Tarot News blog has news and information of interest to the tarot community.

Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet

All Things Tarot

This week, the newsletter is about my favorite topic, tarot. How can you spot a good professional? How can you learn tarot? How does tarot magic work? it's all in this newsletter!

A young woman lights a candle and prepares to do a tarot reading.

This newsletter is Volume 7, Issue 8. I cannot see the numbers 7 and 8 together without thinking of the seventy-eight cards of tarot.

I have been writing a formal version of the Tarot Topics Weekly Newsletter for seven years and an informal version for many years more. Yet, until now, tarot itself has never been the topic of the weekly newsletter.

Just before the pandemic struck, many of us in the online tarot community noticed that tarot was having a moment of popularity and public interest, unlike anything we had seen before. The months of shutdowns and uncertainty led to even more people discovering tarot.

Over my thirty-year career as a full-time tarot professional, I have seen years when tarot and divination were very trendy and other times when they were less popular. No matter the societal trends, there were always plenty of clients at my table and plenty of students in my classes.

The current upward-trending popularity of tarot does not seem to have slowed even as life returned to some semblance of normalcy.

I was a professional tarot reader long before the advent of social media and viral videos. Yet, the good and bad things I see among tarot enthusiasts and professionals remain the same. Now, it is all just on a bigger scale.

I have always believed that there are three types of professional readers. Some are out-and-out scammers. Today, those scammers create cloned social media accounts, pretending to be well-known and trusted professionals. The ancient trick of scaring a client into giving large amounts of money to remove a curse still happens as well. Be careful, both online and in person, when choosing a reader.

The second type of reader is truly well-intentioned but not very talented. Perhaps they need to study and practice more, or perhaps their love of tarot is greater than their understanding.

The third type is what I have always aspired to be and what I try to help my students become. That third type is the tarot reader, who is knowledgeable, talented, trustworthy, ethical, and sincere.

Each person coming to tarot and divination has an opportunity to develop new skills, new friends, and new ways of managing life. They also have an equal possibility of getting scammed or falling down a rabbit hole of bad practices and harmful beliefs.

Those of us who love tarot, teach tarot, write about tarot, and spend time with tarot students are responsible for developing and teaching healthy tarot practices. We must be aware of the scammers. We also must be mindful of the harm caused by misinformation spread by well-intentioned people.

How can tarot reading cause harm?

There are a few ways. Psychic addiction happens when clients don’t want to look at the root cause of their difficulties and seek simple answers that align with their desires. Some professional readers call attention to the problem and find solutions; others work to encourage the problem by feeding the addiction.

Social media is full of collective readings that some viewers mistake for personal tarot readings. The social media influencers who perform these readings often perpetuate that confusion.

Tarot can help us find real truth and information. Tarot is a tool we can use for our healing. We can also use tarot to prop up our false beliefs and support spiritual bypassing rather than spiritual enlightenment.

Like any tool, what we get from tarot depends on how we use it. The more we study, learn, and are thoughtful about our practices, the more tarot helps us in our lives.

The StaarCon Fairy by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCon 2024 AfterGlow. Fairy for 2024 by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCorner

Join Brenda Elizabeth in the Charmed by Lady Lenormand lounge tonight at 8:30 pm ET for Yoga Nidra for Third Eye Development.

On Saturday, February 24, at 6:30 pm ET, join Arwen in the Seek Joy with Arwen lounge for a watch party. At StaarCon 2024, Arwen’s session, Cocktails with Arwen, was about tarot for writers. If you are a writer and love tarot, do not miss this!

On Sunday, February 25, join Benebell Wen in the Bell Chimes In lounge for her Office Hours.

Look for new lounges and new lounge sessions coming soon, as well as information about StaarCon 5!

Opening ceremony at StaarCon 2024.

Opening ceremony at StaarCon 2024.

Closeup of a person using a book to do a tarot reading.

Is Tarot Hard to Learn?

“I would love to learn tarot, but it is so hard!”

A new client said this to me at the beginning of her session. I could already see that she was thoughtful and insightful; tarot would benefit her. She said she owned a couple of decks but couldn’t tell me their names.

When she told me definitively that tarot is hard to learn, I couldn’t help but react.

“Is it?” I asked her. The implication was obvious. I challenged her to explain why she thought tarot was hard to learn. Her answer quickly told me that everything she knew about tarot came from social media. She was filled with misunderstanding. She had no idea that tarot teachers, classes, conferences, and meetups existed. (Clearly, the intelligent and well-intentioned tarot teachers on social media, like me, could be doing a better job).

Is it hard to learn tarot? That depends on who you are and what you do. I compare learning tarot to meeting seventy-eight new friends. It will take a while to get to know them all, and further information about them will always emerge, but you can start having fun with them immediately.

When you begin with tarot, you might be confused by the vast array of divination decks available. You may wonder what differentiates tarot from other divination card decks. You will also discover several tarot traditions, each with its stylistic differences. There are countless decks available for purchase. If you want to learn more about choosing a beginner deck, here is an early video from my YouTube channel.

Once you have your tarot deck, I recommend keeping it in a special pouch. You might spend as much on your tarot bag as on your deck. If you sleep with your cards in their pouch under your pillow for a few nights, your cards will start to enter your dreams. This is a way for new readers to bond with their decks.

I often tell my tarot students that I cannot teach anyone to read tarot. I can only create a condition where you can discover how the cards speak to you. That is one of the most important things for new tarotists to understand. Tarot has structure, history, and classic interpretations that we must learn. Yet, in operation, tarot speaks to us in unique ways.

There are many tarot books, websites, and social media accounts to help you learn tarot. Find the teachers, authors, and influencers that feel most authentic to you. You don’t have to memorize the cards to start reading them casually for your friends and family. Feel free to do a tarot spread that you find in a book or on a website and use books (or Google) to look up the card meanings. In time, you will learn the cards and discover how they weave together to tell a story.

I believe that tarot is not hard to learn because we can start learning as soon as we play with the cards. We never stop being tarot students and always learn new ways to work with tarot. The cards will continually reveal new secrets to us.

Closeup of hands laying out a tarot spread.

Closeup of hands laying out a tarot spread.

The Week in Review

Did you catch my tarot classes on YouTube Live last Thursday and yesterday? Watch the replays!

Did you know that we have over one hundred members on my YouTube channel? Members get fun extra perks, like the members-only livestream on February 29. You can become a member, end your membership anytime, and remain a subscriber.

From Around the Web

Learntarot.com is a full tarot book and course by Joan Bunning, available online for free!

There is a new horror movie coming out this spring entitled Tarot. Watch the movie trailer and read this article about it from People magazine.

A huge problem in the tarot community is tarot piracy. It’s something we don’t talk about enough. I was happy to see this statement on tarot author Barbara Moore’s home page.

Tarot cards with a candle on an altar.

Making Magic

Tarot began as a deck of playing cards and is still played as a game today. Tarot has become a book of spiritual wisdom in picture form. Tarot is a tool for introspection, divination, and inspiration. Your tarot deck is also a set of seventy-eight magical tools.

As with tarot divination, you can also learn tarot magic by reading books, visiting websites, or studying with your favorite teachers.

Also, like learning tarot divination, you will ultimately find the best practices for you. A book may give you a detailed and specific spell. In time, you will learn to create the spells that work for you.

I learned an easy way to discuss tarot magic versus tarot divination from Madam Pamita. When divining with tarot, we pull cards while the cards are face down. When we perform tarot magic, we look through the cards face up and choose them based on their image or our understanding of their energy.

Tarot magic boils down to a simple concept. Each tarot card carries energy and can be activated for a specific purpose. If there is something you want to attract into your life or banish from your life, find the tarot card or cards that match that energy.

If you are attracting something, you might want to carry a card image with you. You might also place a card or cards in a special place in your home, such as an altar.

If you are banishing something, place that card face down, or print out the image and destroy it.

You can easily add tarot to any magical practice or create new ways of working with energy using tarot.

February 29 @ 7pm Leap Year Party!

Upcoming Events

Featured
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube
Nov 25
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube

Join us for an exploration of how we can use tarot to understand difficult family situations.

Christiana Gaudet teaching tarot in Madison, Connecticut, circa 2018.

About Christiana Gaudet

Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.

Christiana Gaudet

3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152

Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com

YouTube @YourTarotFairyGodmother
Instagram @christianatarot @staarcon


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.

Zoom parties and group instruction available almost everywhere!

Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232 x102
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

New! Schedule Appointments Online at acuity:scheduling!

Schedule online at https://christiana-gaudet.as.me.

Agent inquiries are welcome.

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 7 Issue 8
February 21, 2024

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Read More
Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet

A Message of Love

It's Valentine's Day. That matters to some people and not to others. But love always matters.

A young woman smiles at her smartphone while hearts are surrounding her.

Today is Valentine’s Day. This holiday is fun for many, and not so much for others.

Modern Valentine’s Day has interesting roots. From Catholicism, we have St. Valentine, the patron saint of youth, love, and marriage. One legend says he was a priest who performed secret weddings against the edicts of the authorities. Another says that while imprisoned, he wrote notes of hope to his followers on heart-shaped leaves.

Lupercanalia, a Roman fertility festival celebrated in mid-February, was an early holiday that helped establish Valentine's Day.

However you do or do not celebrate today, there is always room to celebrate love. Love is so much more than romance. That we can love one another feels to me to be the surest proof of the existence of a higher power.

Love is an energy that we can pour into our tasks and our creativity. Love is all around us, even when we are all alone.
Today, speak a message of love to yourself or to someone you care about. Don’t do this because it’s Valentine’s Day, do this because love matters every day.

The StaarCon Fairy by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCon 2024 AfterGlow. Fairy for 2024 by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCorner

Here is the AfterGlow Lounge schedule through February 25.

On Sunday, February 18, at 5 p.m. ET, Join Benebell Wen in the Bell Chimes Lounge for an addendum to her headline presentation.

Join Brenda Elizabeth in the Charmed by Lady Lenormand Lounge for Yoga Nidra for Third Eye Development on Wednesday, February 21, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

On Saturday, February 24, at 6:30 pm ET, join Arwen Lynch-Poe in the Seek Joy with Arwen Lounge for a watch party for her session, Cocktails with Arwen.

Join Benebell Wen in the Bell Chimes Lounge for her office hours on Sunday, February 25, at 5 p.m. ET. Ask questions and chat about whatever you like!

If you don’t have a StaarCon ticket but want access to these sessions, you may still purchase tickets for virtual access.

More lounges are being built, and more events are being scheduled. Watch this newsletter, the Facebook community, and the Accelevents lobby for updates.

Ciro Marchetti, Callie French, Karen Winkel, Jen and Jay Sankey, Michelle and Roger Welch, at StaarCon 2024.

Tarot cards, chocolates, red candles for Valentine's Day.

How Tarot Talks About Love

Many people think that the suit of Cups in tarot, related to the element of Water, contains the cards that offer the most insight into romance. They may also believe that card Six of the Major Arcana, The Lovers, speaks solely of romantic love.

While it is true that those cards can speak of romantic love, they can speak of a myriad of other topics. Perhaps more importantly, every tarot card can offer insight into any aspect of life.

When we look to the cards to gain insight into relationships, we need to remember that each of the seventy-eight cards can offer information about a personality, an event, a thought, a possibility, or a bit of advice.

Very rarely have I seen the cards speak definitively about the happy future of a relationship. Love is a choice that we make every day.

Perhaps the best way to use the cards to guide us in relationships is to ask for better ways to process difficult things that happen, communicate with and support the people we care about, and better ways to identify the people we want to have around us.

Closeup of a hand holding tarot cards next to a candle and yellow roses.

The Week in Review

Join me tomorrow evening, Thursday, February 15, on my YouTube channel at 7 pm ET for a free tarot class. The Tarot Card Combinations Webinar will help you understand how tarot cards work together in a reading.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, here is a post from my blog from 2022 about how to give a helpful tarot love reading.

From Around the Web

Do you pay attention to your dreams? Mary Ellen Collins shared some great insights on the power of dreams and what they might mean.

Women’s Health has an interesting article about using tarot as an alternative to mental health therapy.

This Valentine’s Day self-love tarot spread from Interrobang Tarot hits as well as it did when it was published in 2016.

A crystal grid with rose quartz.

Making Magic

Love magic is a natural and potent force. Virtually every tradition of magic and witchcraft has practices for attracting a lover, making oneself more attractive and confident, and revitalizing stale relationships.

Most modern energy workers agree that love magic should never be manipulative. We should never do energy work to cause a person to do something they would not otherwise do.

One sort of love magic we can all do is self-love magic. That is, the magic that helps us give grace and have confidence. There are many traditional ways to do this, yet we are all doing it on some level.

When we take special care with our dressing and put on special jewelry or make-up, we do that magic. We do that magic when we care for our body, mind, and spirit.

Whenever and however we focus our attention kindly toward ourselves, we surround ourselves with the energy of self-care and self-love. The more conscious we are of this, the stronger that energy will be.

When we include certain natural tools in our routines, the energy becomes stronger still.

For example, rose quartz is widely thought to attract love and open the heart. Rose oil and lavender oil are both good to use and wear for the same purposes.

If you research a bit you will find many ways to encourage love in your life.

Tarot Card Combination Workshop February 15 7pm.

Upcoming Events

Featured
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube
Nov 25
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube

Join us for an exploration of how we can use tarot to understand difficult family situations.

Christiana Gaudet and her grandson, Elliot Rankine.

About Christiana Gaudet

Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.

Christiana Gaudet

3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152

Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com

YouTube @YourTarotFairyGodmother
Instagram @christianatarot @staarcon


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.

Zoom parties and group instruction available almost everywhere!

Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232 x102
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

New! Schedule Appointments Online at acuity:scheduling!

Schedule online at https://christiana-gaudet.as.me.

Agent inquiries are welcome.

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 7 Issue 7
February 14, 2024

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Read More
Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet

Bad Press for No Good Reason

It happens to everyone at some point. Friends, family members, community members, and co-workers can sometimes behave in ways that hurt us. What they do reflects on them. What we do reflects on us.

Two girls laughing and whispering at another girl.

What do you do when people are unfriendly toward you without apparent cause?

This happens to everyone at some point, and it never feels good.

Social media has created new opportunities for friendship and collaboration, but it has also created new platforms for bullies. Perhaps constant online banter has desensitized us to all the ways we might inadvertently cause hurt to others.

People sometimes behave unkindly at work, in families, amongst friend groups, hobby groups, spiritual groups, and creative groups. Sometimes, the behavior is unconscious.

We may take offense when no actual negativity is intended. When that happens, we must be willing to forgive and check ourselves before jumping to conclusions.

Occasionally, we hear from others that someone is talking badly about us. We have proof that people are spreading bad press about us with absolutely no good reason.

I often see this at the tarot table, and I know how much it hurts when it happens. People feel bewildered when someone they like and admire treats them with unexplained disdain. People feel rejected when they make an overture of friendship and are summarily dismissed.

There are myriad reasons this can happen. If someone dislikes us, it may be that we remind them of someone unpleasant in their past, and they aren’t able to differentiate in their minds. It may be that they are jealous or feel intimidated by us.

When people speak badly about us, we worry our reputation will be damaged. Here is what is usually true about that. Suppose we exhibit the behavior for which we are criticized. In that case, the bad press will indeed hurt our reputation because it brings focus and attention to an unfortunate truth we need to correct. If we do not exhibit that behavior, our good reputation will remain intact, but the reputation of those spreading the lousy press might rightfully suffer.

Modern technology makes it possible to create convincing video and audio clips of people saying things they never said and doing things they never did. This increases the damage that unfair bad press can do to a new and dangerous level. This also reminds us to take everything we hear with several grains of salt.

If you know someone is saying untrue bad things about you, you can confront or ignore them. Different situations call for different reactions. The important part is how you process it internally. If the unkind behavior shines a light on something you need to fix, take the cue and fix it, but do not think that the spreaders of unkind gossip are appropriate in their treatment of you.  Do not worry about your reputation if the bad press is entirely unwarranted.

Most importantly, do not let someone’s bad behavior make you feel bad about yourself.

The person who has acted meanly may be going through something hard and buckling under the pressure. Sometimes, hurt people hurt people. It is equally possible that the person or people in question are showing you what kind of people they are. That can be disappointing, but it reflects on them, not you.

The callousness of others cannot imperil our sense of self and identity. We must love ourselves enough not to let unfair bad press influence our self-esteem. That is true even when the bad press comes from someone we love or admire.

The StaarCon Fairy by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCon 2024 AfterGlow. Fairy for 2024 by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCorner

The AfterGlow is in full swing, and we are working hard on plans for StaarCon 5.

Here is what you need to know this week.

StaarCon 5 will be on January 24, 26, and 27, 2025. We will announce the hotel, headliners, and some important improvements shortly.

Recordings of StaarCon 2024 presentations are available on Accelevents to ticketholders. Some recordings are being edited for sound quality, so if some don't work well for you, check back in a few weeks.

Missing recordings are being re-recorded and replaced. So, again, if you are missing something, wait a few weeks and check again.

Please let me know if you cannot view a video that your ticket should allow. Usually, there is a quick fix.

If you are having trouble with the Accelevents app, use the URL with Chrome or Safari for better results.  The engineers at Accelevents are working on some fixes for the app.

Presenters are announcing new lounges and new events every day.

Here are some upcoming events from Benebell Wen and Lady Lenormand, AKA Brenda Elizabeth.

In the Bell Chimes In Lounge, join our 2024 headliner, Benebell Wen, on Sunday, February 18, and Sunday, February 25, at 5 pm. On the 18th, Benebell will share more information on her headlining topic. On the 25th, Benebell is keeping office hours! Join her for questions and conversation.

In the Charmed by Lady Lenormand Lounge, join Brenda Elizabeth for the following sessions.

Date: February 21, 8:30 PM EST
Yoga Nidra for Third Eye Development

Date: March 13, 7:30 PM EST
Connecting to your Pets on the other side using Tarot, Lenormand, or Oracle cards

Date: March 19, 8:30 PM EST
Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep and Dreams 

It is a good idea to check the feed in each presenter’s lounge because there are often great handouts, links, and other information.

If you are not a member of the StaarCon Community Group on Facebook, please join us there. This private group allows us to get information to everyone quickly.

If you are not a StaarCon ticketholder but want to view recordings of sessions and/or want to attend the lounge sessions, you may still purchase a ticket.

Benebell Wen and T. Susan Chang at StaarCon 2024.

A woman sits by a window and contemplates tarot cards in her hand.

What the Cards Can Tell Us

Many tarot readers cringe (often rightfully) when clients want to know what another person thinks or feels about them. Readers often don’t like to use the cards to get into the heads of people who aren’t present at the tarot table.

Yet, when we are uncomfortable with the way someone is behaving, and they will not tell us what is going on, tarot is a way we can find understanding and comfort. Tarot can also give us advice on how to handle a delicate social situation or how to ensure our reputation remains untarnished.

Tarot can also help us understand the truth of a situation, absent of our own emotional turmoil.

What sort of questions can we ask the cards in situations like this? Questions such as the following can often be helpful.

Why is this person behaving this way?

Is their behavior conscious and intentional?

What other factors might be contributing to this behavior?

Have I done something to warrant or encourage this behavior?

Is there something I need to learn or change in my own behavior?

What should my relationship with this person be going forward?

How much damage can this person do to me?

Should I defend myself in this situation? If so, how?

What is important for me to know here?

How can this situation help me grow?

A woman does a tarot reading at her computer.

The Week in Review

Join us tonight, Wednesday, at 7 pm for Global Tarot Circle on YouTube live. We will share readings and tarot study.

Your February TarotScopes are ready for you on YouTube and TikTok. I’ve pulled three cards for each of the twelve signs.

Watch this new video if you are a member of my YouTube channel. It’s about my favorite ways to celebrate the coming spring.

From Around the Web

The new moon in Aquarius is February 9th. Here is what Yoga Journal says about this powerful time, what it means, and how you can use it.

Benebell Wen wrote a wonderful review, complete with pictures, of StaarCon 2024. I am so pleased to read this account of our fabulous weekend.

StaarCon presenter Teri Salomoni has started sharing videos on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow Strega Secrets to learn Teri’s Italian ancestral practices.

Watercolor illustration of a woman about to walk a path to the new moon.

Making Magic

I am excited to unveil the new column series theme for 2024. In this column, you will find magical stories, spells, lore, and observations each week. Whether you spell it ‘magick’ or ‘magic,’ this will be a space to learn and explore ways to work with energy for healing, growth, and positive change.

For our first installment, I want to share a way I like to work with tarot, the moon, and stars. I am not an astrologer, but I know that the new moon in Aquarius on February 9th holds power and opportunity for us.

There are many ways to harness this power. Let me show you something I like to do with tarot. You can add this to your magical practice or use it alone.

Because words, zodiac signs, and heavenly bodies all have tarot associations, it is easy to find the cards we can associate with an astrological occurrence.

For the word ‘new,’ I have chosen the Ace of Cups. You might choose a different card for this position; any of the Aces, the Fool, the Magician, and arguably the Pages can bring the energy of newness. I like the Ace of Cups for this because of its association with love, especially since we are close to Valentine’s Day.

Of course, the Major Arcana Moon card works perfectly for the moon. The Major Arcana card associated with Aquarius is the Star.

On February 9th, I will take the Ace of Cups, the Moon, and the Star and lay them out together. I will contemplate their messages for me individually and as a group. I will then ask each of these cards to share their energy with me.

In many cultures, the new moon is a time to manifest. The sign of Aquarius offers us a focus on friendship, community, altruism, confidence, and creativity. Aquarius is also the sign of technology and innovation.

When we combine these three cards, we see the opportunity to manifest love, growth, and new possibilities.

Can you think of specific things in your life you would like the new moon in Aquarius to bring you? Can you find symbols of those things in these three cards? When you do, ask them to manifest those things in your life.

Tarot Card Combination Workshop February 15 7pm.

Upcoming Events

Featured
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube
Nov 25
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube

Join us for an exploration of how we can use tarot to understand difficult family situations.

Christiana Gaudet at the StaarCon 2024 Opening Ceremony.

Christiana Gaudet at the StaarCon 2024 Opening Ceremony.

About Christiana Gaudet

Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.

Christiana Gaudet

3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152

Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com

YouTube @YourTarotFairyGodmother
Instagram @christianatarot @staarcon


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.

Zoom parties and group instruction available almost everywhere!

Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232 x102
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

New! Schedule Appointments Online at acuity:scheduling!

Schedule online at https://christiana-gaudet.as.me.

Agent inquiries are welcome.

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 7 Issue 6
February 7, 2024

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Read More
Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet Tarot Topics Community News Christiana Gaudet

Coming Up for Air

This week we are focused on the element of Air, and the logic, clarity, and perspective Air brings to us.

Beach landscape with dolphins jumping.

The days and weeks after a momentous event can feel surreal as you process all the amazing things that happened within a few short hours. I think a lot of us are feeling that way after StaarCon.

We go through a similar yet much less pleasant experience after a shocking or traumatic event. It can take a while for the pieces of reality to reassemble themselves.

I often think about the expression “coming up for air” to describe those moments of processing something unusual on the way back to normalcy. It turns out that I have been overthinking this idiom, which is generally used to describe a pause, just like the pause a swimmer must take to breathe.

In metaphysics, magic, tarot, and astrology, the element of Air has meaning beyond life-sustaining oxygen. We associate Air with the powers of the mind, such as intelligence, communication, curiosity, and integrity. Interestingly, the Minor Arcana of tarot typically contains brutal imagery to express its connection with the element of Air. That upsetting imagery is appropriate because unkind thoughts and words are painful. We often imprison ourselves with our limited thoughts and beliefs.

Sometimes, it is essential to take a conscious breath and remember what is true or welcome a change of perspective. That moment of conscious breathing may open us to a new belief or a recognition that we have been limiting ourselves.

In times of change, enlightenment, shock, or growth, the element of Air becomes our north star, guiding us toward what is real and appropriate and away from what is false and limited.

The StaarCon Fairy by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCon 2024 AfterGlow. Fairy for 2024 by Ciro Marchetti.

The StaarCorner

We have so much to share about wonderful things that happened at StaarCon 2024, and the plans we are making for next January. The most important thing right now is to thank everyone who worked to make StaarCon 2024 a success.

The AfterGlow is happening now. John is repairing and editing recordings that aren’t perfect, so check back often for the ones you missed. New lounges are opening daily, with schedules for gatherings, classes, and workshops.

María Alviz Hernando has published her schedule of AfterGlow events. Find her scheduled events in her lounge and below.

February 3rd, 5 PM EST - Introduction to the Oracle Belline

March 2nd, 5 PM EST - Interpretation of Classic Belline Spreads

April 6th, 5 PM EDT - Tableau Reading with the Oracle Belline

May 5th, 5 PM EDT - Court Cards for Dummies

June 1st, 5 PM EDT - Keys to Make Sense of Oracle Cards in Practical Ways

July 6th, 5 PM EDT - Bling with Intent - Enchant Your Jewelry

August 3rd, 5 PM EDT - The Master Method with Tarot - a 36-Card Reading

September 7th, 5 PM EDT - The Story of My Life: How I Became a Full-time Tarot Professional (In Case it Helps)

October 5th, 5 PM EDT - Reviewing Real Life Spreads

November 2nd, 5 PM EDT - Relationship Dynamics in Tarot

December 7th, 5 PM EST - Open Q&A Session

Tarot Fairy Godmother T-shirts at StaarCon 2024.

Tarot cards with a focus on the Six of Swords.

Focus on the Six of Swords

One of my favorite Air cards in the Suit of Swords is the Six of Swords. In the famous Waite depiction, we see a small boat being guided by a standing figure. A child and an adult are huddled together on the boat. We can see that the water ahead is smoother than behind. Six swords stand upright, point down, in the boat.

In the Crowley Harris Thoth tradition, the Six of Swords is the “Lord of Earned Success.” Both traditional depictions of this card indicate success after struggle.

Both traditions offer a clue to how we earn this success after struggle.

In the Crowley deck, Minor Arcana cards have a single keyword printed upon them. The keyword for the Six of Swords is ‘Science.’

In the Waite image, we see that the Swords, representing thought, are held above the water, representing emotion.

Science prizes rational thought above emotional attachment. The word "Science" in the Crowley Six of Swords and the image in the Waite deck work perfectly together. They tell us that we find success by focusing on the gift of Air energy, which allows us to see what is true, logical, and correct.

Opening Ceremony at StaarCon 2024.

The Week in Review

I am very grateful to everyone who helped make StaarCon a success. One of the things that was so much fun was meeting our YouTube channel members in person and being able to put faces to names.
Now that we are back in the Palm City office, we are creating a brand-new broadcast studio. You will find me on my YouTube channel for regular weekly tarot reading live streams, monthly classes, and some special new content.

This coming Sunday, February 4th, join us in person at 4 pm for our Cards and Conversation Tarot Meetup at Panera Bread in Palm City.

From Around the Web

StaarCon presenter Mary Ellen Collins has some thoughts on artificial intelligence to share.

This past October, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife shared this article about Slavic witches reclaiming their native culture and religion.

Those who follow the Waite tradition of tarot claim Major Arcana 8, Strength, as our card of the year. Here is an article from the LA Times about what this means.

Upcoming Events

Featured
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube
Nov 25
Tarot For Your Family Members-only Livestream on YouTube

Join us for an exploration of how we can use tarot to understand difficult family situations.

Christiana Gaudet and Benebell Wen at StaarCon 2024.

About Christiana Gaudet

Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.

Christiana Gaudet

3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152

Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com

YouTube @YourTarotFairyGodmother
Instagram @christianatarot @staarcon


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.

Zoom parties and group instruction available almost everywhere!

Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232 x102
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

New! Schedule Appointments Online at acuity:scheduling!

Schedule online at https://christiana-gaudet.as.me.

Agent inquiries are welcome.

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 7 Issue 5
January 31, 2024

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.

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