My sister recently suggested that I watch the popular movie, The Conjuring, which is supposedly a true story about a property possessed by all sorts of demonic forces. I was game.
I liked the movie, but it didn't scare me in the way that my sister had prepared me for. I told her my feelings, that as Marianne Williamson says, "The Devil is all in your head, and that's the worst place he can be." I told her that this paranormal ghost-busting stuff has largely been a disappoint to me; I have visited and even slept in supposedly haunted buildings and seen nothing (and I was looking!). I get no response from the Ouija board. What has happened to me is information in dreams, premonitions, and flashes of loved ones gone. Blessings with my tarot career and a keen insight that my clients rave over. Good things. I have come to the conclusion that this is because I choose to live in the light.
I told my sister that I thought the Ed Warren demonologist character in The Conjuring was able to do the exorcism because he knew simply that he was a positive force, acting out of love and truth, in the best interest of the people in the home. The Warrens had their moments of being scared, sure. They are human, and occasionally they looked at the darkness. It happens. Occasionally, the floor between the walls did fall out beneath them. But overall they stayed in a place of truth and love and that rode them through it. The Warrens never really felt terror, did they?
I was on Facebook last night. One of my animal rescue friends posted a photo of a dog that had died in the cold weather, frozen and neglected. It was horrible to see, and as can be expected, there was a rash of comments spewing hatred to the neglectful owners, and crying out in helplessness about our terrible world. It is so very easy to go there. To feed the darkness and let it swallow you up.
I want to encourage you not to. If we slip into that dark place of despair, we ARE building that dark force. Call it the Devil or whatever you want to. Last night on Facebook, I chose in that moment to concentrate on what good things I have done personally to make this world a better place. In my lifetime, I have saved a bunch of cats. I have four now, after having just lost a beloved one to cancer. I have given these cats a good life in my little corner of the world. I donate to charities that help animals and people. I help people in need, and I share my blessings as I can. I do my part. That is something, and while it is not healing the world on a grand scale, you can bet it matters to the lives I touch. There is still some goodness and some beauty in the world, if we want to look for it. Every day, it is our decision if we want to turn our head to the news, perhaps, and watch the wars and horror, watch the economy slip down the drain, and mire ourselves in the negative as we feel so utterly powerless and helpless. Or, we can say, "What positive thing can I do today? How can I make my little corner of the world better?"
My sister is facing some hard times, and she said that when she went to bed last night, she heard my voice telling her that I know nothing evil can beat me, because I'm aligned with goodness. And she knew right then and there that this was true for her as well. That any bad-ass problem or person that comes her way is just a thing, and she can focus on that and let it make her miserable, or she can put her energy into correcting what she can. In conjuring love and truth and positivity in the way that she can change the lives of those around her.
I told her that I would put a tarot card down for her, to guide her day today. It was the Nine of Cups, reversed. This card was a gift to me too. It is a card that says not everything is perfect, but there are still some good things to remember. It is a card of gratitude and attitude. It is a card that knows that our outcomes are direct results of what we conjure.
Keep looking to the light, even if we can't always live there in every second.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
On the Calendar and Across the Internet
In tarot news, please catch me at Venus Envy this coming weekend (Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th), where I'll be giving tarot readings for just $10 each. We have changed locations, so don't look for us at the Mad Art Gallery any longer: now Venus Envy can be found at 2720 Cherokee, South City. I hope you'll stop by. These events are always breath-taking fire-breathing belly-dancing burlesque-bending fun!
After a great presentation on Plath's "The Courage of Shutting-Up" in Washington DC this past January, two Popular Culture Conferences have asked me to speak again this Fall: October 3-5th I will be in Savannah, Georgia presenting on "Sylvia Plath's Poem, 'The Jailor': an Empathic Journey to the Tower of London" and November 7-9th I will be in Atlantic City, New Jersey re-presenting my work on Plath's "The Detective" (this presentation first given at the University of London, June 2013). I am especially honored after learning that there was a huge number of submissions to present in Atlantic City.
I have had some very interesting comments to my essay, a guest blog on The Plath Diaries website. It is hard to know who is with me and who is against me over there! The academic world remains a largely humorless place. Ha ha.
The book continues to be finalized for its spring publication, and life gets more exciting each day! Thank you for your interest in my work. I sincerely appreciate it.
After a great presentation on Plath's "The Courage of Shutting-Up" in Washington DC this past January, two Popular Culture Conferences have asked me to speak again this Fall: October 3-5th I will be in Savannah, Georgia presenting on "Sylvia Plath's Poem, 'The Jailor': an Empathic Journey to the Tower of London" and November 7-9th I will be in Atlantic City, New Jersey re-presenting my work on Plath's "The Detective" (this presentation first given at the University of London, June 2013). I am especially honored after learning that there was a huge number of submissions to present in Atlantic City.
I have had some very interesting comments to my essay, a guest blog on The Plath Diaries website. It is hard to know who is with me and who is against me over there! The academic world remains a largely humorless place. Ha ha.
The book continues to be finalized for its spring publication, and life gets more exciting each day! Thank you for your interest in my work. I sincerely appreciate it.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Trayvon Martin Case, as seen through Hermeticism
Hermeticism teaches "As above, so below; as inside, so outside." Hermeticism empowers the self. It says that the world is a reflection of what is inside of us.
Whatever your stance on the outcome of the Trayvon Martin case, one thing is clear: world peace is impossible if we can't even get along with ourselves in our own country. National peace is impossible if we can't get along within our own families. And family peace is impossible if we dislike ourselves, finding lack, fear, hatred, and whatever other ugliness we believe is there (and we are probably wrong about that, by the way).
All we have is ourselves to work with, friends. As long as we blame outside ourselves, whether you blame a race, or a jury, or whatever, it's never going to work. Take responsibility for your little corner of the world. I have said this before and I'll say it again: When Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," he did not mean, "Be a model citizen." He meant that if we see war out there in the world, fix the war within. Collectively, we all might actually be able to do something that way.
Whatever your stance on the outcome of the Trayvon Martin case, one thing is clear: world peace is impossible if we can't even get along with ourselves in our own country. National peace is impossible if we can't get along within our own families. And family peace is impossible if we dislike ourselves, finding lack, fear, hatred, and whatever other ugliness we believe is there (and we are probably wrong about that, by the way).
All we have is ourselves to work with, friends. As long as we blame outside ourselves, whether you blame a race, or a jury, or whatever, it's never going to work. Take responsibility for your little corner of the world. I have said this before and I'll say it again: When Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," he did not mean, "Be a model citizen." He meant that if we see war out there in the world, fix the war within. Collectively, we all might actually be able to do something that way.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Publishing Update
The release for Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath [Stephen F. Austin State University Press] is now Spring 2014. I am quite excited about this because the book will have more time to be promoted, it will be a star for my publisher at the annual publisher's conference in New York, and it gives me time to get everything as close to perfect as possible. Hang tight and I will share book cover art, websites, and more as it is designed and goes live.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath
Hi again, Friends:
As the release of my book, Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath draws near (yes, the subtitle has been changed from "Sylvia Plath's Qabalah Code," but the content remains the same), I am looking into doing a little bit of early marketing...and I could use your help!
I do not have the release date or the artwork yet to set up pre-orders on Amazon.com and all the rest, but I assure you that will come ASAP. In the meantime, please know the following:
1.) I would love to have your name and email address, if you are interested in an opt-in mailing to receive updates and news about me, book tours, major events, etc. I give you my word that you will not be spammed, receive too many notices, or have your information sold to any other parties. You may email your information to me privately at jgordonbramer[at]gmail.com.
2.) If you're an English professor or administrator interested in having me visit your school in person, or to speak to classes via Skype or conference call, please email me! If you're a member of a spiritual center (I'm especially interested in groups focusing on Alchemy, Tarot, Qabalah, Creativity Work, Mythology, the work of Carl Jung, etc.), if you run a bookstore, or if you are affiliated with literary workshops and presentations, I also want to hear from you! I will be doing some small tours over the next year and may be able to plan your location into the mix.
3.) If you believe that I would be a good fit as speaker/presenter at your conference/symposium/seminar/workshop/retreat, I'd love to hear more about it. Maybe we can make it happen.
About the book:
Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath volume one, will be out in 2013 (release date TBA) by Stephen F. Austin State University Press. The book is ALREADY generating controversy, and if you're in the media, please give me a call or email and I would love to tell you about it. This book will change the way we look at Sylvia Plath's poems, and demolishes her fifty-year-long reputation of being merely a depressive poet/author and tragic suicide. Readers will see that Sylvia Plath was a genius like no other, and on top of that, Plath gives the gift of showing a blueprint for Qabalah--a divine order to the universe.
If you're a Plath fan, or new to Plath and just wanting to understand what the hubbub is about, this book will change your life. Don't care for poetry? You'll still be astounded by the historical, mythological, astrological, astronomical, alchemical, and artistic correlations.
You will never view the world in the same way again.
Cover art will be designed by the incomparable Amy Bautz.
Some early blurbs: [more coming soon]
"With clarity and erudition, Ms. Gordon-Bramer illuminates how Plath's masterpiece Ariel reflects a clear and intentional alignment with the Tarot and the Qabalah's Tree of Life. With each poem, and the collection as a whole, Gordon-Bramer weaves the esoteric mysteries with historical interpretation in a fascinating scholarly analysis that is original, provocative, magical. Fixed Stars Govern a Life is an incantation of great resonance and power, and its publication will be a sensation."
-- Susan L. Woods, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Women's Studies, Eastern Illinois University
"Lucid and intriguing... Fixed Stars Govern a Life is a great source study with commentary on what Plath read, and what was happening at the time of the poem." -- Carl Rollyson, author of American Isis: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath [St. Martin's Press]
Have an idea for me and/or my book? Reach out to me at jgordonbramer[at]gmail.com, or call: 314.517.0158.
As the release of my book, Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath draws near (yes, the subtitle has been changed from "Sylvia Plath's Qabalah Code," but the content remains the same), I am looking into doing a little bit of early marketing...and I could use your help!
I do not have the release date or the artwork yet to set up pre-orders on Amazon.com and all the rest, but I assure you that will come ASAP. In the meantime, please know the following:
1.) I would love to have your name and email address, if you are interested in an opt-in mailing to receive updates and news about me, book tours, major events, etc. I give you my word that you will not be spammed, receive too many notices, or have your information sold to any other parties. You may email your information to me privately at jgordonbramer[at]gmail.com.
2.) If you're an English professor or administrator interested in having me visit your school in person, or to speak to classes via Skype or conference call, please email me! If you're a member of a spiritual center (I'm especially interested in groups focusing on Alchemy, Tarot, Qabalah, Creativity Work, Mythology, the work of Carl Jung, etc.), if you run a bookstore, or if you are affiliated with literary workshops and presentations, I also want to hear from you! I will be doing some small tours over the next year and may be able to plan your location into the mix.
3.) If you believe that I would be a good fit as speaker/presenter at your conference/symposium/seminar/workshop/retreat, I'd love to hear more about it. Maybe we can make it happen.
About the book:
Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath volume one, will be out in 2013 (release date TBA) by Stephen F. Austin State University Press. The book is ALREADY generating controversy, and if you're in the media, please give me a call or email and I would love to tell you about it. This book will change the way we look at Sylvia Plath's poems, and demolishes her fifty-year-long reputation of being merely a depressive poet/author and tragic suicide. Readers will see that Sylvia Plath was a genius like no other, and on top of that, Plath gives the gift of showing a blueprint for Qabalah--a divine order to the universe.
If you're a Plath fan, or new to Plath and just wanting to understand what the hubbub is about, this book will change your life. Don't care for poetry? You'll still be astounded by the historical, mythological, astrological, astronomical, alchemical, and artistic correlations.
You will never view the world in the same way again.
Cover art will be designed by the incomparable Amy Bautz.
Some early blurbs: [more coming soon]
"With clarity and erudition, Ms. Gordon-Bramer illuminates how Plath's masterpiece Ariel reflects a clear and intentional alignment with the Tarot and the Qabalah's Tree of Life. With each poem, and the collection as a whole, Gordon-Bramer weaves the esoteric mysteries with historical interpretation in a fascinating scholarly analysis that is original, provocative, magical. Fixed Stars Govern a Life is an incantation of great resonance and power, and its publication will be a sensation."
-- Susan L. Woods, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Women's Studies, Eastern Illinois University
"Lucid and intriguing... Fixed Stars Govern a Life is a great source study with commentary on what Plath read, and what was happening at the time of the poem." -- Carl Rollyson, author of American Isis: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath [St. Martin's Press]
Have an idea for me and/or my book? Reach out to me at jgordonbramer[at]gmail.com, or call: 314.517.0158.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Spells, Curses, Black & Chaos Arts, and Free Will
Doing the Renaissance Faire has brought me face-to-face with some interesting characters. This whole Fantasy crowd are usually quite intelligent, they do a lot of reading, and pride themselves on their wild imaginations and even wilder outfits. They grew up on Dungeons & Dragons and H.P. Lovecraft, and I usually don't have to explain any references to Greek mythology or Qabalah to these guys (and girls). I am getting used to people telling me off-handedly that they are Wiccan, or are "doing some energy work with Isis," that they're struggling with a blocked chakra, or have been practicing their mediumship abilities. It's all cool. Whatever you're into. Some of them I take quite seriously (and sometimes their cards will echo psychic abilities), and others I smile and shrug off as residue from playing with too many Magic: The Gathering cards. However, I have yet to get used to someone sitting down in front of me and requesting a spell or a curse. I get requests for people on the phone for these too. All the time.
Gypsy legend has it (and hey, I just discovered that my Bohemian roots probably do qualify me for having a trace of real Gypsy blood way back down the line) that whatever you put out there toward somebody, for good or for evil, will come back to you three times. This is actually very much in line with Qabalists, Taoists, and pagan beliefs too. It amounts to this: What goes around comes around. Good brings good and bad brings bad. It's quite simple.
The Qabalists say: "As above so below; as inside, so outside." What happens in the God-mind happens in the body. What happens in the body happens outside the body. Everything is a mirror.
Some people ask about sacred objects: talismans, voodoo dolls, lucky t-shirts, and such. I do believe that there is power to these things if we believe it and give the object power. The ancient Chinese have been doing the same sort of energy work with positioning objects through Feng Shui. Use symbols to clear energy and keep a healthy, good flow.
But let's talk about negative energy for a minute:
We have all been in the situation where we have been so angry with someone that we want revenge. Sometimes we feel so justified in it that we're willing to suffer ourselves. But I ask you: are you willing to suffer three times greater? That's an awful lot of energy you are giving to your enemy, and to your own demise, when you could be building yourself up. Think of the attention you give a person you're angry with, and then think of how that translates into wasted time.
Somewhere along the line, we have all felt unrequited love too. After angry curses, love spells are what I get the most requests for. And to those people I ask: would you really want to make someone love you? That's not true love, and the energy is bad. Get someone to notice you, sure. I can even teach you to put your own energy toward doing just that. But force is never a good thing, even in matters of the heart.
My husband has a motto: the use of force against another is never acceptable, under any circumstances except in self-defense. This principle applies to every area of his life, and I tend to agree with it.
At the Renaissance Faire, I have had people casually state to me that they are Black magicians. I think that they believe, since I am a tarot card reader, that I am either one myself, or that I tacitly approve. Black magicians practice Black Magic, or some call it "Chaos magic." Black and Chaos magic are essentially screwing with the systems of life. They do not respect ideas such as individuality and free will, and some go as far as not to respect life and death. I do not support Black Magic, curses, or negativity in any form. I have had some experience with it in the past and I am not interested in ever going there again. Black magicians, unsurprisingly, usually deal with a lot of depression, emotional, financial, physical, and professional problems. You will almost never meet a Black magician who you would say is successful in life. They are getting their Gypsy three-times-back, and then some.
I may have written this aphorism before, but it bears repeating: "The Devil is all in your head, and that is the worst place he could be" (Marianne Williamson).
So, you know where I stand as far as practicing Black Magic. Do I believe that I could be a victim of Black Magic and Chaos Magic? To a point, yes. I believe that if I think I'm a victim of it, if I believe that I'm weak and a sucker to it, then I just might be. But I also know that I am a part of this great system of life energy, which I call God. That makes me entirely powerful to live and behave as I want. I choose to live in the light, and since I first made this conscious choice, absolutely everything has opened up to me.
I had a conversation with someone close to me about protective spells recently. I believe protective spells are neutral--neither good or bad energy. Like Aikido or Tai Chi, they are the deflection of forceful attack against you, and while you are prepared, you are never first to strike. They are the reaction to the offensive reaction. There is a lot we can do to protect ourselves, simply by looking inward and seeing what we are attracting with our own belief systems. There are outward symbols of protection you can do too. If you're interested in a tarot card reading to explore this, or any issue, please email me at tarot[at]nighttimes.com, or call 314.517.0158.
Gypsy legend has it (and hey, I just discovered that my Bohemian roots probably do qualify me for having a trace of real Gypsy blood way back down the line) that whatever you put out there toward somebody, for good or for evil, will come back to you three times. This is actually very much in line with Qabalists, Taoists, and pagan beliefs too. It amounts to this: What goes around comes around. Good brings good and bad brings bad. It's quite simple.
The Qabalists say: "As above so below; as inside, so outside." What happens in the God-mind happens in the body. What happens in the body happens outside the body. Everything is a mirror.
Some people ask about sacred objects: talismans, voodoo dolls, lucky t-shirts, and such. I do believe that there is power to these things if we believe it and give the object power. The ancient Chinese have been doing the same sort of energy work with positioning objects through Feng Shui. Use symbols to clear energy and keep a healthy, good flow.
But let's talk about negative energy for a minute:
We have all been in the situation where we have been so angry with someone that we want revenge. Sometimes we feel so justified in it that we're willing to suffer ourselves. But I ask you: are you willing to suffer three times greater? That's an awful lot of energy you are giving to your enemy, and to your own demise, when you could be building yourself up. Think of the attention you give a person you're angry with, and then think of how that translates into wasted time.
Somewhere along the line, we have all felt unrequited love too. After angry curses, love spells are what I get the most requests for. And to those people I ask: would you really want to make someone love you? That's not true love, and the energy is bad. Get someone to notice you, sure. I can even teach you to put your own energy toward doing just that. But force is never a good thing, even in matters of the heart.
My husband has a motto: the use of force against another is never acceptable, under any circumstances except in self-defense. This principle applies to every area of his life, and I tend to agree with it.
At the Renaissance Faire, I have had people casually state to me that they are Black magicians. I think that they believe, since I am a tarot card reader, that I am either one myself, or that I tacitly approve. Black magicians practice Black Magic, or some call it "Chaos magic." Black and Chaos magic are essentially screwing with the systems of life. They do not respect ideas such as individuality and free will, and some go as far as not to respect life and death. I do not support Black Magic, curses, or negativity in any form. I have had some experience with it in the past and I am not interested in ever going there again. Black magicians, unsurprisingly, usually deal with a lot of depression, emotional, financial, physical, and professional problems. You will almost never meet a Black magician who you would say is successful in life. They are getting their Gypsy three-times-back, and then some.
I may have written this aphorism before, but it bears repeating: "The Devil is all in your head, and that is the worst place he could be" (Marianne Williamson).
So, you know where I stand as far as practicing Black Magic. Do I believe that I could be a victim of Black Magic and Chaos Magic? To a point, yes. I believe that if I think I'm a victim of it, if I believe that I'm weak and a sucker to it, then I just might be. But I also know that I am a part of this great system of life energy, which I call God. That makes me entirely powerful to live and behave as I want. I choose to live in the light, and since I first made this conscious choice, absolutely everything has opened up to me.
I had a conversation with someone close to me about protective spells recently. I believe protective spells are neutral--neither good or bad energy. Like Aikido or Tai Chi, they are the deflection of forceful attack against you, and while you are prepared, you are never first to strike. They are the reaction to the offensive reaction. There is a lot we can do to protect ourselves, simply by looking inward and seeing what we are attracting with our own belief systems. There are outward symbols of protection you can do too. If you're interested in a tarot card reading to explore this, or any issue, please email me at tarot[at]nighttimes.com, or call 314.517.0158.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Renaissance Faire, weekends now through June 9th
Hello! Just a reminder that I am the tarot reader for the St. Louis Renaissance Faire this year, each weekend (plus Memorial Day), in Wentzville's Rotary Park, 2577 Meyer Road, Wentzville, MO 63448. The Faire is running from Saturday, May 18 through Sunday, June 9th. The Faire is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This is one of the rare occasions that I do dress up (it's required), so you can see me in all my gypsy splendor at booth #417, near the back exit, next door to the wood working shop (which looks more like a gallows, if truth be told). Readings are just $10 each, and if there is no one waiting in line behind you, we can take a little extra time. I would love to meet you in person.
This is one of the rare occasions that I do dress up (it's required), so you can see me in all my gypsy splendor at booth #417, near the back exit, next door to the wood working shop (which looks more like a gallows, if truth be told). Readings are just $10 each, and if there is no one waiting in line behind you, we can take a little extra time. I would love to meet you in person.
New publication in Plath Profiles
Hello friends,
Just a quick note that you can find my most recent Plath publication, an excerpt from my book, Fixed Stars Govern a Life, volume one, which should be due out this fall. Details to be officially announced soon.
This is my article, "The Smoke and Mirrors of 'The Couriers'," which was a wonderfully fun tour through the famous magicians and gypsies of the twentieth century as they relate to the Magician tarot card and Plath's famous second poem of Ariel. You can find the article here.
Thanks for reading!
Just a quick note that you can find my most recent Plath publication, an excerpt from my book, Fixed Stars Govern a Life, volume one, which should be due out this fall. Details to be officially announced soon.
This is my article, "The Smoke and Mirrors of 'The Couriers'," which was a wonderfully fun tour through the famous magicians and gypsies of the twentieth century as they relate to the Magician tarot card and Plath's famous second poem of Ariel. You can find the article here.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, March 8, 2013
Spiritual Responsibility
As some of you know, even while I have been reading tarot cards for over thirty-three years, I have not been a professional tarot reader in all that time. I started professionally while I was in graduate school, initially at the urging of a professor who had witnessed my readings in class and at parties, and had brought me in as a guest to some of his classes. The career blossomed from there. I had never set out to be a professional tarot card reader; the universe created the job for me, and it has been a blessing while I pursue my first love of writing.
Being a professional has all sorts of weird baggage attached to it. While there are guides and associations and what-have-you for jobs in medicine, law, sales, management, etc., there is no rule book for the psychic realm. With each new client I get, I get my own lessons, and I realize that I am growing along with my clients. Sometimes, like anyone, I'm resistant and I just wish that I could keep things status quo. Sometimes growth hurts.
Some big lessons I am learning lately are in responsibility, boundaries, and attachment to how things are supposed to look.
The tarot is a tool for self-discovery, revelation, and understanding what you already know on a higher level; I am bringing your truth to your consciousness. The thing about the tarot is that it reflects your energy of who you are today. Because I do not believe in a fate written in stone, and because I believe that we have power and choice in our lives, the direction of your energy can change from day to day or even minute to minute. What does this mean for my clients? It means that this is about the inner journey, not the outer one. It means that tarot is not a thing to use to set schedules, to sign documents, to seal down the things of the world. Rather, it can show you if you're in a good place to do those things (or not), and why or why not.
It gets tricky. If you ask me during a tarot reading, say, how a court case will go, I will tell you what I see. But that is based upon who you are, what the current circumstances are, and how you're behaving. Don't ask, "How will my court case go?" but rather, "What can I do to be most effective in my court case?" Remember that it is about personal power and choice. That is all we've got in this life.
I have had many, many clients say that things have happened exactly as I said they would. Occasionally, though, something goes awry. No reader is perfect. Some clients seem to attract more positive results and some attract more negative. What is this about?
It can be very hard for me not to take on the responsibility for someone's life, because I tend to care very much about my clients, especially my regular ones. Yet, I know that when I become too much of a counselor or a life-coach, firstly, that's not my training, and second, it is not honoring myself and what I need to be doing. The trick is that when I spend a certain amount of time with a person, I become vested. I want to see success for that person, maybe also (if I want to get really honest) in part for my own ego as I want to be known as effective. It can be hard to have to draw the boundaries, to have respect for myself and my own time. When that desperate, sad call comes at almost midnight, it is sometimes hard to let the phone ring because the time is not appropriate for business. Sometimes I have to say, "I am sorry things are not working out for you, but I'll have to talk to you tomorrow." I have to remember that I am not a psychologist, an AA sponsor, or even a best friend. A tarot card reader can't take all that on, and then multiply it across all clients, and still have a personal life of one's own.
The other big lesson I have learned over these years is that I cannot make anyone take my advice, and I cannot control the outcome. I can only tell what I feel, and what I see in the cards. I can only offer guidance. Sometimes a person is full of anger, or addiction, or hopelessness, or self-sabotage, and maybe he or she just needs to be in that place and suffer through it for awhile, to learn the things that must be learned. There is nothing I can do to wake him up out of it until he finally can't take it anymore and takes the steering wheel on his own life. Lord knows that I have tried to steer other's lives before, and it ends up just making everyone feel worthless and ineffective.
It is not empowering to tell someone, "Here is what you have to do to get your life together," or even, "Here, let me help you." The message behind those words is, "I know you can't manage your own life, so here, let me do it for you." Ridiculous. We can all manage. We either take control of our lives, or we don't. As Yoda famously said, "Do or not do. There is no try." Sometimes people think they want to get their acts together, but they are not consistent in this feeling. Sometimes people want to give up, because that feeling of hopelessness and confusion is a place they can hide and not take responsibility for their actions. It is a place where they can cry in self-defeat, saying, "I don't know!" instead of just buckling down and making a decision, right or wrong, and just getting on with life. Through the cards, I can look at why that is, but I can't make them change. I am not living the life of my client, and I have to always remember this.
Buddha teaches us that we get attached to how we think things are supposed to go. That can be very limiting. We think success must look one way, and it can surprise us and look like something so much better. Sometimes things look like disaster: failed marriages, bankruptcy, whatever... and it can turn into the best thing that ever happened to us. I had become attached to a career plan of getting my MFA, and then making my living as a teacher while I wrote. Life designed it differently, and while I teach occasionally now, the tarot supports me better, financially, in time spent, and in promoting my scholarly work and books. I could never have imagined it as well as it has turned out. Dreams can be very restrictive, and they change as you will change; don't hold yourself fast to them.
If you come to me as a client, I can promise you that I will tell you what I see with full honesty and an open heart. I will listen, and hear you, and respond. I will do my best to give you the tools you need to make your dreams, or what you think are your dreams, come true. But I will also set the rules down that it is not my job to "fix" you. You are whole and complete already, even if you don't always feel it. Even if you haven't owned that yet. Perhaps it will be your job to remind me of this, and together we will make the world a better place, owning our own lives and what we do with them.
Being a professional has all sorts of weird baggage attached to it. While there are guides and associations and what-have-you for jobs in medicine, law, sales, management, etc., there is no rule book for the psychic realm. With each new client I get, I get my own lessons, and I realize that I am growing along with my clients. Sometimes, like anyone, I'm resistant and I just wish that I could keep things status quo. Sometimes growth hurts.
Some big lessons I am learning lately are in responsibility, boundaries, and attachment to how things are supposed to look.
The tarot is a tool for self-discovery, revelation, and understanding what you already know on a higher level; I am bringing your truth to your consciousness. The thing about the tarot is that it reflects your energy of who you are today. Because I do not believe in a fate written in stone, and because I believe that we have power and choice in our lives, the direction of your energy can change from day to day or even minute to minute. What does this mean for my clients? It means that this is about the inner journey, not the outer one. It means that tarot is not a thing to use to set schedules, to sign documents, to seal down the things of the world. Rather, it can show you if you're in a good place to do those things (or not), and why or why not.
It gets tricky. If you ask me during a tarot reading, say, how a court case will go, I will tell you what I see. But that is based upon who you are, what the current circumstances are, and how you're behaving. Don't ask, "How will my court case go?" but rather, "What can I do to be most effective in my court case?" Remember that it is about personal power and choice. That is all we've got in this life.
I have had many, many clients say that things have happened exactly as I said they would. Occasionally, though, something goes awry. No reader is perfect. Some clients seem to attract more positive results and some attract more negative. What is this about?
It can be very hard for me not to take on the responsibility for someone's life, because I tend to care very much about my clients, especially my regular ones. Yet, I know that when I become too much of a counselor or a life-coach, firstly, that's not my training, and second, it is not honoring myself and what I need to be doing. The trick is that when I spend a certain amount of time with a person, I become vested. I want to see success for that person, maybe also (if I want to get really honest) in part for my own ego as I want to be known as effective. It can be hard to have to draw the boundaries, to have respect for myself and my own time. When that desperate, sad call comes at almost midnight, it is sometimes hard to let the phone ring because the time is not appropriate for business. Sometimes I have to say, "I am sorry things are not working out for you, but I'll have to talk to you tomorrow." I have to remember that I am not a psychologist, an AA sponsor, or even a best friend. A tarot card reader can't take all that on, and then multiply it across all clients, and still have a personal life of one's own.
The other big lesson I have learned over these years is that I cannot make anyone take my advice, and I cannot control the outcome. I can only tell what I feel, and what I see in the cards. I can only offer guidance. Sometimes a person is full of anger, or addiction, or hopelessness, or self-sabotage, and maybe he or she just needs to be in that place and suffer through it for awhile, to learn the things that must be learned. There is nothing I can do to wake him up out of it until he finally can't take it anymore and takes the steering wheel on his own life. Lord knows that I have tried to steer other's lives before, and it ends up just making everyone feel worthless and ineffective.
It is not empowering to tell someone, "Here is what you have to do to get your life together," or even, "Here, let me help you." The message behind those words is, "I know you can't manage your own life, so here, let me do it for you." Ridiculous. We can all manage. We either take control of our lives, or we don't. As Yoda famously said, "Do or not do. There is no try." Sometimes people think they want to get their acts together, but they are not consistent in this feeling. Sometimes people want to give up, because that feeling of hopelessness and confusion is a place they can hide and not take responsibility for their actions. It is a place where they can cry in self-defeat, saying, "I don't know!" instead of just buckling down and making a decision, right or wrong, and just getting on with life. Through the cards, I can look at why that is, but I can't make them change. I am not living the life of my client, and I have to always remember this.
Buddha teaches us that we get attached to how we think things are supposed to go. That can be very limiting. We think success must look one way, and it can surprise us and look like something so much better. Sometimes things look like disaster: failed marriages, bankruptcy, whatever... and it can turn into the best thing that ever happened to us. I had become attached to a career plan of getting my MFA, and then making my living as a teacher while I wrote. Life designed it differently, and while I teach occasionally now, the tarot supports me better, financially, in time spent, and in promoting my scholarly work and books. I could never have imagined it as well as it has turned out. Dreams can be very restrictive, and they change as you will change; don't hold yourself fast to them.
If you come to me as a client, I can promise you that I will tell you what I see with full honesty and an open heart. I will listen, and hear you, and respond. I will do my best to give you the tools you need to make your dreams, or what you think are your dreams, come true. But I will also set the rules down that it is not my job to "fix" you. You are whole and complete already, even if you don't always feel it. Even if you haven't owned that yet. Perhaps it will be your job to remind me of this, and together we will make the world a better place, owning our own lives and what we do with them.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Presentations, TV, and Radio
Life couldn't be busier!
Here is an update on my schedule of public appearances, presentations and public events for the next few months:
I was recently on Show Me St. Louis again. Check it out here.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13th, 4:30 - 6:00 pm: I'll be doing on-air readings on the Dave Glover show, 97.1 FM.
Thursday, Feb. 14th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm: I'll be at the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum for their "Unhappy Hour", giving free tarot card readings.
Saturday, Feb. 23rd, 2:00 - 2:30 pm, I'll be presenting on "Tarot Toward Self Actualization" at the Working Women's Survival Show.
Saturday, Mar. 9th, I'll be on the Kelley Lamm radio show, 100.7 FM and 1380 AM, 9:00 - 11:00 AM.
Saturday, Mar. 30th, I'll be presenting on Sylvia Plath's poem "The Courage of Shutting-Up" at the Popular Culture Conference, Marriott Wardham Park, Washington, DC. The week prior I will be available for in-person readings in Washington DC, Maryland, and Ocean City, Maryland. Contact me for details.
Finally, June 21st and 22nd (exact time TBA), I'll be returning to London, England to present on Sylvia Plath's poem, "The Detective", at the Sherlock Holmes Conference, University of London, Senate House. Details forthcoming.
Please email if you are interested in having me appear at your public or private event, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for a personal reading.
Here is an update on my schedule of public appearances, presentations and public events for the next few months:
I was recently on Show Me St. Louis again. Check it out here.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13th, 4:30 - 6:00 pm: I'll be doing on-air readings on the Dave Glover show, 97.1 FM.
Thursday, Feb. 14th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm: I'll be at the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum for their "Unhappy Hour", giving free tarot card readings.
Saturday, Feb. 23rd, 2:00 - 2:30 pm, I'll be presenting on "Tarot Toward Self Actualization" at the Working Women's Survival Show.
Saturday, Mar. 9th, I'll be on the Kelley Lamm radio show, 100.7 FM and 1380 AM, 9:00 - 11:00 AM.
Saturday, Mar. 30th, I'll be presenting on Sylvia Plath's poem "The Courage of Shutting-Up" at the Popular Culture Conference, Marriott Wardham Park, Washington, DC. The week prior I will be available for in-person readings in Washington DC, Maryland, and Ocean City, Maryland. Contact me for details.
Finally, June 21st and 22nd (exact time TBA), I'll be returning to London, England to present on Sylvia Plath's poem, "The Detective", at the Sherlock Holmes Conference, University of London, Senate House. Details forthcoming.
Please email if you are interested in having me appear at your public or private event, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for a personal reading.
Spiritual Credentials
Many times I am asked, "How did you learn to read tarot?" or "Where do you get your knowledge?"
I know that I am different from most tarot card readers, who simply reveal the meanings of the cards and that's the end of it. I personally incorporate a lot of spiritual and psychological teachings to my readings. When, say, a Seven of Swords comes up, I might point out issues where someone believes they don't deserve good things, and we might explore why those circumstances came to be, and what might be done about this negative mindset.
There are most certainly established tarot schools and tarot programs, and these may be very beneficial for someone new to the tarot who wants to learn. I am unable to comment on them. I have never pursued any of these, and to me, tarot is such a personal, progressive, feeling sort of thing that I just don't buy into the idea of a hard, formal education or certification on the subject. I have known since I was a young girl that I was very sensitive, and could feel what was going on sometimes when I didn't even have words for it. I have been conscious of premonitions since I was a teenager, and I have always been a lucid dreamer. Could one teach me how to feel? Can I be taught to dream? No, a formal tarot course has never been for me. For the most part I am autodidactic (self-taught), but my tarot readings draw upon my long spiritual journey (almost fifty years), as well as studies of psychology, religion, symbolism, arts and the humanities.
I got my first tarot deck when I was sixteen years old, a Rider-Waite deck, and taught myself how to read it from the free little white booklet that came with it (in tarot circles, these are actually called "LWB's"). I acquired many books over the years after that, probably learning the basis for the cards from Jane Lyle's Tarot. It is now out of print, but for me this was an essential first book.
Over the years, I have been a devout reader of the psychologist Carl Jung, who developed Jungian alchemy, pursued mysticism and used the tarot for himself and his patients. I have many other contributing resources of knowledge: I took a summer to study meditation with Buddhist masters; I have been through the Understanding Yourself and Others course; I have been a long-time study of dreamwork and archetypal symbolism, of which I think the tarot is closely aligned; I have been coached and take periodic workshops with spiritual teacher Blair Kneiss (out of Austin, TX); and I have studied A Course In Miracles, the Tao Te Ching, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Zohar, and other sacred texts. My work with the poetry of Sylvia Plath opened me up to the connection between tarot and the Qabalah, and that has occupied a great deal of the last seven years, as I understand synchronicities and the mirrors life gives us. Finally, my best friend, Judy Ryan, has also taught me a great deal through her work in redirect and understanding human behavior and motivators. All of this, plus a continual quest to read and learn, has made me a better tarot reader and spiritual counselor. Please know that I do not profess to be a trained psychological counselor, although many people have told me they have benefited this way too.
There are some people out there who do not want to do the work of inner exploration, and they are probably not the ideal clients for me. If you are seeking just to have a good time and get your "fortune told," then I may be a disappointment. I may also disappoint you if you want a lot of hocus-pocus, witchy activity conjuring spirits or talking to the dead. That's not my style. But if you are on the road toward the process of self-actualization (reaching your highest potential, or as Jung put it, "Individuation,"), then my services may be of value to you and I welcome you to call at 314.517.0158 or email me at tarot[@]nighttimes.com for an appointment in person, by phone, by Skype, or email.
I know that I am different from most tarot card readers, who simply reveal the meanings of the cards and that's the end of it. I personally incorporate a lot of spiritual and psychological teachings to my readings. When, say, a Seven of Swords comes up, I might point out issues where someone believes they don't deserve good things, and we might explore why those circumstances came to be, and what might be done about this negative mindset.
There are most certainly established tarot schools and tarot programs, and these may be very beneficial for someone new to the tarot who wants to learn. I am unable to comment on them. I have never pursued any of these, and to me, tarot is such a personal, progressive, feeling sort of thing that I just don't buy into the idea of a hard, formal education or certification on the subject. I have known since I was a young girl that I was very sensitive, and could feel what was going on sometimes when I didn't even have words for it. I have been conscious of premonitions since I was a teenager, and I have always been a lucid dreamer. Could one teach me how to feel? Can I be taught to dream? No, a formal tarot course has never been for me. For the most part I am autodidactic (self-taught), but my tarot readings draw upon my long spiritual journey (almost fifty years), as well as studies of psychology, religion, symbolism, arts and the humanities.
I got my first tarot deck when I was sixteen years old, a Rider-Waite deck, and taught myself how to read it from the free little white booklet that came with it (in tarot circles, these are actually called "LWB's"). I acquired many books over the years after that, probably learning the basis for the cards from Jane Lyle's Tarot. It is now out of print, but for me this was an essential first book.
Over the years, I have been a devout reader of the psychologist Carl Jung, who developed Jungian alchemy, pursued mysticism and used the tarot for himself and his patients. I have many other contributing resources of knowledge: I took a summer to study meditation with Buddhist masters; I have been through the Understanding Yourself and Others course; I have been a long-time study of dreamwork and archetypal symbolism, of which I think the tarot is closely aligned; I have been coached and take periodic workshops with spiritual teacher Blair Kneiss (out of Austin, TX); and I have studied A Course In Miracles, the Tao Te Ching, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Zohar, and other sacred texts. My work with the poetry of Sylvia Plath opened me up to the connection between tarot and the Qabalah, and that has occupied a great deal of the last seven years, as I understand synchronicities and the mirrors life gives us. Finally, my best friend, Judy Ryan, has also taught me a great deal through her work in redirect and understanding human behavior and motivators. All of this, plus a continual quest to read and learn, has made me a better tarot reader and spiritual counselor. Please know that I do not profess to be a trained psychological counselor, although many people have told me they have benefited this way too.
There are some people out there who do not want to do the work of inner exploration, and they are probably not the ideal clients for me. If you are seeking just to have a good time and get your "fortune told," then I may be a disappointment. I may also disappoint you if you want a lot of hocus-pocus, witchy activity conjuring spirits or talking to the dead. That's not my style. But if you are on the road toward the process of self-actualization (reaching your highest potential, or as Jung put it, "Individuation,"), then my services may be of value to you and I welcome you to call at 314.517.0158 or email me at tarot[@]nighttimes.com for an appointment in person, by phone, by Skype, or email.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Happenings
Hi Friends,
A couple of updates for you on my whereabouts, local and otherwise:
On Wednesday, February 13th, I'll be on the Dave Glover Show, FM News Talk 97.1 FM, in the 4:30 - 6:00 pm time slot. Listen to call for a free on-the-air reading!
On Valentine's Day, February 14th, get your free tarot card reading at the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum's "Unhappy Hour." Here's a clip on the event featuring Yours Truly around two minutes in. The St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum is on Washington Avenue, just off of Grand, near the Fox Theater and next to the Pulitzer.
On Saturday, February 23rd, I'll be presenting "Tarot Toward Self-Actualization" at the Working Women's Survival Show, 2:00-2:30 pm. Click here for more.
On Saturday, March 9th, I'll be doing free tarot readings on the Kelley Lamm Radio Show, 9am to 11am on 100.7fm and 1380am.
On Saturday, March 30th I'll be presenting on my Sylvia Plath/Tarot work at the Popular Culture Conference in Washington DC, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 1:15 pm. The poem I am focusing on is "The Courage of Shutting-Up." It is Sylvia Plath's quiet advocacy for gay rights in a time when such things did not exist. Write for details (and more specifics are given in the preceding blog).
There is even more good news brewing, so watch this space and I'll post as it is finalized.
A couple of updates for you on my whereabouts, local and otherwise:
On Wednesday, February 13th, I'll be on the Dave Glover Show, FM News Talk 97.1 FM, in the 4:30 - 6:00 pm time slot. Listen to call for a free on-the-air reading!
On Valentine's Day, February 14th, get your free tarot card reading at the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum's "Unhappy Hour." Here's a clip on the event featuring Yours Truly around two minutes in. The St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum is on Washington Avenue, just off of Grand, near the Fox Theater and next to the Pulitzer.
On Saturday, February 23rd, I'll be presenting "Tarot Toward Self-Actualization" at the Working Women's Survival Show, 2:00-2:30 pm. Click here for more.
On Saturday, March 9th, I'll be doing free tarot readings on the Kelley Lamm Radio Show, 9am to 11am on 100.7fm and 1380am.
On Saturday, March 30th I'll be presenting on my Sylvia Plath/Tarot work at the Popular Culture Conference in Washington DC, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 1:15 pm. The poem I am focusing on is "The Courage of Shutting-Up." It is Sylvia Plath's quiet advocacy for gay rights in a time when such things did not exist. Write for details (and more specifics are given in the preceding blog).
There is even more good news brewing, so watch this space and I'll post as it is finalized.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Coming Out to the World with "The Courage of Shutting-Up"
Happy to announce that I'll be presenting at the 2013 Popular Culture Conference in Washington, DC at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel on Saturday, March 30th at 1:15 pm.
Here is an abstract on my paper:
Shattering the Room Full of Mirrors: Sylvia Plath’s Poetic Recount of the Destruction of the Feminine Aspects in Men
Sylvia Plath’s poem, “The Courage of Shutting-Up” has never been one of her most famous, in part because of its difficulty. Viewed through a lens of mysticism, however (Plath and her husband Ted Hughes were avidly interested in and practitioners of the occult), this poem focuses on the witch hunt over time against the hermaphrodite, the homosexual, and the witch herself, within ancient and modern literature and contemporary media. The poem tells the story of the public and private crimes against men born with feminine aspects, and the terrible silence that has been required to survive over the ages.
Paper
Topic area: Gay, Lesbian, and Queer Studies
This will be a really cool opportunity to give Sylvia Plath the recognition she has never received as a supporter of queer rights. In a time when few mentioned this topic aloud, Plath had to watch one of her favorite professors and colleagues at Smith College, Newton Arvin, have his life destroyed when it was discovered that he was homosexual.
Those of you who know Tarot know that the World card, for which Plath's poem "The Courage of Shutting-Up" correlates, features the hermaphrodite. It is a card of uniting male and female natures.
For more information about the PCA National Conference, click here.
Here is an abstract on my paper:
Shattering the Room Full of Mirrors: Sylvia Plath’s Poetic Recount of the Destruction of the Feminine Aspects in Men
Sylvia Plath’s poem, “The Courage of Shutting-Up” has never been one of her most famous, in part because of its difficulty. Viewed through a lens of mysticism, however (Plath and her husband Ted Hughes were avidly interested in and practitioners of the occult), this poem focuses on the witch hunt over time against the hermaphrodite, the homosexual, and the witch herself, within ancient and modern literature and contemporary media. The poem tells the story of the public and private crimes against men born with feminine aspects, and the terrible silence that has been required to survive over the ages.
Paper
Topic area: Gay, Lesbian, and Queer Studies
This will be a really cool opportunity to give Sylvia Plath the recognition she has never received as a supporter of queer rights. In a time when few mentioned this topic aloud, Plath had to watch one of her favorite professors and colleagues at Smith College, Newton Arvin, have his life destroyed when it was discovered that he was homosexual.
Those of you who know Tarot know that the World card, for which Plath's poem "The Courage of Shutting-Up" correlates, features the hermaphrodite. It is a card of uniting male and female natures.
For more information about the PCA National Conference, click here.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
