Books vs. No books

[Eco74]

Love ya dearly, but I gotta call ya on this one.
<snip>
likewise off topic and argumentative.

Argumentative? Certainly, a little bit...
But off topic? Not entierly I think since most books on tarot are based on myths, stories and symbols that have been described in various religious litterature, fairytales and other stories both before and simultaniously to when they were used, incorporated in and referred to in the tarot.

My point is that if you've read books related to religion, books that describe archetypes, the collected works of Shakespeare or any old collection of fairytales - you will through that get a decent grasp of the meaning of a cup, coin and staff, the meaning of wishing on a star, be warned of the temptations of the Devil and be taught the moral of Judgement, the lesson of Temperance, the warning of the Lovers and the journey of the Hermit.


As for the flow of Glorp.
For me, one of the most effective ways of getting those recurring instant interpretations out of my head has been to think "what else could it mean" as I read a book on tarot, not stopping only at one of the aspects but going on to pursue more.
And with practice (something I'm currently feeling a bit out of) I can sense which of the potential meanings is the one that goes with the particular reading. And if I get stuck on the image, I can start listing a few in my head and see what sticks so it's also a kind of backupsystem.

 

[Psychebleu]

No, if you read the quote you quoted, it says - "a single book on tarot, symbolism, allegory, divination - something related to tarot" - which is what I repeat, in slightly different words, in my very last post: "all books that are directly relevant to tarot symbolism - books on symbols, myths & fairytales, symbolic poetry, kabbalah books, the Bible, Medieval art books, sacred geometry - that kind of thing" (emphasis added now). It's not backpedalling, but paraphrasing. Which is rather boring for everyone, I agree. [sorry - metadiscussion]

FWIW, when the OP asked about research and reading, and if and how it adds to one's ability as a reader - I took it to mean various book regarding systems of symbolism (that are so often incorporated into tarot cards) - including astrology, numerology, mythology (and for me, this include various holy texts), psychology, general symbolic reference books, etc. I did not assume he was referring to only books with Tarot in the title or shelved in that section of the bookstore/library.
For me, such reading outside of tarot-specific books has greatly enhanced my own reading and ability to relate the meaning I receive to a variety of querents. In fact, such reading is what lead to my interest in Tarot.

 

[berrieh]

I think it depends on your personality and your personal 'glorp.'

I was first given 2 Tarot decks when I was 12 (one to use and one that was a hand-painted family antique) by my great-grandmother, who read Tarot. She taught me a bit, but I lost interest for a year or two, and she passed away, before we could get into really ‘deep study’ or anything. So, while I have some of her meanings, and a whole host of readings she recorded and predicted for my life – many events of which have come true, exactly as she said in scary ways, years later, so the lady was good – I never really learnt ‘her’ way of reading the cards. Nor do I think she wanted me to.

I don’t think she ever read a book on Tarot, but she read history and fairytales and had a suitable knowledge basis for astrology, numerology, etc. She knew and expressed many of the things that are in books, and because she had been handed the same deck she handed down to me, and because she had been taught by others, she had full confidence in herself by the time I knew her.

The books on Tarot do two things for me – they build understanding and they build confidence. Comparing decks is much more helpful for me to develop ‘meaning’ (and studying history, symbolism, numerology, astrology, etc) than the ‘Keywords’ are. The keywords are rubbish, in my opinion, but at the same time – comparing keywords from different sources brings new meaning, too.

But the greater things the books do is build confidence because I develop confidence through knowledge. Seeing decks builds confidence. Learning the numerological and astrological forces of the cards builds confidence.

The ability to read the ‘glorp’ is there or it isn’t. You can or you can’t. Maybe everyone can. I don’t know. It’s already there, waiting to be unlocked. What unlocks it is going to be different for all of us. For me, it’s knowledge. It’s seeing comparisons. My motto used to be ‘read but don’t buy.’ I’d sit in bookstores or libraries, reading every Tarot book I could. A lot were rubbish. Some were good, and I re-read them over and over to memorize bits and pieces. I could have looked at the cards for 100 years and not unlocked the ‘glorp’ that some of those books unlocked. I could have done 1 million readings and not unlocked the ‘glorp’ that some of those books unlocked.

So, to me, knowledge doesn’t hinder the ‘glorp.’ I don’t always stick to the knowledge of the cards in my readings. In person, I rarely do. I’m actually trying to learn to be a bit more ‘literal’ right now, because I tend to be ‘left-field-y’ at times, and I’d like to find balance. So, that’s my current ‘goal.’ But ‘knowing’ has never prohibited me from seeing, because the knowledge is fluid and evolving. So, I guess it depends on whether knowledge distracts you or not. For me, it’s not ‘distracting’ to notice a symbol.

For example, I don’t always notice each symbol, so when I notice it, I realize that’s ‘glorp’ seeping through and telling my logical mind to connect because it can’t quite give me the words in ‘glorp.’

Wow, that was a lot of times to use the word (no-word) 'glorp.'

 

[Splungeman]

Wow, that was a lot of times to use the word (no-word) 'glorp.'

It's too tempting NOT to use it!

 

[Umbrae]

I think it depends on your personality and your personal 'glorp.'

…I could have looked at the cards for 100 years and not unlocked the ‘glorp’ that some of those books unlocked. I could have done 1 million readings and not unlocked the ‘glorp’ that some of those books unlocked.

I really think so much depends on the person…same mountain – different paths…

Sometimes I’m driving down the road, look over at some hamburger stand off the side of the highway and BANG!!! Some connection I’ve never had before. I’ve seen that same greasy spoon a gazillion times, but never in that space at that time (which is all relative anyway) and connections of totally different things occur.

Same mountain…different paths.

All are sacred.

Only a fool disallows, or refuses to acknowledge the other routes.

 

[The crowned one]

I love books. They open my mind to so many possibilities I may have missed without them. I just consider what they have to say as someones advice and personal opinion, to be taken or tossed as I see fit. As far as tarot and books go, they were a comfort and a security blanket at one time. My intuitive mind seems to develop much slower then my logical mind and my learning mind is very quick, I feed it books voraciously but I have never assumed what I read to be based on fact or even written by those who know more then me ( but many writers do and I relish those books) I see books as I said above as idea's and opinions. I have outgrown that need generally speaking as it pertains to Tarot when it comes to divination not its history.

This forum/ INTERNET is a new sort of book, a never-ending story, but still a book of sorts. We all seem to be using it including those who say they do not need books

 

[Grizabella]

This forum/ INTERNET is a new sort of book, a never-ending story, but still a book of sorts. We all seem to be using it including those who say they do not need books

Excellent point! Not much difference between consulting others by picking up a book and consulting others by turning on the computer. You're still consulting what someone else thinks about it.

 

[stella01904]

True, but your understanding of "the more complex stuff" can enable you to see deeper into the messages of the cards and interpret the message to your querent. Not by feeding them numerology, astrology, elemental correspondences, or qabalah, but by uniting all of that WITH the intuitive image on the card. I think that is what Fudugazi is trying to say, and I agree.

After much thought on this (I was offline for the holiday, read some posts on my phone but couldn't post, arrgh...) I can tell you that my process doesn't involve synthesising "numerology, astrology, elemental correspondences, or qabalah" and uniting that with the "intuitive image on the card." Not being snarky, you understand, just curious: can you explain further how you synthesise all of that? (I love the creative process, I can watch endless documentaries and read endless accounts of things like musicians putting albums together, even though I don't play anything but the stereo, lol.)

I'm more inclined to do it like this:
Look at the cards. Let the general meanings bubble up. I like TdM best, so there is some simple numerology involved. I leave astrology, elemental correspondences and qabala to the Thoth crowd. I've studied these things, I just don't bring them to the reading. Then I look at the images and try to get a synthesis of the combinations. (I don't like the Celtic Cross or any of those spreads where you get lone cards like little islands all by themselves.) What are the people looking at in the neighboring card? What are their hands doing? Etc...) Relate this to the question. It may bring to mind something from a book - or not. There are not just books in the well, everything is there, from trash TV to profound revelations. If there is a story or anecdote that will illuminate the reading for the client, I give them that.

And let's not forget life experience. No life experience would equal the Comic Book Guy of Tarology, lol.

Very uncluttered. Just my personal approach. Not trying to impose it on everyone else.

Personally, the whole book or no book issue is one of personal preference. I prefer blending books on systems that some tarot decks incorporate along with intuition, and avoid books on specific tarot card meanings. The deck itself IS a book and its images are the "words".

I can't come down against books when I owe so much to Joseph Campbell, Jodorowsky, and countless others. I just find the overdependence to be worrisome. When Lenormand started catching on here in the states, everyone was going "Where do I find books in english?" All you have to do is spend time with the cards. The problem is, we've been programmed to buy, buy, buy.
Sometimes when you get a rash you don't need to buy an expensive miracle salve, you just need to use less detergent and rinse your clothes twice, lol.
There's a lot of snake oil going around.

 

[stella01904]

Excellent point! Not much difference between consulting others by picking up a book and consulting others by turning on the computer. You're still consulting what someone else thinks about it.

The difference for me is that the net is interactive, at least the forums are. You can question, ask for clarification, dispute a point...the other person is talking with you. It's more like a little pub than an book. The only difference is that you can find people who are "into what you are into" a lot more easily.

 

[EnriqueEnriquez]

When we love someone, we want to know everything about that person. The same thing happens when we love something. Reading all we can about the Tarot (or anything else we like) is part of our love ritual.

But there is nothing worst than feeling you have the other person completely figured out. Our passion takes a big blow right there.

In Spanish “to define” something translates as “definir.” This is: “de-fin-ir.” “de” means “of”, “fin” means “final”, “ir” means “to go.” In other words, “definir” (to define) is like “llegar al final,” this is (getting the final) word on something.

In my opinion, books that pretend to give us the “final word” on the Tarot aren’t useful. But those which fuel our passion are.

Best,

EE