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Ancestral Tarot: Uncover Your Past and Chart Your Future
A practical, hands-on guide for using tarot to connect with your ancestors and gain access to their insights for healing, self-protection, and personal powers.
With a tarot deck in hand, listeners will learn how to identify and access ancestral gifts, messages, powers, protectors, and healers.
Tarot expert Nancy Hendrickson guides listeners through the basics of finding recent ancestors, and navigating the confusing maze of DNA and ethnic heritage. As a longtime tarot enthusiast, she shows listeners how to incorporate a metaphysical tool into a world of tradition.
Ancestral Tarot includes different journal prompts that lead listeners into self-discovery around ancestral gifts, wounds, and patterns they may have inherited. The better we know our ancestors, the better we know ourselves.
With a tarot deck in hand, listeners will learn how to identify and access ancestral gifts, messages, powers, protectors, and healers.
Tarot expert Nancy Hendrickson guides listeners through the basics of finding recent ancestors, and navigating the confusing maze of DNA and ethnic heritage. As a longtime tarot enthusiast, she shows listeners how to incorporate a metaphysical tool into a world of tradition.
Ancestral Tarot includes different journal prompts that lead listeners into self-discovery around ancestral gifts, wounds, and patterns they may have inherited. The better we know our ancestors, the better we know ourselves.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published March 1, 2021
131 people are currently reading
432 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Hendrickson
57 books68 followersNancy Hendrickson is a non-fiction author who writes about diverse industries for books, magazines and the web. Nancy has recently turned her writing talents to fiction, and is currently working on a cozy mystery as well as an historical time-travel novel. Nancy lives in San Diego, California and is available to give talks on all facets of non-fiction writing.
When not writing, you can find Nancy somewhere in the frontier west - delving into the people and events of a bygone era, all while listening to the tales spun by the resident ghosts. Nancy is the one with the Canon DSLR, the little Canon Elph and the digital recorder!
Catch up with Nancy at http://nancyhendrickson.com
When not writing, you can find Nancy somewhere in the frontier west - delving into the people and events of a bygone era, all while listening to the tales spun by the resident ghosts. Nancy is the one with the Canon DSLR, the little Canon Elph and the digital recorder!
Catch up with Nancy at http://nancyhendrickson.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 28, 2021
As someone who is well versed in tarot but has never done any kind of ancestral work, this was really helpful. I’m excited to dive in deeper to the exercises.
One piece of advice, and this in no way is a commentary on the quality of the book: I listened to the audiobook because that’s what was available at the library. That format doesn’t really work for this book since it contains a lot of spreads and diagrams, although the publisher does offer a supplemental PDF. I wound up having to buy the print copy too. Just a warning for anyone thinking of what format to read!
One piece of advice, and this in no way is a commentary on the quality of the book: I listened to the audiobook because that’s what was available at the library. That format doesn’t really work for this book since it contains a lot of spreads and diagrams, although the publisher does offer a supplemental PDF. I wound up having to buy the print copy too. Just a warning for anyone thinking of what format to read!
March 2, 2021
“Ancestral Tarot – Uncover Your Past and Chart Your Future” is a 202-page book whose intention is to act as a guide to using the Tarot to connect with our ancestors. In doing so we are gifted with their wisdom, their insights, their ability to heal, and their power. They are there to help us understand ourselves, to heal, and to find our own power.
In her foreword, Theresa Reed talks about perceptions that we may have about the family that we know, and how we can expand those perceptions by looking into our ancestry. Tarot can be used to address the past, as well as the future. Having always felt that I was the “black sheep” in my family, that I didn’t really belong, this was great news! I use the Tarot and dreamwork to connect with family that I knew that have passed on, but now there is a way to connect with ancestors that I did not know. Reed notes that tending to the roots of our past assures that the future of our families will flourish.
In her introduction Hendrickson notes that she knew at a very young age that her ancestors were part of the special tribe that she belonged to. As she grew older, she knew without a doubt that there was a world beyond the world that we know. She also notes that ancestral work is multi-faceted and that while some of our ancestors are willing to work with us, some are not. Ancestral work can trigger memories – hurtful ones, as well as loving ones. She reminds us that our ancestors were real people with real dreams. She also reminds us that ancestral work is sacred work.
Tarot spreads are included throughout the book, but the most important spread may just be the one that she asks the reader to do before moving into the book. It is a seven-card spread called The Journey Spread. She strongly suggests that the spread be kept in a journal for reference after the reader has completed reading this book. It is a powerful spread and sets the tone for the work ahead.
One of the first things that the reader finds out is that there are three major types of ancestors: Ancestors of Blood, Ancestors of Place, and Ancestors of Time. It is up to the reader which ancestor they want to work with at any given time. Instructions are given on meeting and working with your Spirit Guide, as well as creating a team of spirit helpers. Each chapter includes a Tarot spread relevant to that chapter, as well as journal prompts.
To work with this book you will need one or more Tarot decks, a journal to write in, and a pen or pencil to write with. I make my notes in an e-file because my handwriting is not easy for even me to read. Come to this work with an open mind, and the exercises in this book will give you a deep knowing of yourself and your ancestors. A bonus to this work is that Hendrickson shows the reader how to develop their own Tarot spreads, which is very empowering. She also addresses Sigils, Runes, working with a Pendulum, Oracle decks, and sacred tools (such as Petitions, A Personal Devotion, Gratitude, and Prayer.
At the end of the book, there are resources: Appendix A: Tarot 101, Appendix B: Tarot Practice Resources, and Appendix C: Genealogy Resources.
I found this to be a very profound book, and the Ancestral journey to be a very sacred one. This journey can bring up memories – both good and bad. If you hit a bad spot, put the work down for a short time. Work through it at your own speed. This is all internal work, and you will be a changed person if you choose to take this journey.
In her foreword, Theresa Reed talks about perceptions that we may have about the family that we know, and how we can expand those perceptions by looking into our ancestry. Tarot can be used to address the past, as well as the future. Having always felt that I was the “black sheep” in my family, that I didn’t really belong, this was great news! I use the Tarot and dreamwork to connect with family that I knew that have passed on, but now there is a way to connect with ancestors that I did not know. Reed notes that tending to the roots of our past assures that the future of our families will flourish.
In her introduction Hendrickson notes that she knew at a very young age that her ancestors were part of the special tribe that she belonged to. As she grew older, she knew without a doubt that there was a world beyond the world that we know. She also notes that ancestral work is multi-faceted and that while some of our ancestors are willing to work with us, some are not. Ancestral work can trigger memories – hurtful ones, as well as loving ones. She reminds us that our ancestors were real people with real dreams. She also reminds us that ancestral work is sacred work.
Tarot spreads are included throughout the book, but the most important spread may just be the one that she asks the reader to do before moving into the book. It is a seven-card spread called The Journey Spread. She strongly suggests that the spread be kept in a journal for reference after the reader has completed reading this book. It is a powerful spread and sets the tone for the work ahead.
One of the first things that the reader finds out is that there are three major types of ancestors: Ancestors of Blood, Ancestors of Place, and Ancestors of Time. It is up to the reader which ancestor they want to work with at any given time. Instructions are given on meeting and working with your Spirit Guide, as well as creating a team of spirit helpers. Each chapter includes a Tarot spread relevant to that chapter, as well as journal prompts.
To work with this book you will need one or more Tarot decks, a journal to write in, and a pen or pencil to write with. I make my notes in an e-file because my handwriting is not easy for even me to read. Come to this work with an open mind, and the exercises in this book will give you a deep knowing of yourself and your ancestors. A bonus to this work is that Hendrickson shows the reader how to develop their own Tarot spreads, which is very empowering. She also addresses Sigils, Runes, working with a Pendulum, Oracle decks, and sacred tools (such as Petitions, A Personal Devotion, Gratitude, and Prayer.
At the end of the book, there are resources: Appendix A: Tarot 101, Appendix B: Tarot Practice Resources, and Appendix C: Genealogy Resources.
I found this to be a very profound book, and the Ancestral journey to be a very sacred one. This journey can bring up memories – both good and bad. If you hit a bad spot, put the work down for a short time. Work through it at your own speed. This is all internal work, and you will be a changed person if you choose to take this journey.
Read
July 8, 2023I'm hesitant to rate this one. I listened to the audiobook and I think it would be much more useful to have as a paper copy for reference. The appendix alone is full of so much information! I plan to download the ebook at some point to go back through everything and make extensive notes.
March 6, 2023
This was an excellent and inspiring book that encouraged me to add Tarot to my ancestor devotional practice. I listened to the book on Audible, which does include a PDF to download with the spreads. The narrator was great, and the chapters gave me a lot to think about. I will definitely be purchasing either the ebook or paperback version, since I'm more of a visual learner, but listening to the audiobook was very enjoyable.
Want to read
September 12, 2021I only know the tiniest bit about my ancestors and tarot, but I'm very interested in reading about this combo.
March 28, 2021
Disclosure: I've received a free digital review copy and thus this review is based on the e-book. I've featured the author on my podcast last year, and plan to have her back on soon to discuss this book.
"Ancestral Tarot" is certainly a niche topic; this is the first book I've read on how to gain insights on different types of family members using the tarot and the first book I've read by this author. Nancy Hendrickson is a genealogist and prolific author on that topic but her passion is for tarot and other divination arts such as dowsing and numerology.
Nancy's voice is passionate yet direct and chummy which I find makes her book fun to read. If you're a rank tarot beginner, she demystifies the art really well and provides advice on various ways to pull the cards. Happily for me, a true pendulum lover, she covers dowsing for cards and also using sigils, runes, or lunar work. I enjoyed her tips for dowsing for cards, especially since I prefer not to over-handle my decks.
If you're a fan of exercises, rituals, and journal-prompts, Nancy has you covered. There is so much on offer here and her guidance is gentle and sound. Nancy includes loads of resources (having the e-book makes checking out the sites she cites super easy). She often opens her heart with anecdotes from her own experience using her processes, such as this story from the section on sigils:
"Before I began writing this book, I wood burned a sigil that was a combination of my parents' initials. I then left the sigil on their tombstone after saying a prayer and petitioning them for help. Standing there, I could feel the immense emotional power of what I had created. The energy was so overwhelming it made my entire body tingle."
Helpfully for those of us who are unaware of our ancestors, Nancy provides a rather wide-ranging definition including ancestors of blood, time, and place. She guides the reader on how to chose an ancestor to work with in order to answer questions about their lives and to heal relationships. Mostly, as Nancy states, "the search for ancestors is really about a search for self."
"Ancestral Tarot" is certainly a niche topic; this is the first book I've read on how to gain insights on different types of family members using the tarot and the first book I've read by this author. Nancy Hendrickson is a genealogist and prolific author on that topic but her passion is for tarot and other divination arts such as dowsing and numerology.
Nancy's voice is passionate yet direct and chummy which I find makes her book fun to read. If you're a rank tarot beginner, she demystifies the art really well and provides advice on various ways to pull the cards. Happily for me, a true pendulum lover, she covers dowsing for cards and also using sigils, runes, or lunar work. I enjoyed her tips for dowsing for cards, especially since I prefer not to over-handle my decks.
If you're a fan of exercises, rituals, and journal-prompts, Nancy has you covered. There is so much on offer here and her guidance is gentle and sound. Nancy includes loads of resources (having the e-book makes checking out the sites she cites super easy). She often opens her heart with anecdotes from her own experience using her processes, such as this story from the section on sigils:
"Before I began writing this book, I wood burned a sigil that was a combination of my parents' initials. I then left the sigil on their tombstone after saying a prayer and petitioning them for help. Standing there, I could feel the immense emotional power of what I had created. The energy was so overwhelming it made my entire body tingle."
Helpfully for those of us who are unaware of our ancestors, Nancy provides a rather wide-ranging definition including ancestors of blood, time, and place. She guides the reader on how to chose an ancestor to work with in order to answer questions about their lives and to heal relationships. Mostly, as Nancy states, "the search for ancestors is really about a search for self."
October 25, 2023
Overall, I liked this book, it has a lot of decent information that I will be using and adjusting to my needs. I don't have much to really dive into about my likes because nothing was really stand-out worthy. I sometimes found that in an attempt to relate the author goes into a lot of unnecessary detail about her own experiences.
I also picked up a hint of cultural appropriation approval from this book; I'm not really sure how to explain it, but I do feel like if someone just read this book they might get the idea that just because they're obsessed or "drawn to" a historic event/place that it meant they were part of the group from that event/place, and ergo it's okay to dive into appropriation full on. Maybe that's not the intent, but there were things said, the way things were said, that made me think this author would be willing to look the other way on cultural appropriation if I just told her "no, no, it's not appropriation, I'm ancestrally linked" and I, personally, don't think that's a great stance. We have to be able to do our ancestral work while also being respectful of others in this lifetime. This is a personal stance for me, though, and not really tied to the information given in the book, so take it or leave it.
I also picked up a hint of cultural appropriation approval from this book; I'm not really sure how to explain it, but I do feel like if someone just read this book they might get the idea that just because they're obsessed or "drawn to" a historic event/place that it meant they were part of the group from that event/place, and ergo it's okay to dive into appropriation full on. Maybe that's not the intent, but there were things said, the way things were said, that made me think this author would be willing to look the other way on cultural appropriation if I just told her "no, no, it's not appropriation, I'm ancestrally linked" and I, personally, don't think that's a great stance. We have to be able to do our ancestral work while also being respectful of others in this lifetime. This is a personal stance for me, though, and not really tied to the information given in the book, so take it or leave it.
September 28, 2024
Nancy Hendrickson’s Ancestral Tarot is one of the most heartfelt and meaningful Tarot books I’ve come across. There are plenty of books that help you read for yourself or others, but this one invites you to go deeper—to connect with where you come from and explore how the wisdom of your ancestors is woven into your own path. What sets it apart is how Nancy blends Tarot with ancestral work in a way that feels accessible, even if you’re coming to the idea of ancestor work for the first time. The way she guides you through using the cards as a bridge to your family’s legacy is both practical and profoundly moving.
One of the things that resonated with me was how Nancy approaches ancestral healing. She doesn’t sugarcoat the complexities of family history—she acknowledges that connecting with the past isn’t always easy, and there can be difficult patterns or unresolved trauma to face. But that’s where the strength of this book lies. Through her thoughtful spreads and journal prompts, she shows you how to approach these connections with sensitivity and respect. Her exercises feel like gentle conversations with your lineage, helping you discover both the gifts and the challenges you’ve inherited.
I tried her “Ancestral Gifts” spread, and it felt like the cards opened up a conversation with generations I never knew personally. It wasn’t just about divining the past; it was about feeling the presence of something larger, a reminder that we’re all part of a story that started long before we were born. I even found myself going back to old family stories, looking at them in a new light, wondering how those narratives might be playing out in my life now. Hendrickson’s guidance turned what could have been an abstract concept into something truly tangible and alive.
What I also loved is how she integrates practical genealogy tips with Tarot. She gives you tools for navigating DNA tests and family records alongside ways to tap into the metaphysical connections with ancestors you might never find in a database. The mix of practical and magical makes it a perfect blend of head and heart.
One of the things that resonated with me was how Nancy approaches ancestral healing. She doesn’t sugarcoat the complexities of family history—she acknowledges that connecting with the past isn’t always easy, and there can be difficult patterns or unresolved trauma to face. But that’s where the strength of this book lies. Through her thoughtful spreads and journal prompts, she shows you how to approach these connections with sensitivity and respect. Her exercises feel like gentle conversations with your lineage, helping you discover both the gifts and the challenges you’ve inherited.
I tried her “Ancestral Gifts” spread, and it felt like the cards opened up a conversation with generations I never knew personally. It wasn’t just about divining the past; it was about feeling the presence of something larger, a reminder that we’re all part of a story that started long before we were born. I even found myself going back to old family stories, looking at them in a new light, wondering how those narratives might be playing out in my life now. Hendrickson’s guidance turned what could have been an abstract concept into something truly tangible and alive.
What I also loved is how she integrates practical genealogy tips with Tarot. She gives you tools for navigating DNA tests and family records alongside ways to tap into the metaphysical connections with ancestors you might never find in a database. The mix of practical and magical makes it a perfect blend of head and heart.
May 7, 2021
Ancestral Tarot is written by a genealogist and tarot reader. It’s a ground-breaking book with lots of information to process. This book focuses on personal growth for the tarot reader, but can be adapted to using the tarot for others. I counted twenty different tarot spreads, all applications for many different purposes in the pursuit of your place in time, place, and family history.
This is a book which lovers of family history, and anyone wanting to heal wounds of family origin, will find helpful. But this book is not limited to family history. We also have our history of lifetimes and connection to soul groups as well as our connection to place. All three of these impact who we are today. Learning more about each of them helps us to be more completely realized human beings.
Many readers may be turned off by the idea of family history. Perhaps they were adopted, or they were victims of abuse, or already know some bad things about the previous generations and don’t want to excuse them or make peace with them. First, Ancestral Tarot is written and organized in ways that allow you to skip the family part altogether and move on to your soul group or your experience of meaningful places. However, no matter what you know now about your family history, please know that everyone’s family history has people who did bad things, and no one’s family history is all bad. Learning about our family history is a way to heal our experience of family and to grow as people.
Leaving family history aside, many of us are keen to know more about our soul groups. For myself, the part about locations resonates. If we examine our current lifetime we may find that some places attract us, even places we may never have visited. Other places are repulsive, even though they may be lovely and famous tourist destinations. This book will assist you in exploring those phenomena.
In addition to all this material and all those tarot spreads, the book has three appendices, Tarot 101, a bibliography of tarot practice, and resources for genealogists.
I recommend this book!
This is a book which lovers of family history, and anyone wanting to heal wounds of family origin, will find helpful. But this book is not limited to family history. We also have our history of lifetimes and connection to soul groups as well as our connection to place. All three of these impact who we are today. Learning more about each of them helps us to be more completely realized human beings.
Many readers may be turned off by the idea of family history. Perhaps they were adopted, or they were victims of abuse, or already know some bad things about the previous generations and don’t want to excuse them or make peace with them. First, Ancestral Tarot is written and organized in ways that allow you to skip the family part altogether and move on to your soul group or your experience of meaningful places. However, no matter what you know now about your family history, please know that everyone’s family history has people who did bad things, and no one’s family history is all bad. Learning about our family history is a way to heal our experience of family and to grow as people.
Leaving family history aside, many of us are keen to know more about our soul groups. For myself, the part about locations resonates. If we examine our current lifetime we may find that some places attract us, even places we may never have visited. Other places are repulsive, even though they may be lovely and famous tourist destinations. This book will assist you in exploring those phenomena.
In addition to all this material and all those tarot spreads, the book has three appendices, Tarot 101, a bibliography of tarot practice, and resources for genealogists.
I recommend this book!
July 9, 2021
I just finished reading this book. This book is jammed back with information regarding an ancestral practice. There is some general information that is useful and some specific suggestions too. There are there ancestors that are covered, blood ancestors, ancestors of place and ancestors of time. This time around I focus on ancestors of place. I had interesting insights. If you have a interest in ancestral work why don’t use tarot as an aid. If you already do tarot this is an opportunity to expand your tarot practice. Either way this book is a good resource.
December 28, 2022
Rarely i manage to read a book in one go but this goes by really smoothly and kept me wanting to come back and read more every day, I finished it in 5 days. Had plenty of spreads to work with ancestors of blood (as in genetically related) of place (the geographical area of origin) but most fascinatingly of time, for those ancestors that might have been related to us in other incarnations
It definitely taught me more about how to approach tarot, it was really interesting to see example readings and the interpretation Nancy would give of them in a context with other cards.
It definitely taught me more about how to approach tarot, it was really interesting to see example readings and the interpretation Nancy would give of them in a context with other cards.
June 9, 2022
I did not think I would enjoy this one as much as I did, the one caveat is the pdf that comes along with the Audiobook contains the spread layouts but they are not labeled.
There was a lot of exercises and spreads that would prove insightful not just for self but would be good to use with clients too, I'd highly recommend although maybe go for the Kindle or Book over the Audio unless you are willing to print off the PDF and add your own labels.
There was a lot of exercises and spreads that would prove insightful not just for self but would be good to use with clients too, I'd highly recommend although maybe go for the Kindle or Book over the Audio unless you are willing to print off the PDF and add your own labels.
August 26, 2022
It's an interesting idea. Not sure I totally buy all of it, but I found this book full of useful information. I'm new to tarot. The more I read, the more I will learn. The more I play with them, the more I become familiar with them. Tarot was initially a parlor game, and later the cards became associated with mysticism. I think it has more to do with psychological forces than mystical though. But then perhaps there is some kind of connection between the two. IDK.
September 28, 2023
It's really different from other tarot's books. Gives you a chance to get knowledge and reveal a lot of information for your family story and ancestors, especially if you don't know most of the themes. But you need to keep journal, to make spreads, to bring it into practice, observation and analyzing the answers. Even you need time to realize it, then to come back and reread what you did you write and to put another layer on the story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2021
What a lovely book! I’ve been getting more involved with my ancestry lately, and this book offered so many suggestions for avenues I can take during my learning. Although I’ve been reading Tarot for over a decade, I’d never thought to use the cards for ancestral work. I will definitely be recommending this book to all my Tarot-minded friends! It’s full of practical exercise you can actually do.
March 27, 2022
A Journey
It took me longer to read this book than it usually takes me to read, but that's because I worked through all the exercises and did all the journaling and the tarot spreads. It was fun. It was insightful. It was healing. It was creative. I wish there were more books like this. Definitely an experience worth having.
It took me longer to read this book than it usually takes me to read, but that's because I worked through all the exercises and did all the journaling and the tarot spreads. It was fun. It was insightful. It was healing. It was creative. I wish there were more books like this. Definitely an experience worth having.
February 15, 2024
The part that was actually about using the Tarot to connect to Ancestors could have been an email
Unfortunately the parts that were instead about how to use genealogy websites (I wish I was joking) and other off-topic nonsense dominated by far
Unfortunately the parts that were instead about how to use genealogy websites (I wish I was joking) and other off-topic nonsense dominated by far
December 6, 2024
This book has been a game-changer in helping me connect with my ancestors through tarot. The readings were not only easy to follow but also enjoyable and enlightening. It's definitely become a trusted resource on my bookshelf.
June 14, 2021
An interesting method to working with one’s ancestors. Good practical advice for practical applications.
March 9, 2022
Good Book about Tarot but I wouldn’t start here. This uses an already skilled reader and teaches them new tricks and spreads. I’ve used to methods suggested and it’s an interesting journey.
September 16, 2025
Love the modern and helpful approach to ancestor work in this book. It’s chock full of spreads and techniques.
October 14, 2025
Lots of wonderful ideas on different kinds of readings, spreads, guides and more! Very helpful.
December 29, 2025
Gives an interesting insight into using tarot to communicate with your ancestors of different types. It definitely implies that it's more of a guide and to go with your gut.
November 26, 2024
It took me more than a year to work through the book because I did all of the exercises and found them interesting and useful. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in using tarot as a medium to connect and work with their ancestors and past incarnations.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews