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Welcome & opening address (Friday 6–7pm)

Jean-Michel David - Two Uses of Tarot: the Vatical and the Sacral

A look at what's ahead over the weekend, focussing on two uses of tarot: as a vehicle for the sacred; and as manteaic art.

About Jean-Michel David [Vic]
www.fourhares.com

Jean-Michel has taught Tarot courses over varying duration since the late 1980s. His current courses include a year-long course in Melbourne and an online pdf-based 30 week course.

He was an organiser and a presenter at the 2005 International Tarot Conference. Jean-Michel has also featured on ABC’s Radio National with Rachel Kohn.

Keynote speaker (Saturday)

Mary Greer - Cartomancy in Western Art

Little is known about cartomancers before the 20th century: who they were, who were their clients, where did they practice, what decks were used. Written information is scarce beyond basic instruction books and accounts of Mlle. Lenormand. An historical record does exist, however, that has never before been examined. Genre art depicts ordinary people going about their everyday work and recreations, and it is characterized as being a shrewd observation of types, costumes, occupations and settings. A slide presentation shows the visual content of various paintings, prints and postcards showing cartomancers from the 16th through early 20th century. The imagery demonstrates that the practice of cartomancy has been remarkably similar for several hundred years, predominantly carried out by elderly, marginalized women of the lower class for women of higher social status. We will also see the major exceptions to this portrait: young women reading for themselves or peers, characteristics of the remarkably few men depicted, and the sometimes romanticized images of gypsies and others that reflect the fantasies of the artist or were meant to titillate the viewer. Considering that fortune telling cards depend greatly on visual impressions, it is interesting that this historical record has been largely ignored. This presention hopes to bring to light both the professional and recreational characteristics of those people who practiced cartomancy, and reveal their largely unseen and under-acknowledged role in everyday Western society.

About Mary [USA]
marygreer.wordpress.com

Mary Greer needs no introduction to the Tarot community: the author of numerous and highly successful books; involved in the design of various decks; the recipient of the 2007 International Tarot Award; and regular presenter at many international events, Mary's wisdom transforms facts into insights.

Russell Sturgess - The Marseille Tarot, a Medieval Spiritual Map

Russell Sturgess from Maroochydore, Queensland, reveals a new spiritual perspective of the major arcana.

Placing the major arcana in various sequences brings new meaning to the message and relationships of the cards. While writing and researching in Italy in 2006, Russell was inspired to discover a relationship between the cards of the arcana that was to expand the already rich diversity of knowledge regarding the meaning and purpose of the major arcana. Join Russell as he reveals his ‘lemniscate’ map of the arcana, which he will do as he explores the cards in their historical context and their eclectic symbology drawn from various medieval contemporary cultures.

Russell is especially interested in evidence that links the images of the major arcana of the Marseille Tarot with the heretical Christians of Northern Italy, during the 13th and 14th centuries. Similarities between their beliefs and this new interpretation of the arcana suggest that this Christianised version of the tarot may have been an attempt to salvage the primitive teachings of Jesus, which the medieval heretics felt were being distorted by the Catholic Church. Russell poses the question: Is it possible that the Marseille Tarot major arcana are in fact art forms intended to preserve the pre-Christian teachings of Jesus, therefore giving both the tarot and Christian teachings a whole new meaning?

About Russell Sturgess [Qld]
www.beattitude.com.au

Russell Sturgess is a retired natural therapist, numerologist, business consultant, educator and author. In 2009 Russell published his book, Metanoia, Renovating the House of the Spirit, which explores his conference topic in enlightening detail. Using the core message of the sacred map revealed in his book, Russell currently runs a consultancy business that facilitates the integration of Spiritual Intelligence into companies, along with them being committed to creating Spiritual, Social and Human Capital. He also works with individuals using the same process.

Lyn Olds - Intentional Tarot

Intentional Tarot is a creative use of the 78 card tarot deck and the highly evocative symbolism contained within.

Intentional Tarot is by no means a new concept. It is however unfamiliar to some due to the more traditional method of ‘picking cards at random’ being exchanged for ‘deliberate selection'.

As the name suggests Intentional Tarot is about intent and places the responsibility of ones life directly back where it belongs – into ones own hands. The cards act primarily as a tool to assist in achieving potential, reaching goals and manifesting desires.

Intentional Tarot can be used in conjunction with more traditional spreads or as a stand alone method.

About Lyn Olds [New Zealand]
www.tarot-art.com

Lyn Olds has been involved in tarot for many years now and has enjoyed roles as a reader, teacher, mentor and tarot event organiser! Her focus at present is to unite her love of tarot with a growing interest in artistic ventures that celebrates the art of tarot in its many guises.

Angela Kinnane - Tarot: History and Mystery

When it comes to reading the cards it is helpful to have many layers of meaning on which to draw. Tarot has a long tradition and by looking to its roots and gaining an understanding of the historical significance of the images we can add yet another layer of meaning to our readings.

In this session we will examine some of the major arcana cards and look at their historical context and symbolism. We will contrast this with more modern symbolism and explore how making connections between the two can enrich our understanding and interpretation of the cards.

About Angela Kinnane[Qld]
Angela has been involved with tarot for a little over twelve years. She currently runs workshops on the north side of Brisbane. In her workshops she enjoys making tarot history accessible for beginners and more advanced students alike. In her non-tarot time Angela is busy being a Mum to her two young girls. In her pre-child life she has worked as a primary school teacher among many, many other things.

Con Margaritis - Opening to Healing

Con's journey into the world of tarot has been influenced by his journey as a practitioner in the healing arts. The Tarot provides imagery to connect both with self and our clients. It can provide doorways into realms, possibilities, resolutions or healings for this moment, past moments and for those in the process of becoming.

Stepping into the role of a Reader, and allowing the cards, images and feelings we sense to convey in a verbal context of a reading, will be the subject of this presentation. To connect and trust our feelings and intuition in the moment of the readings from the cards and the person we are “reading” for.

Con will be sharing his understandings of the dynamics of the Client/Therapist(Reader) relationship, and how this can be utilised in readings. How we can open up to other ways of reading.

About Con [Vic]
www.shiatsumassagehealing.com.au

Over the last 25 years Con has had an interest in health and the healing arts, from an Eastern or Taoist perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as Shiatsu and various massage/bodywork styles. Through working in the healings arts, his experience in relating with clients is evident in his reading style. Con’s formal study of the Tarot has been quite recent.

various presenters - the Celtic Cross

There are various ways in which versions of the Celtic Cross spread are used and interpreted.

This session will provide an opportunity for various users of the Celtic Cross to share their insights and variations

[facilitator: Jean-Michel David]

Main speaker (Sunday)

Fern Mercier - The Tricks of our Trade

Fortune-telling is one of the oldest professions, and like story-telling, has time-honoured traditions and trappings.

Lift the veil of the High Priestess just a little, to explore the many roles a professional Card Reader plays, as well as the dynamics of a good Reading.

About Fern Mercier [New Zealand]
Tarot Aotearoa

Fern has been reading the Tarot since the early 1970s, and has a thriving practice in Auckland, New Zealand

Mary Greer - 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card

Based on her book by the same title, Mary will engage with us in an experiential workshop on various ways to read a single tarot card.

plenum

A variety of ideas, reflections and opportunities inevitably arise during a conference such as this. This will be the opportunity to review, discuss, and propose...

...and then close the Convention until next we meet!