"Required" reading?

alice_addams

I'll add my vote for Robert Place! :D

Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey was another one I enjoyed. It's by Sallie Nichols. It deals with the major arcana only, presented as a map of the Fool's journey. Once I was done with this one, I felt much more confident with the trumps.

When I saw this thread, my first thought was Tarot Games, by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw. After looking through it again though, I feel I must warn that it brings some heavy hippie flavor! (Not that there's anything wrong with that...just not my cup of tea.) I still want to recommend it, though, because I have used a handful of their ideas when having girlfriends over. As a "new-ish" reader, the games allowed me to share the Tarot with my buddies, provoke some great discussion, and provide some insight without the pressure of being The Tarot Reader. That's no mean feat! And everyone has enjoyed the games we've picked. I simply don't play the ones that don't do it for me...with 45 games in this book, you're sure to find something! (Off topic, maybe, but anyone know of other books like this one?)

ETA:
DeLightFull said:
I've worked with one deck of cards (Motherpeace) for many years so I know the basics but now I'm ready to take it to the next level.
I overlooked this part of your post the first read-through. You may very well want to read Tarot Games in that case...the preface is by Vicki Noble, the co-creator of the Motherpeace, and it could be a good companion for the deck.
 

ihcoyc

Greg Stanton said:
The first, particularly, has some rather harsh words for still commonly-accepted occult ideas about Tarot. The second volume is slightly kinder. People like Levi — whose ideas formed much of the philosophic framework of the Golden Dawn, not to mention conspiracy theorists — come off as starry-eyed dolts. Of course, the Golden Dawn and its members are portrayed (not as forcefully as I would have liked) as squabbling children.

The absolute most valuable thing you will take away from those two books is new courage to forge ahead and make up your own system. After all, all the "authorities" did the same thing.
 

Bernice

ihcoyc: The absolute most valuable thing you will take away from those two books is new courage to forge ahead and make up your own system. After all, all the "authorities" did the same thing.

I second that.

Bee :)
 

DeLightFull

I really appreciate the suggestions everyone. It's funny because I was expecting lots of people to suggest 78 Degrees of Wisdom and for some reason I haven't felt drawn to that book. So I'm so pleased to see the consensus around some other choices. Thank you everyone!
 

DeLightFull

alice_addams said:
ETA:

I overlooked this part of your post the first read-through. You may very well want to read Tarot Games in that case...the preface is by Vicki Noble, the co-creator of the Motherpeace, and it could be a good companion for the deck.


Aha... I will have to check this one out then, thanks for that tip!
 

strings of life

cardlady22 said:
It would help me if I knew a bit more about you and/or how you have approached reading and learning up until now.

Robert Place's The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination helped me get rid of the misconceptions I had about tarot.

I am picking this up tomorrow as well as The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages by Paul Foster Case

Diving right in. I am bookmarking this thread since it's helpful for me as well.
 

Grizabella

Wait, wait, wait! Don't decide till you consider Mary Greer's new book Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings! It's a great one. I didn't get so much out of her other books but this one is wonderful. I'm going to try again with her Forest of Souls sometime. I think I tried that one too soon in my journey. And 78 Degrees of Wisdom seemed a little dry to me, but Tarot Wisdom is a real winner with me.
 

Greg Stanton

Grizabella said:
Wait, wait, wait! Don't decide till you consider Mary Greer's new book Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings!
I think you mean Rachel Pollack. :)
 

Shade

Grizabela stole my idea! ;-) Pollack's Tarot wisdom is faboo (to use the clinical term) and might be a better fit for you than 78 Degrees.

Seriously though read at least one Pollack book, if 78 Degrees felt muddled then perhaps Seeker might be a better start. Also Mary Greer's tarot for yourself will be a nice balance to the studious Place and Huson books.
 

dai

I guess I can't recommend my own work according to forum rules?

Warm greetings to all, in any case...