I have always been drawn to the mystical.
From a very young age, I found it in nature.
I sought to find it in spirituality as well. I
came of age in the 1960s and early 70s —
a time when the magical and mystical was
all around me. It was the dawning of the
"New Age." Everything was fresh and
exciting then!

I must have been told not to buy my
first deck because I remember asking my
mother to buy one for me. The deck she
purchased was the Grand Eteilla
Egyptian Gypsies Tarot. (Who knows
where she found that!) It was very
unusual, and I endeavored to make sense
of it with the little white book, but I
soon learned that it wasn't the kind of
tarot deck I wanted.

My mother and I then went to our local
head shop to find a more standard deck.
(According to the old myth, since she
had already bought one for me, I was
now free to choose my own — although
my mother probably paid for it anyway.)
I still remember the wonderful smell of
incense, the bright colors, the pipes and
bongs, and Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man
playing over the shop's speakers. It was
a totally magical environment! There
was a tiny collection of tarot decks, too.

I had come to buy a standard Rider-Waite
-Smith deck, but then I spotted David
Palladini's Aquarian Tarot and fell in love
at first sight! I read with that deck for
the next 20 years.

When I met Wald in the 90s, we
discovered we had a mutual love of
tarot. The proprietor of a New York
City metaphysical shop was teaching a
tarot workshop and we decided to go. On
the way there, we realized that neither
of us had brought a tarot deck with us.
Duh! So we popped into a Barnes & Noble
on the way and picked up two copies of
the Universal Waite deck. (It was the
only one they had 2 of.)

I was never particularly attracted to
the RWS deck but really liked Mary
Hanson-Roberts' version. She drew it
with colored pencil so everything in
the pictures was crisp and clear. The
softer color palette appealed to me
more, too. When Wald and I started
The Tarot School in 1995, that's the
deck we chose to use and have been
teaching with it for the past 30 years.

Even though I have a collection of
about 200 decks, the UW deck is my
go-to. I know the cards so intimately,
I can do readings in my head without
them if need be. And I still love it
after all these years!

Thanks so much to Cheryl Ryder of the
Albuquerque Tarot Tribe for pointing me
to this excellent piece on Pamela
Colman Smith by Cherry Gilchrist.

In addition to background on the creation
of her famous deck, the article covers
other aspects of her life and art.
It's definitely worth a look!

https://cherrycache.org/

Is it possible to dance the Tarot cards?
And if so, what is the purpose of doing so?
What draws me to create a dance
performance inspired by the Tarot?

What moves me when I offer intensive
workshops rooted in the Tarot's Major
Arcana?

What is the connection between Tarot
and our dance process?

Why do we need two people for this story?

Is Tarot simply a form of divination,
or is it a personal path for growth?

These are just some of the questions
that stirred within me when I decided
to dedicate my latest creation to the
Tarot. Each time I embark on a new
project, life begins to reveal the path
I must follow. Sometimes, it's enough
to listen to subtle omens, and the
creation reveals itself. A chance
encounter with a musician friend led me
into this new exploration.

I am grateful to share this story with
you, as it has opened me to new
perspectives on ourselves and reality.
I had never been drawn to Tarot before,
but when I first connected with the
cards, I discovered they held profound,
transformative power. Each Arcana holds
an inner meaning and an instinctive
impression—just by observing them.

As I researched each symbol, I blended
the wisdom of Campbell's "Hero's
Journey," Jung's philosophy, and my own
healing relationship with dance. Each
of us is here for a reason, navigating
desires, frustrations, and successes.
Every step may seem insignificant, yet
it's often because we act without truly
listening to our hearts, disconnected
from the lifeblood of our being.

Every moment, every year, is a cycle.
It begins with a wild, untamed character
—the Madman—who embarks on a
journey without knowing where to go,
but trusting in that lifeblood. The
first Major Arcana takes a step toward
the light, and the story unfolds.

Interiorizing each Arcana has been a
continuous process of growth for me.
But this journey couldn't be complete
alone. Something was missing when
working as a single creator. The
masculine energy within me needed
activation to better connect with my
Animus. Some cards carry more
masculine energy; others more
feminine. Each card balances these
two aspects—Animus and Anima.
Only by living each card, embodying
its symbols with our bodies, can we
uncover what's missing.

This is why, in our creative process,
we are two: my partner and I,
compensating for the missing part as
the Arcana guide us. The struggles of
Strength, the conflicts or dialogues,
become pathways into the cards. The
Emperor faces the Empress, the Sun
caresses the Moon, and union is
finally completed—just as the union
within ourselves is made whole.

Dancing the Arcana has been our way of
embodying each card as part of our
lives and stories. We've communicated
and healed the wild, dark parts of
ourselves, and fully embraced the light.
The cards spoke to us, and through this
creative process, I journeyed through
each Major Arcana.

In the midst of this journey, I had an
accident and broke my left foot. It was
then that I truly understood the power
of this work. Being physically
restricted as a dancer connected me
deeply with the energy of the Hanged
Man—the fear of Death, a part of us
all. In that moment, I learned the
patience of Temperance and the
confrontation with darkness. Perhaps
this article is the moment of the
Star—now that the wound is healed and
the shadow known, we can share it with
the world and begin a journey within
the community.

As Campbell taught us, there are three
stages in the journey:

1. The Call to Adventure: This is what
is happening now, as you read these
words. It's about listening to the call
and allowing yourself to be moved
toward the unknown. It's feeling your
body in this moment—the posture,
the expression, the emotions. This is
when a card begins to be danced and
lived. The second stage begins here.

2. Entering the Journey: Here, you
confront your internal messages. The
Guardian of the Threshold (e.g., the
Devil) asks, what does it mean to face
your shadow? What shapes your
automatic responses? It's time to
understand what holds you back—
duties, fears—and to undergo the
initiation and death of the old self
to be reborn. It's the moment you
ask yourself: What keeps me sitting
instead of moving? And when you
do move, how do you act, confronting
your shadow?

3. Expansion of Being: This is the return
to the world, where you share the new self
with others.

The Tarot is a symbolic system offering
multiple interpretations. We live the
symbols and archetypes, seeing our own
realities reflected in them. The same
happens when we attend a dance show.
Dance is a non-verbal language, and I
believe each person can project their own
story onto the performer. In the Arcana,
we see ourselves reflected in our
emotional worlds. Only by gazing into
the mirror can we become aware of them.
In dance, our bodies reflect the card and
its meaning.

Each day, the body dances differently
when moved by the unknown. Symbols
are not fixed in meaning. They are
forces that evoke what lies deep within.
A danced body itself summons meaning
and symbolic universes. It is creative
intelligence—the force that gives meaning
to our choices, motivations, and dreams.

We are constantly shaped by emotions—
fear, anger, joy, love—but sometimes our
conditioning prevents us from living them
consciously.

The journey expressed through the body
activates an emotional progression,
inviting us to live and dance each Arcana.
The Tarot journey, lived through dance,
helps us become more aware of our
emotions by activating the motor and
instinctual centers. As we know, music
and movement trigger internal messages
that can surprise us.

The Major Arcana project us into sacred
dimensions and help us rediscover the
self, with wonder and joy. Through
intensive workshops or full performances,
I hope to share this profound research: a
danced work on the Tarot is about
rediscovering the pleasure of the symbol,
embodying it, and living it.

The Major Arcana represent archetypal
passages through the psyche—perhaps
even the soul. This is transformative
work, one that's also fun, and has allowed
us to create with continuous wonder and
curiosity. We cannot help but share this
journey that has given us so much.

So, what can I say? Listening to this call
may remind you to live in the spirit of
self-transformation, to find a new story
to live and tell—the story of your journey
toward the light, toward the world, and
toward life itself. At which point in the
eternal cycle are you, dear reader, living
right now? We'd be happy to offer
intensive workshops or our new show
"Tarot." If you feel drawn, let the flow
connect us.

About the Dancers:

Elisa Spagone collaborates with Marian
Codrut Cojocaru (Boy Cojo). From their
love story to a deep dance research, they
join contemporary dance to urban and
break dance, creating a new style together.
Orderly Dance is a new method of
dancing where everyone can find his/ her
own attitude to movement and presence.

To submit an article or question to be answered

in a future issue of Tarot Tips, send us an email

at tarot@tarotschool.com

Wald's Words of Wisdom

Literomancy, also known as logomancy,
is a form of divination that interprets
words, letters, or phrases to gain
insight or predict future events.
Historically, it has been practiced in
various cultures by analyzing sacred
texts, inscriptions, or even random
words overheard in public. The
underlying belief is that words are not
merely symbols but carry mystical
significance, connecting the mundane
with the divine.

How to Practice Literomancy

1. Choose Your Medium
Literomancy can be performed using any
written or spoken language. Traditionally,
sacred texts, books, or inscriptions were
commonly used. In modern times,
elements such as foreign words or even
more recently, e-mail addresses and
instant message handles have come into
use as a subject. For example, analyzing
the username of someone you frequently
communicate with might reveal
subconscious themes or influences in
your relationship with them.

2. Methods of Practice

- Bibliomancy: This involves selecting a
book (often one with personal or
spiritual significance), closing your
eyes, and letting your finger land on a
random word or phrase. Reflect on its
meaning and how it might relate to your
question or current situation.

- Random Word Observation:

Pay attention to words that stand out
in your environment—on signs,
overheard conversations, or social
media. Consider why these words
caught your attention and what message
they might hold for you.

- Foreign Words and Handles:
In today's digital age, encountering
foreign words or unique email addresses
and usernames is common. For example,
noticing a username like "LunaMystic42"
could prompt reflection on the symbolic
meanings of "Luna" (moon, intuition)
and "Mystic" (hidden knowledge),
influencing your interpretation of
upcoming events.

Example Exercise:

Daily Word Divination

Step 1: At the start of the day, choose
a book or open a digital article at
random. Close your eyes and point to a
word or phrase.

Step 2: Write down the word and
contemplate its meanings. Look up its
etymology or translations if it's in a
foreign language.

Step 3: Reflect on how the word
resonates with your feelings,
challenges, or goals for the day.

Step 4: Observe how this word manifests
throughout your day. Does it appear in
conversations, on signs, or in your
digital interactions?

Modern Examples
An email from
"Harmony_Light22 @example.com"
could signify a need for balance and
positivity.

Encountering the word "Serendipity" on
social media might suggest unexpected
good fortune or an opportune event.

Receiving a message from someone with
a username like "PhoenixRising" could
indicate themes of transformation or
renewal.

Further Resources for Practice
and Study

"The Secret Language of Signs"
by Denise Linn – Explores symbolic
interpretations in everyday life.

"Words of Power: Secret Magickal Sounds
That Manifest Your Desires" by Damon
Brand – Focuses on the power of words
and sounds in manifestation.

Online Tools: Websites like random word
generators or etymology dictionaries
can enhance your literomantic practice
by providing deeper insights into word
origins and meanings.

Literomancy is a beautiful way to
connect with the mystical layers of
communication, allowing the universe to
speak through the written and spoken
word. Whether you're interpreting
ancient texts or modern email handles,
words can offer profound guidance and
insight.

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

Color, Costume and

Choreography study guide

The imagery in most tarot decks
contains a dazzling complexity of depth
and detail. Sometimes it's difficult to
know where to start when interpreting
the cards.

This Study Guide focuses on three main
elements that elicit deep responses
from everyone who sees these evocative
works of art, even when they aren't
aware of it.

The first is color, whose pervasive
presence sets the intuitive mood in
every card.

The second is costume, which gives the
overall context for interpretation.

Third is what we call choreography, the
stances and actions which show us the
definitive energy and direction of the
intent of each image.

By learning how to use these three
aspects of tarot imagery, the cards
instantly come alive with meaning. This
one technique will be a strong asset to
any reading you do.

Format: downloadable pdf $7.00

Esoteric Insights
THE SCINTILLATING

INTELLIGENCE OF

THE FOOL

By Wald Amberstone

Before the beginning, there is nothing.

All is dark but alive and aware as
deity without expression.

The path of The Fool begins in the
living darkness. He steps from nothing
to nothing, and as he does, his steps
create light.

The light of The Fool's steps sparkles
in the darkness, and is the first
something. The whole of creation is
made from the sparkle of the light of
The Fool's journey from Crown to
Wisdom.

Your journey, too, is from darkness to
light, and your whole personal
universe is made of this light, even
the painful parts.

Upcoming Events:



Tarot Salon on Zoom!
7:00 – 9:00 pm EST

$20 per class

Our popular Monday night classes are
now online so you can attend no matter
where you live. Classes are recorded and
all levels of experience are welcome!

MARCH 2025:
3 - Symbols of the 8 of Wands
10 - Symbols of the 9 of Wands
17 - Symbols of the 10 of Wands
24 - Who, What, Where are You
in this Card?
31 - Tarot and Past Lives

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what we'll be teaching each week.

Readings with Ruth Ann

Running The Tarot School with Wald
keeps me pretty busy, but I still love
giving readings! My specialty is using
your Birth Cards and Elemental Array
(techniques Wald and I have developed)
in conjunction with random draws to
give you an extremely personalized and
powerful reading.

If you are familiar with the Tree of
Life, you may request a Birth Cards
Synastry Reading. I will compare your
Birth Cards with those of one or two
others to give you a deeper understanding
of your relationship with them.

I excel at giving Readings for Readers
so if you're always giving readings to
others, let me help you with some
self-care for a change!