 |
1-2-3 Tarot |
There have been several books written which profess to break Tarot reading into such simple steps that you can be reading in no time. I have found most of these fail to live up to either the simplicity or the speed they promise. What is lacking in these books is the preliminary explanation of how the system works. Mr. Tyson spends a great deal of time on how his system works. I found his chart which explains interactions between two Court cards based on how they face or don't face each other particularly interesting. This is information I will start using in my readings.
Most readers feel a special fondness for the efficiency and completeness of three-card spreads. For multiple reading situations, such as parties, they are invaluable. Mr. Tyson uses the three-card spread as a basis for opening up the world of Tarot to the new student. Even through the base unit is a three-card configuration, the technique uses these base units in multiples to cover every reading situation, while still maintaining one basic approach to interpreting the cards. As a result of this technique, by the middle of the book, a novice would be reading 12-card spreads with the comfort level of dealing with one fundamental three-card configuration.
Having tried Mr. Tyson's technique with two of my brand new students, I can verify that it works. Not only does it generate the excitement of being able to read immediately, it instills confidence by giving inexperienced readers a simple formula on which to rely.
Without giving too much away, this brilliant technique gives each card a part of a short phrase depending on its position in the three-card spread. By expanding on the section pertaining to the card and combining it with the phrases of the other two cards, you come up with a longer, complex statement which embodies the meaning behind the reading. I also applaud Mr. Tyson for addressing reversals in a beginner's book. I don't feel everyone should use reversals; however, my experience is that beginning students have a deep curiosity about reversals. In my opinion, not addressing the topic in early lessons, leads the student to imagine all sorts of misconceptions, e.g. reversals are evil or bad or opposite in meaning. I now have the same opinion of Court cards. (See my review of Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary K. Greer and Tom Little.)
Mr. Tyson also includes a wonderful bibliography of books focusing on the Golden Dawn system. I love Mr. Tyson's comments on his suggested reading list. I would have liked to see more books listed covering more areas of interest to the new reader, since his descriptions of the books are so rich and inviting.
1-2-3 Tarot by Donald Tyson (ISBN 0-7387-0527-6) is one of the simplest
and most in depth approaches to reading the cards that I have seen in
a long time. Even though intended for beginners, Mr. Tyson's card meanings
and Tarot sentences offer new insights into the cards. I would encourage
anyone who teaches to pick up this book due to its potential use in putting
new readers at ease quickly.