McFaire Posted May 21, 2019 Posted May 21, 2019 I'm finally getting around to reading The Marseilles Tarot Revealed (a newer Llewellyn edition of the self-published Tarot: The Open Reading) by Yoav Ben-Dev (creator of the popular Conver Ben-Dov TdM, or CBD Tarot). I was charmed by his definition in the preface: "... I would say that, first of all, it is a work of art--not like a painted picture, framed and hung as a finished product that cannot be changed. Rather, it is a capricious set of images to be handled and played with, evolving over many generations through the collective efforts of deck creators and visionaries. It is a wonderful work of art, rich and flexible enough to span the entire range of human experience, from our innermost feelings to the external events of everyday life. And it is through this art, in the details of the card illustrations, that the magic of the tarot is revealed." There are so many ways to define tarot, but Ben Dov's statement resonated with me because I think for me tarot is foremost a work of functional art that I can get my hands on and use and experience in many layers, to what depth I may choose, from a game of solitaire to a journey into the nature of reality itself. So, I thought I'd share the quote here. (By the way, the book is an excellent deal at $10 for a full-color 360+ page TdM reference for your library.)
Nordica De Spell Posted May 22, 2019 Posted May 22, 2019 It’s nice of you to share the quote, and if I ever get around to study The Marseille more, I’ll keep this book in mind too. (Though not on sale outside the US, it sounds comprehensive.) Once you’ve read some, and if you feel like it, a review would be interesting. 🌼
McFaire Posted May 22, 2019 Author Posted May 22, 2019 I haven't done much with TdM in the past, so we'll see. I've always been a bit intimidated by non-scenic pips, so I've been surprised to learn how much visual information is in the 2 - 10 TdM illustrations. Is there a certain place for book reviews here? I looked around but didn't see... Outside the US, you can get the earlier self-published edition in softcover or kindle, Tarot: The Open Reading. The new one is available in some countries.
Flaxen Posted May 22, 2019 Posted May 22, 2019 It is a great book and introduction to reading with TdM. If you are able to, try and watch Tarology by Enrique Enriquez. The documentary is fascinating and demonstrates Enrique’s style of reading. It might not be the style of reading you choose to go with, but it is an interesting technique to practise. Do feel free to revive the 3 card TdM readings thread while you practise, I’d be more than happy to jump in again and I’m sure others would too.
Nordica De Spell Posted May 22, 2019 Posted May 22, 2019 5 hours ago, McFaire said: I haven't done much with TdM in the past, so we'll see. I've always been a bit intimidated by non-scenic pips, so I've been surprised to learn how much visual information is in the 2 - 10 TdM illustrations. Is there a certain place for book reviews here? I looked around but didn't see... Outside the US, you can get the earlier self-published edition in softcover or kindle, Tarot: The Open Reading. The new one is available in some countries. The book is available outside the US, but at full price, is what I meant to say. 🙂 A book review section would be a good idea, I think... There’s so many books out there, and it can be difficult to know what’s what. Though, I’ve yet to read a book from cover to cover on the tarot. I have a few for reference, and that’s about it, so far. 🙂 On another note, The Marseille was the first deck that I connected with, and it really is a surprising deck. The imagery is so carved out and rigid, and the pips don’t look like anything; and then that’s just the front for some serious intel and lines of communication unlike anything. It doesn’t shy the paranormal, acting a ouija board or coming across in dreams. It’s like an autistic postal office whose ”special interest” is about getting the message through, at any cost, through any countries, jumping any hurdles, around the clock. Accepting any letters and weird parcels into its distribution system. Accepting connecting long distance calls and telegrams. And yet, the facade looks so boring, to me. 🙂 ... of course, that’s only my experience with the TdM, disclaimer that it had to be read intuitively as I didn’t have a book to go with it, and back then, internet wasn’t all that it is today... I’m sure that the TdM is SO MUCH MORE (and other,) and the next time I re-visit the TdM, I would like to have a good reference book. 🙂
McFaire Posted May 22, 2019 Author Posted May 22, 2019 4 hours ago, Nordica De Spell said: The Marseille was the first deck that I connected with, and it really is a surprising deck. The imagery is so carved out and rigid, and the pips don’t look like anything; and then that’s just the front for some serious intel and lines of communication unlike anything. It doesn’t shy the paranormal, acting a ouija board or coming across in dreams. It’s like an autistic postal office whose ”special interest” is about getting the message through, at any cost, through any countries, jumping any hurdles, around the clock. Accepting any letters and weird parcels into its distribution system. Accepting connecting long distance calls and telegrams. And yet, the facade looks so boring, to me. 🙂 What a great analogy! You inspire me to ask more of it 🙂 I like books, and there are a few tarot books I've read over repeatedly, but most of them I use for reference as well. I saw the kindle for GBP 6.50 on amazon.uk
Nordica De Spell Posted May 22, 2019 Posted May 22, 2019 That’s nice of you to say! Thank you! Not sure there’s all that much more to say on it, though. 🙂 (But, some people on this forum seem to know immensely much on the TdM! A lot more than me!) I do love books btw, always have, but somehow that hasn’t translated for me into reading books on the tarot. I don’t think I’ve been ready for it, either, so in the future I’ve got something to look forward to. (The 78 Degrees of Wisdom is one that I’ll probably put on my Christmas wish list this year.) 🙂 Which ones do you like the most?
McFaire Posted May 26, 2019 Author Posted May 26, 2019 Oops I missed this before. I really like Marcia Masino's Easy Tarot Guide. It is chock full of useful information. I like the way it organized too. And it has full color images of the PCS. It known for having a poor binding though and pages falling out. I got a small ring binder and took mine apart and hole punched it because I'm a huge nerd. I like 78 Degrees of Wisdom but I think Rachael Polluck goes off on some tangents; for example, trying to compare tarot to science, and make scientific arguments that sadly only reveal her illiteracy in the hard sciences. Still, there's a lot of good material in the book. Some of it is a bit woo woo for me, but some of it is insightful and practical. She's a good writer and much of the book is quite eloquent. I also really like Robert Place's The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination. He is a serious researcher. This is the type of book you can read for years.
Nordica De Spell Posted May 26, 2019 Posted May 26, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, McFaire said: Oops I missed this before. I really like Marcia Masino's Easy Tarot Guide. It is chock full of useful information. I like the way it organized too. And it has full color images of the PCS. It known for having a poor binding though and pages falling out. I got a small ring binder and took mine apart and hole punched it because I'm a huge nerd. I like 78 Degrees of Wisdom but I think Rachael Polluck goes off on some tangents; for example, trying to compare tarot to science, and make scientific arguments that sadly only reveal her illiteracy in the hard sciences. Still, there's a lot of good material in the book. Some of it is a bit woo woo for me, but some of it is insightful and practical. She's a good writer and much of the book is quite eloquent. I also really like Robert Place's The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination. He is a serious researcher. This is the type of book you can read for years. Hi again! Not having read them; to me it seems you’re actually interested in the serious research, the actual history, the factual approach as a basis for things? And paired with a love of collecting, organizing? If so, and again I haven’t read them, but how would you compare Rachel Pollack’s pseudo-scientific excursions with Marcia Masino’s invented tarot-yoga practice? Is there a difference to you, and if so, why? Of course, only if you don’t mind these questions! (I’m just naturally curious, sometimes, but I come in peace and all that = 🙂 ) Edited May 26, 2019 by Nordica De Spell
McFaire Posted May 26, 2019 Author Posted May 26, 2019 3 hours ago, Nordica De Spell said: Hi again! Not having read them; to me it seems you’re actually interested in the serious research, the actual history, the factual approach as a basis for things? And paired with a love of collecting, organizing? I'm interested in understanding the tarot, so the origins/history are a part of that. I think understanding the symbolism in the cards allows you to develop your own understanding that is uniquely yours. So I like to go back to origins sometimes, and I love to see how other artists approach the 78 cards, the choices they make, the layers of symbolism they create. So it's not a love a collecting per se, it's curiosity about what is waiting to be learned from different perspectives of different artists and creators. That feeling when you uncover morsels of understanding and those "ah ha!" moments. I'm skeptical about claims of consistently predicting the future accurately, or claims that the cards themselves are magic. I think that the future's not set, and that the magic comes from within the reader, using tarot as a tool (rather than being imbued by the printing press). Generally I'm pretty disorganized but I keep track of my decks for the sake of those who come after me. 4 hours ago, Nordica De Spell said: If so, and again I haven’t read them, but how would you compare Rachel Pollack’s pseudo-scientific excursions with Marcia Masino’s invented tarot-yoga practice? I don't recall the yoga. Maybe that's a different book? 😀
Nordica De Spell Posted May 27, 2019 Posted May 27, 2019 Sure, and it does seem to me you go about your interest in a structured way... In theory, diving into history should be rewarding... and personally I’d think, as you say, perhaps especially in terms of a greater grasp on symbology and the different takes on the cards and of tarot as a whole. So; it seems to me you’ve got a lovely time with it, unfolding the mystery on roads that call out to you, and have an appeal to you! That’s just great; and very kind of you to think of it in terms of a legacy. 🙂 ——————— Far as collecting various decks, I’m thinking that your reason is part of why I do it too. 🙂 ——————— With the paragraph on magic, and in an attempt to connect with it: Living in a magical universe, where everything is imbued with magic in and of itself, I wouldn’t think of the practitioner as the solo source of whatever it is, but comparing it with a piano player; the music doesn’t seem to originate with the piano either. So, I guess I’d somewhat agree with your scepticism. (Even though, to me objects are animate with personality and ”just being”. But I feel that with everything, and not limited to the tarot.) Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Nordica De Spell Posted May 27, 2019 Posted May 27, 2019 p.s It’s the same book, but according to Amazon is a new edition where the tarot-yoga has been added. Such a shame, I was really interested to hear your take on it. Never mind, then! 🙂
gregory Posted December 4, 2022 Posted December 4, 2022 (edited) Bumping this old thread to ask - where do book reviews go here ? It might be smart to have a subforum for them - tarot/lenormand/divination in general/tarot fiction etc. ? We are all (?) interested in a variety of books and someone recently asked me - AGAIN - about Andromeda Klein - which is very VERY tarot but not a book about tarot, and so on.... I don't even find the deck reviews section easy to navigate as it is, so wouldn't like to see books end up like that... It isn't exactly obvious, either - could it not be linked in the front page. ETA I just went to look at it actually - I can't even find the reviews as a section, just the deck to check - which doesn't give any indication of what other decks I would look at.... Is there a list of the deck reviews so that we could browse them at will ? Am I - thick ? Oh wait - the library ? Could that not be prominently linked on the front page - as the various forums are ?? Edited December 4, 2022 by gregory
DanielJUK Posted December 4, 2022 Posted December 4, 2022 Book stuff is in the Tarot in Media section, I will look into this for you with reviews @gregory 🙂
gregory Posted December 4, 2022 Posted December 4, 2022 I realise there's that as a section - but it's not the same as a reviews section, more of a discussion area - if I want to know whether to read a book, I don't want to have to trawl through a four page thread about "what did you make of chapter 7 ?" "yes, but I thought the bit on page 67 was good...." Just neat and tidy reviews, like you get in the papers so you can make a quick decision on whether to look out for it or not.
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