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Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot - First Reviews

The first reviews of the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot are coming in! Especially if you haven't yet had the opportunity to pick up your own copy, please take a moment to see what some of the metaphysical community's most trusted reviewers have to say about the book so far:

"[T]he author’s refreshing approach encourages individuals to engage the cards on their own terms ... The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot is unlike any book on the market ... from now on, I'll make sure I steer querents to this book first!"

-- Janet Boyer, www.JanetBoyer.com - [Read the full review]

"An absolute must ... McElroy is one of the most creative and versatile of contemporary writers on the Tarot ... For beginners the headings, subheads, illustrations and sidebars ... are easy to follow and guide you step-by-step. If you are somewhere beyond being a beginner, you likely will want to own this book as a reference or a reminder."

-- Sandra Thompson, President, American Tarot Association - [Amazon.com review].

Who's Interested in Tarot?

Google Trends, a new service, makes it easy to find out:

a) how the level of interest in a particular topic is changing over time, and

b) the cities and countries where interest in a particular topic is highest.

You know me. I just had to do a Google Trends search on "tarot!"

What i discovered may surprise you.

The Proper Role of Traditions and Keywords

Recently, on one of the Tarot-themed internet bulletin boards, a concerned Tarot student asked about the correctness of ignoring keywords associated with cards from the Gilded Tarot. "The keyword is choice, but the people on the card just look like they're having fun. Is it possible to ignore the idea of choice, and just go with the ideas the card inspires?"

Several folks weighed in with opinions, and a surprising number of people expressed concerns over abandoning "traditional meanings" and ignoring "original intentions" associated with the meaning of a card.

Should you ignore keywords, traditional meanings, and the opinions of others when interpreting cards? My answer may surprise you ... so read on!

Spiritual Recovery

So many of the people I meet have been spiritually abused.

They grew up in churches where limits were placed on the unlimited love of God. Early on, they were taught that holiness was a matter of measuring up, of living by (or pretending to live by) a strict and arbitrary set of rules.

Tips on Building Your Own Digital Tarot Deck

Editor's Note: Here's an oldie, but a goodie, written about four years ago, lost during a web server crash, and revived courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Enjoy!

Remember Your Body!

Your body is more than a device for getting your head from one place to another.

Today, the Ace of Pentacles reminded me to get in touch with what my body needs. This has been an increasingly important theme in my life lately, and it's no surprise to see that theme reflected in my cards.

With an eye toward taking care of your body's needs, why not draw a card today? The Ace of Cups might remind you to drink more water. The Red Three from the Bright Idea Deck (Action) might remind you to take a quick walk. The Six of Swords might encourage you to return to a physical activity you used to enjoy. (Boating, anyone?)

One small change, over time, can have huge implications for your health. So draw a card ... get an inspiration ... and make a change for the better today.

Daunted by the Deck?

At the International New Age Trade Show, I heard the same story again and again: "We carry some Tarot cards, but, to be honest, our customers are really afraid of them."

Some vendors told me they didn't carry Tarot cards at all -- even in "New Age" stores -- because customers responded so strongly to the decks. Others said they carried one or two packs (usually the Rider-Waite and the Robin Wood), but were hesitant to expand their Tarot stock because "customers are really spooked by them, and people don't buy what they don't like."

The questions raised by this feedback are dear to my heart, because I'm really passionate about making Tarot more accessible to everyday people. How can we help people get past their superstitions and fears? How can we make Tarot ... friendlier?

TIPS FOR STORE AND SHOP OWNERS
1) Keep a bowl of cards at the register. Instead of those sample decks held together by a chain, try filling the bowl with cards from several decks you sell. Encourage each customer to "pick a card, any card" and speculate about what the card means. (For the purpose of this exercise it's fine -- and advisable -- to remove cards like "Death" or "The Devil" from the bowl.)

2) Keep a copy of my Bright Idea Deck out where customers can see the cards and play with them. Store owner after store owner told me that people love the Bright Idea Deck's bold colors and approachable illustrations. (They also said that almost everyone who picked up the sample copy bought one for themselves!) Once customers get used to this simple, beginner-friendly deck, they'll be curious about other decks and want to see them, too.

3) Give customers a "card of the day." If you have old, incomplete, or sample decks on hand, try slipping a card in with each purchase. You can always put an Avery label with your store information (or even a copy of your business card on an Avery sticker) on the back of the card! Alternatively, feature a "card of the day" on a little stand by the cash register ... drawn, perhaps, from a "deck of the week!"

4) Offer classes. Nothing helps defuse misconceptions more than hands-on experience. In an hour, customers can learn how to shuffle, create one- to three-card spreads, and do simple intutive readings on their own. Find an enthusiastic, positive teacher, promote the class heavily, and go for it! (This can generate a lot of revenue for your store, too!)

5) Create "cheerleaders." Give one or two vocal customers a deck and a copy of What's in the Cards for You, and ask them to take the Tarot challenge. Ask them to post responses on a bulletin board in the store, or give them a chance to lead a session of a "reading circle" to discuss the book with other customers. You might also ask customers who use Tarot on a regular basis to write their best "True Tarot Stories" on index cards, and post these near your deck display.

FOR TAROT USERS
1) Come out of the Tarot closet! Offer readings to friends and relatives. Take a deck of cards to work. Integrate Tarot cards into your decor. Use 'em as bookmarks. Carry one with you wherever you go.

2) Go on a mission. Ever stumble on those Christian fundamentalist "Chick Tracts" in the supermarket? Turn the tables and leave your own "calling cards!" Leave cards from retired or incomplete decks in interesting places: library books, coffehouse tables, magazine racks. You never know ... finding your card may introduce someone to the joy of Tarot!

3) Talk about Tarot. Help people understand how Tarot, instead of rendering you a victim of Fate, empowers you by helping you explore and understand your choices. Help people understand that cards like Death and The Devil are symbols, like dream images, with meanings that go beyond their more apparent, literal associations.

4) Give the gift of Tarot. Give a friend, family member, or associate a Tarot deck! I'd recommend the Bright Idea Deck (it's friendly, approachable, and not spooky at all) and a copy of What's in the Cards for You? (of course!). Other great gift decks include the Universal Waite, the Robin Wood, and Medieval Enchantments (the Nigel Jackson Tarot).

5) Challenge your skeptical friends and relatives to take the tarot challenge. When it comes to Tarot, all too many people are "inexperienced experts." With a deck and a copy of What's in the Cards for You? in hand, skeptics can take a guided tour of Tarot's potentials and possibilities ... without checking their common sense at the door.

Every positive experience helps strip away superstition and open doors to new possibilities! Why not share your love of Tarot with someone new today?

Divination and Fiction - How Authors Use the Cards

Bruce Holland Rogers has won the Nebula Award (for best science-fiction), the Pushcart Prize (one of the most coveted literary awards), and the Bram Stoker Award (for outstanding horror).

In addition to using Tarot and the I Ching as tools for inspiring fiction, he works with the Bright Idea Deck. For a deeply personal look into how this award-winning author uses the cards, check out his online journal ... or read his review of the Bright Idea Deck on Amazon.com!

Little Black Boxes

The experiments that started it all sound more like pranks than scientific endeavors: subjects, expecting placid images of roses and landscapes, were surprised with a sudden and disturbing picture of a snake or spider. Researchers quickly discovered that when humans receive an unexpected shock, a detectable electrical pulse races through their skin.

And then, scientists noticed a number of individuals actually experienced this pulse *seconds before* they were shown the pictures!

Later, Professor Robert Jahn asked ordinary people off the street to focus their attention on a simple computer -- a random number generator -- while it coughed up ones and zeros a thousand times a second. When unattended, the generator's results were flatline: perfectly random. When focused on -- even by people professing no psychic ability at all -- the stream of numbers inexplicably skewed.

With this unexplained effect in mind, The Global Awareness Project placed dozens of black boxes all over the world. To their amazement, they discovered the shift in results not only occurs when individuals focus on the box ... but also when large populations fix their attention on any one event. As the world watched Lady Diana's funeral, for example, black boxes around the world reported skewed results. The numbers shifted again during the Nato bombing of Yugoslavia. And again during America's supercharged 2000 election.

And now, the reputable scientists involved in the Global Awareness Project have revealed a new finding: the distinctive skewing of the numbers begins *prior* to global events. Reviewing their data, researchers have found non-random skewing began hours before both 9/11 and the Asian tsunami.

The effect remains unexplained – and while results have been widely duplicated, many researchers are wary of discussing it, for fear of ridicule.

The article raises interesting questions about the science of prediction. Is it possible that random events – from lists of computer-generated numbers to a spread of shuffled Tarot cards – can “sample” and point to future events?

Who are You When You're Being Great?

“Passion Catalyst” Curt Rosengren wants to help people find the career that “lights their fire.” In his blog, The Occupational Adventure, he recommends approaches, attitudes, and tools that will help keep you focused on your goals.

Curt recently read and recommended my first book, Putting the Tarot to Work, noting that the book has great ideas for getting “broader, deeper, more creative perspective[s]” on career and business issues.

While visiting his site, I stumbled on his reference to a jewel of an article by Lisa Haneberg of Management Craft: open-ended questions concerning the topic, “Who are you being when you are great?”

Questions include “What are you thinking? How are you feeling? How do you begin the day? What does your voice sound like? What can you achieve?”

To these, Curt's article adds: “How do you define great? How are you being when you’re great? What’s stopping you from being great more often?”

Right away, I saw that these great questions could be adapted into a brainstorming spread – an exercise in creative thinking that could help you glimpse your own greatness and achieve that state more consistently!

From the Bright Idea Deck (or a Tarot deck), pull six cards, arranging them in a pyramid:

- one card on the top row
- two cards on the middle row,
- three cards on the bottom row.

The cards represent the answers to the following questions:

Card One: “Who are you when you’re being great?”
Card Two: “How do you work or act when you’re being great?”
Card Three: “How do you think or feel when you’re being great?”
Card Four: “What’s your personal Key to Greatness?”
Card Five: “What’s an obstacle to your achievement of Greatness?”
Card Six: “What’s one small step toward Greatness you can take today?”

Investing just ten minutes in this reading can make a huge difference in your day: enhancing your mood, focusing your energies, and providing you with a vivid picture of your own Best Self. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes!