Barleywine
Good list overall, Brilliance. Just for fun, I decided to see how I stack up:
#1 Older reader? Yup, not many here are older. 30 years tarot experience? Yup (45, actually). Studied each card for two years? Nope, just use them in as inspired and creative a way as I can muster. Mature? Well, when I have to be . . . I guess. Elitist? Not my style, ever.
#2 Kabbalah/Golden Dawn aficianado? Absolutely, but not to the point of mindless exclusivity. It's one system that works very well, but doesn't cover all bases equally (think TdM).
#3 Non-intuitive thinker? Not since I threw off the training wheels (aka "keyword lists") back in the 1970s. These days I start every reading in a visual/intuitive manner and only fall back on the knowledge base as a way to tie disparate elements of a difficult reading together. Astrological, elemental and numerical correspondences can be a life-saver.
#4 Professional reader? Not for decades, I believe it's a gift that should be shared (and, not coincidentally, I have other adequate sources of income). But don't PM me any reading requests; I don't do on-line.
#5 Relentless optimist? Ha, I'm too much of a student of human nature to see everything through rose-colored glasses. Shit happens, and some of it hurts.
#6 Clarifiers? Nope, have never needed them (although I've been experimenting casually with the numerical quintessence). If a spread doesn't make sense, I take two steps back, one deep breath, and make another run at it. I'm one who believes that the cards always speak truth, all the time, despite our imperfect understanding of their message.
#1 Older reader? Yup, not many here are older. 30 years tarot experience? Yup (45, actually). Studied each card for two years? Nope, just use them in as inspired and creative a way as I can muster. Mature? Well, when I have to be . . . I guess. Elitist? Not my style, ever.
#2 Kabbalah/Golden Dawn aficianado? Absolutely, but not to the point of mindless exclusivity. It's one system that works very well, but doesn't cover all bases equally (think TdM).
#3 Non-intuitive thinker? Not since I threw off the training wheels (aka "keyword lists") back in the 1970s. These days I start every reading in a visual/intuitive manner and only fall back on the knowledge base as a way to tie disparate elements of a difficult reading together. Astrological, elemental and numerical correspondences can be a life-saver.
#4 Professional reader? Not for decades, I believe it's a gift that should be shared (and, not coincidentally, I have other adequate sources of income). But don't PM me any reading requests; I don't do on-line.
#5 Relentless optimist? Ha, I'm too much of a student of human nature to see everything through rose-colored glasses. Shit happens, and some of it hurts.
#6 Clarifiers? Nope, have never needed them (although I've been experimenting casually with the numerical quintessence). If a spread doesn't make sense, I take two steps back, one deep breath, and make another run at it. I'm one who believes that the cards always speak truth, all the time, despite our imperfect understanding of their message.