Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth

日本語訳もありますが、ペーパーバックは値段が高いのと電子書籍の利便性を考慮し、原書のKindle版購入に踏み切りました。しかも破格的な安さ。そこそこ英語が読めるなら原書をトライするのもありですし、電子書籍であればいつどこにいても読み返すことができます。日本語版は２巻セットです。 内容について: アンソニーさんの「Compleat Book of Tarot」(2016)との比較。サンプルでホリスティックとコンプリート両者を読み比べたところ、コンプリートはいわばタロットの「総論」と呼べるものではないかとの印象。著者のアンソニーさんは精神科医でもあり、本書を書く上で「一冊に収まる範囲で“完全”かつ偏りのないアプローチを提供するための基本方針に従った」と言います。タロットの“必修科目”に焦点を絞り、神秘性が削ぎ落とされたことで、本書は実用的かつ総括的なガイドブックになるのではないかと。鏡リュウジ氏による訳書もあります。 これに対し、Holistic Tarotは副題にAn Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth とあるように、タロットは「個人の成長を統合的に促すツール」という視点で書かれています。コンプリートが簡潔な説明に終始しているのに対し、非常に詳細かつ包括的な情報が網羅されています。活字好きな人にとっては、この情報量は有難いはずです。装丁の問題ですが、コンプリートは余白が多過ぎるように個人的に感じました。ちなみに著者ベネベルさんの本業は弁護士だそうです。 実用的、総括的であるコンプリートに対し、ホリスティックはより深く内面と向き合えるような本と言えます。タロットリーディングをする以前に、本書を読み終えたとき、これまでの自分から脱皮し“変容”できているかも。そう期待させてくれる一冊です。

Kindleだと驚くほどの安価で超お得な買い物でした。タロットは西洋のものだしできるだけ英語でリーディングのニュアンスを学びたいと思っているので最高です。

Aunque es un libro bastante grueso, es de muy fácil y rápida lectura y va al punto en cada sección. Benebell Wen es muy bien organizada en su forma de exponer su método de aprendizaje del Tarot. El Tarot en general puede parecer un tema oscuro y subjetivo, pero con este libro se aclaran y aterrizan muchos puntos que lo convierten en una herramienta verdaderamente útil para conocerse a uno mismo y a su entorno, para conectarse con el Universo y alcanzar a ver un poco más allá de lo cotidiano, sin comprometer las creencias personales. Este libro basa su análisis de simbología y significados en el Tarot Rider-Waite, pero creo que no es difícil aplicar varias de las propuestas y metodologías a otras tradiciones de Tarot como Marsella o Thoth. En su página personal, la autora publica actualizaciones al texto y en su canal de YouTube hace videos que acompañan y extienden las explicaciones de este libro, con su personalidad generosa, ligera, sencilla y muy organizada. Lo cual hace a este texto aún más útil y rico como material de estudio. Sin lugar a dudas es una excelente opción tanto para los que quieren empezar a leer el Tarot, como para quienes quieren adentrarse un poco más en sus estudios.

This book was exactly what I was looking for to break free from the customary interpretations of the cards. I don't use them for fun or leisure, and I don't read for others. I use them for myself. After decades of going around and around, I really started to get frustrated with the same old thinking. Wen's book changed all that for me. She doesn't TELL you what the card means, she offers several different interpretations, branching off from the symbols on the Rider Waite cards. If something does not resonate, she offers several possibilities. But the best thing is, because she doesn't TELL YOU what to think about a given card, you can start to really flesh out interpretations as you work with them, and your readings become more concise FOR YOU. Which is really what tarot is all about, really. The only complaint I have about this book is that I didn't see an option for hardcover, and it's a beefy book that I will have for the rest of my life. I use it daily, and a hardcover would have ensured a longer life. I would have happily paid the hardcover price! Thank you Wen. After decades of reading that the three of swords mean heartbreak and that the seven of swords means lying cheating stealing, I am FINALLY FREE!! So many fresh perspectives, and even perspectives within perspectives if the card offers several figures. I love this book. For me, this will be the book that allows me to eventually put all books down, because I will have honed my mind to think of the cards in an intuitive way. OH, sorry one thing about the content of the book that I don't appreciate is the placement interpretations of the Celtic cross. They seem super outdated and out of step with her very modern interpretations of the cards themselves, and would like to have seen an update in that as well. BUT, it forced me to return to a habit that I abandoned (getting caught in the Celtic cross look keeps you on a hamster wheel!) when I was young, and that was devising my own placement means/spreads, which is something all readers should do anyway. This way I am able to really utilize the book to its full potential. As it is now, this excellent new perspectives get really limited once you throw them in the old Celtic cross placement meanings, which feels really, really wrong and incongruous and super confusing. It actually made me angry to try to employ her new interpretations within that outmoded spread. So, I guess it was a good thing because I'm much happier with my personal placements. I would like to see a next incarnation of this book remove all spreads altogether. This would remove the box completely and allow total freedom in our interpretations. If you are new to reading, you may not feel like you can do that, or you may not know how to go about doing that. So omitting them is to encourage unfettered access to our agency. ***UPDATE: one final thing that I must contest about this book. So far the only perspective that I think is absolutely wrong (like, TOTALLY wrong) is the Hierophant. There are several interpretations of the cards, yes, but the interpretation of her Hierophant is ALL negative. I see the Hierophant as a traditionalist, but not necessarily to one's peril. Yes, tradition can be the downfall of those who perpetuate or follow religious dogma, but for students and knowledge seekers, the Hierophant represents education, the seeking of education. The crossed keys symbolize a balance of thoughts: that what is being taught, and how we receive it, or rather, how we filter it and thus integrate it within our own consciousness. The Hierophant is giving the sign of blessing. So, the seeker will find blessings in the fulfillment of self-edification. There is an emphasis on the importance of education and following the traditional path of education, as depicted in his height over his disciples. This could also indicate that an attainment of wisdom and now the ability to share his wisdom with others. This is all taking into consideration that the seeker doesn't get caught up in dogma. Pure education, and the wisdom to assess and process education and transform it into wisdom grants us the position to share this wealth with others. The two pillars represent a sort of 'upright' philosophy or upright morality. The crown is one of attainment not only of 'traditional education', but spiritual education. So far this is the only perspective in her book I avoid. It seems way out of left-field and incongruous with the book as a whole, and I think it needs to be revisited, or at least expanded upon to give contrast to the almost negative interpretation offered.

Every Tarot reader needs this book. Has all that you can possibly need in this excellently written book with depth, clarity and loads of information

I thought I had what I needed when I purchased the Lo Scarabeo books series (Tarot Fundamental, Tarot Experience and Tarot Compendium). I thought they could help me to start on this Tarot path. It is tough to go through these three books - without some kind of guidance and methods of starting. In this book Holistic Tarot, I get those. The author has a web site that gives you a study guide, flash cards, and practical reading experiences and etc: Benebellwen.com I am starting this program, so I am not sure how good the content is, but I sense that the author has a good grasp and with all the excellent detail materials, I am sure I am on the right route - to get to know about Tarot and how that guides my own Tarot journey - to see what is ahead of me. Underneath multiple layers of bright light chandelier and by the fire place - with a cup of lemon and ginger tea, I begin! :D

I came across Tarot by accident, had a gut feeling that there might be something more to this, and quickly thought 'Why is everyone using this method as a "voodoo" fortune-telling trick when there is this actually a psychological application where the cards enable one to see unconscious childhood behavioral patterns? Luckily I came across this author who takes the same common sense, realism-based approach to Tarot without theater acts or magical/religious cult thinking. It's about learning to consciously see what we do every day and what the short-, middle- and long-term life consequences will be, simply based on logical action and reaction. This is where it really becomes apparent, what the damage and loss of not having psychology in school, really is. Additionally, the book contains everything one needs to know to get started without overburdening a learner with complex mathematical or psychological concepts (and omitting all overcomplicated concepts that only sound rational but are there for people to believe in them without questioning them). It's all straightforward and easy to follow with common sense, logic, and rational thinking. It just makes sense. Also the book is incredibly complete. Everything is mentioned that one would need to know. I've been practicing reading for myself for a couple of weeks now, always referring back to the book to understand the psychological concept behind it. I agree with many, that it simply works, and while we wait for science to get over its own ego and start serious investigation and research, we might as well use this method to navigate our own psychological layers in the meantime. BTW, 'it works' means, that when something happens in life, the cards enable one to start to understand one's contribution to the web of dependencies of action and the resulting action of oneself and others. It's like solving a mathematical calculation where before you only had fragments that made no sense, and now you can actually put formulas together that are always the same, work in correlation, and allow to calculate a predictable outcome in your own life. It's fascinating and raises the daily question of how great the middle age style fear and superstition mindset of 'modern day' people really is, to miss out on such a tool to understand one's own mind, while pretending that certain predictable elements of reality simply don't exist. If one ever wondered how superstitious people without school education acted in the middle ages when they came across a broken bone or infection, this is pretty much it. Only now related to the mind. How people react to a "broken bone or infection" issue in the mind nowadays is as brutal and naive as back then. Thankfully we are not killing people anymore for applying common sense to the world and using tools like the Tarot to solve common sense life problems. Or writing excellent, analytical books like this without having to fear to be burned alive. At least something has improved.