Hello lovers! Welcome to the first of my weekly newsletters on my journey through the Tarot. Whether you’ve come here deliberately or have arrived by accident, I’m glad to see you.
Perhaps you know my work as a feminist writer. If so, you’re probably also familiar with my vocal critiques of the “wellness” community and its cavalry of (largely white) spiritual charlatans and self appointed coaches, whose dangerous approach to vaccines and therapeutic care (among other things) not only put people’s lives at risk but also reinforce classist, sexist, racist and frequently transphobic power structures. If that’s the case, deciding to share my relationship to the Tarot (and other spiritual practices) might seem suspicious at best and hypocritical at worst. Where did the old Clementine go, and who’s this idealistic naif that’s landed on a clifftop in her place? Is she going to try and sell us hackneyed old cliches as life advice, and start using neurolinguistic programming (NLP) to try to control our minds?
In a word, no. Vigorously no.
But here’s the backstory.
Last year, I started studying Tarot. I took a single class the the Witch School run by High Priestess (returning for its second time this year in June) and then started a club with my friend Phil that has since expanded to four people. We meet every Thursday night at my house to explore the cards and deepen our understanding of the Tarot, as well as connect the symbolism, stories and interpretations to art, culture and the expanding understanding we’re gaining of ourselves. Through my experiences with the Tarot, I’ve made space to reflect on things that happened in my childhood, my insecurities and strengths, how I can be a better mother and friend, and whether or not it’s time to retire some of the old narratives I’ve clung to (spoiler: yes).
I see the Tarot now as an essential tool for creativity and I would love to share that with likeminded people. Before we can write about anything well, we have to know who we are, why we write in the first place (or sing or paint or express ourselves in any way) and what it means to be honest in the pursuit of those things.
What have I learned, this past year?
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