Booknote: Fearless Tarot

Elliot Adam, Fearless Tarot: How to Give a Positive Reading in any Situation. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2020. ISBN: 9780738766690.

 

Genre: nonfiction

Subgenre: divination, Tarot

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley

 

This is probably one of the nicest and uplifting books on Tarot I've read recently. Elliot Adam has written a book to help readers lose their fear of certain Tarot cards. He also writes with the purpose to help empower readers to provide more constructive card readings for themselves and for others. In case you wonder, no, that does not mean sugar coating. It means finding the lesson in all the cards and using it to make things better. 

The book is arranged as follows: 

• A foreword by Theresa Reed. 
• Introduction that includes advice on how to use the book and on using reversals. 
• Part 1: Major Arcana. The card meanings for the Major Arcana.
• Part 2: Minor Arcana. The card meanings for the Minor Arcana. Court cards are included in each suit, i.e., not separated into another section, a detail I appreciate. 
• Part 3: How to Use the Cards. This includes advice on Tarot spreads and on reading for others. 
• An appendix with a quick Tarot reference guide and a bibliography. 

This is a very accessible and nurturing book. If you are new to Tarot, this is a good positive book to start your Tarot journey without fears you may find in other works or from certain other readers of Tarot.  If you are an experienced reader, you can still get a lot out of this book. The card meanings are the core of the book, and they offer depth as well as new ways of thinking about the cards. For advanced readers, the book can offer new ideas about the cards that they can add to their repertoires. 

 

The book is "keyed" to Rider Waite Smith deck, but most material can apply to any deck, especially any RWS clone. Major Arcana entries include black and white picture of their RWS card, keywords, the meaning and message, and the reversed message. This includes explaining the symbols on the cards. Overall messages are meant to be empowering without denying the negative. Entries can also include question to consider and to encourage reflection. Minor Arcana card entries are similar. This author does not skimp on the Minor Arcana, another detail I appreciate.

As a reader and cartomancer with some steps in my Tarot journey (I am not a newbie, but I am not worthy of the "advanced" label), I found the book easy to read and the content very accessible. The author is sincere and clearly cares about his readers and clients. You see this in the writing, in the lessons and explanations, and in his positive constructive tone. I read through the book once in order to write this review, but this is one book I will revisit. I read it as an electronic review copy, but this is definitely one I would buy in print for my cartomancy reference shelf. 

I also highly recommend this book for libraries that collect books on Tarot, divination, paganism, and other esoterica. I am seriously considering it for our library collection. I think once more people discover it, libraries may need more than one copy. 

Overall, I'd say this is one of the best Tarot books I've read this year. I am glad to have read it, and it is one I'll gladly recommend if anyone asks for a Tarot book. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

* * * * * 

Additional reading notes: 

 

Theresa Reed in her foreword gives a very positive introduction to this book: 

 

"If I had to describe Elliot's approach, I would say it is positive and uplifting. That doesn't mean anything is sugarcoated-- he never does that. Instead, he's centered on being proactive, no matter what cards show up in the reading. Rather than viewing the tarot through the lens of fear, there is hope and a way forward. This turns tarot reading into more than divination-- it becomes a problem-solving tool that can transform any situation" (xvii). 

 

I agree with her description. I'll add Adam is someone who wants to leave things and people a bit better than he found them, something I can relate to and aspire to. That also makes this book a good one to read in these Hard Times. I also like Adam advocates for making things better and empowering others without getting preachy about it; he just walks the beat. 

Cards are not the problem, referring to fearing some cards: 

"The actual cards and their imagery are not the problem. The problem occurs when we look at those symbols through a lens of fear. In actuality, the tarot's symbols can uproot and highlight where our problems are originating from. If utilized to their full potential, tarot cards can be an extremely healing and transformative tool" (2).

On Tarot and symbolism: 

"Tarot is subjective. It tells different stories to different people. Symbolism can be jarring, but it is symbolism. It is rarely meant to be taken literally. Even the most unsettling image has an important story to tell and a deeper place within your experience to illuminate. I have found that the cards we are most uncomfortable with is where we often find the biggest breakthrough and the greatest healing. After all, it's during our most challenging moments (not our easiest times) when we come into direct contact with what is best within us" (3). 

 

On doing a Card of the Day draw and using this book (or any other Tarot book I would say too): 

 

"The imagery of the Card of the Day does not necessarily reveal how your day will go, but rather what your intuition wishes you to see about what you are learning. If you are completely stumped about a card's meaning, feel free to look it up in this book. If a sentence jumps out while reading the chapter, that is your message!"