The Tarot Directory: Unlock the Meaning of the Cards, Spreads, and the Mystery of the Tarot

by Sarah Bartlett

Discover the mystery and power of tarot with this expansive directory.

In The Tarot Directory, learn to understand the history and process of tarot reading. A powerful mystical tool, the tarot's imagery is a symbolic universal language that you can quickly learn to understand, and which will unlock your own innate psychic potential.

From learning how to use and care for your deck to getting to know each individual card and their meanings, everything you need to become an expert in tarot lies with in these pages. Learn to read the cards individually and together to create infinite combinations of meanings and predictions. Satisfy your curiosity of the future and learn that tarot is about understanding the decisions you or others make.

Perfect for beginners, tarot is a great place to begin learning about divination. This gorgeous book is a full guide to get you started on your journey with tarot reading. Make sense of your life, and your friends' lives, by learning to understand what the future may hold.

The Spiritual Directories series offers concise handbooks on a variety of spiritual and new age subjects. Written by experts in their fields in easy-to-understand language and beautifully presented in a visually driven format, the directories are essential guides for beginners. With practical and simple step-by-step instructions, you’ll discover how to interpret the secret languages of the universe to create a happy and positive future for yourself and others.

Other titles in this series: Astrology Directory, Chakra Directory, Crystal Directory, Fortune Telling Directory, Spirit Animal Directory, 
 

Genres: Tarot, Witchcraft, Divination, Spirituality, Occult, Nonfiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2021

About the author

Sarah Bartlett (D.Psych Astrol) is the author of international best-selling books including The Tarot Bible, The Little Book of Practical Magic, The Witch's Spellbook and National Geographic's Guide to Supernatural Places. As contributing astrologer to media such as Cosmopolitan, She, Spirit & Destiny, the London Evening Standard and BBC Radio 2, Sarah now practices and teaches tarot, natural magic, astrology and other esoteric arts. She lives in the countryside.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars! I've had Tarot cards for years, and I used to read quite regularly, though I never really felt like I was "good" at it. Eventually I stopped reading and obviously got very rusty, so I really appreciated this book as a refresher course. It has an overview of the history and basics of Tarot, the meanings of the cards and common spreads you can use with your cards. This will absolutely be a book I will keep coming back to as I continue to practice in the future. It's a great introduction to the cards. Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing/Chartwell Books for the opportunity to read and review The Tarot Directory.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group - Chartwell Books for a temporary digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘The Tarot Directory’ by Sarah Bartlett.

The subtitle of this book is: ‘Unlock the Meaning of the Cards, Spreads, and the Mystery of the Tarot’, which is a fair description of its content. It is part of Chartwell Books Spiritual Directories series.

Sarah Bartlett provides a solid introduction to the Tarot aimed at beginners. She uses the Universal Tarot Deck throughout. This deck is based on the popular Rider-Waite deck. Following the main text is a glossary, suggestions for further reading for those who wish to continue their studies and an index.

Obviously a book like this is meant to be actively engaged with. After writing about the history, structure, and symbolism of the cards, she moves onto interpretation and guides the new practitioner through a range of spreads from the basic to the more complex with attendant exercises.

Certainly ‘The Tarot Directory’ is a book that I would be confident in recommending as a Tarot primer.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review has been made possible thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Chartwell Books for providing me with an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I applied to review this because I’ve always been fascinated by tarot and predicting the future, but I’ve never understood how to start and go about it. I found this guide so incredibly clear, with explanatory descriptions and lovely illustrations. It finally gave me a chance to crack out the tarot set I bought on a whim and look through the meaning on the different cards in different spreads.

I would recommend this to anyone who is starting out, interesting in finding the answer for themselves and getting more familiar with different cards, messages and how to decipher answers to questions from the spreads. I would gladly gift this to friends who are interested in tarot ands astrology amongst other witchy things!

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tarot Directory by Sarah Bartlett is a introduction to all things tarot and card reading. The book features how to use the cards for reading, an explanation into each card, what they mean, the interpretations and how to be closer to the card.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this.

[Lorna Vivi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book, I was lucky to learn tarot from a teacher and friend but have been interested in finding a good introduction book I could recommend to someone who expressed an interest. I felt this book included a lot of cliched advice and psedo-history that makes it feel dated in the modern tarot world.. There are many approaches to tarot and you dont have to know tarot history to be a good reader, but the book seemed more interested in creating atmosphere and a sense of ceremony/ ritual that is more about the authors personal gnosis than anything else. There is nothing wrong with including that but don't represent it as a well known fact or standard practice, explain its how you understand or see it. The actual content and description of the cards was very brief, for those that like the idea of exercises like spells or meditations on the major arcana then that aspect of the book will appeal. She does give a variety of spreads and examples of readings but the book lacks depth in teaching you how to read fluidly and translate the meanings she gives to the wide range of questions a tarot reader gets.

I received this a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for a review all oppinions are my own

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tarot Directory by Sarah Bartlett

Excellent introduction to the tarot that includes history, meaning, terms, use, care, and more. I loved the illustrations and that each page was colorful and informative.

The book is divided into: Key to the basics, major Arcana, Minor Arcana and Spreads with interpretation of them. I liked that each card was presented with information relevant to it, ways to become more in tune with each card and then how to put them together in meaningful ways.

I have seen the idea of “getting to know the cards personally” and learning from and with them before but especially liked the way this and a few other ideas were offered and explained. This book had several spreads to use and ideas for spiritual growth while using the cards.

This is a book I would like to add to my library and can see going through the decks I have one card at a time and getting to know them again and better than I have known them before.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Chartwell Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars - It was really good

In The Tarot Directory, Sarah Bartlett breaks down tarot decks and how to interpret them. She starts by giving a basic history of the tarot and how it grew over time, then goes into breaking down the Major and Minor Arcanum. This is a basic reference guide to tarot and it is a great introduction to how to read and learn about your deck.

To begin with, this book is broken down into small sections within each chapter. The information is to the point and very clearly written and easy to understand. Within the first chapter, you learn about the history of tarot, basic deck structure, card positions, and other basic things like how to shuffle a deck. She also provides rituals, exercises, and spreads to get a basic understanding of your deck, especially how cleans a new deck.

Chapter two begins the discussion of the Major Arcanum. Each card is discussed with the key meanings, an in depth meaning, and example interpretations provided. A companion ritual, spell or activity is also provided to help connect with each card. Chapter three moves onto the Minor Arcanum, and again each card is provided key meanings and an in depth description of what it might mean. For the Minor Arcanum activities are provided for sets of cards (like swords 1-5) instead of individual activities. I found all of these descriptions and rituals as very helpful to get to know your cards.

Chapter four moves into spreads. She starts by providing a variety of three card spreads that are perfect for beginners and then moves onto more complicated spreads with 5+ cards. I found all of these very useful and loved how she broke down how to interpret larger spreads.

Overall, this was a wonderful reference book that is perfect for beginners and those well versed with tarot. Everything provided can be adapted to most tarot decks and the spreads are great for everyone. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an introduction to reading tarot decks.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tarot Directory is a wonderful Tarot resource filled with everything you need to know in order to read the cards. I really like how this book reminds us that what we see in our Tarot cards is a mirror to ourselves, and that the cards are reflecting back to us that which is already in us. The layout of this book is easy to follow, with highlighted sections suggesting affirmations and rituals to use with our Tarot card decks. as well as ways to shuffle and draw cards. Each of the Major Arcana are laid out key short word meanings, as well as a lengthier written card meaning, and an example interpretation, and the Minor Arcana each have key short word meanings along with a written paragraph on what each card means. I like this layout as you can get an instant feel for each card. There is a plethora of card spreads at the end of the book where you are sure to find one that suits your needs on any given day. This book has a glossary and index at the back of the book making it very easy to locate what you are searching for. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are new to Tarot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chartwell books for this copy of The Tarot Directory. I love the ease of use this directory provides and I will be using it to help me with my card interpretations. There were also a couple spreads that are calling my name to try out..

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tarot Directory is a wonderful Tarot resource filled with everything you need to know in order to read the cards. I really like how this book reminds us that what we see in our Tarot cards is a mirror to ourselves, and that the cards are reflecting back to us that which is already in us. The layout of this book is easy to follow, with highlighted sections suggesting affirmations and rituals to use with our Tarot card decks. as well as ways to shuffle and draw cards. Each of the Major Arcana are laid out key short word meanings, as well as a lengthier written card meaning, and an example interpretation, and the Minor Arcana each have key short word meanings along with a written paragraph on what each card means. I like this layout as you can get an instant feel for each card. There is a plethora of card spreads at the end of the book where you are sure to find one that suits your needs on any given day. This book has a glossary and index at the back of the book making it very easy to locate what you are searching for. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are new to Tarot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chartwell books for this copy of The Tarot Directory. I love the ease of use this directory provides and I will be using it to help me with my card interpretations. There were also a couple spreads that are calling my name to try out.

[CZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tarot Directory does what it says on the tin. This is a fantastic all-in-one intro to the meanings of the cards, how to read them, and where they came from.

I loved that this book dove a little deeper than the card meanings and gave some interesting spells and meditation sessions to go along with the major arcana. The minor arcana is given its moment, too, and each card is well-discussed. The reading layouts start easy and gradually become more complex, bringing more insight into the matters at hand.

The Tarot Directory is a good balance of history, familiar card meanings, and esotericism. There's plenty of information about developing your intuition and using the tarot cards as a mirror (my preferred method of divination) as well as specialized intention-setting spells. It's short enough to use as a reference guide during a reading, but detailed enough to offer some new insight. Great!

This book expects nothing of the reader and starts at zero. But it's detailed enough that people who aren't new to tarot can find some value here. This directory belongs with every new tarot deck! I highly recommend it for newcomers to the world of tarot.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Clover · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This is great for beginners. It explains a little of the history, the different decks, how to pick a deck and connect with it. All the typical things.

I liked the little spells included with each Major Arcana. I loved the way she suggests to get to know the suits, it really helps you connect to each one. I highly suggest you go through each and write the questions and your answers down in a journal.

The layout is very user friendly. The pictures are great, the fonts are all readable, and the size of the book is perfect.

The spreads included are good, ranging from simple to complex, making this a real companion to the reader as they advance on their journey. I really liked the keywords for all the cards, they are easy to read at a glance because of the formatting used. Some mentions of numerology, I would have liked to see more, but maybe it's adding too many layers for a beginner so it's not a deal breaker.

A beautifully modern book that is worth recommending or reading for the beginner or if you need a refresher.

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I would like to thank Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book. Now lets dive in...

I have been interested in Tarot for years! I like to say that I am an avid tarot card reader and referred to many books while I was learning tarot. "The Tarot Directory" is perfect for beginner readers to advance readers.

The book dives into a few sections with the most beautiful design and layout placement: Introduction (history of Tarot, how to choose and care for your deck, tips on symbolism and how to use the cards, etc), the major arcana and the minor suits, and the last chapter!

Chapter four is my absolute favorite section. Bartlett goes into detail explaining different tarot spreads and which spread would be the best to use with whatever situation you are in or what you would like to know.

Overall, I recommend this book for your collection regardless of your tarot skill level!

[Jacqueline Scifres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing a free copy for me to review. Great read for those new to tarot or even for those who have been practicing tarot for years. This book is chock full of information and techniques. I appreciated being told the history of the tarot at the beginning. There were so many exercises and rituals throughout the book. I did most of them and although I didn’t feel they were all necessary, I liked that they were included. I do wish more point of views were included- there are many ways to practice tarot and the author wrote as if their way was the only way, I do appreciate reading other point of views though. I would recommend this book to a beginner alongside other tarot books so that they can form their own opinion and practice.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to understand or deepen their understanding of tarot.

First, I want to mention the illustrations are fantastic.

But to the meat of the book, I loved the rich history and look at symbolism that gives a good foundation for understanding the cards. There is solid information on interpreting the cards and various spreads. It felt very through with things for every one that include basic card care and more in-depth spiritual growth practices. The exercises range from ones that designed for beginners to things that you will want some practice with, which was nice.

It is well rounded guide that should serve readers through their tarot exploration even if it is their very first time.

[Emma book blogger Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a pack of tarot cards and I am not sure how to use them and I saw the tarot directory book and I really wanted to read it. The book explains how to use the cards and explains the basic and the history of the cards that I found really useful. I like how it shows you picture of each tarot card and than explains the meanings. I thought it was useful how explains how to spread the tarot cards out to.
I found this book very useful thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the pages of my PDF were oriented wrong. I loved the exercises to introduce us to the cards. I like that the focus was not on memorizing keywords. The sample layouts were fantastic. A good book for users of all experience levels. I like that while some of the traditional decks are shown, the book and be used easily with any deck.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book we will learn the meaning behind each card in your tarot deck. Learn about the spreads for each reading. Delight in the mystery of tarot and discover how to read the cards. I found this book very helpful and full of information on this subject. It's a fantastic book for beginners.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good starter book. Interesting exercises associated with each of the major arcana and a lot of interesting insights. This is a basic book. If you are looking for dynamic interpretations or advanced analysis this may not help you in your quest. Still, it is a fun read with good illustations.

[Kimberly Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one definitely grew on me as I went. I love the card explanations and the tarot spreads presented near the end. I wasn't a big fan of the suggested spells and activities, but they are easy to skip over.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is so easy and simple and sweet. Direct without waffling, sweet without negativity and informative without getting bogged down in explanations. Of all the books on tarot this is my favourite. The energy feel alone makes this book a must have, an essential guide for the learner.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview of the cards as a whole and looking at the key terms and interpretations of the cards individually. Overall a good starter book.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is very beginner friendly and it has lots of exercises.

[Dr. B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I learnt nothing new from this book but will still recommend it as a beginner guide to anyone interested in tarot!