How would you do this?

[Vanchica]

I need to give a 10 minute presentation on divination (primarily by cards with brief mention of other common, Western types)

Is there a site or book you'd refer to?

I am thinking:

- a brief description of seers and diviners historically (Biblical, then mentioning Egypt, Greece, Rome and the dark/middle/medieval ages in Western Europe. Then the origins of Tarot in Italy in the 1400's, the developments through the occult development by such people as Antoine Court de Gebelin who published an essay on Tarot in Le Monde Primitif (1781), and a bit about German and French cartomancy, Traveller (Gypsy) use of cards then the Tarot boom with Crowley and common use in the mid-20th century....

Accompanied by different sets of decks (Soprafino, TdM, RWS (I don't have a Thoth), something very modern etc from Tarot, a Lenormand deck and maybe the Tea Cup Fortune cards.

After the presentation, mini-readings (with something accessible).

Anything you'd do differently? The audience is middle aged, middle class moms and it is a meeting of a social club

 

[Cenozoic]

Hmm middle aged, middle class moms. I'm not sure if they'd like a history lesson. Most people would wonder what divination is, what types you can do, how it works, what kinds of questions to ask, why is it significant, why you believe in it, what steps to take to divine something, and how do you get your answers. And instead of a ten minute presentation, why not have an open ten minute discussion on it instead?

 

[Chimera Dust]

Traveller (Gypsy) use of cards

My first advice is to not use the word "Gypsy". If you're talking about the Romani people, use the word Romani instead. The word "gypsy" is now often seen as a slur.

Personally, I wouldn't go for a history lesson unless you have very, very good sources to back it up and unless you think your audience would be interested. I'd probably confine the history part to a very quick summary of how people have been interested in divination for a long time, then quickly talk about the origins of the Tarot and its use in divination, then a bit of how the cards work and show them examples of imagery and decks. I'd probably avoid pushing too hard on the spiritual side of things unless they'd be interested. It warrants a mention, but I'd also talk about it from a sociological and psychological perspective (for example, people who use the cards as a means to understand themselves better).

 

[nisaba]

I need to give a 10 minute presentation on divination (primarily by cards with brief mention of other common, Western types)

Is there a site or book you'd refer to?

How would *I* do this?

I wouldn't refer to a site or a book, I think I'd work from personal knowledge. You can't blow a talk based on what you know and do, only one you've researched.

And when I've given public talks in the past, I've had a whiteboard made available to me, and I've asked questions of the audience as my way into the talk. For example, if I were talking on divination generally, my opening question would be "What forms of divination have you heard of?" and press the audience for as many answers as possible. As they answered, I'd write them on the whiteboard. Then I'd discuss each one as fully or sketchily as I liked, ticking it off on the whiteboard as I went. Hey presto, there's your talk with no preparation needed!

 

[nisaba]

My first advice is to not use the word "Gypsy". If you're talking about the Romani people, use the word Romani instead. The word "gypsy" is now often seen as a slur.

I'd actually use the term "Traveller". I've never heard a "gipsy" refer to themselves as Romani, always they seem to call themselves Travellers, at least the ones I'm exposed to.

 

[Vanchica]

You guys are SMART..............

Thanks so much !

 

[pluto'sapprentice258]

I'd actually use the term "Traveller". I've never heard a "gipsy" refer to themselves as Romani, always they seem to call themselves Travellers, at least the ones I'm exposed to.

From what I know, Travellers is a politically correct umbrella term , where as Romany is a pure traveller bloodline and they are very proud of it. Romany always refer to himself as Romany. You can call a Romany a traveller but to call an Irish Traveller a Romany would be incorrect, though it probably wouldn't offend them.

How would *I* do this?

I wouldn't refer to a site or a book, I think I'd work from personal knowledge. You can't blow a talk based on what you know and do, only one you've researched.

And when I've given public talks in the past, I've had a whiteboard made available to me, and I've asked questions of the audience as my way into the talk. For example, if I were talking on divination generally, my opening question would be "What forms of divination have you heard of?" and press the audience for as many answers as possible. As they answered, I'd write them on the whiteboard. Then I'd discuss each one as fully or sketchily as I liked, ticking it off on the whiteboard as I went. Hey presto, there's your talk with no preparation needed!

I don't have nisaba's experience, but as I was reading the posts I was thinking to advise exactly what she said. I would involve your audience, because they will probably all have very different views about what you do. It would be fun and informative, plus giving you an opportunity to break down any misconceptions, so nobody leaves misinformed. A history briefing, though interesting for some, could just fuel some of the misconceptions your audience may have. If you allow your audience to lead you (without making it obvious that's what you're doing) you'll be able to satisfy all their queries. It also aids for group bonding, too.

 

[BodhiSeed]

I did a tarot class with a summer group ("Teach What You Love"), and I agree with what everyone said about skipping the history lesson. What my group wanted to know was how to do it (which entailed a discussion of suits, numbers court cards and arcanas), how spreads were used, etc. They were also fascinated that the cards could be used for more than fortune-telling (we had an author among us who was thrilled to discover she could use them for writing). Good luck!

 

[pluto'sapprentice258]

They were also fascinated that the cards could be used for more than fortune-telling (we had an author among us who was thrilled to discover she could use them for writing). Good luck!

Yeah! Great point, BodhiSeed! I once used mine to find out how many minutes there were until the next train home. Ace of Cups + Death was the reading, which I did at 14:52, and when I arrived at the station the train was due at 15:06, exactly 14 minutes from when I did the reading.

 

[Chimera Dust]

I'd actually use the term "Traveller". I've never heard a "gipsy" refer to themselves as Romani, always they seem to call themselves Travellers, at least the ones I'm exposed to.

Are you British or Irish? I've only ever heard the term "traveller" being used in the UK and Ireland to refer to several different ethnicities that aren't just the Roma people but also people like Irish Travellers.