I am back home and another Readers Studio is a very pleasant memory.
As always, the experience is more than just the classes.
It’s the camaraderie of fellow tarot enthusiasts who understand when you describe people as ‘such a Knight of Swords.’
It’s spending days immersed in a world where conversations are peppered with references to place energy, spirits, crystals. They range from Carl Jung, Gestalt Theory, the Milgram Experiment, and Shadow Work, to Brat Dolls, Gem Girls, the unintended consequences of the Protestant work ethic. This was just during one lunch.
And no one thought it was weird.
It’s being in the company of people who share their sage spray so you can calm the jangly energy in your hotel room so you can sleep better… and it works.
Readers Studio is as much a business convention as it is family reunion. We look out for each making sure everyone is fed, hydrated, and has a place to sleep, while at the same time sharing marketing advice and branding techniques. By the time Sunday rolls around every participant is a cousin on the Tarot School side of the family. And no one thinks that’s weird either.
It’s a conclave of tarot lovers where researchers, publishers, artists, professional readers, writers, and therapists mingle and share that love. Every year I leave Readers Studio with a renewed passion for the tarot and new skills to deploy. I also have a full heart and deep abiding love for all the wonderful people I spent the past few days with.
About ten days ago I pulled The Tower for my card of the day. I posted it on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter then I got on with my day. That day was whacky and I shared some of the mayhem online. Since then I’ve had several conversations with friends and clients, regarding the Tower and what it means. I think this is worth sharing here.
That morning was full of small annoyances that I didn’t put together right away. I started the day by sleeping through my alarm. I can’t remember the last time I did that. I misplaced my car keys and was five minutes late for what I thought was a ten o’clock appointment. At ten-fifteen I texted the woman I was meeting with to say I hope she was okay and that we could reschedule. She called to let me know it was really an eleven o’clock appointment. I checked my phone calendar and sure enough it was for eleven.
It wasn’t worth going back home so I drove down the block and parked in front of the bagel place. While I was inside getting a quick breakfast sandwich I got a parking ticket. After my appointment I thought I’d just pay the ticket and get it over with but the court closed at noon for lunch. I went on with my plans hoping things would be less pesky from then on.
While loading groceries into my car I got an awful cardboard cut on my thumb. For the first time in memory I had no bandages in my purse. There were none in the car. I wrapped my bleeding thumb in some napkins and drove home. I opened the car door in my driveway and I learned the hard way that half a dozen hairs on my head had gotten caught in the window when I closed it. I bandaged up my thumb, and got the groceries into the house uneventfully. This was followed by my lunch exploding all over the inside of the microwave and burning my tongue on a cup of tea. That’s when I called it a day, changed into my house clothes and stayed home.
The Tower is an alert. It is also a message to pay attention. It’s a call to keep an eye out and be mindful because surprises happen. In a reading, depending on the question asked, The Tower can be a wakeup call. It shows up to jar you and make you focus. The image is startling and the thought of the experience it depicts helps you hone in on what is actually important to you. It shakes you up and gets you thinking about the world outside your comfort zone; outside your head.
Occasionally I will have a client freak a little when The Tower makes an appearance. Sometimes they are responding to the image and sometimes they know just enough about Tarot that they spook themselves. I’m always amazed at the human capacity to assume the worst.
That lightning strike that breaks the tower could be that bolt from the blue that brings clarity. It could be a catalyst event that brings sudden understanding. It is a moment of enlightenment. This is not sunshine and roses but it’s not Armageddon either. ‘A-ha’ moments are game changers. A sudden deeper understanding of yourself or the world around you changes your life forever. You can never go back to not knowing what you know and, with that, the old ways are destroyed.
Certain structures in your life are in your way. They could be habits, relationships, routines, even thinking patterns that are unhelpful but comfortable and familiar to you. Their destruction would be an upheaval but it would also be the best thing that ever happened to you. It won’t feel that way when it’s going on but looking back on the experience you will be grateful for it. The Tower can mean that too.
Yes, the Tower can be bad news. It’s giving you a heads up that something unpleasant is headed your way. This could be a humbling experience. A blow to your ego can feel like an exploding tower. What the Tower refers to has everything to do with the context of your reading and the questions you asked. It is also influenced by the other cards pulled for that question. Maybe it means your job is in jeopardy or maybe that you’re being transferred. It might mean the boss you love is leaving or you will have that fight with your annoying co-worker.
As my card of the day the Tower was the energy of that day. It was a series of irritating things that tested my balance and resilience. It had no other context and answered no focused questions for me. In isolation it is the energy of release, of falling structures, of chaos and confusion, it’s the revelation of a hidden truth, it’s disruption of order and it’s unpredictable. As you can see from my day in that energy, it can just be really annoying.
This recent moon cycle I pulled my card of the day from the Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot. I chose this deck because it’s been showing up in my social media feeds and, from the images I saw, the artwork intrigued me.
When I get a new deck, or am perusing someone else’s ‘new to me’ deck, I look at and for a few things. The feel of the cards matters to me. That includes not only the surface texture but the flexibility of the cards and the sturdiness. There is a sweet spot. It’s the place where flexibility allows for a good shuffle and the quality provides a confidence that the deck won’t fall apart quickly with continued use. This deck hits that sweet spot for me.
I next check out some specific cards. I think most tarot readers do this but we don’t all examine the same cards. I start with Death because I’m fascinated with the ways different artists interpret that card.
The others I always check out are the Tower, The High Priestess, and my birth card, The Empress. Her Empress is unique in she is not pregnant or surrounded by food and flowers. She is out in nature, gently examining it and being examined by it in turn. Still there is an abundance feeling to the image in the relaxed, at home posture of the Empress. Compared to the Empress in a different deck this one looks almost sparse but in her element, in the context of this deck, she is in repose and quite magnanimous.
The deck, as a whole, also needs to speak to me. The images might be beautiful but if I don’t connect to them I can’t give a good reading with them. This deck was interesting because I wasn’t actually thrilled with it at first but I couldn’t stop looking at it. It’s the creepy/cute thing. It’s beautifully uncomfortable when it’s done well and in this deck it is done well. The first few days I did a daily draw and thought for sure I’d be giving this deck away when I was done. Now, I’m not parting with it. That decision was made when I pulled the Ten of Swords.
This is an amazing depiction of the meaning and energy of that card. She is both martyr and victim in one.
All in all I like this deck. The artwork is well executed and in keeping with the Rider Waite Smith meanings of the cards. The quality of the cards themselves is good; flexible enough to shuffle but sturdy enough to last. If creepy cute artwork does it for you then I recommend Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot.
Bring it home and play with it forever, and ever, and ever.
Spring is here in the Hudson Valley and little plants are poking up through the soil. The grass in my yard is slowly greening. There is a fresh-start feeling to springtime and an urge to start something new. I’ve been feeling it myself so I pulled a few cards for insight.
The Hermit ~ How do you know where to begin without some study and introspection? What needs to be refreshed or renewed in your life? What new endeavor should you pursue? The Hermit says to get quiet with yourself and get clear about who you are and who you want to be. Then you can decide what is best for you to do next. Take some time and ask yourself where you want to be, and who you want to be in six months; in a year. Compare that to where and who you are now. What steps, in which direction, do you need to take, to get from here to there?
Nine of Cups ~ There is so much good in your life right now. Take a moment to appreciate all that is working for and pleasing to you. So much of your life is good. We tend to forget about the parts or our lives that aren’t causing us trouble because they generally don’t require a lot of attention. Take a good look at your current situation and list all the things you can be grateful for. As we move through changes to improve our lives it’s important to express gratitude for the life we already have. When you know what is good and functional in your life, you can build on that and better see what is not working and how to improve it.
The Tower ~ Change can be messy. Big changes can bring big messes. This can be discouraging, but understand, it is all part of the growth process. Sometimes, to create something new, you have to destroy something old. To have what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done. This can mean breaking old habits and that’s uncomfortable. A big goal requires a big change and change can be destructive as well as disruptive. The Tower is here to remind you that that is how it goes sometimes and it’s not a sign that things are going wrong. It’s a sign that change is happening.
Page of Wands ~ Be brave. Change is scary. New beginnings are scary. Doing something you’ve never done before is unsettling. You’ve got this. Having the courage to change or to try something new is just the beginning. If you want it you will have to find that place in you that won’t take ‘No’ for an answer, and go get it. Be creative in your approach and in how you manage setbacks. Just because one avenue closed doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to approach your challenge. Remember this is your adventure.
