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Books
of Spirit
By
Carl McColman
Too many
new Tarot books seem geared strictly toward the beginner or casual user.
Relatively few recently-published books reach the caliber of classic
Tarot studies like Rachel Pollack's Seventy-Eight Degrees
of Wisdom or Mary K. Greer's Tarot for
Yourself. Well, hooray for Llewellyn Worldwide! Their new Special
Topics in Tarot series features books geared toward the intermediate
or advanced student. The quality of the series became immediately evident
with its inaugural title: Mary K. Greer's The Complete Book
of Tarot Reversals.
This book explores a commonly misunderstood aspect of Tarot interpretation:
the significance of reversed (upside-down) cards in a spread. Inexperienced
readers often interpret reversals in a one-dimensional way: as simply
meaning the opposite of what the card signifies when in its dignified
(right side up) placement. Greer attacks this misconception head-on,
offering no less than twelve principles to keep in mind for interpreting
reversals. These including seeing reversed cards as symbolizing blocked
energy, delays or difficulties, inner or unconscious forces, or simply
unconventional or “trickster” dynamics at play. She points
out that a reversed card can indicate a lack of moderation, but may
entail too little energy as well as too much. Greer’s perceptive
understanding of the cards and thoughtful application of her philosophy
of reversals results in a book where new insights into card interpretation
may be found on literally every page. The Complete Book of Tarot
Reversals is a fabulous book, and the pleasure it brings is
intensified by the fact that it is the first of a series.
The second volume, Nina Lee Braden's Tarot for Self Discovery,
provides a wealth of exercises designed to help readers use the cards
for personal growth and insight. Like its predecessor, it points to
this series becoming a must-have set of books for anyone serious about
the spiritual uses of Tarot.
Incidentally, Mary Greer's classic book Tarot for Yourself
has recently been issued in a revised edition (New Page Books). Featuring
an attractive blue cover and a wealth of information and exercises appropriate
for both beginning and intermediate students, it remains one of the
finest introductory Tarot books on the market.
Rachel Pollack, who, like Greer, helped to ignite modern Tarot
studies, has been busy as well. She also has a new title from Llewellyn
(not in the Special Topics series) called The Forest of Souls:
A Walk Through the Tarot. This book examines the mythic themes
at play in the Tarot, taking the interpretation of the cards to a level
far deeper than what most people think of in mere “fortune telling.”
By drawing on sources like the Kabbalah, the magical order of the Golden
Dawn, and visionaries ranging from Joseph Campbell to Aleister Crowley,
Pollack celebrates the depth of wisdom to be found in a “simple”
deck of cards.
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Spirit