Thus far, I've been to several one-off classes at the Seattle Tarot School, along with taking both the Basic and Advanced-level tarot series. I've also received a professional reading from Seven Star. I'm considering taking Series 3 there later this year.
What really impressed me about Seven Star is that both in her readings and her classes she approaches the tarot from a professional psychology background. In both her education, profession-related reading, and practical experience with clients in her former field of expertise, she works with the tarot in a way that I've not seen in other instructors. I've dabbled in Holistic Peer counseling and had already been introduced to several of the concepts she's addressed in class: archetypes, Ego Self vs. True Self, the idea that the client actually has the answers they need inside them and mainly need help in drawing them to the surface, even if the reader would make different choices in the same situation. Because I was already familiar with these concepts, I felt comfortable with participating in discussion in class - even when asking for clarification.
As a student I found having already had an interest in tarot and a familiarity with the deck I brought was helpful in the beginning classes. As long as a complete beginner isn't shy about asking questions, though, such knowledge isn't necessary. Indeed, even owning a deck isn't a requirement: Seven Star provides loaner decks, notebooks, and pencils for students who show up without them, as well as tea and coffee during class. Pre-registering for classes preferred, but students have shown up at her door, paid her, and been admitted to the one-off classes before. Seven Star is curious about decks she doesn't own, especially ones she's never seen before. She loves to keep learning about tarot, so long as such discussion doesn't derail the class topic at hand. As of this writing, students of her multi-week tarot series are also provided with their own notebook, binder, and weekly lecture notes.
As a client, I find Seven Star determined but fair. While I wouldn't call her strict, I will say that she is not amused by continued self-deception. She genuinely wants her clients to get to the heart of their matter, even if it means not answering the question they originally asked and getting to the themes behind it. We spent nearly two hours discussing four cards she pulled for me. Because she using a somewhat abstract deck, Tarot of the Spirit, the amount of meaning that she pulled from each card helped me to make more connections. I wasn't hung up on the type of spread done, and the way she drew cards felt very natural to me.
I am very impressed with Seven Star's teaching and reading talents, and highly recommend her to potential students and clients. read more
