Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com
ISSN: 1529-0565 
Vol. 5 #1 / January 1, 2013

                                                                  
 In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Why Attend Conferences?
- What's Gnu?
- Tarot Card Showcase: Knight of Pentacles
- Project Spotlight: Tarot eCards
- Best Practices: Am I Ready for My Own Tarot Business?
- Featured Tarot Blog: The Tarot Room
- Upcoming Events


Happy New Year!

Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new readers.
 
What's on your agenda for this year? Are you
considering new tarot decks or the latest tarot book?
Perhaps you are thinking of starting a class or getting
more involved in a tarot community, either local or 
online. Maybe you're considering attending your first 
tarot conference and have questions as to whether it's
worthwhile. In this issue, the article "Why Attend
Conferences?" by guest contributor Sheri Harshberger 
may help you decide.
 
A new year can bring with it important changes.
Could one of the changes for you as a reader be to
enter the arena of tarot entrepreneurship? The Best
Practices article has some great questions to consider
before you transition. We also have another awesome
blog for you!
 
Speaking of conferences... Now is the time to register 
for Readers Studio 2013. And don't forget the special 
Tarot & Psychology Conference on Thursday, April 25th! 
It kicks off an exciting and informative weekend of tarot 
learning and fun. Sign up for both and get a fabulous 
discount! For details, please visit: http://ReadersStudio.com.
 
  
And one more thing...
  
A few vendor tables have become available at the
Readers Studio Merchant Faire. If you've been
thinking of selling your wares to an enthusiastic crowd,
or know someone you think should be there, check out
Shopping is one of the favorite Studio activities!
 
    
Wishing you a prosperous tarot journey for the new year,
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
WHY ATTEND CONFERENCES?
by Sheri Harshberger
 
I've gone to a few Tarot conferences, so I am asked
frequently whether it is worth it or not.  When I am,
my answer is always a hearty "YES!"  The follow-up
questions are frequently "But isn't it a hassle to
travel?", "Doesn't it eat up a chunk of time?", "Am I
really going to learn something? Aren't they just going
to talk about things I already know?" or "But I saw the
agenda and I'm not interested in the speakers or
topics, why should I go?"
 
Yes, it can be expensive to travel to and attend a
conference, but it does take a significant investment
by the people who put on the conferences to actually
make them happen.  If you are a professional reader --
someone who gets paid to read, in most cases, you can
write off your expenses against the income you make as
a reader. Check with your tax preparer to be sure, of
course. Most of the conferences I have been to (I
haven't been to all of them -- yet), are reasonably
priced.
 
Yes, the topics presented may not be of interest to
you, or you might be more knowledgeable about some of
the subjects than the speakers... but that doesn't mean
you aren't going to learn something. People of all
skill levels and all backgrounds attend conferences.  
I can guarantee that if you don't learn something from
the speakers (I can almost guarantee that you will),
you will learn something from those who are sitting
around you and they will learn something from you. 
You will sit next to the author of your favorite Tarot 
book or the artist of your favorite deck.  They will talk 
to you and be as interested in you as you are in them. 
You will share experiences and tips, and you will read 
for each other. You will meet people. You will make
friends. You stay up late talking to people in person
you have only ever known before online. You stay up 
way too late and you have a blast!
 
For me, though, the most important reason to go to a
conference isn't for any of those things. It is for the
feelings that you get when you get there and those
feelings that you bring home with you. Let me try to
explain what I mean...
 
Face it, many of us are located in areas where Tarot
reading isn't really a mainstream occupation. If
reading at a public function or asked what we do,
frequently there is an apprehension that there could be
some sort of confrontation with someone who thinks 
we are Satan's spawn for reading cards. Even meeting
reading friends at the local coffee shop or restaurant
can have a bit of tension because we all know there are
those people who will be compelled to say something to
us about what we do. We are alone. We feel like a
minority buried within what seems like an intolerant
majority.
 
When you go to a conference, you are set free. There is
nothing like the feeling of embracing what you love out
in the open, in public and no one says anything. You
meet and see all the other people who are attending...
people just like you. You aren't alone. For once, you
are not in a minority. The hotel hosting the conference
and the restaurants making money feeding the attendees
don't care what you do. Our profession becomes "just
another business conference" (but most likely a more
FUN one!) in their eyes. You see there is tolerance.
You see that you aren't the crazy one when there is a
confrontation.
 
I've been reading cards for 10 years, and it wasn't
until after I went to my first conference a few years
ago that I had the level of comfort necessary to "come
out" about it at my day job and to my relatives (other
than my immediate family). I love going to conferences!
I wish I could afford to go to all of them, everywhere!
 
Why should you go? Because when you come home
you bring with you the confidence to be yourself and 
secure in the knowledge that you are not alone.
Priceless. 
 
 
Sheri Harshberger has been an "oracular samurai" for
several years and has been sharing her love of the Tarot
and oracles as Editor of the ATA's Tarot Reflections
and VP of Outreach since 2007. She is a featured author
in One Page Wisdom: Inspirational One-Page Writings
from 111 People Worldwide and has been enthusiastically
attending Tarot conferences since 2008. 
 
   
 

 
#1: New Readers Studio Poster!
Ciro Marchetti has done it again
and created a brilliant new poster
for RS13. This one is different...
evocative and a little mysterious.
Scroll down and see for yourself. 
 
Feel free to post it on your website, 
blog or social media pages. Just be 
sure to link it to  http://ReadersStudio.com
 
#2: 
The High Deck is almost here!
We're expecting our advance copy
any day now! In the meantime, find out
more about this unique symbolic system
(and see a very rare picture of Wald's father!) at http://TheHighDeck.com 
 
 
 

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.
 

KNIGHT OF PENTACLES
 
Astrological Attribution: Virgo
Qabalistic Attribution: Air of Earth
Esoteric Title: Prince of the Chariot of Earth, 
Prince and Emperor of the Gnomes
 
All knights are sons or princes of the King and 
Queen of each suit. In the Golden Dawn tradition, 
the Princes are depicted as riding in chariots and 
each is featured with the symbol of one of the 
Four Evangelists, which in turn are ancient symbols 
of the elements.
 
The Prince of the Chariot of Earth in the Golden 
Dawn version carried a scepter with an orb topped 
by a cross. This cross-bearing orb known as globus cruciger, symbolizes dominion over the world. Waite's Knight of Pentacles is 
shown on a burly and thickset black horse. What was the orb of dominion held
downwards is now a golden pentacle held upright and intently focused upon by a 
knight paused in reflection. He is described as the intellect of the densest element
of Earth.
 
In divination, the Knights can represent a story in progress or an unfinished event. 
The Knight of Pentacles is a useful and practical type. Waite included useful
discoveries, serviceability and responsibility as interpretations for this card.
 

Positive Keywords: Utility, responsibility, profit, slow and steady progress.
 
Negative Keywords: Stagnation, lack of imagination unemployment, 
inactivity, laziness, and carelessness.
 
Tarot Affirmation: I am of positive service to others and to myself.
 
        
 

 
                 The Readers Studio: April 26-289, 2013 — 3 days of intense tarot learning for advanced students and professionals. Produced by The Tarot School. Click Here!




 
Project Spotlight
 
One of the great things about being part of
a community of kindred spirits is the support
we can offer each other. In the past, the
most we could do was cheer each other on
during the creative process. But now, with
the advent of crowdsourcing, we can come
together and contribute to the manifestation
of our favorite works-in-progress in a more
tangible way. 
 
From time to time, we'll feature a particular
time-sensitive campaign we feel merits the
attention and support of the tarot community. 
 
 
TAROT eCARDS
 
We had a chance to preview Tarot eCards, a new 
digital tarot card application for mobile devices, 
similar to iBooks. It is a very professionally developed
application for tarot that provides an easy-to-use tool
to access and use many different tarot decks on your
iPads, Tablets and Smartphones, and it functions
intuitively like using printed cards. 
 
The first App for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, 
will be available this month, but they could use the 
help of the tarot community to complete their project.
 
Ron Leong, the Founder, is working to raise some
additional capital so they can complete their
development for the Android devices, Mac and PC
computers, and has put together an interesting 
fundraising program at Indiegogo.  
 
The project has some very appealing contribution
packages that offer some stellar tarot decks, including
limited edition and formerly out-of-print copies. 
Many of these decks will be offered as digital editions at 
Tarot eCards, but through this Indiegogo program you 
can acquire some novel printed decks by contributing 
to and helping the project. 
 
You can also help by spreading the word to your 
friends, and visiting Ron at his Facebook page
 
We believe that Tarot eCards is a concept whose 
time has come! 
 
Campaign ends: Monday, January 14
 



 
Best Practices for Professional Readers
AM I READY FOR MY OWN TAROT BUSINESS?
 
By Gina Thies - 
 
 
One of the resolutions you've set for yourself could
be to start your own private reading business. You may
have spent a significant amount of time educating
yourself about tarot and are confident enough with
advising others to feel the beckoning of tarot as a
business.
 
It seems to be a natural step that most tarot enthusiasts 
consider at one time or another. I applaud anyone who 
decides to make a living counseling others, and even 
more so for those who decide to become their own boss.
 
Two main questions need to be answered before
considering tarot reading as a business. First, are you
prepared for the financial roller coaster that comes
with any proprietorship? Secondly, do you have what it
takes to be of service to others? Looked at another
way, are you in it for the money, for the love of tarot,
or because your current type of employment is too
unstable?
 
For the most part, readers are independent contractors.
They pay their own taxes and have to cover their own
healthcare expenses. It is also possible that the
fluctuation in income is the most unreliable of all
industries. One of the first things to do before
venturing into your own business is to make sure you
have the connections or sphere of influence to support
your business.
 
Another aspect of being a professional reader is to
know who or what you are serving. Of course, many
say they are fulfilled by the prospect of helping
others, and while you are your own boss, you really are
in service to your clients. Serving the spiritual needs of
others comes with hefty responsibilities and the need
for high ethical standards, or at least it should, but the
issue is whose standards should you adhere to? And
even of you find some standards to follow are they the
absolute best ones?
 
On a more practical note, there are other questions to
ask before you start your own business. For spiritual
counselors, I think the top five are:
 
1.  What am I offering that my clients can't get
     anywhere else?
 
2.  Do I have the right personality to be a spiritual
     counselor?
 
3.  Am I willing to be wrong?
 
4.  Can I remove ego during my readings?
 
5.  Do I understand the concepts of transference and
     counter-transference in terms of counseling others?
 
I also recommend 20 others questions you should
consider as written in an article on the US Small
Business Administration's website:
 
 
THE TAROT ROOM
 
The lovely Georgianna, 2010 Tarosophist of the Year,
shares the message of tarot on this wonderful blog.
There are plenty of articles and activities. You can
also download Georgie's Tarot, illustrated by
Georgianna, absolutely free. Good stuff! Check it out!
 
 
 
 
 Upcoming Events:
 
 
  • January 6, 2013
  • Readers Studio Teleconference -- Free!
     
    Come hang out with us on the phone
    at our monthly informal get-together.
    It's a great chance to catch up with each
    other and brainstorm new ideas.
     
     
      
  • January 10, 17, 23 and 31, 2013
  • 1+1=TAROT Telecourse: The Emperor - The Chariot
     
     
  • January 19 - 20, 2013
  •  
    NEW INTENSIVE! (only 1 seat left!)
    Qabalah 2.0 "A Taste of the Dark Side"
     
    The Veil, the Void, the Abyss and the Shadow --
    Beyond, Within and Between
     
    If you know a little Qabalah -- the positions and 
    structures of the Tree of Life and how they extend 
    and deepen tarot -- and you want to move a step 
    beyond theory to make the power of the Tree of Life 
    personal, this weekend intensive may be just what 
    you've been looking for!
     
    Dates: Sat/Sun January 19-20, 2013
    Times: 11am - 7pm both days
    Instructor: Wald Amberstone
    Tuition: $250
    Location: Forest Hills, NY (Seating is limited.)

     
     
     

     
     
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    Directors: Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone