On Thursday, April 25, the Tarot School hosted the first Tarot and Psychology Conference. I was happy to be there and to partake of what was offered.
Dr. David Van Nuys’ presentation emphasised that psychology and tarot converge in the place of story, meaning, and metaphor, a place where that which is life-affirming and transformative exists. He led us through a brief hypnotic process, then we drew cards to explore any image or concept that came to us during our relaxed state. We were invited to reflect on what psychology might offer to the tarot community and what the tarot might offer to psychology. I enjoyed David’s idea that working with the tarot is like dreamwork, only we say, “Let’s have a dream, right here and now on the table.”
Dr. Elinor Greenberg took us through a process in which we created our own ten-card oracle deck based on something that’s on our mind and a goal connected with that. The pack of cards I ended up creating is called the Oracle of Authentic Purpose. Elinor’s session was essentially about the client being hir own best oracle, drawing upon themes and meanings that are personal and personally relevant and recording them in deck form. These cards act as visual and/or verbal reminders of our constructive goals and helpful inner and outer resources.
Dr. Art Rosengarten was unable to attend due to flu and pneumonia, so Mary K. Greer filled in for him with two days’ notice. Brava! Her presentation/workshop — Intuition and Transference — gave us information about a vast array of psychological concepts, particularly according to Jungian thought, in addition to tarot knowledge and intuitive processes that go into a tarot consultation. She popped some bubbles about intuition, showing us how much of it related to transference, projection, and more. By acting as a “midwife of the soul” rather than as a traditional “reader”, the tarot practitioner can use the psychological concepts as a means to set up conditions for the client to empower hirself.
Overall, my sense of the Tarot and Psychology Conference is that is was about discovering where tarot and psychology meet — the place of story, metaphor, projection, transference, intuition — so we can create time and space wherein the client, whether self or other, becomes hir own best oracle/guide in order to help hir feel better in our presence and to self-actualise beyond the session.
A worthwhile day. I’m thrilled that the Tarot School will host another Tarot and Psychology Conference next year.
More about the three-day Readers Studio that took place afterwards in a new blog post soon!
hey you were at that conference too. Too tired to add any witticisms, except loved all the psychedelic shaggy dog stories…
Good stories, weren’t they, Paul? Oh, to have such explorations in this day and age.
Thanks so much for this… I really wanted to attend this year and it sounds like I missed some fantastic info and insights.
It was a lovely day, Karen. And the Readers Studio that took place over the next three days was the perfect follow-up. Or the T and Psych. conference was the perfect lead-in to RS. You get the idea!
sometimes i wish i lived in Nth america when i hear about these sort of conferences!! when is the date for next years conference?? and where??
The one-day Tarot and Psychology Conference will take place on April 24 of next year, and the Readers Studio will take place on the 25 – 27.
Great report, James,
This subject is near and dear to my heart. So glad to see this expansion on the depth and breadth of Tarot wisdom and application.
“Tarot, like life, is but a dream.”
In Spirit,
Katrina
It’s near and dear to my heart, too, Katrina. That’s why I’m glad that it took place and will happen again (with different presenters) next year.
NIce summary! I too am excited by this conference–also near and dear to my heart.
Thank you. What really stood out for you on the T and Psych day, Anne?
I loved it all. Highlights: I thought Dr. Van Nuys’ personal story was fascinating, in the way so many of our stories are, full of symbols, synchronicity and surprises. Also wonderful to see Eliinor Greenberg in the flesh, as I’ve only known her writings–she seems like such a delightful combination of no-nonsense knowledge and experience, and sweet, naughty, scampish fairy energies. I also loved Mary Greer’s challenge to us to be aware of our projections as readers and our desire to fix our clients rather than leave the power in their hands. Working collaboratively with clients to help them find their own truth (rather than being the guru) is one of my strong goals.
It’s the first time I’ve met David Van Nuys and I enjoyed his way of being with us. I’ve admired Elinor and Mary as people and practitioners for many years. I love hearing that your goal is to work collaboratively with clients. We need more of that, especially in the public eye as a way to educate people that tarot is no longer only a minion of the fortune-telling parlour.
This sounds amazing and i will see if i can make it next year!We are but a vessel of enlightenment for our clients to access their higher selves! i cover alot of these issues eg projection, client empowerment family of origin issues, in my course which is on line via globalsplritualstudies.com.au http://globalspiritualstudies.com/shop/courses/embracing-more-than-one-modality/counselling-and-mental-health-skills-for-astrologers-and-tarot-readers/, also presenting some of this at the TAROT GUILD of Australia International conference in Melbourne Aug12-13th 2013 http://www.tarotguild.org.au/conference/
I hope to see you in NYC in 2014, Jenne. It would be a joy to meet you finally.
Likewise!