Recently I was given the opportunity to review Lily Oak's newest book, Quick & Easy Tarot, released by Hedge Witchery Books (http://www.hedge-witcherybooks.com), and I am so very grateful for the opportunity. I read tarot every day; I have even been known to carry my deck around in my purse for no other reason then to have it nearby. I am not a beginning reader by any means, but Lily Oak has included pieces of information in her book that were quite new and fascinating to me.
She begins with the history of tarot, from its origins as a 15th
century game known as 'trionfi' to its evolution in the 18th century to the
divination tool we utilize today.
Oak gives instructions on how to choose and 'connect' with your tarot
deck (a key piece here, because if you do not have a connection with the
deck you use, you will either not have any results, or your readings will
make no sense whatsoever. I speak from experience.)
Her example of taking notes on one's personal impression of each card
is stellar; my deck is very complimentary to me, but only insomuch as I
have memorized the meanings given in the guidebook. I have never thought
to examine each image to see what my own impression would be. I will be
rectifying this very soon.
She provides readers with a brief description of each card of the Major
Arcana. (Those are the 22 cards which are associated with life experiences,
and include such cards as The Fool, The Wheel of Fortune, The Sun, The
Moon, and Death.) Oak also includes the definitions of each card. (Helpful
if your deck didn't come with a guidebook.)
Moving on to the Minor Arcana, Oak names the four suits: Cups,
Swords, Coins and Wands. These may change from deck to deck. For
instance, the deck I use, Kris Waldherr's Goddess Tarot, is comprised of
Cups, Swords, Pentacles and Staves. (Should you purchase this deck, be
aware that the card images of the Major Arcana are very different from the
ones described in Quick & Easy Tarot, though the cards do have the same
meanings as the ones provided by Oak.) She defines the meaning of each of
the 14 cards in each suit, then continues on to offer you the elemental
meaning of each suit as well, very useful when using your cards in ritual.
Next, Oak takes readers through steps leading to using cards for a
reading. She gives advice on how to prepare oneself and one's deck, then
offers instructions for laying out the cards. She offers two three-card
spreads, one I've never seen before , so of course I had to give it a try. My
reading of the three card Week/Moon/Season layout had interesting, though,
happily, promising results. I'm going to keep my eyes open for opportunities
both dutiful and fulfilling. Next, a familiar-to-me five card spread, then two
seven card layouts I hadn't seen before.
The final spread Oak offers as an example is the 13 card Wheel of the
Year spread, an impressive-looking layout that is actually quite easy to read
and comprehend. It's one of my favorites when I'm looking for information
concerning an outcome that will encompass several months of fruition.
I do not read tarot professionally, or for very many other people. For
those that may be interested in pursuing this, however, Oak includes an
etiquette section of sorts, giving her readers advice on how to communicate
with clients or friends concerning a reading. This I found very informative.
Maybe one day I will begin offering tarot readings with my Reiki
treatments.
Overall, Lily Oak's Quick & Easy Tarot is an impressive little book: it
has all the information a tarot beginner could need, written simply and
concisely, with regard to the fact that beginners are just that, beginners. I am
not a beginner, but I guarantee I will be utilizing this gem of a book often.
Quick & Easy Tarot is currently available for the Kindle, and will be
available in paperback next month.