What a rush! I’m just beginning to come down from the Readers Studio 2013 experience. I know it’ll take some time and I’m grateful for that. I feel like Dorothy, clicking her heels together and repeating over and over, “I don’t want to go home! I don’t want to go home!”
Instead of the usual three days, on Thursday, April 25th, we made history as we had the honor of participating in the very first Tarot and Psychology conference in the world. In addition to the exhilaration of RS13, we were also treated to new and different ways of relating to the Tarot, our clients and ourselves.
All three of the presenter-teachers brought out something new in the art of meaningful interaction with the Tarot, our intuition and our intellect. Dr. David Van Nuys presented first. He’s a psychology professor emeritus at Sonoma State University, a clinical psychologist and host of two popular podcasts, Shrink Rap Radio and Wise Counsel. He’s also down-to-earth and has a great sense of humor. His topic, Combining Hypnotic Dream Induction and Tarot for Powerful Insights, was so impactful. I’m also a certified clinical Hypnotherapist and I’ll be using some of his techniques in my practice.
The next presenter was the wonderfully vivacious Dr. Elinor Greenberg. A licensed psychologist for over thirty years, she’s an internationally known member of the editorial board of the Gestalt Review. In addition to being a professional Tarot reader, she has developed her own blend of Tarot and psychotherapy that she calls “Tarot Counseling.” She led us on an incredible journey that took us back to our childhood roots and from that experience, we all created and produced our own personal 10-card deck of inspiration and encouragement—awesome!
Standing in for the ailing Dr. Art Rosengarten was a Tarot treasure and one of my all-time favorites, the incomparable Mary K. Greer. International Tarot Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, scholar, writer, teacher and professional Tarot consultant with more than forty year’s experience, she uses and teaches techniques that are transformational and empowering. In addition to being the author of over eight books, she’s also the founder of Tools and Rites of Transformation (T.A.R.O.T.). Whenever she teaches, we get the full extent of her fathomless knowledge and her presentation on Projection and Intuition was an eye opener for all of us. We’re still raving about her insights and their powerful, liberating effects on us.
Seeing all of the psychologists and Tarot practitioners learning and working together was and continues to be an awe inspiring experience. I’m sure that the magnificent Dr. Carl Jung is smiling down on all of us right now.
In fact, the conference was such a success that the creators of the ground-breaking gathering– Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone– are planning to offer it next year, too. I am so going to be there!