Do I really need to know all this stuff?
Sometimes, it all feels like so much information that you cannot retain it all, “There’s no way I’ll ever be able to get a true grip on this!” you may say to yourself. First, you will be well prepared in a few more weeks. Second, the tarot is always a humbling force. Turning my practice into this course has brought me to my knees numerous times over the time it took to build it.
The tarot invites us on a journey into a vast realm that we explore over time. The good student isn’t the one with the best memory or the one who knows all the signs, symbols, correspondences, and what the textbooks say they mean. All it takes to be a good student of the tarot is to want to know it better. It is like a relationship that deepens over time.
In this training, we will primarily focus on the images on the cards. Along the way, you will be introduced to the symbolic languages that inspire those images, such as the Tree of Life and Astrology.
To begin using Tarot, you do not need to learn about the Tree of Life or Astrology. In fact, learning about Tarot will teach you about the Tree of Life and Astrology! When you encounter unfamiliar symbols and terms, note them and be assured that you will understand them more fully over time. Relax, enjoy the ride, and engage your childlike wonder! Questions are the lifeblood of this practice.
Asking questions.
Nothing is more critical to practicing tarot than asking questions! Yes to questions!
Send your questions to the Discord group. This can help generate our discussion in live and 1:1 sessions and keep us connected in our practice.
Please tag your post by using a ‘#’ symbol and the lesson key, or ‘#spread’ for anything related to reading. For example, #T.0 for questions about The Fool card. This converts the chat into an easy-to-search database, enabling us to find all questions related to a specific topic quickly.
You can use multiple tags, like #spread #1.3 #2.5 #T.3, to capture a question about a spread with 4, 5, or 6 Pentacles, 10 Princess or Knight of Swords, and the Empress.
Here are a few suggestions to help make our Discord group effective:
- Be patient in receiving responses and prompt in offering your thoughts.
- Use tags and the reply feature to connect conversations.
- Include a picture if you’re asking about a specific card or spread.
- Remember that you don’t have to stay caught up all the time! If a lot of conversation has occurred that you haven’t had a chance to read, but you want to ask a question, feel free to jump in.
- Remember that you can search for tags to see if any conversations have happened around a specific topic.
Another helpful thing to do is ask about words you aren’t sure about, so we can continue building up our glossary. The preferred system involves tagging those questions with #glossary and then putting the word in asterisks like *word*.
A message would look like: What does #glossary *sefirah/sefirot* mean?