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Craig Browning wrote:I hope that clears things up a bit...

http://www.leapinglizardsmagic.com/forb ... rotDVD.htm

this has been getting rave reviews if thats any help...

or if your wife is just interested, and fancies having a go at it, rather than dedicate her entire life to the subject, maybe try:

http://www.deceptionary.com/tutor-tarot.html

after reading up on the basics...but i've always found the little booklets you get in the decks dry as a bone, and a bit useless...

you can also go and read a lot of interesting stuff from http://enriqueenriquez.net/_wsn/page3.html

he's also a very kind and generous man, and I'm sure he wouldnt mind you emailing him...

Do you have to have the cards in a small wooden box? Or can they be in the purple or whatever colored clothe and in a small cardboard box (about the same size as the case). Because I looked for a small wooden box for the cards and couldn't find any place that had one the same size as the case or even close to it.

if you feel the need to, to keep those all too important energies within the cards - then just ebay search "tarot box"...

Tho is it required to have all the stuff? Or will just one of the above do just fine.

depends on your belief system...if you feel the need to protect your tarot from other people's vibes..then wrap it in a cloth and keep it in a box...

otherwise...and if you're just learning and practicing...then dont...or if you choose to not believe in it at all...

Randy... just keep it simple

I must have a dozen decks in my house right now, some are in neat decorative boxes, some wrapped in cloth and others simply held together by rubber-band and tossed in a box with other such odds & ends.

Yes, I do extend a "reverence" for lack of a better term, to the cards but at the same time I am not overly fanatical about all the ritual and trimming. For starters using some of the incense that the old gypsies tell you to use, could bring on a lawsuit these days... the smell alone can trigger many breathing problems let alone the more promoted "dangers" tied to the smoke. But too, most westerners that are over 30, just aren't that into that scene.

In business packaging is one of the more important element when it comes to success. If your wife is going to promote herself as a consummate and confident professional then she needs to look and act the part... this would include how she takes care of her cards. Most of the ladies I've worked around have them wrapped in a scarf and in their purse but one of the most successful female Readers I've ever worked with kept her cards in a wonderful Gucci handbag... she always dressed to the 9s in that her clients pay no less than $300.00 a visit (for 15 minutes) and she works with movers and shakers of society, frequently giving a Reading during a plan trip from New York to Miami or some such.

A novice can pick up a good deal through the abundant on-line resources but it really isn't until they start working the cards... going up to a complete stranger asking them to draw any card from the pack and on the spot, given them a sound 5 minute dissertation in which the card's message and significance is tied in with her empathy -- her connection with him.

Ignoring the Tarot for a second, I would suggest you give her a bit of an added edge... introduce her to material like "The Gentle Art of Cold Reading" by Lee Earle and Richard Webster's "Psychometry from A-Z" in that these two bits alone, when coupled with her understanding of the cards and being able to connect with others... well, she'll be on heck of a good Reader... maybe she'll be able to move into the Country Club market and then over to Wall Street...

Ah, I love the tarot! What can I say, for the better part of my life I have been a professional tarot reader and astrologist. Although I worked in theatre and in Mentalism (which I still contribute from time to time) for most of my life, during that time I found quite a niche performing readings, and even began lecturing on the subject.

Now, Mr Browning gave you valuable information regarding insights into tarot, although he mentioned looking into cold reading resources. Now, I do not know if you wife wants to begin performing actual readings, or start doing conjuring tricks with her decks, nonetheless, I do not suggest she study cold reading. Now for magicians and mentalists, mind-readers alike cold-reading is a great resource but for those wishing to perform "Shut-eye" readings which I assume you wife is planning on doing, cold reading only over-complicates the process of interpreting the cards.

Each card is like a painting, and as we know a painting is worth a thousand words. Now, who would you rather, take you on an in-depth guided tour of the Louvre; an experienced professional artist who has been trained at an Art school, or a tour guide who simply knows how to talk about the various paintings, yet has no knowledge of art itself. I believe the same goes with tarot, astrology, etc... You need to understand first the systems, the history, the cards themselves. Cold reading is a great utilitarian system, but if you want to give honest sincere readings for others, and use the cards for yourself I suggest seeing the cards as a picture book of life. Looking at the cards as if you were the Fool, taking a journey.

"You will only begin to understand others, when you start to understand yourself"

http://thefoolsjourney.net/stages.htm

http://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm

(these two links above are wonderful sources of information regarding the "Fools Journey", I think that, before you begin dissecting each individual meaning of the cards, you need to realise what the cards mean as a whole.)

I also want to stress what my mentor stressed when I began learning the tarot. IT IS NOT STATIC. The tarot represents life, and life is always changing moving. That is why not one meaning can be applied when studying. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and no two persons will come up with the same vocabulary list. It is also stressed that tarot is an oracle system, that means based on the current situation the cards will come to be based off the energies associated with the questions (that last statement may or may not make sense )

The first exercise I went through with the tarot was to take a deck, shuffle them, then lay out three or four cards in a chronological order creating a story. Then based off my own intuition & imagination I would have to come up with a story based on the pictures, I would then put this into a journal. This journal with all my compiled "stories" became my own Tarot Readers notebook, that I would look to during difficult readings. These stories provided actual insight into my own life at the time and then could be related to others. The Tarot is like a motion picture you have millions of possibilities for one single plot.

Once you understand that the cards on whole make one story you can begin to understand them scene by scene, the way a film student would begin to study a movie.

You dissect the card by;

-colours
-numbers
-pictures
-symbols
-Also the general scene, such as mountains in the background, deserts, city scenes, etc...

My mentor made me take each card, and list its traits. Based on interpretations by five or six different authors I would then write all the meanings of lets say a number the card contained, such as 7. If you have five different sources giving you their interpretations of a topic you can get a general idea of that one topic. This generalization of the subject then gives you greater leeway into intuitively grasping the meanings attached to the current situation.

Numerology: http://www.tarotteachings.com/number-me ... cards.html (the meaning of numbers within the cards

Astrology: Cups:Water Signs, Pentacles:Earth Signs, Swords: Air Signs, Wands: Fire Signs. (This helps in relating cards to your sitter)

If you have any other questions PM me or of course anyone else.

How dreadfully odd. I think I actually agree with the seer personage for once.

Now, Mr Browning gave you valuable information regarding insights into tarot, although he mentioned looking into cold reading resources. Now, I do not know if you wife wants to begin performing actual readings, or start doing conjuring tricks with her decks, nonetheless, I do not suggest she study cold reading. Now for magicians and mentalists, mind-readers alike cold-reading is a great resource but for those wishing to perform "Shut-eye" readings which I assume you wife is planning on doing, cold reading only over-complicates the process of interpreting the cards.

Ok... you picked up on something here Seer that I didn't see until I just re-read that post...

I agree with you to a point... I always encourage the novice to learn at least one main system exactly as it is outlined in all of the standard and tailored (to that deck) literature as well (as we've discussed previously) the meditation techniques that help put the Reader in empathy with their cards or whatever oracle they may choose to work with. THEN... after no less than 3-6 months of proper study, augment that knowledge with limited Reading methods or, if you would "Profiling" techniques.

I see this "next step" as being one more layer to the onion's skin that helps in refining a Reading but likewise proves a solid template from which to work; sewing one's spiel onto the psychological fabric in question.

The Webster book I suggests hosts another prime reason for study; the principle behind it (as well as his Aura Reading method) can aid the Reader when drawing a blank as to what to say and how to fill in gaps. In the 30 some years I've done Readings I've found both of these practices of tremendous value even though I'm rather outspoken "against" the more common idea of "Cold Reading" without an honest sense of foundation. As with about everything I teach (especially on the mystical/spiritual side of things) balance and intuition are the primary keys to success. That would mean that the Reader owes it to his/her self to learn both, the traditional elements around said oracle as well as the "opposing" theories as to how things "work".

Sorry for the confusion in the above, I placed the horse ahead of the cart

Excellent thread folks, with some well thought out posts. I think Craig has made an excellent point about the length of time you need to devote to this subject to give it the justice that it, and your customers deserve.

It took me over a year of study to get to the point where I was happy with my knowledge of the Tarot before subjecting myself on the general public. You will come across people, particularly those that are willing to pay for readings, that will have a certain knowledge of the cards themselves, that no amount of knowledge of cold reading will get you out of if they think you are conning them.

I think that it is worth mentioning that superstition, and people's beliefs are powerful things. There's every chance that for particularly voulnerable people may be making important decisions based on what you tell them.

Finally, no amount of studying will prepare you for what a real reading is like, particularly when you're reading for a complete stranger for the first time. It's like the difference between performing magic for your family and friends, and doing a proper paid show for strangers that have hired you. Personally, I have never been to a psychic fair, and wouldn't know where to start, but once you know what you are doing, the best way to learn and practice is to actually get out there and do proper readings for the public.

Well Craig I well agree, but when you begin to over-intellectualize your readings you will begin to miss your mark. Kenton Knepper author of numerous books on Mind Reading/Cold Reading and mentor to the likes of Enrique Enriquez and such is a proponent to using your intuition, even wild off the wall predictions, during your readings. (You always have your outs) Realising that your own expierences influence your thoughts and humans share very similar life expierences. The more you see your sitter as yourself (or are able to liken them to someone you know or reminds you of someone) the more hits your will make.

And YES, MagickMax you make an excellent point that no matte how manay disclaimers you may give, belief is a very VERY powerful thing. Even if you go into a reading telling yourself that: "The Psychic is just full of bull" or "Its all for entertainment", and during the course of your readings the psychic tells you, you are going to run into hard times, or your wife is cheating on you...so and so... No matter what you tell yourself, something will still make you wonder if they psychic is going to be right. You as a reader will open these doors to possibilites and world your sitter can only imagine. You may without knowing confirm thoughts or feelings of your sitter, influencing actions you may have never realised. You have POWER as a reader, you need to HUMBLE yourself if you want to be truly sincere. How do you think these cults start, or ridiculous psychics maintian followings.

Now I know the last two examples are a little extreme and my topic has strayed away from the topic of Tarot, but still, if you want to get into the business you need to conduct yourself with a code of "Readers Ethics". That is my advice to you, it has worked for me, for many, many years.

Beyond that, if you ever do work psychic faires, or maybe open shop, word of advice. STAY AWAY FROM CHEESY PICTURES OF FAIRIES AND ANGELS. I can not even begin to describe how cheesy psychic readers are, if it is not Gothic vampires and dragons its baby angels and pictures of tinkerbell. Please retain some dignity and conduct yourself with fairly nice clothing (no gaudi jewellery) put on some nice smelling scent, cover your table with maybe a red velvet cloth, or maybe a pleasently designed table covering. Hang some esoteric star charts, maybe some pleasent classic landscape scenes. Something that hints at mystery, but dosent scream, "Welcome to the dollar store clearing house of Psychic readers!" You want to be modern, yet classy.

theseer wrote:You want to be modern, yet classy.

i agree with you completely there...

i was lucky enough to have a curry with enrique a couple of years back, with a few others too (it wasnt like a date or anything)...and what a charming, lovely man he is...

i kinda "got" what enrique was teaching, especially so when he lectured at Tabula Mentis...and the technique(s) are beautiful...and highly adaptable...

he was very encouraging when i asked him about using pieces of exisitng art, or imaginary ones

even doing a "famous people round for dinner" style reading too...

on a side note, he's also helped me with some photos I'm developing (pardon the pun) alongside a rather talented gentleman we have on this board...they'll let you give a reading, but the framework will be different visually for the sitter...

So I can't use my Pokemon trading cards for tarot work?! Well that's just great!

"Hmm, Charmander.. You just got fired from your job."

Randy wrote:So I can't use my Pokemon trading cards for tarot work?! Well that's just great!

"Hmm, Charmander.. You just got fired from your job."

Actually, you can literally use most anything as an oracle so long as you assign some sense of meaning to it that "flows" for you. I forget the name of it now but there was a deck out for years with Far Side styled comic art on them. Though partly parody you actually could do a decent Reading with them... my eldest step son used them for a while when he was in high school and having fun with friends... but then what's a lad to do when his parents are recognized as the "witches" from down the block

I'm still trying to figure out how we got that reputation... if it was from the various impalement and cremations we did in the yard during Halloween or the big Pentacle on the door :?


Enrique's methods (the "Invisible" techniques) are priceless but once again I have to say that this area of study and application is a "next step" to the process; you much crawl before you can walk, etc. and in this work, there is no short cut... not if you want to keep your wits about you and stand on level footing with how the over-all industry understands this or that oracle.

Yes, I'm exceptionally familiar with Kenton & Enrique's thinking along with several other members of S.C.H.0.0.L. several of whom are decent friends of mine. For the most part I offer tremendous support when it comes to the things shared from said resources but I still come back to one being able to under stand the difference between the letter A vs. the letter B and a Vowel vs. a Consonant... this is what we are doing when we seek to learn the LANGUAGE of any given oracle but most especially something like the Tarot. Just as learning out A,B,Cs took a couple of years of early life, so too our ability to learn this new language is going to entail several small steps before we are ready to take the greater ones, such as vocabulary building i.e. better understanding the metaphoric and even clinical significance of colors, shapes, placement, and so forth let alone the correlation that exists between card A and that of Card F based on suit, value and location in the spread.

Intuitive Reading is imperative, but it must be likewise trained and not just assumed... we all know what it means to assume (I'd suspect) and my position here is to prevent anyone from falling into said snare.

Yes, intuition - the mentalist's secret weapon that is so often simply ignored. I love intuition - it's a beautiful thing.