Has anyone finished BOTA?

I'm a relatively new member of BOTA slowly working my way through the correspondence courses, but I have a few questions about where things are headed.

1) Has anyone ever actually finished all of the lessons?
2) If so, how long did it take?
3) Do you "graduate" at some point? Does someone mail you a completion certificate and send you on your way?
4) Are there any tips or advice you wish you'd known going in that might be helpful?

I know it will be slow going and that there'll be repetition of material I already know, but I'm actually looking forward to that as it will improve my study and comprehension. I take each lesson slowly and seriously, even if it's a review. I just find it motivational to have an "endgame" in mind - a goal for which to strive, if you will, to supplement my already strong desire simply to learn more.

I'm glad you posted this, as I a really interested in joining up once my schedule slows down. It's so nice to have a structured learning system to work within, and use as a bouncing off point for one's own ideas. I never thought I'd miss school, but studying on one's own is hard!

I am really interested in this matter. I have been surfing the net looking at different mystery schools. I have been wondering about B.O.T.A myself and even found some folks here in Phoenix area.

Strategeus said:

1) Has anyone ever actually finished all of the lessons?
2) If so, how long did it take?
3) Do you "graduate" at some point? Does someone mail you a completion certificate and send you on your way?
4) Are there any tips or advice you wish you'd known going in that might be helpful?

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Since you PMed and asked what I knew about BOTA I'll offer what I know.

1&2) I never finished the course (am not consistent in my studies and you need to be) although I have all the lessons. A good friend completed the course—12 or 13 years worth, although it can take longer if you take vacations from the material. BOTA occasionally changes the order and the courses. Ann Davies especially added some new materials that not everyone likes. It's personal taste really. The people I've known who have done the material faithfully are deeply spiritual and insightful in regard to the interpretation of a person's symbolic life—whether it's past lives, astrology, kabbalah, dreams or tarot. I admire them greatly.

3) I don't know about any special graduation program. There are tests after each separate course segment that you have to complete in order to continue on.

4)
- It probably pays more to think of the course as a lifetime study rather than there being an end-point to it all.
- If possible, join a local BOTA study group, it can enhance the material. I'm not familiar with any on-line forums, but that would probably be good too.
- Read Jason Lotterhand's Thursday Night Tarot. I was told that Jason was named Case's spiritual successor, but he refused to take over the outer school. Whatever the truth of the matter - Jason Lotterhand was a very special being who understood the BOTA approach to tarot at its highest level. http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-Night-Tarot-Weekly-Wisdom/dp/0878771476/. Aeclectic review at: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/thursday-night-tarot/
- If you are drawn to reading the cards, go ahead and do it, no matter what they tell you about refraining from doing so. You won't get to the BOTA Minor Arcana material until near the end of the entire program. Case's system for the number cards is different from the GD (but not necessarily better) and not that helpful for readings.
- Coloring the cards is one of the best parts.
- The meditations are rather vague. I'd suggest Edwin Steinbrecker's Inner Guide Meditation as something that will put more 'oomph' in those meditations!
http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Guide-Meditation-Spiritual-Technology/dp/0877286574/
- Don't take the myths/history as factual truth, but rather as part of the spiritual teaching.

Hope this helps. Would love to hear some opinions from others.

Thank you so much for the insightful response. I really appreciate the time you took to tell us what you know. I've added the books you suggested to my wish list.

Hopefully others with extensive BOTA experience will post their views as well.

If you want to make up your own study group then, after Lotterhand, I suggest Living the Tarot by Amber Jayanti. Amber is a longtime BOTA student who has taught her own classes featuring practical and life applications of the BOTA material. Her book will help you create group processes and material to share.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1578633141/ref=nosim/aeclectic/

Teheuti said:

If you want to make up your own study group then, after Lotterhand, I suggest Living the Tarot by Amber Jayanti. Amber is a longtime BOTA student who has taught her own classes featuring practical and life applications of the BOTA material. Her book will help you create group processes and material to share.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1578633141/ref=nosim/aeclectic/

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I actually own that book; it's sitting right there on my shelf waiting for me to get to it. I'll put it in my queue right after I finish Place's The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination and obtain/read the Lotterhand book. There is a study group relatively close to me, but it's at a time I can't make and they're far ahead of me in the material, so making my own study group might very well be an option. Thanks for the recommendation!

I managed to secure myself a copy of Thursday Night Tarot - should be shipped Tuesday.

Has anyone else had a good deal of experience with BOTA that can lend some insight to us newbies and proto-initiates?