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THE HEART OF THE TAROT |
The premise is simple. Take the first two cards of the Celtic Cross spread and give them the majority of, if not the total, emphasis in your reading. My initial gut reaction to this is that this will never be more than a 10-minute reading. Having not only read the book twice, but also having started using this two card technique in a number of reading situations, (especially quick hit readings like phone lines and psychic fairs) I can attest that the wealth of information in these two cards can be harvested for as much or as compressed a period of time as you need.
The book begins with a chapter called "Tarot 101" which I almost skipped; however, this chapter does a very good job of very quickly (13 pages) not only giving some "have-yet-to-buy-a-deck" information, but also some great insight into the importance of questions and Tarot as a modern day Oracle.
The next chapter, also brief, presents the Celtic Cross spread and then goes on to present the Challenges Spread, the two-card heart of the Celtic Cross. At this point the book begins with the Major Arcana and makes its way through the deck, with a brief stop before stepping into the Minor Arcana to explore the unique role played by numerology and the Court Cards.
The book uses the Rider-Waite and the Robin Wood decks in the discussion of each card. I found this to be very helpful. Particularly in instances where there are great differences between the same cards in both decks, the authors' analysis of the symbolism in the cards and their ability to find common ground on which to build a theme for each card, helped me find new levels in cards I have worked with for three years.
After each card is analyzed and a central theme established, the authors then offer possible meanings should the card appear in the first position (current situation) or the second, crossing position (challenges). There are usually three or four options for each card, focused enough to get the point across, yet open enough to allow the reader's own discoveries.
In the appendix, the reader is walked through a number of example spreads, which, I felt were redundant. I was ready to put the book down at that point and begin utilizing what I had learned. The writing had been so effective up to that point that I found myself thinking ahead to what the example spread meant before I read it (maybe that was the intention).
This is a must-have for anyone wanting a new spark in their reading techniques. Even though the theory may not be revolutionary, the insights given on the cards by these three writers, creators of "The Lover's Tarot" and "The Spiritual Tarot", is a definite psychic kick in the pants. For new students of Tarot, it will teach you to focus on the heart of the Celtic Cross spread, an area often rushed through to get to the "Future" and "Outcome" cards.
"The Heart of the Tarot" (0-380-80900-I)
is a new offering just published by HarperSanFrancisco out of New York.
The writing style is casual and enjoyable with several correspondences
and quotes which I found both insightful and humorous. A great book, a
valuable resource and a new learning tool.
"HEART OF TAROT: An
Intuitive Approach ",
Sandra A Thomson, Ed. D., Robert E. Mueller, Ph.D., and Signe E. Echols,
M.S.
© Llewellyn Publications
Images used by kind permission from HarperCollins.