What is a professional? Who is a professional?

I've more or less let this board go - I've let what happen would happen. I reckon that's not a bad way ta do thangs.

Can you 'ear those drums beatin' ta the rythym 'o tha' six?

Papa' bufo bufo!

Papa' bufo bufo!

What is a taro' professional anyways?

I reckon it's more an selling a taro' readin' fo' money.

I would expect a professional in any field to have dedicated him/herself to her field of study, to be proficient in its history, lore, and modern evolution. Also, a professional would need to keep current in their skills, work at their chosen field with dedication and commitment to consistent growth in their skills. Her service should be valuable, worth paying for, and not something one could simply do for oneself given a deck and a book. A professional would have skills gained via experience I would not have given the same tools and a do-it-yourself manual. This combination of experience, talent, and skill is what makes the professional's service worth spending money on rather than doing it yourself.

Ditto.


Baroli

Well said, Mercy Me.

I would only add that I would expect a professional in any sphere to adhere to an appropriate code of ethics and to be polite to his or her clients.

In my view, a tarot professional is someone who reads tarot cards or writes tarot books for remuneration. It doesn't mean, though, that they necessarily know more about tarot than the tarot non professionals here on our boards. As tarot professionals are not regulated like the traditional "liberal professions" - such as doctors, lawyers and dentists - we can't assume anything about their training, experience, code of ethics, etc.

- Rusty

Rusty Neon said:

As tarot professionals are not regulated like the traditional "liberal professions" - such as doctors, lawyers and dentists - we can't assume anything about their training, experience, code of ethics, etc.

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No, indeed. One can only hope for it.

Rusty Neon said:

In my view, a tarot professional is someone who reads tarot cards or writes tarot books for remuneration. It doesn't mean, though, that they necessarily know more about tarot than the tarot non professionals here on our boards. As tarot professionals are not regulated like the traditional "liberal professions" - such as doctors, lawyers and dentists - we can't assume anything about their training, experience, code of ethics, etc.

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I would just like to agree wholeheartedly that many nonprofessional tarot readers possess more knowledge and skill in tarot than many tarot professionals. This board is proof of that.

--Mercy

I really have trouble equating tarot reading with being a doctor, lawyer, psychologist, or other professional of that sort. I read for money and I've studied for a long time, but I'd never consider myself a professional in the respect that doctors and lawyers are professionals. I realise that some do charge for their time on a par with the professionals in those areas, but it seems a real stretch to me.

I wholeheartedly agree with Rusty Neon's point. What characterises a professional in a field is that the person engages in the activity for remuneration (whether part-time or full-time).

I would not expect my plumber to necessarily know much about the history of plumbing, nor about the various materials used in other parts of the world, nor even about the problems associated with below zero (Celcius) conditions (as these do not apply here). I would, however, expect him or her to be able to do plumbing.

If I consulted an author on plumbing, I would not necessarily expect him or her to be able to fix a plumbing fault, but would expect that an understanding of the principles of plumbing are understood and explained.

In each case, I would need to trust that, along with any human being I encounter, they are basically honest and moral individuals (and would not care a damn about their production of a signed piece of paper that claimed that).

Likewise professionals in tarot: they either read tarot, write about tarot, run courses on tarot, or use tarot in yet other means in which remuneration or other formal exchange is normally undertaken.

The plumbing analogy is of course very poor, in that plumbing requires that one has particular and specific knowledge, whereas this need not be the case with tarot with regards to readings, but rather be open to a developing narrative.

P or p?

It depends whether you're saying 'professional' or 'Professional'. The noun or the adjective. Plenty of people who have studied for years can enter a profession, practice, take money and are considered Professionals. However, plenty of people study for years, enter a profession, practice and take money yet aren't very 'professional'. What exactly did you mean Major Tom and if you reckon "it's more an selling a taro' readin' fo' money", then what is do you think it is?