Tarot – The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Those who are reading this will most likely be, like me, someone who walks in the world of Tarot. Like any world (professional or non-professional), it has its issues. Lately I have seen more than a few of the shadow sides of Tarot. Cyber bullying, poor business practices, posts on social media sites that are major rants, and that draw commentary that just adds fuel to the fire.

There are real issues out there – people who are known bullies, people who throw their weight around without thought of the consequences, and people that want to out those that connect professionally with less than stellar individuals/organizations.

I don’t think we gain anything in flame wars. We spend way too much time either attacking someone, outing someone, or defending either ourselves, or someone else. There are worlds within worlds in the Tarot community, and we all need to recognize that. Some of the people in those worlds are professionals, some are there to add the study of Tarot to their life skills. We all need to respect each other.

Taking responsibility for ourselves – for what we say, and for our actions – is of paramount importance. Recognize that in the real world we are who we are, but we are also who we associate with. Agreeing to work with a person or organization has consequences. You may view it as a limited connection, perhaps for a specific project. Other people may view it as you aligning yourself with the person or organization that you are working with.

The consequences of working with an individual or organization that is perceived poorly can be far reaching. Your reputation is at stake here, as well as your ability to earn a living. You could very well be boycotted.

Before you decide to enter a project of any kind, take a close look at who you will be working with, and how they are perceived. Use Google to check out everything that you can. Quietly (as in a pm, not a public post) query friends and business acquaintances about any dealings they may have had with the individual or organization. Ask their opinion about what you are considering doing. The decision is yours in the end, but it needs to be an informed decision.

In my opinion, while someone’s work does represent them, so do their actions, and the actions of those they associate with. There are people in the Tarot world that I will not associate with, that I will not work with. I don’t find the need to announce it, but I do feel better for it. I have to look in the mirror every morning, and I don’t want to have any questions about who I am, where I am headed, or what mask I am wearing.

Let’s be real, let’s be transparent, and let’s support each other in an authentic manner.

 © 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

 

Review – The Tarot Readers Companion

The Tarot Reading Companion

Author: Thirteen
Aeclectic Tarot
2014
ISBN #978-0-9871104-6-6

 

The Tarot Reading Companion is exactly that – a companion on your journey of Tarot reading. Included are both upright and reversed meanings for all 78 cards, instructions on how to read the cards, sample spreads (including one card readings, past/preset/future readings, relationship readings, and the Horseshoe Spread), and a resource guide.

Note: The Tarot card images in this e-book are from the Sacred Isle Tarot, by David Higgins.

The book starts out by noting that the best way to use it is to take in what seems important to you personally. In other words, start wherever you want to start, and go from there. This encourages Tarot students of all levels to make best use of this material. Perhaps you are a beginner, unfamiliar with how to do a reading, and unfamiliar with the card meanings. There is a section on how to read, and sections on both the upright and reversed card meanings. Perhaps you want to go straight to the reversed meanings, or you want to check out the templates for a diverse group of spreads. Or perhaps you want to check out the Tarot resources section. There is no one way to work with this book!

The card meanings are basic meanings, meant to be built upon as you continue your work with the Tarot. It is suggested that the cards have a range of meanings, rather than one specific meaning. The student is encouraged to trust their intuition, and proceed with their studies at their own pace.

Each card is presented with a beautiful, full color illustration, a listing of the common symbols, the basic story, the basic meaning of the card, and Thirteen’s observations about the card.

For The Fool, the common symbols are listed as the Fool in colorful motley, the pack tied to a staff, a small dog, and a cliff. The basic story talks about the journey that the Fool is on. The basic meaning of the card is one of infinite possibilities. In Thirteen’s observations of the Fool, she talks about the Fool ultimately standing for new beginnings, with the Fool representing the querent. The Fool can also be naive, or overly optimistic.

In the section on reading the cards, Thirteen talks about reading with and without a spread, specific card positions within a spread, sequences and patterns, and using the right spread. She then addresses asking the right question, and how Yes/No questions can be limiting. “How”, “What”, and “Why” questions tend to open things up a bit more.

I love that Thirteen addresses doing the same reading over and over again! I feel the same way that she does … you will annoy your cards big time! She also makes the very astute observation that it is best to wait to read for others until you have a good understanding of the card meanings, and feel comfortable working with them.

She also notes that the Tarot reader’s job is to deliver the Tarot’s answer to the querent’s question, not the reader’s answer. Certainly our own perception can act as a filter for interpreting the cards, but the reader really needs to get out of their own way and deliver the message within the cards, the message that spirit wants delivered. Thirteen advises that the reader trust their instincts, and trust their cards. She notes that the cards show the future that the querent is creating for themselves.

Each spread is presented with a sample reading – which is accompanied by full color images of the cards drawn. The deck used, the Sacred Isle Tarot, is absolutely gorgeous!

Under reading reversals, Thirteen notes that three of the most common ways to read them are opposite (the opposite energy to the upright meaning), blockage (the energy of the card is blocked or diminished), and upside-down image.

The resource guide includes asking Thirteen questions on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum, suggested decks to use with this book, and sending feedback to Aeclectic Tarot about the book.

I found this to be an easy to use reference book that covers the basics, and will open the door to anyone who wants to learn to read the Tarot.

 © 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without permission of he author.

 

Review – Tarot Lovers’ Calendar 2015

Tarot Lovers’ Calendar 2015

Creator: Major Tom Schick
Artists: varied
Independently Published
2014

Where to begin … there is nothing that I don’t like about this calendar! I appreciate the size (8.5″ by 11″), the fact that it is spiral bound (ease of use), the fact that it is Tarot themed, and the fact that it highlights different artists every year. Yes, I have followed this deck for years! (It has been available in limited edition for 14 years running!) The quality and intent of the creator, Major Tom Schick, is matched toe to toe by the distributor, Devera Publishing.

This is a highly usable calendar, as well as being a collectible. Every year that I have purchased this deck, I have kept it – this is art presented in a quality format.

This year’s artists include Blue Gene (Astral Scion Tarot),Taylor Ellis (The Ellis Deck), Aquarius Wellbeing (Irish Lenormand), M. M. Meleen (Tabula Mundi Tarot), Heather Mendel (The Syzygy Oracle), Lisa de St, Croix (Tarot de St. Croix), Katrina Wynne (Katrina’s Personal Petite Lenormand), Beth Seilonen (The Compound Tarot),Rachel Paul (The Dark Carnival Tarot), Fionan Benjamin & Nghia Hoang (Lux Ferous Tarot), Eleanor Boyce (The Singing Serpent Tarot), and Gaby Merman (The FaYth Tarot).

Information printed on the calendar includes Full Moon, Last Quarter Moon, New Moon, and First Quarter Moon, as well as dates for meteor showers. The days of the week are listed straight across – Sunday through Saturday, with enough room to make notes for the day. (If you keep your calendars, you then have a collectible history of Tarot artists, and a personal living history through your notes). Also included are the artists name, the name of the deck, when it will become available, and where to find it.

Each deck represented includes full color images, along with a short write-up from the artist. I really liked this, because it allows us to take a short journey into the mindset of the artist, and the creation process for their deck. For example, Blue Gene talks about putting his thoughts about a deck into action when he decided to join the Tarot Deck Creators Facebook group. We find that Taylor Ellis was influenced by David Palladini’s “Aquarian Tarot”, and that Heather Mendel brings together Tarot, Kabbalah, and the Hebrew alphabet to honor the Sacred Feminine.

Among my favorite images is the IV of Pentacles (Blue Gene, Astral Scion Tarot), which features a male figure, in a business suit and bright red tie, pointing out from the card. I also loved the simplicity of Key (Lynn Boyle, The Irish Lenormand), and Reflecting (Heather Mendel, The Syzygy Oracle), which features a beautiful spiders web. Both of the very colorful images from the Dark Carnival Tarot (Rachel Paul) brought a smile to my face!

Some of these decks I have seen on the Internet, some I have in hand, and some are now on my wish list! An incredible journey into art and divination, for a very small price of admission!

 © 2000 – 2015 Bonnie Cehovet

 

To App Or Not To App

“To App or Not To App, that is the question”
Shakespeare revised!

Many thanks to Ron Leong (Tarot eCards) for sharing Shakespeare revised and this recurring question! Apps play a huge role in our digital world and have expanded our capabilities to a phenomenal degree. Unfortunately, the Tarot world has not exactly embraced Tarot apps. IMHO, that is a shame since Tarot apps can expand the use and popularity of Tarot. The same people who question why there is a need for more than one Tarot deck, question why there is a need for more than one Tarot app (if they have checked out Tarot apps at all).

Personally, I am an advocate of Tarot apps. I was, shall we say, not quite ready to upgrade my cell, when I came to the conclusion that I needed to do so to investigate the world of Tarot apps. (And other app worlds – my airline boarding passes are now held on my iPhone!) I found a whole new world out there … one that could travel with me!

I discovered different Tarot apps will offer different things. You will see card meanings, various card spreads, the ability to create your own card spread, journaling your readings, the ability to e-mail readings, and at times a link to purchase a given deck. How much or how little you choose to use of each apps capabilities is up to you.

And technology advances are continually being applied to upgrade our Tarot experience. Tarot eCards has created an innovative and unique multi-deck Tarot app where a single app works with all their decks. Their app even allows the user to change and enlarge the type size for better readability, and to magnify the images for selective studying.

Karyn Easton of Paranormality.com (along with David Wong) has developed a series of apps for her deck,the Tarot Lovers’ Tarot. This includes “Discover”, which works with Tarot card meanings; “Combine”, which works with Tarot card combinations; “Challenge”, which tests Tarot knowledge; and “Reveal”, which shows your destiny through the Tarot.

I am pleased to see that many of my favorite decks, including the Tarot of the Holy Light, the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Paulina Tarot, the Gaian Tarot, the Hezicos Tarot, the Whispering Tarot, and the Tarot of Ceremonial Magick are available in  a digital version as an app.

You have my views from the point of an end user. I would like to offer you another perspective on Tarot apps, from the point of view of an app developer – Mr. Ron Leong, of  TaroteCards.com. Ron believes that Tarot apps are an enabling technology that can enhance the Tarot user experience  and expand the popularity of Tarot. The apps make Tarot convenient to carry around and acquire, easily accessible anytime and anywhere, easy to use and less costly. Apps can bring to the Tarot community out-of-print decks, limited edition titles, and new decks without the expense, hassle and distribution hurdles of printed decks. The Tarot world needs to recognize that apps are a great complement to the printed version, not a replacement. The decision to use apps need not be viewed as an either/or decision but both formats can coexist the way digital music, movies and books exist with the “physical” versions.

You can even try out the Tarot eCards App Free which can be downloaded at www.appstore.com/TaroteCards – it includes a free copy of RWS2.0 Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot. Only available for the iPhone and iPad but an Android version will be released soon.

My reviews on the Tarot app world can be found here – https://theworldoftarot.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/review-tarot-ecards-app/, http://paranormality.com/. For reviews on specific deck apps, go to my site, bonniecehovet.com.

A listing of Tarot card app providers can be found here – Tarot On The Go.

This list, of course, does not include all of the Tarot apps available. To see if a deck that you might be interested in has an app that you can work with, just Google the name of the deck, followed by the word “app”. Magic via the Internet!

The holidays are coming up … this is the first in a series of blogs focusing on what is available in the Tarot world for holiday gifting. I hope that you at least check out the world of Tarot apps … it is a fascinating and empowering world!

Additional Blogs:

Tarot Books: http://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/time-to-think-holiday-shopping/

Tarot Decks: http://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/time-to-think-about-holiday-shopping-part-2/

 © 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.