Tarot & Community: The First Tarot Club Meeting
As a beginner I had a very solitary practice; it wasn't until I read for others that a lot of the depth and nuance of the cards were revealed to me. After seeing this same need in my tarot classes (the reading swaps were the most enlightening and active) I decided to start a free group where we could do just that. I called it The Tarot Club a) because it sounded fun and alluring and b) because I wanted to intentionally create an inclusive space where the only requirement for membership was enthusiasm and interest. The special space of a club without exclusivity if you will.
I had to take a day or so to process the magic and insight from our first tarot club meeting. It was a beautiful coming together of tarot enthusiasts of all stripes. In all honesty, I didn't have a clear idea of what shape the first meeting would take. I like to let things unfold in the moment, dictated by the curiosity and needs of the group. You could say I'm allergic to hierarchy. I wanted The Tarot Club to be a truly community driven space where anyone who shows up is a co-creator and co-learner. I simply offer the space (and a little light refreshment.)
I truly believe we are our own best teachers; when we can come together as a group we get a beautiful array of teachers with their own unique insights and wisdom. Setting the intention and then stepping back to let it unfold is an amazing thing, indeed!
So what happened? It was cozy, supportive, and quite surprising. We began with casual snacking and catching up, and maybe a little rosé, after which we chatted about our recent tarot experiences.
Next we dove into readings. Led by a question from one of our lovely participants, we began with a group reading where each of us chose a deck (I had a large chunk of my collection out, plus decks brought by others) and shuffled the cards with our question in mind. We decided to do a reading on the struggles unfolding in the wake of the Weinstein scandal and subsequent reveleations about sexual assault, harassment, and abuse perpetrated by men in power. Yes, go big or go home! What could we do to work with this energy to effect lasting change and how could we deal with well-meaning supporters unaware of their contributions to these issues?
As we each pulled a card and read it together we drew deeper and deeper into the trancelike state I access during readings. It was a powerful experience to travel to this place with a group and the experience was, quite honestly, magical. I'm still digesting it and the potential and healing power of community tarot readings. I'm excited to find new ways to facilitate similar experiences.
Afterwards we broke up and swapped readings, trying out new decks, troubleshooting issues, and experimenting with different decks. In between it all was lots of tea, wine, catching up, and laughter. It was a beautiful night of tarot and community - very three of cups! - that had me glowing afterwards and full of new ideas for the next meeting.
If you're in the Raleigh-Durham area I hope you'll join us next time (the third Thursday of each month from 6-8). No matter your tarot level, we'd love to have you and your insights! To learn more click here or RSVP for future meetings here.
We’re using a different deck than normal this week, for no other reason that that it was the closest to my morning writing spot - nestled in bed under a crisp, white duvet. Our cards have a similar energy, a focus on finding comfort and rest in difficult situations. Because, as you’ve likely noticed, The Tower is starting things off this week. What’s crumbling or has crumbled recently? What is making you tired?