Interview With Craig Conley

Interview With Craig Conley

Work that Tarotist/lexicographer Craig Conley is currently doing recently crossed my path. I am impressed – as I always am with Craig – and wanted to share this work with you – even though it is not exactly “public property” yet! Craig was very gracious, and did agree to share his thoughts. Enjoy!

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BC: I love the unique outlook of your latest work! How did you come up with the idea for the “Punctuated Tarot”?

CC: It all started with a semicolon hieroglyphically flashing in my mind as a reversed Hanged Man, the period symbolizing the head and the comma symbolizing the crooked leg. I immediately worked up a graphic representation of the vision, and my first question was, “Is there an entire Major Arcana of punctuation?” The prospect brought much excitement, as for years I’ve studied the smallest units of our language. I’ve published my surprising findings in such books as One-Letter Words: A Dictionary (HarperCollins, 2005), Ampersand (a history and pictography of our most common coordinating conjunction), Annotated Ellipses, and my popular web series entitled “A Semicolon’s Dream Journal.”

BC: How do you associate the semicolon and the Hanged Man?

CC: I was immediately struck that the reversed Hanged Man is typically associated with an inability to let go. The semicolon of course holds together two closely-related sentences. There’s tremendous tension in that act of fusing two units that can stand alone. The semicolon could be seen as a unifier and a peacemaker, but more and more writers consider the mark to be an unnecessary middleman. The fact that the semicolon is on the verge of becoming extinct in our language makes its Hanged Man appearance all the more poignant.

BC: I love the diversity of punctuation marks that you are working with here! How did they make the grade? In other words, how on earth did the “prime” symbol of mathematics make it in, while the ever popular comma did not?

CC: Esoteric symbols seemed a natural fit for the Tarot. But old standards are there, too. For example, the ampersand simply demanded a place on The Emperor card, as folklore traces the sign’s name to mean “Emperor’s hand.” And since the word “asterisk” means “little star,” it demanded its rightful place in the Tarot heavens. Some of my esoteric choices may well challenge the common definition of “punctuation,” but all are punctuation in the crucial sense of being emblems of disambiguation. And that’s key to the purpose of this project. Tarot cards are like rebus puzzles in that the spread of their pictures forms coded sentences. Punctuation helps to bring clarity to the meaning of sentences. Just as traditional Tarot imagery distills the archetypes of our quest for wholeness, the standard marks and signs of punctuation elucidate meaning as our story unfolds.

BC: Not to be obtuse, but how do punctuation marks offer keys to unlocking cryptic Tarot messages? Have you been visioning with Uncle Al, perhaps?

CC: The Latin root of “punctuation” means to “point out” and to “bring to a point.” Punctuation marks help us to pinpoint the precise structure of the sentences that constitute our life story. Punctuation helps to organize and emphasize the themes at play. It assists us to comprehend the relationships that exist between nouns (the people, places, and things in our lives) and verbs (actions and occurrences). Punctuation offers cues on how to understand the course of our experiences.

BC: Aside from keeping our words flowing, exactly what does punctuation do for us?

CC: Ultimately, it’s about breathing. Punctuation is emphatic about pauses, whether brief or prolonged. Pauses invite us to linger on meaning, to reflect, to reevaluate. A pause gifts us with time to think twice. A pause offers a place to stand and to withstand.

BC: Why did you choose a question mark to represent The High Priestess? The first thing that pops into my head is that “there is no uncertainty with this lady”!

CC: My choice there was informed by my Mystery School background—a question mark representing uncertainty in the sense of mystique. It is a riddle as opposed to a quandary. The haziness of the veil doesn’t imply unclarity.

BC: How did the Fool come to be represented by a paragraph mark (pilcrow)?

CC: That was an irresistible choice, as the pilcrow denotes a new train of thought. Quite interestingly, the traditional Chinese paragraph sign is a thin circle—the same symbol as the character for “zero.” And so there’s actually an historical precedent for linking The Fool, the numeral zero, and the paragraph sign.

BC: What are your favorite cards of the Punctuated Tarot?

CC: I’m beguiled by The Hermit’s lantern, which is comprised of square brackets. Rather poetically, the square brackets form a nest for missing material. They have another use: it sometimes happens in writing that a parenthetical phrase occurs within another parenthetical phrase, and in such cases square brackets appear within the outer parentheses. Therefore, in a Tarot spread, square brackets can symbolize “deeper nesting.” Most commonly, square brackets enclose words added by someone besides the original author. And so they offer a sheltered realm for adding your own two cents when someone else is dictating.

Another favorite is the space symbol on The Chariot. The space symbol is a blank area. Figuratively, it signifies the dimensions within which things move. One might say that the chariot is inseparable from the road it traverses.

I’m also especially fond of Temperance’s tilde, which literally indicates a change in pronunciation and figuratively signifies a pronounced change. And Death’s ellipsis foreshadows an intentional omission or a trailing off.

BC: What guided your artistic choices?

CC: Much of the Punctuated Tarot artwork recalls the Tarot of Marseilles. But I wanted the imagery to be eclectic, in keeping with the diversity of punctuation symbols. The Death card, for instance, features Mors, the Roman personification of death. The Lovers card is based upon Psyche and Cupid on Mount Olympus. The Sun depicts a sundial from a formal garden in Bedfordhsire, England. Other cards, such as The Moon, The Star, The Fool, and The High Priestess are wholly original art.

BC: Are you going to do the Minor Arcana? If so, what approach are you going to take?

CC: The Minor Arcana is proving to be a challenge, but the double dagger symbol was an obvious choice for the Two of Swords. It indicates a transition state in Chemistry. I’d certainly love to develop a full Tarot deck of punctuation marks. It’s a work in progress.

BC: How do you recommend using the “Punctuated Tarot”? I can see it being used as a comparative deck, and as a primary reading deck for specific issues, insight or personal growth.

CC: Yes, I see the deck being used for specific issues, especially when one finds one’s life story to be seemingly stalled in a punctuated pause. Is the pause a marker between chapters, or a footnoted digression, or some sort of connecting line to a new idea? Is it the calm before the storm or a gentle trailing off? During those uncomfortable delays and silences, the iconic language of punctuation can give us a sense of the durations and the connections.

BC: You have a site that you are developing to present the Punctuated Tarot (www.mysteryarts.com/punctuated/tarot/). What are your plans here?

CC: The page offers a growing introduction to the project, brief explanations of each card, and an online three-card reading. I’m open to visitor suggestions on how the page can grow.

I want to thank Craig for taking the time to discuss his latest project. In playing around with it myself, I have found that new layers if information open up as my perspective on the cards open up. I hope that each of you finds something in Craig’s work that opens things up for you too!

An eccentric lexicographer and scholar, Craig Conley is author of the Tarot of Portmeirion, Magic Words: A Dictionary (Weiser Books) and One-Letter Words: A Dictionary (HarperCollins). His website is OneLetterWords.com.

Note: Craig has a wonderful post on Tarotist Catherine Chapman’s site – http://www.tarotelements.com/contributors/ritual-as-punctuation/ Enjoy!

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Guest Blog By Craig Conley

Sun

Empress

Death

High Priestess

I recently came across Tarotist Craig Conley’s latest project – the “Punctuation Tarot”. It is stunning and quite unique! I asked Craig if he would like to do a guest blog, and he kindly agreed! Enjoy!

On May 31, Bonnie presented a short spread from the “Shadowscapes Tarot” (Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Barbara Moore). From the companion book she used a spread called Message From the Universe. It’s a four card spread with the positions defined as: (1) Body, (2) Heart, (3) Mind, and (4) Spirit.

The cards Bonnie drew were:

1. Body – The Empress
2. Heart – The High Priestess
3. Mind – Death
4. Spirit – The Sun

Let’s have some fun and see if Bonnie’s reading might have been different had she used the Punctuated Tarot <www.mysteryarts.com/punctuated/tarot/>.

The Empress’ punctuation is the prime symbol of mathematics, representing the “derivative function.” In the context of the Body, what is derived or obtained could be likened to the fruits of one’s physical labors. This symbol also speaks of the rate of change of a function (perhaps the aging process, given this context). The Empress card proclaims that issues of the body are of prime or first importance and are worthy of honor.

The High Priestess appears in the position of the Heart. Her punctuation is the question mark—a riddle. Given her place in the Heart position, the High Priestess guides the Seeker to protect her loving emotions with a veil of mystique. The High Priestess suggests that some puzzles, such as the meaning of love, are best left unsolved.

Death appears in the position of the Mind. This position relates to how the Seeker thinks about and sees the world, and the way that she approaches problems. Death’s punctuation is the ellipsis, indicating a suspension point or a trailing off. The Seeker is cautioned to let go of antiquated mental constructs, to allow them to dissolve, to trail off into silence.

Note that when an ellipsis occurs at the end of a sentence, it can suggest a feeling of melancholic longing. That melancholia is tied to the next card: the black Sun’s dark night of the soul.

The Sun appears in the position of Spirit. The Sun’s punctuation is the bullet, introducing items in a list. This position points to how the Seeker can allow spirit to fill her daily life, and the Sun’s bullet suggests that an enumeration is in order. The word “bullet” comes from the French for “small ball.” The small ball on this card suggests the Sol Niger, the paradoxical black sun that emits both light and darkness (for without light there can be no shadow). In alchemical terms, it is the blackening synonymous with melancholia. In Jungian terms, it is an archetype of the unconscious.

If we read these cards as a sort of rebus puzzle of punctuation marks, we can construct a hidden message. The puzzle pieces are: prime, question, ellipsis, bullet. We might decode these symbols as follows: The prime enigma dissolves the lead bullet hiding the alchemical golden light.

Note: Craig is also guest blogging on the “Punctuation Tarot” with Tarotist Catherine Chapman – http://www.tarotelements.com/contributors/ritual-as-punctuation/.

An eccentric lexicographer and scholar, Craig Conley is author of the Tarot of Portmeirion, Magic Words: A Dictionary (Weiser Books) and One-Letter Words: A Dictionary (HarperCollins). His website is OneLetterWords.com.

Summer Solstice 2010

Five of Swords

Summer Solstice is here! June 21st – the longest day of the year, the shortest night of the year. A celebration of the Sun – the warmth of the Sun, its wonderful light (representative of our consciousness), and the gentle time between Spring planting and Autumn harvesting. Drawing one card for this day (from Kat Black’s “Touchstone Tarot”) – the Five of Swords.

Okay – Maybe I should put that back and draw a more positive one? LOL I’ve been reading for too long to fall for that trick! The times we are in are not easy ones (the Celtics did lose, after all – still working my way through that one!). In her companion book, Kat Black talks about an unfair fight bringing shame to all.

Her imagery shows a man standing on a beach, holding three swords. In the background we see two swords stuck in the sand. Two defeated figures kneel behind the standing figure, with a butterfly flying above them.

My take on this – as individuals, we need to choose our battles. We need to understand that there is honor in walking away, when that is the best choice. When a battle is necessary, we need to check in with ourselves, make sure we are coming from our authentic selves, and aim for a solution that works well for everyone, and allows everyone to save face.

For those of my readers that follow blogs, I would like to recommend four specific blogs that epitomize the nurturing energy, and the warmth and light of the Sun. These four ladies have so much to say, and so much to give – each in their own way. They are authors, artists and teachers in their own right. We are Blessed to have them in our path!

Here are my favorite ladies, and their blogs:

Joanna Powell-Colbert – http://gaiantarot.typepad.com/artists_journal/
Lisa Hunt – http://lisahuntart.com/blog/
Beth Owl’s Daughter – http://www.owlsdaughter.com/
Kris Waldherr – http://kriswaldherr.com/blog/
© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Tarot Dynamics

Interview With Anna Burroughs Cook

I recently had the opportunity to review the book “Tarot Dynamics”, by Anna Burroughs Cook. Anna has developed a system for reading the cards that is focused on the cards as they work in the real world, as opposed to esoteric associations. I found it quite interesting the take that Anna has on the cards, including having her phone clients shuffle and select their own cards from their own deck, and the grouping of the Aces with the Court Cards, and placing them at the beginning of each suit, and not at the end, which is the traditional placement for court cards.

Anna has graciously agreed to do an interview, so, without further ado, I am going to turn this over to her!

BC: Anna, you have studied and read the Tarot for over thirty years. How did it first come into your life?

ABC: I’d be happy to, Bonnie! In 1977, I was presented with the opportunity to reconnect with the people who had (and, at that time still) owned and operated the Tearoom I remembered so well from my childhood.

BC: Can you tell us a little about the teaching and lecturing that you do in the fields of Tarot and Psychic development?

ABC: That also came about by a happy “accident”, Bonnie. In 1980 as I was concluding a reading, the client (who was well-versed in Astrology, no less) touched my hand, looked me the eye and said, “ I want to learn the Tarot — from YOU.” Feeling flattered and flustered, I replied that I was much too new to teach, didn’t have any classes underway and hadn’t a clue about how to start one; to which she replied, “You’re more than ready to teach. I can promise you five to six students, maybe more. Let me know when you want to begin and tell me what we need to bring.” I though she was simply being kind. Much to my surprise, she called me two weeks later with the same offer and would not desist until I’d selected a starting date. Long story short, we had a great time, and after that first class I continued teaching whenever and wherever I could. Since we all know that psychic ability manifests itself according to what is most comfortable and natural for each person, in addition to the Tarot my classes also included dreams and psychometry (the reading of objects). Whenever possible we’d also pay a visit to an allegedly “haunted” house, which I of course, checked out beforehand. It was such a treat to see the smiles on the faces of students who were struggling with the Tarot, once they discovered that psychometry or dreams was their ticket! Best of all, back in those days, if I didn’t know someone who was teaching a class in dreams or psychometry I could find a reliable someone who did, so it’s safe to say “a good time was had by all.” In 1984 I was invited to deliver a series of lectures on the Tarot and psychic development for an adult education course, entitled “Do Something Different ” for people who simply didn’t know what they wanted to do. It was fun, and a good way to improve both my speaking skills and delivery.

BC: I love the tone of “Tarot Dynamics” – very Seeker focused. How did this book come about?

ABC: By 1998 whether due to the growing fascination with computers or the advancing preoccupation with instant self-gratification (and maybe both) it was becoming unusually difficult to get a Tarot class together. Stranger still, virtually all of the students who signed up had some very, well, downright odd, preconceptions concerning what they wanted to know and why. As if that weren’t enough, almost everyone had actually wanted to learn Astrology, but found it too difficult, time-consuming or both; while the Tarot “sounded and looked much easier and faster.” When I explained that learning the Tarot wasn’t simply a matter of waltzing into class and saying “I’d like three super large secrets of the universe, and make em’ to go, please ” Oh! Bonnie! You should have seen the annoyed “how-long-will-this-take” look on their faces. I felt like the master of disaster. Although I doubt that that class learned anything, I sure did. THEY taught me that if the Tarot was to survive (at least in my part of the world) then certain aspects of my teaching and presentation needed to change with the times. However, I didn’t know where or how to begin. Think about it, Bonnie. How would you go about reintroducing the Tarot without undermining its’ principles or completely rewriting it ? So while preparing for another Tarot class in 2003 I devised something new (Tarot Dynamics) for prospective students–a mini FAQ reference & study guide that enabled them to decide if the Tarot was for them and what to expect in class. It worked like a charm; even for students who had previously tried and failed to learn the Tarot or Astrology from other sources. Being able to immediately choose the Tarot deck that most appealed to them made each student more receptive to the class material as well as their own intuitive ability. Best of all, each student who completed the class was able to deliver readings that were comprehensive, highly intuitive and remarkably accurate (not cookie-cutter) readings! So in 2007 I decided it was time to bring the Tarot all the way into the 21st century, by expanding Tarot Dynamics and begin seeking a publisher. Strangely enough, since the financial collapse that shook the world in 2008 most people have become more self-aware than ever before. However, due the economic uncertainty their attention spans and “free time” are also shorter than in 1998. So, here too, Tarot Dynamics, like Scheherazade assists in maintaining their interest by enabling them to differentiate more easily between what they want to hear and what they need to know—when they need to know it most.

BC: How did you come to list the Court Cards at the beginning of each suit?

ABC: Well Bonnie, when I was learning the Tarot, aside from my Eden Gray paperbacks I also had a copy of Numerology and The Divine Triangle, by Faith Javane and Dusty Bunker. I found it easier to associate the name and of each card according to Ms. Javane and Bunkers’ numerical sequence for cards one-through seventy-eight. Once I was able to think “74” and say “Aha, Six of Pentacles” then I began adding keywords. Strange as this may sound, it also worked well in my classes. With an eight week course, for the first ten minutes of the first four weeks you’d hear me calling out random numbers from 1 through 78 and you’d hear the replies coming back!

BC: How did you come to list the Aces with the Court Cards?

ABC: Like many people, I too learned to read using the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. From there I went on to purchase the Aquarian Tarot then the Morgan-Greer—decks that do not print the Number 1 on their Aces as does the Marseilles Tarot, and many of todays more modern Tarot decks. Furthermore, listing each Ace as a number one breaks the numerical sequence. Happily enough, for more experienced readers Tarot Dynamics simply provides a new way of interpreting the Tarot, no matter how long you’ve been reading or from whom you learned to read the Tarot. However, by blending the more personal or human function of each Tarot Card with basic keywords and definitions that todays’ students can identify with more easily, I’m hoping that Tarot Dynamics will inspire the people of today to once again begin learning Tarot as a first choice rather than a last resort.

BC: You have an interesting take on phone readings – you have your clients draw their own cards. Can you explain your feeling about this for us? What do you do when a potential client doesn’t have a personal deck?

ABC: I can give you two reasons, Bonnie. The first reason is that, being human, I have good days and bad days just like everyone else, Bonnie. Although separating myself from my own concerns has become a surprisingly automatic process once the clients says, “hello”, there’s always a remote possibility that when shuffling the cards for them one or two of any cards I turn over for them might possibly contain a faint echo of my personal anxiety. That’s a risk that I’m simply unwilling to take. However the second reason is even more significant. No matter what I may “feel” I never, ever go against what the clients cards have to say. Having the client shuffle their own cards enables me to clarify everything I begin to feel from the moment they say, “hello”. I also suggest that the client choose a time of day when they feel that they are at their “best,” so that their cards will reflect as much as possible of what they need to know concerning the weeks and/or months ahead. Since the majority of my phone clients never owned a Tarot deck prior to our session, I make it point to email them a pdf file that explains everything they need to know, from how to prepare themselves before our session, to where they might purchase their deck. There are also two diagrams, one that illustrates how to cut the cards and one that shows the numbered layout that we’ll be using. Last but NOT least, there are also four jpeg.s’ featuring the Ace of Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles accompanied by a numerical translation for the Roman Numerals appear on so many Major Arcana cards! Best of all, I’m now able to record their session on a CD, so no more tapes!

BC: How do you feel about Tarot reading becoming more of an industry than an art?

ABC: Terribly disappointed, but not surprised, because no matter what your profession, you really can’t change or control human nature. At the beginning of the twentieth century our profession, was permanently downgraded to “for entertainment purposes only” thanks to the unethical shenanigans of those who preceded Madame Cleo, whose scandal still haunts us today. Yet, from Art to Medicine and everything in between each profession has always had its’ share of, well, shysters. Why, just recently there were hundreds (if not thousands) of phony real-estate agents attempting to sell or rent houses that they had no legitimate claim upon to buyers whose only mistake was in placing more trust in the phony real estate logo than the old adage that if something sounds too good to be true it usually is. However, the difference between our profession and real-estate, is that the fraud perpetrated by phony estate agents won’t reflect on the entire industry, nor will the real-estate continue to be ridiculed or punished for the shysters ethical malfeasance.

BC: Can you tell us a bit about the Tearoom that you first began reading in? I found that to be a most interesting place to get a start in the field of Tarot!

ABC: It was marvelous Bonnie! Although Cay died in 1969, Cays Tea-Room continued to operate according to Cays rules for nearly twenty years after her death. When Cay opened her Tea Room shortly before the second World War she was determined to employ only the best readers, so no-one began to work immediately after their interview –not even me, not even in 1979. Whether you read Astrology charts, Numbers (Numerology), Playing Cards, the Crystal Ball, Palms, or Tarot your interview consisted of reading for the boss and your starting date depended upon how soon one of your predictions came true. Then and only then, were you able to begin a three to six months probationary period. The first month was the longest because the boss monitored your readings by steering their fussiest and most difficult clients YOUR way. As long as those clients were satisfied with your reading,(and woe to you if they weren’t!) you could relax–but only a little. Your place wasn’t assured until you began to build a solid word-of-mouth clientele of your own! Then, as now the true merit of any reader depended upon the readers skill. Since word-of-mouth always has been (and still is) the best form of marketing, Cays’ business was founded upon its’ reputation for delivering a quality reading, so they brooked no nonsense from their employees, such as spells and curses. After all their reputation was on-the-line with every reading, so the proprietors vigilance meant that each customer could be certain of obtaining a quality reading. In fact, when I began reading in 1979 (about forty years after Cays opened) it wasn’t uncommon for a client to remark that having a reading at Cays Tearoom whenever they came downtown was a family tradition that began with their grandmother, or a favorite Aunt. In fact, you’d be amazed at how many “ old-time readings” passed into family legends and are still being repeated today. Upon their daughter or granddaughter “coming of age” it wasn’t unusual for a regular client to introduce the young lady to their favorite reader, very much like inheriting a family heirloom. Remember too, that in Cays heyday any number of the Tearooms clients also came from families who (for whatever reason) considered readings to be “taboo” yet, still believed in “feminine” intuition—as long as it came from their mom, or grandma or Aunt Sally! One can only imagine what the families response would have been if they knew the secret behind mom, or grandma or Aunt Sally’s revered intuition!

BC: You have a site that you are developing to expand on the information in the book. (www.tarotdynamics.com) What are your plans here?

ABC: Back in 2003 when Tarot Dynamics began bringing the Tarot into the 21st century Bonnie, it was only sixty pages long. Due to some misadventures in publishing I had only one month to rewrite, edit and transform sixty pages into 220 pages! So, on one-hand my Web-Site will help clarify some points, and streamline everything else. Naturally, I’ll continue adding pages. In fact I have another section presently underway that I hope to include this Fall or Winter, that will pave the way to another book! However, there will also be an “Ask Anna” section where viewers can request more information concerning whatever portions of the Tarot that THEY want to know more about. I’m hoping that that will also be a source for presenting additional material.

BC: Is there anything that you would like to tell our readers?

ABC: First of all, I’d like to thank you, Bonnie for your kindness, support and approval as well as extending the opportunity for me to discuss Tarot Dynamics with your readership. I also hope that my remarks concerning the “average” student of today “waltzing into class and requesting three super large secrets of the universe, to go,” and that learning the Tarot is becoming more of a last resort than first choice, will rattle some cages, because both statements are as sad as they are true. For those of you who love the Tarot as much as I do, I truly hope that you will also begin or continue writing Tarot articles and books that will preserve the Tarots’ reputation as a beacon of genuine and total enlightenment in the metaphysical hierarchy.

I would like to thank Anna for sharing her thoughts with us. Her system is very easy to use, and will appeal to all levels of readers – it is a fresh perspective on how cards are read, and a very down to earth approach to helping the Seeker.

BIO

Anna Burroughs Cook has been reading and interpreting the Tarot for 30 years and has developed a wide base of clients across the United States and Great Britain as well as throughout Ohio and in Lorain County area where she currently resides with her hubby Rick (who gave Tarot Dynamics its’ name) as well as Suzy Q their Spoiled Rottenweiler, Cagney, their Good Sheppard and Buddy their Super-Spaniel. Anna is looking forward to launching her new Web Site www.Tarotdynamics.com this July and begin a second book. She has appeared on Television and radio programs and taught private classes including Tarot and Psychic Development classes in Adult Education programs.

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

About Bonnie

A while back Catherine Chapman (www.tarotelements.com) and I ran a contest for Tarot blog headlines. Katrina Wynne sent us this headline – “About Bonnie”. Since we are at a New Moon, I decided it was time to tell you about Bonnie!

I have had a lifelong interest in religion and all things esoteric. (Deep crush on a young man that was Buddhist when I was in high school!) In my twenties, I studied a little astrology, colors and vibrations, a little Tarot, past lives and whatever else I could get my hands on. From the age of twenty-five to thirty I lived in Hawaii, where I met and worked with some truly interesting people and got to attend some awesome events. I also walked a year and a day with a Celtic coven, although I did not continue the practice after the coven disbanded.

When I moved to Las Vegas in my thirties I met some wonderful people in the Tarot field, and continued studying. I had the opportunity to attended classes and séances, and learned a great deal. It was while I was in Las Vegas that I made the decision to be a professional reader. For twenty-seven years I had worked in the field of hard science – I was a Medical Technologist (running tests in medical laboratories). The switch was a good one, although it would be almost three years before I found a line (phone line) to work for that was reputable.

I left Las Vegas and returned to my home state of Washington, where I have been for the past thirteen years. During that time I have been a professional Tarot reader, worked with the American Tarot Association (ATA) as Secretary for a short time, served several years as the Vice President and Secretary of the American Board For Tarot Certification (ABTC), and co-founder of the World Tarot Network with Deni Richter, Sue Teaford, and Dorrina Russell.

I have been doing Tarot related reviews and interviews for approximately twelve years now. My work appears on my blog site (www.bonniecehovet.wordpress.com), on the Meta Arts site (www.metaarts.com), and the Aeclectic Tarot site (www.aeclectic.net/tarot).

I have had the opportunity to attend two Readers Studios (RS 2003 and RS 2009), and to meet many of the incredible people that I had only spoken to and worked with online. What a gift that was! Thank you to Ruth Ann and Wald for making many peoples dreams come true through this delightful venue!

I have three projects available currently – a compilation of my older reviews (http://bonniecehovet.com/TarotInReview.html) , an e-book compilation of my “Women In Tarot” interviews (http://bonniecehovet.com/WomenInTarotebook.html) , and a larger print (and Kindle) compilation of the majority of my interviews (soon to be up on Amazon.com through Create Space). I also am under contract to Schiffer Books for a book on Tarot Birth Cards (in connection with the publication of Karyn Easton’s “Tarot Lovers Tarot”), due out in the fall of 2011.

My plans include moving back to Las Vegas, continuing to write Tarot related material, and begin a foray into the cozy mystery genre.

I am allowing myself to dream the big dreams – there is no other ay they are going to manifest. I look forward to talking to and working with many of you in the future. Life is exciting … and we all need to live it!

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Interview With Alyssa Montalbano

I had the very good fortune to have Alyssa Montalbano’s “Tarot Journal” cross my path a couple of years ago. It was so innovative, and such fun to use that I became enamored with it. My Tarot Journal is a literal chronicle of what I was going through in my life at that time.

The “Tarot Journal” is 9” by 12”, with two pages devoted to each reading. On the left hand side is a blank page for the recording of the template for the reading and the cards drawn, while the right hand side records the date, deck used, question asked, and card interpretations. At the back of the book are several pages of stickers that are taken out, labeled with the card drawn, and marked as to whether the card is upright or reversed. Each page will hold up to a 22 card reading.

Recently Alyssa (aka Ari Stone, her artist persona) developed a very well done video explaining how to use her journal on You Tube. I was interested in what prompted Alyssa to develop the video, and she agreed to answer a few questions;

BC: I loved using your journal – it was a tremendous help during a difficult time. I also really loved your video! How did the video come about?

AM: I am very into education, in all forms. I love putting things together to make them easier for anyone to understand. I have had years of training as an actor, artist, graphic designer and some studies in video/film production/editing. Admittedly, I was very nervous recording my voice over (even though I was the only one in the room) as I am kind of shy about vocally speaking up sometimes. Eventually, I envision myself working up to speaking at “tarot” events and working in tandem with more tarot teachers to create more products to aid in the study of tarot through the use of the visual and tactile learning modals. According to Early Childhood Education and development (which I am currently studying and want to step into curriculum development) children learn through active exploration and doing. My main contention is that adults also still learn that way too. I have made the additional learning styles; of visual and tactile; available to the tarot community via the Tarot Journal and its smaller standard journal sized partner Daily Spread Tarot & Oracle Journal.

Aside from my passions for learning and creating, I have received many questions about what the journals are and how they work. Being an artist, as well as a tactile learner I knew a video would be worth more than a thousand written words. However, the ultimate tactile learning experience and tactile understanding comes with the actual hands on use of the journals and living your life after the card reading.

I plan to put together another simple video for the Daily Spread Journal as well.

BC: I had to laugh at your method for taking the stickers from the back of the book – I do the exact same thing! Can you talk a bit about how the stickers are best used?

AM: Card Stickers are best used by sticking them on your arms, fingers, and face. After you have peeled off the number of Card Stickers that match your actual tarot (or oracle) card reading and stuck them on your arm and fingers (and face where needed), you are ready to place them in the layout space areas. LOL I laugh, but I do this and it’s a great way to transfer a lot of Card Stickers without flipping back and forth from the sticker sheets in the back.

On a more serious note, each journal has stickers that are designed slightly different. In Tarot Journal the Card Stickers have lines on them; whereas Daily Spread’s Card Stickers have no lines. When I use the Tarot Journal I tend to write the name of the actual tarot card drawn, at the top of the Card Sticker. Then, I write the description about the position the Card Sticker is placed in on the lines placed centrally on the Card Sticker. I will fill in the circle at the bottom of the Card Sticker, if I am reading in reverse that day and draw the card in reverse. With Tarot Journal I tend to make my notes about the tarot card meaning(s) and reading interpretation in the note space on the opposite page. My recording method is somewhat different with the Daily Spread Journal, in that I will write a very abbreviated card meaning in the little box on the Card Stickers, as opposed to the position description.

BC: You cover using the right hand, information side of the reading in your video. Can you tell us a bit about his?

AM: Actually, I intend on improving that section of the video, in order to make it more clear and easy to see in detail what I am talking about. Due to the need to have some form of video up for tarot students, teachers, and metaphysical business owners to view, I went with the basic footage that I had and will make a better quality version soon.

As it specifically relates to using the right hand side information page, I tend to first fill in the information about the reading at the bottom, then write in my question (at the top), after that I will take my card deck and shuffle and layout my actual card reading, then I will place the Card Stickers to match my actual card reading layout (sometimes I will place the Card Stickers first, just depends on my mood), once those are in place I will usually fill in the blanks on the Card Stickers and then I will write my notes. I tend to still use a book (though I do recognize the basic energies of cards fairly well now, but I still like the element of surprise in using a book. My favorite book to use is for interpretations is “Power Tarot” by Trish MacGregor and Phyllis Vega, because their interpretations are usually very positive and encouraging in nature. I also like that they have made sections (Romance, Health, Spirituality, etc) for each card if it’s being read regarding a particular area of interest. Once all of the main blanks have been filled in on the information side of the journal, there is a special note taking area for Occurrences / Later Happening. This is one of the best aspects to assist one in learning tarot, because this note area will be filled in at a later point in time to document (write) about what actually happened. In this fashion “the reader” can start to learn “what cards” turn up for them when “x” types of physical events take place. It really helps one learn even more about the cards through more fully engaging their tactile learning modal of “doing it”, looking at the former reading (visual) and writing more information (audile learning modal).

BC: The journal page is structured so that notes can be made on the day the reading is done, and then at a later date. How did this come about?

AM: While the above answer lightly touches on this question, I want to more fully expound on learning styles and how I learned about them.

When I first created the journals I was aware of 3 major learning modals; visual, tactile and audile. Prior to learning about my preferred learning styles of tactile and visual, I was an average student. Meaning I most got B’s and C’s during my high school years and even in my early college years. I worked just as much when I was younger to attain good grades, but still fell short without the integration of my favored learning styles. To make a long story short, I met a man by the name of Jeremy Whelan around 2001, when I was exploring acting as a career. However, what I learned from his acting system about learning styles changed my life forever, in how I approached my education and learning. I wound up illustrating and designing Jeremy’s fifth book titled Mosaic Acting System (MAS). From that experience I basically started my journey into my passion of developing “curriculum” and publishing. After finishing MAS in 2003, I began to focus on my art and in the next couple of years (2005) returned to school. It was then I truly understood the gift that I have been given in learning about my learning style, as I have been a straight A student for 5 years now, from math, to science, to business. I found that I was able to take any information and make is easy for my brain to understand and comprehend. This made learning even more enjoyable for me, especially since I understood how to ask questions to build the pictures in my brain that would ensure I understood. I can be found in classes taking notes and in my head imagining the scenarios we are talking about. I always highlight and draw images in my books to help me comprehend, the college kids who get my books after me, get rainbow colored books with some additional images! Lol Simple stick like men, in some cases, is enough to help me visually understand what I am reading. Most every A I have earned since 2005 has been with a 96% or higher final grade in my classes.

While attending at ITT from 2005 – 2006 I came up with the idea of creating a “book” (Journal) that would make recording tarot card readings easier and that would also aid in enhancing learning / understanding the tarot. My love for stickers and tactile explorations, lead me quickly to the idea of creating Card Stickers for people to use to record card readings (instead of drawing boxes). At the time I was dating a man who also played with tarot cards and recorded card readings and I ran the idea by him and he agreed it was a great idea.
As I reflected back on learning styles, instructors and curriculum(s), I realized the times I did well in school was when my preferred learning modals were being engaged. I recall my 9th grade Spanish teacher who applied the main three learning modals mentioned above (visual, tactile, audile). She would bring in shoes and make the class say Los Zopatos, or she would have us walk around the room and touch things and say what they were in Spanish, she also had us make Spanish dishes for class pot lucks and made us sing songs with her in Spanish. I never fully understood (until after meeting Jeremy Whelan) why I had a high A in that class for the first 3 quarters (then it got more into sentence structures in the 4th quarter and I had a high B) and I didn’t even like that class. The reason why I tell this story, is because the beauty of learning styles is that you don’t have to understand ‘how’ or ‘why’ they work in order for you to learn. If the learning styles are being applied, then basically you will learn because you are engaging your preferred learning modal. It is natural to learn with all of your brain, through self motivated exploration and (of course) fun. J

So . . . having said all that . . . now I can answer the main question above about the “Occurrences / Later Happenings section and how that came about. The main reason for this section is to engage the tactile learning modal in a major way. When you do a tarot card reading and look at it again, and compare it with what was ‘actually’ lived, a very important opportunity for enhanced learning and easier understanding of tarot is presented and understanding starts to come more easily. Not only is learning enhanced but its also very fun! Fun also has been proven to enhance learning. Learning through play is also what is being taught for teaching pre-school children. I also know that adults need to learn through play too. Soon the cards will start showing and revealing patterning in the card readings that will indicate real life events. The Occurences/Later Happenings section also begins to help develop self commitment. The commitment portion to yourself comes when you ‘make’ a date to return to your card reading (mark it on your wall calendar if needed) and when you follow through with writing notes about what actually happened.

Recently, I have begun taking ECE (Early Childhood Education) classes (have taken enough courses to be an Assistant Teacher in an Early Childhood Education setting) and have gained a more thorough understanding of the value of learning through play and exploration. I believe that adults still learn as ‘children’ do, through play and exploration. I have created the Tarot Journals to be a launching pad for play and exploration. When I first made Tarot Journal, my two main reasons were “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a journal for recording card readings that had stickers in it, so you don’t have to draw boxes?.” And my second main reason “Wouldn’t it be neat to have an easier and fun way to learn and understand tarot that engaged the tactile and visual learning modals?.”

Yes, this was my “nut shell” explanation . . . lol . . . and to put a finishing touch, after having created Tarot Journal for larger card readings; I became aware of the need to create a smaller daily version that allowed for a LOT more (smaller sized) card readings to be performed than Tarot Journal and thus Daily Spread Tarot & Oracle Journal came to be.

BC: What would you like people to take away from this video?

AM: The ability to easily understand how to use their Tarot Journal(s) and to be able to share the video with friends who may also be interested in having fun recording tarot card readings with stickers, while also enhancing their learning of tarot. Overall, Tarot Journal is about people learning to look to themselves for answers, guidance and direction. My main goal is to provide fun, accompanied with the vehicle to easier learning of tarot and practical journaling with Card Stickers.

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Tarot Dynamics

Tarot Dynamics –
Learn to read any spread

Author: Anna Burroughs Cook
Kima Global Publishers
2009
ISBN #978-0-9814278-1-2

“Tarot Dynamics” is a system developed by Anna Burroughs Cook, a Tarot reader/teacher with over thirty years of experience. (I think it is great that the system was named by her husband, Richard Crombie!) It is based on the use of five simple keywords, and can be used with any Tarot deck. The focus of this system is on relating the messages in the cards to day to day living, to the issues facing the Seeker, based on the characteristics of the five suits (the Major Arcana is seen as the fifth suit). The characteristics are as follows:

Major Arcana – Karma (cause and effect)
Wands – Change
Cups – Emotion
Swords – Challenges
Pentacles – Ambition

In her introduction, Cook advises students to memorize the characteristics for the five suits, and to develop their own keywords for each card, according to how they interpret the card. She also advises readers not to read for themselves unless they are in control of their emotions, and to not read for clients who are upset, as the reading will just reflect their anxiety. In reading for clients over the phone, Cook advises that the client draw their own cards from their own deck, with the reader interpreting them.

There is a short FAQ section answering questions such as: “Isn’t it supposed to mean something when the picture on the Tarot card is upside down?” and “All my cards are terrific. Why didn’t anything good happen?”

The cards are presented with black and white scans from the Universal Tarot (Lo Scarabeo). There is a short discussion of the cards, a section beginning “The more encouraging the situation” and a section beginning “The more challenging the situation” – these terms refer to the reason for the reading. There is a Tip for reading the card in a reversed position, a section entitled “card (number) means”, a section entitled “At your best”, which deals with the most positive aspect of the card in a reading, and a section entitled “Under more stressful”, which talks about a poorly aspected card.

The Major Arcana are seen as holding spiritual karma – they test, reward and replenish your strength of character. The Minor Arcana are seen as “telling the story” behind the Major Arcana’s headlines. The Court Cards for each suit are the King, Queen, Knight, Page and Ace. (Yes, Aces are seen as a Court Card. Together, these are seen as the first five cards of each suit.) Cook’s general thoughts on the Court Cards are as follows:

Kings: Trigger or enhance your personal initiative.
Queens: Display a particular charisma that can enhance your personal coping skills.
Knights: Are reactionaries. Knights indicate sudden developments in matters or your behavior.
Pages: Signal small matters with the potential to grow larger.
Aces – Signify an outcome – a Crisis or Reward.

The Pip cards – Two’s through Ten’s – are referred to as Subject Cards. They are the action in the Seeker’s life. The general definition for the subject cards is as follows:

Two’s – Interaction
Three’s – Thinking and Networking
Four’s – Incentive and Security
Five’s – Conflicts
Six’s – Your level of commitment.
Seven’s – Your personal and professional associations
Eight’s – Renovation
Nine’s – Your understanding
Ten’s – Achievement

The interpretation for the Minor Arcana is presented in the same manner as the Major Arcana, with one added section: Romantically, which deals literally with the area of romance.

At the end of the book Cook discusses the use of Signature cards (also referred to as Significators – cards that represent the Seeker in the reading), and timing in the Tarot. The spreads that are presented include One Card Personal Guidance, a Three Card Spread, the Tarot-Dynamic Celtic Cross Spread, and a Horoscope Spread.

The line of thought in this book is well presented. There are many things to consider, but the map is an easy one to follow. Even if you choose not to read using these guideline, you are offered a fresh perspective on the cards, and how they work in life.
Cook is developng a series of lessons to go along with this book, and will be placing them on her site – tarotdynamics.com

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Guest House

Guest House

Author: Barbara K. Richardson
Bay Tree Publishing
2010
ISBN #978-0-9819577-1-5

“Guest House” centers around two main characters. Melba Burns is a middle aged single woman who witnesses a nightmare collision, after which she abandons her car, refuses to drive it again, quits her job as a highly successful Realtor, and retreats into her newly purchased old farmhouse. She carries with her the burdens of having had her family cut ties with her, of leaving a religion that was not supportive of her, and of a long ago ex-husband that was abusive. She is looking for personal peace, but hesitates to move outside of herself.

The second main character is Matt Garry, a shy ten year old with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His father is more attracted to alcohol than to fatherhood, and his mother’s major interest is herself. The saving grace for Matt is HeShe, his unseen companion.

Matt’s path crosses Melba’s when his mother, JoLee, moves in to share Melba’s house. JoLee is a beautiful woman with big dreams – far bigger than anything that Matt’s father (and her husband) Gene could ever provide.

Prior to this Matt’s father, Gene, found out that JoLee wanted to divorce him (he found the papers hidden in her bedroom). He immediately took his son and left town – ending up in another state, the owner of a run down bar.

Melba finds out that JoLee is still married, and that she has a son. After talking to Matt on the phone, Melba decides to invite him for Thanksgiving for a visit. The end result – Matt stays on with Melba and JoLee.

Throughout the trials and travails of Melba, Matt, JoLee, Gene, and JoLee’s new boyfriend Bill, we get a birds eye view of lives not so well lived, and the consequences of actions taken and not taken. In the end, Melba finds her sense of self, and sense of peace, through her interactions with young Matt. Melba’s interactions with her physical garden mirror her spiritual garden, with weeds being pulled and soil being turned over, with the help of Matt and JoLee.

This book gives a good sense of how we carry our emotional burdens not only within our hearts and minds, but within our physical selves. Richardson touches on friendship, and how it can be both supportive and nurturing, and a source for betrayal. Some of the finest moments are seen through the eyes of a young policeman that Melba encounters.

‘Guest House” is a wonderful portrayal of human nature – the good and the bad, and how we can heal ourselves.

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Elemental Spread

Five of Pentacles

Queen of Swords

Magician

Sun

Nine of Pentacles

I thought that it might be interesting to present a very basic Tarot spread – the Elemental Spread – using a deck that is giving me great joy … the “Shadowscapes Tarot” (Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Barbara Moore).

Template (from “Tarot 101” by Kim Huggens):

““““““““““““““““““““““““““`1

“““““““““““““““““““““““““4 5 2

““““““““““““““““““““““““““`3

Position Definitions:

1. Physical World – Five of Pentacles
2. Intellectual World – Queen of Swords
3. Spiritual World – The Magician
4. Emotional World – The Sun
5. Central Issue – Nine of Pentacles

In the everyday world of health, home, finances and “safe place”, the Seeker has hit rock bottom. They are living in a (self-imposed) world of insecurity, of material and spiritual poverty. The key for the Seeker is to acknowledge their disconnect from the world around them (and from themselves). Looking beyond the edges of their limited sight will show them a much brighter picture.

What better place for this Queen to show up! I love her energy! She cuts to the quick of the falseness around her, so that what she sees is truth. The Seeker here is gifted with clear sight, as well as compassion. From the LWB – “Discard the past, leave the cocooning shells, and delve deep within to seek the true face to wear and show the world.”

What better place for the Magician to show up! The Seeker is on a roll here! The one who has the skill and wisdom to manifest in the position of spirit and energy! The Queen of Swords gifts the Seeker with clarity, which the Magician is then able to use to manifest his goals and desires. It is interesting to note that the Queen of Swords gifts the Seeker with clarity, which gives them self-confidence, with the Magician coming in with his own sense of confidence.

What better place for the Sun to show up! LOL The roll that the Seeker is on continues, Obi One Kenobi! Our emotional world is one that is hard to inhabit –there seem to be no rules of conduct, and we are often left to our own devices. We do have choice here – which is sometimes hard to remember when things are not going well. The Seeker here is gifted with warmth and positive energy. They can choose to take the warmth of the Sun into their emotional lives, and let it shine.

The central issue in the Seeker’s life at this time is their ability to connect with the physical world. What we see int his card is a female figure, seated on a shell, playing a piano. The piano is “rooted”, in that it is par of the tree growing behind it. The Seeker is expressing their passion in life, though their understanding of life. Here we see a balance of the spiritual and material worlds – something that is integral fo rthe growth of the Seeker at this time. Here the Seeker needs to recognize and show appreciation fo rthe abundance surrounding them.

All in all, this Seeker is balanced and doing well. The area of life that they need to bring into balance is that of the physical world. If they use the gifts from their other worlds, they will be able to maintain balance in all worlds. This is something that we all need to be aware of at all times – maintaining balance is a constant state of acknowledgment and fine tuning.

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Tarot 101

Tarot 101 –
Mastering the Art of Reading the Cards

Author: Kim Huggens
Llewellyn Worldwide
2010
ISBN #978-0-7387-1904-7

The back cover of “Tarot 101” touts this book as having “An all new approach to Tarot”. Guess what – it does! A little background on the author – Kim Huggens has been studying the Tarot since the age of nine. She is the co-creator of two Tarot decks, and her writing has appeared in “Offerings” and “Pentacle” magazines and the American Tarot Association Quarterly. She has also edited several anthologies of a non-fiction nature on mythology, magic, and occultism, and gives talks and workshops on the Tarot throughout the United Kingdom.

This is not a conventional Tarot primer. It is aimed at both the beginner and the Tarot student that has some knowledge under their belt. It is organized in twenty-two lessons, but does not follow the order of the cards, as most instruction books do. The reader is encouraged to work with the lessons in order, but the lessons are presented in such a way that they can act as stand alone studies.

The lessons on the Major Arcana are organized as sets of three (in one case four) by theme. Each lesson also includes sections on techniques, skills, symbolism, spreads, and useful tools that fit the theme. At the end of each lesson are optional homework and exercises so that the student can put the skills learned in each chapter to use in a real way. This is a course that is meant to be hands on, to help the reader develop a personal relationship with the cards and the system of Tarot.

The lessons for the Major Arcana are broken down as follows:

Lesson Three (Progress Cards) – Fool, Magician, Chariot
Lesson Four (Feminine Archetypes) – The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Lesson Six (Masculine Archetypes) – The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Hermit
Lesson Seven (Virtues and Vices) – Justice, Strength, Temperance
Lesson Eight(Cyclical Things) – The Wheel of Fortune, Death, The World
Lesson Ten (The Dark Side) – The Hanged Man, The Tower, The Devil
Lesson Eleven (What’s out there? In here?) – The Moon, The Sun, Judgment, The Lovers

Within each lesson is a discussion of each of the cards, common symbols found within the card, and what they mean, keywords, examples of the archetype in literature and film, and what kind of person would represent the archetype.

There are sections on the origin of Tarot through history and myth, what it is, how to choose a deck, the Hero’s Journey and Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. Huggens also discusses Tarot readings, the physical process of a reading, reading styles, and more. Under objectives are such things as honesty, accuracy, empathy, non-judgment, advice/guidance, and effective listening. This is the section where I definitely had one of those “WTF!” moments. It was the only part of the book that bothered me, but bother me it did! The objective was to get the reader to pause at various stages of the reading process and take note of what they were doing. This was achieved by inserting the word “Stop!”. I cannot tell you how very annoying this was!

Other than that, the book is very in-depth, and very well presented. Under Masculine Archetypes there is a discussion of Carl Jung and the Fourfold Divine Masculine. Under Virtues and Vices is a discussion of Medieval virtues, Thelemic Retellings, an a chart on Alchemical Roses, and the associations with different colors of roses.

Journaling, and the reasons for keeping a Tarot journal, are sprinkled throughout the book. The questions included in various chapters include: “Where does my potential lie?” (The Fool), “What does the concept of balance mean to you?” (Justice”, and “How has fear manifested in your life?” (The Moon).

Under the Court Cards is a nice presentation on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and a new to me related presentation on Keirsey Temperaments.

Also discussed are using Tarot for magic, working with affirmations, creating an alter, ritual work, and pathworking. Then we come to what to do with difficult questions, emotionally needy querents, obnoxious querents, client confidentiality and more.

At the end of the book is an appendix on the Four Elements and their associations, as well as an appendix presenting a diagram of the Tree of Life, and an excellent bibliography.

I highly recommend this book for everyone. It is a fun read, it makes the reader think, gives them tools to work with (and ways to work with the tools), contains great information that acts as a springboard for further study, and basically presents the Tarot through fresh eyes. Kudos to Kim – this book is a treasure!

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet