New schools of thought in Tarot- what's new? Trends?

3ill.yazi said:

One detail, not quite tangential to this discussion, is that I see a kind of tension developing. In some of the more recent books I've read, there is much more a stress put on intuition, and some disdain for "keywords" and "book meanings." and yet in some of these books, the author will include a slew of meanings for each card, as if it's expected for the price of admission. I see a tension there.

Click to expand...

The major complaint I've seen consistently over the years for Tarot for Your Self is that it doesn't give card meanings. Obviously these people never read the table of contents or to the end of the book where meanings are included in an Appendix. In fact, if you compare a word count you'll find as much interpretation as is found in books that feature a large picture of each card with a detailed description of the picture taking up half the text.

I suggest that one method of intuitive reading involves scanning a list of keywords and paying attention to that inner bell, "ping" or shiver or whatever that tells you've touched on something relevant to the issue, then using that as a jumping off place to exploring the connection.

Personally I find books of interpretations very helpful as they've expanded my understanding of each card way beyond my own first impressions, prejudices, and limited knowledge. I value learning of all kinds greatly.

Each new generation adds perspectives that I would have never thought of on my own. For instance, how will later generations describe global warming through the cards?

Also learning processes have changed recently, why bother to learn a range of meanings when you can 'intuit' them as you go along ?

Why bother to learn times tables and a whole lot of other things .... dont you have a phone to do that through?

I was recently amused to see one of the 'Bondi Hipsters' in a skit with his 'father'; Dad was offering to help give his son find direction in life, find out what he loved to do and help him go to Uni to achieve it. The 'Hipster's' response; " You dont understand anything about today's world! ... Why would I want to go to University when anyone can find out anything they want to off youtube ? ! "

< shakes his walking stick angrily at youngsters> "In my day, we never had no internet ..... consarn it! "

~

'Tarot in Ten Minutes' !

" TAROT: One of the world's oldest and most trusted methods of psychic divination. Since the time of the ancient Egyptians, only a select few have possessed the skills necessary to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos. But now anyone can learn to read and interpret the most complex Tarot card spreads ... in minutes! This comprehensive, fun and easy-to-use guide can transform even an uninitiated beginner into an expert psychic consultant .... "



http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Ten-Minutes-Step-Step/dp/0380766892

See, and I find dismissals of intuitive readings like that as troublesome as disdain for book meanings. Like Teheuti, I'm finding the truth somewhere in the middle.

PS. I'm stunned that people miss the card meanings at the back of T4Y. Those are some of the most concise.

I have recently re-discovered "Tarot for Yourself" after thirty years of being obsessed with Tarot. And am learning some wonderful things anew.

Personally, I have studied Qabalah, Alchemy, Hermetics, Astrology, TdM stuff, and Good ol' RWS....I love it all and like to use it all...and probably intuition is the most fun part. I love throwing the "knowledge" out the window and looking at it all blank and seeing what comes...and then, when I DO let it back in, the Esoteric stuff adds depth, and is actually confirmed by what i intuited.

I actually love pulling a list of "divinatory meanings" and looking at it when I've finished a reading for myself. When you know all the "high" stuff of Tarot, sometimes the big challenge is bumping the energy down to a level that the average client can appreciate. "Divinatory Meanings" are that....personally, I would hope that no card reader would ever stay at a level where "D.M's" was all that was there. As you learn, you get more and more meanings, and you start to see what they are pointing to...and *ding ding* you get to move up a level in the game....

Yes, it started as "just a game" and know what? It still is.... it's a game that as you play, you advance to higher levels...of excitement, and difficulty. But first you must acquire the "necessary powers" to beat the level you are on! When you do, you find out that your Hermit has acquired more powers, your fool more color....

In the "new age"....we have aquired more and better printing technologies...and art technolgies...which have enhanced our old decks (Our Jodo/Camoins or CBD TdM's are all computer versions...and don't get me started on what Ciro does!...printing allows us better color renderings in our old favorites...read: Universal Waite).

And correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the phenomenon of "oracle decks" a new age, modern thing? Intuitives who don't even bother with Tarot Structure have their own cards.

Twenty years ago, I designed my own Tarot...but to get it on cards I had to color Xerox and paste onto card stock. (LOL that deck was three inches thick at least!)

Two years ago, I completed my second deck, and had it done by Gamecrafter (for NO money....). Now I have a lovely deck of my own design, printed up as real nice Tarots.

The whole "new deck" thing is a new trend...BOOM....when I started Tarot in the 80's, there were lots of decks...but not like today.

The whole "THEME deck" is a modern trend...whether it be Cats or Druids....prior to the 80's, where were the theme decks?

Matter of fact, in the past 100 years, EVERYTHING ABOUT TAROT has changed...because the world has changed.

yes, I'd probably go along with that, now that you shine a light on it ... especially 'themed decks' and the idea of 'making one's own deck' (when you are not a G.D. member, i.e. just about anyone ).

Even in the last generation; can anyone remember how you all connected and met up before mobile phones < taps him on the shoulder .... pssst ..psss ssts ...ps mumble ... >

(ahem) before facebook

<pssst>

I mean twitter

<pssst>


arrrgh!

3ill.yazi said:

I'm seeing some interesting things going on in discussions re the Tarot de Marseilles and elsewhere, where some folks are scrapping the Golden Dawn stuff entirely, and working much more from simple intuition and reading the cards instead of memorizing meanings. Probably just new to me, but it seems like possibly a next stage? Also the increasing popularity of lenormand and other oracles I'm guessing will make an impact....

Click to expand...

Yoav Ben Dov's book, "Tarot - The Open Reading", may be an influence in this style of reading.

Once again, my first response has to be, "What a good thread!" What a delightfully comprehensive collection of responses we have here.

I agree with Teheuti and others who mentioned using a combination of learned card meanings with an acceptance of one's own intuitive angle. Surely one feeds off the other, otherwise there IS no such thing as intuition and might as well accept a computer printout of responses.

I forget who said that the newbie will be told that extra twists and elaborations are "not necessary". Indeed not, but this rarely means "Leave it alone!" (Given who Tarot people are, nothing will make us more likely to look.) In my years in Tarot and on this site, the advice seems more like, "It's not required, and it may just confuse you, but if this is what you find irresistible, or even attractive, then go ahead."