in
your life?

Like most fortune telling modes, Apantomancy
is personal. I feel that, to an extent, to be a
proficient Apantomancer, one must have
a good foundation of what certain symbols
mean to them.

I, for one, love magpies and feel they are a
good omen; it does not bother me to see
them. I feel the same about black cats
because my family refused to keep any other
cat than a black one while I was growing up.
(The sexy beast in this post is my cat Billy
Jean, who's a male cat, by the way).

By contrast, there are a lot of animals that
some people would deem adorable or a lucky
precursor, but I would see it as a negative
sign. For example, I hate monkeys (as do
many other Gypsies) and think they are
terrible creatures. If I were to ask my
spirits for a sign and then see a monkey
unexpectedly, I would view this as unlucky. 

You can ask spirits for signs in your day to
day life. Say you are unsure if you are
making the right decisions, you can ask your
spirits around you (such as relatives) to
give you a sign. Then, go for a walk.
Anything that you see out of the ordinary
is a sign. If you think it is a coincidence,
ask for another sign, and so on.

While doing this post, I asked the spirits
if I should continue writing about forms of
divination or work on something else.
Previously, I had lit incense that I
accidentally placed in front of a statue of
Ganesh in my living room; Ganesh is the
Hindu God of opportunities that my ancestors
possibly worshiped. Anyroad, I looked over
to the statue and noticed that the burnt
incense had not fallen but risen, which is
rather odd. Was this sheer coincidence, or
were the spirits trying to tell me to
continue? I think it means I should
continue, and therefore I wrote this post. 

Although my example was that of incense,
omens usually appear in the form of animals,
but they can also be numbers, objects, and
even the weather. You will know when
something is significant because you will
see it repeatedly or in a strange place. It
is not the norm for a fox to be running
through the streets of a busy town, for
example. Some commonly seen symbols are
the number one, butterflies, feathers, cats,
hands, and triangles. 

The odd thing about this form of divination
is that the Apantomancer is sometimes the
only person who sees the sign. Often, they
will be with a friend, but the friend will
not see what it was that they just saw. I have
met people who, for instance, have had bats
swoop down and sit next to them then
fly away. Other people have been there for
these situations but not witnessed the
actual event in question.

I am unsure why it is the Apantomancer
is the only person who receives the sign.
I theorize that this adds an element of
‘special’ to the event that ensures the
receiver pays extra attention. Often, the
more people who witness prognostic symbols,
the less likely they are to notice any
individualized and personal significance.

If you know that a sign has significance but
are unsure what, a book on symbolism or
dream interpretation may be able to help
you. However, go with your gut; if you think
an omen is positive, but a book is trying to
convince you otherwise trust your intuition.
Here at Divination & Fortune Telling, I
advocate, a personal relationship with your
spirituality, so always listen to your own
inner voice and spirits before taking
outside opinions on board. 

It is okay for you to be a little skeptical
at first and brush off an incident as a
sheer coincidence. There are no laws in the
universe that state that spirits cannot try
to convince you — seen one sign? Soon you’ll
see another. Thinking it is a coincidence?
Ask the spirits for confirmation.

     
About Lisa:

Lisa Boswell Lisa Boswell is an
 award-winning Tarot
 reading teacher who
 currently resides in
 Scotland. Through her
website, she teaches
both experienced and
would-be readers how
they can predict the
future of their love lives, relationships and
businesses using Tarot. In 2014, Lisa won
Tarosophy’s Young Tarosophist of the Year
award.

Visit her website at:

https://divinationandfortunetelling.com/ 


 
We’d love your suggestion or submissions for this
column! If you have an idea or would love to
contribute, please contact us at tarot@tarotschool.com


 

Best Practices for Professional Readers
CLIENT-CENTRIC SERVICE

By Gina Thies
www.tarotadvisor.com  / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders 
www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org



Without clientele you won’t have a business.
It’s really that simple. All businesses, no
matter the size, that provide services or
goods have to offer the things that
consumers need and want. Considering
what it takes to get those customers and
keep them loyal cannot be overlooked. 

One of the first things I bring up to
aspiring professional readers is an
understanding that this vocation is about
being of service. Being of service could
be defined as having a particular set of
principles and devotion to the craft. I
include that being of service comes with
the responsibility of being client-centric
and placing their needs at the forefront
of your business. 

You will make an impact on your clients in
many ways. The way you engage with them
builds a connection of support, trust and
loyalty.  In this time of online critiques,
your client experiences could impact your
entire business. 

Here are some things to look at or revise in
your business practices that will make your
clients the focal point: 

Scheduling -  Display a set of times slots
or availability wherever possible. Should
set times not be feasible, be sure to make
clear a “by appointment only” option with
a way to quickly contact you with their
availability. I use Vcita as my online
scheduling tool that allows clients to
propose up to three time slots and allows
me to choose what works best for me. 

Show Pride in Your Passion -  Good at
helping during times of crisis? Highlight
that or any of your special talents in your
content. Clients and other prospects want to
know how and why they would choose your
services, so shout it from the rooftops and
be proud of what you’ve accomplished. 

Be Empathetic -   Let’s make this one clear.
Your empathy is probably why you are on this
path of service. But empathy should not be
void of boundaries. It feels great to help
another human but won’t feel so good if you
feel taken for granted or taken advantage of
by someone. Putting the needs of your
clients first is important but your sanity
and business are also crucial. 
          

Resources:

TimeTrade - This online scheduler lets
you post when you are available to take
appointments. Your clients then choose
which works best for them. Times are
automatically listed in their own time zone,
and clients will receive a reminder email
the day before their appointment.

https://www.timetrade.com/ 

 
• 8 Tips for Becoming a 
Customer-Centric Organization

https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-centric

 
 

 
 
   Find us on Facebook
 
Join our 11,000+ fans and join the fun!
Up to the minute news, mini lessons and more...
 

 
Do you have a question or comment on anything tarot?
Suggestions for future topics?
Contact tarot@tarotschool.com
 
For information on tarot classes, courses,
events and more, go to TarotSchool.com
 
© Copyright 2020 The Tarot School - All Rights Reserved
Directors: Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone