Tarot_Tips

"In small pieces, easy to grasp and digest, one technique after another is laid out before you. At a leisurely pace, but rather quickly for all that, the small ignorances and awkwardnesses of the apprentice are overcome and disappear. If you are an experienced reader, you will find neat formulations and well-stated answers to difficult questions that you can pass on to your own students. In the process, a considerable portion of the vast practical lore of the Tarot reader is organized and preserved." -Wald Amberstone

Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone-founders of the Tarot School and Readers Studio-combine two lifetimes worth of experience in their book Tarot Tips. What started out in 1998 as a free email Newsletter has snowballed into one of the major newsletters of its kind, answering queries from readers around the world. Mirroring the 78 cards found in a Tarot deck, the authors provide 78 practical tips in an engaging question and answer format.

Refreshingly absent of dogma and pontification, Tarot Tips addresses questions most every Tarot user asks at some point, as well as clever reading techniques not found elsewhere. Various esoteric and astrological correlations are highlighted, as well as spreads answering yes/no questions and other queries.

For example, "The Voice in the Card" is a technique where you draw a card and allow your eyes to wonder over the images. Eventually, you'll be drawn to a small detail in the picture, and this will hold a message for the querent-one most likely to have nothing to do with the traditional meaning. A student of Ruth's did a one-card reading via this method in the attempt to answer her question "How long will I be on jury duty?" Drawing the 10 of Pentacles, the student was draw to two greyhounds near the bottom of the scene. He then predicted that she would serve only two days. Navigating the labyrinth of jury duty, she ended up serving only two days.

Regarding health readings, the authors provide some examples of physical symptoms and card correlations. For instance, the 10 of Wands could indicate overwork, headaches and tension in the shoulder and neck. The 2 of Cups could indicate venereal disease while The Devil may point to chain-smoking and substance abuse.

Tarot Tips also provides intriguing methods for Tarot contemplation and meditation, determining birth cards, coping with the Tarot, and creating a Tarot Prayer Mandala. The practical aspects of ethical reading, creating spreads, choosing and cleansing a deck, reading "pop-outs", and much more are also covered. In addition to the wealth of personal insights shared by the Amberstones, they also offer resources such as books, websites, and deck publishers.

This book is a wonderful resource that belongs on the shelf of both beginners and experts. The Amberstones deliver divinatory depth in a deceptively simple, practical, and non-threatening manner making the Tarot a user-friendly tool for all.