Faye Posted December 17, 2018 Posted December 17, 2018 Apologies in advance if there’s been a thread about this already (if so, maybe a kind soul could post the link?) :thumbsup: I was wondering what your favourite references are for RWS style Tarot reading? When I first got my deck, I also bought “The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need” by Skye Alexander, which has been great for me as a beginner to try get a handle on some of the various meanings and inversions etc. I also use Biddy Tarot as a reference, a couple of YouTube videos (when I first started I watched this + part 2 which really helped me understand how some of the cards relate to each other)... and of course this forum! I’m definitely looking to expand my understanding though, and was wondering if anyone has a go-to book/ site/ video/ article/ other reference that you swear by for interpretations, spreads, and reading advice? My Alexander book now has scribbles coming out the margins, and my Tarot notebook is in a similar condition haha :))
Cookie Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 It's a book someone on here Raggydoll[/member] told me about called 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack. In-depth analysis of RWS: historical, symbolism, psychological resonances, myths & esoterism, and covers meditation of the cards, and instruction about readings. It was written over 20 years ago but is the best thing i've ever read on RWS. A must for any Christmas stocking! Proper next level.
Raggydoll Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 It's a book someone on here Raggydoll[/member] told me about called 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack. In-depth analysis of RWS: historical, symbolism, psychological resonances, myths & esoterism, and covers meditation of the cards, and instruction about readings. It was written over 20 years ago but is the best thing i've ever read on RWS. A must for any Christmas stocking! Proper next level. Yes, this is a book that has definitely stood the test of time. It is just as valid and interesting now as it was when it first was released (back then it was actually printed in two separate volumes, but now it has been revised into a single book). This book was the game-changer for me. I had been reading cards for a couple of years but felt lost and stuck, and this is the book that helped me and gave me permission to expand in ways that felt authentic to me. Rachel has written several other books too and they are also very good for beginners. Her 'Tarot Wisdom' was her way of trying to flesh out all her thoughts on tarot, while her 'New tarot handbook' was quite the opposite and she tried to distill her knowledge to the very essence. Both are superb additions to any collection.
Starlight Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 I see there's a new edition of Pollack's 78 Degrees on pre-order, to be published March 2019. There's a new subtitle, "A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness (a New Edition of the Tarot Classic)". I wonder what additional material might be in there?
Raggydoll Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 I see there's a new edition of Pollack's 78 Degrees on pre-order, to be published March 2019. There's a new subtitle, "A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness (a New Edition of the Tarot Classic)". I wonder what additional material might be in there? Interesting! I have no idea, but I bet it will be well thought out. I don't ever get the feeling that Rachel repeats herself, even though she has written so many books they still have a slightly different angle to them and you can tell that she is ever expanding in her insights and knowledge. (Yes, I'm a fan ^-^ <3 )
Faye Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 It's a book someone on here Raggydoll[/member] told me about called 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack. In-depth analysis of RWS: historical, symbolism, psychological resonances, myths & esoterism, and covers meditation of the cards, and instruction about readings. It was written over 20 years ago but is the best thing i've ever read on RWS. A must for any Christmas stocking! Proper next level. Yes, this is a book that has definitely stood the test of time. It is just as valid and interesting now as it was when it first was released (back then it was actually printed in two separate volumes, but now it has been revised into a single book). This book was the game-changer for me. I had been reading cards for a couple of years but felt lost and stuck, and this is the book that helped me and gave me permission to expand in ways that felt authentic to me. Rachel has written several other books too and they are also very good for beginners. Her 'Tarot Wisdom' was her way of trying to flesh out all her thoughts on tarot, while her 'New tarot handbook' was quite the opposite and she tried to distill her knowledge to the very essence. Both are superb additions to any collection. Cookie[/member] and Raggydoll[/member], thanks for the suggestions!! I’ll definitely ask Santa if he can put it on my list ;) though it might be worth waiting until the 2019 release that Starlight[/member] mentioned is out.... I’ll have to practice my patience game :))
AJ-ish/Sharyn Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 I've drawn a lot from every card book I've read, but the two I keep here at my desk for quick reference are both by the same authors. Spiritual Tarot Heart of the Tarot by Echols, Muller and Thomson One of the reasons I've never got tired of the cards is, no matter where you are there is more to know.
Faye Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 I've drawn a lot from every card book I've read, but the two I keep here at my desk for quick reference are both by the same authors. Spiritual Tarot Heart of the Tarot by Echols, Muller and Thomson One of the reasons I've never got tired of the cards is, no matter where you are there is more to know. Thanks AJ-ish/Sharyn[/member], I’ll add these to the list of books to check out ^-^ so true about the cards though, there’s always more to discover!
Jewel Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 Mary Greer and Rachel Pollack are my go-to authors. 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack, Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary Greer, and The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary Greer. Tarot Tells the Tale by James Ricklef is also fantastic and a very fun read. If you like workbooks I would highly recommend 21 Ways to Read A Tarot Card by Mary Greer, that workbook was a game changer for me. Really helped me break down my own walls and learn to trust my intuition and how to use it in combination with what I learned from other books.
Faye Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 Mary Greer and Rachel Pollack are my go-to authors. 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack, Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary Greer, and The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary Greer. Tarot Tells the Tale by James Ricklef is also fantastic and a very fun read. If you like workbooks I would highly recommend 21 Ways to Read A Tarot Card by Mary Greer, that workbook was a game changer for me. Really helped me break down my own walls and learn to trust my intuition and how to use it in combination with what I learned from other books. A workbook is a great idea, thank you ^-^ Rachel Pollack seems to be extremely popular, and I’ll definitely be adding Mary Greer to the list too! Thanks! :thumbsup:
Asher Posted December 18, 2018 Posted December 18, 2018 I'll put in my vote for anything by Rachel Pollack or Mary Greer! For resources on symbolism of the RWS, I would suggest Pictures from the Heart by Sandra A. Thomson, and The Secret Language of Tarot by Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone. Both deal with specific symbols in the deck and possible interpretations.
Oink Posted December 19, 2018 Posted December 19, 2018 If you like workbooks I would highly recommend 21 Ways to Read A Tarot Card by Mary Greer, that workbook was a game changer for me. Really helped me break down my own walls and learn to trust my intuition and how to use it in combination with what I learned from other books. A workbook is a great idea, thank you ^-^ Rachel Pollack seems to be extremely popular, and I’ll definitely be adding Mary Greer to the list too! Thanks! :thumbsup: IMO the workbook format of “21 Ways” is very engaging and I’m curious why we don’t see more options along these lines. It seems like keeping a daily/weekly “tarot journal” is widely recommended, but there’s a dearth of structured products designed to facilitate the idea. For a general 365 day / yr planner or journal, lunar cycles, zodiac dates, etc. could be included. It could be divided into related daily(?) writing prompts and weekly(?) simple spreads. Monthly(?) reflection challenges could provide prompts to help the user summarize the most significant lessons from recent month’s readings and/or the most significant questions to consider for the next month. Maybe something like this exists but I’m missing it on Amazon or elsewhere?
Faye Posted December 19, 2018 Author Posted December 19, 2018 Asher[/member] thank you for the recommendations! They seem like solid resources, I’ll be sure to check them out ^-^ Oink[/member] those would be such brilliant and ideal inclusions - if you published something like that I would definitely get it! Do I hear the bells of a new project chiming? ;)
Saturn Celeste Posted December 19, 2018 Posted December 19, 2018 Apologies in advance if there’s been a thread about this already (if so, maybe a kind soul could post the link?) :thumbsup: I was wondering what your favourite references are for RWS style Tarot reading? When I first got my deck, I also bought “The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need” by Skye Alexander, which has been great for me as a beginner to try get a handle on some of the various meanings and inversions etc. I also use Biddy Tarot as a reference, a couple of YouTube videos (when I first started I watched this + part 2 which really helped me understand how some of the cards relate to each other)... and of course this forum! I’m definitely looking to expand my understanding though, and was wondering if anyone has a go-to book/ site/ video/ article/ other reference that you swear by for interpretations, spreads, and reading advice? My Alexander book now has scribbles coming out the margins, and my Tarot notebook is in a similar condition haha :)) I have that book too!! I love it! The celtic cross page is so marked up you can barely find the original cross image! lol I don't do it like the book though. I even gave a copy of it to my son's ex girl. It's a great little book for a small price. ^-^
Faye Posted December 20, 2018 Author Posted December 20, 2018 I have that book too!! I love it! The celtic cross page is so marked up you can barely find the original cross image! lol I don't do it like the book though. I even gave a copy of it to my son's ex girl. It's a great little book for a small price. ^-^ The price was a major factor for me when I got it, because I was rather strapped for cash at the time, but I’m really glad I did! It has a surprising amount of detail packed into short paragraphs. Hahaha also *yay* I’m not the only one who adds notes to her books X-D
Recommended Posts