Do you think the fortune teller theme might pose as a veil for performing magick, witchcraft, whichever term one chooses, in plain site? Maybe it helps the practitioner feel safer demonstrating their work out in public if said work appears to be entertainment and thus more digestible to those who might (even in 2025) cause them harm? I'm with you, I believe it can be offensive to the Romani peopl. I wonder, though, if many folks are ignorant to the history and, as proposed, feel safer easing out of the broom closet as long as they're wearing a spangled velvety cloak?
Thank you for this. I think it is a really solid perspective, and your point is well taken.
I've been very interested and involved with Tarot for quite a few decades now, but for most of that time, I kept pretty darn quiet about my interest in the cards, and related things. My occupation is such that I long worried that knowledge of my interest in Tarot could negatively impact it, and the family that I was raised in certainly wouldn't approve.
I guess that a few years ago I reached an age, and a level of success in my vocation and avocation that I didn't care so much what anyone else might think, and I just started proclaiming my interest in Tarot openly to all.
But, I can see where other people, who might be similarly situated could conceivably benefit from a Tarot/Magick alter-ego, even a different look and persona for working the cards publicly. That makes sense to me.
Isn't it lovely to have a safe space where people from varying experiences and insights can come together and share them? Thank you for starting this conversation!
I will say that, while I incorporate numerology and elemental dignities into my readings, I do not feel any connection to the Kabbalistic tradition. I respect that it is inherently “baked into” the cards, and so I have to believe that, on some level, those who do align with this tradition still find echoes of it in my readings. Were I to suddenly start incorporating Kabbalistic elements into my practice, querents would certainly sense that something was “off.” I think that even the most well trained of us give bad readings if we are disingenuous in our approach. Does that make sense? Have I just made a controversial admission? 😳🫢🫣
I don't think that this is a controversial admission at all.
I think that in the RWS and the Thoth systems (I don't know enough about Marseilles to comment) the Kabala is, as you say, 'baked into' the traditional card meanings. Plus a bunch of other 'goodies.' So, I think that by spending time, as we are learning Tarot, to learn these traditional meanings, we are bringing all of those things into our practice.
And then as we develop as readers, we season those traditional meanings, and all that was included in their development, with our own experiences in Tarot and in life. Then of course our own intuition comes into heavy play as we do a reading, and all of that gets mixed into the reading that we give. I think that all three of those elements are pretty essential.
But, I don't think that we need to be experts in Kabala or astrology or the various correspondences that went into the development of the traditional meanings in order to read Tarot well. Rather we need to honor the fact that those things went into Tarot's development enough that we take the time to learn what each symbolic representation within Tarot has historically meant.
>>>I think that even the most well trained of us give bad readings if we are disingenuous in >>>our approach.
I agree, 100%. I think that when we lay out the cards, we 'see' what they say, and that we must 'say' what we 'see.' And what we are seeing is the mix of everything mentioned above, and probably more. We would not do well to instead try and force them into some sort of system or another.
But, as we continue to learn, other things can be added to the mix. Take for example your posts on numerology in readings. I never paid much attention to that prior to starting to read your Substack, but now, by learning something about that from you, that'll certainly start to flow into my own readings as well. One more ingredient into the recipe.
Cameron, I am honored that my posts have inspired you to incorporate numerology into your reading flow! If no one else ever said a word about this aspect of my practice, my work here is done. 😎
Do you think the fortune teller theme might pose as a veil for performing magick, witchcraft, whichever term one chooses, in plain site? Maybe it helps the practitioner feel safer demonstrating their work out in public if said work appears to be entertainment and thus more digestible to those who might (even in 2025) cause them harm? I'm with you, I believe it can be offensive to the Romani peopl. I wonder, though, if many folks are ignorant to the history and, as proposed, feel safer easing out of the broom closet as long as they're wearing a spangled velvety cloak?
Thank you for this. I think it is a really solid perspective, and your point is well taken.
I've been very interested and involved with Tarot for quite a few decades now, but for most of that time, I kept pretty darn quiet about my interest in the cards, and related things. My occupation is such that I long worried that knowledge of my interest in Tarot could negatively impact it, and the family that I was raised in certainly wouldn't approve.
I guess that a few years ago I reached an age, and a level of success in my vocation and avocation that I didn't care so much what anyone else might think, and I just started proclaiming my interest in Tarot openly to all.
But, I can see where other people, who might be similarly situated could conceivably benefit from a Tarot/Magick alter-ego, even a different look and persona for working the cards publicly. That makes sense to me.
Isn't it lovely to have a safe space where people from varying experiences and insights can come together and share them? Thank you for starting this conversation!
It is indeed. Thank you!
*sight
I will say that, while I incorporate numerology and elemental dignities into my readings, I do not feel any connection to the Kabbalistic tradition. I respect that it is inherently “baked into” the cards, and so I have to believe that, on some level, those who do align with this tradition still find echoes of it in my readings. Were I to suddenly start incorporating Kabbalistic elements into my practice, querents would certainly sense that something was “off.” I think that even the most well trained of us give bad readings if we are disingenuous in our approach. Does that make sense? Have I just made a controversial admission? 😳🫢🫣
I don't think that this is a controversial admission at all.
I think that in the RWS and the Thoth systems (I don't know enough about Marseilles to comment) the Kabala is, as you say, 'baked into' the traditional card meanings. Plus a bunch of other 'goodies.' So, I think that by spending time, as we are learning Tarot, to learn these traditional meanings, we are bringing all of those things into our practice.
And then as we develop as readers, we season those traditional meanings, and all that was included in their development, with our own experiences in Tarot and in life. Then of course our own intuition comes into heavy play as we do a reading, and all of that gets mixed into the reading that we give. I think that all three of those elements are pretty essential.
But, I don't think that we need to be experts in Kabala or astrology or the various correspondences that went into the development of the traditional meanings in order to read Tarot well. Rather we need to honor the fact that those things went into Tarot's development enough that we take the time to learn what each symbolic representation within Tarot has historically meant.
>>>I think that even the most well trained of us give bad readings if we are disingenuous in >>>our approach.
I agree, 100%. I think that when we lay out the cards, we 'see' what they say, and that we must 'say' what we 'see.' And what we are seeing is the mix of everything mentioned above, and probably more. We would not do well to instead try and force them into some sort of system or another.
But, as we continue to learn, other things can be added to the mix. Take for example your posts on numerology in readings. I never paid much attention to that prior to starting to read your Substack, but now, by learning something about that from you, that'll certainly start to flow into my own readings as well. One more ingredient into the recipe.
I hope that this makes some level of sense.
Cameron, I am honored that my posts have inspired you to incorporate numerology into your reading flow! If no one else ever said a word about this aspect of my practice, my work here is done. 😎
Of course, I find it interesting! Even though even though math still terrifies me! 😂
At least it’s just addition! Can you imagine if numerology were to incorporate complex algebraic functions or, dare I say, trigonometry?
Ah, if that were the case I would have to hunt down every numerology book I could find so as to burn the evil from our earth! 🤣
I mean, I’m not saying I’ve experimented with algebraic arithmancy, but I’m also not saying I’ve not experimented with algebraic arithmancy…