The Mills of God

Well, now. Having railed a few times here, here, and here about the unethical and money-grubbing behavior of the head of Tarot Professionals, a while back I wrote a post disengaging myself from this Katz who seems bent on making the whole tarot world his personal litter tray; his latest attempt is to trademark ''World Tarot Week''.

Recently, I find that the scales have fallen from the eyes of quite a few others in the tarot community, and I am no longer a lone voice crying in the wilderness:

Lisa at Tarotize

Michael at Tarot by Michael

Paul Nagy also seems to have withdrawn his support, along with a few other previous fans who I see in the list of contributors to that thread.

my old sparring partner, Major Tom, that stalwart of indie tarot, has been kicked out without a reason being given, as has

Robin Dalton; I wonder if she received a refund ?

Of course, there still remain those established tarotists who, for whatever motives (I hesitate to suggest they benefit financially) continue to laud Katz and his spin, not to say obfuscation; usually they are American (bless them, are they born gullible ?) - Den Elder, Mary Greer, Enrique Enriquez - or novices to tarot, noobs in the tarot community who seem desperate to give this Magician money in their quest for knowledge, in spite of the somewhat dubious practices of his organization - handing out awards to fakes, listing people as honorary members without their knowledge, trademarking ''World Tarot Week''.

I merely sit and watch peacefully as the revelations gain strength and impetus. Myself ? I'd prefer to keep my distance from Nemesis 

  
                    allegorical painting of Nemesis by Georghe Tattanescu

Rattling the China

World Tarot Day has been going since 2003. Various internet tarot communities and individuals usually do something to celebrate it, whether offering free readings, large readings, deals, offers and giveaways ...

This year, however, a storm has sloshed the tea from the cup into the saucer somewhat, as the person who had the original idea trademarked World Tarot Day, and then sold it to a commercial organization, without notifying any of the prior sponsors. The first most people knew about it was when the new owner started to promote their ownership of it, and forbade any other tarot people to use the phrase or promote it.

Tarot is an area that many people involved with it consider spiritual, concerned with one's Higher Self, a journey of self-knowledge and personal growth, to be used for guidance and empowerment: all that Californian New Age stuff. The hypocrisy involved is particularly jarring then, when the people who make these kind of claims actually manifest behavior that seems the complete opposite - for personal or business gain, to satisfy the ego, to continue a personal grudge (not to say vendetta) ...

As a tarot professional, I am undecided what I will do, to best uphold the spiritual dignity of tarot, as I perceive it: do I ignore the foul-tasting taint with which WTD has been contaminated and tarnished, and continue with my own small plans to promote tarot to a broader community on this day (the original intention of WTD) ? Or do I cancel my plans, so as to ensure they in no way can be connected, seen or used in support of this usurpation ? The full deck may offer more possibilities - even a compromise ?

''Power consists in one's capacity to link his will with the purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of cooperation.''

Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the USA(1856-1924)
letter to Mary A.Hulbert, Sept.21 1913