I have been a Tarot Reader for abt twelve years,I've been a professional reader for the last 6/7 of those. Although I love being a reader,I've felt like I have to do it "under the table"for the longest time.
A gay friend of mine described it as being in the Tarot Closet,and that is honestly the closest I've come to being able to explain it.My husband has been my biggest supporter-although he has no clue what his Wife does,all he cares about is that it makes me happy.That's enough for him (I love that man).My Family eased into it slowly,winning my Mom over was the hardest.My Mom is a great Afrikaans Mom,she was worried what effect the Tarot would have on my soul.It's not an ungrounded fear as she was raised in a good protestant Dutch Reformed home-as I was. Eventually I explained that what I do has nothing to do with calling up the dead,in fact it has everything to do with the living and being able to help them. I regard my gift as a gift from God,and believe that He guided my way to the Tarot.We are all His instruments,we all play a different tune,but in the Big Orchestra we all fit in and make heavenly music!
My family is so well schooled by now that when I read when I'm there and the Death Card pops up they are quick to chime that it just means change!Got to love them!I can't wait to see my Mom's reaction to the CLF,she's going to enjoy it so much!
Stepping out the Tarot Closet took guts,to stand up and say " Yes I read the Tarot,and I am Fabulous" to strangers was scary. Most readers I've spoken to felt afraid of being judged,being deemed a flake or just crazy.There may even be a residual witch hunt fear in us,waiting for the pitch forks and torches to come out!We don't want to be judged,and what we care for and believe in questioned and belittled.
I have found that most folks are very inquisitive and it give me a great opportunity to dispel so misconceptions abt the Tarot. Now a days when asked what my occupation is,I say Tarot Consultant,and I say it with pride!
The Star by Zack Wong
The Star by Zack Wong.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Learning when to shut up and listen.
I'm a Gemini by star sign,and I also have a lots of other planetary influences-so I talk.I talk a lot,its my thing.Although being great at talking does not mean that I'm a great listener.Or better yet it wasn't always so.
Reading the Tarot has taught me when to speak and when to be quiet and listen.Not just to what my client is saying-but more importantly to what they aren't saying.We open a door for our clients,we give them a safe space to speak out,its our duty to listen. I like to say that we do soul counselling,and many times we are privy to the most inner thoughts and feelings of clients. I regard that as a sacred privilege.
My friend Michele shared a profound insight regarding Tarot Readers and our role with me today and it has made me think. What do we as reader leave our clients with,what seeds do we plant in their souls?I know that I would like my clients -irrespective of the outcome of their readings- leave feeling hopeful,their load having been lightened somehow.
Being humble is our great lesson,learning to pay attention to the needs of others,and helping them from a pure and honest place deep within our souls. When it comes down to it for a brief period we get so see into their souls,their lives,and our soul connects with theirs.Its a sacred and profound act.
Now to something lighter,I never gamble,its just not my style.This past Saterday however I took a gamble and it paid off in spades!I went to Wizards,not looking for anything in particular.Soraya and me were having our normal chat,when something in the display case caught my eye.There was a Tarot deck in a black velveteen pouch,it was sealed in plastic.It had no name or any other identifier on it,even Soraya didn't know what it was.But it was R180 ,and that is a good price-if its a nice deck,if not its a hell of a lot to pay for a minger!!I know that once you open a deck at Wizards you buy it.So I gambled,and I bought it.
It turned out to be the Renaissance Tarot by Brian Williams.It is gorgeous,it is a nice tall deck and it has a lovely old gold look to it.The energy is phenomenal,and its so elegant,we are going to be great friends!As I said to Michele this morning this deck is choc-a-block full of symbols,Cabala and Astro signs,I love it!
Reading the Tarot has taught me when to speak and when to be quiet and listen.Not just to what my client is saying-but more importantly to what they aren't saying.We open a door for our clients,we give them a safe space to speak out,its our duty to listen. I like to say that we do soul counselling,and many times we are privy to the most inner thoughts and feelings of clients. I regard that as a sacred privilege.
My friend Michele shared a profound insight regarding Tarot Readers and our role with me today and it has made me think. What do we as reader leave our clients with,what seeds do we plant in their souls?I know that I would like my clients -irrespective of the outcome of their readings- leave feeling hopeful,their load having been lightened somehow.
Being humble is our great lesson,learning to pay attention to the needs of others,and helping them from a pure and honest place deep within our souls. When it comes down to it for a brief period we get so see into their souls,their lives,and our soul connects with theirs.Its a sacred and profound act.
Now to something lighter,I never gamble,its just not my style.This past Saterday however I took a gamble and it paid off in spades!I went to Wizards,not looking for anything in particular.Soraya and me were having our normal chat,when something in the display case caught my eye.There was a Tarot deck in a black velveteen pouch,it was sealed in plastic.It had no name or any other identifier on it,even Soraya didn't know what it was.But it was R180 ,and that is a good price-if its a nice deck,if not its a hell of a lot to pay for a minger!!I know that once you open a deck at Wizards you buy it.So I gambled,and I bought it.
It turned out to be the Renaissance Tarot by Brian Williams.It is gorgeous,it is a nice tall deck and it has a lovely old gold look to it.The energy is phenomenal,and its so elegant,we are going to be great friends!As I said to Michele this morning this deck is choc-a-block full of symbols,Cabala and Astro signs,I love it!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Finding true love.
Its part of my nature to acquire,I used to call myself a collector,but now I know I'm a helpless addict.As a kid it started with erasers,my sister and I collected them together-because that way we could have a greater variety and number!So it went,erasers,writing paper,teddy bears,tea cups/coffee mugs and then it happened! I found the Tarot,if I thought I had a "collection issue" before,it all paled compared to what I found now.
At first it was a quest to find the right deck,the one who spoke right into my soul.I thought I had it with my first 1JJ Swiss Tarot,and then with my Etteilla deck,and then again with my Shakespeare Tarot.I did most of my learning and initial training with my Shakespeare,and she was a loyal,hard working deck-until I screwed her up. In my inexperience I read for the wrong person for the wrong reasons and subsequently paid the toll with my deck. I couldn't read with her any more,its like she just shut me out,I tried everything.Cleansing,crystal cleansing,sage smudging everything,but the connection was broken.
I learnt very valuable lessons from that,First that your cards are "alive",so treasure them; Second not to read for people you don't want to,and to NEVER EVER LIE using your cards!I still feel guilty when I touch her for the betrayal of trust. (And right here is where you start shaking your head thinking-poor thing she's cracked!)
After that incident,I was without cards for a long while,searching-until I saw what was to become my beloved in a tarot hand book. The book did a variety of spreads using different decks,and my eyes caught sight of Mary. Mary Hanson-Roberts,became my obsession,I had to have her.I was new to Cape Town so I didn't know where to start my quest,and a quest it was.I read,ate,slept Hanson-Roberts,I searched high and low,until by chance my husband had a company action cricket game in Claremont. There in the complex I found Wizards and Mary Hanson-Roberts.I made a high pitched squeely sound and nearly did my victory dance in the shop.I walked out of the shop with joy,contentment and satisfaction.I still don't know what happened at the cricket,but that night I had eyes for Mary Hanson-Roberts.A heck of a lot of decks later Mary is still one of my favourites( I can type it but not say it-it makes the other decks very jealous!).
I have had two of the H-R decks my first and most beloved passed away at the teeth of my Rottweiller puppy.There was nearly murder and mayhem that night!I felt physically sick when I saw what she had done to my deck.Bella survived,only because my husband drove all the way to Claremont to buy me a replacement deck early the following morning-before I got up!It was touch and go that night.I still don't know how she got my Tarot box open,but it now has a lock-just in case.
The quest still continue,and will go one for as long as there are gorgeous deck out there.To this I say:"My name is Hannette Olivier and I am a Tarot deck addict."
At first it was a quest to find the right deck,the one who spoke right into my soul.I thought I had it with my first 1JJ Swiss Tarot,and then with my Etteilla deck,and then again with my Shakespeare Tarot.I did most of my learning and initial training with my Shakespeare,and she was a loyal,hard working deck-until I screwed her up. In my inexperience I read for the wrong person for the wrong reasons and subsequently paid the toll with my deck. I couldn't read with her any more,its like she just shut me out,I tried everything.Cleansing,crystal cleansing,sage smudging everything,but the connection was broken.
I learnt very valuable lessons from that,First that your cards are "alive",so treasure them; Second not to read for people you don't want to,and to NEVER EVER LIE using your cards!I still feel guilty when I touch her for the betrayal of trust. (And right here is where you start shaking your head thinking-poor thing she's cracked!)
After that incident,I was without cards for a long while,searching-until I saw what was to become my beloved in a tarot hand book. The book did a variety of spreads using different decks,and my eyes caught sight of Mary. Mary Hanson-Roberts,became my obsession,I had to have her.I was new to Cape Town so I didn't know where to start my quest,and a quest it was.I read,ate,slept Hanson-Roberts,I searched high and low,until by chance my husband had a company action cricket game in Claremont. There in the complex I found Wizards and Mary Hanson-Roberts.I made a high pitched squeely sound and nearly did my victory dance in the shop.I walked out of the shop with joy,contentment and satisfaction.I still don't know what happened at the cricket,but that night I had eyes for Mary Hanson-Roberts.A heck of a lot of decks later Mary is still one of my favourites( I can type it but not say it-it makes the other decks very jealous!).
I have had two of the H-R decks my first and most beloved passed away at the teeth of my Rottweiller puppy.There was nearly murder and mayhem that night!I felt physically sick when I saw what she had done to my deck.Bella survived,only because my husband drove all the way to Claremont to buy me a replacement deck early the following morning-before I got up!It was touch and go that night.I still don't know how she got my Tarot box open,but it now has a lock-just in case.
The quest still continue,and will go one for as long as there are gorgeous deck out there.To this I say:"My name is Hannette Olivier and I am a Tarot deck addict."
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Living the Tarot life fantastic!
Tarot readers are by nature solitary folk,many of us are self taught and have learnt and developed on our own.
I had been a solitary Tarot reader for nearly 9 years before I discovered a proper Tarot Association.I wasn't quite sure what expect when I attended my first meeting,but I was awestruck by the number of fellow Tarot enthusiasts.It felt like coming home,here was a space where I could share my Tarot life and learn form others and meet great people.Its been three years since that first meet and I'm happy to say that it stuck!
What amased me from the first moment was the variety of decks that were used by the members,they came in every shape and size-much like the readers!;-)Some decks were well worn old friends,others were still stiff and new,some were traditional and some were just funky. I love decks,some may say I have a small obsession,but owning 68 decks aren't that many,in my humble opinion. What I found interesting was how every one related to their decks,every one was very reverent and respected their decks.The decks were kept in rose wood boxes,silk or organza bags,special tins wrapped in special cloths or hand made boxes,but every deck was loved.
It was then that I realized how much love goes into our lives with Tarot.Not only do you love the instruments you use,you learn to love your clients-even if they are just once offs.You feel their pain,you share their joy and you see their deepest secrets.We as readers are very privileged , we get to have a very intimate look at the lives of those we read for.As I recently said to a great friend of mine,we read because we love,we help because sometimes we're the only ones who can.
I had been a solitary Tarot reader for nearly 9 years before I discovered a proper Tarot Association.I wasn't quite sure what expect when I attended my first meeting,but I was awestruck by the number of fellow Tarot enthusiasts.It felt like coming home,here was a space where I could share my Tarot life and learn form others and meet great people.Its been three years since that first meet and I'm happy to say that it stuck!
What amased me from the first moment was the variety of decks that were used by the members,they came in every shape and size-much like the readers!;-)Some decks were well worn old friends,others were still stiff and new,some were traditional and some were just funky. I love decks,some may say I have a small obsession,but owning 68 decks aren't that many,in my humble opinion. What I found interesting was how every one related to their decks,every one was very reverent and respected their decks.The decks were kept in rose wood boxes,silk or organza bags,special tins wrapped in special cloths or hand made boxes,but every deck was loved.
It was then that I realized how much love goes into our lives with Tarot.Not only do you love the instruments you use,you learn to love your clients-even if they are just once offs.You feel their pain,you share their joy and you see their deepest secrets.We as readers are very privileged , we get to have a very intimate look at the lives of those we read for.As I recently said to a great friend of mine,we read because we love,we help because sometimes we're the only ones who can.
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