Customer Reviews

Seeker: The Tarot Unveiled

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is probably the most approachable of all of Rachel's works
and the shortest, there is something to be said for keeping her concise. That said this book is a wonderful introduction to the Rider Waite Tarot.

An example from the book on the Moon card,
Keywords: Instinct, Mystery, journey and wilderness. Craziness (lunacy) and creativity.
Astrological sign: Pisces
Musical Note: B
Idea: Gift of Imagination
Challenge (a nice way to handle the reverse side) FEAR

She mentions that there are no people here, the only Major Arcana like that, and it is propitious for artists and writers and people who deal in dreams (I do a alot of dreamwork for my clients using the tarot probably why I am attracted to this card).

Reversed she says that it shows we are resistant to the powerful forces of accepting something, that may be more primitive, primal or larger than ourselves.

In the back of the book are several great spreads, probably about 12, including her favourite Situation/Don't Do/Do.

For advanced readers getting this little lovely is a nice reference guide and the spreads are very helpful. For the beginner it is just wonderful. The bibliography sadly is a loss,
but otherwise the book is just tops.

"...Tarot does more than just give us information. It gives us tools to make real changes in our lives. This is because Tarot works in pictures, and pictures are very powerful." - From the book

Learning the Tarot can be a daunting task. These seventy-eight beguiling cards are laden with symbols, associated with the four elements (plus Spirit), and are often read reversed in addition to their upright meanings. For some, the sheer amount of information connected to the Tarot can be downright overwhelming.

Tarot author Rachel Pollack, author of the renowned book Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, has written an engaging new book designed for those just beginning their journey with the cards. Geared towards teenagers, Seeker - The Tarot Unveiled gives a brief overview of the origins of the Tarot, answers a few frequently asked questions regarding the cards ("Does someone have to give me my Tarot deck?"), and provides general upright and reversed meanings for each card.

Pollack dedicates two to three pages to each of the Major Arcana cards, while the Minors get about a page and a half of exposition. Pictures of the Universal Tarot are used in the book (although the author often mentions the Rider-Waite-Smith renderings), and a sidebar provides at-a-glance associations. For example, the sidebars for the Majors detail:

* Keywords
* Astrological association
* Musical Note
* Gift (upright meaning)
* Challenge (surprise events)

The Minor Arcana sidebars show:

* Keywords
* Elemental Quality
* Number Quality

The Court card sidebars are similar to the Minors, except that court quality replaces number quality. For example, the Page of Swords court qualities would be young and energetic while the elemental qualities would be air and mind. Keywords for this card are caution, alertness, intelligence, study, and high principles.

Pollack also dedicates three pages to the numerical patterns of the Minor Arcana and explains how these themes develop according to the suit and its own basic qualities. The end of book catalogues various 3-card spreads, as well as seven additional spreads using more than three cards (including the Celtic Cross). A few of these more complex layouts are spreads dedicated to special issues such as conflict, pressure, and sexual choice.

Seeker: The Tarot Unveiled is a fine introduction for those unfamiliar with the Tarot, especially for females ages 15-17. Pollack distills her wisdom into manageable chunks, bolstering confidence in young readers. Those already familiar with the Tarot won't find much new here, but this book does provide solid, basic information for at-a-glance reference-especially with the helpful sidebars. Individuals over the age of 20 or so may tire of the references to SAT's, teen pressures, backpacks, boyfriends, and college choices.

Pollack shows individuals the what of Tarot and, to some extent, the why. However, if you're someone who is serious about learning the Tarot and its traditional symbolism and correspondences-as well as how to read intuitively and form your own card associations-then I suggest getting The Complete Tarot Reader by Teresa Michelsen, instead. Another good choice for teen girls is Maria Shaw's Tarot Kit for Teens. A big plus for Shaw's kit is that is not only comes with a book, but also the Universal Tarot deck and a black organdy bag.

(Note: Llewellyn recently put out Shaw's kit. Why must there be yet another beginner Tarot book for teens?)

I own a new age bookshop in the U.S. When customers ask me for books on how to read the tarot cards I always recommend the great Rachel Pollack. She is the world's expert on the tarot. This book is great for teenagers who are new to tarot. It suggests spreads especially suited to the needs of young women. This book is selling very well.

Rachel Pollack did the bible of tarot 'Seventy eight degrees of wisdom'. 'Seeker' is another informative book on the tarot. The cards can be used to learn the truths about our lives and jobs and all aspects of our lives. In this day when fundamentalist religious groups are seeking to impose their views on the rest of us, the tarot is a warm spiritual guide to life. I would certainly recommend this book to teenagers who are interested in spiritual truths. Books like this could be very helpful to youth.

I am 28 years old and I will be giving this book to friends of mine who are teenagers. Teen girls in particular can learn alot with the tarot and this book shows them how to do it. Rachel Pollack is the world expert on the subject of tarot cards. 5 stars for sure.

My mother gave me this book as a gift. It is a marvellous intro to the cards. I am 21 and am very interested in mystical topics. Ms. Pollack is a major leader in tarot and writes a book that is totally approachable. She is a sweet soul who cares about her readers. I plan to buy her books 'Forest Of Souls' and 'The Kabbalah Tree.

I have just finished reading SEEKER: THE TAROT UNVEILED. I have been a student of the cards for many years and it was Ms. Pollack's earlier works that showed me how to use the tarot as a source of knowledge and inspiration. SEEKER : THE TAROT UNVEILED is a perfect book for newcomers to the tarot and for people who have studied the cards for years. She shows us how to use our native inborn tuition to work with the cards and use them to guide us through life. Tarot is not about some petty fortune telling, but a philosophy about life and our relationship to the universe.

Definitely oriented toward the young reader. Analogies are to how people behave in school, e.g. Not a bad read for an adult, but not really written for adults.

Her latter work regarding the Tarot and the Kaballah is sooooooooooooooooooooo much better! I like Ms. Pollack very, Very, VERY much!!!

***Her _Forest Of Souls: A Walk Through the Tarot_ Sep 1, 2002 is an incredibly novel work regarding the Tarot and--more importantly, I think--where the Tarot is GOING . . . Very awakening and insightful!