Divinatory Reflective Memoing: Tarot as a Sacred Path Into the Invisible for Critical Learning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Queering Theory and Method: Divinatory, Embodied, and Relational Ways of Knowing (Table 4)

Abstract

This paper introduces "divinatory reflective memoing," an innovative research method that combines Tarot readings with traditional reflective memoing. Conducted before and after teaching a university-level course, divinatory reflective memoing explores the somatic, embodied, and often invisible dimensions of the research process. Drawing from indigenous epistemologies (Cajete, 1994; Smith, 1999) and somatic awareness, the author used tarot to illuminate the hidden aspects of the researcher’s body and emotions. This approach uncovers what may not be immediately apparent in designing, teaching, and learning. By presenting divinatory reflective memos from the semester, the author reflects on how integrating personal divinatory practices can provide deeper insights and enhance the design and research process.

Author

• Kachine S. Kulick, University of Colorado - Boulder