Accreditation Organizations and Such Like

EDIT: Through the search I found several threads debating the issue of accreditation, and would like to change the focus of this thread to people sharing their personal experience of going through the accreditation process, and what it brought them, and how they benefited by it.

The debate on the value of accreditation and other political aspects of the idea is an important one, so please do not feel put out by this request. I just ask that here the discussion continues as indicated above.

Thanks!
-pasara

There have been lots of threads on this topic, and if you can find them through search, there is a lot of good information and valid, but varying, opinions in them.

My thought is and has always been that accreditation is too subjective and arbitrary to offer positive "proof" of ability. Who can validate someone else's intuition? Who are the judges? What are their credentials, and who accredited them?

In other words, my feeling is that many of these accrediting "agencies" are not only not mandated by any superior authority or licensing bureau (the government, maybe?--who would have no idea how or why to do so), but they are also made up of people who have maybe validated one another and then gotten together to administer "validation" on others. Often for a fee.

I just don't think you can legislate intuitive ability--nor for a fee can you teach it. So, what does being accredited really mean?

starrystarrynight said:

My thought is and has always been that accreditation is too subjective and arbitrary to offer positive "proof" of ability. Who can validate someone else's intuition? Who are the judges? What are their credentials, and who accredited them?

In other words, my feeling is that many of these accrediting "agencies" are not only not mandated by any superior authority or licensing bureau (the government, maybe?--who would have no idea how or why to do so), but they are also made up of people who have maybe validated one another and then gotten together to administer "validation" on others. Often for a fee.

I just don't think you can legislate intuitive ability--

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I agree wholeheartedly. Intuition (and tarot reading) are 'right brain' activities. When regulating logical 'left brainers' come along, and want to box, legislate, prove, judge, measure, examine ... it doesn't work.

The very best 'judges' of a person's ability to read tarot are their querents.

Another example - I enquired recently about becoming a member of the Australian Psychics Association. For a fee, I receive three statutory declaration forms which need to be filled in by people who have experienced my abilities, and then signed off by a Justice of the Peace. Then amazingly, I'm a qualified, ratified, proven 'psychic'. Anyone could write anything and have it signed by a JP. It's meaningless.

The only thing it can "prove" is that a person has the ability to memorize individual card meanings. And that's all their tests amount to. But reading isn't memorized card meanings. It's so much more.

Have a look at some of the U-Tube instructional videos or readings done by supposedly expert readers. What do you see? You see "this card means this" and "that card means that". You see individual card meanings, recited one by one. You don't see the reader weaving all the cards together or giving any kind of a cohesive, insightful, meaningful reading and certainly nothing psychic or intuitive. At least, the ones I've seen are that way. In order to achieve your goal with these schools, they require money---big deal, the money---and for you to do a few readings using memorized card meanings, and maybe for the higher "degrees" you might be required to do a bunch of writing and turn it in (and take a chance that anyone actually reads it) and maybe having taught a class or two with your memorized meanings---oh and once again, the money---plenty of money.

If I were to walk into a Tarot reader's booth and see the "accredited diploma" and a "code of ethics" there, my attenae would wiggle and I'd see the indications that the reading I'd get might not be a real, cohesive reading but rather a "this card means this" reading.

Don't get me wrong. Many people who shell out the money and post the certificates may go on to be dynamite readers in the long run, who can weave a reading together and glean the real insights to be had there. But a whole lot are going to believe that "this means this and that means that" is what a reading is supposed to be.

One of my concerns is that, after years of people going through these "accredited" schools, even the public is going to start believing that those simplified, memorized, single card meaning readings are the real thing and then where will the real reading tradition have gone?

Note: Codes of ethics are fine if you want to post them. I wouldn't post one because I figure my actions and my readings should speak for themselves but if it makes you feel better, go ahead, I guess. It would still just say "young'un" to me. If you feel more professional putting up your code of ethics, more power to ya.

Coming back to add that this is just my opinion. If it's unpopular or you don't agree, that's okay, too.

People look for certifications and whatnot of any professional for one reason: it proves a person's drive and determination, and just how serious they take what they do. It doesn't have to prove ability... there are varying degrees of ability in any profession; but the fact that someone went the extra distance can be comforting to some, not as a reference to his or her ability, but to his or her dedication to the subject... which could in turn, tell you a little something about their ability- at least, that they've decided to work hard at and commit themselves to learning the subject matter.

Thanks for your replies, folks.

starrystarrynight said:

There have been lots of threads on this topic, and if you can find them through search, there is a lot of good information and valid, but varying, opinions in them.

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I assumed this and did a search, but did not find anything, which was hard to believe, but there you go. Do you have suggestions on how to search it. I used accreditation (and its variations) as my search word.

Amanda_04 said:

People look for certifications and whatnot of any professional for one reason: it proves a person's drive and determination, and just how serious they take what they do. It doesn't have to prove ability... there are varying degrees of ability in any profession; but the fact that someone went the extra distance can be comforting to some, not as a reference to his or her ability, but to his or her dedication to the subject... which could in turn, tell you a little something about their ability- at least, that they've decided to work hard at and commit themselves to learning the subject matter.

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This is what I wondered about, not so much that I thought it would say one was a better reader. More whether it showed a level of professionalism in the sense of attitude. Also sometimes it is also a way of supporting a "movement" as a whole, get it more recognized and legitimized by the outside world. Yet, in the case of Tarot, I wonder what "movement" exactly that would be.

In this country's way of doing things there are different levels. I am wondering about it as a marketing tool, especially when accredited at a higher level.

I don't think it is in place of personal study and commitment, but it could be a way to give structure or support to ones process.

These are all just questions. I wonder if others have found benefit to going through the process. I appreciate and hope to hear a variety of perspectives.

If you type "accreditation" into the search engine above, you will get a couple of pages of threads.

starrystarrynight said:

If you type "accreditation" into the search engine above, you will get a couple of pages of threads.

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very strange. i did get some threads now, but when i did it earlier it said there were no matches! must have been a glitch or ... geez, mercury isnt even retrograde or anything.
thanks again. i will give it a perusal.

In 7+ years of reading, for hundreds of people, not one of them has ever asked if I was accredited. They ask how long I've been reading and if I get return clients. Sometimes they ask how I think the Tarot works. But accreditation? Not once.

Apollonia said:

In 7+ years of reading, for hundreds of people, not one of them has ever asked if I was accredited. They ask how long I've been reading and if I get return clients. Sometimes they ask how I think the Tarot works. But accreditation? Not once.

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I'll second that.