Tarot meanings and reading intuitively.

Hey guys! So, i've been reading around the threads, posting some of my own questions and i have another one today ;D
I've been trying to find some good books for myself, one book for most of all about the meanings, symbols and keywords for the cards and another book to help me read intuitively, since i'm really struggling to do both as of late.
Here are some of the books that's been recommended to me

Power Tarot by Phyllis Vega - Trish Macgrego

Tarot: Plain and Simple by Louis Anthony

Psychic Tarot by Nancy Antenucci

Rachel Pollack's Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings

A Magical Course in Tarot by Michele Morgan

Tarot 101 by Kim Huggens

What are your thoughts about the ones on my list? Got any suggestions and how did it work for you? What has your experience been like with the books you've used for Tarot?
Thanks in advance! Can't wait to hear from you guys.

Alea said:

Hey guys! So, i've been reading around the threads, posting some of my own questions and i have another one today ;D
I've been trying to find some good books for myself, one book for most of all about the meanings, symbols and keywords for the cards and another book to help me read intuitively, since i'm really struggling to do both as of late.
Here are some of the books that's been recommended to me

Power Tarot by Phyllis Vega - Trish Macgrego

Tarot: Plain and Simple by Louis Anthony

Psychic Tarot by Nancy Antenucci

Rachel Pollack's Tarot Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings

A Magical Course in Tarot by Michele Morgan

Tarot 101 by Kim Huggens

What are your thoughts about the ones on my list? Got any suggestions and how did it work for you? What has your experience been like with the books you've used for Tarot?
Thanks in advance! Can't wait to hear from you guys.

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I'd say it all depends on how you learn. If you can learn from a book, then it's all about finding one that fit your style. Some people enjoy really technical books that are chock full of information, some prefer more of a "for dummies" approach.

Me personally, I actually learn really well from watching videos, one that I would recommend that really sharpened my skills is this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NDuHfxp0NQ

I'll listen to that on my phone while I'm exercising or jogging and it really helps out alot.

I like any book by Mary k Greer, then another book I would recommend is called "the ultimate guide to the rider waite tarot", it breaks down EVERY symbol in the tarot cards, including what the choice of clothing or the color of the sky symbolizes. Excellent book IMO.

I havent personally read those books on your list, but I personally don't think there is any BEST tarot book, they all have pros and cons, and ultimately its about finding out what works for you, because ive gotten books that other people said were the absolute best and they ended up not helping me much.

I will say this, if you put your mind to it, you dont have to spend a dime to learn the tarot.

I found your link to u-tube D to be very helpful pulling things together.

Dusty White! I always plug him, especially if you want to learn about reading intuitively.

That said, I think Pollacks 78 degrees of wisdom is a tighter book and better for learning than the newer tome.

Greer on Reversals.

Of the books you listed, Louis is best for tons of meanings.

I have been enjoying Joan Bunning's book, the content of which is available free on her website.

But I really do push Dusty White's book for intuitive reading. And he also has free content online.

thank you for mentioning dusty white! just went to the web site. a little tacky, but good information. i'm always interested in approaches that are not about memorizing meanings.

Yes, I was another one who got surprised with Dusty`s material. VERY put off at first by his style of writing (and adverstising) but I have to admit, he gives some excellent ideas on how to read intuitively and knows his stuff.
For meanings, Louis and Joan are great. BTW, you can access her site and take lessons for free here;
http://www.learntarot.com

Alea said:

A Magical Course in Tarot by Michele Morgan

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I'm reading this one right now and I must say that even though I love the way she writes (smart and funny) I was a bit disappointed that half of the book actually consists of card meanings! They are meant to be inspirational, but it kind of annoyed me seeing that she does indeed encourage the reader to go by intuition... With that said, I haven't finished the whole book yet so I might change my mind later on. It's nice though, just not exactly what I expected.

I really enjoy Power Tarot, which has tons of card meanings and interpretations of cards relative to other cards, which can be very helpful to think about to me, some spreads, but to my mind not a ton specifically of intuitive stuff. I recently got the Antenucci book, which seems to have lots of intutive exercises that I have hardly done since it is that new to me. A new book for me is Be A Tarot Diva, by Sasha Graham, which has lots of meditative and intuitive exercises and is endorsed by Rachel Pollackin the forward. The Pollack book recommended also has a lot in it, which I have hardly touched yet, since I have been looking mostly at the historical stuff in there so far.

Good luck with it all!

Reading Intuitively

I read intuitively as well, and first thing I can tell you is, learn the basic meaning for the cards and then put the book down.

Then this takes some time, (about 2- 4 hours if done in one go)
Grab paper and pen, shuffle your deck well and go through each card, one by one, just writing down everything you see, feel or sense from that card. When you are done, move to the next one.

*You can also do this in smaller bits, by breaking them down into smaller piles and doing a pile each day- but I found I just enjoy doing it all at once, as I start to really get connected in with them.

Now, stay with this deck for the next 90 days. Don't stray to another deck. Carry around everywhere you go and pull a card of the day each day. Writing down your interpretations as you go along.

I can tell you, that no matter what you intuitively come up with- there WILL be something that relates to the original meaning of the card.

Here's the kicker- you must make the cards your own. For example the 8 of wands upright does not mean on target or quick to me, its the reverse that does it. I always see the upright as missing the target/point. Its just one of the quarks in the cards for me, as I have made it my own.

I found when I put too much pressure on myself to study out of books, and be how they were, my intuitive senses closed down a put. Don't get me wrong, I still study, but I am more aware now of taking the time to make my own assumptions/inspirations about the card before just knowing rote meanings.

Hope that helps.
And I concur with Dusty White's book. It is a great beginner's book.
Those books mentioned by yourself and others are fine too- its finding an author that you connect to which is most important.

Dusty's book, in my opinion is the best book to start with because you "personalize" each card in accordance with its core meaning. For example, the 5 of swords has a core meaning of defeat according to Crowley, but what does that mean and who is being defeated? With the Waite deck the essence of defeat is pictured in the card, but again who or what is the defeated. This is where your intuition comes into play as you read the cards as a whole and Dusty's book excels at cultivating this skill.