The American Association Quarterly Journal Fall 2008 In This Issue: Chris Butler Interview

The Devil, and Queens

Publishing Tips Weiser Decks Venus Cards Clutter Consulting

With Tarot Website and Deck Reviews Fall 2008 Issue - Table of Contents ATA News President‘s Corner page 1 Board Elections and Mentoring Program page 2 Features Interview with Chris Butler by Melanie Harris page 3 In View of by Leah Samul page 6 Functionality of the Tarot Aces by Bonnie Cehovet page 9 Clutter Consulting with the Tarot by Bev Hitchins page 12 The Queens: The Source of Power by Linda Gail Walters page 14 Insider Tips to Get Your Tarot Book Published by Melanie Harris page 16 Stars and Cards: Venus Cards by Elizabeth Hazel page 19 The History Geek page 23 Collector‘s Corner: Weiser Decks by Casey DuHamel page 24 Timeless Classics: The Greater Trumps by Sherryl Smith page 27 Reviews Tarot Website Reviews by Linda Gail Walters page 29 The Mystic Dreamer Tarot by Stephanie Arwen Lynch page 32 The Whispering Tarot by Leah Samul page 33 Fantastical Creatures Tarot by Leah Samul page 34 Back Matter Letter from the Editor and Submission Guidelines page 36 Organization Information back page

On the Cover: The of Pentacles from the Mystic Dreamer Tarot. Based on the Rider-Waite tradition, featuring updated symbols and imagery, this beautiful deck is designed to stimulate intuition, introspection and in- spiration. Mystic Dreamer Tarot, text by Barbara Moore, artwork by Heidi Darras © 2008. Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd, 2043 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125. Used with the permission and best wishes of the publisher. All rights reserved. ATA News President’s Corner

It‘s fall and you know what that means. Elections are upon us! No, not the American version of the WWF Smack Down but the ATA‘s elections. We need you. Please consider running for one of the open Board positions. The meetings are via telephone once a month. We work anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours making decisions and trying to improve the ATA. And we would love to have you. I want to address something that‘s come up from a few vocal members. This publication is sent out via mail and email. Some have complained that they are paying a higher price and therefore they should not have to see the Quarterly online before it is in their hands. I think there is a mistake sense of entitlement here. The extra money paid to receive the Quarterly in print is not about speed. It‘s about having the publication in your hands physically. That extra money goes to pay for the high cost of printing and mailing the Quarterly. To be honest, those of us who do pay for the print version of the Quarterly are funding one issue a year. I admit that it does bother me to read people who are unhappy with the ATA. Every Board member is approach- able and welcomes input. If we have to stumble across some unhappiness on the web, it makes it very difficult for us to tackle the things that bother you. If we the Board are not doing what you the membership wants, let us know. Overall, I am hearing from happy members who feel that they are getting what they wanted. And we have big things in the pipe! Our member-at-large, Paul Weiss, is actively working with people who want to start local Tarot groups. He is also in charge of a Professional Tarot Consultant Network where we hope to connect readers with one another. Remember that if you do not speak up, we can not do anything. Your voice is our guide. I invite you to write to the board at [email protected]. This will go directly to our Yahoo loop so your letter will be seen by all the Board members.

And don‘t forget to step up if you want to help the ATA grow and move forward. Without you, we don‘t exist. Check out the election information in this issue to see what positions will be open. Until next time, Stephanie Arwen Lynch Marilu Mann (writing alter-ego of Stephanie Arwen Lynch) released a novella 9/10/08 called Sapphire Tease. The sequel to her May release will be out 11/07/08 titled Changing (Lusting Wild 2).

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 1 ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 2

ATA Board Elections The ATA is holding elections this winter for the following positions on its Board of Directors: Vice Presi- dent of Education, Vice President of Communications, Secretary, and Treasurer. Please help us make this a truly democratic election by volunteering to serve on the Elections Committee. The Committee writes up election information, reviews nominees' qualifications, draws up a slate of candidates, creates the ballots, and counts the votes. Most of the work will occur in late December and early January when the nominees' quali- fications must be examined, and again in late February to early March when the votes are counted. The com- mittee disbands in March once the election is completed. If you are interested, please familiarize yourself with the ATA's Elections Procedures at this link http://www.ata-tarot.com/election-procedures.htm . To volunteer or ask questions about the committee or the election process, please contact Sherryl Smith at Sec- [email protected] . The deadline for volunteering is September 30, 2008.

The Mentoring Program The mentoring program is available to any member wanting the help of a more experienced reader. We also wel- come experienced readers to join the pool of mentors. This is a wonderful way to meet new people and share ideas. Teachers often learn great things from their students.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor or being assigned a mentor, contact Errol McLendon at [email protected]. In the email, briefly explain your background. If you are interested in mentoring, also include the number of students you would be willing to help.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 3 Interview with Quantum Tarot’s Chris Butler By Melanie Harris

Traditional are fine, but using these same designs again and again can get a bit dull after a while. Sometimes we crave something a little more out of the out of the ordinary, and The Quantum Tarot is out of this world. Out this September from Kunati Inc., The Quantum Tarot is a brand new deck that carries far the idea of pure energy embodied in imagery. Here, stars, planets, and subatomic particles mix with cups, swords, wands, and pentacles to reveal new levels of symbolic reality. We wanted to find out more, so we tracked down Chris Butler, the professional artist behind these very intriguing images. From his home in Liverpool, England, this is what Chris had to say. Quarterly Journal: Tell me more about the concept behind the Quantum Tarot. Chris Butler: The concept for the Quantum Tarot came from Kay Stop- forth. Kay had previously published an oracle deck with Thorsons/ Element (now part of Harper Collins) in 1999. Entitled The Universe Cards, each card took stellar imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope or a similar source and combined its divinatory meaning with elements of Quantum Physics and astronomy. The Quantum Tarot evolved out of this concept for two reasons. Firstly, Kay had long thought the basic combi- nation of cutting edge science and divination would benefit if expanded into a full 78-card tarot deck. Secondly, she had never been completely satisfied with the card images in the original version of The Universe Cards. Thorsons had done a stunning job in design and presentation, but Kay had often wondered if a more fantasy-based approach was possible for the artwork itself. As a writer working on her own, this hadn‘t been possible in the late nineties, but a combination of our talents several years later allowed the concept to be born out to her original wishes. QJ: How did you create the artwork for this deck? CB: The artwork was created digitally in Photoshop and our starting point was a selection of photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. I used these and other photographs to improvise collaged images around the card meanings already devised by Kay. The first versions of the cards were completed within a three-month period in early 2006. We had discussed the possibility of working together on the project in January, and we eventually got together mid February for a trial work session, to see whether or not the collaboration would be practical. As it happened, there were no worries. We had an incredibly productive day, with myself putting the images together on the computer and Kay overseeing and giving instructions where necessary. We completed the first versions of and that day, and with both of us more than happy with the results, the stage was set to proceed on the rest of the deck. Over the next few months, we worked together for two or three days a week, often completing four or five images in a day. These work sessions were some of the most intensive I‘ve ever experienced, but seeing the cards emerge was unbelievably satisfying. We posted a lot of the images on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum as they were being cre- ated, and the feedback from our friends there was invaluable. Many of their suggestions were incorporated into the cards, and I know that similarly, Kay received a great deal of constructive advice for the accompanying book. More than a year passed before we landed our publishing deal with Kunati. In the meantime, we had been turned down by several of the major players. Kay‘s previous publisher, Thorsons/Element had given the project serious consideration but by that stage, their Mind, Body and Spirit catalogue had moved too far away from tarot publish- ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 4 ing and they decided against trying to re-launch themselves into that mar- ket. We were bitterly disappointed, but in the long run, it was a blessing in disguise. The interim period prior to publishing allowed the artwork to rest and my Photoshop skills to mature. When we finally signed with Kunati just over a year later, I was able to revisit and revise the artwork. The finished deck is both technically and symbolically richer as a result.

QJ: What is the coolest thing about the Quantum Tarot? CB: Probably the coolest thing of all is the original concept; I don‘t feel conceited praising that one, as it wasn‘t mine! I always thought Kay‘s idea of fusing cutting edge science with the ancient, almost primal, concept of divination is pure genius. The Hubble Space Telescope photos are stun- ningly beautiful; they express the modernity of the modern technology that created them, but the nebulas, stars and galaxies themselves are an- cient beyond comprehension, and that‘s the best paradox of all in the Quantum Tarot. I have to say, the other coolest thing about the Quantum Tarot is its publisher! I can‘t begin to express what a dream Kunati have been to work with. They really treated this project like a baby, something that shows in the quality of the deck‘s presentation. No attention to detail was spared, and both Kay and I have been left feeling that the deck has turned out better with Kunati than it could have with any other pub- lisher. QJ: How did you get your start doing illustration work? CB: My artistic talent appeared almost from nowhere at the age of fif- teen. I‘d shown no promise prior to this but suddenly began to develop rapidly. By the age of seventeen, my draw- ing skills had matured to the level they are at today, despite having no formal training. My first work was published when I was seventeen and a half when I took some drawings along to a sci-fi convention to enter into a competi- tion. My work caught the eye of a magazine editor who hired me on the spot. As a result, I illustrated three inter- views with cast members of the classic Doctor Who series for Space Voyager magazine. I painted and illustrated sporadically for years but it wasn‘t until 2002 that I finally went full time. In the meantime I had gained a Theology degree and worked as a London Underground Station manager amongst other things. Af- ter going freelance, I worked as an assistant to a guy called Tony Raymond, one of Europe‘s most successful deco- rative artists. I got to work on mural schemes in a number of stately homes and celebrity houses during this time. It was tough work but Tony taught me the need to be adaptable within a sometimes cruelly competitive business. If I learned nothing else, I learned the hard reality that as an artist, you paint or draw what other people want from you for the most part. On rare occasions you get to paint for your own inspiration but that‘s the exception more than the rule. The key is learning to enjoy the challenge of whatever‘s thrown at you and being open minded. The big change for me came in 2003 when I went digital. A close friend introduced me to Photoshop and taught me the basics. I also received huge amounts of support, encouragement and informal tuition from Ciro Marchetti, creator of the Gilded Tarot and Tarot of Dreams. It took time to reach the level I‘m at now, but even then, I had a sense of having discovered my media. It‘s only through working this way that I‘ve been able to realize the long held ambition of creating my own decks, although I never dreamed I‘d do five or more! QJ: Which is your favorite of all your card illustration projects? CB: That‘s so difficult to answer. Consequently, I‘ll have to be awkward and name three instead of one! The Quantum Tarot will always be uniquely special as it realized my ambition of seeing one of my decks commercially published. On an artistic level, I grew so much through its gestation, too. The best projects are often the ones you wouldn‘t have thought of or chosen yourself, because they stretch you beyond your perceived limitations. This was ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 5 definitely the case working with Kay, and for me, the Quantum project was literally a gateway to a new way of working. On a more personal level, The Son Tarot is very significant. The deck has a gay theme and creating it was almost a rite of passage for me. There are two very good gay decks already on the market (The Son Tarot is dedicated to their creators - Lee Bursten and Patric Stillman) but I still felt I could offer something unique. My idea was to show something of the inner lives and feelings of gay men. The Four Elements play a strong visual role in the deck and I‘ve used them to explore our passions and motivations, as well as the spiritual side of our natures. If I could make a wish for any of my projects to be commercially published, this would be the one. Finally, I have to mention my Lenormand based Technoracle for the simple reason it was the greatest fun to cre- ate. I‘d wanted to learn how to use Lenormand cards for a long time, so I decided to re-illustrate them as a means of learning the symbology. The deck isn‘t my greatest technical or artistic achievement, but the few weeks I spent working on it would be hard to beat for their feel good factor. QJ: How did you first get interested in the tarot, anyway? CB: Believe it or not, I discovered the cards through watching the James Bond movie Live and Let Die at the age of thirteen. Thankfully, I never had any inclination to emulate Jane Seymour‘s reading outfits, but I did want her card deck! Playing cards had always fascinated me as a child, but the strange, heraldically colored images of the Fergus Hall tarot cards used in the movie captured my imagination in a new way. Soon after seeing the film I bought this deck along with a blue box Rider Waite and a Swiss 1JJ tarot. All three are still firm favorites with me. QJ: What's your theory on the original purpose of tarot cards? CB: I think the cards were designed and devised in Italy as a card game, nothing more, nothing less. What I would say is that I don‘t feel we attach as great an importance to games as our medieval and renaissance counterparts did. Games like the Tarot, with their symbolic imagery, were designed to educate and enlighten as well as to amuse. This doesn‘t diminish our modern day uses for the cards. For me, it compliments them. QJ: Any other tarot projects in the works? CB: I‘m currently writing the book for the Son Tarot. Many of the ideas are being developed on my blog, ‗A gay man and a deck of cards‘ (http://son tarot.blogspot.com). I‘ve also started work on a new deck, but with only two cards completed, it‘s in the very earliest of stages. Chances are, this one will be quite different from anything I‘ve done so far. I certainly want the artwork to be along a more surrealist line, and the deck won‘t have any particular theme like the Quantum or Son Tarots. It will be more of a classic deck. QJ: One more question, Chris, and it‘s a big one. If you could find out the answer to any mystery, what would you want to know? CB: The mystery of the Cosmic Ordering Service! We have several key TV celebrities espousing this philosophy over in the UK at the moment, and I don‘t know whether to be interested or amused. For instance, if I send my wish for George Clooney to turn gay and to marry me out to the Cosmos, will he turn up on Wednesday evening or Saturday? Alternately, if I have to fly out to Hollywood or Italy, I‘m more than happy to be flexible! On a more serious note, there‘s no single mystery I can pinpoint. The Universe is too rich and diverse and reveals new ones every day. That‘s the joy of being alive, and as long as I can enjoy that around me on a daily basis, I‘m more than happy. See more of Chris’s work on his website, www.butlerart.co.uk

The Quantum Tarot is published by Kunati Inc., 2008; Illustrated by Chris Butler, concept and book by Kay Stopforth. $26.95 (ISBN 978-1-60164-169-4) Melanie Harris is the founder of United Witches, a global coven for magical people of all paths. She is the assistant editor of Tarot Reflections, and she has written for many Pagan and New Age publications including the Llewellyn Journal, Pentacle Magazine, and Circle Magazine. ([email protected]) ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 6 In View of the Devil: Casting Light into A Dark Card By Leah Samul

When The Devil shows up in a layout, few tarot readers greet the card with giddy anticipation. Truth be told, many of us groan a little inwardly, especially if we are reading for a client and we have to find a way to help the client inte- grate the card‘s admittedly difficult message. Stagnation, isolation, imprisonment, addictions, bondage, self-imposed suffering, limitation, temptation and hopelessness are some of the generally held views of XV. Yet the card represents several crucially important aspects of our development as humans, without which we cannot go forward in life. This article explores some of these aspects, discussing various ways to interpret The Devil in a less intimidating light. I hope it will be useful for readers whose clients draw the card in a reading. The -Devil-Tower Sequence and the Shadow

The Devil‘s placement between Temperance and gives us some clues about how to approach the card. One way to view The Devil is that it represents the Shadow. The concept of the Shadow comes from Jungian psychol- ogy. Psychologist Carl Jung felt that we all have parts of ourselves that we‘d rather not look at; things we‘d like to keep in the shadows. Though we can hide these negative characteristics, our inability to face them will eventually bring dev- astating repercussions. Frequently, running from our shadow side leads to projecting it onto others, where we can then condemn the exact things we refuse to face in ourselves. Jung felt that acknowledging the Shadow was of paramount importance. But he also felt it couldn‘t happen unless we had sufficient to confront the darkness. Now look at the Temperance-Devil-Tower sequence. Most tarotists don‘t subscribe to the ―Fool‘s journey‖ through the in the literal sense. In other words, we don‘t believe that we first go through a Magician stage, fol- lowed by a High Priestess stage, and so on to the end of the Majors at . Rather, most of us feel we can go through any of the stages represented by the Major Arcana at any time in our lives. But in the case of Temperance-The Devil-The Tower, the sequence bears some examination. I believe that Temper- ance, card XIV in the Major Arcana, indicates we have come to a certain balance point in our lives, where we can look more deeply into ourselves, deeper than just the surface. Notice that in the Hudes Tarot, the surface of the water is not flat, but has ripples. The reflection, therefore, is not purely surface. It has depth to it. The Angel in the card looks deeply into the water precisely because she has the strength to go deeper. When a client pulls The Devil, it indicates that the client does have the capacity and courage to face his/her inner demons, though the client may not feel very strong or confident at the time. In the progression of the Major Arcana, the other side of this triad is The Tower. Positioned thus, The Devil means facing one‘s demons before they explode in one‘s face, as indicated by the explosion in trump XVI. As previously stated, when we refuse to examine our shadow side, we project it onto others where we can hate it safely. An excellent (though sad) example of this comes from events that emerged this past year. The Reverend Ted Haggard had built much of his pastoral career on condemning homosexuality. Haggard preached hellfire for anyone engaging in homo- sexual activity, until it was discovered that he himself had engaged the services of a male prostitute for sex and drug purchases. Though Haggard at first denied it, eventually the whole sordid tale came to light, both on television and on the Internet. If he could have faced his demons, he might have avoided the enormously public spectacle that exploded over his unacknowledged shadow, which led to the loss of his ministry and disgrace for himself and his poor family. When The Devil comes up in a reading, he might be giving us the chance to catch things before they spiral out of control. It‘s like taking care of a cold, so we don‘t catch pneumonia. Putting Things on Hold and the Chakras Informing a client that he/she has to ―face the inner demons‖ can sound intimidating, but Shadow integration can also mean simply mean dealing with things that we have put on hold; in a sense, areas we have allowed to stagnate. In the Hudes Tarot, The Devil focuses on the first three chakras. The chakras are non-physical vortices of energy that line up along the center of the body. [1] Each of the three chakras cover different areas of life, and each has an elemen- ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 7 tal correspondence that relates to a specific tarot suit.[2] The first chakra (pentacles), at the base of the spine, deals with survival issues, grounding, physical reality and the body. The Devil might be saying we need to pay attention to these areas of life. When was our last physical exam, do we get our teeth cleaned regularly, how do we deal with money?[3] The second chakra (cups), which lines up near the lower abdomen, processes change, pleasure, needs, desires, move- ment, and emotions. The Devil asks how do we deal with change, are we denying some of our emotions, what are our views on sexuality? Do we allow ourselves enough down time for pleasure, do we get our needs met properly? [4] The third chakra (wands), that hovers around the solar plexus, deals with willpower, our relationship to authority, autonomy, activity and proactivity, humor and self-esteem. Here, The Devil asks do we give our power away to others? What kind of activities do we engage in, how resilient is our self-esteem, can we stand up for ourselves, can we laugh at ourselves? [5] Though we can and do put things on hold for short amounts of time in life, nothing can stay on hold forever. When The Devil comes up in a reading, pay attention to the suits that also come up. Examining the chakra issues that corre- spond to any of the suits can help the client work with trump XV in a positive way. Though we are dealing with the first three chakras here, damage to any of them will cause damage to the heart, corresponding to the forth chakra and swords in tarot. So if swords come up with The Devil, see if the heart has been wounded and has caused any isolation, stagnation or hopelessness. The Devil as Card of Therapists/Therapy Traditional tarot interpretations often cite as being associated with therapists, because The Hermit repre- sents the wise old man (or woman) whose experience can help us. But I see The Devil as a card that might symbolize the therapist, because therapists help us deal with whatever bedevils us in life. So if this card comes up in a position dealing with career, it could be indicating that the client has talents in psychology or psychiatry. It could also suggest that going into therapy might be helpful for the client. The Devil and Pleasure According to chakra theorist Anodea Judith, there are two kinds of pleasure: primary and secondary. [6] Primary pleasures include anything that fills us up and us satisfied. Spending time in the garden, an endorphin rush from aerobic activity, creative or artistic activity of any kind, and so forth, all represent primary pleasures. Secondary pleas- ures don‘t fill us up for very long, and inevitably leave us wanting more. All addictions come under the secondary pleasure category. When The Devil appears in a reading, he might be telling the client to engage in real, primary pleas- ures so that the need for secondary pleasures doesn‘t kick in and cause problems. When I see The Devil, I always ask my client what activities make him/her happy, and inquire as to the last time he/she did any of these enjoyable activi- ties.

Pictures of cards from The Hudes Tarot appear courtesy of US Games Systems, Inc.,©1995. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 8

Tunnel Vision and Limitation Looking at the Devil card above, notice that both people have their heads down, a form of self-imposed suffering that adds to their pain. Often, when we despair or feel defeated about something, the sense of isolation and imprison- ment becomes acute. A kind of tunnel vision sets in that prevents us from seeing our way out of our dilemma. If either of them looked up, they could help each other pull themselves out of The Devil‘s clutches. This indicates that though we feel isolated in a situation, often there is help we can call on if we would only lift our heads up to see it. Thus the appearance of this card in a reading might be telling the client that he or she is not alone in this suffering. Additionally, lifting our heads up and viewing our situation helps us to put it in context. It might not be as bad as it seems, and the solution might be right in front of us. Another issue is the idea of false limitations versus true or authentic ones. An authentic limitation has an organic and practical quality to it. For example, I limit the amount of coffee I drink at night, so my sleep cycle isn‘t disrupted. A false limitation might be my inability to attempt something new, because I fear the possibility of failure. The Devil might symbolize the importance of examining the limitations we put on ourselves, so that we can differentiate between the false ones and the authentic ones. Summing Up When we see trump XV in a layout, there are several ways to help the client integrate its message. It can indicate the strength to face issues that in the past have been too frightening. It can urge the client to examine issues before they get to the boiling point, a kind of ―stitch in time saves nine‖ approach to life. It can mean the client needs to see what things have been put on hold, and realize nothing can be on hold forever. It might be saying the client has proclivities in the psychiatric professions, or conversely that therapy would be useful. It urges the client to see that help can be closer than one might think, just by raising one‘s head and looking around or reaching out to a friend. It suggests the importance of putting things into the proper perspective. It assists in differentiating authentic limitations from false ones. Finally, it encourages engaging in activities that truly do bring constructive happiness and pleasure, as opposed to activities that produce an addictive numbing of the senses. The following Affirmation and Prayer [7] represent good things to take away from The Devil card: Affirmation: Whenever I‘m stuck and have trouble moving on, I keep my heart‘s eyes open for ways in which to free myself. Prayer: Assist me in releasing the unnecessary limitations I sometimes place on myself. Show me ways in which I am a willing participant in my own suffering, and also help me discover how to stop doing this. (Note: some of this article was presented at the LATS 2002 gathering, under the title ―The Devil, You Say?‖ and some is taken from a book in progress on The Hudes Tarot.)

Endnotes: 1) My information on the chakras comes from the work of Anodea Judith and Selene Vega. 2) Judith, Anodea, Wheels of Life (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1987 & 1996) pp. 46-7. Note: these specific tarot correspondences were included in Judith‘s re-write of the original book on p. 59 (pentacles), p. 107 (cups), p. 150 (wands), and p. 191 (swords). 3) Judith, Anodea and Vega, Selene, The Sevenfold Journey, (Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1994), 37-45. 4) Judith & Vega, 81-107. 5) Judith & Vega, 123-130. Also Judith, Anodea, Eastern Body Western Mind, (Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts Publishing, 1996), 170-223. 6) Judith, 112-115. 7) Samul, A. L., Wisdom in the Cards, (Stamford, CT: US Games Systems, Inc., 2002), 91. Leah Samul is a writer and reviewer living in Berkeley, CA. She is the author of Wisdom in the Cards, the companion book to the Hudes Tarot. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 9 Functionality of the Tarot Aces By Bonnie Cehovet Each card group within the tarot performs its own individual function. The twenty-two cards of the Major Ar- cana serve as archetypes for the Fool‘s journey of individuation. They also serve as the fifth suit – the suit of Spirit. The Pips (the numbered cards 2-10) relate to the everyday happenings of life – of that which we have control over. The Court Cards function as the ―people‖ cards in the deck – representing parts of who we are as individuals, as well as representing people outside of us (in our environment) who have input into our issues and experiences. The Aces function as cards of ―potential‖ – they carry the raw power of their respective suits. However, this ―raw power‖ needs to be acted upon for their potential to manifest in any significant manner. As the essence of the number one, Aces represent a point of conception, or a beginning. As Teresa Michelson points out in ―The Com- plete Tarot Reader‖ (page 230), energetically they connect with the number one of the Magician, his consciousness and his creativity. On the Tree of Life, the Aces are attributed to Kether (The Crown, the Root of the Elements). Each Ace carries an association with the four worlds, the four elements, the four directions, and the four seasons.

Ace of Pentacles: North Earth (Root of the Powers of Earth) World of Assiah Winter : East Air (Root of the Powers of Air) World of Yetzirah Spring : West Water (Root of the Powers of Water) World of Briah Autumn Ace of Wands: South Fire (Root of the Powers of Fire) World of Atziluth Summer

In ―Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom‖, Rachel Pollack notes (on page 155) that in the Rider-Waite Tarot the traditional symbology of the Aces is shown as a hand coming out of the clouds, teaching us that each element can lead us to a type of spiritual mystery. Pollack also makes note of something that I feel is very important to ac- knowledge – that all experience is a gift from a source that we cannot possibly know, unless we follow the spiritual journey of the Major Arcana. The number One itself is a major association for the Aces, and one that lends itself well to helping to interpret the Aces in a reading. Through the number One, the Aces function as a point of beginning, and a point of perfec- tion. They carry the pure energy of the element that they represent – energy that is active and ready to be used. How this energy is used works through the element represented (the type of energy waiting to be accessed), and the Qabalistic world each Ace is associated with (the part of life that actions will manifest in). The Ace of Wands is associated with the element of Fire, and the Qabalistic world of Atziluth (the World of Emanation). The element of Fire speaks of creativity and movement, confidence, and hope. The energy accessed through the element of Fire has to do with our personal will and passion, and is often connected with career. The thing to remember with Fire is that it can enlighten, or it can destroy. The Ace of Wands works its fiery way in the world of Atziluth – the high- est world on the Tree of Life, and the world closest to Spirit. When this Ace appears in a reading, know that the Seeker is working with their passions, and their will, and that their actions will manifest themselves through their spiritual self. The Ace of Cups is connected with the element of Water, and the Qabalistic world of Briah (the World of Crea- tion), the second of the four worlds. The energy accessed through the element of Water is that of our emotional and intuitive natures. Here we find our heart connection, and come to understand all aspects of love. This Ace deals with relationship issues of all types – with ourselves, and with others. In the world of Briah, the Ace of Cups expresses itself in the humanness of our everyday life. Unlike Fire, Water carries a more passive nature. When this Ace appears in a reading, the Seeker is doing their work on an inner level. The results of their work will take time ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 10 to manifest on the conscious level. Joy, peace, harmony, and a sense of awe/wonder can be found within this Ace. The Ace of Swords is connected with the element of Air, and the Qabalistic world of Yetzirah (the World of Formation), the third of the four worlds. The energy accessed through the element of Air is mental energy, of clar- ity of thought, and of a need to cut through to the truth of a matter. In readings, Swords may represent anger, fear, destruction, and dissolution. But they can also mean seeing issues with greater clarity, which allows the Seeker to release that which no longer serves them well, and rebuild their life on a more solid foundation. The element of Air is very close to the form of Spirit, which allows the Seeker to cut through the illusions they are facing. The Ace of Swords acts through the world of Yetzirah on an internal basis, working with feelings that show up as fears and ―shadows‖ – the things that the Seeker finds hard to acknowledge and deal with in life. The Ace of Pentacles is connected with the element of Earth, and the Qabalistic world of Assiah (the World of Action), the fourth of the four worlds. The energy accessed through the element of Earth is that of the physical world, of being grounded, and of material things. Health, finances, career, home and family are prominent when the element of Earth shows up in a reading. The Ace of Pentacles acts through the world of Assia by aligning the Seeker with the natural world, grounding them, and allowing them to see that each of us is connected to everything around us – animate and inanimate. What is the key to understanding how the Aces function in a reading? I don‘t think that there is any one specific key, but we do want to take a look at the following: Is there more than one Ace in the reading? In what position(s) are the Aces? Are they in positions that may be defined as past, present, or future? Are they acting in a beneficial manner? Are they acting as challenges? (Note: some readers do not read Aces as having a challenging side.) What cards are they surrounded by? What energy is affecting them the most? Are they supportive of the cards around them, i.e. giving them energy, or are they acting to hold them back in some manner? Which of the four Qabalistic worlds is represented? How is this reflected in the Seeker‘s life? What elemental quality is represented? Is it possible that in tying the reading together at the end, and going through the deck with the Seeker to find the energy that they feel will help them place the wisdom of the reading into their life, that the addi- tion of one or more of the Aces would bring focus and/or intent to the process?

Let‘s take a look at a sample three-card reading. We will define the card positions as Past/Present/Future, and the focus as a specific work issue for the Seeker. The cards drawn are the Ten of Wands, the Ace of Swords, and the World. For our purposes, they are laid out in a linear fashion.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 11

There is one Ace, representing the Present. Its elemental quality is Air, and it functions in the world of Yetzirah, the world of formation. In this world, the Seeker is accessing their mental energy, with a need to ―cut through the garbage and illusion‖ to get to the truth. He needs to find the facts of their situation, be objective, and look within to find the strength to resolve their work issue. The Seeker needs to accept responsibility for his own input into the issue, and not allow himself to function through the auspices of anger. The Seeker came to this state through the Ten of Wands – the elemental energy of Fire, combined with the en- ergy of feeling burdened, and perhaps unable to refuse the burden. He may well feel that there is an injustice in his work situation. Rather than trying to resolve the problem, he may go to the area of anger and choose to look for vengeance. The energy of the future is that of the World – of things coming together as a whole. To get here, the Seeker will need to be counseled on how to use the energy of the Ace of Swords – the energy of the present – to move them- selves into a place of peace and resolution. To accomplish his goals (bring the World into the career area of his life), he will need to use mental ability to find a logical, win/win situation so that he can move forward. He will definitely need to be made aware of how easy it would be to move into righteous anger in this situation – in which case the future that he created would be built on a very shallow foundation! Think about how different this reading would be if the Ace involved were the Ace of Cups. The Seeker would be knee deep in emotions about his inner life, his work, and his work situation. Or what about the Ace of Pentacles? The grounding energy of the element of Earth, working in the world of Assiah (the physical world) would flow quite easily. Always remember that the Aces are elemental energy in its purest form, and must be handled with care and con- sideration. Bibliography Fortune, Dion. ―The Mystical Qabalah‖. Weiser Books. 2000 (revised edition). Michelson, Teresa C. ―The Complete Tarot Reader‖. Llewellyn Publications. 2005. Pollack, Rachel. ―Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom‖. Weiser Books. 2007. Shulman, Jason. ―Kabbalistic Healing: A Path to an Awakened Soul‖. Inner Traditions. 2004.

Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Educator, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus, and is certified as a Tarot Educator with the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, to in- clude Secretary on the ATA Board. She is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and former Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification.

Her articles, reviews and interviews have appeared in the World Tarot Network newsletter (www.worldtarot.com), the Meta Arts Magazine (www.themetaarts.com), the Aeclectic Tarot site (www.aeclectic.net/tarot), and on her own site, www.tarot.thecrystalgate.com. For several years she has edited her own quarterly Tarot newsletter - Gateway to Tarot. She also has articles appearing in the 2004 and 2005 "Llewellyn Tarot Reader".

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 12

Clutter Consulting with the Tarot By Bev Hitchins I didn‘t think I had clutter until my mother died. That was when I acquired many of her possessions: clothes, jewelry, silver and collectibles. Renting the hugest truck possible and filling it from top to bottom, my brother and I drove it from Florida to Virginia, where I promptly put 95 percent of it into storage. There it sat for nine years! You may ask why it took nine years before I emptied the storage closet. In short, I felt that if I let go of her stuff, I would be letting go of her. I was grieving. Even though she was no longer alive, I could still touch objects she had possessed, valued and, in some cases, treasured. I believed these items embodied her. Over time they became a poor substitute for the mother I had. I could conjure richer memories on my own rather than pay the mounting monthly storage fees. It was time to let go of this stuff and free myself from what I had come to admit was clutter. One of the things I learned in going through my mother‘s belongings is that clutter is a spiritual issue—the physical manifestation of one‘s emotional and spiritual state. For many, however, clutter is just stuff they don‘t have time to deal with, they might need some day, or they believe to be a trigger for a certain memory. These ra- tionales beg the questions, ―Why don‘t you have time to deal with it? When will that day come when you need it? Why is a memento necessary to elicit memories?‖ These were questions I asked myself. Once I emptied the storage closet, it took another seven years before I began my de-cluttering business. In 2005 I began working with people to help them make sense of their lives and deal with their clutter. I founded ALIGN, an enterprise dedicated to using the Tarot to help my clients understand what is behind—and underneath—their clutter. Simply sorting and disposing of stuff without examining the deeper issues that lie underneath the clutter does not lead to changed behavior - what many of my clients mistakenly believe can happen in one de-cluttering session. Clutter is sticky, and none of us wants to stay stuck! It usually takes more than one session to become unstuck. Us- ing the Tarot as a tool, my clients and I explore clutter on a deeper level. As my clients and I begin our work together, I start with a significator. This represents my client in the context of her clutter at the time of the reading. The significator allows me to ―take my client‘s pulse,‖ while at the same time allows my client to confirm, or maybe become aware of, her feelings. Most of the time I use the Rider-Waite deck. One client‘s significator was the Five of Pentacles, and, yes, she was feeling helpless, handicapped and hopeless when I arrived at her door. Every room in her small house was piled high with unworn clothes adorned with price tags, Christmas decorations, Halloween costumes, and unsorted papers and pieces of mail. I knew there were painful feelings underneath all that stuff and that it took a lot of cour- age to hire a professional to help her. A striking contrast to the Five of Pentacles was another client‘s . I immediately sensed her jubila- tion that she was finally taking action to deal with her clutter. I knew she was ready to make decisions and move her stuff. Another question I often apply to my de-cluttering spreads is ―What blocks me from de-cluttering?‖ The Knight of Pentacles appeared for one client. Encased in armor and sitting on a stationary horse this knight seems well protected and immobile. My client knew when she saw this card that her clutter was her modern-day armor. Heavy and cumbersome, this armor wasn‘t going to allow her to go far. As she dug deeper into the meaning of the card, she concluded that if stripped of her clutter, the equivalent of disrobing herself of her armor, she would feel vulnerable and unprotected. On another occasion I devised a spread that focused on my client‘s bedroom, the target of our session together. This time I used the Symbolon deck and asked the question ―What does the bedroom represent?‖ This client had ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 13 been divorced for a few years and was longing for a relationship. Clothes and other paraphernalia were strewn throughout the room and on the floor. Only a narrow path led from the door to her bed. She picked the card called ―Silence.‖ Similar to in the Rider Waite deck, a man and a woman with their eyes closed hold each other‘s hand. An angel looms behind them with a finger to her lips. The message for my client was to learn to be still and spend time getting to know herself. Her way of filling the cavernous void that she perceived resided within herself was to fill her most personal room with stuff, stuff -- and more stuff. I usually end my de-cluttering spreads with the question ―What is my next step?‖ One client picked the Fool. She knew it was important to start the process and take the risk. She didn‘t know where the de-cluttering would lead her, but she knew she had to focus on where she was going and not where she had been—something she had been doing for quite awhile. Another client picked the Magician. She felt empowered and knew she had every tool she needed to do the job. And still another picked the . This told her to meditate and listen for spiritual answers. Not all my clients are receptive to participating in a Tarot reading. Preconceived notions of what the Tarot represents blocks their ability to see its value. For those who do, however, it expands their understanding of what brought them to this point of feeling stifled by their clutter. It allows them to see the deeper emotional, mental and spiritual issues that underlie the multitude of stuff they buy, receive and hold on to. It allows them to see their clut- ter as a metaphor of their inner being and their unconscious self. I encourage anyone grappling with clutter to play with the cards and see what answers they reveal. In some cases, you might not agree, and in other cases, you‘ll say ―Spot on.‖ No matter what, consider it another tool to add to your toolbox of self-discovery.

Bev Hitchins is a professional de-clutterer, who uses right-brain tools to help her clients explore the issues underneath their clutter. Her business ALIGN, A Unique & Integrative Approach to Clutter & Balance, is based in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a member of the Washington, DC, Tarot Society and an active reader for the Free Tarot Network. You can contact her at www.alignyourlife.net.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 14 The Queens: The Source of Power by Linda Gail Walters, CPTR In our previous issue we looked at a comparison of the Kings from the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS), the Crowley- Harris Thoth and Robin Wood tarot decks. In this issue we continue the exploration of the Courts by looking at the Queens in the same decks.

Recall, that last time we took a detailed look at how had radically changed the Courts from the more familiar pattern of , Queen, Knight, and Page found in the RWS to the more dynamic model of Knight (who is really a King), Queen, Prince and Princess that better fit his worldview. In this article we do not face as radical a change as Crowley largely left the Queen alone, with the exception of her back-story, which we will discuss shortly. Again, as with the Kings/Knights, space does not permit looking at all four Queens in the three suits, so the discussion will be limited to the Queens of Cups. Queens, being mature women, are associated with the element Water. Thus they are the watery aspect of their suit. Thus, regardless of the element of the suit there is a strong sense of emotion, feelings, receptivity and mutability in all the Queens. That watery aspect is amplified further in the as she is the "Water of Water". She focuses all that her suit is about into herself. Rachel Pollack compares her to the World Dancer for her balance and success in her role. The Queens display the least variation in name and role of any Court card between the RWS and the Thoth decks. In both lineages they are called "Queens" and they are the consort of the King/Knight and not queens regnant. In the Thoth Tarot, the Court is young, dynamic and changing, where as the Court of the RWS and its lineage is mature and static. The dynamism of the Thoth Court revolves around the Queen and shows the vital role that she plays. It is the marriage to the Queen which gives legitimacy to the reign of the King/Knight. The Queen, the Mother, is the one through whom rightful legal title to the land flows. The Queen is the former Princess, who was won by the Knight and by that union, the Knight's reign as monarch is made valid. However, the Queens are not simply the dutiful wife of the King/Knight by any means; they are a power behind the throne that is vital to the successful reign of the monarch. The cups, the symbols of their watery element, which are so prominent held by each of the three, tell many tales. All three Queens hold a cup or chalice, but the nature of the cup and the way it is held vary greatly. The RWS Queen of Cups holds a very large, highly ornate cup. It has two cherubim bending their wings over its cover in a scene that invokes images of the Ark of the Covenant. The Robin Wood Queen of Cups is seated much like her RWS counterpart, but her cup is far less elabo- rate and is totally lacking in angelic figures. This is not to say that there is no religious connection. The cup is covered in a veil that is reminiscent of the manner in which the chalice is covered at the beginning of the Roman Catho- lic Mass. Both the RWS and the Robin Wood Queens gaze intently at the cup and hold it as a thing to be adored and treasured. The love and emotional involve- ment that the Queen of Cups engenders is written on their expressions. The Queen in the Crowley-Harris Thoth deck also holds a cup that ap- pears to be made from a large seashell, out of which a crayfish is emerging. This would seem to forge a link with the hidden and deceptive elements of , yet that symbolic creature, which is so prominent in the RWS Moon is missing from the Thoth Moon. The cherubic theme is repeated, albeit in a more artistic and less Biblical motif on throne of the RWS Queen and partly repeated with the baby in the hem of the Robin Wood Queen. Queen of water she may be, but in the RWS and Robin Wood, her throne sits on dry land. The Robin Wood Queen sits on a throne made from a giant seashell, the RWS on a more con- ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 15

ventional regal seat.

The Thoth Queen of Cups is difficult to see at all. She is shrouded behind watery mists and veils to the degree that she blends into the overall watery col- ors of the card. However, Crowley himself states that she is "…represented as enthroned upon still water," so we will take his word for it. This takes the in- tuitive, introverted, receptive qualities of both the element Water and the Queen to a greater extent than any deck in the RWS tradition.

The RWS and Robin Wood Queens may not rule directly, but their regal bearing, seated on their thrones in the open, demonstrates their power and their confidence in wielding it. They may have been the Princess who was won by the King/Knight, but they are the source of his power and they have not forgotten it. While all three cards are rich in symbolic elements, it is the Robin Wood Queen that holds most small, subtle images of all. There are many symbolic sea motifs in the hem of her gown and in the sea behind her. From babies to sea ot- ters to an octopus, all have symbolic mean- ing for her roles and their reversals. The symbolism of the Thoth Queen is, as might be expected, subtle and full of Egyptian and Eastern mystical meaning. She holds a lotus in her right hand and its downward pointing stem and the upward point of the crayfish invoke the "As above, so below" gesture of The Magician. The ibis standing on one leg at her feet, was sacred to the goddess Isis, thus connecting her to that deity and indirectly to . The lotuses floating on the pond represents beauty growing out of the muck of the pond in Eastern philosophy. At this point, now that we have seen the male King/Knight and the female Queen, it is important to note that these cards and their traits need not be tied to gender. As we see frequently in this election year, behind the scenes people like campaign managers, speech writers and advisors wield great power from their hidden, introverted positions. So it is with the Queens, even the far more inward-turning Queens of Cups, the Wa- tery part of the suit Water knows and exercises her power.

Bibliography DuQuette, Lon Milo. Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, San Francisco, CA Red Wheel/Weiser, 2003. 175

Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, San Francisco, CA, Red Wheel/Weiser, 2007. 188

Wood, Robin. The Robin Wood Tarot: The Book, Dearborn, MI, Livingtree, 1998. 184

Crowley, Aleister. The Book of Thoth, San Francisco, CA, Red Wheel/Weiser, 2007. 157

Linda Gail Walters, CPTR, is a website and web application developer and staff writer for the Metaverse Messenger. She has studied Tarot with Dr. Art Rosengarten and Lon Milo Duquette. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 16 Insider Tips To Get Your Tarot Book Published By Melanie Harris Have you ever dreamed of writing a book on the tarot that would take the metaphysical world by storm? Well, you‘ve got a lot of competition, and you need more than luck to make your dreams come true. Publishers in the esoteric genre are drowning in mediocre manuscripts. True treasures that will stand the test of time are far too scarce. In this atmosphere, it‘s easy for a book idea to get lost, rejected, or overlooked. You need an edge. You need to know what it takes to succeed, what it takes to transform your book from just good to absolutely out- standing. I talked to insiders at two of the most well known esoteric publishing houses, and to successful authors in the field to find out exactly how the hopeful author can rise to the top of this growing market.

Carl ―Llewellyn‖ Weschcke, chairman of Llewellyn Worldwide, purchased the company in 1961 and grew it into what it is today: one of the world‘s largest publishers of tarot, new age, magic, and occult non-fiction. He‘s seen trends in the genre come and go, and he knows what it takes to craft a superior esoteric book. ―The very first point is to be expert in the subject,‖ says Weschcke. ―The second is to be original. Too many new age writers write on the same subjects – in essence copying and exploiting the ideas of earlier writers. It's as if they are writers first and maybe not even occult- ists. Originality is a step beyond expertise. Know the subject, and say something original about it - a new application, a new understanding, a new historical perspective, a new psychological development, a new tool or process. The whole point of modern occultism is to take away the ‗hidden‘ part of the dictionary definition. All secrets are based on human exploitation, and modern spirituality is non-exploitive and that is one of the distinctions that separate the new occultism from religious organizations. Occultism seeks to liberate man by revealing his divinity to him, and providing guidance to his development to become more than he is now. The occultist seeks to accelerate human evolution, and all occultism consists of the arts and sciences of psychic and spiritual growth. The goal of occultism is the development of the superman; that of organized religion is to keep him as a sheep. Pagans and occultists believe that we are divine not merely in origin but in presence. The occultist believes that man is a co-creator with increasing responsibil- ity for the earth we live within and the world around us. Rather than belief in divine intervention in human affairs, the occultist seeks to fulfill that Great Plan at the foundation of all creation through intelligent and responsible actions. An occult classic combines that vision with the know-how for its realization.‖ Elysia Gallo, Llewellyn‘s acquisitions editor who specializes in witchcraft and magic books, has a keen eye for spotting a book idea that‘s a cut above the rest, a manuscript that will likely succeed in the market and enjoy high sales. Says Gallo, ―Obviously it has to be good, and obviously it has to be the right project at the right time for that edi- tor. I know personally I get submissions that make me go ‗huh?‘ when it's obvious the author hasn't done their research on our company or on my particular field of acquisitions. For example, once in a while I do get the random Christian manuscript, and I have to wonder how they got my name and email. I do witchcraft and magic books! Where would they possibly get the notion that their proposal is a good fit for my line? So, my first piece of advice would be to research the editor you're sending it to. Find out what they've acquired in the past, who they've worked with, what they're into. There are a lot of ways to cyber stalk your editor on the net. And remember, cyber stalking works both ways. When I get a proposal that's moderately interesting but includes no information on the author's credentials or background, I turn to the Internet. You seriously might not want editors to see all that...some people blog about very personal stuff. If you want to be a professional author, now is the time to start cleaning up your web presence, polishing your website, and making sure your blogs are appropriate for future readers, fans, publicists, and editors. But really the best defense is a good offense. You'll want to send enough informa- tion about yourself so that the editor doesn't have to start researching you right off the bat. Even if there is some iffy stuff on the Internet about you, you can combat that by making a stellar first impression. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 17

Show off your credentials, your workshops and lectures, your mailing list, your fan base, your connec- tions with others in your chosen field, and your professional, topic-based, and constantly refreshed web- site. We are making a huge investment in each book we publish by a new author, so we like to watch for authors who have a solid public presence, who have a platform upon which to build. ―As you may start to notice, you have an awful lot of work to do as an author before you even send your submission to a publisher. Finally, cleanliness, organization, and simplicity are all key. Nobody likes a sloppy manuscript submission -- remember, editors are generally fastidious, detail-oriented people; oth- erwise they wouldn't be editors. So make sure everything is clear, spell-checked, written in a normal font, and that we have everything we need to make a decision: cover letter, book pitch, author pitch, outline, sample chapters. Of course every publisher's requirements are different, which is why, again, it is of the utmost importance to do your research before submitting! If you have a great book idea and are already involved in the community and doing your thing well, you don't need any extra and whistles.‖

Amber Guetebier, assistant editor at Red Wheel/Weiser and Conari Press, shares this tip for aspiring authors: ―Because we are a small, independent book publisher, with a handful of dedicated staff members vs. thousands of submissions a month, I think organization really makes a proposal stand out. Remem- ber, an acquiring editor has to convince a team of people— other editors, sales and marketing, public- ity— that this is a viable project. Because the subject matter of our books is often deeply esoteric and obscure, a well-organized proposal, with a realistic sales and marketing plan, is key. It is not enough to simply say a project is ‗unique.‘ An analysis of how it compares to other books in its category, and why it is unique goes a long way in convincing. It is also important to have a concise, engaging cover letter that gets down to the name and description of the proposal within a paragraph or two. As I said, we have, literally, thousands of submissions every month. An easy-to-read and well-organized proposal shines in the stack. If you want to know how best to organize your proposal, read the submission guidelines on the publisher‘s website, or request them via mail, and then follow them. Include everything asked for.‖

Successful authors in the genre also provide practical advice that will help you get your book published. Corrine Kenner, au- thor of Simple Fortunetelling with Tarot Cards (Llewellyn 2007), says that defining your market is key. ―Find a target mar- ket, and focus on appealing to your ideal clients,‖ says Kenner. ―Be as specific as possible when you imagine your perfect cus- tomers. For example, I try to appeal to a ‗Martha Stewart‘ demo- graphic: married, college-educated women who love beautiful things ... like tarot cards!‖ Mary K. Greer, whose Mary K. Greer’s 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card (Llewellyn 2006) won the 2006 COVR award for best divination book, says that getting back to the basics of good writing is essential. "I suggest writing about what you know and love best,‖ says Greer. ―Stay true to yourself and your material. At the same time, speak directly to your audience. I often write with an extra chair pulled up to the table and imagine my ideal reader sitting there asking me questions. My books become a dialog with that person. The best questions, which always get me back to essentials, are ‗So what?,‘ ‗Why should I be interested?,‘ and ‗What‘s it to me?‘ Answering these questions helps make my work relevant and understandable." Christopher Penczak made his debut with City Magick ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 18

(Weiser 2001) and has since written many other titles including the popular Temple of Witchcraft series published by Llewellyn. Winner of a 2008 COVR award, Penczak says that giving classes and work- shops on the topics he writes about has helped him become a more successful writer. He explains, ―Most of my books are based upon my classes, so they have been immensely helpful in my work. I first experi- ment with new material in my own practice and in my small circle of practitioners, then I have an opportunity to work with larger groups through classes and workshops. So when I write about it, I am working from a range of experience not only in my own practice but through my student's practice also.‖ And what if you‘re too nervous to build a public platform? How can the hopeful author get over stage fright? ―I am nervous to speak in public,‖ Penczak admits, ―but I got over it prior to my writing and teaching career. My background is in music, both classical and heavy metal, so doing both prepped me for dealing with large groups. I look at teaching as ritual, and enter the teaching space with spiritual guid- ance and aid as I would a ceremony.‖ For an increasing number of authors, especially those who are will- ing to self-promote their work by giving classes and through other marketing techniques, eBooks are looking more and more like a realis- tic option. Ly de Angeles is a successful author of many books, includ- ing Tarot Theory and Practice (Llewellyn 2007). She has published traditional print books and has also experimented with eBooks. When a book she‘s written is ―too notorious for my current publisher,‖ says the Australian de Angeles, ―It‘s an easy way to get it to the public anyway (don't forget to reg- ister an IBSN), and it‘s a nice counterbalance to all the paper used in ordinary books. Personally I'm a ‗bookaholic‘ but many of the people I know both in Australia and overseas are very comfortable with eBooks because the newer eBook devices are remarkably like holding a paper version. The one I have put up on my website is not making me a for- tune but it is selling and people are liking it. I've had fantastic feedback and many of those who have purchased it have written letting me know how thought provoking it is. The other point with the eBook is how inexpensive they are to purchase!‖

With this insider knowledge and these practical tips in mind, the hopeful writer can produce just what the tarot and metaphysical communities need: more outstanding books that will stand the test of time.

Melanie Harris has been reading the tarot for over twenty years, and she teaches classes on a variety of esoteric subjects. She’s the assis- tant editor of Tarot Reflections, and she’s written for the Llewellyn Journal, Tarot Pathways, Pentacle Magazine, and Circle Magazine. A non-denominational witch, Melanie believes that taking a personalized approach to divination and the magical arts ensures the most successful results. She is the founder of United Witches, a global coven for magical people from all paths. www.unitedwitches.org. For a free subscription to her monthly email newsletter, Tarot Magic News, just send a note to in- [email protected] or to Melanie at 1407 Ulysses St. Apt.2, Golden, CO 80401

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 19

Stars and Cards: Venus Cards By Elizabeth Hazel Venus orbits between Mercury and Earth, and shares the same kind of cycles as Mercury. She does it a little more slowly, and with a peculiar rhythm that allows her to retrograde in only five zodiac signs. Where Mercury rules thoughts, Venus rules desires. Desires encompass a lot of territory, and are the fuel that feeds individual drives and motivations. Each person decides what to acquire or create in their own lives. Venus is the chief motiva- tor, and Mars is the go-getter who serves her. The desires that Venus stirs could be material desires for goods and wealth. Venus encompasses a huge spec- trum of intangible desires, too. Emotional desires for intimate relationships are one of her chief areas, but others may choose to put their passions into gaining recognition, status, or security in home and job. Venus is associated with artists, musicians, and dancers, beauticians and fashion designers; the drive to create beauty is strong in these professions. Adventure, danger, and mind-expanding experiences may also stir the passions. Some direct their longings toward spiritual growth and personal development. Venus also is evident in the way we present ourselves to the world, as she rules ornamentation and fashion. Hair, clothing, jewelry, tattoos, personal grooming efforts, and use of cosmetics involve Venus rituals and tools. Grooming rituals center on attracting partners, and personal appearance also signals one‘s status with a group. Ve- nus rules etiquette and courtship rituals, and conveniently, flowers and chocolate. Additionally, Venus is the source of self-esteem and self-love. A healthy, functional Venus gives confidence in love and sex, particularly the inner confidence that the individual is worthy of a good partner. Conversely, Venus can represent the things a person dislikes, activities or styles that offend his or her sense of taste, individuals that rub a person the wrong way. Each person has to sort out their own likes and dislikes. Venus performs a critical role in astrology, because the spectrum of desires she inspires in each person are unique. When this Venus-attributed card appears in a reading, the client‘s desires, wants, and emotional longings are greatly emphasized. When the card appears in the past, desires drive activities in the present and future. When the Empress appears in the future, the client is moving toward the expression or acquisition of his or her desires. The Empress is also representative of women‘s roles that are distinct from the High Priestess: the wife and mother, the lover or beloved, the vamp and the tramp, or the diva; and especially women with worldly power, like business women or matriarchs. When badly placed the Empress can represent an overbearing mother or mother-in-law. The beauty-creating and beauty-seeking nature of Venus, as well as various women‘s roles, should be considered along with the more romantic aspects of this trump card. When near Wands, the Empress will be inspired by ambition, the drive to succeed, and the need to be recognized for achievements. The Empress will be strongly motivated by love, fertility, and the need for inti- macy to establish or sustain relationships when she is near Cups. Swords may present some difficulties for the Empress, as her desires or needs are questioned, or compelled to endure intellectual scrutiny. Her desires may The Whispering Tarot bring consequences. The Empress seeks tangible and practical desires when near Pentacles; her interests center on financial security, a comfortable home, and family harmony. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 20

Venus Cards As with the previous Mercury article, I‘ve divvied up the Venus pip cards into the different parts of Venus‘s orbital cycle. To add a fresh twist, I‘ve included examples of people born with the relevant natal Venus placements to demonstrate of how Venus operates in those signs. (Venus/Aries; morning star phase). This fiery Venus is energetically sam- pling possibilities to see what desires are worth chasing. Aries is the sign of youth, and enthusiastically embraces things that start well. The meanings of this card combine the single -minded conquest of Aries with the Venusian impulse to fulfill desires. There‘s a first taste of sweetness, whether in love or in business, but success over the long run has yet to be tested. The weakness of this card is the propensity for being fooled by all that glitters, or being carried away by the emotions of the moment without adequate consideration of long-term effects. Promises may sound good now, but can they be fulfilled? This card is properly associated with one- night events, like weddings, house warmings, grand openings, and other celebrations. Winged Spirit Tarot by David Sexton Chandra Levy was born with Venus in Aries. She was drawn to the nexus of political power in Washington DC, moving there to intern for her master‘s degree. She became involved with a married congressman, Gary Condit, and mysteriously disappeared Chandra Levy in the spring of 2001. Her remains were found about a year later. Venus in Aries makes a head -long rush toward desires, some of which may be risky or on the edge of social acceptability. Although not always as dangerous as Chandra‘s Pluto-influenced Venus, this fiery Venus is apt to enjoy now and worry later. Two of Cups (Venus/Cancer; Superior Conjunction with , in transition from morning to evening phase). Desires merge with the personality (the Sun) and become indistinguishable. True desires rise to the surface of the personality. Desires, tastes, wants, and personal priorities can be expressed through intimate discussions with another person. This card reveals the uniquely personal specifications that evoke love and attraction, and shows what an individual imagines to be his or her perfect match. The lunar reflective property of Cancer adds to the potential for projecting qualities and traits on another person, whether they exist within the individual or not. The images placed upon the other person may be nurturing and lasting, or excessive and eventually destructive. Cancer is early in the zodiac, so this is another card that signifies a good start or the beginning of a relationship, but the long-term outcome has yet to be achieved. The significant other suggested by this card may be a good confidante or lover who seems to fulfill one‘s dreams, but they may only be playing the role expected of them. The Whispering Tarot Two great American icons were born with Venus in Cancer: Ernest Hemmingway and Judy Garland. Hemmingway is one of the great American novelists, a world traveler, athlete, war hero, and all- around macho man. His personal life was rocky, marked by marital flops, depression, alcoholism and weight gain. Super-star Judy Garland was stereotyped as the ―girl next door,‖ and her personal life followed the same rocky ride. Both were bankable and prolific talents, and had stressful relationships with their mothers. In the end, both died tragically. Perhaps their early roles and family conditioning prevented them from growing old gracefully, or from making necessary personal adjustments that diverged from public expectations. Nine of Pentacles (Venus/Virgo; evening star phase). Venus gains maturity and stability in this earthy setting. She analyzes past experiences and sensations and makes sustainable decisions. She fulfills desires that are attainable with minimum risk, and avoids excessive striving or harsh consequences. Desires are kept in check by the Virgoan ability to scrutinize all possibilities. Nevertheless, in this card desires are realized to the greatest possible extent. Venus is at her peak here. Results from past efforts have accumulated, and support a platform of stability in social, emotional, and financial terms. Limits are created by what one has been conditioned to expect from the world, yet ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 21

there is a sense of comfort because the individual has mastered the requirements of working within those limitations. Writer Robert Graves and singer-songwriter John Lennon were both born with Venus in Virgo. Venus was powerfully placed and aspected by other planets in both birth charts. One of Robert Graves‘ most famous works is ―The White Goddess,‖ an image quite similar to the astrological Virgin. The publicity stunts Lennon staged with his second wife Yoko Ono were bizarre, but Lennon was obviously comfortable with expectations well outside the norm. He used his art for political ends, and pushed relentlessly for world peace. Virgo is a sign connected with tidiness and order. Graves helped restore the collective relationship to the Great Goddess, while Lennon attempted to replace war with love. Their efforts have been sustained and remain relevant well beyond their lifetimes. (Venus/Scorpio; retrograde station phase). Venus loses momentum and falters. She needs to The Whispering Tarot step backwards and carefully consider what is meaningful versus superficial, an unavoidable task demanded in the deep, dark realm of the Scor- pion. Although longings and possibilities are emphasized by the card‘s imagery, pursuit now becomes riddled with doubts, risks, and sacrifices. Scorpio is a possessive sign, and dislikes losing what it has gained. The ―true desires‖ seeded in the Two of Cups have eroded, become irrelevant or dissatisfactory. Contemplation may reveal intangible desires that are unfulfilled; a review of personal history may also reveal forgotten hopes and dreams. The individual may become aware that some desires are poisonous, a property of Scorpio, or that further pursuit will lead to personal destruction. Playwright Eugene O‘Neill and film director Martin Scorsese were both born with Venus in Scorpio. Their dramatic works share difficult and dysfunctional character portrayals. Both men examine the darker sides of desire. O‘Neill is associated with Winged Spirit Tarot by David Sexton crumbling hopes and personal tragedies; Scorsese with films that center on the New York City underworld. Both men had several failed marriages, and struggled with drug or alcohol addictions. Both men drew from prior historic sources for inspiration: O‘Neill from ancient Greek tragedies and Freud, Scorsese from early Italian films, Alfred Hitchcock, and film noir. Both men also tackled religious subjects with controversial results. Venus in Scorpio creates art out of catastrophe, and isn‘t afraid to probe into dark areas of the human psyche. (Venus/Aquarius; retrograde Inferior Conjunction with the Sun). The powers of Venus are at their weakest, and previous desires are lost or forfeited as she encounters the limitations inherent in this Saturn-ruled sign. Prior desires and motives are proven unrealistic, unattainable, or pre-mature, and the ego suffers the blow. External obstacles or a lack of support prevent attainment, or erode prior gains. Venus must re-evaluate her desires in the light of hard-core realities by reading for Aquarian ego detachment. Unrealistic expectations may be at fault, but some form of abandonment is to be expected. Blame, guilt and fault-finding are typical reactions when desires collide with harsh reality. The mirror of desires created in the Two of Cups is smashed to bits. Illusions are demolished, and leave bitterness and cynicism behind. This is especially difficult when the Five of Swords is describing the end of a relationship, as infidelities leave the individual feeling betrayed or stabbed in the back. Janis Joplin, Oprah Winfrey, and Margaret Mead were all born with Venus in Aquarius. Janis Joplin‘s wild ride to musical success crashed and burned through a combination of excessive drug use and failed love relationships. Oprah Winfrey took her hard-luck beginnings and transformed them into a multi-billion dollar woman- Winged Spirit Tarot by David Sexton run empire. She was born with Venus in the Superior Conjunction phase. Margaret ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 22

Mead explored tribal customs around the world. She did her own thing long before others even considered obscure tribes important to study. All three women made a great impact on their professions, but notice how they paid a high personal price for achievement at some point. While their works were spread throughout the culture, personal satisfactions and love relationships were spotty. Venus in Aquarius creates ideas that appeal to the crowd, but struggles to sustain emotional balance in intimate relationships. Next issue: Mars Cards

Elizabeth Hazel is an astrologer, author, and editor of the ATA Quarterly Journal. Her articles about tarot, astrology, and practical magic appear in a variety of magazines and publications. Her book, Tarot Decoded, is the first handbook of tarot digni- ties. Liz recently released her Whispering Tarot deck and the accompanying text, Whispering Tarot: Softly Spoken Secrets (now in a printed edition), which are available through her website at www.kozmic-kitchen.com.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 23

Dear History Geek I understand tarot was invented to play a game. What sort of game was it? Does anyone play games with the tarot deck these days? Curious Gamer

Dear Gamer: Tarot is a trick-taking game - the oldest type of card game. After the cards are dealt, the person who leads plays any card he chooses face-up in the center of the table. The play goes around the table with each player laying down a card of the same suit that was led. Who- ever plays the highest ranking card of the suit wins the trick. If you don‘t have a card in your hand of the suit that‘s in play, you have to play a card from another suit and forfeit it. Early on, someone figured out how to make the game more interesting by having the players randomly select one of the four suits as a ―trump‖ suit. If you don‘t have a card in your hand of the suit led, you can play a card from the trump suit and automati- cally take the trick. In the early 1400s, someone got the idea of creating a fifth suit of per- manent trump cards decorated with flowers, hunting scenes, or allegorical and religious pictures. Decks of this type were used to play a game called Trionfi. By the 1470s, most decks with an extra trump suit had fallen into disuse, and the deck with the 22 trumps we know today emerged as the standard deck for playing Trionfi. When playing with a tarot deck, if someone leads with Cups and you don‘t have any Cups in your hand, you could play your Empress or Chariot card, for example, and take the trick. The tarot game has some features that make it complex and necessitate a high level of strategy. The Fool is a wild card that you can play to avoid losing a valuable high-ranking card, but it also has a high point value. The winner of a game is not necessarily the person who took the most tricks. A complicated method of adding up the point value of the cards each player has captured determines the winner. The game and its deck must have been very popular with the Italian aristocracy in the 1400s, since they commissioned expensive hand-painted gold leaf versions to give as gifts. The height of the game‘s popularity was from 1730 to 1830, when it was played everywhere in Europe except England. The Tarot de Marseille deck was used initially, but during this period, game players switched to the Tarock deck, changing the name of the game as well. The Tarock deck uses the French suits of , , and hearts. The twenty-two trumps are deco- rated with detailed illustrations of ballerinas, landscapes, or horses; images that show off the engraver‘s skill. The Tarot de Marseilles would probably be a quaint museum piece today, known only to historians, if it hadn‘t been taken up by occult- ists and fortune tellers at the same time game players were switching to Tarock decks. The game gradually went out of fashion and was played only in conservative backwaters until it underwent a revival in the mid 20th century, especially in France. The game is played today with a Tarock deck, except in Italy where the game is called Tarocco or Tarocchino and played with decks that are a hybrid of traditional Italian tarot decks and standard French-suited decks with double-headed trump cards. In France, they use a Tarock deck but call the game Tarot Nouveau.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 24

Sources for rules of the game and decks: Alidastore.com has a good selection of Italian decks for game playing. Pagat.com has the rules of the game and links to information, decks and Game software. Tarobearslair.com is a North American website that sells Tarock, Tarocco and AGMuller decks. The History Geek lurks in a book-lined apartment somewhere in the western U.S. When not crusading against historical incor- rectness, the Geek reads with a 19th century Milanese deck. If you have a question about Tarot history, send it to [email protected]

Collector’s Corner: Weiser Decks by Casey DuHamel

“The quiet words of Weiser people are heard more than the cry of a ruler of fools.” sort of Ecclesiastes 9:17 I apologize to those possibly offended by the liberties I have taken with the above scriptural quote, but I thought it quite appropriate. The phrase should read: ―The quiet words of wise men…‖ Apart from the obvious biblical sexism, which I have adjusted to the proper political correctness, I also modified the word ―wiser‖. The year was 1957. JFK won the Pulitzer Prize for his book Profiles in Courage. That year, I was born to parents who wore penny loafers, listened to Johnny Mathis records and watched Elvis‘ final appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Leave it to Beaver made its successful television debut. The matrons of nuclear families were in the kitchen opening canned vegetables while wearing high heels, pearls and aprons. It was a great year for Ford cars, suburbs and TV dinners. America was looking bright and wholesome, enjoying the fruits of the healing seeds sown during the years following a hard fought and devastating World War II. In Boston, MA, that year, a quiet little publishing company was born that most certainly did not strive to earn the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Samuel Weiser, Inc. bravely published occult luminaries such as Dion Fortune, Aleister Crowley and Israel Regardie…not the typical fare to be condensed in 1950‘s Reader’s Digest. Samuel Weiser, Inc. went onto become Red Wheel/Weiser LLC and one of the largest publishers of occult/ esoteric literature, second only to Llewellyn Worldwide Publishing. The company has offices in San Francisco, CA and Newburyport, MA, and now consists of three imprints: Red Wheel, established 2000 (spunky, spiritual, inspira- tional self-help and life lessons), Conari Press, established 1987, acquired in 2002 (family living, art, creativity, laughter and gratitude with a New Age perspective) and Weiser Books, 1957 (serious books for serious students of esoterica and the hermetic arts). Surprisingly, Weiser Books publishes precious few tarot decks. This puts their offerings in the highly collect- able category, rarity being the crux of collectability. One can see in their available selections (past and present) an appreciation of original artwork and ideas. In the spirit of collecting, let us begin by perusing Weiser‘s ―white ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 25

whale.‖ The Glastonbury Tarot by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, Published in the USA by Samuel Weiser, Inc , 1999. Deck and book set, original list price- $29.95. Not your typical Arthurian fare, The Glastonbury Tarot examines the ancient and mystical traditions of Glastonbury, England. This deck and book set was written and illustrated by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, a Glastonbury resident. Using local denizens as models, Ms. Tenzin-Dolma created a 78 card glimpse into the Pagan, Druidic and Grail/Arthurian mythology surrounding this renowned magical Somerset town. Ms. Tenzin-Dolma creates her artwork with a distinctive rudimentary style, and the vivid images are compelling and provocative. This tarot deck is very beginner-friendly. It is attractively packaged in a black and gold box featuring Percival the Fool. The small companion book provides the reader with information and insight into the deck‘s imagery and Glastonbury history. The Major Arcana retains its traditional titles, but they are subtitled in early Christian, Grail/ Arthurian and Druidic genre. The Minors are suited as Staffs (Wands), Chalices (Cups), Swords and Vesicas (Pentacles, note: a ‗vesica‘ is two intersecting arcs). The Court remains intact except the Page has become the Maid. The card back features the famous Glastonbury Tor designed with the seven chakra colors. The cards themselves are oversized, a bit thin and are coated with that ―sticky‖ veneer that makes the cards difficult to manipulate. However, I truly do not think anyone will want to utilize this deck for divinatory or intro- spective purposes- not with a $200.00 (used) - $800.00 (new-in-box) price tag. That‘s right - this Weiser edition is now a rare collectable and very difficult to find. The internet is the best way to hunt down this ―white whale.‖ The small companion book alone starts at $40.00. I found the boxed set available through a few independent sellers on Amazon, AmazonCA (Canada) and eBay. It was not available on AmazonUK, where the deck was first commissioned by Gothic Images Publications. Ms. Tenzin-Dolma is presently selling the paintings that were the original artwork for the cards. That Never Walks Around: by Stella Bennett, Published by Red Wheel/Weiser, 2002. Deck and book set original list price #34.95. Drawing from the well of rich Native American tradition and myth, Stella Bennett has created a non-traditional Tarot deck echoing the folk lore of her ancestors. Those with an appreciation of shamanic/Native American or non-traditional decks would do well to add this collectable to their collection. This set was written and illustrated by Ms. Bennett. It is named for the North Star, Polaris. The cards are round, a shape often found in decks reflecting a shamanic, earthy and feminist nature. I personally find round cards difficult to manipulate, but they do have the added benefit of displaying exactly where one is in a given phase; whether one is enter- ing, in the middle of or leaving a specific situation. The cards are of sturdy stock and the images are colored pencil drawings. While the art- work could be considered unsophisticated, primitive- almost childish -the images reflect a serene beauty in their simplicity and the style works well within the nature of the composition. The card design is unique; a delicate bare branch divides the card ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 26 roughly in half; a little over half the card is devoted to the image and the remainder to the card name, suit, number or astrological information. The Majors retain their traditional titles however the Minor suits speak of Native American myth. Wands become Firebirds, Cups become Frogs, Swords morph into Butterflies and Pentacles are Frogs. The Court remains intact. This deck set is not readily available and has proven to be quite popular. The best way to purchase this deck is through the internet or Red Wheel/Weiser catalogue. Amazon runs out quickly and sells this set for a very reason- able $26.55. Tarot Garden still has the deck in stock. This Tarot is only available from independent sellers on Ama- zon UK and Canada, but it isn‘t available through House of Tarot. As of this writing, the deck set can still be pur- chased directly from Red Wheel/Weiser. This limited availability tells me this set will be highly collectable in the future and go up in value, a good investment for the serious collector. Tarot of Transformation: by Willow Arlenea and Jasmin Lee Cori, Published by Weiser Books, 2002-3. Deck and Book set original list price $39.95 Another non-traditional, readapted offering from Weiser, this Tarot deck reflects the Weiser family‘s publishing commitment to personal growth and self-help. This psychologically and spiritually driven 78-card deck is the brain-child of psycho- therapist Jasmin Lee Cori and artist Willow Arlenea. This busy deck combines psy- chotherapeutic approaches with eastern and shamanic philosophies. The images themselves are visually lush and draw you in with swirling deep lavenders, blues and pinks that take on a translucent hue. It is all here: healing, passion, creativity, reflection, guidance, exploration, sorrow, joy, growth….transformation. The card titles appear at the bottom of the cards with key word meanings at the top. The Major Arcana has been renamed in some instances. For example, becomes The Green Man and The Hermit is The Crone. The Court evolves into gender neutral Server, Teacher, Healer and Master illustrating trans- formational maturation. The is composed of Wands, Cups, Swords and Disks with the corresponding elemental color scheme. The only complaint seems to be the cheapness of the card‘s stock and the deck packaging which is not reflected in its premium list price. This deck is becoming increasingly difficult to find. It is no longer available from the Red Wheel/Weiser catalogue. Amazon, AmazonUK and eBay have only scant few sets left in stock. Tarot Garden is out of stock and this deck set is not available from House of Tarot. This deck is destined to be a collectable. We of the ilk owe a debt of gratitude to the Weiser publishing family as a forerun- ner and pioneer of mainstream occult publishing. I am sure if one were to look very carefully, back in 1957, one would find a paperback book on astrology hidden under Mrs. Cleaver‘s side of the bed…forbidden bedtime reading fare reserved for when Ward Cleaver fell asleep and the Tonight Show with Jack Paar was over…or was she watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents?

Casey DuHamel is an ordained minister in the Gnostic Christian tradition and the creator of The Magdalene Legacy Tarot. This deck will be featured in Stuart Kaplan's upcoming Encyclopedia of Tarot V. Ms. DuHamel has been a student of esoteric spirituality and the Tarot and its history since 1992. She is an avid deck collector and mother to three cats and one ancient American Pit Bull Terrier named Uncle Louie.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 27 Timeless Classics: The Greater Trumps by Charles Williams By Sherryl Smith

This supernatural thriller, written in 1932, takes the reader on a vi- sionary journey into the power of tarot. We experience archetypes dancing in a golden mist, elemental powers conjured with the four suits, and the energy of the first tarot deck unleashed by a power-hungry magician. Suppose you obtained the very first tarot deck ever made - a deck with a special affinity for the original tarot archetypes; and what if these archetypes were embodied in a form that could grant you knowledge of the future and dominance over natural forces? This deck, and its power, is tantalizing close for some of the characters in the book. Nancy Coningsby‘s fiancé, Henry Lee, has an acute interest in the old tarot deck her father inherited. In fact, this deck has such a hold on him, he‘s willing to kill his future father-in-law for it. Henry‘s gypsy family owns a set of gold figurines that dance on a golden table in an isolated farmhouse. These figures are tarot archetypes that have been waiting for hundreds of years to be reunited with the original deck so its power can be unleashed. Mr. Coningsby is unaware that he owns the original tarot deck, and that when his deck is brought into contact with the figurines, the cards will arrange themselves in the same pattern as the dancing figures, giving their owner the unlimited power associated with knowing the future. Henry and his grandfather, Aaron, lust after this power. They decide to risk showing Mr. Coningsby and Nancy the gold figurines to persuade them to give up the deck. When this doesn‘t work, Henry uses the cards to raise a blizzard that he hopes will kill Mr. Coningsby. But Henry is an unworthy magician who, like the Sorcerer‘s Apprentice, can‘t control the forces he unleashes. The last third of the book is a hallucinatory journey into the ele- mental powers of the tarot, a warning against doing magic with base motives, and a lesson in the nature of true spiritual strength.

The Golden Dawn‘s influence permeates the book. For instance, the con- cept of golden tarot figurines dancing on a golden table came from S. L. MacGregor Mathers by way of Eliphas Levi. Levi wrote that tarot is the original chess, and that ancient chess players used the game to resolve phi- losophical questions. Mathers repeated this in a Golden Dawn manuscript where he states that ―like the Tarot originals the Chess pieces were an- ciently small figures of Egyptian Gods, representing the Divine Forces in Nature.‖ In The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, A. E. Waite says that tarot images, disguised as profane playing cards, veil deeper truths that can only be known by the initiate. Throughout Williams‘ book, the original tarot deck is a veil over the deeper power embodied in the golden figurines. The deck described in the novel is a blend of the Rider-Waite-Smith and Tarot de Marseilles, as modified by Williams‘ imagination. The minor arcana are the Italian suits of the TdM. The most imaginative cards are the Fool and Juggler/Magician. The Juggler tosses and catches golden balls too numerous and fast-moving to count. The Fool, accompanied by a lynx or tiger and a dragonfly, rests at the center of the golden table and is the key to the power of the gold figurines. One who can see the Fool move has the power to interpret the dance of the figurines and see the future. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 28

Charles Williams (September 20, 1886 - May 15, 1945) was a prolific writer of poetry, literary criticism, popular theology, and fiction. He had a long career as an editor at Oxford University Press, and was a member of the Ink- lings, an informal literary club that included Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He was also a friend of W.B. Yeats, and a member of A.E. Waite‘s mystical Christian lodge the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross from 1917 to 1927. There‘s evidence that he belonged to the Golden Dawn during the quarrels and schisms in 1900-1903, was familiar with their advanced rituals and magical workings, and later joined Dion Fortune‘s Stella Matutina lodge. The magic in his novels is influenced by Fortune‘s teachings. Williams‘ series of supernatural thrillers, written in the 1930s, depict the supernatural and mundane realms as two sides of same reality; a world where occult forces erupt into the ordinary world, creating danger and chaos that can only be dealt with by spiritual means. The novels were written after Williams quit the magical lodges, and seem to be a critique of the mindset and activities of his former confederates in the Golden Dawn. Aaron and his sister Joanna are caricatures of the misguided magician. Aaron engages in the futile and sterile pastime of moving tarot cards around in various patterns on a table, trying to hit on the pattern that will enable him to see the future and possess unlimited power. Mad, delusional, Joanna, who thinks she‘s Isis searching for her lost son Horus, may be a commentary on the pseudo-Egyptian trappings and beliefs of the occult lodges of the day. Henry is out of control with his lust for power - willing to cynically use his fiancée and kill her father - since any means justifies obtaining the power the gold figurines can bestow. Williams was a devout Anglican and a Christian mystic who believed in a god of love. The moral of the book is Christian: magical workings serve the ego and can only end badly, while true personal power must be grounded in spiritual love. This lesson is embodied in Nancy‘s Aunt Sybil, a paragon of quiet spiritual strength who has surren- dered to a higher power and lets it use her for the greater good. She alone has the power to see the Fool move and thus to interpret the dance of the gold figurines and foretell the future; but she has no interest in doing so. She lives totally in the present, with Zen-like serenity, a High Priestess figure with no interest in magical powers, as she has tapped into a far greater source of spiritual strength. Numerous reprints of the book are available at reasonable cost from online used book sellers. I recommend the Bard/Avon Books printing of 1969 with a preface by W. L. Gresham, who wrote Nightmare Alley, a noir novel about a fake spiritualist. The cheap paperbacks are becoming yellow and fragile; the hardbacks are in much better condition. The first American hardcover edition is by Pellegrini & Cudahy, NY, 1950. There is an undated hardcover edition, probably from 1962, by Farrar, Straus & Cudahy/Noonday, NY. References charleswilliamssociety.org.uk. biography of Charles Williams by G. W. S. Hopkins. Reproduced from the Dictionary of National Biography, 1941-50, Oxford University Press. charleswilliamssociety.org.uk. Charles Williams And Magic, article by Edward Gauntlett. Nigel Jackson, on yahoogroups.com/Tarot_L posting 10/14/04. – review of Greater Trumps. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Williams_(UK_writer) http://homepages.pavilion.co.uk/users/tartarus/williams.html. The Novels of Charles Williams, article by Glen Cavaliero http://georgemacdonald.info/williams.html. Article by Charles Seper

Sherryl Smith has been studying tarot for over 30 years. A fascination with the Visconti-Sforza deck led her to research tarot’s origins and history. She currently serves as the ATA board’s secretary.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 29

Reviews

Tarot Website Reviews by Linda Gail Walters, CPTR In this issue we will be spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of the tarot.

Tarot India (http://www.tarotindia.com/)

Overall Rating:  Navigation:  Content:  Visual Appeal: 

If asked to associate a country with the tarot, many people would say Italy, where the first known ref- erences to it are found. Or, perhaps, France for the fame of the Tarot de Marseilles. Few, if any, would say India. However, there is a vibrant and growing tarot network on the Asian subcontinent and the Tarot India website and its founder are driving forces behind it. The Tarot India website and the Tarot India Network were founded about seven years ago by Swati Prakash, who describes herself as a "Tarot and Past Life Healer". Prakash and the Tarot India Network are based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). The site is quite lovely with that slightly different and spicy flavor that one would expect from the land of curry. The site opens with very professionally executed flash introduction that brings the visitor to the main page of the site. A deck of cards fans out to a circle and then spreads across the page dis- solves into a design with "Tarot India" in the center, which then itself dissolves into the main page and its navigation bar. Navigation is easy and cleverly done. The letters T A R O across the page are the headings for alpha- betically keyed menus that link to the other pages of the site. One might expect the Indian approach to tarot to be unique and this website does not disappoint. One of the many interesting pages is Tarot Theories, found under "T" in tarot. This page refers not only to Jung's theory of synchronicity, but also to quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and theories of cosmology. The rest of the word T A R O follows the penchant for alliteration with titles such as Allegorical Ar- ticulations (about fairytales and folklore), Reflective Realizations, and Ominous Oracle (about interpret- ing negative cards). There is a link to sign-up of an e-mail newsletter from the Tarot India Network. While that publication is primarily about events taking place in and around Mumbai, it is interesting and informative to see what is going on with tarot in other parts of the world. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 30

This cleverly concatenated concoction of tarot, very nice web design, that always fascinating Indian point of view, and Prakash's obvious dedication and enthusiasm for her work in the Tarot and past life healing make this a great site to visit and return to frequently.

Tarot Passages (http://www.tarotpassages.com/) Overall Rating:  Navigation:  Content:  Visual Appeal: 

As has happened with many of the early tarot websites, Tarot Passages ap- pears to have fallen into moribund state and that is unfortunate. The main page proudly lists the January 2006 Update, but there seems to have been little, if anything, done since then. Despite the lack of recent updates and maintenance, this remains an impressive resource with over 800 deck reviews, 163 book re- views and links to other tarot sites. The links to the reviews are organized as a long linear alphabetical list of links to the specific pages on which the various reviews reside. The deck reviews are sorted on the name of the deck, whereas the book reviews are by the author's family name. Both the deck and book reviews are done by a variety of writers, most of whom are quite familiar names to tarot enthusiasts. Many decks and books have multiple reviews, so the reader is not limited to a single opinion. One of the main criticisms of this site, beyond the fact that it has not been updated in more than 32 months, is the choice of color scheme. The entire site is white lettering on a dark blue background. This is a color combination that is not conducive to long reading times. It fatigues the eyes, and for many people, the letter start to 'strobe' after viewing it for very long. This kind of contrast between background and foreground is also no longer considered to be a best practice in website design and can cause accessibility issues for people with vi- sion problems. Site navigation is also a problem. The navigation of a page is purely linear. The index page for the deck reviews requires over 20 scroll clicks to move from top to bottom. The long lists require a good deal of scrolling; something that is frowned upon with modern website design. In addition to the deck and book reviews there are links to pages with infor- mation on Reviews and Articles, Links, Consultations and Workshops, Spreads and Sample Readings, Deck Collection, Thank and Accolades (all of the award have dead links), and a special Nina Lee Braden Wing. All in all this is site that is packed with great reviews and much useful infor- mation, but that is hampered by three negative factors: lack of recent update, poor choice of color scheme and very old fashioned page and link organization.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 31

Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog (http://marygreer.wordpress.com/)

Overall Rating:  Navigation:  Content:  Visual Appeal: 

Blogs, no matter how good, by their very nature suffer when compared di- rectly to well done websites for things such as navigation and visual appeal. Therefore, blogs must be judged primarily on their content. In that regard, Mary K. Greer's blog is outstanding. This is hardly surprising as Greer is one of the most prominent Tarot teachers and authors of our era and her blog is a "must read" Tarot site. One of the most striking things about Greer's blog is that it is up-to-date and active. A refreshing change of pace in the world of Tarot websites where many have languished for years. The navigation and visual appeal are exceptional for a blog. There is still a lot of scrolling to do, but a well managed side bar on the left helps to quickly get the reader to past entries. A short menu bar at the top takes you to such pages as Bio, Events, Publications, Email and an Index. This is a very nice feature considering that most blogs are a linear progression of post- ings. As most all blogs there is a sidebar containing links to earlier posts, Top 10, and links to other Tarot sites. There are two search boxes. One for searching by topic and the other to search the posting archive by date. The single most important part of this or any blog is the content and in this respect. Greer posts frequently and each posting is well worth the reading. The postings run the full spectrum of the Tarot, from deck and book reviews to in- terviews, to new spreads and the heavier topics that relate Tarot to psychology and the cosmos. The postings are so good that one soon forgets about the seemingly endless scrolling that is the nature of the beast with blogs. It is also refreshing, in a world filled with political blogs spewing their vitriol, to have a blog that is spiritual and uplifting. Find this blog, bookmark it and read it frequently.

Linda Gail Walters, CPTR, is a website and web application developer and staff writer for the Metaverse Messenger. She has studied Tarot with Dr. Art Rosengarten and Lon Milo Duquette. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 32 The Mystic Dreamer Tarot by artist Heidi Darras and author Barbara Moore Deck Review by Stephanie Arwen Lynch From the soft sponged pink of the box to the muted, quiet, almost diffident cards, the Mystic Dreamer Tarot is a very feminine deck. On my first pass through this tarot deck from Llewellyn, I was struck by all the female faces gazing back at me. The second time through I focused on what are traditionally depicted as masculine cards such as the or the . Females rule this deck of dreamers. There is a languid, liquid feeling that is enhanced by the soft art of Heidi Darras. Darras is a self taught digital artist who thanks the wildly popular Deviant Art site for her inspiration and focus. In the book she talks about how she turned to computer art while her child slept. I think you can pick up that sense of peace in her art. The accompanying book is not your average bigger-than- normal LWB (little white book). From the opening pages of personal insight to the lined blank pages, this is truly meant to encourage one to journal. My complaint would be that there are not enough pages. I would love to see a truly blank book produced that would offer some images of this deck but leave room for a real journal. Barbara Moore delivers in the descriptions as well. Her notes include reversal meaning. For those who are familiar with Moore‘s other tarot books, this is a variance for her. Apparently the meanings came to her. I do like the little Intuition notes on each card that challenge you to reach a little deeper to find other meanings. And of course you get the bonus spreads you expect. However this goes beyond that as well. I counted. From the simple variations on the three card spread to the more in- volved spreads, there are twenty four different spreads. This includes a few two card spreads as well as a one card draw. I think this alone makes this a great deck for a be- ginner. The imagery in this deck was intentionally stripped of Biblical imagery according to the artist notes. I‘ve never thought of Christianity as something overbearing in the Tarot. Apparently the artist wanted to offer something truly different. I don‘t think there is any inherent problem in any of the cards. Only one image jarred me. One of the Queens is so obviously digitally manipulated that she comes across as a bit garish to me. Overall, this is a deck I‘d happily recommend to someone just starting out with tarot who wanted something less traditional but not so far afield from the Rider Waite Smith system. You could easily pick this deck up and any of the basic books on tarot to begin learning this art. If I were going to rate it on a scale of 10, I‘d easily give it an 8.5. Well done, Heidi Darras and Barbara Moore!

Mystic Dreamer Tarot: Llewellyn $26.95. ISBN 978-0738714363 ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 33 The Whispering Tarot and The Whispering Tarot: Softly Spoken Secrets Tarot art and Accompanying text by Elizabeth Hazel Deck Review by Leah Samul This deck and book are excellent for a number of reasons. Let me, as the poet said, count the ways. The author/designer has a very engaging writing style, which makes the text feel like she‘s right there talking to you. At the same time, the writing is succinct and does- n‘t go off on tangents that would lose the reader. This is especially helpful in her sec- tions on astrology. Many tarotists study or practice astrology. Although the original Golden Dawn tarot and the Thoth Tarot were both strongly linked to astrological systems, tarotists who aren‘t conversant with astrology don‘t usually get to see its back-story in the decks that have been designed in the last 40 years. Elizabeth Hazel includes some of this back-story in the interpretation of her deck. She notes astrological attributes in the book, but made a point of not putting them in the artwork on the cards themselves. This allows tarotist- astrologers to differ from her approach, should they so desire. She also provides a clearly written essay titled ―Essential Dignities for Tarotists‖ at the end of the book, and includes a chart of Ptolemy‘s Essential Dignities and Debilities of the planets. The artwork on the cards is light and playful. This is a deck you can take to the company picnic and feel secure it won‘t scare off the suit-and-tie types. The colors are bright and the pictures engaging and easy to see. Also absent in the artwork is visual reference to obscure mystical systems. In other words, you don‘t have to know Kabbalah or the Celtic Tree alphabet to read with this deck. In another innovation, Hazel gets past the usual ―upright‖ and ―reversed‖ meanings by using ―Divinatory Meaning‖ and ―Ill Dignified.‖ The phrase ―ill-dignified‖ comes from astrology but it demonstrates its usefulness here in tarot. Hazel uses it to good advantage in situations where a card that is essentially positive comes up in a layout position that indicates negative problems. For example, a layout may have a position in the spread that indicates forces working against the querent. If a generally positive card, like , appears upright in such a position, the ill-dignified interpretation Hazel provides gives the reader a sensible way to interpret the card. Each card has a short description of the picture, followed by the meanings. Both the regular and ill-dignified meanings get about a para- graph each. Generally, the deck follows the usual Major Arcana template. One difference comes in trump XVIII (The Moon), which this deck calls ―The Eclipse.‖ The precedent for this was set in the original Waite- Smith deck, which shows what appears to be an eclipse in progress on the Moon card. Hazel‘s view of the card is that, unlike the moon, which is a normal, nightly phenomenon, an eclipse represents bizarre, abnormal occurrences.

ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 34

The Minor Arcana follows the RWS format of wands, cups, swords and pentacles. Wands have an especially organic feel. Most of them feature white birch trees rooted in the earth, as opposed to movable staves. Only the Knight and the King differ; the Knight carries a birch branch while the King holds a birch staff. The court cards fol- low the Thoth tradition of Princesses, Knights, Queens and Kings. One of this deck´s most salient strengths comes from the down-to-earth advice Ha- zel dispenses in the cards‘ interpretations. Not that she ignores deeper philosophical insights; there are many. But as both professional and amateur tarot readers know, common sense and practical information means as much to clients as deep spiritual wisdom. This practicality shines through both in the regular and ill-dignified mean- ings. As examples: Temperance could indicate (among other things) ―Recycling things to protect the environment; recycling ideas into new applications.‖ The Ace of Cups could mean ―the heart is open and cleansed of past hurts, and ready to love again.‖ The , when ill-dignified, might symbolize a common workplace issue: ―Too many deadlines all at once.‖ Or, it might mean ―Messages are not received, or do not have the intended impact.‖ The ill-dignified Lovers (trump VI) could be interpreted as ―A past failed love relationship that blocks or destroys current/future relationships, or makes a person skeptical about love.‖ The entire text on the deck is filled with these kinds of insights, and this makes the book especially useful. Hazel has designed four innovative spreads, The Vala Cross (13 cards), The Finger of God (8 cards), Athena‘s Spear (10 cards), and The Laughing Turtle (7 cards.) All the spreads are practical and easy to remember. The cards are poker-sized, which is a smaller than usual for a tarot deck. This will be helpful for those whose arthritis makes large-size cards hard to shuffle, and also for people of smaller stature, whose hands are proportion- ately smaller. The book is available in two formats: as a printed edition book, or digital edition on CD, which can be viewed on the computer and printed on any standard printer. I recommend this deck for its playful artwork, straightforward style, ease of use, and practical application. Both novices and experienced tarot readers will enjoy reading with it. Whispering Tarot Deck—signed/numbered limited edition $25.00 (ISBN - 978-0615209975), print edition book $16.00 or CD-book $10.00 (ISBN - 978-0615247908) available at: www.kozmic-kitchen.com

Fantastical Creatures Tarot Tarot art by Lisa Hunt, accompanying LWB by D. J. Conway (US Games Systems, Inc.) Deck Review by Leah Samul This deck is exquisite. Soft colors and intricate detail in each picture form an evoca- tive presentation that most tarotists will find appealing. D. J. Conway describes each card in a LWB on steroids (71 pages long), and briefly discusses the card‘s components and meaning. Hunt and Conway draw on myths, legends and folklore from all over the globe, representing Greece, Rome, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Germany, the Celtic lands, and more. The deck is a mythologist‘s dream-come-true. The up side of this is that no country is ignored. The down side is that unless you have cross-cultural, mythological knowledge rivaling that of the late Joseph Campbell, you‘ll want to read about the card ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 35 to discern its specific attributes. So, if you are wont to disregard the LWB as a matter of course, don‘t do it this time. Instead of upright and reversed meanings for the cards, Conway gives us ―Divinatory Meanings‖ and ―Magickal Uses.‖ The latter includes a few sentences on how to use each card to effect transformation and change, or for meditation. The Introduction in the LWB urges tarotists to use the energy of the Fantastical Creatures deck as a tool ―to improve yourself and your life.‖ A short essay at the end of the book explains several ways to use the deck in addition to the usual lay- out method. The deck comes with a drop cloth that offers an expanded version of the Celtic Cross on one side, and four new spreads on the other: two five-card lay- outs (Life Challenges Layout and a Changes Layout), a nine-card Decision Layout, and a six-card Pyramid Layout. Hunt and Conway also include two cards as a quick reference guide to all the cards‘ meanings. The Majors and Minors roughly follow the RWS model with some interesting departures. Swords symbolize fire, and wands represent air, instead of the reverse. Additionally, the information on the drop cloth indicates that love, emotions and relationships come under wands, with cups symbolizing dreams, moods and fan- tasy. The correspondences in the LWB contradict this somewhat, placing emotions under cups. Individual readers can decide how they want to interpret the cards in the minor suits. In place of The Devil, they have called trump XV ―Chains,‖ with a picture of Fenris, a wolf from Norse mythology. As lovely as this deck is, I wouldn‘t give it as an introductory deck on tarot to someone who‘s never seen the medium before. The figures on the cards might be unknown to com- pletely new readers, and without knowledge of the basic ideas of tarot, it could be confusing. The Fool, for example, is pictured as Amphisbaena, a two- headed, snake-like creature that can move in either direction. A newbie, seeing the card and its name, might wonder why this creature would represent something associated with being a fool. The LWB states that this representation of The Fool illustrates that the two heads can act independently, portraying a person who ―can‘t make up his mind, or decides without enough information.‖ However, experienced tarotists, especially those who have some background in mythology, will de- light in the mix of myth and tarot, which is as evident in the Minors as it is in the Majors. For example, the Ten of Wands is the Minotaur, with the labyrinth symbol- izing his tangled journey toward healing while carrying the burden of his stigma- tized existence as a monster. The difficult Ten of Swords features Kali Ma, whose blades can destroy but can also create by helping us make a clean break with the past, and reminding us that we must be finished with the old cycle before beginning a new one. Overall, I highly recommend this deck for its wide-ranging use of myth and legend. Tarotists who enjoy world mythology will definitely want this deck for their collections. Fantastical Creatures Tarot $22.00 US Games ISBN 978-1572815414 Leah Samul is the author of Wisdom in the Cards: The Hudes Tarot Companion. She has written for PanGaia and SageWoman magazines, and is a regular reviewer for ForeWord Magazine. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 36 Letter from the Editor

Working tarot readers get busy in the autumn months. Mabon (Fall Equinox for muggles) and Samhain (Halloween) celebrate the end of the harvest and the souls of the dead. The autumn of 2008 is even more frenetic because of the up- coming presidential elections. People want to know their future, the future of their businesses and families, and the future of the United States. The fate of these symbiotic entities is tied together in time and space, and much depends on what happens on Super Tuesday. Whether you‘re a tarotist who gives predictions or not, it‘s impossible to ignore the balloon of curiosity rising on the hot air of political debate. With the demands of the season upon us, the many writers who contributed to this issue merit a special note of grati- tude. Their enthusiasm fuels the QJ, and their literary offerings are the plums on the QJ tree (I just do the pruning and watering and such). As a matter of fact, so many excellent articles were contributed that there wasn‘t room for the Tarot- Rota column in this issue. No tears; this is one of my lumpier hexperiments (vis a vis Terry Pratchett: doing magic just to see what happens). There‘s always the possibility of a fresh incarnation. The tarot continually reincarnates into new forms. We‘re living amidst a tarot baby boom, with new decks popping out from every corner. Old traditions are subject to modification, and new traditions are being forged. Readers can enjoy new decks along with their golden oldies. That‘s what keeps tarot fresh for me - it never dies, yet is constantly reborn. The god or goddess of symbols must be happy and well-fed deity these days. Om Shanti! Elizabeth Hazel, Editor Submission guidelines Editor E-mail Addresses: Send Quarterly Journal submissions to Liz at:: [email protected] and Tarot Reflections submissions to Shari at: [email protected] New submission deadlines for 2009! Winter 2008 - due to editor Dec 5 Spring 2009 - due to editor Mar 5. Summer 2009 - due to editor June 8 Fall 2009 - due to editor by Sept 7

Article Proposals Contact the editor with an article proposal before writing and submitting it! Synchronicity is often at work, and multiple articles on the same topic seem to show up at the same time. An article proposal should include the title, a paragraph describing the article contents, and approximate word count. Formatting Articles for the Quarterly Journal Please double-check grammar and spelling before submitting. Format: double-space, 12 point, Times New Roman or Arial fonts. Quotes from books must be credited; please give citations as endnotes (author, title, publisher, year). In- clude a short author bio with submission. Send to [email protected] as a Word doc attachment. Do not format art in the body of the article; please e-mail images as separate jpgs. ATA Quarterly Journal - Fall 2008 page 37

Tarot Book and Deck Reviews (300 to 800 words). Include overview of book‘s contents, and indicate what level of study the book targets. Deck reviews should include assessment of artist‘s style, unique deck features, remarks on LWB (if one is included with deck) or companion book. Include three to five card images (.jpg) - contact editor if you need help with this.

Practical Tarot Articles (1,000-2,000 words) Card combinations Divinatory meanings and comparisons between different decks Different reading styles Divination versus counseling Tarot meditations Sample spreads Examples of actual tarot readings

Topical Articles (1,000-2,000 words) tarot and magick, tarot and religion tarot reading tips; how to prepare for readings tarot and other divination systems tarot teaching techniques tarot symbolism, mythology connected to symbols, changing meanings of symbols, etc. business tips for professional tarot readers – how to start & maintain a professional tarot business interviews with tarotists, deck designers and artists how to read tarot for your self and others

Tarot Cover Art The editor is seeking original tarot cards (or tarot-like art) from recently published decks or from decks in development for the cover of the Quarterly Journal. Submit the image as a jpg and include an artist bio, highlights about the deck‘s development, central theme or unique artistic idiom, and other information of interest.

ATA Contact Information

The American Tarot Association 2901 Richmond Rd Ste 130 #123 Lexington KY 40509-1763 Toll-free: 1-800-372-1524 (noon - 2 pm EST office hours) Fax: 1-800-331-7787 Email: [email protected] Quarterly Journal and Tarot Reflections editors can be contacted at [email protected] - please indicate the intended recipient by putting ―QJ‖ or ―TR‖ in the subject line.

Mission Statement The American Tarot Association is a professional and social organization for tarot enthusiasts, stu- dents, scholars, and readers. We promote the study and appreciation of tarot by supporting a variety of educational programs. We require a high level of ethics in tarot readings by asking our members to agree to our published code of ethics.

Treats for ATA Members ATA e-mail Long distance telephone service for members, 4.46¢/minute anywhere, anytime in the States 800 toll-free telephone service for 4.47¢/minute—your 800 telephone line can ring into any tele- phone you want Lowest price calling cards available For more information call 800-363-6177 and reference Group 1340