Robert M. Place is the creator of several decks, including the Alchemical Tarot and the Buddha Tarot as well as the author of The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination. He shared 2 techniques with the group. The first focused on energy flow within a three-card spread. The second was a large 21-card spread that built on the idea of the three-card spread, so it was, in essence, a seven-position spread with three cards in each position. Looking at the energy flow within three cards being read together is incredibly helpful. It gives an added level of meaning and precision to an interpretation. Lay out three cards and look at the way that the main characters in the cards are facing. If,

If you haven’t already read the previous blog post, take a minute and check that out for some background information. Also I should reiterate that I use the phrase "bad card" somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Most tarot readers agree that there are no "bad" cards, that all the cards have gifts and shadows. When I use the phrase "bad" card I mean a card that you (or your client) is having trouble seeing the gift or a card that indicates an undesired outcome. The exercises given by Elinor are ways we can find the gift in any card. After we completed the Burden into Blessings spread, Elinor taught her Gestalt Therapy “Be the Card” Technique. She tells us that: "This is a projective

Dr. Elinor Greenberg is a psychotherapist and tarot reader and she was one of the Master Teachers at this year’s Readers Studio. During our time with Dr. Greenberg, we learned techniques that help us turn “Straw into Gold” or “Burdens into Blessings.” That is, she gave us useful tools to deal with [cue sinister music] “The Bad Cards.” Now, the idea of bad cards varies from reader to reader and person to person. What might be a bad card to you—say, The Hierophant—may very well be an excellent card for me. Or it can vary by situation. There may be a time when you want the 10 of Pentacles with all your heart. At other times, that might feel boring and stagnant. Regardless

Being a Capricorn (as well as the ever-unpopular Emperor/Hierophant lover), I do like things that are measurable and knowable. Fortunately, as I get older, I am definitely loosening up and appreciating other ways of knowing and being in the world. However, I will probably always have a Cappy core and there is one part of the Readers Studio that really resonates with that part of me. One of the key features of the Readers Studio is that by the end of the weekend, you should have learned enough to see a pointed improvement in your readings. The way that we "measure" this is through our foundation readings. At the beginning of the weekend, everyone pairs up and does a short reading for