There are some years in which the personal and the collective seem to
mirror each other in synchronious ways. Like a fractal endlessly
repeating its unique frequency on both macro and micro scale,
self-echoing formative energies stitch in and out of each other,
reminding us that our individual lives are also part of a larger wave,
perhaps even a global awakening...
This has certainly been true for myself and TarotUniversity. It has
been a year of deconstruction and reconstruction for us both, fully
illustrated and sequenced within the fierce and loving guidance of the
Tarot. There are times when one has to retreat to gain ground, and it
would be fair to say that TarotU has done exactly that in 2004,
becoming recessive for the year as the energies originally earmarked
for expansion were re-channeled towards moving the mothership (that's
me!) from Oregon to Washington. Now that the turbulence stirred up by
the move(s) has clarified, new visions of possible futures have taken
hold as well.
The blueprint which has emerged will guide TarotU's future growth,
necessitating a "big dig" which is now in progress. These themes of
relocation and "claiming new ground" will continue into 2005 as well,
when TarotU will gradually unveil new architecture rich with a number
of new services and features. Consider this note to be a reminder to
WATCH THIS SPACE from month to month, because we are working hard on
creating a comprehensive, fulfilling, and educational array of
resources to deepen your Tarot experience on multiple fronts.
Other news through the year has been excellent. For one thing, my
esteemed friend and Tarot researcher Robert O'Neill has made a massive
contribution to our understanding of Tarot's early years, which you can
find at the Library of Tarot.com:
http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/library/boneill/ . His e-book "Magic
and the Early Tarot" is the first-ever systematic treatment of the
subject in the world!
A new study of the early Tarot has come out, undertaken by Paul Huson,
who wrote "The Devil's Picturebook" thirty years ago. The new book is
"The Mystic Origins of the Tarot", and it is generating fierce
controversy among the pundits. The author has taken the time to delve
into the oldest interpretive meanings he could find in Europe for each
of the 78 cards -- any nicknames they might have accumulated, common
associations, mythic identities and the like. No two Tarot pundits will
have exactly the same reaction to Huson's work, but there's no doubt
that he gives his reader an long-awaited window into the centuries
before "divination with Tarot cards" was a commonplace in Europe.
Historical studies continue to proliferate, especially at the Yahoo
Groups sites TarotL and LTarot. You have to join them to read their
Archives, but that only takes a moment and then you are guaranteed
hours and hours of educational back-and-forth, sometimes marked by
feisty protests (try not to let the "personalities" put you off!).
Another excellent Tarot forum for folks of all skill levels is called
Aeclectic Tarot, which can be found at http://www.tarotforum.net/ and
also requires that you become a member before its full riches will be
made available. These sites are among the "cream of the crop" as far as
showcasing results of all this Tarot questing, not forgetting our own
Yahoo Group TarotSalon, and the Library section of Tarot.com.
I'm glad to note that people continue to find this site and join
TarotSalon! As our community grows, lets bring the best of what we
find on the internet, and on the shelves of our local and personal
libraries, to the collective eye. Together we can help to solve the
many mysteries of Tarot's magical origins.
Blessings,
Christine Payne-Towler
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