For many people, Tarot conjures up images of dark corners and shadowy figures. You pay your money, someone tells you what your future holds and you might not like what you learn.
If this is your impression of Tarot, perhaps it’s time to shine a little light into that dark corner and reveal Tarot for what it is and can be—a tool for personal exploration and growth. Toni Gilbert has been actively involved with Tarot in her healing practice for over a decade, and her expertise shows. Rather than working in the future, she stresses that Tarot is most useful for understanding the Now. Through working with the images on the cards, the conscious mind is put in touch with an accurate picture of a current situation or problem. Once the picture is presented clearly, the mind is better equipped to look for and understand solutions or ideas for changing the situation, also suggested through the cards. The person is able to look at the cards they have chosen and let the images speak to them directly, with guidance only as necessary. As the message of each card is understood and absorbed, the resulting dialogue can be very therapeutic, helping to resolve even a seemingly difficult problem with surprising ease. Gilbert shows how this process works with clear explanations and by including many examples from clients she has worked with.
Whether your purpose is to learn enough to find a Tarot practitioner to help you in your healing process, or to work with Tarot yourself, this book is a good place to start. A simple history of the Tarot cards and explanations of the Major Arcana, Court Card levels, and Minor Arcana are all included. Simple directions for various card spreads will help you experiment with giving yourself or a friend a Tarot card reading. Before you know it, your mysterious impressions of Tarot can be replaced by confidence in your ability to pick out a deck and use it as a profound tool for your spiritual growth.
---Sarah Saito
New Connexion-Journal of Conscious Evolution