Mentors and Apprenticeships

[blackmoonbee]

I'm open to mentoring someone, but the few times it was tried, that people came to me and asked, it didn't work out. They just didn't do their homework and it petered out.

Ah yes mentoring is a two way street it never works when one party takes takes take

 

[blackmoonbee]

Aaah gotcha -


In my experience the people in my tarot group will have been together 10 years in July and everyone brings something to the table. We seem to mentor each other - the newer readers may sit back at first but can just as often say something that the more experienced readers find fantastic.

So I guess to answer your post, I wanted a group of tarot people to hang with and since there was none in my area (that I knew of in 2007) I was willing to be the 'mentor' - in time we had quite a few readers and it became much more of a commune than a mentor or apprentice dynamic.

You raise a great point mentoring can happen organically through a community space like this forum or amongst friends in Chicago as you mentioned

 

[suk]

YIKES so sorry to hear that. Hopefully in time your friend will recognize your good intentions and generosity.

Thank you, but there's only so much you can do.

I realised that I did sort of adopt a mentor for a long period, over Youtube... it was Kelly Ann Maddox. I feel she really helped me to develop my ideas in a more concrete way, and I still learn so much from her videos. I guess I no longer think of her as a mentor because I just relate to her differently now. She was a total guru to me at one point, I feel like my learning trajectory owes a lot to her.

I don't know if that counts to you, but it did to me.

 

[nisaba]

What has been your experiences with having a tarot mentor or apprenticeship?

The absolute *best* mentors are right here.

Ask questions here, you'll get centuries of combined experience and wisdom, far more than from a single person.

And even if they're not relevant to you right now, read all the questions other people ask, and all the differing replies they will receive. I guarantee you will learn more than you ever could from a single teacher, no matter how wonderful.

 

[danieljuk]

My worries about having a mentor is that you have to do things "their way", like all the meanings of the cards become what theirs are. I would really have liked a teacher / mentor who let's you find your own method because my beginner learning was ultimately finding my own place and method in the tarot world. How should I use them? what do I think of this card or this card? It was experimenting and listening to many different ideas.

Some people have posted on AT that they went to classes or had a mentor in the past and you just study one book or follow their method! But you have to follow their method and ideas! My learning method had so many different inputs and ideas, I am so thankful that I found AT in the first year of really learning. So many inputs!

Obviously there is some amazing people with knowledge and unique ideas and mentoring with them could give you such learning. Those people often do talks at tarot events or sessions with web conferencing as well. But I worry for beginners if it really is as helpful as we think it is!

 

[Zephyros]

My worries about having a mentor is that you have to do things "their way", like all the meanings of the cards become what theirs are. I would really have liked a teacher / mentor who let's you find your own method because my beginner learning was ultimately finding my own place and method in the tarot world. How should I use them? what do I think of this card or this card? It was experimenting and listening to many different ideas.

Some people have posted on AT that they went to classes or had a mentor in the past and you just study one book or follow their method! But you have to follow their method and ideas! My learning method had so many different inputs and ideas, I am so thankful that I found AT in the first year of really learning. So many inputs!

Obviously there is some amazing people with knowledge and unique ideas and mentoring with them could give you such learning. Those people often do talks at tarot events or sessions with web conferencing as well. But I worry for beginners if it really is as helpful as we think it is!

Well, even if we classify Tarot as an art, art schools do exist so there is something to be said about being taught the theoretical basics. When I was teaching I took the decidedly traditional view of teaching the Golden Dawn system which is the underpinning of all modern Tarot decks but has at the same time much room for personal touches and style.

But then, every art form has a theoretical basis which is then developed. There are very few musicians, for example, who get anywhere by jamming in their garages. Some do, most need a basic education.

Not all teachers fit all students. My aim when teaching was not only to teach how to read, but also why each card means what it does and its connections to the others, a fully rounded Tarot education. What they did with it afterwards was their business. Some people want only to learn how to read, quickly, and those people I didn't need to turn away as it was obvious from the start that we would be bad match.

 

[Nemia]

Zephyros, maybe you could offer tarot classes. In a setting that's a bit more formal, people may value instruction more and be willing to do their homework. And even after classes, you can continue to mentor them. People develop into all directions but having a solid basis is important.

Nisaba is right and AT is a wonderful place full of mentors (like Nisaba herself) but not everybody feels free to communicate in English and mingle with people who really know a lot about tarot. I can't remember how many years it took until I found the courage to register here and no longer only lurk. There's something about face-to-face interaction...

 

[gregory]

I'm open to mentoring someone, but the few times it was tried, that people came to me and asked, it didn't work out. They just didn't do their homework and it petered out.

I am finding that with mentoring somewhere else I do it (NOT tarot - I am not up to, or for, that.)

My worries about having a mentor is that you have to do things "their way", like all the meanings of the cards become what theirs are. I would really have liked a teacher / mentor who let's you find your own method because my beginner learning was ultimately finding my own place and method in the tarot world. How should I use them? what do I think of this card or this card? It was experimenting and listening to many different ideas.

Some people have posted on AT that they went to classes or had a mentor in the past and you just study one book or follow their method! But you have to follow their method and ideas! My learning method had so many different inputs and ideas, I am so thankful that I found AT in the first year of really learning. So many inputs!

Obviously there is some amazing people with knowledge and unique ideas and mentoring with them could give you such learning. Those people often do talks at tarot events or sessions with web conferencing as well. But I worry for beginners if it really is as helpful as we think it is!

I agree with daniel.

I came here and started asking questions. It works great.

 

[Thoughtful]

l started teaching myself the tarot and reading books way back. But the BEST mentor is here, l gained a lot of knowledge and am truly grateful for all the feedback l have had, and all the wonderful questions and answers that have been posed here over the years.

But Blackmoonbee l do understand that you would like a face to face mentor. l have a long time friend with whom l share tarot and all spiritual things with, hopefully you will likewise find the person you are looking for.

 

[spinnachie]

This place is great as many others have said, however I do wish I had a mentor in the real world.
The reason I feel that way is because I find giving a reading online and in person are very different. Online you have more time to think about the cards you've pulled and you don't have someone looking at you waiting. When I do a reading on here sometimes I will pull the card or cards and just think about it and then when I start writing I can delete certain things etc so the readings I do on here are I feel I am a little more confident in them. However when I want to do a reading on someone face to face ie friends and family I find that I freeze up and don't know how to put what im seeing into words. So a mentor in the real world would be a nice way to help with that

xo
spin