Joy has asked us to discuss our thoughts on education and beyond. So I went to the Readers Studio in NYC to get something to write about. Okay, not really, but the timing was excellent.
First, let me preface this with a caveat. No teacher knows it all. No student can learn it all. But all knowledge must be absorbed. Cool? It’s a koan by Arwen. And I am sure it is not a new one in this universe.
I recently read a post by someone who had paid a significant sum of money to a teacher he found on YouTube. Then he discovered that this teacher had one small problem.
HE KNEW ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING.
Doesn’t seem like a problem, right? Student wanted to learn. Teacher wanted to teach. Well, unless you are a tabula rasa, you already have some knowledge. Some of that is going to bump up against what someone else says. You have to learn what is yours to absorb and what is theirs to keep. However, this teacher told the student that everything they knew was pretty much wrong because it didn’t agree with his list of what’s right in the world of Tarot. This, people, is NOT a teacher. Run from those. Do not give them your money. Tell us who they are!
Back to Readers Studio. We were treated to a Divination Day (I chat about that on my other post in this hop–keep hopping to find it.) Then we got two days of main stage presentations, study groups, rituals, incubators, and breakfast talks. Please understand that there is utterly no way to do it all. I did less this year than I did last year. I did NO study groups. I went to bed or chatted with friends. And there were some amazing study groups this year.
So what did I do? I absorbed the mainstage presenters brains. Muahahahah. Ethony Dawn kicked us off on Friday with her Tarot Muses (book coming but don’t rush her. I’m doing that. 😀 ) I went so deep with this presentation. She gave us a spread to work with each of her Muses. I also got a copy of her book Your Tarot Court: Read Any Deck With Confidence . This book is a good one. I love her work with the courts as noble allies. I also had the chance to spend time with The Cartomancer’s design goddess and assistant editor, Bean! BONUS.
Then Saturday hit. Remember that there were study groups Friday night so here we all are a bit bleary-eyed (study groups, talking, or otherwise sleep-compromised.) George Koury is as funny as he is spiritual–and he is deeply spiritual. He gave us a handout on his Peter Pan spread that opened me up on deep levels. It is a deceivingly simple three-card (but four-question) spread. It is one I will be using with clients () because of the depth it created. It is on a simple, easy subject–life’s purpose.
Last, but not least, was Sasha Graham. Her body of work speaks for itself. Cartomancer readers were treated to an article by her recently. Her light and breezy topic was about the seven cornerstones as evidenced in the 7 of Cups. That pretty much blew my danged mind. We did writing prompts while creating a mandala. You know, the light kind of thing you want to do. LOL.
Each presentation contained such juicy nuggets of wisdom I will spend weeks if not months processing. I stopped taking notes after a bit just to absorb the lessons.
The learning didn’t stop there. It continued at breakfast with friends I’ve known and friends who were new this year. It went on in the hallways and elevators. I got so much from just hanging out with my colleagues (all those who attend are my colleagues) and close friends. Getting time to do a download with Ethony and Benebell was a highlight. I never get time with these two so it was a treat to steal off for a gabfest.
So to answer Joy’s questions…
What classes are you taking/recommending?
What are you doing to advance your knowledge/experience/abilities with tarot?
Joy Vernon
I went to Readers Studio 2019. I absorbed as much as I could. I carried home handouts. I walked out with books (gifts, people, gifts!). I enriched my world by opening up to other people’s gifts of knowledge. If you are curious about my download of RS 2018, here’s that blog. As you go hopping through this Beltaine/Beltane 2019 Tarot Blog Hop, please remember to leave a comment so we know you were there.
I am recommending Readers Studio and classes by any of the above teachers. Oh, by the way, if you leave me a comment here and/or on my other post in this hop, you will be in a drawing to win this deck. It’s part of my swag from Readers Studio that I want to share with you.
Here’s a picture of that swag. You will see art from Joanna Powell Colbert along with her Herbcrafters Tarot (pre-order on this link for a cool gift!), art from Monica Bodirsky, my amazing hamsa mandala from Heidi Strachan via the Boston Tea Room. Speaking of Heatherleigh Navarre, she suckered me into getting that darling crystal ball! I got books from Ethony Dawn and Theresa Reed as well as snagging a copy of the Alice Grist book from the swap table. My gorgeous hamsa piece and Ganesh bracelet are from Soultopia (owned by Michelle and Roger Welch who are HIGH up on my people I adore list.) And more! I know I’m leaving things out! Oh! Tori Hartman handed out cute little bags. And I got Gina Thies’ Tarot of the Moors (so excited about that!) The “I’m bossy” bag came from…c’mon Arwen, you know this… and the Vegemite was from Karin Dalton-Smith, the teacup lady.
In conclusion, don’t be that aforementioned teacher. Okay, now go hop!
I tend to learn a great deal from my students as their new and fresh look at the subject helps clear my own mind.
Thanks for including us in your RS journey and learning! Attending RS and Omega are on my list of to-do’s.
You will be here next year. So mote it be! 😀
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience. I enjoyed reading about it.
I’m delighted you dropped by. 😀
Loved reading this, and the other one, Arwen (I never have managed to login on that site *doh*). This is such a beautiful reminder of the joys of attending a tarot conference! RS is still on my bucket list, but dang it’s a long way away.
I’m off to the UK Tarot Conference again this year. We had Benebell Wen last year, and Sasha Graham the year before (amongst so many other juicy talks and workshops). And yes, I never manage to keep my ‘no more…’ promises, either 😀
I’m so intrigued by the Seven of Cups spread you mention – it’s come up for me twice in two days in different contexts, now this is three…
I want to do that UK Conference one year! Interesting that you are being stalked by the 7 of Cups!
Enjoyed this post. Would love to win the giveaway. Thanks!
Good luck!
I enjoyed all photo bombs from the FB feed. I’ll get to RS someday. It looks out of this world.
LOL Next year I fear they will bell me so they can hear me coming
You bring the joy Arwen. I enjoyed this sharing of what you learned at Reader’s Studio and all the information from the presenters as well. This makes me wish I could go every year(and I was there this year!). Your review is spot on and again we get so much that is ti s hard to do it all at the conferences.
Also thank you for pointing out that really we as teachers and students should always be learning and that there is no ONE WAY to do Tarot. <3
Off to go read your Divination Day recap!
“No teacher knows it all. No student can learn it all. But all knowledge must be absorbed.” I’m going to print this out and hang it where I can see it every day!
Loved reading your recap Arwen! Thank you for sharing your experience, especially all the bombs. Looking forward to reading through the hop. Stay joyous.
I’m only commenting for the chance to win the deck.
Don’t take me seriously, lol. I wish I could one year attend RS, although TABI’s annual conference is just as awesome – and is local, hehe.
Ah the know all “teachers”… I hope that person got their money, or at least a part of it, back.