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Modern Tarot: Connecting with Your Higher Self through the Wisdom of the Cards
The beloved literary iconoclast delivers a fresh 21st century primer on tarot that can be used with any deck
While tarot has gone mainstream with a diverse range of tarot decks widely available, there has been no equally mainstream guide to the tarot—one that can be applied to any deck—until now. Infused with beloved iconoclastic author Michelle Tea’s unique insight, inviting pop sensibility, and wicked humor, Modern Tarot is a fascinating journey through the cards that teaches how to use this tradition to connect with our higher selves.
Whether you’re a committed seeker or a digital-age skeptic—or perhaps a little of both—Tea’s essential guide opens the power of tarot to you. Modern Tarot doesn’t require you to believe in the supernatural or narrowly focus on the tarot as a divination tool. Tea instead provides incisive descriptions of each of the 78 cards in the tarot system—each illustrated in the charmingly offbeat style of cartoonist Amanda Verwey—and introduces specially designed card-based rituals that can be used with any deck to guide you on a path toward radical growth and self-improvement.
Tea reveals how tarot offers moments of deep, transformative connection—an affirming, spiritual experience that is gentle, individual, and aspirational. Grounded in Tea’s twenty-five years of tarot wisdom and her abiding love of the cards, and featuring 78 black and white illustrations throughout, Modern Tarot is the ultimate introduction to the tradition of the tarot for millennial readers.
While tarot has gone mainstream with a diverse range of tarot decks widely available, there has been no equally mainstream guide to the tarot—one that can be applied to any deck—until now. Infused with beloved iconoclastic author Michelle Tea’s unique insight, inviting pop sensibility, and wicked humor, Modern Tarot is a fascinating journey through the cards that teaches how to use this tradition to connect with our higher selves.
Whether you’re a committed seeker or a digital-age skeptic—or perhaps a little of both—Tea’s essential guide opens the power of tarot to you. Modern Tarot doesn’t require you to believe in the supernatural or narrowly focus on the tarot as a divination tool. Tea instead provides incisive descriptions of each of the 78 cards in the tarot system—each illustrated in the charmingly offbeat style of cartoonist Amanda Verwey—and introduces specially designed card-based rituals that can be used with any deck to guide you on a path toward radical growth and self-improvement.
Tea reveals how tarot offers moments of deep, transformative connection—an affirming, spiritual experience that is gentle, individual, and aspirational. Grounded in Tea’s twenty-five years of tarot wisdom and her abiding love of the cards, and featuring 78 black and white illustrations throughout, Modern Tarot is the ultimate introduction to the tradition of the tarot for millennial readers.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2017
1089 people are currently reading
5763 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Tea
50 books1,019 followersMichelle Tea (born Michelle Tomasik) is an American author, poet, and literary arts organizer whose autobiographical works explore queer culture, feminism, race, class, prostitution, and other topics. She is originally from Chelsea, Massachusetts and currently lives in San Francisco. Her books, mostly memoirs, are known for their views into the queercore community. In 2012 Tea partnered with City Lights Publishers to form the Sister Spit imprint.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
September 6, 2018
Would have given it five stars if it wasn't for Michelle using the term spirit animal. We hold our faves to the highest standards cos we want them to do the best work they can <3
June 15, 2021
a few months after acquiring my first tarot deck, i decided i needed a reliable resource to help me learn the cards. and who better to guide me than michelle tea?
it's a great resource, and a joy to read. tea begins with an informative introduction, then discusses each card individually. visual analysis of the art is woven together with cards' meanings, and with personal stories and anecdotes about their roles in tea's life. so many nuggets of wisdom!!
there is also a spell section for each card, where tea provides suggestions on how to embody the cards' unique energies. i'm not sure if i'll engage in many of these, because i'm a relatively secular tarot reader (and because some of the crystals and herbs she recommends are EXPENSIVE), but i still really enjoyed reading them. it feels like she's gradually teaching her readers how to become witches!!
like everything else i've read from michelle tea, this book has so much heart. her personal touches are lovely, and i look forward to referring to this book frequently as i learn to do tarot readings.
it's a great resource, and a joy to read. tea begins with an informative introduction, then discusses each card individually. visual analysis of the art is woven together with cards' meanings, and with personal stories and anecdotes about their roles in tea's life. so many nuggets of wisdom!!
there is also a spell section for each card, where tea provides suggestions on how to embody the cards' unique energies. i'm not sure if i'll engage in many of these, because i'm a relatively secular tarot reader (and because some of the crystals and herbs she recommends are EXPENSIVE), but i still really enjoyed reading them. it feels like she's gradually teaching her readers how to become witches!!
like everything else i've read from michelle tea, this book has so much heart. her personal touches are lovely, and i look forward to referring to this book frequently as i learn to do tarot readings.
June 14, 2017
Though, in truth, I am currently reading this book I can already say that it is most phenomenal. The boomer's had 78 degrees of wisdom, we, Gen-X and the Millenials have Modern Tarot. Yes, it is *that* important, yes it is *that* intrepid, yes, it is that insightful, useful, and deserves a home on the shelves of every witch and reader of the tarot born 1970 and on. Michelle Tea is a genius, binding together the arcane with the every-day, the sacred and profane, the spark which leads so much of us to seek wisdom in the tarot and in such an accessible way! Her impressions of The Empress alone (my birth card) brought me to tears. Her insight is astonishing and I highly recommend this book for queer folx especially, it can be disconcerting to encounter the heteronormativity and gender binary often associated with the tarot in less progressive decks and books.
March 20, 2020
i'd give this 2.5 stars max; tea's card interpretations just didn't ring true for me and the thing that got on my nerves the most was how she'd refer to certain cards as "bad" or "terrible" which imo is not a great way to look at the tarot.
August 25, 2020
One of the few times I was ranting throughout the book, almost only finished it out of spite. I initially got annoyed at the absence of explaining how to actually make a spread and a really bad and weird interpretation of trans people. I later got very tired at her excessive materialism. Every spell included the need to buy crystals/pouches /candles/herbs they don't sell at tesco. It also felt like every other card wanted you to "treat yourself and buy this thing you want or take a trip far away". Idk it just didn't sit right. Maybe it's just not my favourite style.
September 5, 2017
This book did a good job of positioning certain cards in a way that is less problematic for feminists, which I greatly appreciate. I would like the opportunity to purchase these cards as illustrated in this book. They are so dang well-drawn! I enjoyed the author's incorporating of her own life events to illustrate particular cards. I would have liked for the author to discuss her favorite tarot spreads and how she approaches her readings.
December 4, 2023
very easy to read. probably helps that I like, and/or am already familiar with, her style.
easy short chapters for each card. interesting tarot deck art (drawn I believe specifically for this book), giving a slightly more individual and inclusive take on more traditional Rider Waite Smith imagery. practical advice, including crystal compatibility and spellwork for those whose practice includes these.
feels as much a kinda autobiography as a book about tarot... which i guess shouldn't really surprise me from her other writing I've read... but it kinda did.
the second or third time she linked a card to her drinking and (at the time unhealthy for her and others, in an unconsidered way) promiscuity, and to changing that, I felt abit turned away. not that what she said wasn't true (for her), but that there could have been better examples (not the same one so repeatedly). and there's healthy ways to be non-monogamous.
that said, I definitely got/took something from amongst each piece she wrote about a card 🙂
📖
the book would have benefited from an index - I wanted to look up the cards by crystal (remembering Michelle Tea often included crystals in ways of working with a card) and discovered then that there wasn't an index.
📖
accessed as a paperback book.
easy short chapters for each card. interesting tarot deck art (drawn I believe specifically for this book), giving a slightly more individual and inclusive take on more traditional Rider Waite Smith imagery. practical advice, including crystal compatibility and spellwork for those whose practice includes these.
feels as much a kinda autobiography as a book about tarot... which i guess shouldn't really surprise me from her other writing I've read... but it kinda did.
the second or third time she linked a card to her drinking and (at the time unhealthy for her and others, in an unconsidered way) promiscuity, and to changing that, I felt abit turned away. not that what she said wasn't true (for her), but that there could have been better examples (not the same one so repeatedly). and there's healthy ways to be non-monogamous.
that said, I definitely got/took something from amongst each piece she wrote about a card 🙂
📖
the book would have benefited from an index - I wanted to look up the cards by crystal (remembering Michelle Tea often included crystals in ways of working with a card) and discovered then that there wasn't an index.
📖
accessed as a paperback book.
November 26, 2017
Do you already love Michelle Tea? If so, get this book. Do you not know yet if you love Michelle Tea? If so, read all her books until you realize you do and then get this book.
March 17, 2020
Did not finish after reading through the Major Arcana. I was very frustrated that the author describes the Rider-Waite-Smith deck version of each card, but the reference illustrations included in the book look nothing like the RWS ones. If they were minor differences, that would be fine, but these illustrations cut out a lot of the symbolism that she writes about, which made it difficult to follow along at times. There were other issues as well, but those are more on a personal level.
September 6, 2018
The interpretations are medieval. Every tarot card has a light and shadow side, these interpretations are clearly very personal and subjective to the author, and therefor should not be utilized in ones own doing or situation. Very disappointing in that aspect, however the 'work with' section after each card interpretation are modern and interesting. If you really want to get to know the tarot in an in depth and profound way, beyond quick dogmatic approach, I suggest "The Way of Tarot" by Marianne Costa and Jodorowsky far more.
May 17, 2018
I've spent several months referring to this book as my primary tarot guide, and I've really come to like it. The reservations I had early on still stand: I dislike the art on the cards used as examples in this book, and occasionally I find Tea's authorial voice to be a bit chatty for my taste. But overall, I appreciate her casual, humorous, cut-the-crap style and the focus on anecdotal information, which is really helpful for learning the cards. I haven't done much with the spells/rituals she offers for each card, but I appreciate their inclusion and may turn to them at some point. Overall, though, I'm happy to have added this book to my collection.
March 2, 2020
This really helped flesh out my understanding of Tarot. I can’t give all the credit to this book of course but it’s very useful. The author definitely has her biases here and there (the Swords, probably my favorite suit, gets a lot of shade in the court cards, lol) but she gave a thorough, nuanced review of each card/theme.
She includes spells with each card also, for bringing in or flushing out that energy, which I mostly scanned through, but others may find helpful. I do respect how she incorporates the tarot into her practices. Whatever spirituality you come from (or don’t), you can make use of the tarot in your own way.
She includes spells with each card also, for bringing in or flushing out that energy, which I mostly scanned through, but others may find helpful. I do respect how she incorporates the tarot into her practices. Whatever spirituality you come from (or don’t), you can make use of the tarot in your own way.
November 14, 2017
Library Read... (1.5)
There are some things that don't need a modern twist to it but if you decide to put that twist on it - make sure it's done the right way. Modern Tarot missed the mark on many levels. No matter how many people write books about Tarot - the meaning of the cards remains the same. I was disappointed in the author's interpretation of the cards. There is a part of me that understands what she was trying to convey to new readers of Tarot, but she should have left this one alone.
There are some things that don't need a modern twist to it but if you decide to put that twist on it - make sure it's done the right way. Modern Tarot missed the mark on many levels. No matter how many people write books about Tarot - the meaning of the cards remains the same. I was disappointed in the author's interpretation of the cards. There is a part of me that understands what she was trying to convey to new readers of Tarot, but she should have left this one alone.
July 14, 2017
This book is pretty good!
October 19, 2022
great for an overview/introduction to each of the tarot cards. as someone who's been reading for almost a decade, this didn't give me much NEW insight, but the refresher was good overall.
June 28, 2017
Michelle Tea presents a great guide to the Tarot with 'Modern Tarot.' Her introduction discusses the background she has with the cards and her personal use. The balance of the book is devoted to the variety of readings and meanings that, to her, are evoked from the imagery - and often, a personal anecdote or experience pertinent to the card's message. In addition, with each card, a short description of a ritual is included - on some scale of hokey to interesting/insightful.
She works within the symbolism and art of the standard Rider Waite deck, but with a keen eye towards queer identities: rather than ascribing conservative / traditional meanings to all the cards - historically quite gendered - she is open about the fluidity of cards' meanings, and acknowledges the shortcomings of traditional interpretations.
She does not cover reverse / inverted meanings, but that's no big deal. Nor are different spreads covered (3, 5, etc). Overall, this is an excellent, thoughtful, sensitive, and nuanced guide to reading the cards and is well suited for beginner and advanced tarot reader looking for a thoughtful guide to the deck. I would recommend it in conjunction with the Biddy Guide to the Tarot for a complete walk through of the symbolism and meaning behind different cards.
She works within the symbolism and art of the standard Rider Waite deck, but with a keen eye towards queer identities: rather than ascribing conservative / traditional meanings to all the cards - historically quite gendered - she is open about the fluidity of cards' meanings, and acknowledges the shortcomings of traditional interpretations.
She does not cover reverse / inverted meanings, but that's no big deal. Nor are different spreads covered (3, 5, etc). Overall, this is an excellent, thoughtful, sensitive, and nuanced guide to reading the cards and is well suited for beginner and advanced tarot reader looking for a thoughtful guide to the deck. I would recommend it in conjunction with the Biddy Guide to the Tarot for a complete walk through of the symbolism and meaning behind different cards.
September 19, 2020
I've been bouncing around this book from card to card and while I haven't gotten to every page, I feel like I've read enough to give this a review.
This is the book that has given me, after 5 years of owning a tarot deck, a lasting understanding of my cards. Finally! Each description of the cards is so relevant and relatable that I'm using my deck more and in ways that were previously closed off. I'm seeing patterns I wasn't before and have much easier time understanding the narrative between cards.
The spells part of the book are fun too. They are accessible in material and have a lot of variations. I like them because they are about helping you focus on the solutions to your problems. It's all about intention and less "magic". Each card has a spell attached to it and you can choose to do them if you are feeling like a little extra cosmic help. :)
10/10, 5 stars, highly recommend this book. Especially if you are a beginner tarot reader.
This is the book that has given me, after 5 years of owning a tarot deck, a lasting understanding of my cards. Finally! Each description of the cards is so relevant and relatable that I'm using my deck more and in ways that were previously closed off. I'm seeing patterns I wasn't before and have much easier time understanding the narrative between cards.
The spells part of the book are fun too. They are accessible in material and have a lot of variations. I like them because they are about helping you focus on the solutions to your problems. It's all about intention and less "magic". Each card has a spell attached to it and you can choose to do them if you are feeling like a little extra cosmic help. :)
10/10, 5 stars, highly recommend this book. Especially if you are a beginner tarot reader.
January 11, 2021
I have always held Tarot in a place of great mystery. So many cards, so many interpretations, so many differing opinions on use and the magic they hold - it can be overwhelming. Michelle does an incredible job of unlocking this magic and making very clear that the true power of the Tarot is directly influenced by the power you put into the cards, and the story you are looking to tell.
I absolutely loved the personal anecdotes when discussing the cards and the stories behind them as well as the original meanings of the cards and how they can be modernized to take into account the developments society has made (the heteropatriarchy is everywhere yall). Just like our souls and stories, the cards are not one thing and I love that they don’t need to be. They are not essential truths and absolute ideas, but rather a collection of emotion and little guiding lights to our greater selves and journeys.
I absolutely loved the personal anecdotes when discussing the cards and the stories behind them as well as the original meanings of the cards and how they can be modernized to take into account the developments society has made (the heteropatriarchy is everywhere yall). Just like our souls and stories, the cards are not one thing and I love that they don’t need to be. They are not essential truths and absolute ideas, but rather a collection of emotion and little guiding lights to our greater selves and journeys.
May 23, 2018
As a 90s 3rd waver, I've been reading Michelle Tea forever, and I'm delighted to see that she has hopped knowledgeably on the witch trend b/c it gives me all the cozy Bust magazine feels. Be aware, Tumblr witchlings -- she's got spells for every card in here, and she thinks of the whole thing very approachably as spiritual crafting!
April 21, 2019
I didn't find her interpretations of the cards that original or interesting, and her suggestions for embodiment/witchcraft at the end of each card felt pretty consumerist in that they would require purchasing a bunch of crystals, specialized herbs, etc, to practice.
January 18, 2020
A straightforward, contemporary guide to each of the 78 classic tarot cards, broken up into Major Arcana, Suits (Ace through Ten), and Court sections. I am definitely a tarot beginner so I can't compare to other resources or interpretations, but I found this book accessible and relatable. Each card is accompanied by a spell or spells to either bring the energy of the card into your life or help banish it--I mostly skimmed those, but they seemed similarly no-nonsense.
I checked this book out from the library but it would be good to own as a reference if you're interested in practicing tarot on an everyday basis, since you can't really absorb all of the info presented in a single read-through.
I checked this book out from the library but it would be good to own as a reference if you're interested in practicing tarot on an everyday basis, since you can't really absorb all of the info presented in a single read-through.
December 11, 2017
I love this modern and practical take on tarot. Each card is described in a way that could relate to life in the contemporary West, and includes spells/advice on how to work with the message or energy of the particular card. Whether you're witchy or just want to meditate on the archetypes of the tarot, it's a very interesting read that will supplement traditional views on tarot.
November 18, 2019
This is great and has the most information about the individual cards, but I’m not so much into the spells that were offered to put the cards into real life
February 22, 2020
I really enjoyed Michelle Tea’s take on the tarot cards. She’s very much about tarot for self-knowledge and empowerment. Sounds like she’s led an interesting life!
August 31, 2020
Helpful new way of reading into tarot. Gives spells and actions to take if you feel the need. Personally I never do but it’s nice to know they are there in case I need a calming action after a hectic tarot reading.
Lost a star for occasionally having poor formatting, spelling and grammar.
Lost a star for occasionally having poor formatting, spelling and grammar.
August 7, 2021
One of my favs
October 10, 2022
A fresh and new way to grasp the journey represented by tarot cards. I enjoyed this.
January 31, 2021
Popsugar 2021 has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover
December 16, 2021
Had three good points in total. I do not care about her life story unfortunately
September 7, 2018
I have been browsing a lot of books on tarot recently from the library, Kindle Unlimited and elsewhere. This one is my favorite. There's not much in here about spreads; it's really just information about each of the cards, along with some "spells" using crystals, herbalism, etc. that complement each card. A lot of them involve making teas or bath treatments or burning candles. She calls it "spiritual crafting." I can be down with that. I really like the way she draws meaning from and illuminates each of the cards.
The thing I like best about this book is that it is written from the perspective of using tarot for personal growth and self-awareness, not for divination and not really for reading professionally.
Something about this book resonated with me as a Gen-X'er, too. Maybe it was the musical/cultural references.
At least right now, the Kindle version of this book is $1.99. WELL WORTH IT. I might even buy a hard copy of this one as well, I like it that much.
The thing I like best about this book is that it is written from the perspective of using tarot for personal growth and self-awareness, not for divination and not really for reading professionally.
Something about this book resonated with me as a Gen-X'er, too. Maybe it was the musical/cultural references.
At least right now, the Kindle version of this book is $1.99. WELL WORTH IT. I might even buy a hard copy of this one as well, I like it that much.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews