Tarot News blog has news and information of interest to the tarot community.
Is Fear Fun?
Spooky stuff can be fun, but it also helps us process our real fears and traumas.
There are cultural traditions everywhere that involve having fun with scary things, as we do during Halloween. A lot of people enjoy scary movies and thrilling carnival rides at any time of year. Horror stories are some of the best-selling books each year. This is proof that many people enjoy being scared. Why is that?
I think people like spooky fun because there are so many truly scary things in life. Horror stories, haunted houses, and scary movies are clearly not real. Allowing ourselves to be scared in a safe environment, by something we know is not real, may give us strength to deal with our real fears, and to process our actual traumas.
Fear is an interesting thing to unpack. We all feel fear that hurts us and holds us back from doing the things we want and need to do. We also feel fear that protects us and helps us stay safe.
These sorts of real fears are not fun at all, and only some of them are necessary.
This Spooky Season is a great opportunity to think about the fear that we have that is not real and does not serve us. There is no better time to release the fear that holds us back, so we can fully step into our personal power.
How Spirit Speaks Through Tarot Workshop
Plan to join us Wednesday, October 26, from 7 pm to 9 pm ET, for this special seasonal class.
You can join us on Zoom or in person in Palm City. This will be our last hybrid tarot class for 2022.
In this two-hour class you will learn how to hear the voice of spirit in a tarot reading, whether reading for yourself or others. You will learn to empower your readings with the presence of divine helpers, each and every time you pull a card.
Visit EventBrite to purchase your ticket.
The class will be available at cardandcraftacademy.com after November 2nd.
Visit christianagaudet.com for more information!
The StaarCorner
StaarCon 2023 is January 20-22, with a thirty-day AfterGlow on Accelevents. During the AfterGlow all ticketholders will be able to view and review recordings of StaarCon 2023 presentations, attend scheduled events with StaarCon presenters, shop in the online expo and gather with friends in the StaarCon lounges.
This year I am particularly excited with the wide range of topics we will be covering at StaarCon. Whether you are a professional reader, an aspiring pro, an enthusiast, or a curious beginner, there will be plenty for you to learn, do, and experience. Beyond tarot, we will be exploring Lenormand, astrology, numerology, divination with natural objects, crystals, mediumship, and much more.
You can attend in person in West Palm Beach or online on Accelevents. You can join us for one day, two days, or the whole weekend. We hope to see you there!
Tarot for When We are Afraid
We often do a reading, either for ourselves or with a friend or professional, when we are afraid. Tarot will often be able to tell us if the thing we are afraid of will happen, and whether it will be as bad as we fear. Tarot can also tell us how to handle our anxiety, and, if necessary, how to get through a difficult time. Tarot can help us find meaning in difficulty, just as tarot can help assuage unnecessary fear.
Sometimes it is best not to ask tarot if the thing you fear will come to pass. Rather, it is often better to ask a question such as, “What do I need to do right now to help the situation?” or “How can I find the strength to deal with this?”
If there is a situation that I am unsure of, I often like to do a two-card spread. The first card is, “This is the best this situation can turn out to be”. The second card is “This is the worst this situation can turn out to be.” The cards that appear here can be quite enlightening.
If we are having a tough time, we can turn to the cards for comfort. You can simply ask the cards to give a comforting message and pull a card. See what comfort you can find in the image that appears.
The Week in Review
I shared a short video on my YouTube channel called Processing Our Mortality with Tarot. If you missed last week’s class, Seasonal Tarot Practices, you will enjoy the replay.
Members of my YouTube channel should join us tomorrow evening, Thursday, at 7 pm for our monthly Member’s Only Livestream. This month we are Calling in the Ancestors!
From Around the Web
Ben Libra Does Tarot has created a tarot spread to release the fear of one’s own magic and energy.
If you happen to be in or near Easthampton, Massachusetts on November 5 and 6, check out Bite Size Blends, a Mini Performance Fest at Eastworks!
The New York Post has published an article listing the best tarot deck for each astrological sign. I have never thought about choosing a deck based on astrology, but it is a fun idea!
Guidance on the Journey
Many misinformed people are afraid of tarot, and many people are afraid of specific tarot cards. There are cards that have names and images that can be scary. However, are there any tarot cards that truly advise us to be afraid?
The Fool asks us to take a leap of faith. When reversed, the Fool can be an admonition to be cautious. The Moon and Temperance can both advise caution. The Seven of Swords can warn of treachery.
In context, any card or card combination might warn against a specific action. But do any of these cards speak specifically of fear?
The Eight and Nine of Swords might speak of anxiety and worry. In these cards we can perhaps see fear. Yet very often these cards appear when we need to release anxiety and find a solution to our worry.
From my perspective, there are quite a few cards that speak of caution and patience. There does not seem to be a single card that advises or welcomes fear.
This may be a lesson we can learn from tarot. There are times that faith should outweigh fear. There are times to be careful. There are times to be on our guard. There are times we must confront our own worry. There are certainly things that we need to avoid. In life, the function of fear is to help us avoid things that can hurt us. The voice of tarot, however, does not usually seem to advise fear. Rather, it advises the wise decisions that safely move us forward.
Upcoming Events
Consider a Zoom.com party where you can practice Social Distancing and still meet with your friends for a virtual tarot party!
Alternatives to meeting in person are available.
Office appointments and house or office parties are again available by appointment.
Please call to discuss the options.
Card and Craft Academy
Classes presented by Christiana are available right now at Card and Craft Academy!
Christiana’s Eleven-Card Celtic Cross
Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Fearless Wisdom Tarot Workshop
Tarot Keywords and Interpretations Workshop
Tarot Spreads Tools and Techniques Workshop
Tarot for Magic and Mediumship
Tarot Communication for Clarity and Depth
Weaving the Tarot Reading Story
Minor Arcana Numbers, Elements, and Truth
Create and Interpret Custom Tarot Spreads
What the Court Cards Want You to Know
Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!
cardandcraftacademy.com
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.
Christiana Gaudet
3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classeswww.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com
Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom and in person readings and instruction are available by appointment.
Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.
Call or text toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 5 Issue 42
October 19, 2022
Everything You Think You Know
Is what we believe really the truth?
There are a few references in modern culture, such as Dr. Strange and Willow, where a character is directed to forget everything they know, and everything they think they know.
I have found that this can be an important directive when working with tarot, and in life in general.
When working with tarot, sometimes we need to forget classic card interpretations in favor of a specific intuitive message inspired by a certain card in that moment. Sometimes we need to forget common wisdom in favor of unusual and unique possibilities that appear in a client’s cards.
In life in general, we make a lot of assumptions. We often tell stories about our lives that limit us. We think these stories are based on truth. In some cases, they are. But, in other cases, these are stories based on fear, conjecture, outdated wisdom, shame, or some other thing that is not truth.
There is great freedom in giving oneself permission to acknowledge that the things we think we know might not be true.
What if you really are not too old for a new career, or a new relationship?
What if the path you took in the past was not a mistake?
What if you are not as lazy as you think you are?
What if the person who has been irritating you is not doing it on purpose?
What if the whole world is not going to hell in a handbasket?
It is a wonderful exercise to enumerate the beliefs that you hold about yourself, your life, the people around you, and the world in which you live. Then, think about how life might be different if you chose to believe something different.
The StaarCorner
Have you seen the agenda for StaarCon 2022? We have our schedule and presenters all set. Most presenters have already shared the title and description of their classes.
When you read through the agenda you will see that StaarCon will offer a wide variety of topics taught by world-renowned experts and emerging talent.
Remember, too, that classes will be recorded and available to view for thirty days after the conference ends.
Now is the time to get you in person or online-only ticket for StaarCon 2022! We will look forward to seeing you in January!
Tarot Spreads Tools and Techniques Hybrid Class
On Thursday, September 30, from 7 pm to 9 pm ET, I will be teaching a hybrid tarot class about tarot spreads.
The class will meet in person at my Palm City office and on Zoom. Tickets are now available for both options.
The recorded class will be available for all ticket holders to review.
The class description on my website will give you more information about the class, and the opportunity to register.
I hope you will join us!
Tarot For What is True
Tarot can help us figure out what is true. Tarot can also help us change the narrative that we have held as truth, that does not serve us.
Here is a tarot exercise to help you explore what you think you know.
First, come up with a statement that you believe to be true, but that is not making sense for you, or does not make you feel good. It might be a statement such as “I am lazy,” or “My ex is a wonderful person,” or “I am too old to get the job I want,” or “No one wants to date me”.
Now, pull one card to tell you “This is why this statement might be true”. Pull a second card to tell you, “This is why this statement is not true”.
You may pull more than one card for each if that makes more sense.
How does working with the cards this way help you change your narrative?
The Week in Review
This week I shared a blogpost about my experience at The Masters of the Tarot Conference at Omega Institute.
Did you know that I do four live reading sessions on my YouTube channel every week?
Please subscribe and hit the bell so you will be notified when I go live on YouTube!
From Around the Web
Build an altar to your own self-love! This post on Llewellyn Unbound tells you how.
Here is a post on the Red Wheel Weiser website from Nancy Hendrickson about her book, Ancestral Tarot. We are delighted that Nancy will be presenting at StaarCon 2022.
Sasha Graham, one of our StaarCon 2022 headliners, has shared The Perfect Lifestyle Guide for Virgo Season 2021.
Cards for Your Consideration
There are so many tarot cards that can speak about the search for what is true, and the need to release stories that are inaccurate or unhelpful.
The High Priestess asks us to look within to find truth, and to travel beyond the world of the living into the land of the dead. As we make this meditative journey, we may find that the beliefs we were taught in childhood hold no weight and no truth.
The Seven of Swords tells us to carefully examine what and whom we trust. This card can ask us to make an inventory of our own behavior, searching for ways we may be outside of integrity. Are the stories we tell about ourselves the truth? The Seven of Swords asks us to consider that they may not be.
The Moon reminds us that nothing may be as it seems, and we must tread carefully on our search for the truth. Our beliefs may not be based on truth.
We use tarot to challenge our beliefs, seek new truths, and find new options. These are but three cards that can help us do that.
Upcoming Events and Tours
Card and Craft Academy
Classes presented by Christiana are available right now at Card and Craft Academy!
Christiana’s Candle Magick
Christiana’s Eleven-Card Celtic Cross
Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Practical Tarot Techniques
Psychic Tarot
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Tarot Beyond the Veil
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Clarity in Every Tarot Card
Tarot Flow Workshop
Making Magick with Tarot
Fearless Wisdom Tarot Workshop
Tarot Keywords and Interpretations Workshop
Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!
cardandcraftacademy.com
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Christiana Gaudet
3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classeswww.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com
Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime and in person readings and instruction are available by appointment.
Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.
Call or text toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 4 Issue 37
September 15, 2021
Creative Problem-Solving
Problem-solving is an art that requires creativity, inspiration, and flexibility.
Often at the tarot table the energy of creativity is very apparent in a person’s cards. For those who write, sing, dance, paint, draw, decorate, or craft, this is a no-brainer.
Occasionally, though, I will see the energy of creativity strongly in someone who does not see it in themselves. What becomes clear is that the person is a creative problem-solver. We do not often think about problem-solving as a creative endeavor, but it certainly is. Solutions do not typically create themselves; we must create them.
Life is full of problems big and small. Some problems must be endured, others can be mitigated, some can be fully resolved. Whatever the possible options, creativity can help us reframe difficulties, find resources, pull in helpful people, arrange logistics, execute quick recoveries, and do whatever else is necessary.
An important part of creative problem-solving is flexibility. The more rigid we are in our thinking, the less able we are to see the creative way forward.
I often think of the willow tree as a metaphor for this. Willows bend in the storm to survive. We must do the same thing. We must bend to avoid breaking. We must turn toward what will support us, and away from what does not.
Another ingredient in creative problem-solving is the ability to find inspiration in the face of challenge. When we approach problems in life as an artist approaches a canvas, we find inspiration to carry on, to fix what is broken, and to work around an obstacle.
Flexibility and inspiration in the face of challenge will always allow us to find the creative solutions we need.
The StaarCorner
We are getting excited for StaarCon 2022, to be held in person in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and online on Accelevents. StaarCon will be held January 21 through 23, followed by a thirty-day ‘Afterglow’ when recordings of classes, and a few live events, will be available on the Accelevents site for all ticketholders.
At my very first tarot conference in the late 1990s I had the pleasure of meeting author and deck designer Diane Wilkes. I am very excited that Diane will be presenting at StaarCon 2022. Diane will be leading us in a workshop on tarot journaling. This is a very important topic for tarot beginners and experienced readers alike. Please plan on joining us for StaarCon 2022!
YouTube Channel Members-Only Livestream
I do many livestreams on my YouTube channel. Weekly livestreams feature live readings for viewers. Monthly livesteams feature tarot classes and meetups. All of these events are free, and open to anyone who wants to join us, either live or in replay.
On September 14 at 7 pm I will host an hour-long livestream that is available only to members of my YouTube channel. This event will focus on some deep-dive readings that will allow members to experience a live reading, and, at the same time, to learn some advanced tarot reading techniques.
The livestream and the replay will be available to members at all three levels, Aces, Stars and Suns.
Problem Solving Tarot Exercises
Are you looking for a creative solution? Here are some things to do with your tarot cards to help you find one.
First, is the solution a new perspective, a fix, or a mitigation? Pull one card for each of those possibilities and see what you learn.
Next, pull cards in answer to these questions.
What, exactly, is my challenge at the moment?
How can I be flexible in dealing with this challenge?
How can I find inspiration in this challenge?
The Week in Review
I am pleased to be a nominee in the World Divination Association Awards, in the “Best Tarot Reader” category. Voting is happening now through September 15. Please cast your vote for me today!
The Autumn edition of the Cartomancer is out. I am pleased to have contributed an article entitled, “Your Tarot Friends are Your Best Friends”. You can order your copy of the Cartomancer as a digital ezine, or as a printed magazine.
Now that I have completed my tours, I have resumed my regular schedule of live appearances on my YouTube channel. I will hope to see you there!
From Around the Web
The New Moon in Virgo happened this Monday. Theresa Reed has tarot readings for each zodiac sign.
Do not use this link if you are uncomfortable with off-color language! Interrobang Tarot has “Salty Tarot Spreads for Chaos and Plague”.
Cards for Your Consideration
My favorite card for finding solutions is Temperance. This is because, in this card, the angel is literally creating a solution! I like to think about the two meanings for ‘solution’ and what they have in common. Within that thought process I find my understanding for Major Arcana 14, Temperance.
However, when I think of creative problem-solving, the card that I like to consider is the Seven of Swords.
The Seven of Swords often gets a bad rap, as it is known as ‘The Thief’s Card’. The Seven of Swords can speak of dishonesty, treachery, and theft.
Yet, the Seven of Swords can also speak of necessary craftiness; the sort of craftiness that is paramount when we endeavor to find creative solutions. Sometimes we need to try something that is a bit unorthodox to get the results we need, given the constraints of the situation at hand.
Years ago, while on a road trip in a very old Valiant, the car developed a radiator leak. Our creative solution was to get lots of pepper from fast food restaurants to put into the radiator. This allowed us to drive all the way across the country before we had to get the repair work done.
Of course, this was not the best way to handle such a situation. Yet, it worked for us, and was the best we could do at the time. This is a great example of a Seven of Swords solution.
Upcoming Events and Tours
Card and Craft Academy
Classes presented by Christiana are available right now at Card and Craft Academy!
Christiana’s Candle Magick
Christiana’s Eleven-Card Celtic Cross
Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Practical Tarot Techniques
Psychic Tarot
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Tarot Beyond the Veil
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Clarity in Every Tarot Card
Tarot Flow Workshop
Making Magick with Tarot
Fearless Wisdom Tarot Workshop
Tarot Keywords and Interpretations Workshop
Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!
cardandcraftacademy.com
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Christiana Gaudet
3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classeswww.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com
Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime and in person readings and instruction are available by appointment.
Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.
Call or text toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 4 Issue 36
September 8, 2021
Little Bites
We solve big problems a little at a time.
You may have heard the Chinese proverb that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’”.
This week at the tarot table I have talked with so many people who are feeling overwhelmed, for a variety of reasons.
Though their situations were different, the ultimate question was the same.
“How do I handle this?”
While the cards had specific and individual advice for each person, they all each received a similar message as well. That message is a bit of wisdom that is good for all of us to remember.
When facing a daunting task, don’t tackle it all at once. Don’t get ahead of yourself in figuring out how you are going to manage the things that will come in the future. Look at what is on your plate today, right now, and take it in manageable little bites.
Some people call it taking ‘baby steps.’ I don’t love that analogy. Babies take small, wobbly, faltering steps because they don’t know how to walk. Addressing something that feels overwhelming in little bites takes wisdom and mastery.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when we look at the whole of a thing, whether that thing is starting a business, catching up on piled up work, going through a divorce, or healing from a loss. Yet, when we focus simply on one task at a time, our mission becomes bearable and doable.
It can take some finesse to figure out what the little bites are, and what in what order they must be done. That’s where divination, counseling, or a trusted expert can help.
It’s important to remember this, too. The bigger the task, the better the reward will be when we get through it. When we are suffering, it is hard to consider that there will come a time when we will feel joy once more. When we are overwhelmed, it is hard to know that there will come a time when we will be able to relax. Yet, when we chew through our difficultly in little bites, eventually we will get to the other side of it.
The StaarCorner
I was so excited to interview Gita Rash for this week’s episode of StaarCast. I am working on a review of her new deck, The Mahabharata Oracle. During the interview I was surprised to learn that, years ago, I had an interaction with Gita that helped inspire her to design her deck!
Since StaarCon has a mission to honor our artists, this is a very special episode of StaarCast.
You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit the StaarCon website to stay up to date on all things StaarCon!
Tarot Beyond the Veil
On Tuesday, October 27, from 7 pm to 9 pm EDT, I am teaching a very special class on Zoom.
Tarot Beyond the Veil is a class about using tarot to connect with spirit.
In this class we will learn ways to use tarot for mediumship.
In a tarot reading, we can be in direct communication with our angels, guides, and loved ones in spirit. In this class, you will learn a variety of techniques to conduct these deeply spiritual readings for yourself and others.
Class fee is $37.50. Register now on Zoom.
Learning Tarot in Little Bites
One task that can seem daunting is learning the seventy-eight cards of tarot, and then learning the intricate art of seeing how those cards work together in a reading. There is so much to know and remember, even beyond what we must intuit.
Like most daunting tasks, the best way to learn tarot is in little bites. Here are three ways to do that.
Card of the Day (COTD)
Every day, preferably at the same time, draw a card at random. Look up its meaning in numerous sources, look at the image, thing about what the card might mean to you in this current moment, and other ways this card may have spoken to you at other times in your life. Journal about the card. Later on, look back and see how this card was reflected in your day or week in ways you might not have expected.
Tarot in Sections
Learn tarot one section at a time. You can start with the Majors only. Learn these twenty-two cards and do readings with only these cards. Then you can learn the Minors either by suit or by number. When you feel comfortable with a new section, add them in to your readings. Eventually you will be reading with the full deck.
One Card a Week
Put your tarot deck in order. Each week, starting with the Fool and moving forward in order from there, study one card. See how the energy of that card shows up over the course of the week. During the week, read everything you can about that card, and work to form your own understanding of it. After seventy-eight weeks, you will have a very clear understanding of the tarot cards.
The Week in Review
This week I shared a blogpost about why self-reading is important for tarot students.
I do live broadcasts on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on my Facebook business page, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the StaarCon Facebook page.
I also do regular free classes and meetups on my YouTube channel.
From Around the Web
The Llewellyn blog has had some great entries lately. Check out this Third Eye Tarot Exercise from Barbara Moore.
Here is a Simple Tarot Spread for Tackling To Dos from Empath Editor.
From Healers Wanted, here is an article about tarot and anxiety.
Cards for Your Consideration
When confronting overwhelming tasks, the Sevens of tarot offer a great deal of wisdom and insight.
In tarot, I see the number Seven as related to the journey of the individual, and the journey within. These cards each describe something we can do for ourselves that no one else can do for us.
The Seven of Cups reminds us to use our imagination to consider what is available to us and warns us against fearful imaginings.
The Seven of Wands reminds us that we are able to multi-task, and strong enough to stand against multiple attacks and superior odds.
The Seven of Pentacles instructs us to tend our garden tirelessly, knowing that it will one day bear fruit.
The Seven of Swords asks us to be on the alert against treachery, but also remind us to think craftily to solve our problems.
The Chariot affirms that we are the masters of our destiny, and able to bring together what we need to move forward.
Events and Tours
Happy birthday Christiana!
Best wishes from all of us at Card and Craft.
Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 3 Issue 43
October 21, 2020