The Neuroscience of Tarot: From Imagery to Intuition to Prediction

by Siddharth Ramakrishnan

What happens inside your brain when you look at a tarot card? How do you attribute significance to symbols? In this book, Siddharth Ramakrishnan answers these questions and more as he explores the neuroscience behind intuition and proves that tarot readers aren't just making up their results.

Learn how your body and brain work together to process images, attach meaning, and elicit emotional responses, laying the groundwork for prediction. Filled with digestible explanations and dozens of exercises, this full-color, illustrated book teaches you what intuition is scientifically and how to enhance it for more accurate readings.

"Neuroscience of Tarot brilliantly bridges scientific rigor and mystical intuition. This unique and important book demystifies the complexities of neuroscience, presenting them in a manner accessible to all readers."—Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch and Mastering Magic

Genres: Tarot, Nonfiction, Psychology, Science

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2024

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Neuroscience of Tarot is a book about neuroscience – how the brain processes information, how the body informs emotional responses, how ‘instinct’ or ‘intuition’ function based on lived experience, etc – with a focus on tarot reading as a kind of example. It is more about the brain than it is about tarot, but it is also full of exercises to practice with a tarot deck and a journal (and sometimes a buddy) that will appeal to tarot readers.

There is a lot that works for me about this book. I really enjoyed the author’s outlining of neurology/brain correspondences with the major arcana and his slight reworking of the Celtic Cross; it’s not a spread I use much, but I like his approach to it. I like that a lot of the journalling activities involve calling on a friend to participate; this would be a fun book for a few interested readers to get together in a book group for. I appreciate the thorough bibliography and consistent citations – something way too many books in the tarot/esoteric space lack. The diagrams are clear, and the book was totally comprehensible to me as someone without a science background (but with a tarot background).

There are clear and deliberate attempts in the book to be inclusive, which I also appreciate. For instance, Ramakrishnan acknowledges aphantasia exists while discussing the ‘mind’s eye’ and visualizing; as a total aphantasiac, this is something that is way too often overlooked in visualization-heavy texts. I have mixed feelings about the author’s discussion of intuition and menstrual cycles; I appreciate his acknowledgment that menstruation is a part of some (but not all) cisgender women’s experiences, but it’s also a part of lots of other people’s lives as well and that could’ve been made clearer.

A few things didn’t quite work for me. I question the consistent use of astrology as the author’s other example of divination (ex. “looking at cards or a birth chart...”) and wonder if it might not be the most sensible one to include; I do view astrology as divinatory, certainly, but it isn’t (to me) the most straightforward to compare with tarot. It isn’t randomized (the planets are where they are, move at the speeds they do, etc.) and, for me at least, it’s far less visual (reading an ephemeris is less about the visual representation making one feel a certain way or have particular ‘gut’ responses than tarot is – for me, reading a birth chart and reading a tarot spread have overlaps but are in some ways very different processes, and the differences feel more germane to the subject matter of this book than the similarities do). I got confused every time the author referred to turning a card face down/up as “closing” or “opening” the card – I’ve never encountered this anywhere and it’s not intuitive language to me. I do think that some parts of the book were a bit over-explained; I appreciate the aim of accessibility, but this doesn't require this level of repetition.

I would recommend this book for folks interested in the brain and how it works, and interested in exploring how at least some tarot readers’ processes of interpretation unfold over the course of a reading. I would also recommend it if you’re interested in dissecting how you yourself read – there are lots of interesting prompts here.

[Michal Capell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Siddharth Ramakrishnan takes a deep subject and does a great job of breaking it down into layman's terms and concepts that are readily understood. That being said, while you don't need a PhD in neuroscience to benefit from this book, I must admit that a basic understanding of psychology and brain structures & functions would go a long way in helping you comprehend the material. Otherwise, the illustrations and glossary are more than ample enough to refer to if these are completely new areas of study for you.

Personally, I've long wondered what goes on internally (physically, mentally, emotionally) when engaging in tarot readings and other psychic phenomena. Here, the blueprints are laid out with relatable insights and easy to do exercises that will strengthen both your understanding of what's going on internally, as well as how external factors help shape and influence how you view and interpret a tarot reading.

This book is a great addition to the works on tarot. You will not find long-winded card descriptions of imagery and symbolism, which is not the purpose of this book. You will find, however, tools to look inside yourself to gain new insight into your readings, from a more scientific than spiritual point of view. I would recommend this book to anyone with a thirst for knowledge, those curious about the "how" and "why" behind doing readings the way we do.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a creative melding of two complimentary fields! I especially enjoyed the many exercises, a book that will surely get even more use with age. Great illustrations and practical examples too.

[Carissa 🦇 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked this a lot! as someone who’s always been sort of torn between science and mysticism this was a really good intersection of the two fields. will definitely be working through the exercises at my own pace but imo its a good read even if you dont plan to do them.

[Amanda Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally—a book that blends the magic of tarot with the clarity of neuroscience. The Neuroscience of Tarot is a fascinating dive into what’s actually happening in our brains when we look at a tarot card, pulling back the curtain on intuition and showing that it’s more than just mystical speculation. Siddharth Ramakrishnan brings a new level of depth and scientific insight to tarot, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

This book isn’t a dry science lesson; Ramakrishnan lays out how our brains process symbols and create meaning in a way that’s clear, engaging, and, honestly, kind of mind-blowing. The exercises are a big win, too—they guide you in using what you learn to fine-tune your own intuition and connect more deeply with your readings. Ramakrishnan’s work is groundbreaking, making it essential reading for anyone who’s wondered if tarot is more than “just in your head.” For anyone looking to blend mystical practice with a scientific edge, this is the one book that truly nails it.

[Clay Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fascinating Bridge Between Brain Science and Tarot

I found this book both insightful and refreshing. It opened up new ways of thinking about how the brain works, especially how much of what we perceive is shaped by projection and past experience. It made me pause and reflect: when I encounter something, how much is the thing itself, and how much is the story my mind is layering onto it?

I appreciated the way the author wove together neuroscience with the practice of tarot. It helped me see that the rapid connections and associations our minds make aren’t random, but part of the brain’s natural pattern-making ability. That shift gave me a new way of interacting with the cards, less about fixed meaning, more about intuition shaped by my lived experience of the world.

For anyone curious about the meeting place of science, symbolism, and intuition, this book offers a thoughtful, engaging guide.

[Awkward-ness · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book on neuroscience and cognition. Siddarth Ramakrishnan does a great job of breaking down concepts into easily understandable chunks. I particularly appreciated the abundance of diagrams and quick references to which specific parts of the brain corresponded with which specific element of cognition. Because you're getting into the nitty gritty of neuroscience, it really feels like you're learning a new language. I only did a few of the exercises but found them to be useful in deepening your understanding of the subject matter. Ramakrishnan isn't as entertaining as Michio Kaku but you really get his passion for tarot and neuroscience. It's a fascinating subject for tarot enthusiasts and cartomancers.


4/5

[Elesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines two of my favorite things: Tarot and neurology. It was a fascinating read with lots of great information. I've read Tarot for over 30 years so I'm always delighted to find books that go beyond the basics. The book is to the point and doesn't have a lot of filler where the author praddles on (which I like).

This book took me a few months to get through. Don't expect a quick read. I think I'll have to read it a few times to absorb it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but engrossing. It really blends Science with Tarot to come up with the answers we've been looking for and confirms we are in fact not making this s* up!

[Natka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Liczyłam na bardziej zaawansowane neuro, ale sam koncept książki bardzo ciekawy

[Jina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting read around what might be influencing how you interrupt a tarot spread. I'd like to revisit this book in a few years. I'm very much a novice around using tarot and oracle cards, so I found a lot of the self-reflection of no use to me since I rely so heavily on booklets still.