Who is our oldest reader - and I don't mean age!!!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kitty	15 Oct 2002
Hello All, :D After reading in a thread that Umbrae has been reading tarot for 30 years (that longer than I have even been alive - i'm 25), I started to think......who else has that amount of experience on the forum? I know that it is not just the amount of years reading that makes a good or wise reader but it sure does help. I have tried to search the forum for a similar thread but I can't find anything :( So on to the research....... "How long have you been reading tarot?" Come you 'oldies' its your chance to show off!!!

John	16 Oct 2002
I hear that Miss Cleo's been reading for centuries. Past lives and so forth. Don't know how true this is.

truthsayer	16 Oct 2002
i've been reading tarot 27 years so umbrae has me beat.

zorya	16 Oct 2002
welllllll....... i started when i was around 10 or 12 years old, don't remember exactly, but it was the 1jj swiss deck. now i'm 42. but there were many years i wasn't reading. umbrae is a much better reader than i, so he has me beat too ;)

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Oct 2002
I rarely read with my deck. For me the word "divination" means to communicate with the Divine and there is so much more to communicating than "reading" which to most (not all) means fortune telling or looking from the past to the future. So there I haven't indicated anything about my age LOL :)

Major Tom	16 Oct 2002
I'll bet Red Emma has been reading for longer than Umbrae. :) I've only been reading 20 years so I can't beat him.

catlin	16 Oct 2002
Ok, I can't compete with 30 or 27 years of tarot reading but I humbly mention my 19 years of living with tarot (I started with tarot at the age of 13).

Sulis	16 Oct 2002
Hi, I`ve been LEARNING for a little under a year - since last Yule. Much of my learning has been done on this site with the aid of all these very experienced people. Crystalmynx xx

Kiama	16 Oct 2002
And here's me with only 9 years.... Umbrae, you make me feel so young, and you Truth! Aggghhh! Although, since I've been living with the Tarot since I was 9, when I get to Umbrae's age, I may well have been reading more than 30 years... ;) Kiama

Rhiannon	16 Oct 2002
I've been reading off and on since I was 16, so that's about 12 years total... but really seriously for the last 2 or 3 years. R :)

ihcoyc	16 Oct 2002
I got my first deck before I was a junior in high school. This would have made it 1974 or 1975. So I can't beat thirty years, but it is close.

Phoenix	16 Oct 2002
I don't care...I've been reading for just under 4 years.....incase you don't know, I am 18. Kiama, don't fel bad!

Liliana	16 Oct 2002
Well i did read with a handmade deck in early high school, that was like 12 years ago, but I stopped and only got serious again maybe 3 years ago :THP

MeeWah	16 Oct 2002
I agree with Mystique that divination refers to communicating with The Divine & encompasses far more than reading Tarot. I started reading with numerology, regular playing cards & extemporaneously when I was 11 but did not look at Tarot until I was 19. In terms of reading in general, this spans decades; with Tarot, I am guessing about the same as Umbrae or less.

blue_fusion	16 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by MeeWah I agree with Mystique that divination refers to communicating with The Divine & encompasses far more than reading Tarot. I started reading with numerology, regular playing cards & extemporaneously when I was 11 but did not look at Tarot until I was 19. In terms of reading in general, this spans decades; with Tarot, I am guessing about the same as Umbrae or less. i've been reading palms since my grade school days. still, i'm only 21 so thats not a lot of years... :)

Mojo	16 Oct 2002
When I was 9, I made my own Tarot deck by tracing pictures out of a book onto blank index cards and I would sit on the beach and pretend to be the Great Karnak (from the old Johnny Carson show) complete with a turban made out of a beach towel. Kids would gather from all over the area to sit with me and have their fortunes told. By the time I was 11, I was doing readings at birthday parties and school recess. I'm now 45, so I guess that gives me about 36 years worth of Tarot work, although I guess the really "serious" readings started when I was about 15 or 16 (I put "serious" in quotes because I still don't really take this nearly as seriously as some of you folks do).

Keslynn	16 Oct 2002
I started this past April, and thanks to this board, I am now a complete raving tarotholic. I hope to rack up 30 years of tarot! :) Kes

DarkElectric	16 Oct 2002
Wow, there is a collection of venerable readers on this forum, but I'm not one of em! I got my first deck in 1994. Been studying Tarot and other metaphysical things since then. So that makes... 8 years? (Man, I thought it was longer!)

truthsayer	16 Oct 2002
if i count the total years i've done divination + tarot that would come out to 30 years. i started tarot when i was 13. i started reading playing cards, dice, numerology, the Bible, pendulums around the age of 9 or 10. it was an activity my 3 siblings and mother enjoyed doing together. ;) kiama, thanks for reminding me of my age! LOL ;)

Laurel	16 Oct 2002
Like Rhiannon, I started at 16 so that gives me 17 years of tarot reading but it hasn't been constant; there are years in there that I didn't touch cards at all, other years where I worked with them virtually every day. I can't wait to reach the 30 year mark!!! Laurel

Maan	16 Oct 2002
started at age 15 and i'm 22 now so just 7 years ...although for me that sounds like forever when i see your numbers i get a very very humble feeling ;)

Umbrae	16 Oct 2002
Guys guys guys… Thanks for making me feel ancient. 30 years is nothing. At times I am humbled by newbies with far more insight. 30 years of reading has taught me one thing. I know nothing – I am still learning - Each reading is a first time – I only learn more, if I share what I have

MeeWah	16 Oct 2002
Recalling Umbrae's comments on another thread, I can only direct my comments to the other gender--even as I know he includes both--Gals, gals, gals :D As for the rest, I heartily echo Umbrae's sentiments!

Thirteen	16 Oct 2002
I'm one of those folk who got my first tarot deck way back in high school, collected a few along the way, and kept coming back to it--but fact is, I really don't count myself as being able to read, really, really read the tarot till much later. Kinda like finally being motivated to seriously learn it--and finally seeing the light on how it all worked. So I'd say that I've only racked up about 15 years honest and true Tarot experience. And by the by, I think we should award Umbrae something for being the oldest reader on the forum. 30 years deserves a pompus title, don't you think? As well as a place as grand master in some parade or other. Or at least a throne and funny hat. How 'bout "Grand Mage Umbrae...." Or maybe "Umbrae the Gray" (a little tip of the hat to Tolkien there). Or we could keep it simple: "Sage Umbrae" or "Grandpa Umbrae." grinning, ducking and running very fast here....

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Oct 2002
How about Grand Poobar or maybe Great Sage or Grand Elder :)

Thirteen	16 Oct 2002
Oh, I like Grand Poobar!

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Oct 2002
I think because Thirteen originally suggested the idea of a title for Umbrae as soon as we get 13 votes for "Grand Poobar" we should go with it. So come on people put your votes in now...

cricket	16 Oct 2002
Another for Grand Poobar.... Or is that Grandpa Poobar? ;)

Kitty	16 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Guys guys guys… Thanks for making me feel ancient. 30 years is nothing. At times I am humbled by newbies with far more insight. 30 years of reading has taught me one thing. I know nothing – I am still learning - Each reading is a first time – I only learn more, if I share what I have ehehehehehe :* Umbrae didn't mean to make you feel ancient. And heartly agree with your comments above. I think that's what I love about tarot - you can never stop learning - as each person and each spread is different....

Logiatrix	16 Oct 2002
here's another vote for "Grand Pooh-Bear"!!! :)

Umbrae	16 Oct 2002
Okay...enough...stop! I am not grand. I am not Pooh (although I have been accused being full of it). And most certainly am not a bear. There are others far wiser...

Phoenix	16 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae I am not Pooh (although I have been accused being full of it). You too, eh? LOL! I get told that on a regular basis! Sorry for the Off Topic-ness.....I couldn't resist!

jasmine	16 Oct 2002
Hi I may be the oldest person (52) but I am probably the least experienced. I have only been reading and learning about Tarot for 2 years. All I can say is, I'm totally hooked. I adore my deck, Thoth, and enjoy learning about them & reading for friends. I just found this site yesterday & I am so glad I did. I can see there are plenty of experienced people here so I am hoping to find out lots of info. Thanks

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Oct 2002
Jasmine, Welcome to our small community....(did I say small :) ) We are all friends and neighbours here....

Thirteen	16 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Okay...enough...stop! I am not grand. I am not Pooh (although I have been accused being full of it). And most certainly am not a bear. That's Grand Poo-Bar, not "Bear"--totally different thing. And of course you're grand. You're not getting out of your title that easily.

zorya	17 Oct 2002
is that like the grand poo bah in the flintstones? oooooo then he would get a funny hat! umbrae loves funny hats! (zorya bows to umbrae's aged wisdom , then ducks)

MystiqueMoonlight	17 Oct 2002
.....and I think a little less of the "poo" and a little more of the "bar" is called for here LOL Oh Umbrae your great :)

Melvis	17 Oct 2002
Our humble Umbrae rumbles... Yet the Grand Poo-bar voters persist! Three cheers for the Grand Poo-bar, Master Tarot Reader Umbrae! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

Kitty	17 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by cricket Another for Grand Poobar.... Or is that Grandpa Poobar? ;) I'll vote :D

bec	17 Oct 2002
Me being a total newbie here with only 11 years of experience will definately throw in my vote. Deep respect for Umbrae

Bella	17 Oct 2002
Hooray for Umbrae--Grand Poo-Bar! Yes, we need to get him a special Poo-bar hat like on the Flintstones! :) -Bella (*ducking and running*)

Alex	17 Oct 2002
My boy is 8 and he's relatively confident looking at his cards and telling people WHAT HE THINKS. The RE meanings of the cards mean very little to him. His own deck however, he hasn't come up with the idea yet. I've been reading for... Since mothers day. That's about... 5 months? Oh well, at least in something I'm young. Quote: Originally posted by Mojo When I was 9, I made my own Tarot deck by tracing pictures out of a book onto blank index cards and I would sit on the beach and pretend to be the Great Karnak (from the old Johnny Carson show) complete with a turban made out of a beach towel.

VGimlet	17 Oct 2002
Both Umbrae and Mojo have me beat, but I too am one of the long-time readers, about 30 years (if I went back through my journals for 1970-72 I could find out the exact date I got cards...but - *eck*). However, I didn't start to expand and explore beyond memorized meanings until recently, so there are many here who are far beyond me in knowledge. But I'm still glad to have been reading for so long. :D

Zhritza	18 Oct 2002
(sigh) You know, a few months ago there was a thread about this with a poll in it and everything, and I searched high and low for it and could not find it... For my 15th birthday, which was 13 years ago, I received a Medieval Scapini from my best friend. So it started then, and I had only that deck for several years; I used it for divination in regard to myself, all through high school. My mother's house is across the street from a big forested piece of parkland, and I remember reading the cards as a teenager, at my window facing the woods, and visualizing knowledge or whatever (blue light I think) pouring into my head from the woods. It seemed to work at the time. I'm realizing something interesting -- as a teen I would get Temperance all the time in spreads, just constantly; and now I never, ever get it. I can't remember the last time I saw it in a spread... Anyway, I'm woolgathering. 13 years, making me quite the newbie in these here parts. ;)

evenstar	18 Oct 2002
Well I am another fresher to the Tarot - I got my first deck about a month ago!! I had fiddled for a bit with my parents deck (and their runes and i-ching) when I was about 10 - 12, and then left things for about 10 years, only occasionally asking the runes when I really needed something to think on. So that makes me with about 13 years of "exposure" (i.e. knowing that it's out there) and about a month of getting down to studying for myself. Hats off and a funny bow to the Grand Poo-Bar!

Umbrae	18 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Mojo ...so I guess that gives me about 36 years worth of Tarot work, although I guess the really "serious" readings started when I was about 15 or 16 (I put "serious" in quotes because I still don't really take this nearly as seriously as some of you folks do). I think that Mojo gets the honors...

Mojo	18 Oct 2002
That's OK Umbrae, I don't deserve to be poobarish. I'm one of those hucksters. And besides, I'm holding out for the Miss Cleo Lifetime Achievement award.

Alex	19 Oct 2002
you beat me! I'm still the youngester here! Very little exposure from "having heard of"; my grandmother was a Tarot reader but her "psychic abilities" rendered her learning the cards' meanings nearly useless. She tried to teach me some when I was young but she used just to see through people and their futures regardless of the card images_ so I didn't make much sense out of her "teachings". Just remember saying "grandma, I don't really see anything". In the meanwhile I made sure I killed any "psychic abilities" I could had inherited by becoming a scientist. Has worked! So, who's gonna run the quest for the newest reader and what's gonna be the prize? Alex. Quote: Originally posted by evenstar Well I am another fresher to the Tarot - I got my first deck about a month ago!! I had fiddled for a bit with my parents deck (and their runes and i-ching) when I was about 10 - 12, and then left things for about 10 years, only occasionally asking the runes when I really needed something to think on. So that makes me with about 13 years of "exposure" (i.e. knowing that it's out there) and about a month of getting down to studying for myself. Hats off and a funny bow to the Grand Poo-Bar!

The Who is our oldest reader - and I don't mean age!!! thread was originally posted on 15 Oct 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.