RavenOfSummer Posted July 29, 2017 Posted July 29, 2017 Does anyone have any books of tarot spreads that they love and would recommend? If so what do you like about it? Thanks for any thoughts :)
Rose Lalonde Posted July 29, 2017 Posted July 29, 2017 This isn't a book of already made spreads, but I like Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads by Teresa Michelson. It was helpful to me in thinking about the elements that make a good spread, which is useful for more than just designing -- if you're going to evaluate how an existing spread you find will work for you, or to tweak it. The book is fairly short, with sample spreads to show designing at work and exercises to do. Not in print, but cheap anyway. (Sometimes I think I should buy it again. I gave it away, because I haven't read much with spreads for years unless I've been in a reading circle. Not that reading without spreads is better! I just got in the habit of laying out 3 cards in a row and reading without positions.)
RavenOfSummer Posted July 29, 2017 Author Posted July 29, 2017 This isn't a book of already made spreads, but I like Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads by Teresa Michelson. It was helpful to me in thinking about the elements that make a good spread, which is useful for more than just designing -- if you're going to evaluate how an existing spread you find will work for you, or to tweak it. The book is fairly short, with sample spreads to show designing at work and exercises to do. Not in print, but cheap anyway. (Sometimes I think I should buy it again. I gave it away, because I haven't read much with spreads for years unless I've been in a reading circle. Not that reading without spreads is better! I just got in the habit of laying out 3 cards in a row and reading without positions.) Thanks Rose Lalonde! I'd not heard of this one, will have to see if I can check it out :)
AJ-ish/Sharyn Posted August 1, 2017 Posted August 1, 2017 you might also look at Tierney Sadler's Deck of 1000 Spreads https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738733395
WolfSpirit Posted August 1, 2017 Posted August 1, 2017 I agree about Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads, I think it's a great book.
RavenOfSummer Posted August 1, 2017 Author Posted August 1, 2017 you might also look at Tierney Sadler's Deck of 1000 Spreads https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738733395 I agree about Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads, I think it's a great book. Thanks for these thoughts! It's all votes for tools for creating your own spreads so far- I like that :) And I also love so many of the spreads I come across on the forums that people create and share. I will definitely check both of these out :)
GreenFaerie Posted August 1, 2017 Posted August 1, 2017 Hi RavenofSummer, I am a big fan of Barbara Moore's Tarot Spreads. Like the other books mentioned here, she has extensive chapters on how to design your own spreads, spread techniques, and spread modification, but she also has a large section (107 pages!) of pre-made spreads with explanations. I find the book hugely useful. Also, Rachel Pollack's New Tarot Handbook is not a book about spreads, per se, but it contains wonderful spreads for each of the Major Arcana and then a spread for each suit and a spread for the Court Cards. I've found them very insightful!
RavenOfSummer Posted August 2, 2017 Author Posted August 2, 2017 Hi RavenofSummer, I am a big fan of Barbara Moore's Tarot Spreads. Like the other books mentioned here, she has extensive chapters on how to design your own spreads, spread techniques, and spread modification, but she also has a large section (107 pages!) of pre-made spreads with explanations. I find the book hugely useful. Also, Rachel Pollack's New Tarot Handbook is not a book about spreads, per se, but it contains wonderful spreads for each of the Major Arcana and then a spread for each suit and a spread for the Court Cards. I've found them very insightful! Ooh...I love the sound of these books GreenFaerie! It seems like an ideal balance to have both a create-your-own section AND a bunch of ready-made spreads...I think that sounds great! I also love the idea of spread to take deeper into the Majors archetypes and energy of the suits. I will check this out, thank you! :)
GreenFaerie Posted August 2, 2017 Posted August 2, 2017 Ooh...I love the sound of these books GreenFaerie! It seems like an ideal balance to have both a create-your-own section AND a bunch of ready-made spreads...I think that sounds great! I also love the idea of spread to take deeper into the Majors archetypes and energy of the suits. I will check this out, thank you! :) You're so welcome! :) The Pollack is really an overall look at the tarot, but given that Rachel Pollack has been at this for so long, the book is very good, and as I said, the spreads that she does have in the book are really wonderful. I hope you find both books helpful!
gregory Posted August 3, 2017 Posted August 3, 2017 I second Barbara Moore. I love her stuff, and it is always very practical - some writers are all about their own agendas.
Ix Chel Posted August 4, 2017 Posted August 4, 2017 365 Tarot spreads from Sasha Graham is also a good book. Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9060I met Tapatalk
RavenOfSummer Posted August 5, 2017 Author Posted August 5, 2017 I second Barbara Moore. I love her stuff, and it is always very practical - some writers are all about their own agendas. Thanks gregory! With all the recommendations I'm adding this one to my wish list...hope to make it mine soon ;D
RavenOfSummer Posted August 5, 2017 Author Posted August 5, 2017 365 Tarot spreads from Sasha Graham is also a good book. Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9060I met Tapatalk Thanks Ix Chel! I'll definitely check this one out. I think I remember seeing that they had this one in my local public library actually!
Trogon Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Glad you posted this question ROS. Giving me some good ideas for books to watch for. There were a couple of e-books put out by Alissa from AT, that were compiled from spreads posted to the AT Tarot Spreads forum. They are copyrighted, but I've sent Alissa an e-mail to see if they're still available for downloading and where from. I'll post here when I find out.
gregory Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Oh that's odd. Thirteen's book was still available to buy a few days ago - now it isn't (I thought Alissa's used to be, too...)
gregory Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Wait: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/ebooks/ ? You can try...
Trogon Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Oh that's odd. Thirteen's book was still available to buy a few days ago - now it isn't (I thought Alissa's used to be, too...) That's what I was thinking too. If they're not available, I'll see if Alyssa will give permission for sending them on to you. But I don't know how permission might work since it was really a collaborative effort. Though I remember when she asked me for permission to use a couple of mine, there was a permission waiver to sign ... I can't recall for sure what permission/rights were transmitted, but I thought it allowed for retransmission.
gregory Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Look at my link. You seem to be able to buy it. I hit add to basket and - um - had to take it out again !
Trogon Posted August 6, 2017 Posted August 6, 2017 That is excellent! That was the page I was looking for but didn't find. I highly recommend ... well all of those. I do have one in the Tarot Spreads e-book. Though there seems to be another book that isn't there anymore, it was a collection of 3-card spreads.
gregory Posted August 6, 2017 Posted August 6, 2017 Trogon - you are a strange person.. :). Oddly enough as a direct result of this thread I saw and downloaded that yesterday... That one is even FREE. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/ebooks/Aeclectic-Three-Card-Tarot-Spreads.pdf
RavenOfSummer Posted August 6, 2017 Author Posted August 6, 2017 Thanks Trogon and gregory! And I've downloaded the free 3-card spread one, what a great resource :D
Trogon Posted August 9, 2017 Posted August 9, 2017 Trogon - you are a strange person.. :). Oddly enough as a direct result of this thread I saw and downloaded that yesterday... That one is even FREE. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/ebooks/Aeclectic-Three-Card-Tarot-Spreads.pdf Oh! Yes indeed! I am very strange! No doubt about that! And you've only scratched the surface ... ;D I'm glad you found that e-book! I'm wondering how though? I just went and looked again at the page you linked to before and didn't find it or a link to it. Hmmm ... could be something that isn't displaying in my browser or something. But then, I also didn't try searching for it. Fortunately you appear to be better than me at finding those things! ;)
RavenOfSummer Posted August 15, 2017 Author Posted August 15, 2017 This is somewhat off topic, but...do you happen to know the deck that's on the cover of the Three-Card Spreads book?
gregory Posted August 15, 2017 Posted August 15, 2017 Creative Fire. GORGEOUS deck. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/creative-fire/
EmpyreanKnight Posted September 30, 2017 Posted September 30, 2017 Benebell Wen's Holistic Tarot, aside from being an excellent book in its own right, has a 142-page chapter on different Tarot spreads. That's basically a separate book in itself.
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