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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot and Fortune-Telling
You're no idiot, of course. You've had your "fortune" read and know that Tarot is an ancient and fascinating art form. But when it comes to understanding what the Hermit and High Priestess tell you, you feel like a fool--though not the adventurous Fool in the Tarot deck. Take fate into your own hands! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot and Fortune-Telling deals you the cards and explains what the pictures say about you. Soon, you'll be off on an exciting journey of self-discovery. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:
- GenresTarot
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1998
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83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 9, 2017
This is a pretty solid introduction to the world of Tarot. After reading this, I know enough to do a reading for myself. There was information included in the book that didn't really relate to Tarot, but was interesting to read. I liked reading about the connections between Tarot and numerology/I Ching/astrology. The only complaint I have is the author wrote that drawing certain cards means specific events will--not might--happen to you (e.g. new baby, new job, etc). She used very certain language, and I think that can be misleading.
Want to read
September 28, 2007I admit, I want this book just for the giggles!
November 4, 2024
A USEFUL INTRODUCTION TO TAROT CARDS, AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS
The Introduction to this 1999 book states, “The Tarot can be a wonderful tool to help you get in touch with yourself. Instead of waiting passively for life to happen to you---reacting to events and emotions without fully understanding or appreciating what’s going on around you---you can use the Tarot to enhance your active participation in the events and emotions of your life. Nothing but a pack of cards, you say? Think again. The Tarot can lead you on a marvelous journey of self-discovery. And you hold the key!”
Author Arlene Tognetti states in the first chapter, “We’ve seen you lingering in the New Age section of your local bookstore eyeing the Tarot decks… Flipping through the deck, the medieval-looking drawings on the cards seem to exotic; what could these mystical talismans mean for you?... From time to time, we all look for guidance…. We have so many choices to make every day!... Who can help us make our choices? And how will things turn out? Tarot is one of many metaphysical tools that allows us to look into our lives and find out some extra information we hadn’t really understood or hadn’t known about before. Working with the Tarot brings to light a confirmation you’ve always known (your own inner wisdom), or adds a new perspective to a perplexing question or problem. Tarot gives the guy in the Seven of Cups a context for understanding not only what his choices are, but how he feels about them.” (Pg. 3-4)
She continues, “The Tarot opens your intuitive sense. Its pictures stimulate your ‘gut’ feelings… The Tarot cards absorb the thoughts, ideas, and curiosity of the person who shuffles the deck. By shuffling and concentrating on the question at hand, it’s your energy that’s being reflected through the deck of the Tarot. Your subconscious wisdom is shuffled into the cards… the relationships between the cards reveal your personal wisdom as you infused it into the deck. The 78 cards of the Tarot deck are divided into 22 ‘Major Arcana’ cards that lead us through the archetypal passages in life’s journey, and 56 Minor Arcana cards that illustrate the various things that happen to each of us from day to day… The Minor Arcana are further divided into four suits: >Wands >Cups >Swords >Pentacles… Each of the four suits has 14 cards: ten numbered cards (the Ace through ten) and four royal cards (a Page, Knight, Queen, and King).” (Pg. 6)
She explains, “People who have studied the Tarot for many years … are called Tarot readers… IN addition to understanding Tarot cards, Tarot readers have strong backgrounds in disciplines ranging from psychology to mythology, and recognize that a reading opens up life’s possibilities rather than narrows them down to an inevitable course of action… The best Tarot readers understand that no card has any one meaning, but rather is a METAPHOR for a variety of interpretations. The person asking the reader a question is called the ‘Querant.’” (Pg. 8) She suggests, “Tarot’s an instinctive art---and you’ll instinctively know when you’ve found the right Tarot reader.” (Pg. 246)
Later, she adds, “there are Tarot decks for every taste, from the traditional Marseilles deck to the Mother Peace deck, a modern feminist deck with its perfectly round cards (edges, after all, are masculine).” (Pg. 16) There are also “the Angel deck, the Aquarian deck, the Cat People deck, the Marseilles deck, the Morgan-Greer deck, the Native American deck, the Witches deck, and Zolar’s Astrological deck, to name just a few.” (Pg. 41)
She notes, “A.E. Waite commissioned artist Pamela Colman Smith to draw the deck you see illustrated in this book (called the Universal Waite Deck) around the turn of the century. Not only was Smith the only female member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, she also had the unique honor of drawing the deck of Tarot cards. Waite insisted she do the drawing, despite the prevalent idea that ‘a woman couldn’t do it.’ Well, you see the results—they speak for themselves. The Universal Waite Deck… features the beautiful coloring of artist Mary Hanson-Roberts, adding yet another dimension to a classic Tarot deck.” (Pg. 20)
She adds, “The Major Arcana cards reveal the things that are destined to happen in your life… how the events that are already in motion will play out… the lessons you must learn in your life… A lot of Major Arcana in a reading mean the outcome of a situation is not in your hands. Each Major Arcana card is a step along the journey of your life.” (Pg. 99)
She says, “Reversed cards don’t necessarily mean the opposite of upright ones. A reversed card can indicate delays, more difficulties then expected, or a lesson that needs to be worked on. The reversed card reminds you that you’ll grapple with this particular lesson again and again---until you get it right.” (Pg. 103)
Of the ‘Death card,’ she states, “the Death card comes up a lot whenever people are going through a change of attitude or lifestyle, who are realizing that their old way is truly obsolete. Death signifies that it’s time to move on, for the old to make way for the new. We never predict the death of a loved one or the Querent in a reading, and neither does the Death card. We don’t want to add unwanted fears that could harm in some way.” (Pg. 132)
She states, “Shuffling the deck is one of the most important aspects of the reading. How the deck is shuffled helps put the energy of the Querent, or seeker, into the reading. The Querent should always be the one to shuffle the deck, and should do so as many times as he wants. Whether it’s five times or ten, the Querent should feel comfortable with his shuffling. Having the Querent do the shuffling accomplishes two things. First, it gets him to concentrate on this big deck, and second, it focuses his energy and subconscious thoughts on the Tarot. Readings shuffled by the Querent tend to be more accurate because the reader gets the feel of that person very quickly and accurately.” (Pg. 251)
She outlines “three of the most common Tarot spreads: the Three-Card Spread for a quick answer; the Seven-Card Spread for ‘higher knowledge’ about a question; and the classic ten-card Celtic Cross, which provides all the information you need to know about a question…” (Pg. 255) Later, she adds, “A Seven-Card Spread adds divine wisdom to the mix. The Celtic Cross… takes a question from its roots to its outcome.” (Pg. 271)
She acknowledges, “Crystal balls are one of the media used by ‘scrying,’ which involves using a reflective surface to see images of divination… Crystal balls are pretty expensive these days, so you might want to try something a little cheaper before you go out and invest in one. As with the Tarot, the imagery you see in crystal balls is highly subjective.” (Pg. 326)
Later chapters deal with Dreams, Astrology, and Numerology.
This book will be of keen interest to those seeking a good ‘overview’ of Tarot; although it is less useful for other kinds of fortune-telling.
The Introduction to this 1999 book states, “The Tarot can be a wonderful tool to help you get in touch with yourself. Instead of waiting passively for life to happen to you---reacting to events and emotions without fully understanding or appreciating what’s going on around you---you can use the Tarot to enhance your active participation in the events and emotions of your life. Nothing but a pack of cards, you say? Think again. The Tarot can lead you on a marvelous journey of self-discovery. And you hold the key!”
Author Arlene Tognetti states in the first chapter, “We’ve seen you lingering in the New Age section of your local bookstore eyeing the Tarot decks… Flipping through the deck, the medieval-looking drawings on the cards seem to exotic; what could these mystical talismans mean for you?... From time to time, we all look for guidance…. We have so many choices to make every day!... Who can help us make our choices? And how will things turn out? Tarot is one of many metaphysical tools that allows us to look into our lives and find out some extra information we hadn’t really understood or hadn’t known about before. Working with the Tarot brings to light a confirmation you’ve always known (your own inner wisdom), or adds a new perspective to a perplexing question or problem. Tarot gives the guy in the Seven of Cups a context for understanding not only what his choices are, but how he feels about them.” (Pg. 3-4)
She continues, “The Tarot opens your intuitive sense. Its pictures stimulate your ‘gut’ feelings… The Tarot cards absorb the thoughts, ideas, and curiosity of the person who shuffles the deck. By shuffling and concentrating on the question at hand, it’s your energy that’s being reflected through the deck of the Tarot. Your subconscious wisdom is shuffled into the cards… the relationships between the cards reveal your personal wisdom as you infused it into the deck. The 78 cards of the Tarot deck are divided into 22 ‘Major Arcana’ cards that lead us through the archetypal passages in life’s journey, and 56 Minor Arcana cards that illustrate the various things that happen to each of us from day to day… The Minor Arcana are further divided into four suits: >Wands >Cups >Swords >Pentacles… Each of the four suits has 14 cards: ten numbered cards (the Ace through ten) and four royal cards (a Page, Knight, Queen, and King).” (Pg. 6)
She explains, “People who have studied the Tarot for many years … are called Tarot readers… IN addition to understanding Tarot cards, Tarot readers have strong backgrounds in disciplines ranging from psychology to mythology, and recognize that a reading opens up life’s possibilities rather than narrows them down to an inevitable course of action… The best Tarot readers understand that no card has any one meaning, but rather is a METAPHOR for a variety of interpretations. The person asking the reader a question is called the ‘Querant.’” (Pg. 8) She suggests, “Tarot’s an instinctive art---and you’ll instinctively know when you’ve found the right Tarot reader.” (Pg. 246)
Later, she adds, “there are Tarot decks for every taste, from the traditional Marseilles deck to the Mother Peace deck, a modern feminist deck with its perfectly round cards (edges, after all, are masculine).” (Pg. 16) There are also “the Angel deck, the Aquarian deck, the Cat People deck, the Marseilles deck, the Morgan-Greer deck, the Native American deck, the Witches deck, and Zolar’s Astrological deck, to name just a few.” (Pg. 41)
She notes, “A.E. Waite commissioned artist Pamela Colman Smith to draw the deck you see illustrated in this book (called the Universal Waite Deck) around the turn of the century. Not only was Smith the only female member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, she also had the unique honor of drawing the deck of Tarot cards. Waite insisted she do the drawing, despite the prevalent idea that ‘a woman couldn’t do it.’ Well, you see the results—they speak for themselves. The Universal Waite Deck… features the beautiful coloring of artist Mary Hanson-Roberts, adding yet another dimension to a classic Tarot deck.” (Pg. 20)
She adds, “The Major Arcana cards reveal the things that are destined to happen in your life… how the events that are already in motion will play out… the lessons you must learn in your life… A lot of Major Arcana in a reading mean the outcome of a situation is not in your hands. Each Major Arcana card is a step along the journey of your life.” (Pg. 99)
She says, “Reversed cards don’t necessarily mean the opposite of upright ones. A reversed card can indicate delays, more difficulties then expected, or a lesson that needs to be worked on. The reversed card reminds you that you’ll grapple with this particular lesson again and again---until you get it right.” (Pg. 103)
Of the ‘Death card,’ she states, “the Death card comes up a lot whenever people are going through a change of attitude or lifestyle, who are realizing that their old way is truly obsolete. Death signifies that it’s time to move on, for the old to make way for the new. We never predict the death of a loved one or the Querent in a reading, and neither does the Death card. We don’t want to add unwanted fears that could harm in some way.” (Pg. 132)
She states, “Shuffling the deck is one of the most important aspects of the reading. How the deck is shuffled helps put the energy of the Querent, or seeker, into the reading. The Querent should always be the one to shuffle the deck, and should do so as many times as he wants. Whether it’s five times or ten, the Querent should feel comfortable with his shuffling. Having the Querent do the shuffling accomplishes two things. First, it gets him to concentrate on this big deck, and second, it focuses his energy and subconscious thoughts on the Tarot. Readings shuffled by the Querent tend to be more accurate because the reader gets the feel of that person very quickly and accurately.” (Pg. 251)
She outlines “three of the most common Tarot spreads: the Three-Card Spread for a quick answer; the Seven-Card Spread for ‘higher knowledge’ about a question; and the classic ten-card Celtic Cross, which provides all the information you need to know about a question…” (Pg. 255) Later, she adds, “A Seven-Card Spread adds divine wisdom to the mix. The Celtic Cross… takes a question from its roots to its outcome.” (Pg. 271)
She acknowledges, “Crystal balls are one of the media used by ‘scrying,’ which involves using a reflective surface to see images of divination… Crystal balls are pretty expensive these days, so you might want to try something a little cheaper before you go out and invest in one. As with the Tarot, the imagery you see in crystal balls is highly subjective.” (Pg. 326)
Later chapters deal with Dreams, Astrology, and Numerology.
This book will be of keen interest to those seeking a good ‘overview’ of Tarot; although it is less useful for other kinds of fortune-telling.
June 4, 2013
decent beginner, introductory Tarot book. reinforced some things for me. wish this were the 1st or 2nd book i began on the Tarot, not the 5th. sorta wish the fortune-telling sections were left out because it makes the book a longer read, although they are not without merit. maybe not the best book to use as a reference but i would recommend this to someone who is just learning about the Tarot.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews