What questions!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Dec 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jmd	26 Dec 2002
I'll be giving a public talk in two weeks (on Tarot, of course, for the first Tarot Café :)). Unlike previous ones, which are usually linked to courses or have the focus of the advertised talk, this is going to be quite free-reign! Irrespective of your solid or new background, if you could write on a piece of paper just three questions which you would like the speaker to address or answer, what would these be? (Actually, we could afterwards make these new threads!)

jmd	27 Dec 2002
These are the ones my wife mentioned as we were chatting over a coffee in the back-yard a few minutes ago: Where and when does Tarot come from?; ... and does it really matter anyway!!!? (yep - she knows me!); what are the positive and negative possible ways of reading the Tower card (a card for which I'm currently doing some preliminary work for the Aeclectic Tarot Project II). Looking forward to other replies:).

jema	27 Dec 2002
i got three! of course one talk can hardly cover everything but perhaps be a starting point. *elemental dignities or reversals? *learning from a book or intuition? *how to phrase a question

temperlyne	27 Dec 2002
I would be interested in a lecture about: 1. How tarot connects to psychology 2. Mythological themes in tarot 3. How to incorporate tarot into a scientifical world maybe not the easiest questions, but I would be very interested in the answers! Oh and good luck with whatever speach you come up with!

rota	27 Dec 2002
(...giving a public talk in two weeks) Yes, I'd be very interested in hearing the results as well. Can I suggest that you tape the Q and A portion? It might make a fine addition to the text portion of Aeclectic.

DeLani	27 Dec 2002
I recently had to give a speech to a class of graduate-level psych students. It was actually quite fun! Here are the three I'd like to see you address: 1. How does Tarot work as a legitimate counseling/problem-solving tool? 2. Why do people go to a Tarot reader (as opposed to a counselor or priest)? 3. What are the roots of the symbols and iconography of the Tarot?

tarotbear	28 Dec 2002
1) Why does tarot work? 2) Why does tarot work? 3) Why does tarot work?

Umbrae	28 Dec 2002
Two Questions only: Why do we read? Why do they come to us?

Jeanette	28 Dec 2002
I just want to know, what is it that gets the reader involved with tarot in the first place, and then why are we readers addicted to it; studying becomes a lifelong journey, collecting different decks, books, etc. What seems to begin as a hobby for some turns out to be quite a serious occupation! So, I guess my question is how does tarot draw both people who want readings and people to perform the reading.

allibee	28 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by tarotbear 1) Why does tarot work? 2) Why does tarot work? 3) Why does tarot work? or, as my main question would be: can you give me reasons why tarot shouldn't work? I think if you can answer that, then you will be a lot closer to answering Tarotbear's question.

Karenwhe	28 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by jmd I'll be giving a public talk in two weeks (on Tarot, of course, for the first Tarot Café :)). Unlike previous ones, which are usually linked to courses or have the focus of the advertised talk, this is going to be quite free-reign! Even if it is going to be free-reign.... I think that the questions should concentrate around the target audience. Can you classify the audience? As I have some experience in "talks" (technology orientated issues not tarot), I know that there is high importance in classifying the target audience the best that you possibly can, and then think around that. At the end of the day, you have to capture their attention. If you can describe the audience, I think we could better focus on some relevant questions for them.

Major Tom	28 Dec 2002
I've been thinking about this for some time now and I have to agree with Karenwhe. :) Quote: Originally posted by Karenwhe If you can describe the audience, I think we could better focus on some relevant questions for them. Having said that, the questions that popped into my head were: 1. What is tarot? 2. What is tarot for? i.e., What do you do with it? 3. Does tarot work? How?

Ursula	28 Dec 2002
how is tarot related to standard playing cards? what made you study the tarot? what about the tarot fascinates you? what about the tarot frightens you? can you ever have readings done too frequently? is there anything that would keep the tarot from working for someone? can the tarot predict the future? what can the tarot do? what are the strengths of the tarot? what are its limitations? how can i learn to read tarot cards for myself or others? ok, so that's a few more than 3 ;) GOOD LUCK!!! ~Urs :P

jmd	28 Dec 2002
Thanks everyone! re.: 'I think we could better focus on some relevant questions for them' if we could know the audience, I of course totally agree - and the audience will very much influence and direct the flow of the afternoon. The main purpose of this exercise was for me to see what kind of questions people seemed to be mainly grappling with at the moment. I suspect the diversity of Aeclectic will be somewhat reflected in the diversity of the beginnings of Tarot Café - I wouldn't want this to develop into one of 'my' study groups. This was, then, an opportunity to also remind me of the vast diverse world of Tarot. What I find fascinating so far is the change which seems to have occured over the kind of questions people are likely to want answered compared to, as an example, ten years ago (in which Tarot's relationship to other systems seemed to be far more important). Here, the focus is on Tarot as Tarot. Thanks again, and please do keep posting! & I also hope you can make it, Karenwhe, so your questions are especially important ;)!

Karenwhe	29 Dec 2002
jmd - the audience will very much influence and direct the flow of the afternoon. Before I get to my message: the audience is not really supposed to direct the flow of the speech, you are the speaker and you should focus the afternoon to a certain degree (not totally control it). That is part of your responsibility as a speaker. Ok here is may take on this “talk” (speech), please shoot me if I talk more business than Tarot…but this is my background and I sway that way no matter how hard I try to avoid it….. There are at least a million things that you can say about tarot (I am sure all can agree on this). But you have a limited amount of time to say things (give the speech, leave the impression and message). So we ask the question: What message/impression do you want to leave the curious audience with? You must remember at all times that giving a “talk” is having the power to input information in a “computing” mind. When you input information there will be an output (like in computer programming). What I am getting to is: “what output do you want?” (what do you get from this? where is the opportunity for you?) Then we can define what you want to say. I think from my point of view that a speech should be focused on 2 things: 1. message 2. target audience You have the potential to give any message “you” want to a crowd of listening people hungry for information …... that is very powerful. If there is no focus on a message the afternoon will be defocused which in turn will mean that the audience may hear what you have to say, but nothing will “stick” in the brain (kind of: go in one ear go out in the other). If you are a person that is counseling with tarot (reading in simple words) or giving tarot courses then you should focus and guide the afternoon and the answers to their questions on those 2 things while in the same time satisfying curiosity. It is called attracting customers and establishing an “expert” status (this was in Marketing terms). I am sorry if I am a bit off here, but truly this is how my mind works. It identifies a problem and finds the solution while grabbing the opportunity in the same time. If this is not the case, then I think that all the example questions given here so far are more than enough for more than 3 hours speech. On the other hand if it IS the case: you should re-think the speech / “talk” and focus it, on the input/output issue.…………… I hope this helped, and I am truly sorry if I am off the mark (it must be the weather here – the heat almost “killed” me the last couple of days). JMD - & I also hope you can make it…. Where is it that I am supposed to make it? And I might just make it with a bit of instructions or directions……..;)

Violet Gargoyle	29 Dec 2002
Preparing you for the Off Kilter/Devil's Advocate/Deeper Debate questions: 1) Does it matter which deck you use? 2) Can different decks convey different messages? (Will I get the same sort of readings with my Victoria Regina deck as the Rider Waite if I am reading for the same person?) 3) Should I hide my deck? Should I let other people touch the deck if they want to? 4) Can I still be a/an (insert religious preferance here) if I begin to explore the Tarot? 5) Are there any other uses for a Tarot deck (card games perhaps)? 6) Does it make a difference where I read (in my house or in a coffeeshop, etc) 7) How reliable are the "Companion" book/booklets that come with many decks? 8) Should all beginners start with the RW deck first? 9) What surface is best to read on? (Wood, Silk, Business Card Holders, etc) 10) What is the velocity of the Unladen Swallow Card? (Strike that one) 11) Is there really "positive" and "negative" decks/readings, or is it perception of mind? 12) Should you clense a deck, and how, and how often? 13) How should you store the Tarot card when not in use? 14) What do I do with "Stained" cards (Spilled coffee on them or the like.) Can I still read with them? 15) Is it okay to get a "used" tarot deck? (Used to be grandmothers, found it in a used book shop, etc) 16) Should I bury my old/unwanted deck? 17) Are novelty decks (or humorous decks) okay to use in a reading? Have you ever seen decks to "weird" to read? Sorry about the amount of questions, I was just trying to remember all of the questions ever asked of me and got on a roll there.

lupo138	29 Dec 2002
1) is there a special deck you would recommend ? 2) what is the best way to become a good reader of cards ? 3) what fascinates yozu most with tarot ?

Myrrha	29 Dec 2002
The question I am thinking about often these days is: Now that I have seen that tarot does work, what does that tell me about the world? What are the implications of the fact that it does work? Myrrha

Moongold	29 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Two Questions only: Why do we read? Why do they come to us? I think you could cover the essential territory with in these boundaries, JMD. You could perhaps begin with What is Tarot? Are you going to advertise the Tarot Cafe in the Age EG weekend listing on Friday? If so you might have a wider audience than the converted and that could affect what you present and how you present it. Which leads me to the next point: Are you thinking of having some graphics to help with the presentation? Or maybe some books? The TS BookShop or Borders may be willing to send along a display of books with the aim of selling some there. Good luck with it. Im going to try to come. Best wishes, Moongold

jmd	29 Dec 2002
Thanks everyone - and I hope you can make it, Moongold. I'll still leave this open for further suggestions, as all your questions are certainly allowing for the diversity which is likely going to be there... and is getting me thinking more carefully. I certainly don't intend to present a 'paper', but rather discuss a number of areas of interest, and also focus a little on aspects of the conference - or rather, what we know so far. I do take Karenwhe's post to heart, and agree with much of it. I have enough confidence in both public presentations and the area of Tarot to present something I hope many will find, at the least, interesting. The Tarot Café, however, is hopefully about far more than this: it is also about people with various levels and types of Tarot interest being able to come and meet others with whom they may share this interest, simply over a cup of Coffee - as well as being able to hear of developments for the Conference, possibly win a deck, set or book (the Osho Zen set, this month) - we'll start an online one in February - and even contribute in various ways to the becoming of the Conference (interests can guide aspects as yet in the process of becoming. So again, I really do appreciate everyone's questions... even the very long lists, which I personally always find easier to make :):):) ... and in terms of the Age's EG, Moongold, we have discussed it, but decided that not for this month (it's in the forthcoming Living Now instead). Hopefully, there will be enough people who haven't gone away for a holiday to make it... I already know quite a few people who will in fact be away that weekend, including the artist of the Newsletter's frontpage.

Shadow Wolf	10 Jan 2003
I donbn't have any Tarot Questions. I enjoy the mystery of the cards, I don't really have any desire to know how they do what they do. It's always a AWESOME experience when I do a reading that's really accurate, as most of my readings are........................ Uh-oh, should I be worried ?????

Karenwhe	10 Jan 2003
Shadow Wolf with your permission I would like to join the club. I also don't have any questions. Is that bad?

HudsonGray	10 Jan 2003
You said it was in about 2 weeks, and it's been about that, so.......... HOW'D IT GO????????????? Come on, give! You did the speech, right?

The What questions! thread was originally posted on 26 Dec 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.