Customer Reviews

Tarot Tips (Special Topics in Tarot Series)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With this book you won't get just another Tarot book with pages and pages of card interpretations and just a few inadequate pages of instructions on how to conduct a reading. This book is basically concerned with the how, whys, and wherefores of conducting readings. It was created from real questions from real people looking for practical advice on dealing with the cards. These questions, with the very practical advice given in answer, are then arranged according to topics laid out in the table of contents.

This is one of the best references that any person interested in Tarot, from the seasoned reader to the neophyte, could invest their money in. The work not only stands alone as a great reference, but would work together with many works on Tarot that have great card interpretations but little practical information on how to conduct a reading.

I've read this book several times and have incorporated in my own readings much of its advice. I've been privileged to be able to attend Wald and Ruth Ann's Monday evening classes in their NYC Tarot School and have obtained a degree from them. I now count them among my close friends and am working toward a second degree. For me this book was a great adjunct to these classes and a great reminder of much of what I had learned from them. However, as with any class, you can only cover just so much and this book is packed with more information than any class on Tarot could fit in.

For those of you who would never be able to take a class at Wald and Ruth Ann's Tarot School this book is a blessing. In it you get the benefit of being able to pick the brains of two of the Tarot world's great instructors. (...)

"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.

While the other reviews go into great detail about this book, I feel that I would give you my impression of it and what I got from it.

First of all, this book is written in a question/answer format. While in the beginning I found it a bit annoying, I found that these questions and answers cover some of what I myself would ask.

I somewhat disagree with the review who says this is for beginners. I've been studying Tarot for years... off and on and still found little jewels of wisdom contained in these pages. I learned that the spread itself has a lot to do with the reading. One does seem to get stuck on the Celtic Cross. Why? Because everyone else seems to do it. I now feel more secure in doing other spreads or making up my own.

The book does stress focusing on the person you are reading for, and addresses what to do when you draw a blank. Feed back is essential for a good reading as well as paying careful attention to what your querent is asking and/or feeling. To try to get to the root of the question in order to get a specific answer.

Anyway, I thought this book was well worth the read, and I will be checking out the Tarot School website. These authors seem to want to update and add info in a timely manner.

Thank you to the Amberstones for giving me a new and different perspective.
MEF

Oh yes, you definitely need to keep this one close to your cards. It's a practical, logically presented series of questions and answers that you will refer to again and again.

I thought this book wasn't very good at first, but I stuck with it to give it a chance. I have studied tarot for quite some time and went back to school recently for my masters in pyschology. The book isn't bad, it just leans alot on the opnions of the authors, which is honestly stated. Alot of the explanations of card relations are "could be" this or that and you might think it is something else.

I do how ever respect the authors, thier school and love for tarot. It's a good read for new comers who want to hear educated opinions about the Rider-Waite deck. Also, everyone should own a Rider-Waite deck at least for education, symbolism and history, if not for general use. New comers should get a deck for use with this book.

Although not all of the book worked for me, I did learn quite a few ways of looking at things, some interesting facts, and I thought the authors story was open and helpful. So now that I've completed the book I give it a average raiting for lifelong students and new comers.

This book has not left my side since it arrived. The questions were submitted by people like me, and the answers ring true. I recommend this book for any Tarot student to gain a better understanding of Querents and Readers of the Tarot. There are also questions on how to read for one's self, which are answered in detail. If you are a student of Tarot, I highly recommend this book.

Great book to read through. It's filled with questions from readers, and answers by the Amberstones. I'll bet you'll find some of your questions answered in this handy book. Highly recommended.

The tips were very helpful and actually made a difference in the quality of my readings.

this is a very good book for tarot beginners. But, even an experienced reader will find this book helpful.
It's written in the form of:
Q:
A:

This book is excellent for people seeking answers. It's a bit like having a mentor to answer some basic and some advanced questions. In a Q&A format, information ranges from spreads, types of decks, specific styles of reading, and esoteric views of tarot.

Easy to understand, and clear in its expectation you take away what you need, but not a dogmatic approach.