…from the Hierophant through the Hermit

Okay, so if you are just tuning in to my Journey, let me refer you back to Part One where you will meet my Tarot influences from the Fool through the Emperor.    And if you read Part One and came back for Part Two – Thank You!!  It’s always fun to take a journey with like
minded souls.  I had some great feedback from other tarotists who thought making Major Arcana associations a great idea to offer tribute to your tarot mentors.  I’d love to hear who your influences are!  For now, however, it’s time to continue on my personal Fool’s Journey.

First up this week is the Hierophant. After much back and forth internal discussion, I decided to not name a specific person as my Hierophant but to instead give credit to the authors and artists within my personal tarot library and deck collection – a wonderful source of structure
and education.  The collective knowledge and experiences gained by reading and experiencing each book and deck has influenced how I work with the Tarot. Every book, no matter how basic or advanced, has offered me something of value; some titillating tarot tidbit that I can incorporate into readings.  Each deck presents new symbols and images that stretch the mind, challenging what I know and feel comfortable with and pushing me to be open to new interpretations and meanings for the cards.

Looking at the Lovers
in terms of relationships and choices, and not in a romantic sense, I chose Leisa ReFalo as my influence.  Bet that one surprised most of you!  Through The Tarot Connection website and her magnificent podcasts, Leisa provided me with a Lover’s “tree of knowledge”.  The Tarot Connection podcasts taught me new techniques and offered exciting choices in how to work with the Tarot, fostering new relationships with the cards themselves.

On to the Chariot! This is a card that at times has given me trouble interpreting it within a reading (okay, to be honest, what card has not been difficult to interpret at one time
or another depending on the question and it’s position within a spread!).  I have come to see the Chariot as representing a driving influence and of being the master of your own journey,
of being able to make your own choices and “steering through” opposing forces,
of mastering conscious and unconscious forces. Storm Cestavani is the ultimate Charioteer with an ability to help a struggling tarotist confront dichotomous views about the tarot as well as tarot
“enhancers” such as kabbalah, mythological influences, astrology, etc.  Through Storm you can forge a level of understanding as to how they can actually enhance your tarot practice.  I love that he is so comfortable and confidant in himself and what he does that he makes no excuses for what he believes. How he takes on current events and keeps you aware… And oh, yea –
have you heard him talk?  Storm – love your voice!

Moving forward on the Journey, next comes Justice. The proverbial mediator, a connector of heaven and earth, Justice offers a balanced perspective, a harmonious melding of oppositional forces.  Donnaleigh de LaRose (those of you who know her would likely have picked a different Major here, too, wouldn’t you?) through the influences of Beyond Worlds and the birthing of our “Tarot Tribe” has brought so much tarot knowledge into our community, giving us choices and
allowing us to weigh our choices for process and practice carefully, to come to a place of personal balance in tarot. How’s that for a run on sentence??  When I met Donnaleigh at her first Reader’s Studio, as we read together during an exercise, I had no idea how much time we would spend together in the future – we drive to work together almost daily (maybe I should have made her the Chariot and Storm Justice?) Seriously, though, what Donnaleigh has brought me is tons of knowledge on the tarot as well as varying practices and viewpoints that have balanced my approach to the tarot so that I can give justice to my practice!  Donnaleigh, your website may be Divine Whispers, but you cause Divine Explosions of knowledge.

And last on today’s Journey is one of my personal favorite cards, The Hermit. James Wells, a fellow Hermit” impersonator at the Readers Studio tarot banquet, is a perfect example for this card.  His approach to the tarot is reflective and illuminating, gentle yet prodding.  James does not let you take things at face value but instead guides you to finding more meaning in everything you do, from helping a querent ask the right question to looking beyond a traditional
meaning of a card or symbol within it in order to gain the highest level of wisdom from a reading.  James’ impact on all he comes in contact with is profound.  When he sits with a client they are not purchasing a reading, they are in receipt of a true gift from the universe.
Best of all, James’ depth of spirit is balanced by a wonderful, quirky sense of humor which makes him a great person to just be around.

This Fool is almost halfway through her Journey.  How about you?  Who is your Hermit?  Your Lover?  Are you able to see these Tarot Personalities in the way that I have or do you see them from an entirely different perspective? What are your favorite books and decks and why?  Is there something about them that changed who you are as a tarot reader?   Be sure to offer your thoughts.  Join me next time as I journey through from The Wheel through Temperance!