2 of Cups reversed (Zerner-Farber & Celtic Wisdom Tarot)

Twos symbolize formation, polarity and the coming together of opposites.  Cups are associated with the element of water, with emotions, love, pleasure in life, matters pertaining to the unconscious, intuition and inner planes.  The 2 of Cups offers a message of joining, an emotional relationship, being part of a couple.

Readers Studio 2009 - Day 1

I was actually here last night but I didn't participate in the evening workshop.  I just sort of hung out and caught up with folks.  Today registration began at 9:30.  Matt woke Elizabeth and I up and we scurried around getting out stuff ready.  Then we headed down to the lobby for some breakfast.  I have to keep reminding myself that hotel breakfast buffets do not work for me.  Although I love the bacon, the eggs are always too runny, and the rest of the stuff is usually half cold.  Not very appealing, especially for the price.  The three of us spend some time playing catch-up and reminiscing about past Tarot events we've shared together - our favorite being the 2001 ATA regional conference in Albany.  So many wonderful things started at that conference

Then we hurried over to the Sheraton so we didn't miss a moment.  We registered and got our goody bags.  Mine had a copy of the Pagan Tarot and the African American Tarot from Lo Scarabeo in it.  Both looked like lovely decks but I put the African American on the swap table because I thought some one else there might be able to give a better home than I could.  I did manage to scarf up a copy of the Kama Sutra Tarot - how could I pass up a naughty deck.  Especially after I saw how it represents Death and the Devil (snicker).  I roamed around the room checking out some of the vendor tables and saying hello to folks.  

Joanna caught my attention and I walked over to her.  She had saved me a seat at her table (we agreed last year that we would do our foundation readings together).  On my other side was Amy of AT, and Sue (also of AT) along with a few other folks I didn't know.  Next to Joanna was Bonnie Cehovet, whose name I recognized from the online world but I'd never met her before.  Our table was quite lively and fun.  We did our foundation readings.  My question was "What can I do to create right livelihood?"  My three cards were:  Opportunities - 9 of Earth, Challenges - High Priestess and Resolution - 10 of Air from Joanna's Gaian Tarot.  The first thing that struck me is that the 9 of Earth is Joanna!  I thought that was so amazing and synchronous.  Joanna's interpretation was one of needing a sense of place which also resonated with me.  The current situation in my life - having no job and being rather vague and formless about things, had lead to my feeling disconnected.  I also responded to the lavender in the image.  I've always like using lavender to clean the house; to get rid of the negative energies that sometimes linger on.  But I've gotten away from that in the past few years.  The High Priestess has always been one of those cards that I want to connect with but don't.  I seem to feel as though I'm not worthy.  I feel as though I'm not a psychic, not intuitive.  What I'm starting to realize is that as long as I keep these negative concepts in my mind, they'll be true.  

We broke for lunch as were able to partake of the very tasty buffet prepared for us by the hotel.  The food was good and it certainly seemed to be plentiful.  Whlie we ate we were educated and entertained by Garnet and her bellydancers.  They performed for us with grace and skill and after charming us with their moves, they invited some volunteers to join them on stage, especially men.  They taught the newbies some moves and has them perform.  It was fun and enjoyable.  Garnet's chat about how bellydancing connects with the energy of the Tarot raised some interesting points.  As someone who has always felt an affinity for bellydancing, I found it very interesting and informative.  Then again I just love Garnet's energy so I would have been just as happy listening to her ring the chimes during lunch.

After lunch we had a very interesting session with Geraldine Amaral.  Geraldine's session addressed how to connect with your intuitive side.  Considering my insights during the foundation reading, I was looking forward to this topic.  Geraldine started off talking about how the Tarot speaks to the soul.  She pointed out that one way to strengthen your intution is to set your intention; to program your inuitive mind to be receptive to the message.  She also discussed the different kinds of intuition there are - clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience and claircognizance.  During the course of the weekend I realized that I do have clairaudience via music.  Very often when I work with Tarot and ask a question I'll hear a phrase from a song that actually answers my question.  After going over the types of intuition, Geraldine had us do an exercise called "How Do You Know That You Know?".  We paired up and took turns asking each other "How do you know that you know?" several times.  Each time we gave a different answer (well I did anyway).  My first answer was "I don't know" but by the end of the session I was able to give more confident and definitive answers.  It was a simple yet very effective exercise.

Then we paired up with a different partner and had to intuit each others color or aura.  James Wanless read my color first.  It was interesting - he looked at me and in me for a few minutes and said "red".  Then he paused and said but not an orange-red or scarlet but a deep red, blood red."  Then he paused again and said "screaming red with black streaks".  That made me laugh (and I certainly can see where that would be my color.  He took a few more minutes and looked deeply in me again and said the screaming red was overlaid by violet.  He felt that this connected my root chakra and my crown chakra and suggested that the circuit was complete and connected (or at least that was my interpretation).  Then we switched and I read two ladies colors.  For the first I saw sky blue-pink, that streaky beautiful melange of pastels the sky turns in the early morning just before sunrise.  For the second lady I saw deep purple tinged with midnight blue, like the night sky just after sunset.  I think if I had to read James Wanless' colors I would have offered vivid coral and turquoise.  Pastels but with a strong energy to them.  There is something about him that is both peaceful and energetic at the same time.  In fact I was trying to recruit members for the new cult I'm forming - James Wanless an the Mermaids.  We can move to Hawaii and live on the beach giving Tarot readings.  If you're interested in joining please contact me.

Our next exercise was to pull our birth card, soul card and current year card.  I know my birth and soul card are both Hierophant according to Mary Greer's & Angeles Arrien's method.  I'm a Temperance/Hierophant according to The Tarot School's variation.  My year card is the High Priestess until after my birthday (which really clicked with me because that is my challenge in the foundation reading).  We also pulled the card associated with our Sun sign (Strength for this Leo).  Then we had to select our DNA card - the card which most calls to us either from one of these personality cards or from the deck.  I was using the Celtic Wisdom Tarot and selected the Queen of Battle (aka Queen of Swords) who is The Morrigan in this deck.  I have always felt called by the Morrigan and that definitely impacted my selection.  In another deck I might have chosen the Queen of Wands or gone with Strength but in this case The Morrigan called to me.  

Once we selected our cards we paired up again and did some exercises that would lead up to an intuitive reading with our partner's DNA card.  We would finish by writing an affirmation for that person.  It was an amazing experience.  I just started freestyle writing, channeling the energy for my partner.  I have almost no memory of what I wrote or said to her but it seemed to really connect.  She told me later that it was very powerful and helpful to her.  As I read over what she wrote for me, I am struck by how powerful and accurate it is.  It seems as though we really connected on a deep level during this reading.  After this exercise some folks from the group shared their experiences and we wrapped up and headed out.

After the main sessions there was a ritual for Beltane lead by Beth Owl's Daughter and a cocktail party.  I had originally planned to attend the ritual but by the time the sessions were over my brain was fried and I was in no shape for a ritual.  I did chat with folks and snacked on some cheese & crackers and crudites.  I think we were all waiting for the hot food but by the time it came out a long line formed.  Matt and I finally gave up waiting for the line to get shorter so we went down to the bar to grab a bite - Matt had a class so he really needed to eat.  Lori came with us and Geraldine came into the bar so we invited her to join us.  We had a great conversation and had a chance to give Geraldine some feedback on her session and share some of our experiences with her.  It was a wonderful little interlude.

Once the classes started I began realizing how sleepy I was.  So I roamed back to my room and relaxed.  Elizabeth was there and we chatted for a few minutes before she did her seminar.  I decided to check my email and stuff.  When Matt came in we spend some time debriefing about how our day went.  Then we came up with a few good Tarot pick-up lines ("How'd you like to come up to my room and see my three card spread?").  We finally all settled in for the night to get ready for the next day.

How odd that the 2 of Cups reversed should appear when I am at an event such as Readers Studio.  Upon further reflection it makes perfect sense.  The Readers Studio is not the setting for one on one private conversations (although they do happen).  It is a time for full-scale frivolity and mystical mayhem.  It is a time for reconnected with both individual friends and groups of pals.  As I looked at this card it struck me that dialogues are part of the experience but they are not long-term with the same person.  I also just love the synchronicity inherent in the Celtic Wisdom card being called the Dialogue of Art.  If you think about it, that's what we did with each other all day - dialogue about our art.  This was the perfect card for this venue.  

In my experience Readers Studio is like connecting with someone for 30 minutes or so, having a profoundly thought-provoking or even life-changing encounter and then moving on.  There were numerous opportunities to pair up with others and work together; to learn from each other and gain rich and useful knowledge from the encounter.  But the encounters, by their nature, were not meant to be long-lasting.  Various activities actually encouraged us to work with someone we had never met before.  So it allowed us to expand our social network while still staying somewhat within our comfort zone.  And you knew that at the end of the weekend you would pair back up with your original partner.  It sort of reminds me of square dancing - you keep changing partners but ultimately wind up back with the person you started with.  The conversations are no less meaningful or deep, they just don't last for the duration of the event(well not in this venue anyway).