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Articles
"The Initiate's Journey to Magical Readership"
Following the "Fool's Journey to Wholeness"
"Our belief in gods and goddesses must serve our need
to understand diversity and to promote creative solutions to
difficult human problems. For myself, belief in an ancient creative
Goddess brings a deep respect for the life-giving power of the
female body and promotes a deep spiritual ecology, which we
will all need to find a more natural balance in our beautiful
earth. However, the ancient mythologies of the Father God are
a part of our history and culture, and the influence of these
ideas runs deep in our consciousness and cannot be overlooked
in the context of the Tarot." Alexandra Genetti
Fool
In the beginning, with raw potential the Tarot student/initiate
enters the Tarot world like the Fool; naive about the abyss
s/he is about to fall into; positive and open-minded, optimistic,
reckless with inspired energy, and fertile with professional
readership potential. They anticipate that this journey will
be fun! Get a deck and a book, maybe take a course or two, learn
the meanings of the cards, and how to place them and we're off
to readership. "The Fool's journey takes him to all
the realms-for he is never fixed in one place-so you, like the
Fool, are free now to explore these places: the land of dreams
and imagination and the land of the dark unconscious. Unlike
the Fool, however try to hold onto what you find and bring it
back with you to enrich your life." (Genetti)
- I've taught the Tarot predominantly at evening college
continuing education, and community centres - most people
take the course because they've had a Tarot reading and
know they possess psychic ability. They gravitate to the
cards because they believe they'll be good at it - what
can be complicated about a deck of cards?
- Associating cards with play interestingly is often the
Initiate's first reaction - there is the ancient kinship
of games and divination systems - Nigel Pennick's,
Games
of the Gods: The Origin of Board Games in Magic and Divination
- he shows that many games including chess, snakes and ladders,
and mah-jongg have their roots in divination techniques
- In the initiate's mind this association suggests that
learning the Tarot will be easy, just learn the rules of
the game and onto readership - but as anyone knows who has
learned to play games - learning to play the game and mastering
the game, is marked by hours and hours of practice!
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Magician
As the student steps into the role of the Magician, s/he peruses
her tools; Tarot deck and texts. The Sword/pen will note her
intellectual and insightful understanding of cards' meanings;
her emotional commitment and enthusiasm is the water that will
carry her intentions along the river of deeper insight and secure
her commitment to the Tarot on a deep emotional level; the Wand
is the fire that heats up her passion and commitment to practice;
and the earth is her disk of grounding in the cards and texts.
The cards are the physical, earthy element that will serve as
the conduit for her powerful psychic insight.
Putting all the primary elements together in the Magician, the
Fool/Initiate now begins the "play" with this intriguing
divination tool. She draws a card to answer a question and receives
an astounding and valuable piece of advice and guidance. She
has demonstrated to herself that she holds a powerful tool filled
with genius and competence. In using this tool she has uncovered
a vision of herself as confident, self-reliant, and able to
transform her thoughts into reality. With this tool in hand
she becomes a visionary story-teller, problem-solver, and truth-sayer.
She becomes the Magician!
- Students begin to perceive how powerful a tool the Tarot
is - they do a reading for themselves that is eerily accurate.
As they "play" with this new tool they get a sense
of its magic and venture to tell others that they have got
this new tool and offer to do a reading for them (the Magician
stage is marked with increased communication!) - typically
when a student their friends and family about their developing
magical skill, they are asked use it for them - the student
realizes that not only does the tool itself have power but
they do too.
- Suddenly my elderly wimmin students find themselves the
centre of a family gatherings - granddaughters are phoning
and visiting. Grandma is cool and she reads fortune-telling
cards! Grandma is getting more attention, awe, and respect
than she's ever had. One of my students slipped into the
abyss when she decided this tool could be used to forward
her agenda with her grandchildren - I knew trouble was probably
ahead when she had 2 Princess of Wands in her deck! I warned
her that using the Tarot to forward her own propaganda could
result in the loss of her power - if she failed to stop
this practice at once she wouldn't be able to advance and
benefit from the gifts of the High Priestess!
The
High Priestess
 The student, as the Magician, plays with the cards, and communicates
their growing understanding of the Tarot with friends, family,
other students and colleagues. In a profound moment the student
experiences a dream, a vision, or draws an astonishingly appropriate
card and is abruptly plummeted into the mysterious world of
the High Priestess. "A-ha!", exclaims the High Priestess.
"Aren't you getting all caught up with yourself and your
new found earthly power! Don't forget that I'm the Spiritual
Mother. You are studying to be a conduit of unseen world to
seen world. Your new-found power on the earthly plane is little
compared with the power and responsibility I bestow on the worthy.
I will assist you in translating the messages, but in acquiring
this psychic power you must be wary of the temptations of ego.
Remember that I will grant you these gifts as you prove your
worth in egoless sacrifice and gratitude. And remember too that
in your times of pain, sorrow and regret, I am here to hold
and nurture you back to spiritual health."
The High Priestess brings forth the vision from the unseen world
to the seen world for the Magician to manifest in the world.
She will reveal emotional concerns, hidden factors, psychic
feelings and hunches. The student at this stage is reminded
to listen to her inner conscience, knowledge, gut feelings and
heart.
- Students ask questions like, "Why is it that I keep
pulling the same cards?"
- Some students report dreaming about their cards - one
student said he has nightmares related to the Tarot - scary
predictions.
- The High Priestess stage represents the time when the
initiates unconscious is constellated by the Tarot and responds
- The High Priestess stands strong at the gates marking
the boundaries of the unconscious and consciousness. The
High Priestess stage is marked by an increased interest
in the student in psychic ability and its relationship to
reading the Tarot, dreams and their relationship to the
Tarot. There's a lot more to magical readership than knowing
the meanings!
- One student of the Tarot reports that he’s having
trouble learning all the meanings of the cards through his
practice because the same cards keep turning up in the readings.
Laughing he has an insight that these cards he's drawing
he thinks are meant for others, are actually messages, lessons
and guidance to him from the High Priestess at this juncture
in his development to magical readership.
The
Empress
 In expressing our gratitude and selfless commitment to the sacred
feminine at the High Priestess stage, the Empress emerges on
the journey with material bounty. The Empress signifies mother
love and points to growth, fulfillment, joy, satisfaction, productivity
and love. She is the experience and expression of love as a
healing force. She represents the nurturing support and caring
aspects of being a reader. At this stage rewards abound. We
exhibit some facility in working with the cards to friends and
family who don't know what we are doing right and wrong. People
ask us to read for them and present us with earthly gifts as
an expression of their appreciation. Some offer money, others
dine initiates with delicious meals, or gift them generously
with art, jewels, sacred objects, decks, books. They refer their
friends and family to the initiate for readings. They bulge
with pregnant promise as a successful and desirable reader.
The initiate glows in the light of all this expressed appreciation.
- At this stage students report how moved they are by people
sharing their inner-most fears and hopes with them and how
wonderful it is to have a tool to help them.
- The High Priestess and the Empress exemplify and depict
an important spiritual growth spurt for wimmin. The High
Priestess and Empress represent both aspects of the Great
Goddess - spirituality and manifestation.
- One student brought in her Daughters of the Moon Tarot
during an Intermediate class to use in doing her practice
readings and the reading was so powerful almost everyone
in the class left the class determined to get their own
Daughters of the Moon! What was so powerful in the reading
was the depiction of womyn doing womyn things - activities
and characters the querrant could immediately and profoundly
identify with. This represented an example of magical readership
- the Daughters of the Moon is multicultural, non-hierarchal,
and womyn-centred. I did a reading for a black womyn recently,
and when she saw black wimmin in the cards, she immediately
resonated with the reading elevating this reading to one
that was magical. There's more to it than this - when we
use a tool that is inclusive we draw in larger energies
- this is the true magic that is only suggested and hinted
at in the Magician stage.
- This stage may also be marked with students claiming "reading"
names that reflect their identity transformations. One student
announced at the 6th class that her reading name is Madame
Solanga, another announces she is Kayka and wants this printed
on her certificates. This represents a "manifestation"
of their stronger connection to the inner sacred feminine.
The Emperor
Following on the heels of the successes and bounty the student
feasted upon from the Empress, the student's confidence is bolstered.
Their ego receives a flush of energy from the unconscious contents
that are rushing to consciousness as s/he moved from the High
Priestess to the Empress. S/he is taking pride in their newfound
channeling power, and is developing some awareness about the
sort of responsibility that accompanies this new flush of personal
power. At the Emperor stage the student is becoming a leader
to be reckoned with and their ideas are providing direction
for others. The initiate is boldly moving forward with courage,
determination, self-mastery, achievement and ambition.
The Hierophant
As the student familiarizes themselves with ego power, s/he
moves into the house of the Hierophant where they will learn
the power of belief. The Hierophant will teach the student about
commitment to ongoing study. The Hierophant instructs, "You
still have much to learn about being diligent to do your readings
with a profound stewardship towards your chosen profession.
There will be those who are vulnerable to the words, tone and
inflection you use during a reading. Be respectful and be wary
of the potential for a puffed up ego that you tasted in the
Emperor.
The gift of reading will not come without moral responsibility,
and a serious commitment to know your work." This is a
time when the student examines what role their faith will play
in their profession and whether their teacher of the Tarot (whether
this is a live, author or online teacher) is just, honest and
caring. They go through an assessment of the depth of faith
they have in themselves and whether they are judging themselves
based upon a dogma or a true sense of common good. At this stage
the student wrestles with dogma, social approval and conformity.
Are they ready to rock the boat? Will their concern for appearances,
manners and being nice outweigh their adherence to truth and
independence?
- Both the Emperor and the Hierophant also represent a time
for students to examine how patriarchy and it's dogma have
played a negative role in the formation of "shoulds"
in their lives - especially wimmin - they have bumped into
people who disapprove of their chosen study - an elderly
student is voted to the Church council which presented her
with a dilemma! Will she accept the posting and put her
Tarot in the closet or will she refuse the offer and continue
on her path to magical readership? She chose the former.
- This is the time when many students get their backs up
- elderly students are hungry to learn more about the sacred
feminine - the Goddesses and the feminine path to enlightenment
- many express how sad they feel about having grown to elder
years in such a repressive time for wimmin.
- For young wimmin growing up in a more enlightened society
may have not made the connection from political feminism
to their spiritual life until they reach this stage in their
Tarot study.
- This is how feminist decks have opened the Tarot up for
wimmin - more and more I'm reading for womyn who are asking
career related questions rather than love and romance which
is what I was seeing 25 years ago - womyn coming to study
the Tarot are often already well familiar with feminist
principles and overjoyed beyond belief that there is such
a thing as a "feminist" Tarot - times are a changing
and as Tarotists we need to keep up - in fact we should
be leading! The Hierophant stage for womyn represents a
powerful, transformative awareness of how patriarchal paths
to enlightenment are repressive to womyn - the Hierophant
points fingers at womyn - "You lack the ability to
comprehend moral teachings! You are sadly lacking in soul
and there’s nothing to be done about it!"
The Lovers
At the Lovers stage the initiate experiences a consciousness-raising
to the presence of "others". The "other"
represents the aspects within that are contrary to their conscious
personality. One who is the same sex, and the other who is the
opposite sex. The other is also evident in the form of client,
colleague, partnerships and spirit. At the Lovers stage a new
level of complexity is introduced. Now the struggle begins to
integrate this awareness of other. Loving and fearing, joy and
sadness, intelligence and stupidity all surface to conscious
awareness. This is the stage that marks the complication of
having to make difficult choices. "Will I read for others,
or just myself?" asks the student. "Can I read for
myself or will I just say things I want to see in the cards?"
They do a few readings for others and realize how different
the responses can be to readings. This will engage powerful,
previously unconscious aspects. As they struggle to integrate
the opposite others in themselves, they are attentive to the
energy that flows between opposites; its magnetism and repulsion.
- Students talk about how their lovers, and partners are
reacting to their decision to study the Tarot - students
report that the men in their lives are calling it names
like, "hocus pocus", "silliness", or
for one student her partner called it terrifying and wouldn't
even be in the same room with her when she brought out her
cards.
- The challenge these womyn face is whether to persevere
with their Tarot studies or go along with their Lover's
assessment and drop the whole matter altogether - get with
it, get sane, get their feet back on the ground and get
on with the necessities of living.
The Chariot
The student's confidence and ego strength has been energized
by the hard work of choice, decision-making and resolve demanded
in the Lovers stage. They are motoring to new vistas within,
and this is reflected in the changes taking place in their lives.
At this stage they are learning to manage urges toward the dark
and light within themselves, and the differences of opinion
in others. They are finding their own way to become readers
through the establishment of solid emotional foundations, using
their energy wisely, and finding their spiritual "vehicle"
through life. The Chariot represents professional, personal
and spiritual attainment through self discipline and personal
maturity. Significant others in their life are noticing these
changes taking place in the reader, and as they negotiate these
challenges successfully their confidence is boosted. Some students
notice their lives changing; students move, change careers,
transform the pattern of their relationships, and feel their
self-confidence increasing. They are going places! They are
going to be readers, which will represent the realization of
their desires. Alexandra Genetti in the Wheel of Change Tarot
points to the importance of relationship at this stage; an innovative
and woman-centred adjustment to the traditional Chariot divinatory
meaning.
"The Chariot card impels us to discover the power within
ourselves, not by steamrolling those around us but by using
our vital energy toward solutions that are inclusive, productive,
and sustainable. These solutions drive the chariot of time to
a more beautiful world where respect, love and the natural rhythms
of life help us find equitable resolutions of human problems."
- Students will buy the decks that depict their true inner
selves the most appropriately - coming in to show off their
new "vehicles" proudly, excited, and being able
to vision themselves reading this deck
- They make plans - one student designed a feedback questionnaire
for her practicum clients to fill out and brought in copies
to share with the other initiates,
- Students bring in articles, or other pieces of information
that they've found helpful and considerately bring in for
the class,
- Students make a commitment to readership over other options
such as returning to school, taking a full time job, or
starting up a different business.
Strength
The initiate's urges of attraction, repulsion, consumption and
desire rage to consciousness, and the struggle to control these
urges is constellated. Our animal self, represented by a wild
cat in the Strength card is our instinctual urges; once, previously
unconscious instincts flood consciousness and imbue the client
with energy. Creative expression erupts, affecting others as
we support them to develop to their full potential. As the Fool
joyfully embraces the moral force, spiritual power, psychological
and emotional fortitude, and determination represented in Strength,
a newfound resolve of purpose and perseverance is gained to
keep some and pass some on. At this stage the initiate feels
integrated, self-actualized and strong – they are confident
that their beginning readings portend they will become a reader
who is authentic, wise and fair.
The Hermit
The student has successfully discovered, claimed and demonstrated
an inner strength they barely realized they possessed in the
Strength card. Their desire to tell everyone how amazing they
are disintegrates. They have reached the preparatory stage of
detachment from ego. The Hermit teaches the student about how
their developing process to reader is fundamentally one of individual
work. They relish time alone spent in meditation, discovering
innovative methods for consulting the cards to assist in their
own decision-making process. At this stage, their magical journey
takes a turn towards isolation and peaceful contemplation. The
lantern in the Hermit is the insights they gain through their
own work with the cards. Initiates learn the true meaning of
reading the Tarot by becoming both the reader and client at
the same time. They discover and live according to their own
inner truths as they practice their Tarot reading to deepen
their own process of self-examination, and locating balance
and harmony within.
- Many elderly initiates especially will declare that they
have no intention of learning to read the Tarot for others
- in the Hermit stages of their lives they find the Tarot
to be a helpful tool in reflective solitude - many discover
it to be a wise, often humorous, and thought provoking friend.
The
Wheel of Fortune
 As the student learns and integrates the lessons of the Hermit;
meditation, contemplation and independence of belief, an event
takes place that is unexpected and fortuitous to their continued
inner growth; an event which synchronistically resonates with
their inner experience. At the Wheel of Fortune the student
experiences the power of synchronicity. Inwardly the student
receives a profound gift from the unconscious for the diligence
and renouncement of ego they successfully accomplished in the
Hermit. Outwardly, the universe matches this inner gift with
an outer one, such as an opportunity to take a course, meet
someone or attend a conference that will aid them in advancing
their knowledge and expertise as a developing reader.
- Lessons on the power of synchronicity - becoming aware
of it and "reading" it - one of my students discovered
that a couple of women in her family had bought a deck and
studied it for a bit but couldn't really get into it and
they gift them with this deck - they felt validated, appreciated,
and special.
- A student worked for grocery chain which decided to host
a BBQ for staff and one of her close work mates mentioned
to the organizing committee that she was a wonderful Tarot
reader, and she was asked to do readings at the BBQ which
opened up more opportunities for her.
- Another woman's daughter was getting married and her best
friend was hosting a shower for her and asked this woman
if she would read at the shower opening all kinds of opportunities
for her.
Justice
It is through the lessons of Justice that the student learns
the value of truth and fairness. In reading the cards objectively
without exhibiting an attachment to a particular outcome or
agenda, the reader develops extraordinary skill and mastery
in presenting the messages, advice and guidance in a Tarot reading,
balancing the dark and light of the message. Their readings
take on a quality of purity and rationality, in contrast to
their novice readings which may have tended towards the emotional.
Justice teaches the value of fairness, balance and level headedness;
not to sugar coat or present too severely the wisdom of the
Tarot.
- Not only is the Justice card related to readings but branches
into other areas of the initiate's life - students take
an interest in righting social injustices - several students
over the years have joined non-profit organizations, working
hard to balance injustices in our society taking them away
from their Tarot study as such but it was their Tarot study
that brought them to this place which even today benefits
many people in our community - this is the far reaching
good of Tarot initiation.
Hanged Man
As one of the cards marking the mid-point to virtuoso reader,
the Hanged Man represents a time in the student's development
when a sacrifice must be made. It is a time of letting go of
control, and accepting the unpredictability of a reading, and
the client's response to it. The student expresses gratitude
for all the gifts received from the Tarot and is willing to
sacrifice their ego to open their psyches, and channel more
effectively messages from the unseen world. By turning themselves
on their heads, they acquire a completely different perspective
on their Tarot practice. The cards look different, they see
more facets of the rich symbolism, and find themselves "card
gazing".
Their ego sacrifice means they no longer see themselves as the
only ones to benefit from their work. They will adjust to their
role as a seer, an odd ball in the eyes of most. A bringer of
light. "Am I willing to sacrifice all that is important
to me in my life to pursue this journey to readership?"
or "Should I care that I'm not conforming to the status
quo in matters related to spirit and worship?", are the
types of questions that will provide grist for contemplation
as the student hangs in contemplation at the Hanged Man stage.
- This stage is also marked with questions related to reading
reversals - what about reversals students ask?
- Students also experience a "stalling" in their
Tarot movement - students will throw up their hands and
say, "I'm never going to learn it all!" and I
assure them that indeed this is a lifetime path and no they
won't learn it all!
Death
The student on their heads at the Hanged Man stage is alarmed
to find their thoughts turning to their inevitable death. This
is triggered by the dissolution of their ego, and all its mundane
concerns about what others will think of them, or how special
they are becoming. The messages that flooded the consciousness
during the process of relinquishing control in the Hanged Man,
overwhelm their egos. They witness themselves a miniature in
the vastness of the Tarot universe, and all of readership experience,
and sacrifice. Their ideas and concepts of themselves profoundly
shift. They are no longer believe in they are who they thought
they were, and thoughts and fears of death surface. The Death
card stage marks the ultimate push towards self-actualization
for the developing reader.
Questions float to the surface of the student's mind, such as,
"Am I fulfilling my life's purpose?" "If I die
tomorrow, will I have accomplished anything worthwhile?"
"Do I want to continue studying the Tarot or is there something
else I need to dedicate my time and energy to?" At this
stage the student may find their path leading away from the
notion of becoming a professional Tarot reader and switching
to a different oracle, or profession altogether.
Temperance/Renewal
 The student arrives at Temperance/Renewal on the heels of facing
the death of their dream of reading the Tarot professionally.
This represented a death of the old ego-self. Shed like a worn
snake skin, the death of ego leads to an acceptance of the opposites
within. The Death card has taught the student the power of reading
the Tarot for others in experiencing the impact of turning over
the Death card for another. The tremendous power of the Tarot
is in its extraordinary dance between the dark and light of
spiritual awareness. In Temperance the student must now master
the combining of these opposites. Reading the Tarot is an artistic
endeavour drawing upon the student's magnificent artistic potential;
storyteller, weaver, interpreter, and performer.
The story of the client as portrayed by the Tarot is ever unfolding,
impromptu, and unpredictable. The student must become light
on their feet, yet grounded in the real world, flexible and
knowledgeable, centred in their own space, and empathetic to
others. The awareness of "other" at the Lovers stage
is ready for integration. The student reclaims their childlike
inner poet, storyteller and artist and rises successfully to
the challenge of impromptu presentation.
Devil
Following Temperance, the Devil represents the first of a set
of challenges to determine if in fact the student has absorbed,
and is able to practice, the lessons learned in Temperance.
The material plane is fraught with temptations to the student
of the Tarot. The Devil asks the students questions such as,
"How much will you charge for Tarot readings?" "What
will you do if you are physically attracted to your clients?"
"Can you laugh with the darker side of your own and other’s
nature as it is revealed?" The Devil stage engages the
student to examine honestly their motivations, desires, and
material fantasies that are wrapped around the urge to become
a professional reader. In Temperance they removed the barriers
to blending the stream of opposites within themselves, and their
chosen path. You are only a human reminds the Devil.
Listen to the beat of your heart, become aware of your human
failings, accept them, and move on. You will feel fear, delight,
hatred, love, discouragement and elation; don't allow these
swings in your emotions deter you from pursuing your spiritual
path. Use the emotional fire generated in your human soul to
face the truth in yourself, and make the ethical choice. Don’t
sacrifice love at the alter of desire, or honesty at the alter
of denial, or you will be forever chained to the demands of
your lower nature, warns the Devil.
"I'm -----, whom you did a reading on not too long
ago, and a student in your introductory course at Victoria
School. You may remember that the Devil card in my new deck
was missing yesterday. It is nowhere to be found and I have
already spoken to ----- , who will be ordering the card from
the distributor for me. What I really wanted to tell you is
that, needless to say, the first thing I did when I got home
from our lesson was to look up the meaning of the Devil, and,
as you may guess, it nailed it right on at this particular
moment of my life and specifically, for concrete reasons,
in such a day as yesterday. I told you during my reading that
I have been having an addiction for over sixteen years now,
so the subject of abuse is painfully present in myriad shades
every minute of my life. There are other aspects of the card
that speak to me too, like the full acceptance of life and
nature as they are and not as our dichotomy good vs. bad would
like them to be.
Isn't it interesting that I have had to go and look for
a card that symbolizes so much of my agony in order to complete
my journey (my Tarot deck)? My addiction and other pains related
to it (it is everything so intertwined and so complex) are
a pivotal part of my life, which has always shamed me, but
maybe the day has come to claim them. Moreover, as the positive
aspects of the card and the move forward of the Fool's journey
indicate, the theory is that I wasn't born with these challenges
to get stuck in or get crushed under them, but to overcome
them, making myself in the process. The theory. The "wounded
healer", as the astrologer told me. Where will I get
the Strength to live it in practice? Is this the card I'll
be losing next? Or will they send it to me as well from the
distributor, by (again) mistake?
Tower
 The Devil experience leads the student once again to the precipice
glimpsed at the edge of the Fool's path. At the Tower stage
the student tumbles over the edge. Everything they expected
from themselves comes crashing down and mirroring the synchronicity
experienced at the Wheel of Fortune. This inner transformation
smacks an outward experience of seemingly unforeseeable life
changes. In learning to embrace their frail humanity from the
Devil, much of the confidence they had built in the earlier
stages falters, and they experience a profound fall from grace.
At this stage in their Tarot journey to readership, they must
successfully navigate tests of self doubt, criticism, and the
newly erected barriers put in front of them from the outer world.
The Tower experience will test the student's mettle to continue
on the path in face of great opposition both from within, and
from the outer world.
- Some students report having done a reading for someone
they love that felt negative and they’re loved one
reacted negatively to it - this represents the fall from
grace - some students leave the Tarot for a period of time
after such an experience. One woman read for her father-in-law
who was recovering form a heart attack and the Death card
showed up which saddened her and others in the family. She
approached me after a class and said she was definitely
feeling like this wasn't the tool for her after all - she
had lost confidence in herself and the Tarot. She had constructed
a process of reading that was focused on the positive only
and was basking in the attention her family was paying to
her with her new found skill. Her ego was collapsing under
the weight of the surfacing collective unconscious. blems,
heal your wounds, and make you a happy and adjusted individual!
She constellated the Tower - a test. What will you do when
the cards you turn over are not all light, happiness, and
resolution?
- Students begin to break away from the musts, have tos,
rules - including the rules of what hands to use when laying
out the cards, cutting the cards - or sticking strictly
to only the meanings they are presented with in their texts
- they ask questions like, "Is it okay to let others
touch your cards?", "How often should I clean
my cards?" In answering, "Do what feels right!"
they are thrown off the Tower.
- This also marks a time when students start telling everyone
that they are studying the Tarot and they are going to read
the cards for others. Criticism be damned! They care less
about what others in their lives think about their chosen
path - some face grave criticism, rejection, alienation
from their friends and families at this time.
- The students awaken to issues represented by the towers
our society builds and holds dear - towers that are failing
to improve the quality of life for many humans - environmentalism,
animal rights, global awareness surface taking the initiate
further and further away from the status quo.
Star
 Following the shock of the Tower, the student of the Tarot is
gifted once again with a peace of mind and new hope. The lessons
of Temperance are finally fully integrated. The extremes of
spirit and material are blended in a state of grace whereby
an appreciation for the simple things in Tarot practice is what
makes it worth continuing along the path. It is the peace of
mind that can be achieved in working daily with the Tarot that
is its most precious gift. The simplicity of shuffling the cards,
observing its symbols, and responding to its messages signify
the authentic abundance of the Tarot’s path to enlightenment.
The Tarot brings the student peace of mind as an aid to decision-making,
as a consultant that is objective, un-invested, honest and fair.
Remember the simple things in life, and in your Tarot practice
reminds the Star! Have confidence in yourself and the Tarot.
Moon
 The hope, simplicity and letting go with the Star, give rise
to the Moon consciousness buried deep in the psyche of the developing
Taroist. Visions, dreams, and imaginings surface from the personal
and collective unconsciousness, further testing the developing
student to hold a strong ego centre as it’s fiercely rocked
by the power of the unconscious. "Is this unexplainable
message and image for real or is it simply a manifestation of
my own imaginings?" asks the student. "Am I picking
up a vision that is pertinent to the life of the client or is
it simply a nightmare stemming from recent event in my own life?"
students ask at the Moon stage. "Are people in my community
gossiping about my chosen path?" wonders the developing
Taroist. "Am I being shunned by my friends and family because
of my involvement with the Tarot cards, or is it because I've
changed so much they barely recognize me?" they ask.
The Moon stage, like the High Priestess, reminds the student
that the gifts of the oracle come from an unseen, unknowable
place, and in order to separate their own agenda from the needs
and concerns of their clients, they must ultimately know themselves
to be able to recognize their boundaries. The boundary between
self and client, between consciousness and unconsciousness,
and real and imagined, are identified at the Moon stage.
- Bares a lot similarity to the High Priestess stage - the
dark night of the soul as it is sometimes referred - can
the student remain comfortable in the dark? Can they deal
with readings that make no sense to themselves or their
clients? How will they manage these oblique readings? How
will they cope with their client's fears regarding readings?
One student is told by her sister that she is lighting candles
in church and praying for her soul. She looks at me with
resolve, fear and questioning warring in her eyes.
- This stage marks an introduction into the great mysteries
of the unknown plane of existence - that place where psychic
insight, left brain, and imagination rules - can they sustain
it? Remain here? Or are they anxious to get into the light
of day? Logos? The Sun.
Sun
The Sun rises in the student's development when they can see
clearly the road ahead. They are overjoyed to discover that
they have learned a great deal throughout their journey. They
love their work, they enjoy the Tarot community they find themselves
in, and they love providing such a service to their clients.
They become more accepting of themselves and rejoice in the
differences between themselves and others rather than seeking
to conform or criticizing others for failing to do so.
- Marked by increased self and other acceptance - human
nature is just what it is, warts and all - this stage is
marked with wanting to connect with others of like mind
- students ask each other for their phone numbers, email
addresses - they might want to get together to practice
and study together. One class continued to meet monthly
for 2 years following the closure of the class!
Judgment
This is a time when the student looks back on their journey
in learning the Tarot. The mistakes they've made along the way
become lessons rather than issues stimulating feelings of guilt,
embarrassment and regret. Students acknowledge that the journey
to Tarot readership is not without pitfalls, temptations, and
mis-readings. They have done readings for others that have not
been accurate, or honest and forthright. Along the way they
may have inflated their ability to others, sugar-coated readings
to please or protect the client, or simply made errors in interpretation.
This struggle to self-acceptance, releasing their propensity
to self-judge, leads to a re-birth. Some students may leave
their Tarot cards alone for a period of time, perhaps even years
at this stage. In time, successfully disengaging the power of
these regrets will open the student to continuing once again
along the path to readership. Judgment is a stage of accounting,
balancing, and ultimately acceptance. It is a vital stage to
complete before the final achievement of professional readership
symbolized by the World card.
World
 The accounting, balancing, and atonement that are encompassed
by Judgment, ultimately release the student to the World of
magical readership. Initiates accept that they will make errors
in judgment and interpretation, that they will face temptations
of egotism at every reading, and that they will have regrets
over what they might have or could have said to the client during
the reading. They enter the World of self-wonder at their unique
style of readership, and abounding, insightful understanding
of people who come seeking their services. They enjoy moments
of complete ego-less-ness bliss and wholeness as they channel
the information through this profound medium called "Tarot".
There are times when they experience rushes of gratitude for
having been privy to all the wisdom and guidance the Tarot has
gifted them with in their own development towards wholeness.
And they know too that their journey is only beginning. There
was no "getting there" after all. They return again
to the Stage of the Fool as their Tarot mastership moves them
onto the next cycle...
At this stage, World Magical Readership, initiates become
mentors and teachers to new initiates. They are ready to share
their experience with others and find others asking them to
do so. At the beginning of their teaching they become again
the Fool... It is as a Tarot teacher that they will see the
profound power of their inner work manifesting in the lives
of others. This is the path of the Shamanka. Shamanic Tarot
is the road ahead for the Magical Reader of the Tarot!
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Phone Readings with Kathleen
Read what her clients say in testimonials
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