Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com
ISSN: 1529-0565 
Vol. 2 #14 / July 15, 2010

                                                                  
 In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: How to Use the Blank Cards in a Reading
- Tarot Card Showcase: Ace of Wands
- Upcoming Events
- Best Practices: Energizing Client Retention Strategies
- Featured Tarot Blog: Tarot Love by Gina Jean

 
Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!!
 And a special welcome to our new members!
 
There's nothing like opening a new tarot deck,
right? There is a bit of excitement in the
"clean slate" feeling of a crisp new deck to
break in with a careful shuffle. There's something
magical about seeing the art and symbolism of
tarot through the inspired eyes of the artist.

But not all cards have symbols to interpret or
landscapes to explore. Have you ever wondered why
there are blank cards in some deck packaging? Have
you ever flipped over cards only to get the blank
card you forgot to remove before starting a
reading? This issue's tip will give you some
creative ways to use those blank cards that may
have come with your deck.

The focus of this issue of Tarot Tips is on fire
energy. Budding potential, communication, impulses
and flashes of creativity are all found within the
energy of the Root of the Powers of Fire - the
Ace of Wands, our showcase card.

In keeping with this theme, we have a great
article on how to retain clients and fire up your
business.

We love to hear from you. If there is something we
can answer about any tarot related study or
practice, please send us an email.


 
Yours in light on the tarot path,
Ruth Ann, Wald & Gina


Tarot Tips is here to help you with the practical side
of your Tarot journey. In order to take the greatest
advantage of this newsletter, please send us your
questions regarding any aspect of your tarot study
or practice and we'll do our best to answer them
in an upcoming issue.

Spread the experience of tarot - share this newsletter
with other Tarot Enthusiasts!



Tarot Tip
HOW TO USE THE BLANK CARDS
IN A READING

Most tarot decks have 78 cards, but they are
almost always printed on paper stock that is
large enough for 80 cards. Although this is purely
a practical matter, it can be interesting to wonder
if there might be two "missing" cards.

According to Onno and Rob Docters van Leeuwen,
the missing trumps are Jupiter (Truth) and Juno
(Intuition). In their book, The Complete New Tarot,
they claim that the authentic order of the cards has
been obscured for centuries. The authors state that
after these two trumps were concealed, or in essence
made blank, the order of the Major Arcana could not
work properly. These restorations make the tarot
"complete" and open up new philosophical possibilities
in interpretation.

Incorporating the two blank cards in your deck
and giving them the titles of Jupiter (Truth) and
Juno (Intuition) might be an interesting way to read
the cards. Intuition and truth play a huge part in any
divination system, so why not include them?

Here are some suggestions:

Juno: Associated with Isis, Astarte, Freya and
Mary Magdalene. Counseling, hunches, intuitive
insights, truth that comes from within, an inner voice.

Jupiter: Associated with Osiris, Baal, Wodan and
God the Father. The naked truth, seeing truth
"in a flash." Authentic, real, good and right.


Blank Card Spread

Leave aside your blank cards. Shuffle and
concentrate on querent's question.

Pull a card from the deck and place in Position 1.

Position 1:
The Focus or Environment
(Uses any random card)

Position 2:
Blank card - 1. (Intuition)
What is the highest intuitive wisdom?

Position 3:
Blank card - 2. (Truth)
Show me the light or truth in this matter.
 
 

Tarot Card Showcase

In this section we will feature tidbits on a
specific tarot card. While there are many
systems and decks to choose from in the world
of tarot, here we use the Universal Waite
Tarot images and symbols.
Copyright 1992 U.S Games.
 
 
ACE OF WANDS
 
Esoteric Title: Root of the Powers of Fire
Element: Fire
Direction: South
Season: Summer
 
Since ancient times, the wand, rod, scepter or
staff has been used to show dominion and
authority. It is the symbol of leadership and
greatness. The scepter or staff is almost always
depicted as part of royal regalia.

In biblical stories, the rods of Moses and Aaron
were symbols of authority over the Israelites and
possessed magical power even when it was not
physically in the hands of its owner.

A wand is used to focus and direct the will.
In tales of magic and wonder, it is a powerful tool
used by every magician from Merlin to Harry Potter.
The wand is both a symbol and the practical
extension of the will. The Suit of Wands is
associated with the element of fire, and the ace
is considered the source of all manifestation.

We experience fire as energy - heat or light.
Fire as light is the prime symbol of
self-awareness and truth, and it awakens
reverence. Fire as heat has the capacity to warm,
burn, boil and transform. Fire is the spark of
life, the passion in our souls, and can purify,
cleanse and renew.

Creativity is associated with the Suit of Wands.
The wand becomes the tool of the artist as pen,
brush, hammer, chisel or the baton of a conductor.
A flash of inspiration or surge of imaginative
flow can be seen in the Ace of Wands.

In a reading, the Ace of Wands could signify the
start of a new business or creative project. It is
the spark that ignites action and increases
personal growth. The Ace of Wands as a phallic
symbol represents sexual energy and virility. It
relates to a person's family tree, the Tree of Life,
and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.


Positive Keywords: Initiation, fortune, abundance,
work, communication, renewal, life, power, fresh
starts, enterprise, creation, vigor, originality,
strength, supremacy.

Negative Keywords: Emptiness, vexation,
decline, lack of energy, errors, calamity, falsehood,
misfortune, downfall, devastation, barrenness,
burn-out.



 
Upcoming Events:
 
STARTS TONIGHT! 
 
  • July 15, 22 and 29
  • Secrets of the King of Pentacles
    Tarot School Telecourse
     
    3 Thursdays: July 15. 22 and 29
    9-11 pm Eastern time
    Tuition: $60 for the series
    (includes .mp3 recordings)
    Earns 6 Degree credits
     
     
     
  • July 24-25
  • TABI Tarot Conference 2010
    (Tarot Association of the British Isles)
    Aston Business Centre
    Birmingham, England
     
    Presenters include: Barbara Moore,
    Paul Hughes Barlow, Emily Carding,
    and Mick Frankel
     
     
  • August 20-22
  • Minnesota Area Tarot Symposium
    Dakota Ridge Hotel, Eagan, MN
     
    Presenters include: Nancy Antenucci, Thraicie
    Hawkner,  Rhonda Lund, JoAnne Makela,
    Jeannette Roth, Melani Weber
     
     
     
  • August 28-29
  • Bay Area Tarot Symposium (SF BATS)
    First Unitarian Universalist Centre, San Francisco
     
    Speakers include: Mary Greer, Rachel Pollack,
    James Wanless, Marcus Katz, Teressena Bakens,
    Pamela Eakins, Diane Wilkes, Leisa ReFalo, Joseph
    Ernest Martin, Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, Jaymi Elford,
    Katrina Wynne, Arisa Victor, Rabbit McMatthews,
    and more be announced soon!
     
     
     
  • September 11-12
  • Tarosophy Conference
    Keswick, England

    Guest speaker Lon Milo DuQuette, best-selling
    author on Aleister Crowley, Magick and Tarot (in
    his only UK visit in 2010) will be joined by other
    expert speakers on Kabbalah, Tarot & Astrology,
    Marcus Katz (Tarosophy, pub. Salamander & Sons,
    Summer 2010), Mick Frankel and Kim Huggens (Tarot
    101, pub. Llewellyn, Summer 2010).

    http://www.tarotprofessionals.com/conference.html

     
     

     
    Best Practices for Professional Readers
    ENERGIZING CLIENT RETENTION STRATEGIES
     
    You can please some of the people all of the time,
    you can please all of the people some of the time,
    but you can't please all of the people all of the time.
    - John Lydgate, Poet

    If you make customers unhappy in the physical
    world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make
    customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each
    tell 6,000 friends.
    - Jeff Bezos, founder/CEO of Amazon.com
     
     
    We all know there are clients we are not in tune
    with, or we simply aren't capable of giving them
    what they need. On the other hand you may
    give them exactly what they need and BOOM,
    you don't hear from them or they miss or cancel
    appointments.

    Disappearing or "no-return" clients happen in
    every business. Customer loyalty and retention
    are major advertising and marketing goals. Why
    do clients seem to disappear or decide to be
    no-shows for readings? It could range from financial
    hardship to no longer needing guidance. It could be
    something you said that hit a raw nerve. Imagine that!
    Professional psychotherapists and counselors have
    clients who drop out of therapy all the time, so as
    a tarot practitioner you are bound to experience
    drop-outs, too.

    That brings me to the point of this article, which
    is really about energizing your client retention
    strategies. Successfully implementing these into
    your ad copy, sales letters, blogs or any other
    marketing tools can help turn the existing people
    on your list into free walking advertisements.


    1.  "First to Know"
    Give current clients special previews or first looks
    at upcoming services, discounts or products.

    2.  Psychological Desires
    Solve their problems, give them an advantage
    in life, or help them along their spiritual path.
    Include these psychological desires in your
    ad copy to keep clients interested.

    3.  Change Your Ads Regularly
    Prospects usually need to see an ad at least
    7 times before they purchase, but they can
    get bored seeing the same ad all the time.
    Fresh copy or graphics will help grab their
    attention.

    4.  Shared Interests
    People love having connections. Build a
    community among your clients.

    5.  Celebrate Achievements
    Mention your clients' successes by including
    them in your newsletter or ads.

    6.  Build Excitement
    If you are excited about what you are doing, it is
    more likely they will be too.

    7.  Partnerships
    Partner with your clients in a marketing effort,
    workshop, or special event. The more opportunities
    you have to spend with your clients, the more you
    will connect on a personal basis.

    8.  Ask Questions
    What do your clients need from you? What types
    of problems are they trying to solve? Surveys and
    forum discussions are perfect ways to get the buzz
    going and discover what direction you need to take
    in growing your business.

    It's important to evaluate what you do on a
    regular basis. Applying strong and consistent
    energy to your business builds success. Returning
    to basics such as these, and reenergizing your
    strategies really works!



    Questions arise when developing or transitioning
    to professional Tarot Reading status to earn
    income. These can range from "How can I make
    money with Tarot?" and "How do I get started?"
    to more complex technical and business questions.
    You may already be up and running and have
    questions about how to enhance or ramp up your
    business. We would love to hear from you. Send any
    questions, or interest in a future class on the
    Business of Tarot, to tarot@tarotschool.com.
     

     

     
    Discover the meanings behind the interpretations
    and hidden secrets of the cards.
     
    Learn how to read with confidence and precision.
     
    Cut through confusion, conflicting viewpoints and
    tarot "information overload."
     
    Create a deep well of tarot knowledge that you can
    access at any time, without consulting a book.
     
    Find out what is behind the pictures of the world's
    most famous deck!
     
    Uncover the secrets tucked deep inside you as
    you learn and grow...
     
    Get a firm foundation in tarot that you'll build on
    for years to come.
     
    Start your tarot journey here... and go anywhere!
     
    Study at your own pace and get one-on-one coaching
    from Tarot School director, Wald Amberstone.

    For details, click
    http://tarotschool.com/Course.html

     


     
    Featured Tarot Blog / Newsletter
    TAROT LOVE by Gina Jean

    This is a photographic journey of tarot through the
    eyes of a creative tarot enthusiast and fabulous
    New Yorker, Gina Jean. Gina is a Tarot School and
    Readers Studio alumna, and regularly reads tarot at
    events and fairs. This blog features interesting photos
    of cards, readers and Gina's unique view of tarot.
     
     


     
      
     
    Join our 2,000+ fans and join the fun!
    You never know what we'll say next...
     

     

    Do you have a question or comment on anything tarot?
    Suggestions for future topics?
    Contact tarot@tarotschool.com
     
    For information on tarot classes, courses,
    events and more, go to www.TarotSchool.com

     
    © Copyright 2010 The Tarot School - All Rights Reserved
    Directors: Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone