I had the great opportunity to interview Barbara Moore over the holidays.
Go ahead and introduce yourself.
I’m Barbara Moore. Tarot has been part of my life for almost
30 years, and over the past 22 years it has also been my job and main way of
earning income. Currently, I am the acquisitions editor for Llewellyn’s tarot line.
I am also an author, deck creator, and teacher. I quit reading professionally
about 5 years ago in order to devote more time to projects I love, like deck
creation. Although I consider myself a Minnesota girl, for the past two years
I’ve lived in northern California, tucked away in a valley surrounded by farms
and animals.
What is your favorite book?
At my age, is it impossible to a single favorite book? I’ve
loved so many. While I value non-fiction (I learn best by reading, so I depend
on books), I rarely fall in love with non-fiction books, no matter how grateful
I am for them. Oftentimes my favorite is whatever novel I’m currently reading,
which right now is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and it is
perfectly wonderful! Poetic, creative, complex…all about books and full of
symbols as well as a love story between Fate and Time. I’m smitten. Another
novel I read a few years and still think about is The Goldfinch by Donna
Tartt. If I had to pick what book affected me most deeply, I would have to pick
two books that in my opinion have to be read in sequence. The first is amazing
on its own, but with its follow up, it is even more astonishing. These books
are The Sparrow and Children of God by Mary Doria Russell.
For non-fiction, if I had to pick a few favorites, they
would be The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers and To
Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue.
My guilty pleasure reading is the The Harry Dresden series
by Jim Butcher.
If you practice a spiritual path, what is it? Why were
you drawn to it?
I do not. I am more like a spiritual magpie, kitchen witch,
do what works person. I sometimes wish I had a path that I was drawn to…it
would be so much easier than making it up as I go along.
Do you have any daily rituals? If so what are they?
My daily rituals change as my needs and interests change. Currently,
the only things I do actually every day is pull a tarot card, do 10 – 20
minutes of yoga in the morning, and at night I bless our valley, the land, and
all the people and animals on it. I have other things I do on a regular basis
or as needed but not necessarily daily.
What first made you interested in tarot?
In college, I was in an interdisciplinary program and
studied history, art history, philosophy, literature, mythology, psychology,
math, and science. I loved how I could trace the threads of all these subjects
influencing each other as they wove through human history. At a party, someone
pulled out a deck of cards, the Rider Waite Smith, and as soon as I held them
in my hands, I knew I was holding something special…something that felt like
the sum of all human knowledge and a tool that could tell any story that needed
telling. Thirty years later and I can verify that my initial instinct was
correct.
What were some of your earliest experiences with tarot
like?
Mostly like a self-directed course in tarot, psychology, and
mythology. I was obsessed with tarot and Jung. I spent many hours with Jung and
Tarot: An Archetypal Journey by Sallie Nichols. My first readings used only the
Majors because that is all she covered in her nearly 400-page book. She
included one spread and I used it over and over. Eventually I got my sister and
a friend interested in tarot, so we studied and did readings together. But
there wasn’t an internet at the time, very few books, and not nearly the number
of decks we have today. We were very casual about it, sitting at the kitchen
table, having drinks, and laying out the cards. I don’t remember us worrying
about doing it wrong, the way I see many newcomers to the cards worrying today.
What techniques did you use to learn tarot?
There were two main techniques. One was basically just
thinking about tarot…and history, psychology, mythology, literature, art,
physics…and finding patterns connecting everything. The other usually involved
drinking, my friend or my sister, and a deck of cards. Like I said, we just
thought about things we were curious about, threw some cards, and saw what we
saw.
After about five years of casual study and experimentation,
I learned about the American Tarot Association and their mentorship and
certification program. I love degrees and certificates (and back then, naïvely,
didn’t question whether it was good or bad, right or wrong), and felt like it
would both fun and helpful for me to sum up my path to that point. Still not
really much of an internet and email wasn’t that common, so it was all done via
correspondence…pens, paper, stamps. In fact, the certification required sending
in a cassette tape of a live reading! Can you imagine? Makes me feel old.
Anyhow, the certification program asked me to provide my keywords and longer interpretations
for all the cards, upright and reversed. I worked surrounded by all the books I
bought (all that I could find, but as I said not that many), my notebooks, and
my cards. Working card-by-card, I’d read the relevant texts in the books, make
notes on parts I agreed with or found provocative. Then I’d form all the
information into a coherent essay, and then distill that down to a key sentence
and some key words. It was time consuming but an excellent way to synthesize my
five years of self-study.
What was your first tarot deck?
Although I find it hard to believe today when I look at the
deck, it was the Haindl Tarot. When I had it, I was mostly only working
with the Majors. After seeing how the Haindl was so unusual and how most books
talked about the Rider Waite Smith, that was my next deck, although I loved
collecting them, even early in my tarot life. Because decks were not easy to
find, seeing ones in stores that I’d never seen before was always a special
treat.
What is your favorite tarot deck besides some of your
own?
I’ve had many favorites over the years. Some stay favorites
for years, some for months…or even less. One of my favorite true loves was the World
Spirit Tarot. I liked it so much that I traded with the artist for an
original piece of the art (6 of Cups) and in return, I knit her toddler a
sweater. I also loved the Nigel Jackson Tarot (and bought a piece of his
original art, Temperance). Currently, I’m enchanted by the Dark Mansion,
Pagan Otherworlds, and Dreaming Way Tarot. This winter I’m really
looking forward to diving into Benebell Wen’s Spirit Keeper’s Tarot.
What card are you most drawn to? Why?
The Hermit. I am a Hermit by nature and like to take time to
think about and absorb things in my own time and my own way. I prefer to be
alone and like a quiet life without lots of distractions. When tarot came into
my life, everything I read about the Hermit card resonated with me. Later, I
learned that it is one of birth cards. The Hermit is in my blood. It is like my
core card and I can always return to it to find answers and guidance whenever I
feel I’m getting off track I also have a tendency to isolate myself, so it is
also a good reminder to balance my Hermitness with more social and community
activities.
What is your favorite card? Why?
Temperance has been my favorite from the beginning; however,
the Star has become very dear to me over this past year. I went through a bad
patch of life and the Star was part of what saved me.
Temperance is such a beautiful card. Temperance is more than
just equal amounts of things; it is the blending of the perfect amounts of the
perfect things. It is grace under pressure. It is doing the right thing at the
right time. No matter how the external circumstances change, Temperance can
always retain her balance. The Wheel of Fortune has creatures clutching the
edges of the Wheel, suffering the vicissitudes of life. I always picture
Temperance standing at the center of the Wheel, unaffected and watching all the
drama move around her.
After going through a quintessential “Death” year, it was
hard clawing my way out of depression and confusion. When telling a fellow
tarot friend about it, she asked, “if you are done with Death, what card would
you like next?” I thought about it and concluded that the Star was the medicine
that I needed. I made paper stars covered in glitter and hung them all over the
house. I read all I could about what other people wrote about the star. I drew
pictures inspired by the card. I did yoga poses that opened my heart to the
Star and her gentle healing, grace, and guidance. The Star was a life preserver
and helped keep me afloat until I was strong enough to bring in another card.
Now I have a practice where I pick a card to be my specific guide through a
particular phase in my life (this is not based on time but on need…so not like
“every season” based on the calendar but based on what I’m experiencing in my
life). My current card is the Empress. I’m finding that with the Empress right
now, she is also bringing in the Minor threes.
Can you introduce the various tarot decks you have worked
on?
I can, but it’s a pretty long list, since I’ve worked on
many. Some I completely designed, including directing the artist and some I
just wrote the little booklet for…and everything in between.
These are the decks and books that I consider the most
“mine,” meaning that they were mainly my idea and execution:
- Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot
- Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot
- Modern Guide to Energy Clearing
Here is a more complete list, but doesn’t include quite
everything (because no one wants that much detail!):
- Book of Shadows Tarot, volumes 1 and 2
- Cats Inspirational Oracle
- Llewellyn’s Tarot Calendar 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot
- Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot
- Modern Guide to Energy Clearing
- Primordial Tarot (forthcoming)
- Tarot of the Dream Enchantress
- Tarot of the Hidden Realm
- Vampires Tarot of the Eternal Night
- What Tarot Can Do For You
- Wizards Tarot (forthcoming)
What is your favorite tarot project you have worked on?
Why?
The Steampunk Tarot. It was the first project that I felt
like came almost entirely from me. The artist, Aly Fell, of course brought so
much (and even helped with some cards where my descriptions didn’t work) to the
project, but the concept and card descriptions were mine. Not only that, but
Aly brought them to life so beautifully. Finally, the book…it was my favorite
to write. I got to be completely myself in a way I’ve not done with projects
that are either more collaborative or that are just books to go with an already
made deck. It was fun to write and when I go back and reread it, I still love
it. I’m also the proudest of it because not only is a good expression from my
heart but also because as a tarot deck it works! I’ve heard from so many people
(and experienced it myself) that these cards are just bursting with stories and
are quite easy to read as well as being beautiful (assuming you like steampunk
style).
What has your creative and published the process been
like?
“Varied” is the best word. While there are some similarities
between projects, each one is also very unique. “Fortunate” and “blessed” are
also good words because I feel so very lucky to have the many opportunities
that came my way. Sometimes the ideas come from me alone, oftentimes my
publisher has an idea and asks me to explore it. Sometimes it is more like a
work for hire, where I’m hired to be the voice of a deck that is already
created. All are fun in their own ways.
Has there been any frustrations along the way from various
concepts to production? If so, what have they been?
To be honest, there haven’t been that many frustrations.
Probably the most frustrating project was the Book of Shadows. This was a long
time ago and before Lo Scarabeo had a good understanding that witchcraft,
Wicca, paganism, and magic are things people take very seriously and, in some
cases, such as with Wicca, it is their religion, and these topics have to be
taken seriously. There was also a language barrier. I wrote it in English, then
someone translated the text to Italian. In these cases, there is no back and
forth with the artist, so if they got my vision wrong, there was nothing to be
done. The first round of images for this project were too sexy and objectified
and I insisted that new images be made. It was a hard stance, but necessary. In
the end, it all worked out really well. So even my most frustrating experience
wasn’t that bad in the end.
How would you recommend one of your decks to someone?
I try to find out what their interests are, what they are
drawn to in terms of art, and what their previous tarot experience has been.
There is no (in my opinion) one deck fits all. For beginners, I normally
suggest an easy to read RWS clone, so ones like Llewellyn’s Classic, Mystical
Manga, or Steampunk. To be honest, if someone asks for a deck recommendation, I
don’t necessarily stick to just my works. I admire so many decks and will
suggest them, if I feel they’d be the best fit for the person asking.
What advice would you give for choosing a deck?
If they are complete beginners, I’d suggest a RWS clone in
an art style they like. If they have more experience, then I’d ask which type
of decks/systems they prefer, such as RWS, Marseilles, Thoth, or something
completely different. If they are more interested in intuitive work, then
something like the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, which isn’t for everyone, but for
those who click with it, it seems perfect.
What advice would you give for learning the art of tarot?
That depends on the student. People learn differently. Some
do best if they just jump in and start reading the images. Some like to read
and study on their own. Some prefer a teacher or structured program. So I would
say, take whatever approach you take to learning any new skill and do the same
with tarot. Regardless of the style of learning, practice is just as important.
Reading books and studying will only get you so far. Practice as much as
possible to integrate what you learn. And don’t limit yourself to learning
tarot. Your tarot readings are influenced by every part of your life,
everything you read or listen to, just like any other art. Fill your well with
not just tarot but as much wisdom from as many sources as you can.
Do you have any rituals you follow when you do a reading?
If so, do these rituals differ from when you read for someone and when you read
for yourself?
When I read for others, I keep things simple. My rituals are
silent and not observable by the client (silent prayer to start, shuffling
three times, offering thanks when finished). When I read for myself I either
just throw the cards on the table (least effective!) or make a full-blown
ritual (cast a circle, call in specific guides). I think in reading for myself,
I get more out of the reading when I make it special.
Because my life has been challenging over the past three
years, I’ve rarely read for others. If I’m not in a good place, if my well
isn’t full, I have nothing to offer others. So I’ve refrained. As my life gets
more stable and I think about reading for others again, I am contemplating the
need for more ritual in a way that is visible to and includes the client. I
wonder if the attempts over the past 30 years to make tarot more normalized
(and more mainstream) has taken something from the experience of consulting the
cards. I wonder if people wouldn’t welcome (and indeed, need) more ritual in
their lives. Maybe consulting the cards should have a sense of mystery and
wonder to it.
Do you have anything else to add?
Only to thank you for the opportunity! Who doesn’t love to
talk about themselves? I got to talk about myself and about talk so much. It’s
been fun and hopefully will be interesting to your readers.
