Psychology...
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Vita-morte |
03 Feb 2003 |
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This post is really two questions, one of which fits into no category here really. I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for the post. First: Can anyone lead me to any articles relating the tarot to psychology? Second: Anyone in the psychology field can you give me any information good for someone considering the field? How many years of college? Good colleges (I have a 4.0)? Any help would be appreciated!
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| Cat |
04 Feb 2003 |
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Vita-Morte,
As an Experimental Psychology Grad, but a relative Tarot newbie, I can only give limited help; but there's a lot of information out there on the relationship between Tarot and Jungian Psychology.
Jung propsed that certain powerful universal figures, called archetypes, dwell in the personal and collective unconscious. These archetypes such as the Universal mother, Wise old man, Authoritatian father surface in myths and fairy tales, and can also be seen in the Major Arcana (Empress, Hermit, Emperor).
The theory is that these iconic figures help us to tap into unconscious knowledge.
Jung also proposed the Theory of Synchronicity which has been used as an explaination for tarot and other divination methods. I'm sure if you search the forums for 'Jung' or 'Jungian' you'll find a lot more info.
Personally, I find Tarot useful as a tool for self-knowledge, developing counselling skills and for seeing a diffferent side to situations - all valuable for the Psychological arsenal :)
If you've any specific questions on studying psych, PM me, though I'm not familiar with the US college system, having studied in England.
Cat
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| Kitty |
04 Feb 2003 |
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Yes, I can there is an article I found on the internet talking about excatly tarot and psychology- will find it for you tonight and then post the address for you tomorrow. Using your internet search engine with tarot and psychology will bring up lots of interesting articles....
I have special interest in this field also - just starting my graduate studies in psychology this year.
I have also started reading a very good book called "Tarot and Psychology - Spectrums of Possibilites" - you can find the thread about it under the tarot books/media forum section.
I live in Melbourne Australia - so I don't have any information about how to study psychology in the US.
And I agree with Cat's reply - Jung and his theories of archtypes and synchronicity and tarot go together...
Tarot and psychology got together beautifully - its showing other psychologists how that is the tricky bit
Good luck in your studies!!
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| MattDouglas |
04 Feb 2003 |
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Well, Vita-morte, it was psychology that got me into tarot. Sure, most hardline behaviorists (who compose a majority of psych professors), don't take tarot and other related fields (astrology, alchemy, etc) very seriously. But tarot, like psychology, is a tool for a greater understanding of oneself and others.
Being a psych major (aka wannabe psychotherapist), I founnd friend were quick to dump their problems on me. Most would just love the fact that I would willing to listen them at all, and respond with something other than "Oh don't worry about it" or "just say some prayers" (not that I don't find prayer valuable, but many use it as an excuse to stay in denial and not develop empathy). However, If I would start to ask them probing questions or attempt to get them to do some self-examination, I would very quickly run into "Quit using your psychology on me!" So I turned to tarot as a way to disguise my use of psychology. However, once I started studying it, I realized that there was a bunch to it and that I was pretty effective at readings. I'd read lots of Jung and others, and picked up on the symbolism rather quickly.
Just recntly, I got a license to do readings for tips in Balboa Park (that's San Diego's largest city park which includes many museums and the San Diego Zoo). I'm enjoying the hell out of it, and I'm getting some great unofficial practice with counseling people. And I'm getting paid, too.
Many people come to psychology to know themselves better and help people, which is exactly why many people come to tarot. Unfortunately, many on both sides, refuses to see that those of the other discipline are trying to do the same thing.
Love, understanding, and compassion
Matt
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| Fuzzmello |
05 Feb 2003 |
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This isn't an article, may I suggest Robert Wang's excellent Tarot Psychology, Handbook for the Jungian Tarot?
You'll find some contention here at Aeclectic with this suggestion, mostly based on what one or two women feel is sexism on Wang's part. I found no such bias in his work.
The accompanying deck is not really appropriate for tarot readings, but it is useful as a sort of guide map to the archetypes.
Wang takes his study directly from Jung and to my mind at least, remains faithful. There is a 34-week course for self-development contained in the first edition of the book that I found extremely interesting. I believe it has been dropped from later editions.
Please pm me if you think this might interest you, as I have a copy of the first edition and might be willing to part with it.
As for your second question, are you asking about a rewarding career, or an interesting field of study? You can gain to a licence to practice therapy in as few as four years in many states of the U.S., and you can study psychology strictly as an interest for a lifetime. What are you asking?
Fuzz
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| patter |
05 Feb 2003 |
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Well, Vita-morte, it was psychology that got me into tarot. Sure, most hardline behaviorists (who compose a majority of psych professors), don't take tarot and other related fields (astrology, alchemy, etc) very seriously. But tarot, like psychology, is a tool for a greater understanding of oneself and others.
###Any modern university should consist of mainly cognitive psycholoy -- behaviourist has been on the wane sine the 60s. But I would add that any good behaviourist (myself included) should take all human behaviour seriously -- including tarot use.
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The Psychology... thread was originally posted on 03 Feb 2003 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.
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