Tarot 101: Mastering the Art of Reading the Cards
Kim Huggens
ISBN 978–0-7387-1904-7
$17.95, Paperback
Llewellyn Publications
Do you believe it’s next to impossible for any one to write an exciting, informative, new book about tarot? I admit I did, but Kim Huggens has managed to pull it off. Using her years of study and breadth of experience, she has reshuffled the deck, organized it by themes (feminine archetypes, virtues and vices, astrology, the dark side, etc.), and woven it all together with instructions on how to read the cards.
The instructions start at the beginning — where and how to pick a deck. She goes on to cover how to use and create spreads, develop intuition, and do a reading. From there the instruction becomes more advanced (working with difficult questions, handling negative information, finding inspiration, and appropriate ethics).
Huggens’ advanced studies in Antiquities and Philosophy make the discussion of symbols, keywords, and literary associations for each card particularly compelling and put her on very solid ground when she links the tarot with magic, pathworking, and Kabbalah.
Beginners who follow her instructions for working with the book, and do the exercises as written, will find themselves quickly becoming competent card readers. Tarot professionals can just look up cards and add to their existing understanding and interpretations.
This one will be a welcome addition to any tarot library. Bravo, Kim Huggens!
© Copyright 2010 Anna Jedrziewski