Tarot Tips: Readings and Resolutions / Ogham / AI and Readers

Published: Mon, 01/01/24

"Welcome to 2024! I have a good feeling about this year. Maybe ..."
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Newsletter of The Tarot School
https://TarotSchool.com
ISSN: 1529-0565

Vol. 16 #1 January 1, 2024

In this Issue:

- Welcome
- Tarot Tip: Readings and Resolutions
- Wald's Words of Wisdom
- Diviner's Corner: Ogham
- Meet the Reader: Nancy Hendrickson
- Tarot in the News!
- Best Practices: AI, Chatbots and Readers
- Upcoming Events

Welcome to a new issue of Tarot Tips!

And a special welcome to our new subscribers.

This month you came from:
Australia, Canada, South Africa, Philippines,
Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
We're glad you're here!

Image by Ruth Ann Amberstone

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2024! I have a good feeling about
this year. Maybe it's because my birthday is on
02/24 but I'd like to think it's more than that.

A burst of optimism often comes with a new
calendar year. But there can also be a sense of
anxious anticipation. What will the year hold?
How can I make the best of it? Tarot can be a
great help, especially if you ask the right
questions. If you have something specific
in mind, that can be fairly easy. But what if
you're at a loss as to what to ask?

There's a default question that's always
useful, which is "What do I need to know
(or do) now?" As a variation on that theme,
here's a list of similar questions that can
help you plan for the months ahead:

What do I need to LEARN this year?
What do I need to FINISH this year?
What do I need to LET GO OF this year?
What do I need to ACCEPT this year?
What do I need to UNDERSTAND this year?
What do I need to IMPROVE this year?
What do I need to STOP this year?
What do I need to START this year?

You can use any number of cards to answer
them, but start with one. That may be enough
to get you thinking. You can also revisit
these questions throughout the year if you
feel that would be helpful.

Here are a few more specific questions that
I particularly like:

• What would make my life easier?

• What one thing would make the biggest
improvement in my life over the next
12 months?

• What are the three biggest things that stand
between me and my most important goals?

• In what way can I make my primary
relationship more fulfilling, happier,
meaningful and joyful?

• What are the three most important resources
I need to make this an extraordinary year?

The image above was generated as a result
of my very first attempts using Dall-e. I'm
pleased with the result but in order to get
there, I had to give the program the right
prompts. It was very much like knowing what
questions to ask when doing a tarot reading.
May the answers to your New Year's questions
bring you a similar sense of satisfaction!

And one more thing...

Speaking of tarot readings to start the year,
join us for the inaugural Tarot Salon of the
year as we teach you The Year-Long Spread,
a profound daily practice spanning an entire
year. The spread combines your Birth Cards
with monthly and daily draws to enrich your
understanding of tarot and yourself.

Let's come together for a transformative
start to 2024!

https://tarot.salon

Wishing you joy along the tarot path,

Ruth Ann, Wald, Gina and Sharonah

Tarot Tips is here to help you with the practical side

of your tarot journey. In order to take the greatest

advantage of this newsletter, please send us your

questions regarding any aspect of your tarot study

or practice and we'll do our best to answer them

in an upcoming issue.

Spread the experience of tarot - share this newsletter
with other Tarot Enthusiasts!

Tarot Tip
EMBRACE THE MAGIC:
HOW DAILY TAROT READINGS
CAN HELP YOU STICK TO YOUR
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

By Tanya Brum

The dawn of a New year brings with it the
promise of fresh beginnings, renewed
aspirations, and the chance to craft the
life you've always dreamed of. As you embark
on your journey to fulfill your New Year's
resolutions, you may find an unexpected ally
in the mystical world of daily Tarot readings.
Tarot, with its tantalizing blend of insight and
intuition, has the power to transform your
resolutions into tangible reality, keeping you
on track while igniting your inner fire.

Imagine starting each day with a ritual
of self-reflection, connection, and insight.
Daily Tarot readings can provide just that,
offering you a moment of serenity in the
midst of your busy life. As you shuffle the
cards and focus your intentions, you
establish a personal connection to your
inner desires. It's a sensual dance with
your own thoughts and dreams, and it's
an intimate way to explore what your
heart truly craves.

The Tarot, with its enigmatic symbols and
archetypal images, provides a mirror to your
subconscious mind. Each card holds a story,
a message, and a lesson waiting to be unveiled.
When you draw your daily card or maybe even
use a calculated universal daily reading, it's as
if the Universe is whispering directly to you,
guiding you on your path and helping you stay
aligned with your resolutions.

Resolutions often falter when we lose sight
of our goals or become overwhelmed by life's
challenges. This is where daily Tarot readings
can work their magic. Your Tarot deck can act
as a guiding star, helping you navigate the
twists and turns of your journey. With every
draw, the cards reveal the energy and
opportunities surrounding you, allowing you
to adapt and stay focused on your resolutions,
even in the face of adversity.

The act of drawing a daily Tarot card is a
sensual experience in itself. The tactile
sensation of shuffling the cards, the
anticipation as you choose one, two or three
cards, and the hushed moment of revelation –
it's a sensory feast for the soul. It brings you
into the present, grounding you and creating
a mindful connection to your resolutions.
It's a daily reminder of the intentions you set
at the beginning of the year.

Daily Tarot readings also nurture your
intuition, a powerful force that can guide
you in making the right choices for your
resolutions. As you become more attuned to
the subtle energies of the cards, you'll
discover an inner wisdom that enables you to
trust your instincts and make decisions that
align with your goals. This newfound
sensuality of intuition is a precious gift
that the Tarot bestows upon you.

In the realm of self-care and self-love,
daily Tarot readings can be an essential
tool. They encourage you to take a few
moments for yourself, embracing the sensual
experience of introspection. As you immerse
yourself in the cards, you'll discover a deeper
connection to your own desires, needs, and
aspirations. This self-awareness becomes a
source of strength and motivation, ensuring
that your resolutions remain a passionate
commitment to yourself.

Furthermore, the Tarot has an uncanny
ability to kindle your inner fire, igniting
your passion and determination. As you draw
cards that symbolize strength, courage, and
ambition, you'll feel a surge of motivation
that empowers you to stay on course. The
Tarot's sensual energy breathes life into
your resolutions, making them more than
mere words on paper – they become living,
breathing intentions that you can't ignore.

Incorporating the art of journaling
alongside your daily Tarot readings can be
a potent combination to help you stick to your
New Year's resolutions. A journal is a sacred
space where you can record the insights,
emotions, and experiences that arise during
your Tarot sessions. Writing down the messages
from your daily cards, your interpretations, and
your feelings creates a sensual, tactile connection
to your journey of self-discovery. Your journal
becomes a repository of your growth, a mirror
reflecting your evolving relationship with your
resolutions. This practice adds an extra layer of
mindfulness to your daily routine, allowing you
to not only read the cards but also to reflect on
their significance and track your progress. The
synergy of Tarot and journaling deepens your
connection with your resolutions, making
them more tangible and ensuring that they
become an integral part of your sensual
journey of self-transformation.

As you embark on this New year, consider
incorporating the sensuality of daily Tarot
readings into your routine. Let the cards be
your companions, guides, and confidants on
your journey towards fulfilling your resolutions.
With each draw, you'll discover a deeper
connection to yourself, a heightened intuition,
and a passionate commitment to your dreams.
Embrace the magic of the Tarot, and watch as it
transforms your resolutions into reality.

Discover clarity and insight with Tanya Brum,
a seasoned tarot reader with more than 25 years
of experience, known for developing unique
tarot spreads and a system for daily tarot reading.
Visit her website tarotsparks.com for illuminating
articles and personalized tarot guidance. Unveil
hidden truths and empower your journey with her
compassionate and intuitive approach.

Wald's Words of Wisdom

Diviner's Corner

OGHAM:
CELTIC TREE DIVINATION

Beith Birch, from the Celtic Tree Oracle,
by Sharlyn Hidalgo, artwork by Jimmy Manton

The Celtic Ogham is an ancient magical
script rich in history and mystery, used by
the Druids of old. It serves not only as a
language but also as a powerful tool for
divination.

The Essence of Ogham
Ogham, often referred to as the "Celtic Tree
Alphabet," consists of 20 distinct characters.
Each character or "stave" is associated with
a particular tree or plant, and by extension,
embodies its unique energy and symbolism.
This connection to nature is at the heart of
Ogham's divinatory power.

Deciphering the Staves
Let's delve into a few examples to
understand their meanings:

Birch (Beith): Signifying new beginnings,
Birch is the first stave of the Ogham. It
brings the energy of rebirth and renewal,
making it a symbol of fresh starts.

Oak (Duir): A symbol of strength and
stability, the Oak stave stands for
endurance and the inner strength to face
challenges.

Ivy (Gort): Representing the search for
enlightenment and spiritual growth, Ivy
encourages us to persevere in our quest for
knowledge.

Reed (Ngetal): Emblematic of protection and
family ties, Reed suggests a time to focus
on home, hearth, and the bonds that keep us
together.

Elder (Ruis): Associated with transformation
and the cyclical nature of life, Elder advises
embracing change and the wisdom it brings.

Casting the Staves

Casting Ogham staves is a meditative and
intuitive practice. Here are some common
methods:

The Three Stave Method: Draw three staves
from your Ogham set while focusing on a
question or situation. The first stave
represents the current situation, the second
the challenge or obstacle, and the third the
potential outcome.

The Druid's Wheel: Lay out the staves in a
circle, starting with Birch and ending with
Elder. This method is used for more
comprehensive readings and understanding
the natural flow of energies.

The Single Stave Draw: For a quick insight,
simply draw one stave from your set. Reflect
on its meaning and how it applies to your
life at the moment.

Embracing the Ogham Path

As you continue to explore Ogham, remember
that intuition is your greatest guide. Each
stave holds a universe of meaning, waiting
to be unlocked by your insight and
understanding. Whether you're a seasoned
diviner or a curious novice, the Ogham
script offers a unique way to connect with
the ancient wisdom of the Celts and the
natural world.

May your journey with the Ogham staves
be enlightening and full of discovery.
Blessed be!

Free Resources:

Ogham – Quick & Easy Reference Guide
https://www.ogham.academy/guide

3 Truths About Ogham
A Short Course to help you explore this
ancient Irish Writing and Magical System
https://irishpaganschool.com/p/ogham-truth

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
NANCY HENDRICKSON

By Sharonah Rapseik, Ph.D., CMAP

Nancy Hendrickson is an Amazon best selling
author based in San Diego, California. Nancy
combines her passion for tarot, genealogy,
and history into books, courses, and
presentations. Among her books are Ancestral
Tarot, Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com:
How to Find Your Family History on the No. 1
Genealogy Website, and Historic Photos of
Old California. When she is not busy writing,
you can find her traveling the back roads of the
frontier West, taking notes and photographs for
future projects.

Nancy Hendrickson has been working with the
ancestors since childhood. Her two books,
Ancestral Tarot: Uncover Your Past and
Chart Your Future and Ancestral Grimoire:
Connect with the Wisdom of the Ancestors
through Tarot, Oracles, and Magic are
introductions to your own ancestors.
Ancestral Tarot moves you easily into the
world of those beyond the veil, while
Ancestral Grimoire walks you month-by-
month through meeting and working with
your magickal ancestors.

Finally completing the trilogy, Nancy
Hendrickson has created The Ancestral Magic
Divination Kit, a complete tool for working
in a magickal fashion with those in your own
bloodline, from this lifetime or another.
This kit includes 44 cards, a new book, and
an amethyst pendulum. Add-ons currently
available are two expansion packs: The
Witches and More Acts of Magick.

The Ancestral Magic Divination Kit was
awarded the World Divination Association
(WDA) award for Best Divination Product
of 2023.

Sharonah Rapseik:
Nancy, what makes your tarot practice
unique and how do you express it?

Nancy:
My tarot practice is based on working with
the wisdom and assistance of the ancestors.
I have worked with them since childhood; I
can always feel their supportive presence
and love. I bring that to the ancestral readings
I do for others.

Sharonah:
Thank you Nancy, it’s been a pleasure
to meet you!

To Follow Nancy Hendrickson:

Website:
https://sageandshadow.com/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nancysageshadow/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/nancy.hendrickson

Ancestral Magick Divination Kit is available from
LaPanthereStudio.com

About Sharonah:

Sharonah Rapseik is an Artist / Designer,
Author, Tarot Reader, Radio Host and
Producer for Psychic Talk Radio.

Visit her at:
https://psychictalk.net/sharonah/

Tarot in the News!

This article on tarot appeared on CNN.com
and has some lovely photos!

Rider-Waite-Smith cards

The secret history of the world’s most popular tarot cards
gives us some historical background on the Rider-Waite-Smith
deck and a sneak peek at the new book and deck set from
Taschen, The Tarot of A. E. Waite and P. Colman Smith.

https://www.cnn.com/style/popular-tarot-cards-history-meaning/index.html

Best Practices for Professional Readers

CAN AI AND CHATBOTS REPLACE
TAROT READERS?

By Gina Thies
www.tarotadvisor.com / www.facebook.com/tarotreaders
www.tarotcoupling.com / www.oraclesoup.org

I’ve been reviewing my career as a
professional reader from a technological
perspective. My professional journey into
reading for others began by working as a
tele-psychic for the “Miss Cleo” psychic
hotline. I had to have a dedicated landline
for my home office to work because clients
were connected by phone by calling into the
900-number.

The next was Kasamba, where seekers could
hire me through a website by clicking on a
link that connected to my dedicated and
assigned telephone number.

Then came video chat technology (before
social media giants like Facebook). I worked
via a website featuring a group chat
platform where I appeared on camera so
members could see me. Members would join a
waiting list for their turn to receive a
reading. During their session, I conducted
the reading live on camera, while they
communicated with me through typed messages
in the chat. When I look back, the
clunkiness of the process seems so archaic.

The online reading business exploded with
more intuitive professionals popping up
everyday. Many have built whole businesses
on Tik Tok, You Tube, X, etc.

AI is changing the essence of human culture,
creativity and scientific advancement. With
a smartphone and an app, you can do almost
anything, including diagnosing your own
medical concerns. Covid-19 changed how and
when we visit doctors’ offices. It has
become normal to interact with our doctors
and mental health professionals via
tele-health applications.

How will the wave of artificial intelligence
impact the business of spiritual wellness
and guidance? Can AI replace the talent of
Tarot readers and other intuitive practitioners?

I recently read an article on the AI death
predictor. (There are several articles on
the subject if you want to do a search on AI
death calculations.) The premise is that an
AI algorithm is able to determine life
expectancy using details of a person’s life,
including profession, income and health
history, with a pretty significant level of
accuracy. Now before you give another
thought to death predictions, that is not
what I am talking about here but rather the
input of personal data that informs the
algorithms.

If there are apps and chatbots that support
mental wellness, I see no reason why they
cannot address and respond to the same
questions posed to a tarot card reader with
the same level of accuracy. The chatbots
used in therapy respond to problems offering
advice and guidance with a seemingly
empathic human touch.

Can AI truly replicate the experience of
talking to a skilled tarot reader – and
should it? I think it will all depend on the
end user's experience and how we learn more
ways to stay relevant as practitioners. AI
can access more information than we can, but
remember it is learning for us, too.

Recommended Reading:

Tarot and A.I.: A new future or a non-starter?
by Liz Worth
https://www.lizworth.com/blog/tarot-and-a-i-a-new-future-or-a-non-starter

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!

January 2024:
1 - NO CLASS – Happy New Year!
8 - The Year-Long Spread
15 - 7 of Wands and Cups
22 - 7 of Swords and Pentacles
29 - Secret of The Fool

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.

If you have a working knowledge of the
Tree of Life, you may request a Birth Cards
Synastry Reading. I will compare your
Birth Cards with those of one or two others
to give you a deeper understanding of your
relationship with them.

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.

Do you have a question or comment on anything tarot?

Suggestions for future topics?

Contact [email protected]

For information on tarot classes, courses,

events and more, go to TarotSchool.com

Directors: Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone

Discover Tarot, Discover Yourself!

The Tarot School, P.O Box 751214, Forest Hills, NY 11375, USA

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