• Appropriate Number of Cards
• Spread positions should follow a logical or easy to follow order.
• Symmetry
• Interesting relationships between cards that are next to each other

Spreads

1 Card

What do I most need to know about <this> right now.

2 Card Focus by Gail Fairfield from Choice Centered Tarot

1. Major - The What of the Situation
2. Minor - The How of the Situation

The Pro & Con Layout

1. Pro-Whats the best thing about this. What are the benefits.
2. Con - Whats the worst thing about this. What are the costs.

3 Card: by Zoe Matoff

2 - 1 - 3

1. Whats the basic issue here
2. Don’t do this
3. Do this

Deeper Learning Layout by James Wells

1. Larger Deeper Learning for me in this situation.
2. What’s appropriate to release, exit, or leave behind?
3. What’s appropriate to embrace, enter or move towards?

Reality Check Spread by James Wells

1. What am I imagining on the bad side?
2. What am I imagining on the good side?
3. What’s the reality of the situation itself?

4 Card Psychological Spread from Tarot for Dummies

1. Your subconscious or child self (reactive)
2. Your conscious or adult self (intentional)
3. you superconscious or wise self
4. Overall comment

The Spread of Changes by James Rioux

The first card can be drawn at random or intentionally selected based on something you want to focus on and consciously pick a card to represent it. You can pick any of the position’s intentionally.

1-2-3-4-5

1. The past or root cause
2. Your state or attitude or how you thought about yourself before the change
3. The change itself
4. The after change attitude
5. The result of the change or desired outcome

Elenore Greenburg from 2007 Tarot Reader

1. What the client needs to learn about the current situation
2. What he or she needs to learn about how it plays out in their life in general or the bigger picture or pattern revealed by the situation
3. How learning the situation can further their spiritual growth
4. What’s appropriate to leave behind
5. What’s appropriate to move toward

Arthur Rosengarten from Tarot and Psychology

1. Whats’ working for you
2. What’s working against you
3. What you know
4. What you don’t know
5. What’s needed

The Leap Across the Abyss by Rachel Pollack from the Shining Tribe Tarot

1. Where do I start?
2. What is hidden?
3. Who helps me?
4. What do I fear?
5. What must I give up?
6. What must I take with me?
7. What will I experience?
8. What will I find?

Clarifying Options by Gail Fairfield from Everyday Tarot

Layout 9 cards for each option including an option you having though of. The third card will help identify the new option. Please refer to the book Everyday Tarot for the shape of the spread

1. your reason for considering this option
2. what this option represents for you
3. the true nature of this option
4. the resources that support this option
5. the obstacles that block this option
6. the advantages of pursuing this option
7. the disadvantages of pursing this option
8. what will probably happen if you choose this option
9. the Key Factor with regard to this option.

James’ 10 Card Layout

1. The External Experience of the Situation.
2. The Internal Experience of the Situation.
3. My contribution to it.
4. Other’s contribution to it.
5. What challenges blocks or problems are connected with it
6. What blessings, gifts or resources are connected with it.
7. What does soul have to say about the situation? (Soul: Personal Sacred or Sacred Self)
8. What does spirit have to say about the situation? (Spirit: Transpersonal Sacred or Sacred Other)
9. What’s the wisdom emerge from me from the situation? What can I learn?
10. (Optional) Based on the above information, what is the most likely way this will unfold in the <timeframe>

Freestyle Q&A

Initial question. Pull a card. Dialog. This generates another question. Pull a Card. Continue until it feels complete or resolved.

Custom Design Layouts

• Step 1: Pick a Topic (Subject)
• Step 2: Brainstorm Questions (Quantity)
• Step 3: Refine the Questions & Wording (Quality)
• Step 4: Put the Questions in an order that makes sense and number the Questions (Order)
• Step 5: Draw a Diagram (Shape)

Draw and Layout the Cards. Interpret. Finish with a summary card.

Your first step to a helpful insightful Tarot Session is ask empowering open ended questions such as:

• How?
• What?
• Where in my life?
• In what ways?
• What do I most need to learn about?
• What do I most need to know about at this time?
• What is a more evolved perspective on … ?

Avoid:

• Yes/No Questions
• Negatively worded questions
• Questions about other people’s lives

James Wells

James Wells is a Toronto-based consultant, teacher, and facilitator devoted to merging soul and strategy. Through tools and processes such as Tarot, Reiki, Council Circle, and Journal Writing, he and his clients and students are inspired to become more of who they really are.

Tarot has been a part of James’ life since 1979. His insightful, down-to-earth, proactive style makes him a popular practitioner and workshop presenter at home and abroad. James is a contributor to most of Llewellyn’s Tarot Reader almanacs. In his “me time”, he enjoys writing, reading, music, walking, and good food.

jameswells.wordpress.com

To book private consultations and to set up a workshop in your area, feel free to contact James at (416) 966 - 2685 or at evolutionary_tarot@yahoo.ca

JAMES WELLS — Merging soul and strategy through tarot, Reiki, journal writing, council circle, workshops, & classes.

Music Credits

• Opening Music: The Oracle Speaks by William Wilde Zeitler from Elegy for Atlantis
• Closing Music: The Way by Ishwish from Remember (Magnatune)

Play or Download the Episode

• tangible constructive action
• small doable action
• new personal name
• affirmations
• body posture/movement
• colour
• meditation on the card
• place the card in a special place with a candle & incense
• wear something
• jewelry or talisman to represent the card
• essential oils
• journal writing
• walking a labyrinth
• creativity (sound, clay, paint, etc.)

Reading List

• Geraldine Amaral & Nancy Brady Cunningham. Tarot Celebrations: Honoring the Inner Voice.
• Susan K. Cole. “Dance and Tarot: Personal Symbols Set to Movement”, Wheel of Tarot: A New Revolution, James Wanless & Angeles Arrien, editors, pp. 205 - 213.
• Dori Gombold. “The Psychodynamic Effects of Tarot Symbolism”, Wheel of Tarot: A New Revolution, James Wanless & Angeles Arrien, editors, pp. 187 - 201.
• Mary K. Greer. 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card (especially the chapter called “The Possible Self”, pp. 231 - 238).
• Mary K Greer. The Essence of Magic: Tarot, Ritual and Aromatherapy.
• Cait Johnson. Tarot for Every Day.
• Robert A. Johnson. Inner Work.
• Corrine Kenner. Tarot Journaling.
• Jill Mellick. The Art of Dreaming.
• Vicki Noble. Rituals and Practices with the Motherpeace Tarot.
• Rachel Pollack. The Shining Tribe Tarot (especially the section on “Ways to Activate a Tarot Card”, pp. 305 - 312).
• Rachel Pollack. Tarot Readings and Meditations.
• Karen Turner. “Transformational Beliefs and Tarot”, Wheel of Tarot: A New Revolution, James Wanless & Angeles Arrien, editors, pp. 180 - 183.
• James Wells. Tarot for Manifestation.
• James Wells. “Walking the Labyrinth”, Llewellyn’s 2005 Tarot Reader, pp. 199 - 204.

James Wells is a Toronto-based Tarot consultant with an international clientele. Since age 12, he has lived, worked and played with the Tarot and its rich symbolism. James is also a Reiki Master, publisher of The Six-Rayed Star, musician, explorer of divination systems, weaver of rituals, and workshop facilitator. His job as a Worker of Oracles is to create sacred space for constructive feedback and soul work - a place where dreams, goals, imagination, intuition and magick, have full sway so that you can enjoy insight, support and healing. James can be reached at workeroforacles@yahoo.ca

Hermit’s Journey with Bonnie Cehovet - Justice and the Hanged Man

Welcome to the Hermit’s Journey. My name is Bonnie Cehovet, and today we will be continuing on our journey through the symbols in the Major Arcana. As I noted in the first Pod Cast of this series, that of the Fool, the imagery and symbolism in the Tarot is what connects us to its archetypal qualities and wisdom. It acts as a gateway between our conscious and our unconscious worlds. Each deck carries with it its own unique brand of imagery and symbols. For the purposes of this discussion, I will be referring to the Waite-Smith Tarot (also known as the Rider-Waite Tarot), as it is a traditional reference, and quite often used for teaching purposes. Interpreting the imagery and symbols is done in two ways: through the intent of the author/illustrator (and here we need to remember that the background for the Rider-Waite deck is that of the Golden Dawn), and how the Seeker sees it through the veil of their own personal life experiences.

Let’s continue our journey through the symbols of Justice and the Hanged Man. The major theme for Justice is that of being just with ourselves, as well as with others. In “The Heart of the Tarot”, Sandra Thomson notes that this is not a blind sense of justice, it is a clear sighted one. Before we act, we need to make sure that we are acting in a way that will insure a balanced outcome. We need to make sure that we are not only acting to bring in that which we desire.

Justice sits with her scales in her left hand, ready to weigh what is presented to her. In her right hand is the sword of reflection, pointing to higher truths, and to victory. It is a double edged sword - it destroys as well as builds in cutting through to the truth. It is her decision as to where the point of balance lies. The scales symbolize, as one might guess, our balance point in life. The pillars to the right and the left of Justice are the pillars of reconciliation, and of mercy. They are connected by the purple veil of higher consciousness.

Justice wears the crown of authority, with its imbedded square jewel of intelligence seated over the third eye, the wisdom and truth seeking chakra. The four sided jewel, along with the three turrets in the crown, add up to seven, the number of Venus. The olive green of her cape reflects the green of nature, and suggests personal growth. Her red dress symbolizes power - the base from which we achieve our growth. Her white slipper indicates purity of thought is at the foundation of her judgment.

The square brooch with the circular pin at her heart chakra symbolizes the “squaring of the circle”, a symbol of wholeness, and of the Self.

In a reading, Justice asks us to take the time to gather our facts, and to look at all viewpoints. It asks us to see the truth about ourselves.

The theme for the Hanged Man is that of releasing false, illusional images and of learning the natural laws of the universe. His being suspended upside down symbolizes his need to take a “fresh look” at his situation. He is letting go of the rules of society that bind him so that he can see clearly.

The Sevens by Ginny Hunt

Sevens in Tarot once again bring conflict and choice, but this go round involves less something from the outside happening to you, but your own actions and impulses create the change, cause the ruckus, because you have some silly notion inside you that prompts this. You are the one agitating here, but not for no reason. Sevens take a stand based on an unseen but strongly felt inner truth.

Seven is historically a mystical number. Its mythological and symbolic use is broad and deep. Many different religions and cultures view seven as spiritual, lucky, and very significant. It is the number of the philosopher, sage, and wisdom seeker. When a seven appears in any fashion, you can understand there is more going on under the surface that involves the spiritual, faith, and esoteric realms. Seven is an enigma and as such is difficult to define. It’s like the faith it symbolizes: you know it when you feel it.

Some of its significance stems from the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian civilizations, which identified seven planets and framed seven days of the week around them. Very early among Middle Eastern peoples, seven became known as a “perfect” number, symbolic of completeness and goodness. Not “perfect” mathematically like the six, but symbolizing perfection and as such is often attributed to God. In the Bible, God rested on the seventh day because his work of creation was complete, entire, perfect. Thus seven represents this perfect completeness and also it represents rest, as in the rest that is taken from work. It is from this same word that the Sabbath, the day of rest comes. In Judaism, every seven years a year of Jubilee is celebrated as well as a Sabbatical year once every seven. The “Counting of the Omer” leading up to the giving of the Torah is expressed as “7 times 7 weeks.” In Christianity, likewise, the number seven continues to be significant. It is the number of churches of Asia to which the “Book of Revelation” is addressed, the number of Deadly Sins and Virtues, the number of terraces of Mount Purgatory (one per deadly sin), the number of sacraments in the Roman Catholic faith, the number of heads of the beast of the Book of Revelation, and the number of seals on The Book of Life. Jesus says to Peter to forgive seventy times seven times indicating an unlimited number of times, but also that it is the spiritual thing to do. (read the full post)

Music Credits

Opening Music: The Oracle Speaks by William Wilde Zeitler from Elegy for Atlantis

Hermits Journey Music: Dark Moon by Suzanne Teng from Enchanted Wind (Magnatune)

78 Notes Music: Steamy River by Rhonda Lorence from Winter Moon (Magnatune)

Closing Music: Mystic Chants by Anne Young (Podsafe Music Network)

Play or Download the Episode

Our presenters and topics for the day are:

GAIL FAIRFIELD.

Choice Centered Tarot and Relating
Hardly a reading goes by that doesn’t include a question or comment about relating. Whether the person is asking about a child, partner, parent, or colleague, relationship questions are fraught with more emotion than any others. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to evaluate:

• what works or doesn’t work in a relationship
• what to embrace or avoid
• key questions to ask yourself or the other person
• the purpose of the relationship

As we identify the key questions to ask, we’ll also consider the layouts that could answer those questions. We’ll also keep the focus on empowerment rather than predictions.

RACHEL POLLACK.

Archaeology of the Tarot.
Many card meanings we have today are not the original interpretations. The Fool did not originally mean a wise innocent journeying through life, but rather a crazy person driven from place to place–like the homeless beggars we see in our big cities. Are these older meanings just a curiosity or can they enrich our readings today? In this session (based on her series of Tarot Intensive workshops, and the forthcoming Intensive book) Rachel will trace the development of meaning in the tarot, and we will look together at how to use this knowledge in practice.

JAMES WELLS.

Tarot In Action!
We know how rich and meaningful a tarot consultation can be. Imagine this insight and wisdom creating positive change in your psyche and in your ‘real’ world! Learn creative and powerful methods to bring the energy of your readings down to earth so that you and your querents not only learn about life, but also transform it through consciously sculpted actions.

Plus opening and closing Q & A panel discussions with all three presenters!

10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at WonderWorks, 79A Harbord Street, Toronto (just west of Spadina).
Please arrive between 9:30 and 9:55 so we can begin on time. Thank you.

You’ll need to bring:

• a tarot deck of your choice
• a notebook
• a packed lunch or money to buy lunch nearby

Only $100 for a day of stretching your tarot skills and meeting other great tarot people. Open to people of ALL levels of tarot experience. First-paid first-served basis.

PRIVATE TAROT CONSULTATIONS with our presenters will take place on Sunday, September 9. These one-hour sessions are $150 each and will take place near Castle Frank station in Toronto.

Presenter Bios:

GAIL FAIRFIELD (Choice Centered Tarot, Choice Centered Astrology, Choice-Centered Relating and the Tarot) was born in China and raised in Japan by missionary parents. She was encouraged to find her own answers to life’s questions. Gail was introduced to the tarot in 1973 and was hooked immediately! Gail’s studies in psychology and education contribute to her choice-centred manner of living life and using tools such as the tarot, astrology, and NLP. She currently makes her home in Bloomington, Indiana.

RACHEL POLLACK (78 Degrees of Wisdom, Forest of Souls, Shining Tribe Tarot, and more) is a poet, award-winning novelist, authority on the modern interpretation of tarot cards, and a tarot card artist. She began her journey with the cards in 1970. Since then, Rachel has written thirteen tarot books, including “78 Degrees of Wisdom”, often called the “Bible of Tarot Reading”, and the “Shining Tribe Tarot”, designed and drawn by Rachel herself. Rachel resides in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley.

JAMES WELLS (Tarot for Manifestation) is a Toronto-based consultant, teacher, and facilitator devoted to merging soul and strategy. Through tools and processes such as tarot, reiki, council circle, and journal writing, he and his clients and students are inspired to become more of who they really are. Tarot has been a part of James’ life since 1979. His insightful, down-to-earth, proactive style makes him a popular practitioner and presenter at home and abroad. James enjoys writing, reading, walking, and good martinis.

Continuing the discussion on professional readings, James Wells and I explore the following topics:

• Why Read Professionally?
• How do you know you are ready?
• Ideas for Places to Read.
• How much to Charge?
• What is your mission statement?

James suggests that every reader explores the following questions:

• Who are you as a person?
• As a tarot reader what do you do?
• What is your mission statement as a tarot professional?
• What benefits do/can people derive from a session with you?
• Who would benefit from your tarot services?

Recommended Resources:

• Business Mastery : A Guide for Creating a Fulfilling, Thriving Business and Keeping It Successful by Cherie M Sohnen-Moe
• Making a Living without a Job by Barbara Winter
• The Medicine Woman’s Guide to Being in Business for yourself by Carol Bridges

James Wells is a Toronto-based Tarot consultant with an international clientele. Since age 12, he has lived, worked and played with the Tarot and its rich symbolism. James is also a Reiki Master, publisher of The Six-Rayed Star, musician, explorer of divination systems, weaver of rituals, and workshop facilitator. His job as a Worker of Oracles is to create sacred space for constructive feedback and soul work - a place where dreams, goals, imagination, intuition and magick, have full sway so that you can enjoy insight, support and healing. James can be reached at workeroforacles@yahoo.ca

Matter of Time Mix by Ginny Hunt

It’s only natural. We want to know “When?” You’re waiting on that call, that answer, your life feels in limbo until you hear about that job, that decision. Will the house sell? When? Will they accept my proposal? When? Will he call? When? When will I know so I can make my decision? We really hate being held captive by someone else’s actions or decisions. It makes us feel a loss of control in our lives and if there’s something human beings have a really hard time with, it’s lack of control in their own environment. So we turn to the cards for clues and we hope they can tell us something, anything, about when an event we’ve been waiting for is likely to occur. However, the cards aren’t imprinted with times and dates on them. They speak in symbols and analogies and time, being a manmade construct, is a rather limited box to try and shove allegorical symbols into. Predicting when something will happen with tarot is not impossible, but it’s difficult, and there isn’t one, particular way to do it. (read the full post) (read part 2)

Hermit’s Journey with Bonnie Cehovet - Value Added Tarot

Welcome to the Hermit’s Journey. Today we will be discussing Tarot as a business, and the place of value-added incentives in that business. As in any other business, Tarot taken to the professional level is dependent on bringing in new business, encouraging repeat business, and creating a recognizable style that lends itself to “branding” - name recognition that encourages word-of-mouth clients.

One of the ways to accomplish all of the above is the use of value-added incentives. What this means is that you client receives something that they perceive as having added value, some service or physical thing, without having to pay more for it. The really great thing here is that value-added incentives do not have to cost you anything, in terms of either time or materials.

What each individual practitioner chooses to offer as an value-added incentive depends on the nature of their business, on the community environment (what is deemed to be acceptable within their own community), and on the tools that they feel comfortable working with.

Value-added incentives create a win/win environment. The client gets something for free, and the practitioner gets good press for their business. New clients come in, existing clients become repeat clients, and word-of-mouth becomes a very magickal thing! An interesting thing happens along the way. As each Tarot professional begins to define in what manner they want to create a brand for themselves, they take a close look at their Tarot work, and often expand their understanding of “where” Tarot can go, and what other tools can be easily and comfortable associated with it.

Music Credits

Opening Music: time release by the Droney Tones.

78 Notes Music: Steamy River by Rhonda Lorence from Winter Moon (Magnatune)

Hermits Journey Music: Dark Moon by Suzanne Teng from Enchanted Wind (www.magnatune.com)

Closing & Transition Music: Dharma by Will Grega from Breath of Being (podsafe music)

Play or Download the Episode

I am always intrigued by the concept of gate cards. Gate cards, as they are referred to in Rachael Pollack’s book Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom are cards that lend themselves more easily than others to the process of active visualization, or entering the card in your mind. This type of exercise can provide deeper levels of meaning within the cards, and your relationship to them. My initial impressions of Tarot was that every card is a gate card, and I still believe that is true. However, some cards do make this easier with their stunning scenes and multiple levels of meaning. To quote Rachael in 78 degrees, They all share certain characteristics: complex, often contradictory meanings, and a myth-like strangeness which no allegorical interpretation can completely penetrate. Rachael talks about several specific cards being gate cards. (read full post)

Professional Tarot Practice

James Wells joins me to explore what it means to be a tarot reader including the following topics:

• What is a tarot professional?
• What is professionalism
• ethical considerations

This is part one of a two part series.

James Wells is a Toronto-based Tarot consultant with an international clientele. Since age 12, he has lived, worked and played with the Tarot and its rich symbolism. James is also a Reiki Master, publisher of The Six-Rayed Star, musician, explorer of divination systems, weaver of rituals, and workshop facilitator. His job as a Worker of Oracles is to create sacred space for constructive feedback and soul work - a place where dreams, goals, imagination, intuition and magick, have full sway so that you can enjoy insight, support and healing. James can be reached at workeroforacles@yahoo.ca

Tarot Dancing by Ginny Hunt

Carol gave me the Three of Cups yesterday because I was such a mess on Friday. And then do you know what happened? I went dancing! I received an invitation last night to go out and see my favorite local band and danced my booty off. This is one of the things I really love about tarot, the layers of meanings in the cards, from the literal to the metaphorical. While Carol’s intention of giving me that card was clearly a way of expressing her friendship and support to me, little did she (or I, for that matter) know that it was a literal prediction, or prescription perhaps, to remedy my state of mind.
There is a dance we do among the meanings when we look at a card, a mental and emotional dance that, as a tarot beginner, feels awkward and out-of synch at first, but which becomes easier and more fluid the longer we work with the cards. I remember becoming very frustrated with the dance when I first started learning the card meanings because there seemed to be so many different choices, how was I to know which one to choose? I could look at the Three of Cups and see, literally, a get-together with women friends, or metaphorically a supportive environment, feeling at one with humanity, friendship, or caring. As I stumbled through the dance steps of tarot reading, I would become frustrated and wonder how I was ever going to actually read these cards. This was a new dance and I felt so out of step with the music. In fact, I couldn’t even hear the music at first. (read the full post)

Hermit’s Journey with Bonnie Cehovet - Relationship Resources

Welcome to the Hermit’s Journey! This is Bonnie Cehovet, and I would like to thank each of you for joining me on my journey. Relationship and finances are two of the biggest areas that readers receive queries about. I can tend to roll my eyes and shake my head when I get too many relationship readings in a row. In thinking about this, I realized that there are some wonderful resources out there that readers can use to recharge their batteries when it comes to love and romance. Today I am going to be talking about a few of the resources available- books, decks, and perhaps a spread or two that specifically address the areas of love, romance, and relationship.

… As readers, we can open up the scope of our readings, and offer our clients tools for healing, and tools for empowering themselves and their relationships. Scans and reviews of the following decks and books can be found on Aeclectic Tarot

Books:

• Daniels, Kooch N. & Victor Daniels. “Tarot D’Amour“. Weiser Books. 2003. ISBN #1-57863-292-7.
• Fairchild, Gail. “Choice Centered Relating and the Tarot“. Samuel Weiser, Inc. 2000. ISBN # 1-57863-143-2.
• Jette, Christine. “Tarot For The Healing Heart“. Llewellyn Publications. 2001. ISBN #0-7387-004306. Visit Finding the Muse
• McElroy, Mark. “Taking The Tarot to Heart“. Llewellyn Publications. 2005, ISBN #0-7387-053605. Visit Made by Mark
• Waldherr, Kris. “The Lovers Path”. Henry M. Abrams.2005. ISBN #0-8109-5785-6. Visit Art & Words

Decks:

• Ma Padma Diva. “The Osho Zen Tarot“. St. Martins Press. ISBN #0312117337. Osho Zen On-Line Readings
• Mahony, Karen & Alex Ukolov. “The Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot“. Magic Realist Press. ISBN #0954500725. Bohemian Cats Website
• Sweikhardt, Karen. “Tarot of a Moon Garden“. U.S. Games Systems. ISBN #1572810955
• Waldherr, Kris. “The Lovers Path Tarot“. U.S. Games Systems. ISBN #1572814683. Lovers Path On-Line Reading
• Zerner, Amy & Monte Farber. “The Enchanted Tarot“. St. Martin’s Press. ISBN #0312050798 Visit the Enchanted World

Music Credits

Opening Music: time release by the Droney Tones.

Hermits Journey Music: Dark Moon by Suzanne Teng from Enchanted Wind (www.magnatune.com)

Tranistion Music: Lunarsheen by Clair Fitch from Ambiancellist (www.magnatune.com)

Closing Music: Ambiancellist by Clair Fitch from Ambiancellist (www.magnatune.com)

Play or Download the Episode

James Wells is a Toronto-based Tarot consultant with an international clientele. Since age 12, he has lived, worked and played with the Tarot and its rich symbolism. James is also a Reiki Master, publisher of The Six-Rayed Star, musician, explorer of divination systems, weaver of rituals, and workshop facilitator. His job as a Worker of Oracles is to create sacred space for constructive feedback and soul work - a place where dreams, goals, imagination, intuition and magick, have full sway so that you can enjoy insight, support and healing. James can be reached at workeroforacles@yahoo.ca
Articles on the Internet

• www.theworldcafe.com/askingbig.pdf
• www.crabgrass.org/site/strategic_1.html
• www.javeriana.edu.co/decisiones/PowerfulQuestions.PDF

Hey! Teacher! Leave Those Kids Alone! by Ginny Hunt

There are few aficionados of tarot that don’t struggle some with this guy. The Pope. Later decks dubbed him The Hierophant in order to jazz him up and make him less Roman Catholic-centered and more esoteric, associating him more with the Greek mystery religions as one who guides initiates in sacred mysteries. However, in many of the later decks where he’s The Hierophant there’s no mistaking it, this guy is The Pope. The Holy See. Hence the common kneejerk flinching many experience when this card appears. Some of the more New Age tarot decks have tried to soften this character and have renamed him and redesigned him, often smiling and less severe, to counter these reactions, but…sigh…he’s still so terribly rigid, I think I may always respond with a bit of ambivalence with this one. (more …)

Hermit’s Journey with Bonnie Cehovet - Symbols

What constitutes a symbol and what part do symbols play in our lives? We are surrounded by symbols on a daily basis. The stop sign at the corner, team logos (ardent NBA fan here), corporate logos, symbols for the signs of the zodiac that accompany the horoscopes in the daily paper, even the food that we eat. Comfort food exists in all cultures. Symbols are a way of communicating. They are a way of expressing an idea or representing an object. Symbols can be historic in nature in that they remind us of a certain time period. Or they can be archetypal in nature in that people from different cultures will see the symbol as the same thing. …

Music Credits

Opening Music: time release by the Droney Tones.

Hermits Journey Music: Dark Moon by Suzanne Teng from Enchanted Wind (Magnatune)

Closing Music: Clouds across the Darkness by Suzanne Teng from Mystic Journey (www.magnatune.com)

Play or Download the Episode

It is an evocative and powerful tool for accessing inner guidance. The imagery of the deck combines multicultural Goddesses and other numinous beings with the mysteries of the natural world. Each image features birds, animals, plants, trees, rocks, constellations and other aspects of nature that amplify the meaning of the card.

With its structure rooted in Tarot tradition, the Gaian Tarot is the perfect deck for those who honor Gaia, the earth, as a living, sentient being and who practice an earth-centered spirituality. (from GaianTarot.com)

My guest is Pacific North West artist and author Joanna Powell Colbert. Her art has appeared in print publications for 20 years. She has published essays on mythology and nature spirituality. Joanna also has a web design business called JPC Web Design.

• Gaian Tarot Artist’s Journal
• 3 Card Reading with the Gaian Tarot
• The Creative Process - How the Cards Are Created

Hermit’s Journey with Bonnie Cehovet: Gaian Tarot Review

The Gaian Tarot is an earth-honoring deck in progress. It was created for pagans and others who honor Gaia, the earth, as a living being and who practice an earth-centered spirituality.Available as a majors-only set while the minors are being completed.

• Deck Review at Aeclectic
• Interview with Joanna by Bonnie
• Comparative Tarot Site
  

The Tarot Court: Be Thou a Knight by Ginny Hunt

Part three of a five part series exploring the tarot court.

… Knights, like all court cards, are not necessarily literally young 20-something men. They can be male or female, young or old. It is this exuberant, youthful, get-there-or-die-trying characteristic that is found in all of us, given the right circumstances, that the knights are portraying. Though their energy is admirable, they tend to have that egocentric tendency that younger men have, complete with a distinct sense of invincibility. This makes them short sighted and impulsive, and a bit too sure that they are right. They also possess, with the exception of the Knight of Pentacles, a distinct lack of “sticktoitiveness.” (The Knight of Pentacles has a bit too much of that, he’s not easily swayed from anything he sets his mind to, which can be a problem at times, too.) You can depend on the Knights for the short term, but rarely for the long term. Their immaturity is displayed by their bravado and rash tempers, their lack of thinking things through, and an inability to pace themselves in a realistic fashion… (more …) Individual Posts: Knight of Swords, Knight of Cups, Knight of Wands, Knight of Pentacles.

Music Credits

• Opening Music: time release by the Droney Tones.
• 78 Notes to Self: Steamy River by Rhonda Lorence from the album Winter Moon (Magnatune)
• Hermit’s Journey: Dark Moon by Suzanne Teng from the album Enchanted Wind (Magnatune)
• Closing Music: Gaia by Justin Bianco from the album Forge (Magnatune)

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JAMES WANLESS, Ph.D., creator of the best-seller, Voyager Tarot Deck, has been called Mr. Tarot . He is the author of Way of the Great Oracle and Strategic Intuition for the 21st Century, and his latest work, Intuition @ Work. Dr. Wanless is internationally acclaimed as a master of symbols, creativity and intuition. An empowering and delightful mentor and speaker, Dr. Wanless is an ideal guide for your entry into the world of magic and mystery. His website is Voyager Tarot .

James Wells is a Toronto-based Tarot consultant with an international clientele. Since age 12, he has lived, worked and played with the Tarot and its rich symbolism. James is also a Reiki Master, publisher of The Six-Rayed Star, musician, explorer of divination systems, weaver of rituals, and workshop facilitator. His job as a Worker of Oracles is to create sacred space for constructive feedback and soul work - a place where dreams, goals, imagination, intuition and magick, have full sway so that you can enjoy insight, support and healing. His website is Worker of Oracles.

Music Credits

• Opening and closing music by the Droneytones.

Play or Download the Episode