“Your work is going to fill a large part of
your life, and the only way to be truly
satisfied is to do what you believe is great
work. And the only way to do great work is
to love what you do. If you haven’t found it
yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all
matters of the heart, you’ll know when you
find it.” — Steve Jobs  


This quote gets to the heart of how Wald and
I feel about our work with The Tarot School,
even after 29 years.  But what exactly is
"great work" in this context? I found a
definition that explains it very nicely:

Great work is "work that brings both
professional excellence and personal
fulfillment, work that you are passionate
about and believe in, and work that aligns
with your values and sense of purpose. It's
the kind of work that makes you feel that
you are living a meaningful and satisfying
life."

It's also about enjoying the process and
finding joy in your daily tasks. In any
endeavor there are tasks that can be tedious
but for us, the "creative high" that comes
after having a new understanding, creating
a beautiful design or exciting technique
more than makes up for those moments.

Although Wald and I were both tarot
practitioners before we met, I don't think
either of us had any idea how large a part
of our lives tarot would become. We started
The Tarot School in 1995 with the simple
goal of providing a place where people could
explore tarot on an ongoing basis, as opposed
to an occasional weekend workshop with a
visiting teacher. (There were very few tarot
resources back then.) It grew in ways we
could never have anticipated and is still
going strong.

Every now and then we'd ask ourselves what
we might do if we ever retired. The answer
was always the same –– we'd keep doing
what we've been doing. We can't think of a
better or more enjoyable use of our time.

We take deep pleasure in sharing what we
discover, and we hope that our efforts are
contributing something meaningful and
worthwhile to you and the tarot community.


And one more thing...

It has been a tradition of ours to give you a
Tarot School birthday present each year on
February1st. In celebration of our 29 years,
we have a very special gift for you!  

We started our Tarot Salon classes this year
with The Year-Long Spread, a signature
technique of ours. More than just a spread,
it's a practice that will support you throughout
the whole year. 

Through the end of the month, we are granting
you special access to the replay of this lively and
informative class! 

https://tarotschool.com/Year-Long-Spread-Salon.mp4

Enjoy!


Wishing you joy along the tarot path,

 

Diviner's Corner

BODY DIVINATION




Human beings have long been intrigued by the
mysteries hidden within our physical forms.
Just as we gaze at the stars for cosmic
guidance, so too have we turned to our own
bodies to uncover deeper meanings and
insights. The ancient Greeks, pioneers in
the realm of divination, believed that every
aspect of the human body held mantic
significance.

Delving into the art of divination through
the body reveals a fascinating blend of
magico-religious traditions and scientific
inquiry. This practice encompasses a broad
spectrum of techniques, each offering a
unique lens through which to interpret human
behavior and personality traits. These
methods range from reading facial lines,
scrutinizing the shape of the head, to
deciphering the secrets hidden in our hands,
moles, and birthmarks.


• Phrenology emerged as a prominent yet
controversial field during the early 19th
century. It claimed to decode mental
capabilities and character traits through
the study of the head's shape and cranial
bumps. However, as scientific understanding
evolved, phrenology's credibility waned,
leading to its eventual dismissal as a
pseudoscience.

• Physiognomy offers insights into
personality through facial analysis. This
practice suggests that our outward
appearance can provide clues about our inner
character, a concept that has intrigued
humans for centuries.

• Lipsology, another intriguing method,
involves interpreting lip impressions on a
card or paper. While considered a
pseudoscience, lipsology has garnered recent
popularity, with a growing number of
practitioners delving into this unique form
of character analysis.

• Metoposcopy is a lesser-known but
intriguing form of divination focuses on
interpreting the lines and wrinkles of the
forehead. Each line on the forehead was
believed to be tied to a specific aspect of
one's life, such as love, health, or
fortune. 

• Podomancy, also known as 'solestry,'
involves reading the feet to glean insights
into personality and destiny. Practitioners
believe that the shape, lines, and textures
of the feet and toes hold key information
about an individual's path in life. Each toe
is associated with different aspects of one's
character and future, and even the way one
walks is thought to reveal certain traits. 

• Palmistry is the most widely recognized
and practiced of all the methods of body
divination. Known also as chiromancy,
this ancient practice involves studying the
lines, shapes, and features of the hand to
predict future events and reveal personality
traits. Palmistry is grounded in the belief
that the hand is a miniature reflection of
the larger cosmos, with each line and
mound representing different aspects
of life such as love, health, wealth, and
career. The heart line, head line, life line,
and fate line are among the most scrutinized
features in a palm reading.


While these practices may not conform to
strict scientific standards, they continue
to intrigue and provide a unique perspective
on self-understanding. Whether for 
entertainment, personal reflection, or
cultural exploration, the study of our
physical traits as a window to our inner
selves remains a captivating journey into
the human experience.


Resources:

The Art and Science of Hand Reading
by Ellen Goldberg
https://www.innertraditions.com/author/ellen-goldberg/

The porcelain phrenology head and 
palmistry hand in the above photo
are available to purchase from
Design Toscano.
https://www.designtoscano.com/


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].


 

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Meet The Reader
ANDREW BARKER

By Sharonah Rapseik, Ph.D., CMAP



             

Andrew Barker has been working with tarot
and oracle cards professionally for over 10
years.

Andrew likes to say when he’s not “slanging”
cards for people, working his “muggle” job,
listening to Taylor Swift, reading 14,000
books, and cursing like a sailor on leave in
his readings, he loves to study metaphysical
topics like crystals, unicorns, dragons,
tarot, the Angels, and more!

Andrew currently lives in the Washington, DC
area, by way of North Carolina.

According to Andrew, his journey with the
Angels started a few years after he was
being made to “pray the Gay way.”
Miserable, lonely, and suicidal, Andrew
realized that the Angels were truly there
for him with open wings and helped him
embrace his fabulousness!

Andrew is also a fabulous and very wise
tarot reader. He believes that...

“A tarot reading is an empowering way to
gain clarity and guidance about situations
in your life, a cosmic invitation to your
guides and the Angels that you are ready
for help, a permission to grow and succeed,
and a (very loving) smack in the face.”

Andrew also says that a tarot reading is
not a tool to escape responsibilities and
consequences. It is not for people who
want a quick fix –– not a magic wand to
make their problems and troubles disappear.
Tarot should certainly never be used to spy
on a third party without their knowledge or
consent. He also doesn't like to read for people
who try to correct him as to what cards
mean and twist the reading to make it suit
what they want to hear.

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

Andrew: 
My tarot practice is unique because of
my unique perspective of the world
and my work with the Angels. In every
reading, I strive to empower people to
access their own spiritual guides and
intuition. I know that we all have
access to the Angels and higher realms,
and I believe that tarot is one of the
most amazing tools to bridge the gap!

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

To Follow Andrew Barker:

Website: 
https://tarotwithandrew.com/

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

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/drew.barker2

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqRUYEkuWqS5T05nz7snOw

To purchase Andrew’s Goodies:
https://tarotwithandrew.com/goodies

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/

 

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Tarot Book Report

by Sharonah Rapseik

     


New Directions in Tarot: Decoding the
Tarot Illustrations of Pamela Colman Smith
by Scott Martin 

Thank you, Scott Martin for this fresh, new
exploration of tarot where we examine how
Pamela Colman Smith's theatrical knowledge
and experience came into play when she
illustrated the iconic cards of the Rider-
Waite-Smith deck.

Pamela Colman Smith spent much of her early
life in the theater, from making miniature
stage productions to creating costume and
set designs, as well as acting in her own
costumed story-telling performances.

Well versed in theater, Pamela projected
this knowledge into her illustrations for
the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck. This book
inspires readers to see and understand the
tarot cards through her eyes as actors on
the stage.

Scott Martin is the perfect author for this
book. He began pursuing his fascination with
tarot after retiring from teaching theater
arts on the secondary and college levels,
and directing theatrical productions and 
mentoring graduate theatre art students at
the City University of New York.

In New Directions in Tarot - Decoding the
Tarot Illustrations of Pamela Colman Smith,
he provides new ways of interpreting the
cards through observation of the technical
elements of a play; including plot, dialogue,
music, and even the actors' positions on the stage.

You will discover how to approach tarot card
meanings by observing the cards as actors
through examination of their facial expressions,
gestures, postures, costumes and much more.

As a teacher, Scott skillfully guides you
through thought-provoking exercises to
discover new card meanings that you can
add to your own.

This beautiful full-color book, published by
REDFeather Mind Body Spirit, also includes
a reference section for all of the Minor
Arcana cards devoted to their traditional
card meanings and their astrological
attributions, and another section for all of
the Major Arcana cards devoted to their
traditional card meanings and their Golden
Dawn esoteric functions. It is written in a
style that is easy to understand and gifts
the reader with brand new ways to interpret
and read tarot.

Scott Martin has been involved in theater
since he was a high school drama student.
He pursued his interests in college, earning a
B.A. in Speech and Theater, and in graduate
school with an M.F.A. in Directing.

Scott has taught theater and directed plays
in high school, community, and regional
theaters for 36 years. He has performed and
directed in community and regional theaters,
summer stock, and the Off-off Broadway
theater. Currently, he works as a mentor for
the New York City Department of Education
in the Arts Matter Program.

After retiring from full-time teaching in
2002, Scott pursued his fascination with the
tarot. His studies began at The Tarot School
with Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone. He
has also studied with Rachel Pollack, Ellen
Goldberg, Elinor Greenberg, Robert Place
and Mary K. Greer.

Scott has also written, Bringing the Tarot to
Life: Embody the Cards Through Creative
Exploration, which won the 2017 "Best Mass
Market Book of the Year for Innovation and
Insight" awarded by The Tarosophists 
Association. In addition, he is the author of
The Silent Doorkeeper, The Alchemical Tarot
Shines a Light on Covid-19.

Scott Martin is available to conduct
workshops and teach classes, based on the
material in his books.

You can follow Scott at:
https://www.scottmartintarot.com

Scott Martin's new book, New Directions in
Tarot: Decoding the Tarot Illustrations of
Pamela Colman Smith, is now available for
pre-order on Amazon! 

It is published by REDFeather Mind Body
Spirit - Schiffer Publishing Company
https://redfeathermbs.com/products/new-directions-in-tarot


 

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