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The Language of Tarot: A Proven System for Reading the Cards
Reading the cards can be as easy as reading this sentence.
Welcome to a world of tarot you couldn't have imagined until now--a world in which you can give accurate and insightful tarot readings with little or no guesswork while also developing your psychic ability. This revolutionary guide, written by a tarot master with more than thirty years of experience, teaches a simple, proven system that makes reading cards in a spread as straightforward as reading words on a page.
The Language of Tarot presents an innovative system that treats tarot as a science. It can be taught and learned. Jeannie Reed discovered that when the same two or three cards appear together, it usually represents the same issue in any client's life. This remarkable book translates many card combinations and supplies examples to support each lesson. You can be more creative and confident with card meanings as you uncover how they relate to matters of health, money, relationships, and more. With Jeannie's guidance, it's easy to become fluent in the language of tarot.
Welcome to a world of tarot you couldn't have imagined until now--a world in which you can give accurate and insightful tarot readings with little or no guesswork while also developing your psychic ability. This revolutionary guide, written by a tarot master with more than thirty years of experience, teaches a simple, proven system that makes reading cards in a spread as straightforward as reading words on a page.
The Language of Tarot presents an innovative system that treats tarot as a science. It can be taught and learned. Jeannie Reed discovered that when the same two or three cards appear together, it usually represents the same issue in any client's life. This remarkable book translates many card combinations and supplies examples to support each lesson. You can be more creative and confident with card meanings as you uncover how they relate to matters of health, money, relationships, and more. With Jeannie's guidance, it's easy to become fluent in the language of tarot.
- GenresTarotNonfictionReference
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2019
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August 24, 2026Source of book: library
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
***
Skippable preamble on my tarot bullshit here
But, also, yes I’m back reading tarot books. I realise these aren’t particularly interesting reviews for anyone who isn’t interested in tarot (and, honestly, for those who are interested in tarot) but it helps me keep track of what I read and whether it was useful to me.
This was not useful to me.
I opted out pretty much on the first page.
Which opens like this:
This is just so wildly incompatible, not only with how I read tarot but how I think and interact with tarot, that I felt the book and I would just be in a permanent argument if I tried to read any more of it. So I used my common sense and put the book aside.
I should probably clarify that when I say an approach to tarot isn’t my approach to tarot, I’m not directly dissing approaches to tarot that aren’t mine. It’s not even that I’m not open them--I tend to feel even perspectives we don’t agree with us can enrich us to a point--but with this one I just felt we were too far apart. I mean, I simply cannot fathom a world in which I personally would look at the 2 of coins and the Devil next to each and conclude the querent had degenerative neurological condition.
At worst I’d think they were overburdened, and maybe not in a position to recognise those burdens for what they were.
And, again, maybe that’s my own limitation. But I’m okay with that. Just like it’s okay for other people to think about things differently and write books that don’t work for me.
(With hindsight I do wonder if “a proven system” should have clued me in that this book was not going to be for me. Like, the whole point of tarot, for me, is that it’s interpretative. So while there are easier and harder ways to learning, the idea of anything tarot-related being proven or provable doesn’t make a lot of sense to me)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
***
Skippable preamble on my tarot bullshit here
But, also, yes I’m back reading tarot books. I realise these aren’t particularly interesting reviews for anyone who isn’t interested in tarot (and, honestly, for those who are interested in tarot) but it helps me keep track of what I read and whether it was useful to me.
This was not useful to me.
I opted out pretty much on the first page.
Which opens like this:
“You’re doing a reading and you’re looking at the Two of Pentacles reversed (upside down = confusion), and sitting next to it is the Devil (malignancy). Well, you don’t have to guess; you know that some kind of really serious thing is going on in somebody’s mind. Maybe they have dementia. Maybe the person has Alzheimer’s disease. Maybe the thinking is “off” because the person had a stroke (if the Tower shows up too).”
This is just so wildly incompatible, not only with how I read tarot but how I think and interact with tarot, that I felt the book and I would just be in a permanent argument if I tried to read any more of it. So I used my common sense and put the book aside.
I should probably clarify that when I say an approach to tarot isn’t my approach to tarot, I’m not directly dissing approaches to tarot that aren’t mine. It’s not even that I’m not open them--I tend to feel even perspectives we don’t agree with us can enrich us to a point--but with this one I just felt we were too far apart. I mean, I simply cannot fathom a world in which I personally would look at the 2 of coins and the Devil next to each and conclude the querent had degenerative neurological condition.
At worst I’d think they were overburdened, and maybe not in a position to recognise those burdens for what they were.
And, again, maybe that’s my own limitation. But I’m okay with that. Just like it’s okay for other people to think about things differently and write books that don’t work for me.
(With hindsight I do wonder if “a proven system” should have clued me in that this book was not going to be for me. Like, the whole point of tarot, for me, is that it’s interpretative. So while there are easier and harder ways to learning, the idea of anything tarot-related being proven or provable doesn’t make a lot of sense to me)
July 4, 2019
I love this kind of books because in general, I love reading about mythical things. This book explains exactly how tarot works in this world. Great read!
August 19, 2019
While I liked Reed's approach to reading tarot spreads like a "sentence of words," her tone throughout this book was entirely off-putting. Every other sentence starts with "So," or "See," or some such nonsense; the endless tales of her individual experiences reading for a single person quickly grow uninteresting; and her know-nothing-know-it-all lecturing and preaching about various topics (including the evils of sugar and the *horrible* failing of being -gasp- overweight) is disgusting.
June 25, 2019
*I received this title in exchange for an honest review.*
I've never heard of Tarot being done this way. Not once. Granted, I've only been into Tarot for around 5 years. Still, they approach to reading Tarot like a sentence was one that just seemed so freaking cool! It can be used for medical readings as well, which I love! There is so much more to the system than I thought there would be. Not to mention the author's voice is so easy to follow and understand. Very down to earth. I've got nothing but praise for this book and I plan to buy it when it comes out so I can keep it handy.
I've never heard of Tarot being done this way. Not once. Granted, I've only been into Tarot for around 5 years. Still, they approach to reading Tarot like a sentence was one that just seemed so freaking cool! It can be used for medical readings as well, which I love! There is so much more to the system than I thought there would be. Not to mention the author's voice is so easy to follow and understand. Very down to earth. I've got nothing but praise for this book and I plan to buy it when it comes out so I can keep it handy.
August 17, 2019
There is no individual page for each card, which can be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. It is just more of a short hand/keywords/key phrases to that card for both upright and reversed. Uses her work as a reader for many parts of the information - so it is not full of information but experience based. In the appendices there is some information and not seeing a bibliography so there is some concern there for me. But overall it more of her interpretation of the cards in the book.
April 8, 2021
Review at DegenerateReads here - https://degeneratereads.wordpress.com...
*Disclaimer: I received this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can never think of a catchy way to start my reviews, so I’ll just jump in with what The Language of Tarot made me feel—endless frustration. It has taken me almost a year of casually reading this to finally finish it—and it’s not because the subject matter wasn’t interesting enough, it’s because I found the author’s tone so abrasive it was difficult for me to spend long periods of time reading it. For the first time in my life I’ve encountered a book I wish had been ghost-written.
Before I go any further, I do want to mention that the edition I read was an ARC, so I’m not sure how much was changed for the final version. However, as my main pain points with this were the author’s own opinions and comments, I can’t imagine much of that was edited out for the final version.
While the writing is conversational, it’s a conversation I mostly regret being a part of. To be fair, the overall concept presented by Reed is very innovative, and one that will greatly help me in learning tarot. Reed proposes that reading tarot is more along the lines of translating than psychically intuiting, in that one card’s meaning can be layered with another’s so that the cards read like a sentence, not an abstract idea.
Reed also talks a bit about how tarot and psychology are linked. I realize some people may prefer a more mystical view of tarot, but I actually enjoyed this section of the book as it makes tarot more accessible. I also thought Reed handled the card meanings well, by explaining the overall meaning of each card and how it can relate to people in a reading, instead of throwing out a few buzzwords and not really making sense of how those words manifest in the client, as so many tarot guides do.
That said, the explanation of this concept felt like such a small part of the book, it could have easily been made into a blog post and retained the same depth. This book is less about Reed’s technique to learn tarot, and more about her personal experiences and, oftentimes, shitty and out of touch opinions on topics wholly unrelated to tarot (ex. sex-work, being fat, etc.), which are expressed in bizarre, irrelevant comments peppered throughout. I feel this would have been a completely different experience if Reed had focused more on educating the reader on her tarot learning technique and less on chattering about herself.
There are a few specific comments I want to address before wrapping up. I never know if I’m reading too much into something when I come across things like this and wasn’t sure if I wanted to include them, but fuck it, it’s my review—you can judge for yourself. The first set pertain to sexuality and gender, which is where some of Reed’s particularly outdated comments come in.
“I myself find that gay clients seek me out often, but not spectacularly so. I believe it’s because these people are artists at heart and find my method (and my vibe?) compatible with their own instincts.”
I don’t know what exactly about the above comment rubs me the wrong way, but it feels like an odd way to generalize a whole group of people, and I’m not here for it.
Another,
“I started to notice that a particular queen kept showing up when the client was a gay male. And a particular king kept showing up when the client was a gay female.”
For a book published in 2019, I would expect more accurate terminology. Also, this bothers me because the author previously explains queen cards as generally pertaining to women, and king cards as generally pertaining to men. And so, then saying you see gay men being represented by the cards associated with women, and lesbians being represented by the cards associated with men reinforces weird, outdated stereotypes about the perceived correlation between sexuality and gender expression. Gay men are not like women, and lesbians are not like men. Period.
This next comment is transphobic at most, and poorly worded at the least.
“Further, while I realize there are many transgender people and issues out there, so far not one individual with this issue has sought me out. I believe this is because the issue is far from my own concerns and history.”
However the author intended for this to be perceived, it could use a re-edit. It seems as though Reed is saying being transgender is the issue. Being transgender is a fact of some people’s lives, it is not an issue in it. I’m hoping this is not how Reed meant to sound, but it is how it sounds. Some of the language used I find troubling, to say the least.
This comment may be the one I have the most to say about.
“If somebody’s so needy they seek daily or even weekly tarot readings, I have psychotherapists to recommend. Because it’s either addictive behavior or obsessive behavior or bordering on it. And I don’t respect any psychic who doesn’t work this way.”
Couple things here. First, this is factually incorrect. Most people who read tarot, do daily/weekly readings. It’s not uncommon, and there’s no harm in it. Reed is the only person I’ve ever seen discourage daily/weekly readings, or pass such blatant judgement on those who want or do them. Now, as these readings are generally to get a loose vibe for the specified time period, I can understand how it would be annoying if you’re a tarot reader with a client coming in everyday to ask the same question. But that’s all it would be, annoying. Unless you are a mental health professional, which Reed says she is not, then you are not qualified to make the judgement that someone is exhibiting “addictive behavior or obsessive behavior or bordering on it.”
And this is a common sentiment expressed by Reed, that anyone exhibiting behavior she deems undesirable is in need of “psychotherapy” (a word which appears 26 times in the text). I find this stigmatizing, frankly. Reed expresses what she believes to be wrong with someone and claims that person needs “pyschotherapy”—an evaluation she is in no way qualified to make—which perpetuates the notion that therapy is for people who have something wrong with them, and therefore, that people who seek out therapy must have something wrong with them. Also, it’s kind of shitty to devalue other people in your profession for not working the way you like.
This final comment infuriated me the most. When talking about the reverse meaning for Queen of Cups, Reed’s “shorthand” (as in how she personally defines the card) is,
“A woman who sells herself short. A woman who doesn’t love herself and is in need of psychotherapy. A woman who settles for men who don’t love her. A woman who doesn’t get what she needs emotionally. Tip: To the extreme, this can be a prostitute.”
Um, what? I agree entirely with the meaning of the reversed card. I in no way agree with the author’s choice to tie such a card meaning to a prostitute. The “tip” was unnecessary to begin with, it once again generalizes a whole group of people, and is again, outdated and factually incorrect. For a book about tarot, this comment was the last thing I expected to read, but is very telling of how the author must view sex-workers. As someone who is pro sex-work and finds it completely valid, this is something I feel the need to address and clearly state my opinion on. Tip: You can be a sex-worker and love yourself at the same time as the two are not mutually exclusive.
TLDR; Cool technique with handy and applicable exercises. However, it’s overshadowed by the author’s self-aggrandizement and preachy tone, and contains more than a few problematic comments.
To say the least, this is an author I did not (vibe?) with.
*Disclaimer: I received this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can never think of a catchy way to start my reviews, so I’ll just jump in with what The Language of Tarot made me feel—endless frustration. It has taken me almost a year of casually reading this to finally finish it—and it’s not because the subject matter wasn’t interesting enough, it’s because I found the author’s tone so abrasive it was difficult for me to spend long periods of time reading it. For the first time in my life I’ve encountered a book I wish had been ghost-written.
Before I go any further, I do want to mention that the edition I read was an ARC, so I’m not sure how much was changed for the final version. However, as my main pain points with this were the author’s own opinions and comments, I can’t imagine much of that was edited out for the final version.
While the writing is conversational, it’s a conversation I mostly regret being a part of. To be fair, the overall concept presented by Reed is very innovative, and one that will greatly help me in learning tarot. Reed proposes that reading tarot is more along the lines of translating than psychically intuiting, in that one card’s meaning can be layered with another’s so that the cards read like a sentence, not an abstract idea.
Reed also talks a bit about how tarot and psychology are linked. I realize some people may prefer a more mystical view of tarot, but I actually enjoyed this section of the book as it makes tarot more accessible. I also thought Reed handled the card meanings well, by explaining the overall meaning of each card and how it can relate to people in a reading, instead of throwing out a few buzzwords and not really making sense of how those words manifest in the client, as so many tarot guides do.
That said, the explanation of this concept felt like such a small part of the book, it could have easily been made into a blog post and retained the same depth. This book is less about Reed’s technique to learn tarot, and more about her personal experiences and, oftentimes, shitty and out of touch opinions on topics wholly unrelated to tarot (ex. sex-work, being fat, etc.), which are expressed in bizarre, irrelevant comments peppered throughout. I feel this would have been a completely different experience if Reed had focused more on educating the reader on her tarot learning technique and less on chattering about herself.
There are a few specific comments I want to address before wrapping up. I never know if I’m reading too much into something when I come across things like this and wasn’t sure if I wanted to include them, but fuck it, it’s my review—you can judge for yourself. The first set pertain to sexuality and gender, which is where some of Reed’s particularly outdated comments come in.
“I myself find that gay clients seek me out often, but not spectacularly so. I believe it’s because these people are artists at heart and find my method (and my vibe?) compatible with their own instincts.”
I don’t know what exactly about the above comment rubs me the wrong way, but it feels like an odd way to generalize a whole group of people, and I’m not here for it.
Another,
“I started to notice that a particular queen kept showing up when the client was a gay male. And a particular king kept showing up when the client was a gay female.”
For a book published in 2019, I would expect more accurate terminology. Also, this bothers me because the author previously explains queen cards as generally pertaining to women, and king cards as generally pertaining to men. And so, then saying you see gay men being represented by the cards associated with women, and lesbians being represented by the cards associated with men reinforces weird, outdated stereotypes about the perceived correlation between sexuality and gender expression. Gay men are not like women, and lesbians are not like men. Period.
This next comment is transphobic at most, and poorly worded at the least.
“Further, while I realize there are many transgender people and issues out there, so far not one individual with this issue has sought me out. I believe this is because the issue is far from my own concerns and history.”
However the author intended for this to be perceived, it could use a re-edit. It seems as though Reed is saying being transgender is the issue. Being transgender is a fact of some people’s lives, it is not an issue in it. I’m hoping this is not how Reed meant to sound, but it is how it sounds. Some of the language used I find troubling, to say the least.
This comment may be the one I have the most to say about.
“If somebody’s so needy they seek daily or even weekly tarot readings, I have psychotherapists to recommend. Because it’s either addictive behavior or obsessive behavior or bordering on it. And I don’t respect any psychic who doesn’t work this way.”
Couple things here. First, this is factually incorrect. Most people who read tarot, do daily/weekly readings. It’s not uncommon, and there’s no harm in it. Reed is the only person I’ve ever seen discourage daily/weekly readings, or pass such blatant judgement on those who want or do them. Now, as these readings are generally to get a loose vibe for the specified time period, I can understand how it would be annoying if you’re a tarot reader with a client coming in everyday to ask the same question. But that’s all it would be, annoying. Unless you are a mental health professional, which Reed says she is not, then you are not qualified to make the judgement that someone is exhibiting “addictive behavior or obsessive behavior or bordering on it.”
And this is a common sentiment expressed by Reed, that anyone exhibiting behavior she deems undesirable is in need of “psychotherapy” (a word which appears 26 times in the text). I find this stigmatizing, frankly. Reed expresses what she believes to be wrong with someone and claims that person needs “pyschotherapy”—an evaluation she is in no way qualified to make—which perpetuates the notion that therapy is for people who have something wrong with them, and therefore, that people who seek out therapy must have something wrong with them. Also, it’s kind of shitty to devalue other people in your profession for not working the way you like.
This final comment infuriated me the most. When talking about the reverse meaning for Queen of Cups, Reed’s “shorthand” (as in how she personally defines the card) is,
“A woman who sells herself short. A woman who doesn’t love herself and is in need of psychotherapy. A woman who settles for men who don’t love her. A woman who doesn’t get what she needs emotionally. Tip: To the extreme, this can be a prostitute.”
Um, what? I agree entirely with the meaning of the reversed card. I in no way agree with the author’s choice to tie such a card meaning to a prostitute. The “tip” was unnecessary to begin with, it once again generalizes a whole group of people, and is again, outdated and factually incorrect. For a book about tarot, this comment was the last thing I expected to read, but is very telling of how the author must view sex-workers. As someone who is pro sex-work and finds it completely valid, this is something I feel the need to address and clearly state my opinion on. Tip: You can be a sex-worker and love yourself at the same time as the two are not mutually exclusive.
TLDR; Cool technique with handy and applicable exercises. However, it’s overshadowed by the author’s self-aggrandizement and preachy tone, and contains more than a few problematic comments.
To say the least, this is an author I did not (vibe?) with.
November 20, 2020
Well how interesting and unexpectedly delightful this was!
The author is incredibly literate and knowledgeable about the subject matter but managed to be both informative and entertaining - it felt like a combination TEDtalk and kitchen table dinner conversation, in the best way possible.
The way the author talks about family relationships was pretty rigidly traditional and I think we disagree on several other social issues, but all in all, a fantastic book.
The author is incredibly literate and knowledgeable about the subject matter but managed to be both informative and entertaining - it felt like a combination TEDtalk and kitchen table dinner conversation, in the best way possible.
The way the author talks about family relationships was pretty rigidly traditional and I think we disagree on several other social issues, but all in all, a fantastic book.
June 19, 2019
I liked the practice exercise at the end. The rest seemed just "okay" for me.
October 11, 2019
4.5 Stars
I have to admit that even though you don’t hear too many people reading the tarot in the way Jeannie Reed suggests, but this is the way I do it. I like to “tell the story” of the cards. It is exciting to see that others read like this as well.
I mesh meanings in a similar way you do with Lenormand. For instance, when you add 9 of Pentacles with the 10 of Pentacles you can come up with one idea. Then add your intuition based on some feature in the card artwork that stands out and suddenly these two cards can mean that “affirmations do indeed work.” The image of the lady in the 9 card looks like she is daydreaming, lying on a couch. That stood out to me. The ten is all about having your own happily ever after. Together you can see how this lady who is all alone could be wishing/affirming her desire for a family in the future.
If you are a writer or even like to write fiction, this way of reading will really resonate with you. It may take a bit of practice because using your intuition based on card images plus the actual meaning can take awhile to develop. But I find this way the easiest for me. In certain readings a card like the Tower can mean something altogether different if the cards around it are suggesting something else.
Go with your gut, guys. This is a wonderful way to read the cards. If you struggle with the actual meanings you still need to learn them in order to read this way. But don’t let a certain strict meaning keep you from finding the truth the spread reveals.
Be a brave soul and try this out for yourself. You won’t be sorry. I will be picking up this book again and again to refresh myself and keep my intuition raring to go. Thank you so much for putting this out in the world. It is so needed.,
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
I have to admit that even though you don’t hear too many people reading the tarot in the way Jeannie Reed suggests, but this is the way I do it. I like to “tell the story” of the cards. It is exciting to see that others read like this as well.
I mesh meanings in a similar way you do with Lenormand. For instance, when you add 9 of Pentacles with the 10 of Pentacles you can come up with one idea. Then add your intuition based on some feature in the card artwork that stands out and suddenly these two cards can mean that “affirmations do indeed work.” The image of the lady in the 9 card looks like she is daydreaming, lying on a couch. That stood out to me. The ten is all about having your own happily ever after. Together you can see how this lady who is all alone could be wishing/affirming her desire for a family in the future.
If you are a writer or even like to write fiction, this way of reading will really resonate with you. It may take a bit of practice because using your intuition based on card images plus the actual meaning can take awhile to develop. But I find this way the easiest for me. In certain readings a card like the Tower can mean something altogether different if the cards around it are suggesting something else.
Go with your gut, guys. This is a wonderful way to read the cards. If you struggle with the actual meanings you still need to learn them in order to read this way. But don’t let a certain strict meaning keep you from finding the truth the spread reveals.
Be a brave soul and try this out for yourself. You won’t be sorry. I will be picking up this book again and again to refresh myself and keep my intuition raring to go. Thank you so much for putting this out in the world. It is so needed.,
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
February 27, 2020
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and to the editor.
This book was a very good reading. Informative, interesting, well written and, to me, it was the perfect one. It is born as a sort of text-book for the author's students, and so it is a bit... I don't know if the word is right in this context, but a little bit "self-centered", and I am not really complaining, what I mean is that this is perfect as a text-book for her students, but for the main public it could have been a little bit less. I don't know if I am making sense here, but this is just a minor thing. I enjoyed the reading, a lot.
It is quite peculiar in its understanding of the use of tarots, and it is thought more for the "right-brain" people and those are the aspect that made this reading so enjoyable, useful, inspirational and interesting. After reading this book I did a bit of research, and I discovered that it is not, in fact, as unusual or as peculiar a line of thought as I was thinking. In the recent year the idea of the tarots as a language (the very thing that draws me to this book) and the tarot as a something less mystique and more linked to the subconscious and as a way to express more "scientific" things, if this could make sense (but it would if you read this book, for example) is slowing growing and expanding. But nonetheless, I have to thanks this book that, to me, was highly original. And more on my chords than a ton of others.
So yes, it's a book I would recommend if only because it is informative and interesting.
This book was a very good reading. Informative, interesting, well written and, to me, it was the perfect one. It is born as a sort of text-book for the author's students, and so it is a bit... I don't know if the word is right in this context, but a little bit "self-centered", and I am not really complaining, what I mean is that this is perfect as a text-book for her students, but for the main public it could have been a little bit less. I don't know if I am making sense here, but this is just a minor thing. I enjoyed the reading, a lot.
It is quite peculiar in its understanding of the use of tarots, and it is thought more for the "right-brain" people and those are the aspect that made this reading so enjoyable, useful, inspirational and interesting. After reading this book I did a bit of research, and I discovered that it is not, in fact, as unusual or as peculiar a line of thought as I was thinking. In the recent year the idea of the tarots as a language (the very thing that draws me to this book) and the tarot as a something less mystique and more linked to the subconscious and as a way to express more "scientific" things, if this could make sense (but it would if you read this book, for example) is slowing growing and expanding. But nonetheless, I have to thanks this book that, to me, was highly original. And more on my chords than a ton of others.
So yes, it's a book I would recommend if only because it is informative and interesting.
June 30, 2019
Got the basic card meanings? Got intuition? Good! Time to stretch your psychic muscle!
This book dives deep into developing the ability to see beyond the cards. It's written in accessible language, but don't expect anything easy peasy! If you're willing to practice with all your might, there's so much more in the cards. This is a whole new level of tarot. Going from knowing the keywords to making sentences, pulling more cards for clarity, exploring psychological problems, health issues, investigating crime, clarifying financial issues and so on. Helpful lists of card combinations and useful exercises are included.
I enjoy broadening my horizons and "The Language of Tarot" certainly quenched my curiosity.
Thank you Netgalley and Llewellyn for the ARC.
This book dives deep into developing the ability to see beyond the cards. It's written in accessible language, but don't expect anything easy peasy! If you're willing to practice with all your might, there's so much more in the cards. This is a whole new level of tarot. Going from knowing the keywords to making sentences, pulling more cards for clarity, exploring psychological problems, health issues, investigating crime, clarifying financial issues and so on. Helpful lists of card combinations and useful exercises are included.
I enjoy broadening my horizons and "The Language of Tarot" certainly quenched my curiosity.
Thank you Netgalley and Llewellyn for the ARC.
May 23, 2019
The Language of Tarot by Jeannie Reed is such a great way to start understanding Tarot reading! It has been super informative and helpful in helping to take the first steps to Tarot reading. Wonderful book!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2019
This book is an absolutely brilliant resource for both beginner Tarot readers and those who are looking to deepen their practice. I find that with books on Tarot, the texts either get very technical very quickly (and lose me, a beginner, on the way) or else they don't go into enough detail, and explain only the individual meanings of each card, not how to read them together in sequences or spreads. This book strikes a perfect balance - it's simple and straightforward, but it goes into extensive details about not only each card and each 'suit', but also how the cards should be interpreted together- how it changes a reading when many cards of the same suit appear, or how one card alters or enhances the meaning of another, etc.
For me, when I've tried to learn Tarot before, I've got a bit exasperated because I can only remember the singular cards and couldn't grasp how to to read an actual spread - I genuinely feel like I made leaps and bounds during the week I spent with this book, and made a real connection with the cards. I also liked that the tone of the book is friendly and conversational rather than dry and academic like a lot of the other Tarot books I've read.
I will definitely return to this book again and again, and would recommend to anyone wanting to get a better understanding of Tarot.
For me, when I've tried to learn Tarot before, I've got a bit exasperated because I can only remember the singular cards and couldn't grasp how to to read an actual spread - I genuinely feel like I made leaps and bounds during the week I spent with this book, and made a real connection with the cards. I also liked that the tone of the book is friendly and conversational rather than dry and academic like a lot of the other Tarot books I've read.
I will definitely return to this book again and again, and would recommend to anyone wanting to get a better understanding of Tarot.
June 12, 2022
《Mindless gossip》
I totally agree with a 2 star comment review. The author is quite opinionated, self absorbed, gender traditionalism, spiritual-none, skeptical-yes. Despite being published, still very poor choice of words. A very controversial conversation kinda "vibe". Definitely a conversation I didn't want to be a part of, for a book.
Would definitely not be a good book for open-minded people, about humanity and spirituality, kinda thing.
This book did remind me of a rule that gave myself:
• If I seriously am unable to focus and read the book. It's unnecessary information (and/or does not fall under my actual interests).
It definitely would've been better to be a blog post. With the actual, and very little helpful information.
Personally, I'd throw hands with most of her beliefs and choice of words.
"Bottom line? I have come to believe that addicts are sociopaths."
Her poor choice of words was probably what triggered them pretty bad, when they were most likely just trying to reach out for some advice, and that line would fall under false diagnosis and false accusation within the Medical Field, Mental Health, and Court/Law System, to be honest. A very strong and inaccurate opinion.
I totally agree with a 2 star comment review. The author is quite opinionated, self absorbed, gender traditionalism, spiritual-none, skeptical-yes. Despite being published, still very poor choice of words. A very controversial conversation kinda "vibe". Definitely a conversation I didn't want to be a part of, for a book.
Would definitely not be a good book for open-minded people, about humanity and spirituality, kinda thing.
This book did remind me of a rule that gave myself:
• If I seriously am unable to focus and read the book. It's unnecessary information (and/or does not fall under my actual interests).
It definitely would've been better to be a blog post. With the actual, and very little helpful information.
Personally, I'd throw hands with most of her beliefs and choice of words.
"Bottom line? I have come to believe that addicts are sociopaths."
Her poor choice of words was probably what triggered them pretty bad, when they were most likely just trying to reach out for some advice, and that line would fall under false diagnosis and false accusation within the Medical Field, Mental Health, and Court/Law System, to be honest. A very strong and inaccurate opinion.
October 1, 2019
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I went in, expecting to find out how to read more intuitively and perhaps with a new perspective.
I came out, frustrated with all the fat hatred, all the shaming, all the generalizations, all the excess simplifications, all the besserwisserism. Side note, if shaming made people thin, there would be no fat people. None. None at all. Another side note, if shaming made people leave abusive relationships, there would be no one in an abusive relationship. Not one person.
Now, I'm not saying the book is all bad or anything like that. It provides an unique perspective from which I can take some things and adapt them to my reading style.
But I'm saying that I was surprised that the author didn't blame children for being abused. Which speaks volumes about how Reed handled things.
I went in, expecting to find out how to read more intuitively and perhaps with a new perspective.
I came out, frustrated with all the fat hatred, all the shaming, all the generalizations, all the excess simplifications, all the besserwisserism. Side note, if shaming made people thin, there would be no fat people. None. None at all. Another side note, if shaming made people leave abusive relationships, there would be no one in an abusive relationship. Not one person.
Now, I'm not saying the book is all bad or anything like that. It provides an unique perspective from which I can take some things and adapt them to my reading style.
But I'm saying that I was surprised that the author didn't blame children for being abused. Which speaks volumes about how Reed handled things.
June 20, 2019
Jeannie Reed has written one of my favorite books on tarot..... ever! She has found a way to talk about the cards with a raw and authentic approach. I love the simplicity she uses in the card meanings provided describing them upright and reversed. Simplicity, as in one liners that make perfect sense although sometimes presented in a new light from traditional definitions. What I particularly love is her card combination meanings, again simple and straight forward, leaving me often times asking myself "why didn't I see that before?" This mental health/addictions nurse truly appreciated the heavy emphasis on these areas as she explains her thoughts on card combinations. Some of what she writes may raise eyebrows but there is truth behind these statements as I have witnessed in my professional nursing career. The exercises (homework) provided in this book are brilliant and I will revisit them again. I'll be sure to look up this author as I'm a big fan after reading this book. (If you are reading this review, Jeannie Reed, thank you for putting the effort and energy into producing this fresh approach to tarot, I truly appreciate you!) One thing for certain is that I need a hardcopy of "The Language of Tarot" in my hands on publication date. Although I received an advanced copy of this book from Llewellyn and NetGalley (many thanks!), I can assure you this review is all mine and provided happily after reading this gem!
February 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, so I hope anyone who reads this review takes that into account as I critique it.
I'm in some ways an intermediate tarotist, so the prospect of reading yet another intro to card meanings doesn't interest me, but leafing through this book, I was intrigued by this sort of sentence-structure method. It reminded me a little of the method of Enrique Enriquez, a masterful teacher, though the method in this book relies much more on the standard Rider-Waite stable of assigned meanings for cards.
After reading many books of this sort, I've found that there are many tarot books that could have easily been an essay or pair or trio of essays, where they advance one cool technique or trick, but not really a coherent system. This book sort of falls in that family.
Reed tells a very personal —and interesting— story about her career as a tarot reader, and there are a lot of anecdotes that can be illustrative for a student. But there's also a fair number of digressions into things that don't directly involve tarot practice, some judgments made about other kinds of readers and professions. All probably valid to her experience, but I didn't find them as informative as her seven-card reading approach and the linguistic model which I would have loved more detail on. Some readers will also disagree with some of her takes on ethics, especially when it comes to giving medical readings.
There's some very good material in here, but feel free to skip around.
I'm in some ways an intermediate tarotist, so the prospect of reading yet another intro to card meanings doesn't interest me, but leafing through this book, I was intrigued by this sort of sentence-structure method. It reminded me a little of the method of Enrique Enriquez, a masterful teacher, though the method in this book relies much more on the standard Rider-Waite stable of assigned meanings for cards.
After reading many books of this sort, I've found that there are many tarot books that could have easily been an essay or pair or trio of essays, where they advance one cool technique or trick, but not really a coherent system. This book sort of falls in that family.
Reed tells a very personal —and interesting— story about her career as a tarot reader, and there are a lot of anecdotes that can be illustrative for a student. But there's also a fair number of digressions into things that don't directly involve tarot practice, some judgments made about other kinds of readers and professions. All probably valid to her experience, but I didn't find them as informative as her seven-card reading approach and the linguistic model which I would have loved more detail on. Some readers will also disagree with some of her takes on ethics, especially when it comes to giving medical readings.
There's some very good material in here, but feel free to skip around.
June 4, 2019
My wife is a big fan of the tarot and has been studying to become a professional tarot consultant. She was instantly enthralled by The Language of Tarot due to its scientific approach to reading the cards. For those who look at tarot as a more esoteric, woo-woo concept, it's worth noting that many modern users do not believe you can predict the future with a tarot card reading. Instead, the cards are used more as a way to induce self-reflection, which can then help lead people down the path to achieving their personal and professional goals.
The symbolism of tarot imagery can take years to fully grasp, especially because there are so many variations between decks. This book provides a shortcut that appears to be beneficial for most readings. For this reason alone, The Language of Tarot would receive 5 stars - but it also does a great job of introducing many tarot concepts that will benefit newcomers and those who are already on their way toward fully grasping the intent behind each card's imagery.
If you're interested in the world of tarot - either as a means to read the cards or simply out of curiosity about this long-lasting practice, this book is a good place to start.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.
The symbolism of tarot imagery can take years to fully grasp, especially because there are so many variations between decks. This book provides a shortcut that appears to be beneficial for most readings. For this reason alone, The Language of Tarot would receive 5 stars - but it also does a great job of introducing many tarot concepts that will benefit newcomers and those who are already on their way toward fully grasping the intent behind each card's imagery.
If you're interested in the world of tarot - either as a means to read the cards or simply out of curiosity about this long-lasting practice, this book is a good place to start.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.
August 26, 2020
I've been reading tarot for myself and friends for several decades, and approach it from a Jungian perspective rather than one inbued with magic. But I was intrigued by the author's suggestion of a new "system." After reading this book, I think her process is fun and makes a lot of sense, and for that, I would actually give the book four stars. However, I pull it back to three for: a.) her positive recommendation of Dr. Phil (I mean, what?!); and b.) her over-focus on the mother as singularly instrumental in childhood pain, as well as speaking in psychological terms when she is no expert. I understand the "counselor" nature that can be effected by reading for others, and I am glad she stressed referring clients to actual mental health professionals when stuff is beyond the reader's expertise, but her text sort of went off the rails on matters of "broken" children, cold mothers, et al. Lots of things can affect a child's maturation, including the father, siblings, friends and one's environment. So I just don't think it boils down to no love/inadequate love from the mother to explain most adult problems and addictions.
Nevertheless, the book was enjoyable, and I will definitely use her method to see how effective it is in my own work as a tarot reader. I think a more careful edit at Llewellyn would have served this book well, because much of it is useful and innovative.
Nevertheless, the book was enjoyable, and I will definitely use her method to see how effective it is in my own work as a tarot reader. I think a more careful edit at Llewellyn would have served this book well, because much of it is useful and innovative.
May 14, 2026
If you are a fan of Eden Gray, and Jeannie admits she is, this is the perfect update. If OTOH you want esoterica and/or pictures this is a definite 1. It all depends on your point of view. There is nothing in here that is objectionable-- it's a typical RWS cookbook with lots of stories from Jeannie to tell you how she works her system. Nothing deals with the undercurrents in the images. If you want that, try Liz Dean's Big Book of Tarot Symbolism. It is a massive improvement over Gail Fairfield's Everyday Tarot and Gray's herself as well Michele Morgan's Magical Course in Tarot and I think, though this one has a deck featured, Melissa Cynova's Kitchen Table Tarot and Sasha Fenton's Fortune Telling by Cards (highlighting the Marseilles if that matters; Lady Lorelei's Marseille based book is better in that group).
I asked the tarot about the book and I got the Hierophant. Jeannie says this is a shorthand for the government or a foreign person, tradition, a 9 to 5 job. Bureaucracy and the opposite of art (which is shown by the High Priestess), Western medicine. Take the prescription from the established person and listen.
Crossed or Supported by the Knight of Swords. Jeannie's shorthand for this card is "Out of the blue. Suddenly." Traditional meanings are an Air Sign person (Gemini Libra Aquarius) -- Btw. I am an Aquarius. :-)
I asked the tarot about the book and I got the Hierophant. Jeannie says this is a shorthand for the government or a foreign person, tradition, a 9 to 5 job. Bureaucracy and the opposite of art (which is shown by the High Priestess), Western medicine. Take the prescription from the established person and listen.
Crossed or Supported by the Knight of Swords. Jeannie's shorthand for this card is "Out of the blue. Suddenly." Traditional meanings are an Air Sign person (Gemini Libra Aquarius) -- Btw. I am an Aquarius. :-)
Want to Read
July 4, 2019This is a Wonderful book on the aspects of tarot reading. I enjoyed the author's life stories of her journey as a tarot reader. Not only was it entertaining, but it gave the reader a first hand glimpse of what you can expect if you choose to learn more about tarot cards. This book is not just for beginners but also a refreshing new way to study the cards. My favorite part of " The Language of Tarot" by Jeannie Reed was the exercises she has the reader do to familiarize themselves with their cards. On page 81 there is an exercise to show how you draw your cards, the author instructs you to always draw your cards this way so you don't influence your readings. Throughout this book you will find numerous tips on how to improve your readings and how to look at the cards with your right-brain and enjoy your readings from a purely psychic level. I gave this a four star rating not for the content which is amazing but there were a lot of misspelled words, which made the text hard to read.
August 21, 2022
Oooh! ✨🧡🔮 This was good! I’ve been reading tarot for several years and pull cards most days even if I don’t have time for a full spread. Having that experience was helpful — but I’m by no means an expert. Tarot fascinates me and as said by author Jeannie Read …
Read writes of her experiences which has in turn led ,e to more thoughtful assume the of the cards and how they reflect my life — both in what I am willing to see and what I’m not ready or wanting to look at. I love the guidance that Reed provides while allowing space for your own interpretations! This includes both Major Arcana and the suits. I don’t own many tarot books because I’ve been disappointed in the past, but this is one of my favorites that I know I’ll keep coming back to.
Read writes of her experiences which has in turn led ,e to more thoughtful assume the of the cards and how they reflect my life — both in what I am willing to see and what I’m not ready or wanting to look at. I love the guidance that Reed provides while allowing space for your own interpretations! This includes both Major Arcana and the suits. I don’t own many tarot books because I’ve been disappointed in the past, but this is one of my favorites that I know I’ll keep coming back to.
June 6, 2019
This book is best for any tarot readers who are interested in becoming professional readers. Author Jeannie Reed has 30+ years experience with tarot. She uses several stories about her readings with clients as examples. The author recommends a simple 7 card spread to easily interpret the cards. I was amazed at how she was able to connect the cards and give a detailed explanation.
The author also shows what cards might come up during health spreads. She does strongly recommend that people see a doctor. I personally would not use the cards for any health questions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for an advanced copy of this book.
The author also shows what cards might come up during health spreads. She does strongly recommend that people see a doctor. I personally would not use the cards for any health questions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for an advanced copy of this book.
December 28, 2019
I have had a great love for tarot for some time. It was my first introduction into the world of divination, closely followed by runes. I favor tarot because it tends to be a bit easier to work with, so it has a special place in my heart. That being said, the approach that Reed takes to tarot was unique to any instruction that I have received, which was a breath of fresh air
Reed presents an interesting new approach, at least to me, that was simpler to follow than I expected. She does provide you with the textbook meanings of the cards, but she goes beyond that. I am so ready to add aspects of her approach into my practice.
Reed presents an interesting new approach, at least to me, that was simpler to follow than I expected. She does provide you with the textbook meanings of the cards, but she goes beyond that. I am so ready to add aspects of her approach into my practice.
June 19, 2019
Great book
I have always been drawn to Tarot. I am by no means an expert but understand them in basic terms or meaning but am always looking for more insight. This is a great book and one that I will be studying in depth. I appreciate the author and her expertise in how to dig deeper into the meanings of the cards and how to apply them to one's life. I also appreciated that how she wrote the book wasn't too technical nor too basic.
I will be definitely getting a physical copy of this book to add to my ever-growing "magic" (for lack of a better term) bookshelf.
I have always been drawn to Tarot. I am by no means an expert but understand them in basic terms or meaning but am always looking for more insight. This is a great book and one that I will be studying in depth. I appreciate the author and her expertise in how to dig deeper into the meanings of the cards and how to apply them to one's life. I also appreciated that how she wrote the book wasn't too technical nor too basic.
I will be definitely getting a physical copy of this book to add to my ever-growing "magic" (for lack of a better term) bookshelf.
October 28, 2019
I am always looking for a good tarot book. I have read many and am always looking for more to expand my knowledge and practice. This is a suitable book with common knowledge well written.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
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I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
#read #reader #book #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookreview #greatreads #alwaysreading #reading #ilovebooks #currentreads #bookaddict #booknerd #bookish #bibliophile #goodreads #readerlife #booklife #readandreview
May 27, 2024
While the idea of reading tarot as a sentence is interesting to explore, the preaching tone of the author and many of her ridiculous commentaries about people and situations make this book extremely hard to read.
Here goes just one example that made my blood boil. The client had an abusive father, but who's to blame for all his problems? You'll never guess.
Here goes just one example that made my blood boil. The client had an abusive father, but who's to blame for all his problems? You'll never guess.
“I didn’t want to spoil Joe’s eureka moment by asking about his mother, who I figure did nothing to protect her children from their father and who, therefore, was the worse problem”
August 4, 2019
Very quick impressions: Overall geared more to those who are already professional Tarot/card readers or getting ready to go pro. Definitely not a beginner book as it assumes you (the book reader) already bring in a lot of skills before you get to this book. Makes some good points, but it does not do so consistently. In the end, it was just OK.
(I will post a full review with reading notes later on my blog)
(I will post a full review with reading notes later on my blog)
September 14, 2019
The author writes in a friendly, chatty style, so there were long explanations. Probably a bit wordy for me, with so much emphasis on telling her own stories of experiences, but I'm sure will appeal to many people. It does make tarot easily approachable, so good for beginners. I feel there are other more useful books available on this topic, however.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a complimentary kindle copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a complimentary kindle copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 23, 2019
The best way to learn is to have an engaging teacher, and that’s exactly what the author is. The narrative was fresh authentic and full of knowledge, I find myself feeling like I was actually learning while I was reading and that’s fantastic. An awesome way to explore the tarot reading.
Thank you, Netgalley.
Thank you, Netgalley.
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