Tarot Tips #1

You know how each tarot card has so many different meanings? How do you choose which one to use? Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone answer this question in their wonderful little book Tarot Tips (which happens to be on sale right now).

The Amberstones address the question “Surely the cards have either this meaning or that meaning,” by quoting Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories, “Nay not so, but far otherwise!” The problem is…how do you know which meaning to use.

First the Amberstones go over possible sources for tarot card meanings:

1. The book that comes with the deck

2. Traditional meanings

3. Deck-specific meanings

4. Personal Intuitive Interpretations

5. Other people’s ideas (learned via classes, blogs, articles, radio shows, workshops, conferences, meet ups, or just conversation)

The Amberstone’s number one piece of advice is to practice. Beyond that, they give some ideas to implement while practicing.

1. Which method of interpretation is your strongest? Start with that.

2. Which meaning will most quickly answer the question? This what you want to do, after all.

3. What extra bit of knowledge can come in handy?

4. What does the querent think about the card?

5. Which interpretation makes the most sense under the present circumstances?

This is one example of the types of questions and answers explored in Tarot Tips. It is a really handy and interesting book.