So, the Tarot certification question has come up again, as it periodically does, and since some people have asked me directly (some others indirectly, and some not at all), here’s what I think:

I’m not much for Tarot certification as a general idea.  There are deck-specific certifications offered by their creators – for example, through Tarot Media Company,  I have the pleasure of sponsoring James Wanless’ Voyager Certification Intensive series each year in San Francisco. If you want a complete immersion in the Voyager Tarot and James’ approach to reading, there is no better way to learn it.  Other authors offer intensives in their decks or systems, and what better way to learn than from the person who created it? Realistically, how often are you going to have that kind of opportunity?

However, before you seek general certification as a Tarot reader, or Tarot professional, or whatever you’re being offered, it’s important to decide what benefit you want to receive from the certification process.  Tarot knowledge? self confidence? the ability to put impressive-looking initials after your name?  a professional image?  Be honest with yourself about your goal, and then decide whether certification is the best way to achieve it – or if it’s truly something you want to achieve.

Is a Tarot reader with a certificate and no real experience actually a better reader than someone with years of experience and no certificate?

Would a business license (likely required anyway) give you more professional credibility than a Tarot certification?  Tarot-To-Go receives more bookings than many other service providers in the area because we’re a registered California corporation and a licensed San Francisco business.  Those two pieces of paper provide more reassurance to clients who are new to Tarot than would a whole series of Tarot certifications. They may not be able to appreciate a credential from a Tarot association or school, but they appreciate the professional solidity and accountability conveyed by our corporate identity.

If you decide to pursue certification, choose the certifiying person or institution carefully.  Is this someone whose work you respect? Is it someone who is known – and has a positive reputation – with other people you respect?  Can you talk with others who’ve done the certification course to find out their experience with it?

What is their basis for offering certification?  What makes them qualified to judge whether someone is a good Tarot reader? Too many certification course providers remind me of the line in  “The Garden of Allah”, Don Henley’s song: “I am an expert witness because I say I am”.  While Henley included this in his satire of the American legal process, there are far too many Tarot authorities out there who are authorities because they say they are, rather than having established credibility through their own work.

There are a number of credible teachers and institutions, but you will need to do thorough research before deciding which ones, if any, with whom to pursue your studies.

Consider the financial impact. What are the fees? Can you pay them without creating undue hardship in other areas of your life?  Is there a finite term to the course, or is at ever-upward spiral of advanced courses – with an ever-upward spiral of advanced fees?

What is the time commitment?  What are you going to cut out of your schedule to make the time? Each day has only 24 hours, and you still have to eat, sleep, commute, work, walk the dog, do the laundry, and have a life.

Or, if you just want to do it because it makes you feel good, or gives you access to a teacher whose work you admire, or it gives you the confidence to start or develop your professional reading practice – great! Go for it!  Make the most of it!

However, if you decide to pursue certification, and can make it work financially and temporally, you need to be realistic about that Tarot certification will and won’t do for you.

It will give you a structured approach to learning Tarot.

It won’t give you the life experience to make sense of the knowledge.

It will give you the specific perspective of the person or persons who designed the certification course on what Tarot is, how it works, and how they think you should work with it.

Someone else can tell you what a card, symbol, or archetype means to *them*, but they can’t dictate to you what it means for you.

Only you know what it means for you.

Certification won’t give you The One Truth About Tarot.

If they insist that theirs is the Only One True Right Way To Read Tarot, leave.

Tarot contains infinite Truths.

The only thing that is True in Tarot is what is True for you.

If certification helps you find what is True for you, then do it.

Just don’t expect certification to take the place of experience.

Do not mistake theoretical knowledge for living wisdom.

Certification can give you the knowledge.

Only your courage in living your life can give you the wisdom.

A reminder to everyone who seems to be laboring under the delusion that the Tarot community is about getting even, settling scores, or proving that you’re smarter, funnier, or whatever-er than anyone else.

It’s not about you.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s not about who you like, or dislike, or despise with a white-hot passion.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s not about who did or didn’t sit next to you at the conference, or who did or didn’t buy you a drink, or who did or didn’t take the last cookie off the tea tray at the workshop eight years ago.

If you don’t like someone, don’t deal with them.

If you must deal with them, be polite, be civil. No one’s asking you to date them, adopt them, or do their laundry.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s not about which social media you use, or which chat pages you hang out on, or whether you are a solo reader or have millions of followers.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s not about which organization you belong to, or which organization you boycott, or which organizations you run, used to run, were run out of, or have run from.

If you don’t like an organization, don’t join it. If you’re in one you don’t like, don’t renew your membership.  Resign if you must, with courtesy, and in private.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s not about who did what when, or whether it was done intentionally or accidentally, or who said what to whom that was taken out of context and created an online excommunication.

It’s about Tarot.

It’s about this beautiful collection of artistic images, bundled together in packs of 22, or 78, or whatever number the artist was inspired to create.

It’s about this amazing assemblage of history, philosophy, symbolism, spirit, and imagination captured in the small pieces of paper we treasure.

It’s about making our own discoveries with the cards, sharing them with others, and listening with respect to others’ experiences, interpretations, and ideas.

It’s about playing with, working with, enjoying, and indulging in the creative abundance and occasional excess of archetypal ecstasy.

It’s about sharing the joy, the grace, the wisdom, the peace, and the glory that these images bring into our lives.

It’s not about you.

It’s about Tarot.

Enough with the whining, sniping, griping, infighting, backbiting, blaming, shaming, and flaming.

Enough with the name calling, the not-so-private asides, the petty politics and personal attacks that would cause a 13-year-old bully to blush.

Tarot is bigger than that.

Tarot is better than that.

As people who claim to love Tarot, shouldn’t we be, too?

As a long time fan of the Aquarian Tarot (it was my third deck), I’ve long admired the artwork of David Palladini, who also created the New Palladini Tarot.

Imagine my delight when Michael Orlando Yaccarino sent me an email informing me that Palladini is selling some of his artwork!  These are beautiful,new originals of Palladini’s work from both of his decks, as well as select cards from the Linweave Tarot.

If you haven’t worked with the Aquarian Tarot, I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy.  The deck is a Rider-Waite-Smith style, but the colors and images are distinctly Palladini’s work.  I fell in love with this deck the first time I used it, and it’s one of the decks that always travels with me.  I even did a reading for my grandmother with the Aquarian Tarot!

You can find out more about the artwork available on Michael’s website.  You can find out more about Palladini in the Winter 2009 issue of Tarosophist International (Vol. I, Issue 5), which is available for free to members of Tarot Professionals, and also available for purchase by non-members through The Far Away Centre Book Shop.  (But really, why choose? Join Tarot Professionals and expand your Tarot horizons!)

On Tuesday, April 6, Rose Red, Andrew, and I settled into the back room at the fantastic Borderlands Cafe and pulled out our decks in anticipation of the first San Francisco Tarot Cafe.  Jude, the manager, was terrific, and helped us pick a perfect spot.  We ordered drinks and snacks from the fantastic, fresh menu, and waited as the clock struck seven.

We were shortly joined by four wonderful people – Camille, Nina, Chaya, and Fey – who quickly became new friends through our shared love of Tarot.

Since it’s always helpful to know who one is sharing a table with, we went around for introductions.  Our group was wonderfully mixed – some new to the Tarot, some who’d been working with it a few years, and a few of us who’d been doing it somewhat longer.

We then went around and shared about our favorite card, or at least a card we really, really like.  The mix of cards – and decks – was great! People shared about Temperance from the Gill Tarot; Justice from the Mythic Tarot; the Woman of Wands from the Voyager Tarot; the Seven of Cups and the Magician from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot; and I shared about the Star card from The Wheel of Change Tarot.

For each card, the person who selected it talked about what drew them to the card, and how they worked with it in readings.  Everyone else chimed in with their ideas, and we spent time admiring each other’s decks – several of the attendees had never seen at least one of the decks someone else was using, and it was exciting to look through the cards and talk about the images. And Fey brought a brand new copy of Robert Place’s Alchemical  Tarot Renewed for everyone to admire!  (If you haven’t seen this deck, I encourage you to check it out! You can also hear Robert speak about it in detail in our Podcast #42.)

Then everyone paired off to trade short (three minute) readings.  This gave everyone a chance to play with different decks and learn reading techniques from each other.  Some pairs fit several cards into the time, and other pairs focused in depth on one card.  Then everyone switched and read again.

We talked about the readings, and what people had learned from their partner’s reading style and interpretation.  It was interesting to see the same card – in various decks – turn up in the readings. Out of six readings, we had three Chariots!  Clearly, this is a group that is on the move!

To finish, we all pulled a card for the coming week, and everyone gave their ideas about what it meant for the person who’d pulled it.  It was like having six readings all at once – interesting, and fun, and fascinating to hear the different meanings people found in the images.  Someone pulled The Devil – clearly, a week to have fun, but to do so in a sensible way!

Suddenly, it was 9:00 pm and the cafe was closing, so we quickly packed our cards, cleared our table, and went our merry ways, laughing and talking as we left.

We’ll be gathering again on April 20, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.  If you’re in San Francisco, I hope you’ll join us!

Podcast #43 is hosted by Anastasia and Rose Red, enjoying a lively conversation with Sue Wilhite about her interesting and useful book, 21 Templates That Run Your World, her classes, her publishing guide, and the many, many interesting projects she’s working on.  Click here to listen!

In this episode:

Sue Wilhite / 21 Templates That Run Your World / James Wanless / Nina Amir / Voyager Tarot / Experiential Tarot Ning / The Publishing Navigator / East West Bookstore

This week, I joined the fabulous Tarot Guild community created by Dax Carlisle. I’m glad I did! I found several Tarot friends I know from other sites (and the offline world!), such as James Ricklef, Paul Nagy, and Gail Wood.

The Tarot Guild site has a lot of great features and functionality – you can share photos, post to your own Tarot Guild blog, participate in discussion forums, find Tarot classes and meetings, and see what your friends, peers, and various Pillars of the Tarot Community are doing, thinking, and talking about!

Check out The Tarot Guild today and send me a friend request!

Visit The Tarot Guild

The Second Saturday Tarot Class schedule for April and May!

Class for April 10, 2010: Pentacles and Coins and Disks, Oh My! Since April is the month in which many of us render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s (and then some), this seems like a good month to consider representations of money in the Tarot – Pentacles, Coins, Disks, etc. We’ll also talk about actual money in Tarot – that is, Tarot as a profession.

Class for May 15, 2010 (Yes, this is the third Saturday, since Tarot-To-Go will be reading at the Berkeley Pagan Festival on the second Saturday): Tarot by the Numbers. A standard Tarot deck has 78 cards, 22 major arcana, 56 minor arcana, and 40 numbered pip cards. We’ll look at why the Tarot has this particular organization, and look at the significance of these numbers. From there, we’ll dive into the sea of numbers in the Tarot and see what we find! Whether you’re an astrophysicist or a complete arithmephobe, I’ll make working with the numbers in the Tarot easy and fun – no advanced algebraic abilities required!

Each class runs from 1:00 – 4:30 pm, held in our studio on Potrero Hill. Address and directions will be provided with your registration confirmation.

The class fee is $15.00, and includes class materials, refreshments – and a chance to win a fabulous Tarot treasure! Tarot Media Company is kindly donating an item or two each month for an end-of-workshop prize – one month it might be a raffle, another month a contest – whatever my inspiration devises!

Due to space considerations, we request that you preregister for each class. Preregistration is available on the Tarot Media Company website.

Bring your cards, notebook and pen, and creativity!

I’m delighted to announce the start of the San Francisco Tarot Cafe!  This semi-monthly gathering of Tarot readers, enthusiasts, professionals, students, and the mildly curious will  take place the first and third Tuesday of every month beginning April 6, 2010, at the fabulous Borderlands Cafe, 870 Valencia Street in San Francisco.  The Tarot Cafe will run 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. We’ll be in the back of the cafe, with lots of tables and chairs for gathering in twos, threes, fives, etc. to ooh and aah over each other’s decks and do readings.

The Tarot Cafe isn’t a formal class or workshop.  It’s an opportunity to meet with others who read the Tarot, talk about cards, practice readings, compare techniques, and enjoy the delightful beverages and delicious food offered by the friendly staff at Borderlands Cafe. We’ll start the evening with a question or topic to get the conversation going, but after that, the only guide is your imagination!

We’re excited about these gatherings, as they will give us all a chance simply to enjoy the Tarot – and the company of fellow Tarot enthusiasts – twice a month.  There’s no admission fee; we ask only that you support the cafe by indulging in a coffee, tea, snack plate, or treat.  (Or all of the above – why choose?!)  Borderlands Cafe offers an extensive selection of teas and coffee drinks, and savory snacks and sweet treats sized for individual consumption, for sharing, or for a complete meal.  (My favorite is the Antipasto Plate – yum!)

Borderlands Cafe is at 870 Valencia Street, between 19th and 20th Streets.  It’s accessible from BART, Muni lines 14, 33, and 49, and a nice stretch of the legs from Muni  lines 22, 48, and J Metro.  Street parking is doable within a block or two of Borderlands, since the meters turn off at 6:00 pm.

Registration isn’t required, but we’d appreciate it if you would please email us so we have an idea of how many people to expect, that will allow us to reserve enough tables.  Even if you don’t manage to let us know ahead of time, feel free to drop in – the more, the merrier!

See you at 7:00 pm on April 6 at Borderlands Cafe!

We’re delighted and honored to be the Featured Blog in the March 16 edition of the Tarot Tips Newsletter from The Tarot School!

The biweekly newsletter – written by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone, and Gina Thies – is one of the many great resources offered by The Tarot School.  Each issue features a Tarot tip to improve your reading skills, an in-depth look at one card, and a Best Practice tip for working with your clients. The newsletter also features a calendar of upcoming events and classes, so you can plan your schedule.

If you don’t already subscribe to the Tarot Tips newsletter, you can do so by clicking here!