HIEROGLYPHS FROM THE SOUL:
TELECLASS BY ROBERT PLACE ON NOV. 28, 2007
SPONSORED BY LEISA REFALO – THE TAROT CONNECTION

BY Cynthia Tedesco

Last night it was my pleasure to attend, what I believe is, the only teleclass that addresses the heady subject of Alchemy and Tarot. Robert Place, Master Artist of The Alchemical Tarot taught the class. Robert is also the creator of The Buddha Tarot, The Angels Tarot and The Saints Tarot. He is the author of a wonderful text on ‘TheTarot: History, Symbolism and Divination. He collaborated with Ellen Guiley on the texts of his tarots. A new tarot: The Vampire Tarot is being published by St. Martins Press and I await news regarding ‘The Sevenfold Way Tarot’ anxiously as the images on Robert’s website are so alluring to any tarot collector and reader.

Up front let me say a new, affordable edition of The Alchemical Tarot is being published by Hermes Publications and made available for pre-order at the Tarot Connection. Three cheers for this collaboration between Leisa and Robert both on teleclasses and a new Alchemical Tarot edition!

After a brief explanation of the history: both misguided and factual of the tarot, Robert addressed the true meaning of DIVINATION as a way of bringing into consciousness our ability to communicate with our Higher Self. According to Robert tarot is best used to help us make wise decisions in the present to help make a better future.  Since I share that
view of tarot as an oracle I felt immediately confident that the class would unravel and lay bare new and exciting ways for me to do my favorite kind of reading –THE THREE CARD READING. I was not disappointed.

Robert shared several amazing dreams he had that led him to the study and art of tarot that astounded me. Rosemary also shared her special dreams while collaborating with Robert on The Alchemical Tarot in her introduction to the text of the tarot.

To view The Three Card Reading as Hieroglyphics from our Soul speaking via our dream states either while asleep or awake was very affirming for me as I’ve kept track of most of my dreams for many years. It was liberating to just let myself ‘go’ and read the cards as if reciting a poem I am writing as I speak. That is my way of converting image to word- an immediate uninhibited response to the question and answer of the images. We could ask: are we ‘talking in our sleep?’ Or perhaps is life the dream? Not an original thought but now I’m thinking in those terms as well.

What of Alchemy itself? What are those images? Precursors to science as well as guidance from the Soul to rise above ourselves: sort of initiations that can & has been spoken of by Jung from our collective unconscious that can lead us to live richer and fuller lives. Robert expands on this for the tarot by Waite and Smith as well as his own Alchemical Tarot. Waite deeply informed the work of Place the Tarotist as well as Tarot Artist.

The class delved deeply into 7 different ways for three tarot cards to create a story we would ordinarily use one card to tell. By looking at the cards as the artist would have us see them – using the body language of the images and direction of key aspects – we learned to let our Higher Selves tell the oracle rather than pre – packaged lists memorized but created by others.

In this way we identified personally with the story the cards unfolded to us and yet could appreciate the historical and archetypal significance the images. Robert was very hands on and gave several examples before he called upon us to give our versions: while there was great variety in our oracular stories we all gave wonderful additional possibilities for guidance that added to the already encyclopedic knowledge Robert gave us.

The class presentation was extremely professional: handouts were sent to all participants ahead of time. I could look over the materials and study the examples we would use in class. I was able to have my cards ready and waiting for the teleclass but also to study them and ‘get myself ready’ – from a pedagogical point of view this is how I best learn, by knowing upfront what the presentation will entail enabled me to relax and truly be present to the class. With Robert’s guidance plus the materials the class flowed effortlessly: at least from my perspective as a participant. Three of the class members were able not only to ask questions for readings ahead of time: but to see them printed out in living color thanks to the magic of Leisa’s expertise not only as a tarotist but as a computer specialist as well. Just by looking at Leisa’s websites and being able to listen to her interviews with tarot readers, designers, writers and collectors etc. is overwhelming enough – but to know this exciting collaboration with Robert Place will be on-going with The Tarot Connection is a joy for the Tarot Community growing by leaps and bounds: truly ‘Connected!’

The next class will be on Robert’s Relationship Spread. Know this: we are not just talking about a ‘layout’ with bookish meanings and answers – we are talking about retrieving information from a deeper wellspring – The Collective Soul or as Alchemists might have put it – The World Soul itself speaking to us. By accessing truth in this way we become Artists for ourselves and others: Artists of Life.