5 Best Books to Learn How to Read Tarot Cards
But first, why Tarot?
Full of history and esoteric wisdom, the Tarot is a complex system of divination. Because it is so deep and purposefully designed, it spans many levels of the human experience and is therefore also easily understandable on the simple surface level.
For instance, while the Hanged Man can mean the dissolution of ego and surrender to the divine with symbolic references to Odin and Christ, it can also quite simply mean inaction.
This quickly catches the curiosity of beginner Tarot readers and keeps them wanting to know more. As readers progress to the intermediate and advanced levels, their interest in Tarot continues to grow as they find that the layers of meaning just keep unfolding.
Where to begin to study Tarot cards? There are undoubtedly many great books on Tarot. Here is a list of five Tarot books that I found to be helpful and interesting, with different perspectives for beginner, intermediate and advancer readers.
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot
by Rachel Pollack
This book is a great place to start. With many meanings that are easy to understand to lay a great foundation. Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners, you will find this book welcomes you to the world of Tarot and keeps your interest to learn more.
The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination
by Robert Place
Another comprehensive book for beginners with lots of valuable information. This book will have you coming back to it for reference over and over again. If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of Tarot, its origins and its meanings, this book is a great introduction.
Best Tarot Practices: Everything You Need to Know to Learn the Tarot
by Marcia Masino and Rachel Pollack
This book is also a great reference for beginners. Combined with the first two suggestions, these three books about Tarot combined will give beginners a good perspective from multiple points of view.
Tarot of the Holy Light: A Continental Esoteric Tarot
by Christine L Payne-Towler
A fascinating perspective on Tarot with deep esoteric interpretations. This book is a companion to the Tarot of the Holy Light deck, which is a great deck. I promise you, this book will open your mind in unexpected ways. Great for intermediate and advanced readers.
Foundations of the Esoteric Tradition: Tarot of the Holy Light, Volume Two
by Christine L Payne-Towler
This second volume of “Tarot of the Holy Light” goes even more in depth on the esoteric knowledge. The information you find here is not present in most popular books and is certainly not the typical recycled Tarot meanings that are found everywhere. It is a very detailed and interesting read, well suited for in-depth study that intermediate and advanced Tarot readers are looking for.