I have gone on different Tarot sites and read other people’s perspectives. I have read countless number of book on the topic. I have even re-read some of these books a few years later. I am a member of school that teaches the principles and lessons of Tarot in a slow deliberate manner that is Qabalah related. And have a wealth of experience reading the Tarot.
The one thing that I have noticed is that Tarot is changing. Some of the core meanings still exist and the core pictorial essence is recognized. What is changing is our attitude toward Tarot. It looks to me that everyone is becoming a professional and expert. Some people are even certified by organizations. I can easily certify you if you complete the courses of study that I outline. Based on your answers to the questions- I would know if you had a good understanding of the cards. Because I have been certified on different levels of study- does that mean I know more than you do about the cards- NO, it does not-
What makes a good Tarot reader? If you can tell the person exactly what their past is in a nutshell, tell them without a doubt what is happening in there life now and predict some stuff for them while you are at it. Let me explain something first, if the person you are reading for actually acknowledges or admits certain situation from the past and present, you have an advantage. If they are in denial or have their head in the sand-no you will not be seen as a good reader.
To me a good Tarot reader can only be determined to be that, if the predictions of probabilities materialize. We could have a debate on that statement I just made as well because the future is fluid and only a probability-it has not happened. You can change the outcome of the reading henceforth become a bad card reader because “nothing came true”. I’m sure you have heard that line before.
The Lenormand cards are similar to Tarot but much more simple, the complexity happens when you do the combinations- Tarot is not expanded in such a way, even thought it tells a story, usually 2 cards side by side do not take on a totally different meaning.
The reason for this is because Lenormand type cards are for fortunetelling and Tarot is not to be used in that way- it has an universal righteousness. I do 2 types of reading with Tarot. One for profound insights and advice. The other for fortunetelling- depends what the person wants. I don’t ask them of course but I get a sense of it as soon as I start. With the people that resist it does not matter what I do because they are either scared of the entire process because they do not understand it or they ridicule the entire thing or I freak them out, LOL.
When it comes right down to it Tarot readers are really only good if the accuracy rate is high- this is the feedback from the people getting readings. No matter how well you know your cards -you can be wrong. I usually stand firm on my predictions because I know they will come true sooner or later. My reasoning for this is because I believe the majority of the readings do come true- maybe not word for word but the gist of the prediction.
One very, very interesting point is when a situation comes true that the reader predicts, the seeker of the cards will remember that and kind of forget about all the things that didn’t come true. When the reader’s reputation is not positive people still go because they are curious. When a customer bad mouths the service they got at any retail store, the store can lose business- the customers won’t come in out of curiosity. Get my point- there is a mystique around those that practice divination.
Very interesting article SQ.
The cards are a mearly tool or device, only as good or bad as the person using it.I think that Tarot cards only act as reminders or prompts to the reader as in which direction to focus their intuition or stream their awareness if you like.
Reading the Tarot I feel is like being a Holistic Therapist, you are a means by which the client can work on themselves,if they choose .
The information does not come from us rather through us ,we are the means by which internal information can be externalized for the client’s benefit through a third party ..Awareness is the greatest tool that any reader or healer can utilise..But as is the case in both professions we cannot heal that person they must do it for themselves.We can only act as facilitators of their inherent healing process….
Thank you for your feedback Tushko.
I always enjoy reading other people’s perspectives on some of the posts on this blog.
I agree with you that unless a person is willing to “work on themselves” it would not matter if you were the greatest Holistic healer or Practitioner of cards.
My journey with the Tarot has been a lengthy one, from a time when Tarot readers were not readily accepted by mainstream society. I think that due to the explosion of new books and decks on the Tarot cards a demystification has commenced. Many card readers are seeking other systems, such as the European sibillas (Lenormand, Zigeuener, Kipper, etc) mainly because it is a new mystery to be solved.
Other psychological systems such as the Rainring have been born. Generally speaking people want to know what makes them tick. When they get close to finding out where the broken spokes are as in a wheel -they have difficulty accepting that they are not whole.
Also, many people believe that they are “broken” or something is wrong with them because they have not accepted themselves. When I read the cards, I read the person’s energy and I listen to my guide. When a massage therapist begins their treatment they assess the energy of the body first prior to the manipulations involved in the actual massage. It is similar in a card reading (& I can only speak for myself unless others agree with me)because I read the person’s frequency even if I am looking at those pieces of card stock filled with images on the table.
In my experience, I have found it to be true that people want to see cards on the table. Perhaps with a health care practitioner it is the diploma hanging on the wall that can be equated to the cards.
We are all healers in need of a healing.
Hello again:
As a professional therapist I would venture that the Diploma is only there to create client confidence that I am trained to do what I said I could do,beyond that the outcome of a treatment rests on my abilities and the reactions of the client.
Reading the Cards would be more analogous to developing good diagnostic skills by interpreting correctly the clues recieved in an anatomical examination and the signs/symptoms presented by the client.
Yes we are all Healers in need of healing. Anyhow just my 2 pennies worth…
BTW,I consider you to be a Master of your craft.
Ciao, T
Greetings Tushko,
Thank you for your comment.
My point in all of this, was merely to state that many people prefer evidence (a visual) of some sort in the actual process. There are exceptions to everything.
I am humbled by your compliment. Thank you.
Madame Seaqueen
Hi Tushko
Seaqueen gave me this link, and having thus found out that you are a psychotherapist, I’m curious to know how you would react to the very extensive treatment I have given to the subject of Rainring and psychotherapy at the link below.
In case you decide to have a look, I’d like to anticipate with two additional comments: first, I’d like, ideally, to see therapists using Rainring [i.e. not Rainring versus therapy, but the two working in tandem]; second, ANY comments would be welcome (I think), as this particular work has been greeted so far with a deafening silence!
http://cartomancy.freeforums.org/rainring-f14.html
Seaqueen,
It’s been very interesting finding out (from the header article above) in more depth about how you work, and how you understand this process. If you’re not familiar with the stuff on the above link, it might be of some interest to you (and definitely to me to hear your reactions), as it seems clear to me that there is invariably a psycho-therpeutic dimension involved whenever someone is reading cards for someone else, although – as you say – perhaps much attenuated in certain ‘fortune-telling’ situations.
Hello 94 Stranger.
I don’t think that M.Seaqueen’s Blog is the place to discuss this issue. If you wish please head over to my Blog.
Just a quick note for clarification: I am an Canadian trained Osteopath which is very much like a British Osteopath both in training and in scope of practice.I do not deal in treating people’s
psychological or spiritual issues..