I can’t believe it’s been over a week since my weekend at Omega Institute, learning from tarot experts at the Masters of the Tarot weekend.
Every time I attend a tarot related event, like a conference, like a workshop, like a class, I always feel as if my crown chakra is opening, unfolding like a beautiful golden blossom. I always leave an event feeling changed. And I think the reason why I feel changed is because of one little word that means so much:
VALIDATION.
It can be difficult for some of us, day to day, going about our work with little to no recognition. For me, it feels like I’m living a double life, like one of a superhero: by day, mild mannered copy editor: by night, professional tarot reader and psychic, giving insights that I can’t possibly know about strangers but I do.
Reading tarot can be very lonely work. Sometimes you feel misunderstood and really alone. There are definitely others that “don’t get it.” And it often can be difficult to explain the complicated feelings that come up from being in service to spirit (yours and others)—feelings of loneliness and being weird, singled out for a job that frequently comes with incorrect labels or misnomers.
Being a tarot reader is not for the faint of heart, and burnout is a very real thing in metaphysical fields. But you know what recharges you? Surrounding yourself with other people that know EXACTLY how you feel… because they are in service to spirit, too.
I have learned that after every weekend tarot conference, every time I’m away doing my tarot thing, I need at least a day off in between this life and the other mild-mannered life to decompress, to prepare myself for reentry. So last Monday was my reentry day, my day off, in which I sat and absorbed and processed everything that had happened that weekend.
5 stellar classes, ranging from Liz Dean’s IIF technique to George Koury’s techniques on tarot taken from the mediumship/spiritualist traditions, and a few panel-wide Q and A sessions from all five presenters.
Rooming with a tarot bestie (the fabulously talented Melissa Cynova, author of Kitchen Table Tarot and the upcoming Tarot Elements: Five Readings to Reset Your Life) who just so happened to be one of the presenters (I seriously am in awe of my friends… they’re brilliant).
Excellent tarot and business conversations over mealtime.
Discussions on the Imposter Syndrome: Advising other readers that are excellent readers that may want to take the step into reading professionally but are stuck with that crippling imposter syndrome, so they feel stunted, halted, unable to take the bull by the horns and take that first step. (oh honey bears, we ALL have it)
Piping hot chai lattes and a bookstore to die for.
Beautiful scenery only slightly marred when Mother Nature decided to pour down – personally I prefer a stormy day to a sunny one, but not everyone does… especially not when you are having to walk to the classroom outside!
I can’t believe that this little gem of Omega Institute is nestled only an hour and a half drive away. For me, it was a homecoming of a different sort, a brand new tarot community I didn’t even know about.
And speaking of homecomings, the Universe decided to really put that message to the test when I tried to drive home…
Mercury the Messenger played tricks on me during the retrograde and didn’t hold a charge on my cell phone which I was using for GPS – this happened on a side road a mere 2 minutes into the START of my hour and a half drive home!
Turns out that with a little pluck and a lot of rounds of deep breaths and yelling to the universe that I trusted it, I found my way home, sans cell phone GPS… only to have my gas light turn on about a half hour from home.
Again, trust and surrender… and a gas station was found, about 2 minutes off of the parkway, and in an area that I recognized. Phew!
This weekend I had so many readings that suggested home and homecoming… the planets and the tarot certainly have a sense of humor [find your way home!] and thankfully, so do I!
Thank you again to Mary Greer, Rachel Pollack, George Koury, Liz Dean, and Melissa Cynova for sharing your knowledge of the tarot this weekend. It’s an honor to know you all, to catch up with friendly faces, and to make new friends. Masters of the Tarot may have to be a yearly occurrence!
Much love and blessings,
~*~Hilary~*~
www.tarotbyhilary.com
hilary@tarotbyhilary.com
Book your reading here.
HILARY PARRY HAGGERTY is a tarot reader, witch, mentor, editor, and teacher. She has been reading tarot for over 21 years (13 years professionally). She was the winner of Theresa Reed’s (The Tarot Lady) Tarot Apprentice contest in 2011, and has taught classes on tarot and spell-work at The Tarot School’s annual tarot conference Readers Studio and at Brid’s Closet Beltane Festival. She writes a weekly blog on tarot at her website www.tarotbyhilary.com and has been featured in Maxim Magazine and BuzzFeed.
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© Hilary Parry Haggerty | Tarot by Hilary
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