Readers Studio 2009

Readers Studio 2009

Very early on I knew I wanted to be at the Readers Studio 2009, largely because of the presenters. Rachel Pollack (Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom) is always worth hearing, and I did not want to miss the chance to meet two people that I admire greatly for their contributions to the Tarot world – James Wanless, Ph.D. (Voyager Tarot, Wisdom Oracle) and Geraldine Amaral (Tarot Celebrations).

This is the seventh year that the Readers Studio has been held – and it has grown by leaps and bounds! In 2003 there were about 75 people attending – this year I believe there were over 200. The venue was changed from New York City to Newark, New Jersey – the new location (The Sheraton Newark Airport Hotel) being bigger, and offering many more amenities.

The program itself has grown over the years – this year’s festivities were kick started with a pre-conference session on Thursday evening on The Power of Silence. I really, really wish that I had been able to be there, but I did not get in until late Thursday evening, when the session was already over.

One of the new additions was an incredibly well set up Meditation room – a place to relax and regroup from all of the festivities! There was a remembrance table set up on one side where we could place bits of remembrance for those that had passed on. I placed a rose quartz pendant on the table for Winter Wren, who passed in September of 2008. We met at the 2003 Readers Studio, and this was the first time that I had a “formal” way to connect and say goodbye.

There was an option to sign up for two Lunch n’ Learn sessions. The hotel provided a lovely buffet both days, and there each day featured a different presenter. On Friday Garnet (Connie Schaeffer) did a great presentation on the charkas, using the venue of belly dancing to start things off. She brought a troupe of belly dancers with her – friends from FL that included Ciro Marchetti’s lovely wife Maria, and volunteers from the audience went up on stage to try their hand at belly dancing. Kudos to those brave souls! I was in the ladies room after this session, and a lady from the hotel staff was also there. She asked me about the belly dancing at a Tarot conference (nicely, of course!) and I mumbled something about how belly dancing was all the rage, and a very good way to exercise. I thought bringing up the chakras, which was the meat of the session, would be a bit much!

On Saturday the lunchtime presenter was Valentina Burton, an extraordinary lady from TX. She is bright, funny, and really tells a great story! She was discussing working with different types of clients, and in amongst the humor was really solid, grounded information.

Friday and Saturday evening there were several different classes offered. Amongst the instructors were Elizabeth Genco, who lectured on marketing (she is a Marketing Goddess, after all!), and Emily Carding, who took a rather large group of us through exercises with her stunning Transparent Tarot. Both Elizabeth and Emily had a lasting effect on the people in their group. These are ladies to watch – and work with (Elizabeth is a marketing coach).

Friday featured a mix and mingle cocktail party, while Friday evening there was a very special event – Beth Owl’s Daughter, along with Gail Wood and Joanna Powell Colbert, led a large group of us through a Beltane ritual. Ladies – you done good!

I was totally impressed with the Merchant Faire – just totally impressed! Merchants included Ciro Marchetti, The Tarot Garden (with “That Dan Guy” himself!), Robert Place, Rachel Pollack, Joanna Powell Colbert (incredible table!), Julie Cuccia-Watts, Garnet (Connie Schaeffer) – incredible wands – they were the talk of the conference!, Elemental, James Wanless, Art of Tarot, Francesca, Star Chalice Sisters Publishing, Baba Studio (they sold out all but one bag!), the Tarot Media Company, The Tarot School, and Schiffer Books (who signed a contract with Emily Carding at the conference for her next deck – based on the elements). Exciting stuff!

Throughout the conference Ruth Ann would step up to the mike, draw a name, and hand out surprise gifts. The merchants donated, and I believe that some individuals also donated. The highlight for me was “That Dan Guy”, who went up on stage like the Magician he is and handed out some incredible gifts from the Tarot Garden.

Before the first session on Friday, we all did a three card Foundation reading, with a partner. On Sunday morning we went over the cards from that reading, reinterpreting them with all that we learned over the past two days. This is an amazing process, and certainly validation that we are each picking “something” up from the conference besides fun! My partner was Beth Owl’s Daughter – an incredible person who taught me a great deal, and who very conveniently was on my same wavelength! You go Beth!

Each of the three presenters was brought up on stage an “interviewed”, using a list of questions that they themselves had written. What a great way to get to know the people that we were going to be studying with! Wald did the interview with Geraldine Amaral, Ruth Ann did the interview with James Wanless, and Thalasa (yes – THE Thalasa!) did the interview with Rachel Pollack.

Geraldine Amaral spoke about the various ways in which we work with the cards – such as formal study, or interpreting the cards through a psychic/intuitive connection. She spoke about quieting the mind so that we can listen to the wisdom of our soul – the challenge in a reading is to get out of our own way! Geraldine also spoke about the chakras, and how different chakras related to different types of psychic ability. She also discussed specific ways to develop intuition. The reading that we did with Geraldine involved determining our DNA card, and then doing a reading for our partner holding their DNA card in one hand, and an item of their jewelry, or something that carried their energy strongly.

James Wanless began by discussing right brain versus left brain activity, getting to know your client, and disconnecting from any information that you were given by the client. He noted that the Tarot can help us create the future that we want to create. He spoke of readers gaining experience the more readings that they gave, and the more resources they had at hand. The caveat – know your own limitations! The opportunity out there for Tarot readers is to become not just a seer, but a psychologist that works with archetypes and shadow aspects of the mind. He gave us a wonderful list of archetypes with their corresponding issue (a list that each reader will want to fine tune for themselves). Using the Emperor as an example, and worked through the imagery of the card, the quality connected with each image, and action steps that could be taken. Using the suit of Worlds, we picked cards (face down) for the imperative and the action to be taken. We then picked cards from the entire deck (face down) for each of the business imperatives for the action to be taken. We then went through the same procedure using the suit of Cups for successful relationships.

Rachel Pollack talked about interacting with the archetypes, and had us do a reading (under the auspices of the fictional “Dr. Apollo”) with a partner where we developed a whole new “personality” for ourselves – and did the reading in screamingly funny fake accents (to go along with the persona that we developed). Best of the best – Emily Carding, and her imitation of a banshee. (Emily, I know you said it was something else, but it sure sounded like a banshee!) I had the great good fortune to partner with James Wanless – I was Countess Iolana from the Black Forest, and James was a lovely Count from Transylvania, who played around with mushrooms! The spread that we were using was from Dr. Apollo – his All Purpose Mystery Spread. It is guaranteed 97% accurate!

Sunday we did our second foundation reading, and shared stories about what the conference had meant to each of us. At the very end, Ruth Ann handed out certificates to each attendee. Very professional – kudos to the Tarot School!

Readers Studio 2009 was a huge success! I was happy to see this, and happy to know that it will be held again next year. We do not have that many large Tarot conferences (only LATS and BATS come to mind), where we can meet people that we have known and worked with for a long time. We need to support what is there, form a solid Tarot network, and see where we can take it.

I met so many people that I have worked with over the years – it was stunning! There was Solandia (webmistress and founder of Aeclectic Tarot), Major Tom Schick (from Aeclectic Tarot), Ciro Marchetti, Robert Place, Beth Owl’s Daughter, Joanna Powell Colbert, Amy Lamash, Jordan Hoggard, Emily Carding, Carolyn Giles – the list goes on! Here is a link to a blog that I wrote on the people that I met, and where you can find their work: Readers Studio 2009 – The People.The Readers Studio is a great place to network, to meet people that you only know on-line, to take classes, spend time with like minded people – and have a great time! Next years information will be up soon – check The Tarot School.

One final note – many thanks to Kevin Quigley, who set up the Internet site readersstudio.ning.com, where we all proceeded to talk about the Readers Studio the while year! This is an invitation only site, so if you want to join, just ask a Tarot friend for an invitation. We all signed a huge card of thanks for Kevin at the Readers Studio, as he was unable to attend.

Tarot on!

Dark Grimoire Tarot

Dark Grimoire Tarot

Author: Giovanni Pelosini
Artist: Michele Penco
Lo Scarabeo
2008
ISBN #978-0738713847

The Dark Grimoire came to me in a very special manner – it was gifted to me at the Readers Studio 2009 by Amy Lamash (creator of the Tarot Calendar). We were sitting at the same table, and comparing decks from our Llewellyn gift bags. I remarked that I did not have that deck – and the rest is history! We also ended up having a wonderful discussion at our table about “dark decks”, and where their place might be in readings. Quite an interesting way to begin the Readers Studio experience!

The basis of this deck is the concept of Grimoires – the ancient texts of magic, witchcraft and rituals that over time many people have looked on as being books of Black Magic. In these texts students found the formulas for “doing the work”. These books were thought to be dangerous if used without precautions, and were condemned by the church without reservation.

Here the Tarot is presented as a possible book of magic – inspired by the dream worlds of fantasy literature, by grimoires (real and imaginary), by the nightmares that they may have generated and continue to generate in the depths of the subconscious. Just reading the author’s words scares me! However, without all of this, how boring would life be!

The Dark Grimoire is seen by the author as a key to opening forgotten doors hidden in the furthest corners of the psyche. In opening these doors, the author posits that we gain recognition and knowledge of our own fears, of our own “dark side”, and in the process bringing a sense of balance to our whole being.

The deck follows traditional structure – 22 Major Arcana, 40 Pips and 16 Court cards. Traditional card titles are used for the Major Arcana, with Justice at VIII and Strength at XI. The Minor Arcana suits are Wands, Chalices, Swords and Pentacles. The Court cards are King, Queen, Knight and Knave.

The accompanying LWB (Little White Book) is done in traditional Lo Scarabeo style, with the information presented in five languages: English, Italian, French, German and Spanish. There is a short introduction to the concept of what a Grimoire is (ancient texts of magic, witchcraft and rituals), followed by a discussion of Tarots as books of magic.

The cards are presented as text only, no scans. From the LWB:

“II The High Priestess – The wise woman holds the nocturnal knowledge of the “World of Dreams” and jealously guards the book of incantations. Every waterway sustains witches, who float even if bound.”

“XVIII La Moon – The Full Moon reflects on the ocean of the unconscious: the nocturnal light unveils some shadows where monsters lurk, ready to reawaken and ambush the mind.”

There is a template presented, in the form of a Pentagram, for performing a reading. It was interesting to note that according to the LWB, the form of the Pentagram was a symbol that grimoires advised be used for “fettering the demons of Air, the spirits of Fire, the spectre of Water, and the ghosts of the Earth.”

The five positions are defined as:

Position 1: The purpose of the query, the objective or desire of the Querent.
Position 2: The past that led to the current situation.
Position 3: The probable evolution of the current situation.
Position 4: Obstacles and difficulties to be overcome.
Position 5: The suggestions for overcoming the obstacles.

The suits are defined as follows:

Wands are seen as Lights, representing creativity and the element of Fire. Lights are seen as defeating darkness, dispersing fears, and releasing creativity.

Chalices are Dreams, representing emotions and the element of Water,

Swords are Demons, representing thought and the element of Air. If thoughts escape our control, they can become obsessions, taking the form of demons that enslave the mind.

Pentacles are shadows, representing matter and the element of Earth. “Amidst the Shadows grow attachments of men who identify themselves with their body and with the objects they possess.”

The deck itself is approximately 2 5/8” by 4 ¾”, of glossy, good quality cardstock. The card backs show a dark blue/gray border, followed by a black and gold inner border. Centered on the card is what appears to be a mirror, with an image of H. P. Lovecraft himself holding a book (grimoire?) and looking into the mirror. In the background we see the head of another individual behind his right shoulder, and a hooded figure standing a little further back behind his left shoulder. The backs are not reversible.

The card faces show the same blue/gray border. At the bottom of the Major Arcana is a gold scroll with the card number in Roman numerals. The card title in each of four languages is placed to the right and left of the Roman numeral. The Pips (numbered cards) show the same thing, using Arabic numerals, with the suit name replacing the card title. The Court Cards show the card title and suit in each of four languages across the bottom of the card.

The coloring is dark, but muted, which for some reason makes it less scary. The style is part reality, part fantasy. The Major Arcana draw their inspiration from the Necronomicon – a fictional book appearing in stories by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.

The Knight of Pentacles rides on a mythical demon, while the Ace of Wands is a Grimoire surrounded by lit candles, with a figure of light either coming from it or going into it (it is hard to tell). The Two of Wands shows a discussion going on by lamplight between two modern scholars, with rolled up scrolls and a skull in the foreground.

The Three of Wands shows two males in the foreground, watching a drama unfolding below them: several robed figures are seen approaching a lighted cauldron, with large pillars in the background. The Ace of Swords shows a book loosely open, with a pentagram on the front. Pages are escaping from it.

The Fool is seated, held immobile in a straightjacket. He has a light over his head, a devil in front of him, and robed figures behind him. The Magician shows a robed, turbaned figure, seated at a table, writing n his book with a quill pen. Behind him curtains flow in the breeze in an open window.

The High Priestess is seen standing, book in hand, lit from behind by an orange glow in the sky. The Empress is a standing figure, surrounded by several figures that are bowing down to her, and one that is raising his arms to her.

The Hanged Man is hanging from a chandelier in the middle of his study. Through an open window we can see the surrounding town.

I found this to be an intriguing deck – well thought out, and easy to read with. While the imagery and symbolism are not traditional, they do reflect the traditional qualities of the cards, meaning that it is not difficult to read with them. They are gentle by nature (if a dark deck can be termed gentle!), meaning that this is a deck that could be offered as a choice of reading deck for most clientele.

This is a deck that will, by its very nature, take the reader – and the Seeker – to the hidden places in their life. I did a short (three card) reading for a situation that I am facing, without defining the positions, and found that it very accurately depicted what has gone on to date – and gave me a heads up as to what may be a core issue. This is one deck that you don’t want to ask a question of if you don’t want the answer, or are not ready for it!

© May 2009

Alla Corte dei Trionfi – In the Court of Trumps

Alla Corte dei Trionfi –
In The Court of Trumps

Author: Morena Poltronieri, Ernesto Fazioli
Hermatena
2009
ISBN #978-88-88437-44-8

I have had the very good fortune to be able to become familiar with the work of the Museo dei Tarocchi through the reviewing of a small portion of their decks. The only reason that I knew about them at all was due to my wonderful friend Arnell Ando, who works with the Museo dei Tarocchi to present their products in the U.S. (Arnell also acted as host for the U.S. version of the LiteraTarot deck project.)

“In The Court of Trumps” is a project that was commissioned by the Cultural Ministry of Rome. It is a 262 page book, with major portions translated into English by Poltronieri and Fazoli, with further editing of some sections by Arnell Ando. The is the second Italian book that has come my way – the first being “iL Tarocchino di Bologna”, by Andrea Vitali and Terry Zaneti. There was no English translation available – I purchased the book because of its intrinsic value due to the reputation of the authors and the scans of the cards themselves. It is interesting to note that this book was published under the auspices of the city of Bologna, just as “In The Court of Trumps” was commissioned by the Cultural Ministry of Rome.

The English portion of this book begins with commentary on the origins of the Tarot, covering such influences as China, India, Egypt, the Gipsies, Cabala, the cards of Fez, Morocco and the crusades. This is followed by a history of the Tarot in Italy, with commentary on things such as the social classes, the Arts, and the Liberal Arts. It is interesting to read about the various Italian decks, and see the influences behind the changes in them over time.

There is a very good section on the twenty-two Major Arcana, with a discussion of the card, followed by keywords for the upright and reversed positions. There are no scans in this section. From the section on the Empress: “This card refers to an image of woman far different from the previous High Priestess. Indeed, the Empress has within her the intrinsic values of women and an awareness of what that means. For this card conveys an ability to translate into reality the inner purposes found to be most indiscernible and exceptional in order to arrive at a comprehension that is both spiritual and material. The Empress exists where we feel strongly the need for a definition of ego, while the values of perception and reception remain active, seeking to seize the new incoming energy.”

Several reading templates are presented, including the Celtic Cross Simplified, the Complete Celtic Cross, the Six Question Spread, and a Pro and Con reading. Diagrams are presented on pages 56-58, in the Italian section of the book.

An almost hidden tid bit to this book is the small section listing the twenty-two Major Arcana cards, along with corresponding scents. The Magician: ” A sensual orchid unites with a mysterious rose to celebrate a jasmine in a revitalized essence which enforces the spirit of the wayfarer at the beginning of his/her course of journey, while between the lips blooms the flowers of anise, the energy of Mercury, which was together with food, drinking and medicine for the antique Egyptians …”

There is a section on the Museum and the surrounding area, with a bit of history and instructions on how to get there by car or train. There are no pictures of the museum in this book, but there will be future books that do show the museum and all that it is doing. More on the Museo dei Tarocchi can be seen here: Museo dei Tarocchi.

In the back of the book Italian and International correspondents write about their connection with the Tarot, a bit about their personal background and path. Amongst those included are Arnell Ando (U.S.), Fern Mercier (New Zealand), Giovanni Pelosini (Italy), Alberto Cesare Ambesi (Italy), and Swati Prakash (India).

There is a very, very special section at the end of the book showing color photographs of some of the Major Arcana decks that the Museo dei Tarocchi has published. There is a wide range of style and imagery here – it is absolutely stunning!

This is a book for collectors and scholars, yes, but it also has appeal for those who want to get a more European view of the descriptions of the Major Arana, or for those who are interested in the imagery of collaborative decks (although not all of the decks shown are collaborative decks).

© May 2009

Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set

Pamela Colman Smith
Commemorative Set

Author: Stuart Kaplan
Artist: Pamela Colman Smith
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

There has been some grumbling in the Tarot community about “Do we really need another Rider Waite/Waite-Smith deck on the market?” I look at this from another perspective – I am very happy that someone is showcasing Pixie Smith’s work, especially someone that has the wherewithall to do a first class job!

The commemorative set includes a complete deck (renamed the Smith-Waite Centenial Edition Tarot deck, and reproduced from the original 1909 deck, from Stuart Kaplan’s personal collection), two books – The Artwork & Times of Pamela Colman Smith (by Stuart Kaplan), and a reformatted version of the Pictorial Key To The Tarot (by Arthur Edward Waite), a 5” X 7” photo of Pamela Colman Smith, three 5” by 7” artwork reproductions by Pamela Colman Smith, six color postcards featuring artwork by Pamela Colman Smith, and a spreadsheet guide with three Tarot layouts (a five card Love Spread, a three card Reltionship spread, and a ten card spread called the Woven Spread – a variation on the traditional Celtic Cross spread.

All of this comes in a sturdy box that opens like a book, with the Smith-Waite Centennial Edition Tarot deck (in a blue organza bag with light blue ribbon) on one side, and the books, post cards and pictures on the other side. The Pictorial Key To The Tarot has been redone with stiff cardboard covers, but is text only – no card scans. The post cards showing Pixie Smith’s work are truly a gift – done in color, with glossy faces, and including a beautiful take on the Empress.

The heart of this commemorative set, to me, is Stuart Kaplan’s book “The Artwork & Times of Pamela Colman Smith”. I cannot think of anyone better suited to write this book – it is a true gift to the Tarot world. It has given me great joy to wander through this work – looking at a picture here, reading a paragraph or two there. Sitting down to read it straight through was like stepping into another world.

Kaplan has featured an extensive selection of Pamela Colman Smith artwork that lies outside the realm of her Tarot work. It gives us insight into Pixie as a person – who her friends were, who she collaborated with, and what inspired her. In his introduction, Kaplan notes that Pixie Smith was an accomplished designer who worked in the theater with Ellen Terry, as well as a recognized illustrator of children’s books (including her own “Annancy Stories).

On the down side, her publishing efforts with ‘The Green Sheaf” and “A Broad Sheet” were not financially successful, even though she was praised by critics and reviewers alike, and was exhibited by Alfred Stieglitz in his New York art gallery to rave reviews.

This year, 2009, marks the Centenniel of the first publication of the Rider-Waite deck. The Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set is in recognition of the work of a talented artist who has perhaps not received the credit that she should have.

The book begins with an excellent photo of Pixie Smith, and a short biography. Of interest to me was the backdrop to Smith’s own interest in mysticism and the occult – which Kaplan indicates may have come from her mother and her relatives, who were followers of the mystic philosopher Swedenborg.

Every single page of this book was incredible – on one page we see a cover illustration for William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes, on the page facing it we see a full page, hand colored print of Ellen Terry. These are interspersed with wonderful factoids, such as the fact that Pixie Smith studied at Pratt Institute under Arthur Wesley Dow, who exposed her to the concept of “synaesthesia” – the interplay of the senses – which later influenced her music inspired artwork.

There is a wonderful illustration entitled “Gingly Fly”, a Jamaican tale transcribed by Pixie in her 1905 book “Chim Chim, Folk Stories From Jamaica”. There is an illustation of “Peter Pan”, from the Craftsman Illustrated Monthly Magazine, 1912, and illustrations from “The Lair of the White Worm”, by Bram Stoker.

Kaplan does an outstandng job of covering the life of Pamela Colman Smith – the people and the influences that surrounded her. Each step of the way he has included illustrations from her work that exemplify that time. Also incldued are interesting tid bits, such as a facsimilie of a letter in Pixie Smith’s handwriting to Alfred Stieglitz.

Pixie has the fnal word, in the form of an appendix in the form of an article that she wrote for the July 1908 issue of The Craftsman Illustrated Monthly Magazine entitled “Should The Art Student Think?”

The cards are approximately 2 ¾” by 4 ¾”, on glossy card stock. The backs show a ¼” white border, with a thin black inner border. Pixie’s initials are in the upper left hand corner and the lower right hand corner, in black. The backgorund is a light blue/grey, with the Rosicrucian Rose from the Death card in the center.

The card faces show a ¼” white border, followed by a thin black inner border. The Major Arcana show the card title across the bottom of the card. He Pips (numbered cards) show the number in Roman numerals at the top of the card, with no suit title. Pixie’s initials are in the lower right hand side of the card. The Court cards show the title and suit across the bottom of the card. The coloring is flat – perhaps to give an “antique” feel to the cards.

For me, the book on Pamela Colman Smith (Pixie Smith) alone is worth the price of entry. Kaplan has done an outstanding job of pulling together the various aspects of Pamela Colman Smith’s life and work, giving the Tarot world a much better understanding of this extremely talented woman. This set is a must have for anyone truly interested in studying Tarot – not just a collectors item, this set is for those that “walk the walk”.

© May 2009

Green Wisdom Oracle Cards

The Green Wisdom Oracle Cards are the latest wisdom coming from someone in the Tarot world that I admire greatly – James Wanless, Ph.D. of Voyager Tarot fame. These cards – ten years in the making – are not yet available to the public. However, they can be seen here: Green Wisdom Cards.

On his site, the cards are subtitled “Nature’s Principles For Personal and Planetary Sustainability and Success”. On his blogsite James encourages site visitors to contribute their thoughts about the Green Wisdom cards – specifically, how each card helps us by following their natural wisdom.

James has sample chapters from the accompanying book on his site, including Chapter 1 – The Ecologic Vision, Chapter 2 – Way of Whole Growth, Chapter 3 – Green Wisdom Cards, Chapter 4 – The Natural Mind, and Chapter 5 – Nature’s Way: Intuition.

The card themes are: Elements, Fauna, Flora, and Human. In his blog, James does an incredible job of mixing discussion, poetry, and questions that each card provokes.

Spend some time here – there is a wealth of information! If you are a publisher – contact James! IMHO – This deck needs to get out there!

The Rumi Tarot

Rumi Tarot

Author: Nigel Jackson
Artist: Nigel Jackson
Llewellyn Worldwide
2009
ISBN #978-0-7387-1168-3

I took one look at the Rumi Tarot when it arrived, and had two simultaneous thoughts: “I love the artwork.” and “What is with this green color!” I still don’t like the green coloring, but I do like the deck. The basis for the deck is the Sufi traditions as seen through the eyes of the thirteenth-century Persian mystic Rumi. His poetry is a celebration of love, and the ability of love to set us free. Within his poems is the spiritual philosophy known as “tawhid” – the seeking of union with the beloved from which we have all been separated. Nigel Jackson has used this important tradition to create a mystical and contemplative Tarot that takes the reader (and the Seeker) on a path to their own spiritual bliss.

I find this to be an important addition to the Tarot world, not only because of the vivid imagery but because of the thoroughness of the background information. Nigel Jackson is more than qualified to write on this subject, as he he is a well known artist and illustrator specializing in the Western Esoteric Tradition. His credits include “Medieval Enchantment: The Nigel Jackson Tarot”, and he has been involved for over twenty years in expressing the language of the gods through his visual art. Jackson has also done intense metaphysical study, receiving Minor and Major Holy Orders in the Gnostic ecclesiastical tradition, initiation into multiple theurgic rites, as well as initiation into two traditional Sufi chains of filiation.

I love the symbolism and opulence of the Eastern traditions, and can very easily (and happily!), get lost in them for copious amounts of time. Jackson followed a traditional structuring for the Rumi Tarot: 78 cards, traditional titles (with the following exceptions – the High Priestess becomes the Priestess, and Strength becomes Fortitude), the four suits are entitled Swords, Cups, Staves and Coins, with the Court cards entitled King, Queen, Knight and Page.

The deck comes as a boxed set – the 78-card deck, an black organdy Tarot bag and a 312 page companion book. In his introduction, Jackson notes that his focus for this deck is that it would be effective as a tool for spiritual knowledge, inner guidance and contemplation. The companion book is divided into four parts: Part One: The Path of the Rose, Part Two: The Major Arcana, Part Three: The Minor Arcana & Court Cards, and Part Four: Using the Rumi Tarot.

The Path of the Rose begins with a discussion of the historical roots of Sufi tradition, and the concepts of purity and wisdom. Jackson states that the Rumi Tarot draws its foundation/symbolic sustenance from the stations of the Path of the Rose, run through the “Earth of Visions”, the “Earth of the Emerald Cities” to the transcendent sphere of illumination and truth, guided by the deep wisdom of the Master, Jalal al-Din Rumi. The images and symbols of this deck are to be contemplated as archetypal reflections and mirrors of the divine qualities and beautiful Names of God. The Major and Minor Arcana denote the degrees and waystations upon the Sufi Path of Light.

Jackson then goes into a discussion of the Microcosm and Macrocosm of the Sufi Universe. These worlds are traditionally correlated with the yogic chakras, mapped within the subtle body. He also discusses one of the central concepts of the Sufi tradition – that of the Perfect Man. This spiritual being represents the celestial Adam as he existed in paradise, with echos of ancient mythic images of the Primoridal Man from Persian traditions. (Jackson’s words.)

From there Jackson goes on to discuss the Ladder of Illumination, and a short biography of the mystic Rumi.

The Major Arcana are presented with black and white scans, underneath which appears a short saying pertinent to the energy of the card (for the Fool – Be foolish, so that your heart may remain at peace). This is followed by a discussion of the card, and upright and reversed meanings.

The Minor Arcana are presented with black and white scans, underneath which appears a short saying pertinent to the energy of the card (for the Ace of Swords – Be like a polished sword, free from tarnish), followed by a discussion of the card, and upright and reversed meanings.

The suits of the Minor Arcana are seen as symbolizing the four Aristotelian elements, thus encapsulating the alchemical mysteries of the Sufi path.

The Court Cards from the Rumi Tarot can be seen as Oriental potentates, sultans and sultanas enthroned in their palaces, surrounded by all due pomp and circumstance. Some of the features of the Rumi Tarot court cards are taken from the fifteenth-century cards of Mamluk design. While the cards from the Islamic world use only male imagery (King, Vizier, Second Viceroy and Pageboy), in the Rumi Tarot Jackson has incorporated the Queen to replace the Vizier, and the Knight to replace the Viceroy to equate with the medieval European pattern.

The Court Cards are presented with a black and white scan, underneath which appears a short saying pertinent to the energy of the card (for the King of Coins – Look how wonderful my game is, my dress extraordinarily beautiful), followed by a very short discussion of the card, and upright and reversed meanings.

In his section on using the Rumi Tarot, Jackson includes a consecration ritual, and several spreads, including a six card Hexagon spread, and a twelve card Twelve Houses spread. The epilogue is The Recital of the Emerald Dome. There is also a glossary of Sufi terms, with appendices for the Planetary Heavens and correspondences with the Tarot and Sufi symbolism, followed by a selected bibliography.

The cards are approximately 2 3/4 “ by 4 ¾”, of quality, glossy card stock. The backs are light green, reversible, with imagery of a mandala in the middle. The faces of the cards show a ¼” gold border, followed by a slightly narrower green border. At the bottom of the cards is a window with the card number, title, and the same saying that we see in the book. This can be disconcerting, but it is not the same as having keywords for upright/reversed meanings placed on the card. The saying are short enough to be able to take them into meditation/visualization to good effect.

The background color for the Major Arcana is blue, for the Minor Arcana and Court Cards it is green. The imagery, due to t he nature of the deck, is very Eastern Mystical oriented. On the Major Arcana cards we see use made of spiral imagery, usually in the background, in white with black lines.

Something that I found quite interesting is that figures seem to float in the pictures, with their feet not quite touching the ground. This is very evident in cards such as the Fool (who is walking with a large cat, and not a small dog). Many of the images are seated, some on hexagonal bases (the Priestess and the Empress), and some on cubic bases (the Emperor and Justice). The Hierophant is kneeling on a rug, while the female figure in the Moon is seated above a quarter moon, between two towers. The Chariot shows a winged white horse with a human head. The Wheel of Fortune shows the figure of Justice standing behind and above the wheel.

In the suit of Swords, all of he swords are curved (as opposed to other decks, in which the swords may by curved, with the “odd” numbered sword being straight. The Pips (numbered cards) do show imagery, but it is contained in figure in the middle of the card. Some people may find this off-putting, but I found it very attractive.

I was very appreciative of the history and background that Jackson provided for this deck. In my opinion, it alone is worth the cost of the kit. I liked the cards, I could work easily with the imagery, and I was fascinated with the way in which the imagery on the Pips was presented. My only quibble is with the extensive use of green. I could not use this as an everyday reading deck, although I could use it for occasional reading, and would readily use it for visualization, meditation, or ritual/ceremony.

This deck will appeal to collectors, to people interested in religious-based decks, and to those wishing to work with Eastern mysticism.

© May 2009

The Tarot Guild

One of the items that I picked up at the Readers Studio ’09 was a brochure on the Tarot Guild. Had I been paying more attention, I would have realized that there were two brochures put out – one on Friday, and one on Saturday. The difference between the two was in the spread that was presented in hte middle section.

I picked up the one on Friday, which had the Tarot Squared spread. What we have here are three horizontal columns, three vertical columns, and two diagonal paths. The numbers themselves go around in a spiral formation, fromt he middle, to the bottom, around to the left, and cicling back to the original number. This is quite a well done spread, and, as the brochure states, it can be customized for specific questions/issues quite easily.

The thought that went into the presentation of this spread equates with the thought that went into the brochure itself, which in turn reflects the thought behind the Tarot Guild ( http://www.tarotguild.com ). The Tarot Guild was created as an organization of interest for those of all levels of interest and eperience in the Tarot world. They have been meeting since 2004, and now have over 350 members.

The philosophy of the Tarot Guild is that the Tarot acts as an allegorical tool, bridging the conscious and unconscious mind. It is up to the practitioner to enhacne the experience of self-discovery and self-communication.

The discipline of Tarot must have at its core a concern for the Seeker’s empowerment, and the goal of helping them to realize their own inner resources. The Seeker’s values and beliefs, as well as their current capacity for self-determination and common humanity must be respected.

The Tarot Guild operates in several diferent venues. it’s web site (http://www.tarotguild.com) has as its goal that of becoming a premier Tarot site. It will include proprietary articles as well as information on classes and other community news. It will include information on all main Tarot gatherings/conferences/symposiums, reflecting world wide venues.

One of the goals of the Internet site is to rpovide the type of information that will help others create their own local meetings. In turn, the new groups will be bringing back fresh ideas to share ont he Tarot Guild site. For group leaders, the Tarot Guild will offer ideas for exercises and class materials. For solo practitioners (and most of us really are solo practitioners!), the site will offer ideas for new ways in which to use the cards.

Another venue for the Tarot Guild is their Tarot Salon, a weekly gathering of like minded Tarot enthusiasts with the goal of discussing all things Tarot. Other metaphysical/spiritual subjects may also be discussed, including the Law of Attraction, the Power of Now, Practical SPirituality, Numerology, Hypnosis and more. Short presentations are followed by a question and answer period, and the weekly Tarot mini-session.

The Tarot Cafe is held each Saturday at David’s Coffee (1440 University Ave, San Diego, CA), from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Lunch, lattee’s and Tarot talk available!

A note on visiting the Tarot Guild site – it is a new site, and content will be added. Right now it is free to sign up for the Tarot Guild, so that is something to think about. Also, fred West (the master mind behind the brochures for the Readers Studio) has placed them both on the site in PDF format so that they may be printed out.

As a courtesy, there is an informational survey on the site that doesn’t take that long to fill out.

The Tarot Guild is an up and coming part of our Tarot community, IMHO.

Readers Studio ’09 – The People

I am a little late in getting my Readers Studio ’09 impressions out there, but it is such a lovely day today that I am going to alternate weeding and writing. In a previous blog I discussed the horrors of traveling – I really love to fly, but the post 9/11 fiasco at airports is not to be believed. And I had never gone thorugh the automatic sign in with the airlines, which wasn’t too bad, but wasn’t exactly the highpoint of my day, either.

Today I am going to talk about the heart and soul of the conference – the people that I met and interactged with. I am going to start out with the ladies at my table (which was a relatively static arrangement, although soem did table hop. Had I more courage, I might have been doing that too – but I don’t like change, and I don’t have the social courage to do that.

My lack of social courage is the main reason that I want to start with the ladies at my table. They were gracious, intelligent, funny, and totally supportive. I could go around and introduce myself to a few people, and then go back to my table as a touchstone. This meant a great deal to me, and I want to thank each and every one of you for being who you are.

Kudos to Joanna Powell Colbert, Beth Owl’s Daughter, Amy Lamash, Sue Schauer, Sally Clarke, Kelly Schaap, Francesca, Debbie Lake and Ellen-Mary O’Brien – table mates extraordinaire!

There are two other ladies that came over to meet me – one for the first time, the other for the second time. Beth Palladino and I had met at the 2003 Readers Studio, where Winter Wren and I certified her with the American Board For Tarot Certification. The second lady (and I do apologize, but I cannot remember her name!) was also certififed by Winter and I, although I had never met her in person. I appreciate these ladies coming over to my table because it helped bring closure to the loss of Winter Wren, who passed away in September of 2008.

The following are brief impressions, along with any links that I may have for each individual:

Joanna Powell Colbert ( www.gaiantarot.com ) – What an incredible person! Beautiful from the inside out, and does the most incredible work! I cannot wait for the 78 card version of her Gaian Tarot to come out!

Beth Owl’s Daughter ( www.well.com/~zenrose/tarot/ ) – What a wonderful, gracious, ingtelligent and funny person! Very wise, and very gifted, Beth led us through the Beltane ritual on Friday night. What a gift this was to everyone who attended. (And a bigh thank you to Joanna Powell COlbert and Gail Wood for assisting!).

Amy Lamash ( http://www.tarotcalendar.com/ ) – Amy is one of the nicest people you could ever want to meet! She is also the creator of the International Tarot Calendar – information on major Tarot announcements and events, with a special section for on-line or telephone events. Send your information to Amy if you want it to be added to the calendar!

Sue Schauer proved to be a very knowledgible Tarot peep who led a very cool discussion on dark decks! (Which started out when Amy graciously gifted me with the Dark Grimoire, a deck that was in her Llewellyn bag that she already had.)

Sally Clarke, Kelly Schaap and Ellen-Mary O’Brien more than held up their side of the table with wisdom and humor!

Debbie Lake ( http://blog.tarotbroad.com/ ) – LOL I just found Debbie’s blog while searching to see if she had a link anywhere. Debbie is such a gifted person – and one of the funniest, if not the funniest, people that I have ever met. I have so enjoyed seeing her comments on the Internet, and working with her on Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman and Mary Collins web conference.

Francesca ( http://www.spiritualguidedpsychics.com/ ) – I didn’t know until the end of the conference that Francesca was originally an Angel reader, and was, shall we say, “strongly” encouraged by her cousin to learn the Tarot! She also has a degree in Fine Arts, which made for great conversation concerning deck imagery! (Many thanks for the nicely done bookmark!) Francesca also has a new CD out on meditation entitled “Serenity”.

Garnet Schaeffer ( www.mistofatlantis.com , http://readersstudio.ning.com/profile/Garnet ) – Garnet is probably best known in the Tarot world for her magickal wands – and for her intense energy! She is a Realtor, Professional event planner, wand maker extraodinaire, Tarot instructor, Angel Therapy practitioner, student of Astrology and Belly Dancing – and so much more! I was thrilled that you were at the same talbe I was for the Transparent Tarot study – we had a great time (even thoug I understand that the noise level irritated some of the other study groups!).

Elizabeth Genco Purvis ( http://www.marketinggoddess.com/ ) – Better know as “The Marketing Goddess”, Elizabeth is a very nice, down to earth person. She presented a class on coaching on Saturday night, and the next day I heard wonderful comments about how helpful she had been (very specific help, indeed). One of Elizabeth’s greatest assets is her voice – go to her site, sign up for her free audio workshop, and you will see what I mean!

Ciro Marchetti ( http://www.ciromarchetti.com/ , http://www.legacyofthedivinetarot.com/) – Ciro is just as gracious in person as he is on the Internet! I was very pleased to be able to meet him in person. I have included the link to his main site, and to a new, interactive site that I feel is well worth visiting. It will be a subscription site – but the fee is very small, and the contents will be evolving and well worth it! Ciro’s merchant tab le was well visited!

Robert M. Place ( http://thealchemicalegg.com/, http://tarotconnection.net/ ) – I have included two links for Bob – the link to his personal site, and the link to Leisa ReFalo’s PodCast, where Bob’s classes can be found. I was very happy to be able to have the chance to meet Bob in person, after having worked with his decks and books, and having spent time in his tele-classes. Bob’s merchant table was also highly visited! Bob will be presenting at next year’s Readers Studio.

Carolyn Giles – I loved the fact that I got to meet Carolyn! She is writing a really good book on the birth card system originated by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone. I cannot wait to see it published!

Emily Carding ( http://www.elfwood.com/~willowsmum , http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?artid=23406 )- Emily is a delightful person – part faerie, part banshee (thanks to Rachel Pollack’s Dr. Appollo!). She is the creator of the Transparent Tarot (Schiffer Books), and an upcoming oracle deck based ont he seven directions (also to be published by Schiffer Books). If you get a chance to hear Emily speak, or to study with her – please do! She is a charming, all too energitic faerie person.

Dan Pelletier ( http://tarotgarden.com/ ) – “That Dan Guy” is a true Magician, as anyone who attended the Readers Studio will attest. From a personal perspective, I got the last copy of the Morgan-Greer Tarot that was on hand, just before I left for the Readers Studio (from the Tarot Garden, of course!). I was searching franticaly for this deck and was incredibly relieved when he was able to manifest it! With grace and charm, Dan gifted attendees with an incredible amount of material from the Tarot Garden for the give-away. We all thank you!

Major Tom Schick ( http://www.majortom.biz/ ) – Major Tom is well known for his Tarot Calendar, and his gracious manner on Aeclectic Tarot. In person, he is ever the gentleman, and I was delighted to be able to meet him.

Solandia ( http://aeclectic.net/tarot/ ) – I have worked with Solandia for many years in submitting reviews to Aeclectic Tarot. She has always been considerate, and a pleasure to work with. In person, she is every bit the gracious person that she is on Aeclectic Tarot. Many thanks for coming to the Readers Studio!

Jordan Hoggard ( http://mystereum.com/ ) – Jordan is the creator of the Mystereum Tarot, and its accompanying books. I had the great good fortune to work with his material, and found it a joy. I had to laugh when during one of the Tarot exercises Jordan was telling us about seeing and feeling the color orange, and how he physically felt it in his body. My immediate thought was – People, this is the creator of the Mystereum Tarot – he won’t be found floating around in pale pastels! Jordan has more work in the pipeline, so stay tuned!

Shari Smith ( www.tarotforlife.com , http://www.tarotweaving.com/ ) – I met Shari on line some time ago, when she was working with a friend of mine that does coaching. I loved that way she gets things done so quickly, and so well. Quite a techie, too – which I admire, because I am not! Now – the blue hair – I could never carry that one off! Shari is a wonderful woman that will be achieving major accomplishments in her lifetime!

Maribeth Pittman is someone that I have known throughout the Internet, as well as through Johanna’s web conference. Her input is “right on” – I value her presence and her opinions!

Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman ( http://www.johannagsherman.com/ ) – I have worked with Johanna before, but we had never met in person. I was very, very lucky in that I was standing in the front of the room, by a Merchant booth, and … there she was! Very much the wise-woman, carrying her walking stick ( a lovely stick, but a necessity, as she is just getting over (I believe) a broken ankle. I was so happy to get to talk to her, and to hear that the mandala series will continue in the foreseeable future. Johanna also has some new ideas in the works – including a possible Coney Island Tarot, which I think would be a great idea!

Mary Greer ( http://marygreer.wordpress.com/ ) – I did not have a chance to speak with Mary Greer this year, but she was ever present. She is a gifted, knowledgible person who is easy to talk to, and has a true sense of joy about life. I love her blog, because it goes into the true sense of “what is”. Mary will be presenting again at the 2010 Readers Studio (I met her when she presented at the 2003 Readers Studio).

James Wanless ( http://www.voyagertarot.com/ , http://www.greenwisdomcards.com ) – I have worked with James before – reviewing his books and deck, as well as doing a telephone interview with him. I was delighted that he was a speaker at this year’s Readers Studio! I have included two links for James – one to his Voyager Tarot work, and one to his Green Wisdom Cards work. James is an incredible speaker, and a wonderful, giving person. If you have a chance to hear him talk, or study with him – please do! James gifted me with a DVD entitled “The Renewal of America”, which was taped at a talk he was giving in Santa Fe, NM. He uses the venue of a 50card layout entitled “The Ring of Magic” to bring insight into what we and our country need to be mentally, emotionally, spiritually, practical worldly, and archetypally to regenerate and reenergize in this time of crisis. It is a gifted presentation – and available on the Voyager Tarot site.

Geraldine Amaral ( http://tarotcelebrations.com/ ) – Geraldine is co-author of the inspiring “Tarot Celebrations”, and a gifted teacher in her own right. I was incredibly happy that she was also going to be a speaker at this years Readers Studio. She is a gentle, gracious person, and gave the unique gift of her book and CD in a beautiful box to the give-away.

Rachel Pollack ( http://rachelpollack.com/index2.html ) – It is always a gift to hear Rachel Pollack speak. She was a presenter at the 2003 Readers Studio, and I still have not gotten over being impressed by her. She is bright, funny, and very quick!

Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone ( http://tarotschool.com/ ) – For the seventh year in a row, Ruth Ann and Wald hosted the Readers Studio – a unique East Coast Tarot event. I was very excited to meet both of them again, and to see how the Readers Studio had grown since its beginning. The addition of the luncheon teaching sessions, as well as the all important (IMHO) meditation room, and the Beltane ritual were enormous gifts.

I am sure that there are more people that should be mentioned here, and I apologize for not remembering who you are. The Readers Studio was a great gift to me, in that I was able to meet in person people that I had known only over the Internet. It was also a bit overwhelming, with all those people!

I hope that visitors to my blog check out some of my Tarot peeps – they all have a great deal to offer!

Readers Studio ’09

Many thanks to Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone for continuing the wonderful tradition that is the Readers Studio. It is now in its seventh year, and is stronger than ever! This is the second Readers Studio that I have attended – the first one being in 2003 – which was literally the first time this event was held.

I am going to do two or three blogs about the Readers Studio. This one will focus on the literal transportation – the coming and going from one side of our country to the other side – West Coast to East Coast – and back.

For those of you who travel often – bless your hearts! When I was younger I was in the service, and had the opportunity to travel more. It was physically easier to do, and also, quite frankly, a much more pleasant experience than post-9/11 travel.

I started my journey at 3:30 am on Thursday when I was picked up by the shuttle that took me to the airport (Seattle-Tacoma Airport). The morning was nice – no rain, small amount of fog – and the drive was pleasant (as were my fellow passengers).

The airline that I chose to use was United, and I was pleased on an overall level with their service. However, I have not flown since 2003, and had never used the self-service check in machines before. There was a representative from United there to help walk newcomers to the service through it, so I survived!

The flight to San Francisco (yes – San Francisco – I had to change my reservation, and ended up going the long route!) was great – aisle seat, happy me! There was a three hour layover in San Francisco, but it really went very fast. The next leg of the flight – from San Francisco to Newark, was good – a window seat does help the time go by!

I had never been to Newark Airport before, and was a little uneasy about the monorail – mainly because I didn’t get in until 9:30 pm, and the airport was largely deserted. I found the area for the pickup from the Sheraton with no problem, but the suttle seemed to take a long time to get there.

The Sheraton itself is a really nice hotel, and I loved my stay there. The physical environment is pleasing, and the staff were all very gracious. When I got up on the morning that I left (Monday) there was a printout of my bill that had been placed under the door. What a nice gesture! They offered to print another one at checkout, but since there were no new charges, I didn’t consider that necessary.

The early morning flight to Chicago was ideal – the plane was not full, I got a window seat, and slept for the entire two hours.

Now the fun begins. Flight time form Chicago to Seattle – four hours. I had a middle seat – i.e. seat from hell! LOL Jam packed plane – a good time was had by no one.

It gets worse – the trek from the baggage area at Sea-Tac was incredibly long. I should have guessed – their written instructuions were to walk “in the direction of the traffic” inside the building from the baggage area (door 24) to door 00. I literally had to walk clear to the end of the building – a long enough trek that there should have been some type of shuttle. Thank heaven’s for luggage with wheels and handles!

Am I glad that I went to the Readers Studio? Of course I am! LOL Will I want to fly again? Of course I will! After I recover from this trip – in about ten or so years!

My next blog will be focused on the wonderful people that I met at the Readers Studio – the heart and soul of this ongoing conference.