Talkin' Tarot with Seth Vermilyea

Talkin’ Tarot With is a monthly feature designed to introduce my readers to different tarot readers from our wonderfully diverse community! Each month, I’ll be asking various tarot readers three questions about their tarot philosophy and style, plus pointing you to their websites and blogs so that you can learn more about them! I like to hand pick tarot readers that I feel are talented and interesting.

I love spotting tarot talent. It wasn’t hard for me to see that Seth Vermilyea of Coming Out Tarot had that certain something that makes him stand out amongst other tarot readers. He’s smart, deep, and modern. His blog is thought-provoking and helpful, making him one of those tarotists that go above and beyond the call of tarot duty as an educator as well as a reader.

With posts such as Never Be Scared Tarot is All Up In Your Business and How to Overcome a Painful Tarot Reading, his blog is one that you don’t want to miss. Best of all, he’s no fatalist. Seth is an action-oriented tarot reader, meaning he wants to see his clients take charge of their future. If you’re ready to activate your potential, this might be the reader to check out.

Bio:
Seth was born in Oregon. Oregon is a beautiful state but it is unforgiving and full of lessons. When he was six he watched his brother almost drown in the current of a river before his father was able to save him. He paid more attention to the language of the forest after that. His Irish grandfather taught him to live with Irish fairies who seemed to borrow books, socks, and other important things. At 10, he received his first tarot deck and started practicing immediately. Then at 16 he almost drove off the side of a cliff when he hit some black ice. If you’re not paying attention in Oregon, you’ll go right off the side of a mountain and land in the Pacific ocean.

You’re always one decision away from changing the trajectory of our life. The question is how do you get the information you need in order to make that shift? At 21, Seth found the Haindl tarot and it all fell into place. The language of the forest, the fairies, legends from the pacific northwest Indian tribes, and the opportunity to jump off the cliff of his choosing.

Seth now lives in Chicago with his husband and roughly 10 (give or take) rescued ferrets. He’s a Tarot Reader and a project manager rolled into one. Not surprisingly, this duality marries the mystical and the practical to get things done.

Current Projects:

Mindfulness Monday https://comingouttarot.com/mindfulness-monday/
- MM is a way for you to be more thoughtful and aware so that you can move the outcomes of the events that occur during the course of your week in the direction that you’d like them to go. It’s a practice, not a prediction or a destination.
Excellence – https://comingouttarot.com/excellence
- Excellence is a self-improvement journey for 2018 that will help you better understand your unique contributions while paving the way for personal growth. It draws attention to what you want to achieve, what you’d like to let go of and/or enhance, and how you can plan for success.

Check out Seth’s answers to my questions below:

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Q: What is your philosophy about tarot reading?

Seth: I think tarot confirms where you are today and gives you the steps you need to achieve your goals tomorrow. The best part about that is that’s what I think. There are so many different ways to approach tarot and that’s why there are so many different tarot readers.

Some readers want you to tell them very little before you sit down and have the reading with them. I want you to tell me everything you possibly can about your question. I want to know all the work you’ve done up until the point that we are sitting together. Because I don’t want to rehash things you already know. Why would I want to do the work that you’ve already done? If you’re coming to me for the insight you don’t have right now, let’s get to that instead of having a conversation about things you already know. Let’s move you forward!

Tarot is not a single player support. It requires the collaboration of all parties involved during the course of the reading. Even if you’re reading for yourself you’re connecting to something greater. So it’s not just you. You are not alone. I think tarot reminds us that no one is alone and that we’re all connected. That we’re all one.

One of the reasons that I do the work I do is because it is my desire to leave everything better than I found it. My father taught me a lot of lessons and this was the most important one.

When I get a chance to come up with creative solutions with other people and drive excellence, I know that the outcome of that work is going to be that something is better than I found it. Not surprisingly, my dad also taught me how important it was to work with other people. Because I’m really good about trying to do everything on my own. That ended up translating to being a leader who works with successful teams. My client and I are a team.

I know everything has its season. I’ve watched the seasons change for 40 some years. But what’s amazing to me is that when I’ve been a part of making something better, when I’ve helped walk someone from winter to spring, that’s when I feel like I’ve left a legacy.
Q: How do you feel a client might get the most out of a reading with you?

Seth: When we’re sitting down for a reading, in person or FaceTime, returning or no, there’s always some anticipation in the air. Because your question is so important. Change is hard and transformation isn’t easy and that’s the journey we’re about to go on together. So I do my best to give you the space you need to feel comfortable. Sometimes that means talking a bit. Sometimes it means ripping off the band-aid and getting right to it. I can usually tell. The people who want to get right to it have their pen and paper ready. The people who are little nervous will either tell me they’re a little nervous or they’ll say something like, “how does this work?” So we talk for a bit.

If you really want to take your time with me to the next level, be open to the messages that come. Trust the magic of the moment. And talk to me. You can ask me to explain a concept I throw out in more detail. You can ask me about something you see in the card. It should feel like you’re having pie and coffee with your grandma at the table after Thanksgiving dinner. Or maybe one of the Golden Girls’ late night sessions in the kitchen. Because it’s about your life and not cousin Carol’s.

One more thing. I also created a reading follow-up plan that you can use for any reading. It’s awesome for people who need a kick in the ass and it’s perfect for people who love to organize the hell out of everything.

Q: What is your best piece of advice for an aspiring Tarot reader?

Seth: Above all, read. Surround yourself with people who challenge ideas and engage. Then live your interests, skills, and your desire to change something for the better.

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It was a delight to chat with Seth. Learn more about his work and grab a reading right here.

Blessings!

Theresa