What one book helped you the most?

Ulfdis

It's not really a Tarot book, but... Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg was and is essential to me. It really helped me get past the little voice that kept saying things like, "I shouldn't write that in my Tarot journal, it's wrong" and, "I can't tell this querent that, it's not in any of the books". It's a great book, and the illustration on the front cover *could* be The Moon... rather appropriate, I think.
 

BlueLotus

Many of you recommended Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom, so I went along and ordered it . Today I received it, and I am thankfull for everyone who recommended it .

Although I have only skipped through it thoroughly, it seems to be a very user friendly book, and I know I am going to be spending a lot of time reading and re-reading it. A great book to have at last.
 

Umbrae

Ulfdis said:
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg was and is essential to me. It really helped me get past the little voice that kept saying things like, "I shouldn't write that in my Tarot journal, it's wrong" and, "I can't tell this querent that, it's not in any of the books". It's a great book...

Yup...

It's not about tarot - it's all about tarot. If you want to read Tarot and not be a parrot - you may have to have this book.
 

WhiteWolf

I have been reading "Forest of Souls" by Rachel Pollack and, for the most part, have found it to be liberating and mind-expanding. It has helped me see the tarot as more diverse than I did previously and I feel like I can relax more and "play" in the world of tarot. Although I consider myself unconventional, I found that I had created a nice comfy "box" in my mind that I dared not venture out of and this book helped me climb out and enjoy new experiences with the tarot. My only criticism is that some of her readings and stories are simply boring and don't cater to my attention span lol. It's strange that in such a liberating (and even, controversial) book it can, at times, be quite dry! So far, it has been worth it even if it's only purpose was to awaken my mind to the tarot in a new way!

For those of you that struggle with Court Cards, "Understanding the Tarot Court", by Mary K. Greer is very helpful as well.
 

Sophie

Ulfdis said:
It's not really a Tarot book, but... Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg was and is essential to me. It really helped me get past the little voice that kept saying things like, "I shouldn't write that in my Tarot journal, it's wrong" and, "I can't tell this querent that, it's not in any of the books". It's a great book, and the illustration on the front cover *could* be The Moon... rather appropriate, I think.

I would say it is practically a Bible to me, if I didn't think that Natalie Goldberg would refute that title for her wonderful book. It is the best book for uncrusting any kind of creativity - including tarot - that I've even encountered. Its beauty is in its fluidity: and it teaches us, by example, to tap the fluidity in ourselves.
 

tarobones

Forest and Tribe

Hello to all. I also love the Forest of Souls by Rachel Pollack. I also have her Shining Tribe tarot, and while the art could be a little better, the book is absolutely wonderful. I enjoy both immensely. BB, Michael
 

Cielo

For me, when I just started out, it was most definitely "78 degrees of Wisdom" by Rachel Pollack....Although I have since then gone beyond that and read with much more intuition now, this is still the book I refer to when in doubt!!! I must have read it a thousand times by now!!! I love it!

Cielo
 

Nina*

Cielo said:
"78 degrees of Wisdom" by Rachel Pollack....Although I have since then gone beyond that and read with much more intuition now, this is still the book I refer to when in doubt

I agree... this is a brilliant book; gives you so much insigth in the cards.

The book by Sallie Nichols "Jung and Tarot. An Archetypal Journey" is also very good and thoroughly.
 

Phantom Goddess

I agree with everyone on Tarot Plain and Simple.

Here are the books I always grab first when reading:

1. Tarot Plain and Simple
2. Power Tarot: 100 Spreads.
3. Tarot for a New Generation
4. Complete Book of Tarot Reversals
 

Moongold

The book I probably use the most now is Irene Gad's Tarot and individuation . It deals only with the Marseille major arcana but I got it long before I began using the Marseille and have used it quite a lot from the beginning.

It's a rich sources of information on alchemy, symbolism, archetypal meanings. qabbalah and so on.