Vol. 9 #8 / October 1, 2017
In this Issue:
- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Managing Stress Using Tarot
- Tarot School Aphorism
- What's Gnu?
- PsychWise: Illuminating Your Archetypal Life
- Best Practices: Using Contracts For Gigs and Special Events
- Cool Free Reading Site: Tell My Tarot
- Upcoming Events
Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.
Fall is often a busy time for tarot readers. It can
be the start of a stressful end of the year for many
people. In this issue the focus is on ways to manage
and successfully navigate these times.
We are excited to have Michael Bridge-Dickson
join us in offering ways of using tarot to manage
stress in this issue’s Tip.
In PsychWise, Jayni Bloch helps us illuminate your
archetypal life, and in Best Practices we discuss the
benefits of using contracts for special events no
matter how small or large.
And one more thing...
Please join us in sending prayers and whatever
help you can to those affected by the recent
unprecedented spate of natural disasters.
The Red Cross has a general disaster relief
fund, as well as funds for specific events:
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation
With love and gratitude on the tarot journey,
Ruth Ann, Wald, and 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
MANAGING STRESS USING TAROT:
A PRACTICAL, NON-DIVINATORY METHOD
by
Michael Bridge-Dickson
I think one of the primary reasons we use tarot is
to provide a sense of control and order over our
sometimes chaotic and stressful lives. When we’re
really overwhelmed it’s easy to become unfocused,
ungrounded, and to lose our sense of direction.
As tarot readers, we know the power of tarot to shift
perspective and clarify matters so that we can regain
that sense of direction. Sometimes, though, seekers
may have a biased view of tarot, assuming it won’t
have practical application, or will be too esoteric for
them to understand or make use of. In my other career
as a yogi and body intelligence educator, I find that
it’s useful to help people anchor into their bodies
and be present as a method for managing stress,
regaining control over the things we are able to, and
knowing the things we can’t.
To this end, I’d like to share a method for using
tarot that may help seekers be more grounded with
presence, while requiring little to no tarot or
esoteric knowledge.
Preparation
The method is quite simple, and I’d recommend a deck
with pip minors, though any tarot or playing card deck
will do.
The first step is the most complicated one. Separate
your Minors from the deck, and set the Majors and
Court cards aside. A variation using Majors-only will
be discussed later, so if you prefer using Majors-only,
hang tight!
Next, shuffle the 40 Minors in whatever way you
choose. This method will associate each suit with the
sensations in a region of the body — I suggest
associating Swords with the chest and upper torso,
Wands with the midsection, Cups with the lower
abdomen and pelvis, and Coins with the legs and feet.
If you associate the suits to the body another way,
that’s just as good — use the associations that make
sense to you, but I would suggest, for this exercise,
not to associate any suit with the head and neck.
When we are stressed, our attention often resides in
or above our heads anyway, and this exercise is meant
to draw attention more deeply into the body and out
of the head.
While shuffling, settle your breath and if you wish,
take a quick scan of these four regions, spending a few
breaths at each place.
This step alone may be so soothing that you can simply
scan the body while shuffling with a calm breath. If
that’s the case, you don’t need to separate your
Minors. But, since we did, let’s continue!
Your mind, breath, and body do not need to be
completely settled for the next step, nor do you need
to be in a divinatory or channeling state (no harm if
you are, it’s just not necessary for this exercise).
The Technique
Once you have finished shuffling, begin turning over
cards one by one. For each card turned, the card’s
number indicates the number of breaths and the suit,
as referenced above, indicates the part of the body to
observe sensations in while taking those breaths.
 So for example, if you first turn over
the 7 of cups, take seven easy, natural
breaths while observing the sensations
in your lower abdomen and pelvis.
During these breaths, do not try to
change what you observe or analyze
those sensations: this is an exercise in
drawing consciousness into the body
and simply experiencing the sensations.
Try not to artificially deepen the breath, just let the
breath be natural; it may change during the exercise.
Then, turn over a second card.
Let’s say it’s the 4 of Wands.
Take 4 smooth, easy, natural breaths,
observing the sensations in the mid
and upper abdomen, sides of the waist,
and lower back.
You’re not trying to “breathe into” these areas, you’re
simply bringing attention to the sensations in each area
as you breathe.
Continue in this way, one card at a time until you have
either turned at least one card from each suit, or
until you feel grounded and are no longer overwhelmed.
In this example, turning over the
9 of Swords would mean taking 9 breaths
observing the sensations in the chest and
shoulders.
The Ace of Disks calls for a single,
conscious breath observing sensations
in the legs and feet. For the Aces, you
may choose to take more than a single
breath if you need more time to rest your
consciousness on that particular area of
your body.
During the process of bringing attention to your body,
clarity about tasks to prioritize or challenges you are
facing may come into focus. You may also receive
divinatory meanings or messages. Try, however, not to
make that the intent of the exercise. Instead, use it
as a moment to rejuvenate yourself and regain presence.
Majors-Only Deck
If you’re using a Majors-only deck, you would go
through the same process, using the card’s number
as the number of breaths to observe. But, instead
of focusing on specific body areas, mimic the body
position of the figures. For the Tower, you needn’t
jump head-first off your chair — as a safer
alternative, try lying on the floor and imitating the
posture. Observe how the body position makes you
feel and where you experience physical sensation
most directly.
Non-Figurative Deck
If you’re not using a figurative deck, go with the
reactions to the images, the physical sensations. Or,
associate certain colors with observing regions of your
body in a similar way to how I suggested associating
suits.
For instance, you could try:
• Earth tones for the legs and feet
• Blues and watery greens for the pelvis and
lower abdomen
• Warm colors like red and orange for the mid-
and upper-abdomen
• Lighter colors for the chest and shoulder region.
Again, this is merely a suggestion based on how
I would do it, but you are free to modify the exercise
to suit you better. Continually remind yourself,
however, that this is a body awareness exercise
that does not necessarily relate to your existing
tarot knowledge.
Have fun with it, and with practice, you may find
that you’re more aware of your body — and more
grounded — through your regular readings. You may
even find that your readings gain more depth as the
cards remind you of your body and your presence.
Enjoy!
*Images from Michael’s upcoming deck,
Arcanum X Tarot
=======================================
About Michael:
Michael Bridge-Dickson is a tarot reader, deck
creator, and author specializing in yoga and
embodiment. Living in Montreal, Canada, Michael
enjoys visiting New York for the annual Readers
Studio. Last year, Michael emceed the banquet,
and is pleased that he will do so again at the
2018 banquet. It is always his pleasure to share
his experiences in using tarot and yoga as tools
for embodiment.
https://www.facebook.com/m.bridgedickson
https://mirrorsofconsciousness.wordpress.com/
Tarot School Aphorism
THE
2018 READERS STUDIO
IS SOLD OUT!!
(Honestly, we're just as surprised as you.)
But...
There's a waiting list. (Just email us.)
And...
You can still register for the Tarot & Psychology Conference!
(In fact if you do, you'll be placed on the Priority Waiting List.)
ReadersStudio.com
(poster art by the fabulous Ryan Edward)
PsychWise:
ILLUMINATING YOUR ARCHETYPAL LIFE
by Jayni Bloch, M.A.
(reprinted with permission from Jayni Bloch –
Let's Talk Blog.)
It seems that in our search to understand life, we
instinctively observe patterns and correspondences.
The observations we make aren’t necessarily to be
considered as facts, but rather as a flowing stream of
sensations and observations that may be shaped into
theories.
These theories try to identify which of these
sensations and observations are real, and which are
illusory. But even the most tightly reasoned and
empirically supported theories rest ultimately on
unprovable assumptions.
Accepted theories tend to become general ‘truths’
which in turn become articles of conviction. These
articles of conviction tend to resonate with some
individuals but not with others. Why?
Just like mathematics, the world of psychology,
philosophy, and Tarot uses systems of symbols as a
language of understanding. The premise is that there
are correspondences between patterns in symbol and
pragmatically observed life events. Also, that
pragmatically observed life events correspond to the
observed patterns in symbol.
The correspondences between symbol systems and
life events are undeniable, but not convincingly
explainable. The reason for this is that these
correspondences depend on individual sensory
perception, reason and perspective.
It is apparent that individual worldviews are deeply
influenced by early conditioning, culture, emotional
needs, education, and contact with alternative views.
Whenever you listen to a theory or a perspective from
anyone, you get a version of reality as perceived from
the Archetypal cluster innate to their psyche. The lens
they look through gives you a view of those particular
Archetypes. You see life through the eyes of the person
who presents their worldview. You might or might not
resonate with the person’s archetypal perspective.
The important thing to know is that you are given a
perspective from one or more Archetypes active in that
person that are generally valid Archetypal realities.
When we can recognize and identify the Archetypes,
their purpose, and their healing properties, we arrive
at an understanding of the collective diversity present
in all of us.
The Archetypal life cycles are processes.
For example, some of these cycles can be calculated
by the birth date, while others remain incalculable.
These cycles show us of how everyone transitions
through systematic opportunities, filled with potential
insight. The unconscious activates this insight,
through the observation of symptoms and experiences
corresponding to Archetypal themes.
I believe that we are perhaps participating in a
process of necessary evolution. But do we see any
progress in what we know and understand? Do you?
Are we noticeably closer to solving the mysteries
we grapple with in life?
Does anything change for us when we gain realizations
or does everything continue as before?
How do we grow, change, or evolve? Insight and
understanding are not enough.
At the Golden Globes Awards Ceremony in January,
the actress, Meryl Streep gave an acceptance speech
for the Cecil B. DeMille Award (a lifetime achievement
award). She said: “An actor’s only job is to enter the
lives of people who are different from us, and let you
feel what that feels like.” She connected this statement
with the following thought: “We have to remind each
other of the privilege and the responsibility of the act
of empathy.”
Can you imagine what happens to an actor who
takes on the personality of another for a while,
living life as they might? It requires that actor to
truly empathize with the character they portray.
But how does anyone experience empathy for
another?
I believe that when you experience and recognize
another person through the archetypes they represent,
you realize the potential of that archetype in
yourself. This is one way you can cultivate empathy.
This kind of empathy shines a light on the parts of
yourself that you might not want to see. In other
words, it helps you discover your ‘shadows’ and
have more compassion for the ‘other’.
We learn about the parts of Life and Existence – the
stuff we are made of – when we experience the
archetypes. When you allow yourself to experience the
essence of an archetype, you begin to find meaning in
events and in life, and that you are made of the same
stuff.
The better we know ourselves the better we can
participate in becoming ‘whole or healed’, and the
better we can serve as a mirror of compassion to all.
I believe that we perceive and interpret experience
from the perspective of a ruling Archetype or a cluster
of ruling Archetypes, within the potential pool of all
Archetypes, available in our personality. Observing the
responses of my clients over time, I deduced a system
of recognizable Archetypal patterns which correspond
with Tarot and my Mirrors to your Soul™ Archetypal
Images.
Reading the Tarot, and the Mirrors to your Soul™
images (a modern interpretation of the Tarot
Archetypes) helps me to enter the world of another
person, with the help of the Archetypal landscapes.
The objective for me as a psychotherapist is to wait
for the person’s psyche to indicate the appropriate
clue that corresponds with the ‘reading’. Once the
Archetypal energy is recognized (by correspondence),
in the words, dreams, experience, and emotions of
the client, the focus is on the issue that the person’s
psyche wants to illuminate. The unique expression of
the person’s Archetypal energy, as it presents itself
in the challenge, both explains the challenge and
guides the way to a solution. Because the focus is now
on the exact Archetypal expression itself that created
both the challenge and the solution, the collaboration
between the client and me as a therapist can come to
a resolution about the person’s healing journey. Other
healing tools can then be used to proceed.
My objective is to teach the underlying meanings and
purpose of the Archetypes, why we identify with them,
why they express themselves in our lives in such a
powerful way, and how to use them for personal and
collective healing.
The reason for this discussion is to give you a glimpse
of how to evolve through empathy, because of your
encounters with the Archetypes. The Tarot map (among
others), shows the themes you live through. As you
follow these themes and observe the correspondences
with your subtle and not so subtle emotional questions,
you gain in compassion for yourself and others, which
promotes healing.
As you engage with and meet the intense truth revealed
in each archetype, connect with the part of yourself
that resonates with this truth. See if you can recognize
that energy inside yourself and sense its reality as it
wants to express itself through you.
Resource:
To know more please join my Mirrors to your Soul™
Divine Your Evolution, Online Seminar Sessions.
https://genian.net/workshops.html
=======================================
About Jayni:
Jayni Bloch, M.A.C. Psych. Assoc. practices as
Kanata Psychotherapy Centre. She is registered
with the College of Psychologists in Ontario since
1998 in Canada and previously with the Medical and
Dental Council of South Africa as a Clinical Psychologist,
for 18 years prior to coming to Canada. She is a
Psychotherapist Practitioner of Cognitive and
Spiritual Healing modalities, Teacher, Artist, Author
and Mystic.
Contact:
Email: jayni.bloch@gmail.com
Website: genian.net
Best Practices for Professional Readers
USING CONTRACTS FOR GIGS
AND SPECIAL EVENTS
By Gina Thies
www.tarotadvisor.com / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders
www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org
It goes without saying that it’s better to be safe
than sorry. I have worked in a few different industries
before my magical life as a professional tarot
practitioner and I have learned that when it comes to
special occasions like celebrations, parties, etc.,
there is a lot of preparation and behind the scenes
activities that most people aren’t aware of when they
show up for the event.
In my experience as a busy event reader, I have learned
to use an agreement/contract for all gigs, no matter
the size or duration. This is to ensure that both my
clients and I have an understanding of what is supposed
to happen, and to map out the specifics of all parties’
obligations. There is a lot of power in what’s written
in black and white.
The simplest things can go awry. I was booked for a
Sweet 16 party last year that was originally scheduled
to begin at 7:00pm. The hostess had mentioned in a
phone conversation that most of the guests would arrive
by 6:30pm, but that there would be other activities
upon their arrival. In the written agreement, I wrote
in the original requested start time at 7:00pm with a
set-up time between 6:30 and 6:45pm.
The client signed off for the 7:00 start time. As I
drove to the location which was about 15 minutes away
from my starting point, the hostess called me at
6:25pm, sounding a little anxious about why I had not
yet arrived. I was about 8 minutes away and reminded
her that the agreement was for 7:00pm.
Having an agreement or written contract in place
ensures a bit of protection and that things go as
smoothly as possible. When you work as an independent
contractor, I cannot recommend it enough. Confusion and
misunderstandings around arrival times and duration of
the performance happen fairly often. As the talent,
you’ll want to make sure you have protection so that
you can get paid and keep your reputation intact.
In addition to arrival times, the contract should also
include the agreed upon price and what will happen in
in case of overtime. I also put in what the hostess/client
is responsible for, and outline my own responsibilities.
Cancellations are an unfortunate part of business so it
is important to also include your cancellation policy.
Your agreement may not need a ton of legal jargon,
but it should follow the laws and or statues of your area.
Some event planners or agencies will present you with
extremely detailed contracts that may have complex
legal terms. If there's anything you don’t understand
in the contract, have someone with the necessary
expertise look it over.
If you have not used a performance agreement before,
there are plenty of resources for templates online for
the generic independent contractor. It is also worth
the time and investment to have an attorney draw up
something that applies specifically to your services.
Resource:
Create your free Independent Contractor Agreement
https://legaltemplates.net/form/independent-contractor-agreement/
Cool Free Reading Site
• TELL MY TAROT
I really like this site because the interpretations
are well considered and well written. Unlike
other free reading sites I've seen, Charmaine
includes notes on the symbolism in the cards,
as well as her own personal take on what they
might mean for you.
You can choose from several reading options:
- Past, Present, Future
- Yes/No Tarot
- Card of the Day (Personal draw)
- Love Tarot
There is also a general Card of the Day
for the date, plus a section on Tarot Card
Meanings that let's you look up the
interpretations to any cards you choose.
https://tellmytarot.com/free-tarot-reading
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