Here is a look at BATS (San Francisco Bay Area Tarot Symposium) in pictures. I understand this was the biggest one yet with over a hundred people at the one-day Saturday event and around fifty at the Sunday Salon. A big thank you to Thalassa and the Daughters of Divination for another wonderful symposium. Here’s the newlyweds: Thalassa & Rydell (courtesy of Arnell Ando).

Next up are Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone (from The Tarot School and Readers Studio in NY) and Dallas’ Nattacia Zeviar (with whom I co-taught a workshop on the 3-Card Drawing). Ruth Ann and Wald spoke on the symbolism of the horse and led a guided visualization to discover how to personalize the information.

Many people came from out-of-state. Here’s only one section of a very long table as we gathered at the bar (r-to-l): Deb, Julia Cuccia-Watts and husband Peter, Dan Pelletier (TarotGarden), Rydell, Thalassa, Garnet.

At the other end of the table are a few of Aeclectic Tarot‘s finest (l-to-r): Baroli, Valeria and Satinangel (Umbrae is wandering around somewhere, Teheuti is taking the picture, Cerulean and rwcarter didn’t show up until the next day. Anam_chara was busy selling luscious Babastudio stuff. Acacia and Shade—where were you? Who else was there?)

On the left is my co-presenter, Nattacia Zeviar. She explained how she used the 3-Card Drawing as a journal technique through her struggle and healing with breast cancer.  On the right, Holly Voley, who’s best known for her work on the art of Pamela Colman Smith, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Death card.

Wald and Ruth Ann are standing with Pamela Eakins who spoke on the Qabalistic import of the ten powers of evolution, consciousness and love as depicted in her Tarot of the Spirit deck.

Julie Cuccia-Watts (here shown with husband Peter) presented on everyday readings with her MAAT Tarot.

Leisa ReFalo of Tarot Connection spoke about self-publishing and sold CDs of work she’s produced including Dan Pelletier’s new CD The Process. On her right is Tracey Hoover, editor of one of the early (’80s) newsletters, The Chariot, and author of the book to The Ancestral Path Tarot, who’s returning to the tarot community. Welcome back, Tracey!

Here’s the ever-joyous Arnell Ando (creator of Transformational Tarot) who gave us a wonderful tour of Italy for Tarotists—complete with all the details for a never to be forgotten, do-it-yourself journey. Arnell’s followed by Cathy McClelland, who exhibited the originals of her gorgeous The Star Major Arcana Tarot Deck.

Dan Pelletier (Umbrae) brought hundreds of tarot decks from the TarotGarden collection to tempt us all, plus he signed copies of his CD audio book on the Tarot, The Process.

I’m sandwiched inbetween the incredibly talented and prolific Monte Farber and Amy Zerner (Enchanted Tarot, etc., etc., etc.). Monte spoke on and demonstrated using psychic abilities.

Here’s Michele Jackson and James Wanless. Michele first created the website that came to be known as Tarot Passages. She and SoulFire presented The Anderson Feri Tarot, a work-in-progress based on the Feri teachings and direction of Victor and Cora Anderson. James Wanless is famous for his Voyager Tarot and currently has a new DVD, 21st Century Tarot, produced by Anastasia Haysler (Tarot-to-Go).

On the left is SoulFire, part of the team at Acorn Guild Press, who’ve published several works by Victor and Cora Anderson (see also Lilith’s Lantern). In addition to the deck, he offered some Feri-based spreads. The picture on the right shows Pamela Eakins with Ferol Humphrey, founder of the Living Tarot Meetup in Dallas TX, who is an impresario of tarot happenings in Dallas and supporter of events around the country.

Ellen Lorenzi-Prince gave a “Celestial” presentation featuring her Crone Tarot. While Joseph Martin (The Quest Tarot deck) explained why the number 23 is important to the evolution of Tarot.

Sasha St. John, creator and artist of the Gentle Wisdom of the Faerie Realms oracle deck, explored the living language of symbols (pictured with husband Sabastian).

Mary, Tracey, Julie (courtesy Julie Cuccia-Watts)

Anissa Morello offered one of a kind Tarot accoutrements and her hand-printed Morello Medieval Tarot. Photo: Arnell Ando.

Finally, here’s a roomful of merry tarotists getting ready for the Sunday Salon.

Rumor has it that if you hunt around YouTube there will soon be a video of Thalassa doing her infamous Bat Dance. I’ll update this when I get the link.