The Open Reading - Yoav Ben-Dov

Both Mary K. Greer and Camelia Elias did interesting reviews of Dr. Yoav Ben-Dov’s Tarot—The Open Reading. I'd recommend reading their blog posts about it. You can do a simple Google search as I don't know if I'm allowed to post links here.

I've yet to pick up The Open Reading, it sounds like it would be a good addition to my cartomancy reading collection

Moonshiner said:

Both Mary K. Greer and Camelia Elias did interesting reviews of Dr. Yoav Ben-Dov’s Tarot—The Open Reading. I'd recommend reading their blog posts about it. You can do a simple Google search as I don't know if I'm allowed to post links here.

I've yet to pick up The Open Reading, it sounds like it would be a good addition to my cartomancy reading collection

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I think I have read M Greer's review before I bought the book. I am intrigued by the "genuine order" and the "true order" argument.

Slowly I have began to wonder if what this means, is exploring the idea of a point just before playing cards or spiritual flash cards for the illiterate masses, morphed into the shape that became exclusively divinatory. A point in its evolution where it just took its first leap from not-tarot, to tarot.

Rather than, this is it, and the others are not.

If that make sense....

I don't think there was a point at which non-tarot became tarot, whatever that means. Nor do I think that tarot ever became exclusively divinatory. Nor does it matter in the least. Whatever it's origins, it has become a popular divinatory tool.

LRichard said:

I don't think there was a point at which non-tarot became tarot, whatever that means.

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lol, I was going to post that I didn't even know what that meant, but I see you had me covered!

LRichard said:

I don't think there was a point at which non-tarot became tarot, whatever that means. Nor do I think that tarot ever became exclusively divinatory. Nor does it matter in the least. Whatever it's origins, it has become a popular divinatory tool.

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I know what you are saying. If it is clear cut, then it would not have been a point of debate. I am simply trying to understand where that school of thought is coming from. Does that make sense?

The Happy Squirrel said:

I know what you are saying. If it is clear cut, then it would not have been a point of debate. I am simply trying to understand where that school of thought is coming from. Does that make sense?

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Yes.

Ben-Dov seems to regard the TdM as tarot as it should be, having the correct order of the trumps and the most accurate images for the trumps. Greer is of the opinion that Ben-Dov is not necessarily justified in his claim that the TdM finally got it right, since this is merely a subjective value judgment. Greer is correct in that Ben-Dov is not following strict objective historical methodology in his evaluation of the TdM. I also agree with her than Ben-Dov misunderstands the Golden Dawn's tarot perspective. However, these are merely technical matters that need not detract from his book, although it would have been more accurate for him to have stated that these were only his personal opinions.