Tarot Tips: Court Cards / Scrying / Premiumization
Published: Thu, 06/01/23
"I like to watch home renovation shows. And because Wald..."
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 Newsletter of The Tarot School
http://TarotSchool.com ISSN: 1529-0565 Vol. 15 #6 June 1, 2023
In this Issue: - Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Court Cards – All in the Family - Wald's Words of Wisdom - Diviner's Corner: Black Mirror Scrying - Meet the Reader: Nicole Colella - Best Practices: Add Value to Your Services Through Premiumization - Upcoming Events Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!
And a special welcome to our new subscribers.
 This month you came from:Australia, Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We're glad you're here!  I like to watch home renovation shows. And because Wald is the best husband, he often watches them with me, even though it's not his favorite thing. But he has a special talent for taking information from different sources and synthesizing them in interesting ways. More on that in a moment. Like many other people we know, our memory isn't what it used to be. But even if your own memory is good, you may have experienced what is called "the doorway effect." That's when you immediately forget something you'd planned to do once you pass through a doorway. The doorway effect is a real thing. According to University of Notre Dame Psychology Professor Gabriel Radvansky, “Entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an 'event boundary' in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away.” A little while ago, Wald was about to take some dirty dishes into the kitchen. I asked that while he was there to please grab a bottle of water for me. Since that would involve passing through the kitchen doorway twice -- once on the way in and once on the way out -- it didn't surprise me when he came back without the water. As soon as he realized what had happened and why, he quipped that "This is a good argument for an open concept room layout!" (He's never been a fan so I found that hilarious! Perhaps you had to be there.) So what does all this have to do with tarot? He suggested that someone who was trying to remember tarot attributions, esoteric or otherwise, would have an easier time of it if they lived in an open plan environment. And there you have it -- synthesis! So if you're planning to renovate your home while learning tarot, opt for an open plan. Or not. And one more thing...  The Master Class Instructors have been announced for the 2024 Readers Studio! The stellar line-up includes Liz Dean, Sasha Graham and V. They bring a marvelous combination of wisdom, magic and enthusiasm. If you haven't already registered, you can do that by going to ReadersStudio.com. If you have any questions or wish to get on the Readers Studio notification list, contact Roger Welch at [email protected]. Wishing you joy along the tarot path, Ruth Ann, Wald, Gina and Sharonah
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COURT CARDS: ALL IN THE FAMILY
QUESTION: Something happened during a reading that has never happened to me before. I'd love to have your opinion! I did a 5 card reading regarding the course of a relationship. The cards came up in the following order, including all 4 Court Cards for the same suit. The Page of Cups, the Queen of Cups, the Hanged Man, the Knight of Cups and the King of Cups. Blessings, Debra ANSWER: Fascinating! This is certainly a case of "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here." Because the Court showed up as a group, the main thing to look at here is group energy. Court Cards can have a number of different associations but one that is sometimes overlooked is that Courts can represent family members: King = Father Queen = Mother Knight = Son Page = Daughter Since your question concerned "the course of a relationship," one could interpret the scenario as "They married, had two kids and lived happily-ever-after." However, there are two reasons I wouldn't read it that way (sorry). 1) The Court Cards are all part of the same suit. They are "genetically related" if you will. Therefore, it would appear that they are all members of the same family. Unless this is an incestuous relationship, they would probably represent the family of one of the partners in question. That family doesn't have to consist only of a Mother, a Father, a Son and a Daughter –– remember, you're looking at the family as a whole here. This family is going to have a heavy influence on the relationship. It's possible that this is not a "biological" family but we'll get to that in a minute. 2) The suit of Cups is connected with the element of Water. By itself, a preponderance of Cups will give an emotional emphasis to any reading. But in this case, you have also drawn The Hanged Man. This card is associated with Elemental Water –– the purest form of Water –– which kicks the water connection up to a whole new level. What you have is 5 out of 5 cards in Water. So now what you want to do is look at some associations for Water to determine the type of influence this family will have. You'll also need to define what is meant by "family" in this context. Here are a few suggestions: • EMOTIONAL This is the most obvious one. Some families have a highly emotional tone to all their interactions. Sometimes this is cultural, sometimes it's the temperament of family members. If both partners in the relationship are used to and/or comfortable with this, it shouldn't be a problem. If one of the partners is not, it could be a major source of trouble. • SPIRITUAL The focus here is on spirituality instead of raw emotion. The family in question could also be a group of people with a spiritual connection as opposed to being related by blood. Looking at Cups/Water this way would tend to give the couple a strong foundation and a shared spiritual path with those directly around them. • COMMUNAL "Sharing Water" puts the emphasis on community. Here, you're looking at the involvement of the couple in community affairs or possibly building an intentional community of their own. Again, the definition of "family" here is mutable –– just like the element of Water. Human relationships are complex. You may find that more than one of the things I've mentioned above apply. So when a majority of Court Cards come up in a reading, even if they aren't all of the same suit, look at the group dynamics that surround and influence the querent. Most likely these are people who are an important part of the question. Wald's Words of Wisdom  Diviner's Corner CATOPTROMANCY: BLACK MIRROR SCRYING
Best Practices for Professional Readers Throughout history, humans have sought methods to gain insight into the unknown and unravel the mysteries of the future. One such practice is catoptromancy, an ancient art that harnesses the power of mirrors to glimpse into the realm of prophecy. Divination through a reflective surface has been a source of connecting to the supernatural realm the world over. Key 7 - The Chariot, in the Waite-Smith and Marseille decks, depicts the charioteer clad in armor, shell-shaped vambraces and crescent-shaped pauldrons on either shoulder. These pauldrons are described in Levi’s Ritual of Transcendental Magic as the Urim and Thummim mentioned in Biblical texts in reference to objects used by a high priest for oracular purposes. Exactly what the Urim and Thummim were is still up for debate as they are mentioned in Scriptures but are not described. One theory is that they were polished stones, one light and one dark placed in an elaborate breastplate. The light and dark or black and white colors correlate with their placement in the temple and correspond to the pillars Joachim and Boaz, depicted in black and white on the High Priestess card. Modern researchers and scholars theorize that these were polished stones which were able to give off reflections – in other words, a mirror. Mirror divination is ancient. The ancients may not have used the term mirror, but certainly the use of a polished obsidian stone or black mirror has been used for prophecy throughout history. All sorts of reflective surfaces have been used but in occult circles, the black mirror is the most popular. In ancient Mexico, black polished obsidian was used for divination. These smokey depths were used by practitioners to travel in between worlds. The back mirror was one of the symbols of the deity Tezcatlipoca, who was often depicted with a black mirror. During the Middle Ages, catoptromancy gained popularity in Europe. Practitioners would scry into mirrors, seeking visions or messages from the spirit realm. The mirror was considered a conduit for divine communication, enabling individuals to connect with otherworldly entities, departed loved ones, or even angels and demons. In the modern era, catoptromancy has evolved alongside other forms of divination. Contemporary practitioners incorporate various techniques and tools such as candlelight, incense, or crystals to enhance their scrying sessions. Some also utilize specific rituals or invocations to attune themselves to higher realms of consciousness. You can purchase black mirrors or create your own and personalize them as you like. Black mirror divination is said to work best in low light almost dark room settings. Happy scrying! Resource: • How To Make A Black Mirror For Scrying https://www.kelleemaize.com/post/how-to- make-a-black-mirror-for-scrying Editor's Note: Amazon and Etsy carry black scrying mirrors. It also occurred to me that once the screen has gone dark, your smartphone could also work! ~ RA We’d love your suggestion or submissions for this column! If you have an idea or would like to contribute, please contact us at [email protected]. Meet The Reader NICOLE COLELLA By Sharonah Rapseik, Ph.D., CMAP  Nicole Colella is a Certified Tarot Reader who uses the tarot as a tool to receive spiritual guidance and shed light on a wide array of topics including interpersonal relationships, shadow work and emotional healing. She also offers tarot readings for pets. Nicole also enjoys using her psychic abilities to read and assist other tarot readers and mediums and has written a book on this topic Kickstart Your Tarot Business: A Professional's Guide to Building Your Business. She is a current active member of The International Tarot Guild, TABI (Tarot Association of the British Isles) and a graduate of Dusty White’s Academy of Divination, where she now serves as a moderator and mentor to new students. Nicole is based in the NJ/NY area, she does readings internationally for private clients, group and corporate events, both in-person and virtually via Zoom. Sharonah Rapseik: Pamela, what makes your tarot practice unique and how do you express it? Nicole Colella: What makes my tarot practice unique is that I enjoy reading for clients who are looking to heal relationships with others and themselves through shadow work. Often times, clients are not only suffering emotionally but also physically because the two are tied closely together, with emotional issues presenting as physical ailments in the body. I approach readings from a healing perspective and see tarot as another component in the process of creating a wellness plan for a healthy life. My work has become even more unique because of my latest venture in reading for animals. Sharonah: Do you use a particular deck when you work with animals? Nicole: I specifically use “The Wise Dog Tarot”, “Grimalkin's Curious Cats Tarot” and “The Guardian of the Night Tarot” from M.J. Cullinane Sharonah: Can you tell me a success story about how you helped an animal and their human parent? Nicole: I did a reading for a dog and I noticed that she was feeling anxious around a situation with her parents. The cards were mentioning feeling betrayed, and I asked if they were considering getting another dog. The answer was yes, and that they were in fact considering it but weren’t sure how their pup would react. So yes, their pup was very content being the only child and the parents were very happy to know that a decision was made in their little one's best interest. Sharonah: Thank you Nicole, it’s been a pleasure to meet you! To follow Nicole Colella:  Sharonah Rapseik is an Artist / Designer, Author, Tarot Reader, Radio Host and Producer for Psychic Talk Radio. Visit her at: https://psychictalk.net/sharonah/ ADD VALUE TO YOUR SERVICES THROUGH PREMIUMIZATION By Gina Thies www.tarotadvisor.com / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org Premium brand. Premium level. Specialty. Major brands have understood how to market to a niche clients and customer base. More and more, companies have taken to the practice of premiumization to add to the products and services consumers already purchase. Premiumization has made a big impact on the type of products shoppers are looking to buy, and is driven by demand. Today's consumers are not only seeking better quality but also demanding a premium experience that aligns with their lifestyle and aspirations. The real question is are they willing to pay premium prices? If you have children, have you ever had them turn up their noses when you tried to buy them an off-brand product? Yes, my son had to have NIKE sneakers and Ralph Lauren Polo shirts or he just couldn’t go to school! It is not just about brand recognition. Consumers associate quality with being “crafted” better, using “natural” ingredients and they are seeking “authenticity” Your brand can get an instant boost by associating with other practitioners or brand names through social proof. However, it is important to approach premiumization thoughtfully. Merely relying on brand recognition or celebrity endorsements may no longer guarantee success, given the risks associated with the "cancel culture" phenomenon. Instead, focus on building social proof through strategic partnerships and collaborations that align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience. Using premiumization means understanding what your base or audience wants and needs, and customizing offers and services that match those demands. You can do this by: 1. Raising awareness 2. Building desire 3. Creating value 4. Seeking a different audience 5. Thinking long term 6. Inspiring your customers By consistently delivering exceptional experiences, you can create an emotional connection with your clients and customers, fostering long-term relationships and positive word-of-mouth. In a competitive marketplace, premiumization provides a path for your business to differentiate itself, add value, and attract discerning consumers. By understanding and implementing the key principles of premiumization, your business can position itself as a leader in your industry and drive sustainable growth. Resources: What to consider when building a premium brand https://www.proquoai.com/blog/what-to-consider-when-building-a-premium-brand The Downside: Don’t Let Your Premiumization Be an Excuse for Discrimination https://www.glenguyton.com/2022/09/26/dont-let-premiumization-be-discrimination/ Upcoming Events:  Tarot Salon on Zoom! 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST Our popular Monday night classes are now online so you can attend no matter where you live. Classes are recorded and all levels of experience are welcome! June 2023: 5 - Tarot by the Numbers: 7 and 8 12 - Magical Installation: The Sun 19 - Birth Cards Practicum: 5 Modifiers 26 - Secret of The Hierophant Get on the notification list to see what we'll be teaching each week. Find the form and register here: https://tarot.salon  Readings with Ruth Ann Running The Tarot School with Wald keeps me pretty busy, but I still love giving readings! My specialty is using your Birth Cards and Elemental Array (techniques Wald and I have developed) in conjunction with random draws to give you an extremely personalized and powerful reading. I excel at giving Readings for Readers so if you're always giving readings to others, let me help you with some self-care for a change! Click Here to book your private reading with me over Zoom.    
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