Vol. 11 #7 / September 1, 2019
In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Tips for Understanding Tarot Imagery
- Tarot School Aphorism
- Diviner's Corner: Tattwas
- Best Practices: Logo Design – Symbolically Representing Your Reading Services
- Upcoming Events
Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.
Here in the Northern hemisphere, September marks the
start of the school year. Some students actually start
classes in August, but since this is a monthly publication,
September is our “Back-to-Tarot-School” issue.
We’ve decided to celebrate the fresh learning energy
of this time of year with a special offer on the Tarot
School Correspondence Course. Register for either the
degree program or non-certificate course during the
month of September, and save $95 with the coupon code
BACKTOSCHOOL. We very rarely make an offer like this
but the promise of cooler days has us giddy with
anticipation! You can learn all about the course at:
http://tarotschool.com/Course.html.
In the meantime, let’s talk about symbolism…
Any tarot deck that uses pictures (yes, there are some
that don’t) contains symbolism. We don’t usually
plan to have a theme, but that’s exactly what
happened with this issue of Tarot Tips. The Tip looks
at understanding symbols and imagery in the cards, the
Diviner’s Corner explores scrying with tattwa
symbols, and the Best Practices for Professional
Readers column gives help on logo design for your
professional services. Even the “One more thing…”
postscript offers a couple of resources dealing with
— symbolism!
Enjoy!
Wald was the debut guest on Kooch Daniels'
new Mystics, Oracles & Divination Radio Show!
They had a wide-ranging conversation, including
a discussion about some of the symbols in our
book, The Secret Language of Tarot.
You can listen to the interview here:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv/modrs20190814ep1emwaldamberstone
We are honored that The Secret Language of Tarot was named
one of the 15 Best Advanced Tarot Books for Experienced
Readers on the Broke By Books blog:
"We all know that the tarot is packed with symbolism, but
what’s often glossed over is the meaning behind the images
in the cards. Every deck artist and creator takes extraordinary
care with choosing the art on the cards, and there’s a reason
why some of them look so similar. In The Secret Language
of Tarot, authors Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone crack the
code of symbolism wide open. This advanced tarot book
trains students to recognize universal symbols from deck
to deck to find universal wisdom.
In The Secret Language of Tarot, you’ll learn the history and
meaning behind frequent tarot images like mountains, moons,
horses, feathers, gardens, and even blindfolds. The Secret
Language of Tarot will definitely have improve your tarot
reading and make you more open to the deeper significance
of the cards."
You can read more about the book and order your
autographed copy here:
tarotschool.com/secret_language_of_tarot.html
With love and gratitude on the 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
TIPS FOR UNDERSTANDING TAROT IMAGERY
Tarot readings are consistently insightful because
the cards use symbols that are deeply ingrained
within our consciousness. While those symbols
are not unique to the cards, they are combined and
presented in a way that beautifully illustrate the
human condition and situations in which we often
find ourselves.
When querents pose questions, it is the job of a
tarot reader to interpret that symbolic language.
The better the reader's understanding of the imagery,
the more easily they can explain the cards and
share their insights. A querent's own reactions to
and associations with the symbols can add to the
reading as well.
Here are some suggestions for understanding
tarot imagery:
Start with the Obvious
Basic associations are natural and can be useful.
Think about what you would naturally associate
with a given symbol or card, e.g., moon = night,
sun = day, The Star = heaven, The Lovers =
romance, The Hierophant = spirituality, etc.
Really Look at the Cards
A valuable technique that we have developed
at The Tarot School is called Close Examination.
It can be especially helpful when building a
repertoire of card symbols. Here is how it works:
Examine the picture on a card as closely as you can.
Notice colors, clothing, posture, facial expressions, etc.
If there are things to count, count them. Look at
everything; you’ll be surprised how many things
you’ve never noticed before, even if you’ve been
reading for years. One or more of them can hold the
key to an interpretation specifically for your querent.
Take some time to practice this technique on your
own so you can do it quickly and easily.
Explore Specific Symbols
Find a familiar detail or symbol, such as a
lightning bolt. Think about why it is there, and
what it might mean in the context of the reading.
Lightning is often associated with storms, a rapid
atmospheric change, danger, or an unexpected
power surge. Are you fearful of lightning?
Your querent might not be, so check with them
to make sure you're not projecting your own
fears onto them. Perhaps they have another
association, such as excitement, which might
make more sense.
Each detail of every picture contains its own treasure
of knowledge, and creates and transmits its own wealth
of meaning. Combining your intuition with an
understanding of tarot symbology will add a richness to
your readings that your querents will truly appreciate.
Tarot School Aphorism
Diviner's Corner
TATTWAS
Tattwas, sometimes spelled tattvas, are geometric
symbols used in symbolic scrying. The basic shapes in
the symbol set are often colored, and are commonly
employed for a reading with tattwas, a term rooted in
Indian or Hindu traditions.
Tattwas are five simple geometric symbols representing
five universal elements of fire, water, air, earth and
quintessence or spirit.
These shapes form portals that take scrying to the
astral dimensions. In different combinations, these
symbols and elemental energies are representations of
our physical and spiritual worlds.
In addition to scrying, tattwas are used for
meditation. The tattwa symbols are a triangle, a
crescent moon, an oval, a circle, and a square.
These five are combined to make 25 tattwas.
Tattwas were incorporated into an inner plane
exploration method by The Golden Dawn from the
Hindu Tantric tradition. Tattwas do not require any prior
deep study of the symbols. They can be studied one by
one as the scryer learns to “see” and then afterward
used in more advanced scrying techniques.
Resources:
• The Tattwas –– Psychic Development
https://wiccanwitchcraft.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/the-tattwas-psychic-development/
• The Golden Dawn and the Tattwas
https://tattwacards.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-golden-dawn-and-tattwas.html
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
LOGO DESIGN:
SYMBOLICALLY REPRESENTING
YOUR READING SERVICES
By Gina Thies
www.tarotadvisor.com / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders
www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org
They say it takes only a moment to make a good
impression. Symbols instantly give us information about
who we are, what we should do, what we should avoid,
and so many other things.
When you choose a look for your website and your logo
design, it represents your brand and your business
values. If you have a code of ethics, but your logo or
brand says, questionable ethics, it may be time to rethink
or redesign your brand and your look.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you are
creating logos, whether you work with a professional
designer or not:
Your Story. Use symbols that speak to what you bring
professionally and are concise in representing you and
what you offer to your clientele.
Think Globally. You never know what life or business
may bring, so choose something that “travels” well
and would be appropriate universally.
Don’t Overwhelm. This also means don’t mix your
message. If there are too many things going on with
your design, it might convey conflict, chaos, etc. For
instance, if your reading style isn’t predictive, avoid
using images or symbols that convey forecasting.
Choose a logo design that clearly communicates a niche
and areas of specialization for your skill set.
Upcoming Events:
• September 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2019
Forest Hills, New York
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Directors: Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone
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