Location

Bella Rahka Retreat Centre, 581 West Coast Road, Oratia, Auckland, New Zealand.

Bella Rakha is a retreat centre and creative venue less than 25 minutes drive from the Auckland CBD. The 32 acres nestled at the base of the Waitakere Ranges, (a mixture of native bush, open spaces and quiet secluded groves) provides the perfect location for our tarot event. Onsite accommodation is available.
Venue details can be viewed at www.bella-rakha.co.nz

Symposium Programme

Click here to view the Southern Symposium programme.

Cost

NOTE: Discounts** on registration fees are available to, ATS, Australian Tarot Guild and NZ Tarot Guild members. We regret discounts CANNOT be extended on food and accommodation costs.

Download a registration form here

DISCOUNTED** Symposium Registration Fees
for members of Tarot Guild NZ, Tarot Guild Australia and ATS (Australia)

Friday evening (7:30pm-9:30pm) Art Exhibition opening and Book Launch – FREE

Saturday only (all day)                       $110.00

Sunday only (all day)                         $110.00

Weekend package*
(Fri evening, Sat & Sun)                    $192.00

*Participants enrolling for weekend package will receive a conference GOODY BAG

 

Symposium Registration Fees for general public

Friday evening (7:30pm-9:30pm) Art Exhibition opening and Book Launch – FREE

Saturday (all day) only                        $126.50

Sunday (all day) only                          $126.50

Weekend package*
(Fri evening, Sat, Sun)                        $225.00

*Participants enrolling for weekend package will receive a conference GOODY BAG
(UPDATE: Goody Bags can NOT be supplied to any registrations received after the 11th June 2011)

 

Accommodation Cost

IMPORTANT NOTE: Meals and accommodation must be pre ordered and securred at the time of registration. Meals and accommodation will NOT be available once the conference is underway.

NOTE: ACCOMMODATION IS NEARLY FULL. PLEASE REGISTER NOW TO SECURE LAST PLACES

Twin Share accommodation is available on site. Bathroom facilities are shared. Those preferring to secure a room to themselves can pay a single room suppliment.

Friday Night (twin share)                   $25.00

Saturday Night (twin share)               $25.00

If you wish to secure a room to yourself an additional $25 per night applies.

NOTE: SINGLE ROOMS ARE NOW ALL FULL - TWIN SHARE ONLY AVAILABLE

Meal Costs

IMPORTANT NOTE: Meals and accommodation must be pre ordered and secured at the time of registration. Meals and accommodation will NOT be available once the conference is underway.

Saturday B/fast and Lunch                 $20.00
Sunday B/fast and Lunch                   $20.00

Saturday Banquet (BYO)                    $30.00
Banquet places are nearly full, please register ASAP to secure the last spaces

 

Download a registration form here

Method of payment

Return your registration form with payment (cheque in NZ$) by post to:
Fern Mercier, 21 Francis Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021, New Zealand

internet banking available on request
contact fernmm@ihug.co.nz | phone: 09 361 3292

Note: NO refunds after May 15th 2011

Your Symposium Information Pack will be sent late May.

Presenters

Jean-Michel David (Australia)
The Grounding of Tarot in the Marseille Deck (Saturday)

THE PAST
When we claim for a deck that it is a Tarot deck, on what basis is this legitimate? What advantages does a deck have in actually being part of tarot, rather than another set of 22 or 46 or 78 images? How does the depth of tradition deepen the imagery used in a tarot deck? These are some of the questions that will instruct my presentation on seeing the grounding of Tarot as resting in what is commonly referred to as the ‘Marseille’ deck, which remain the earliest full extant decks in existence.

Along the way, I also hope to generate some enthusiasm for the wealth carried by these woodcut images arising in the 15th century and stabilising by the 17th.

Reading with Marseille Pips – Mini Master Class (Saturday)

Without the benefit of scenic depictions on decks derived from the traditional woodcuts (such as the Marseille), how can we begin to not only make sense of the pips (and court cards), but also to deepen and broaden the ways these can be used in developing a narrative in a reading? The workshop will strive to bring various strategies that first and foremost grounds interpretations in what's there! Bring your own Marseille (or equivalent) deck if you have one (and if you don't, you'll probably want one after this workshop!*).

* Jean-Michel will have a limited number of Dodal and Noblet tarot decks available to purchase.

Jean-Michel David has taught Tarot courses over varying duration since the late 1980s. His current courses include a year-long course in Melbourne, an online pdf-based 30 week course, and he currently co-runs a three year study group on the book Meditations on the Tarot. His book, Reading the Marseille Tarot, will be officially launched at this event.

He was an organiser and a presenter at the 2005 International Tarot Conference. Jean-Michel has also featured on ABC’s Radio National with Rachel Knoh.

ALSO COMING UP: The next Association for Tarot Studies Convention, in association with J-C Flornoy, will be held September 2011, in Ste Suzanne, France, a wonderful location west of LeMans. The weekend has a fabulous line-up of keynote speakers as well as more intimate workshops and presentations. A must for anyone interested in tarot's history and its esoteric connections — no matter what your experience or knowledge! Places will be limited so booking early is essential. See the Association website for full details or contact Jean-Michel directly. association.tarotstudies.org and www.fourhares.com

Annie Dunlop (Australia)
The Painted Pips (Sunday)

THE PRESENT
For me a Tarot reading is a reflection of some aspect of life…a mirror. However, as a woman past her middle years, mirrors are approached with caution, and sometimes I try to avoid them all together!

‘We can predict the future when we know how the present moment has evolved out of the past’ C.G. Jung

As the Present I will be focussing on the illustrated pips in the Minor Arcana, and exploring how this adds to the way we read today. We will also look at:

• How we choose a deck to read with?
• What influences our choice?
• Is it culture, belief systems, colour or even size of card?
• What are our expectations of a reading?
• What are our client’s expectations?
• How do we incorporate the essential aspects of accountability, code of ethics, and duty of care into a Tarot reading in the 21st century?

Join me on this journey of reflection to find some answers to these complex questions.

Annie Dunlop, a past President of the Tarot Guild of Australia, has been reading the Tarot cards for more than 35 years, and teaches tarot reading, numerology and psychic development. She worked as a professional relationship and family therapist, latterly specialising in grief and loss. Annie has also worked in community education and training: running seminars and workshops for professionals working with death and dying; and presenting basic counselling courses for several organisations – training volunteers. Annie is passionate about tarot, her family (husband, four children and six grandchildren), and her cats. In her spare time she sews, paints and writes.

www.tarotguild.org.au

Fern Mercier (New Zealand) Symposium Organiser
Back to the Future (Sunday)

THE FUTURE
Peering into the future is part of Tarot’s work. Yet the future is always predicated upon the past and our history informs choices we make in the present. If we read tarot’s past it can help us reap what has been sown. Fern will reveal some of the trends she finds hiding in both past and present, that may prepare and enable us for the opportunities our still-new century will disclose. And the tarot will have the last word when we pull some cards to advise us what roles it will be playing in the 21st century.

Fern Mercier has been a practising tarot reader and astrologer for over 30 years and is an educator, writer and organiser in both fields. Her year-long Diploma Tarot Course is long-established and she is a founding member of the NZ Tarot Guild. Fern co-organised the NZ Tarot Summer School in 2002 as well as the arcana tarot art event in 2006. She has appeared on many popular TV and radio shows and written for numerous national publications. Fern has lectured and work shopped at many national and international conferences including Chicago 2003 and Australia throughout the last decade. Most recently she was a keynote presenter at the ATS Convention in Brisbane and spoke at the LETS Symposium in Oct 2010 – the first tarot gathering to be available worldwide through a live stream video webcast program. www.tarot.net.nz

Lyn Howarth-Olds (New Zealand) Symposium Organiser
Mini Master Class (Sunday)
Cartomantic Interpretations - includes a visual presentation

Workshop information coming soon.

Lyn Howarth-Olds has been involved in tarot for many years enjoying roles as a reader, teacher, mentor and conference presenter. Her focus at present is to unite her love of tarot with a growing interest in artistic ventures that celebrates the art of tarot in its many guises. 2011 will also see her travelling to Europe and the UK where she will present at the ATS Convention in St Suzanne, France (Sept) and take part in Arnell Ando's Tarot Art and History tour of Northern Italy.
www.tarot-ART.com

Danae Thorp (Australia)
Mini Master Class (Saturday)
The High Priestess in Business: Creating Abundance, Keeping True

Seventeen years ago I created a business called SpellBox from my love of magick, the tarot and the psychic arts. Holding my integrity while creating a successful business has always been my intention yet keeping all Elements in balance isn't always easy while dancing with the Devil.

Danae Thorp created her company Spellbox in 1993. Spellbox wares were – and are – sold all over the world. Her shop of the same name opened in 1998 nestled in the historical Royal Arcade in the heart of Melbourne's CBD. Spellbox is a spellbinding, enchanted place that opens the possibility of magic to the mainstream. Upstairs reading rooms see tarot practiced daily by many busy readers. In 2005, Danae opened The Witch’s House (also in Melbourne) where more readers practice, and classes on the magical arts are held. Danae is an astute tarot reader and an amazing business woman. Share some of her secrets about the commercial practice of tarot in the modern world whilst still retaining integrity and balance.www.spellbox.com.au

Franchelle Ofsoske-Wyber (New Zealand)
Mini Master Class (Saturday)
The Tarot, The Soul and the Wisdom of Nature

Discover how the 22 cards of the Major Arcana are a call from your wairua or spirit. Learn how they speak directly to your soul and guide your feet on your path of destiny.

Discover the personal ‘good medicine’ that you carry in this lifetime, the gifts that you were born with and have to share with the world.

Learn how you can move through your soul lessons in a dynamic and powerful manner more quickly and easily by identifying the powerful soul cycles in your life. Meet your speical plant allies from nature. Learn how the soul evolves by moving through 22 universal archetypal life challenges and soul lessons and how you can particate mor efully and consciously in this process.

Discover a simple technique to establish your life path and its correlation to the 22 keys of the major arcana.

According to Maori spirituality every cell in our body has three kete or baskets of knowledge. The three kete or baskets hold the pattern or blueprint for the souls journey – the past, where you have been; the present where you are now; and the future where you are going. Discover how to release the past, live an empowered present and smooth the path of your future.

You can live powerfully and dynamically in the present and walk confidently into your future by working with the 22 major keys and their corresonding plant allies. The Tarot holds the key for working with nature. Nature and tarot are inseperably linked. A simple technique will be provided that will enable you to transform your life by working with nature as your all

Medicine woman, shaman, healer ... Franchelle Ofsoské-Wyber began her extraordinary life work when she was just seven years old.

Born into an ancient lineage of seers, and medicine men and woman, as a young child Franchelle’s clairvoyant, clairaudient and clairsentient abilities were already well developed.

Franchelle is known as a matakite (one who sees with the healing eye) a genuine matatuhi (prophet) and a learner/teacher tohuna (keeper of the ancient secrets) in Maori culture. She has been fully initiated into the Kura Huna, the mystery school of the Maori.

She began her study of Tarot in the mid 1970’s in Australia under the tutelage of English Romany-Gypsy John Petulengro. She has successfully worked at a professional level as a Tarot reader for over 40 years combining her love of the Tarot with Astrology and New Zealand flower and plant remedies.

Internationally recognised as a shaman and modern day medicine woman, she has appeared on a number of international television programs and documentaries on New Zealand native flower essences, sacred plant medicine, divination, shamanism and natural healing. Considered a world authority on the sacred plant medicine of Aotearoa, Franchelle has pioneered the development of essences made from ancient species of native flowers, ferns, trees, seeds and plants from deep within the magical forests of New Zealand.

She is the author of the book ‘The Sacred Plant Medicine of Aotearoa.’ In 2008 Franchelle was awarded the New Zealand Health Industry Research and Development Distinguished Service Award in recognition ‘for pioneering, developing and establishing New Zealand native flower and plant essences to facilitate holistic healing’.

www.nzfloweressences.co.nz

Tarot Album Workshop (Saturday)
Create your very own Tarot Album

After a day spent ‘in your head’, you will wind down with this hands on workshop. Armed with no more than scissors and a glue stick, you will create a fabulous memento of the Symposium, that has the added bonus of being useable at the Sunday afternoon workshop*.

These unique little tarot albums are put together effortlessly so there is no need to worry if you don’t have a creative bone in your body!

*For those participants not attending both days you will not be disadvantaged – your album will still be functional without the added input from the Sunday workshop (and viseversa).

Workshop (Sunday)
The Fool has the Last Word

A hands on workshop where your cards come out to play in a converstion with The Fool integrating the themes of the weekend. Bring your favourite deck to work with.

Art Exhibition – Opening Friday

Information coming soon.

Victor McKenney

Victor Valour is an Auckland based artist working in a number of different media. His passion lies in Art Nouveau imagery and is constantly inspired by nature. He currently works at Two Hands Tattoo on Ponsonby Road in Auckland.

Sheryl Sefton – Textile and Paper Artist
Altered Books

Sheryl's practice is textile based and this love of fibre and threads is incorporated into her mixed media and paper art works. She has been a collecter of ephemera for years, so if a found object can be stitched down it is up for grabs! She enjoy teaching and encouraging all ages to just play and have fun, because for some reason, as we age, we tend to play less. Why is this?

For this exhibition Sheryl has created Altered Books with a tarot theme.

www.www.creativegiftdesign.co.nz

Kim Kirkbride

Information coming soon.

Ronnie WIblin

Information coming soon.

Sponsors and Supporters

Southern Symposium is generously sponsored by:

Southern Symposium is generously supported by:

For further information contact:
Fern Mercier | 09 361 3292 | fernmm@ihug.co.nz
Lyn Howarth-Olds | tarotART@xtra.co.nz