THE TAROT HANDBOOK. Practical Applications Of Ancient Visual Symbols.

by Angeles Arrien

Tarot Handbook

Genres: Tarot, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Occult, Reference, Divination, Paganism

Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

cultural anthropologist, award-winning author, educator, and consultant to many organizations and businesses. She lectures and conducts workshops worldwide, bridging cultural anthropology, psychology, and comparative religions. Her work is currently used in medical, academic, and corporate environments. She is the President of the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research. Her books have been translated into thirteen languages and she has received three honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of her work.

Reviews

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my essential books on the tarot that I'd recommend to anybody who is interested in diving deeper into the esoteric elements of the tarot. If you're a Thoth, Hermetic, etc reader, this is an absolute must-have and I don't say that lightly!

Each description of the cards is a work of art within itself and it's abundantly clear that the author knows her stuff. There's also some great information on using the tarot as a psychological tool with plenty of citations from Carl Jung. Further cementing the psychological angle, there are methods for working out your life path card, soul card, etc. There are also some supplementary spreads which are fantastic and finally, a formidable appendix.

This is how I wish more tarot books could be: well-written and knowledgeable. I would seriously recommend to my tarot students to study with this book, it really is brilliant and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to give this book a higher rating. It is well researched and gives a bounty of information regarding the 78 cards of tarot as well as historical insight and worksheets/spreads to use. However, this book should come with a warning explaining that it specifically describes the Thoth deck by Aliester Crowley ( -_- ). Aside from the fact that I’m a firm believer that the Rider Waite tarot deck is the standard , the Thoth deck is actually much different from most 78 card tarot decks. For example: in most decks, justice is the 11th card. However it is the 8th card in the Thoth deck and the strength card doesn’t exist. I may have just gotten more annoyed that there’s no acknowledgment of these obvious differences as I continued reading.

I did really appreciate the author’s citation of Jung throughout the book!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book on the Thoth Tarot. deck. I read this in college and was so inspired by Angeles's way of describing the tarot symbols in an anthropological context. I even wrote her a fan letter!

[Thecritic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Thoth tarot’s symbols explained from psychological, mythological and cross cultural perspectives.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read this book in years and decided to do so once again -- as a refresher. Excellent book for beginners but overall rather simplistic with too much emphasis on the birthday for each card and too little on its meaning.

Here's an example: The Seven of Wands represents the qualityofvalour. Valouris thecouragetostay
by what you value, not to compromise or to settle forless. Th ecentral niched wand on this
card represents a reminder to trust your experience. Ifyouhavethecouragetostay by what
you value, things will unfold like the lotus blossoms,renew and regenerate themselves or
allow you to movein new directions that you value, which is represented by the Ibis or
Phoenix heads; and you are able to see things oreclearly, andabletohonoryourvision and
creativity, which is represented by the Eye of Horns, the winged Eye of Horus staff. The
astrological symbol of this cardis Mars in Leo. Mars is the planet of energy and vitality that
cansupportyourcreative expression, which is Leo.

Whenever you pull this card it indicates that in the next seven weeks or the next
seven months, it's important for you to have the courage to stay by what you value, espe-
cially in the month ofLeoor with Leopeople inyourlife, anyone bom July 21 to August21

In the next seven weeks or the next seven months, it's important for you to stay by what
you value as far as yourcreative expression or workor career is concerned, and not to com-
promise or to settle for less. It is atime to trust your intuition and past experiences.

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book you will sit down and read from cover to cover, although I thought I would and tried to do just that. It's a reference book, and you'll be happier if you treat it that way. While you can figure out your "symbol" and "number" that your life directs, this book is far more interesting for the deep analysis, both Jungian and mystical, of the meaning behind the figures of the Tarot. And not just the major arcana, either, but of every card in the deck.

You get the history of tarot, the various meanings, and some practical guides to using it. It's not a book of magic, it's a book of metaphor and symbolism. And excellent reference book, not just for Tarot readers, but for anyone interested in poetry and metaphor, imagery and meaning-making.

[Daeryl Holzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the most complete and useful book on Tarot I have ever found. I have been using this book since the early 90s, and it was a refreshing change from the negative interpretations that came with the Thoth deck. I love the approach of personal growth, the richness of symbolism, and the information about birth date numerology.

I highly recommend this book as a learning tool to use with any deck.

[Tiare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book alongside some other books to fully delve into my Tarot study. I especially liked the detail it went in with the major arcana cards and the appendix section that delves into creating your lifetime, personality, soul and growth symbols, that was new for me. It’s a keeper for me.

[Emmish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the major arcana and parts of the back. Anna gave this to me, and Jonah studied with AA! ❤️I’m gonna say 11/27 to start bc that’s when I started the thing, but really have been engaging with this since Anna gave it to me.

“Celestial chess”

[Ginny Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a thorough breakdown of the Thoth deck, with supplemental info on Tarot in general. I refer to this text so often that the spine has been severed several times.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource if you use Thoth

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely helpful guide to the Thoth deck

[Ava n gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this guide. Recommend!!

[Amy Doeun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an eye opening book. Love how it brings together symbols, intuition and energetics. A great tool for personal development.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally my favorite tarot book I've discovered since the RCG Path on Tarot Archetypes started. I was told to find it a long time ago and never did until this year. I was so amazed with the first day of looking at it, that then I purchased a copy for two of my dear friends.

This book has so much in it that I'd been wanting to play around with. There are detailed write-ups of each card. How to handle all the mathematical equations that cover Soul and Personality and Yearly Growth Cards. And there is a section on each of the card write-ups for how to interpret it if you received them for the three things you got from your equations.

I'm literally head over heels for this book in all ways.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been using this book for years and I am impressed by it each time I browse its pages. A perfect alliance of both the light and the dark element of the universal higher power conveyed to us by Angeles and Aleister, respectively. His deep and obscure wisdom embodied in a deck full of symbols, each one closely explained by Angeles Arrien with regard to mythology, anthropology, psychology and many other "logies." It's completely transcendental as well as rational, a masterpiece in the spiritual counselling, gives you the guidance you need, though it might be a bit challenging to construe the real meaning the accurate way. Good luck with that :) I highly reccomend this one!

[Kimberly Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Tarot book of all time. This was my ABC's through Tarot. I learned process, content, and intuitive skills through this book. I own many decks and have used the books from all of them to interpret cards but this verson uses the Crowley deck. She interprets the Crowley deck imagery wonderfully but I also connect the best with her understanding of Tarot meaning. The Crowley deck was what I was originally drawn to and what I go back to every time so maybe that's the connection I feel with her, but I still feel anyone could benefit from this book.

[Sean Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the blending of mythology and archetypes and traditional Tarot symbolism in this book. It is great for someone like me who looks at Tarot as something that gives perspective and insight into our thoughts and decision-making process rather than as something that has a supernatural or divinatory component. Very thorough and detailed descriptions for each of the cards, adding a lot of meaning that I haven't seen in the half-dozen other books I've read on the Thoth Tarot.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic introduction to Tarot. I haven't bought the cards yet but I intend to do that soon and do a reading. I found out that my lifetime card is The Magician, which goes along with my card as the Jack of Spades. They both say I've got lots of talent--maybe it hasn't emerged yet...

[Jenica Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the best book on tarot ever!

[Kathy Kaylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great tarot book. It is written for the Crowley deck and is certainly better than the one crowley wrote to go with his cards.

[Syncreation · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book recommended by my online buddy..still waiting for an order to arrive..

[Celest]

Haven't really gotten past ch. 1

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one I have had for over 7 years and at this point I refer to it once or twice a week :)

[Kathy Peveler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to become a spiritual counselor and not just a fortune teller begin with this book.

[Teleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a modern rethinking of Crowley's use of symbolism in his deck. I haven't read it yet, but it looks pretty good! I got it cheap on ebay last year, thinking I was buying a different book.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to the Thoth tarot deck. If you use this deck, then I recommend this book.

[Kathryn Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gift.

[Tchipakkan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to read all the metaphysical books in the library and see what they're offering.

[Bonnie Namba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for your metaphysical reference library - an excellent one at that.