I have always been fascinated with all things paranormal and occult. So when I was selected to review The True Nature of Tarot: Your Path to Personal Empowerment by Diane Wing, M.A., I was really excited. I've had readings done a few times and found it to be a very interesting experience, and I definitely wanted to learn more, especially how to do readings myself. I found this book to be perfect for a beginner such as myself. Here's the excerpt from the back cover:
The True Nature of Tarot dispels the myths and negative
connotations that surround the tarot by sharing the personal
experiences of the author, Diane Wing, a tarot reader with
25 years of experience. Tarot is discussed as a tool of
enlightenment and understanding. Diane Wing shares intuitive
techniques for reading that take you beyond the conventional
card meanings and deep into tarot as a tool to channel energy
and increase psychic sensitivity:
- Develop your own style of reading tarot, from choosing your
deck to pulling information from the cards.
- Learn how a reading is experienced from the perspectives
of both the reader and the inquirer.
- Understand the variables that impact the accuracy of your
reading.
- Discover ways to increase the amount of information pulled
from the tarot.
- Become expert at grounding and centering to maximize your
energetic stability on a daily basis.
- Learn powerful spreads that give you ways to see interactions
between the cards.
- Increase your awareness of the ethics of imparting information.
After reading the book I had the pleasure of doing a little Q&A with the author Diane Wing.
Q1: How long have you been giving readings?
Diane: From a very early age, I was interested
in tarot, astrology, meditation, levitation, and all
things magical. My mom had reading parties with
tarot readers and astrologers since I was little. She
gave me my first tarot deck when I was 9 years old.
It always fascinated me that it was possible to derive
information from pictures on cards. The more I used
the cards, the more I wanted to learn about them. The
more I learn, the more I understand the depth of
meaning held within the cards and structure of the tarot,
making it a lifelong study and practice. I've been reading
professionally since 1986.
Q2: What is your favorite spread?
Diane: I prefer the free-form spreads I discuss in the book.
They allow me to follow the flow of energy for the inquirer and
see the best way around obstacles and internal blockages.
The number of cards I use depends on the complexity of
the question. For a specific problem the inquirer is facing, I
may use a 5-card spread with two on top, one in the middle, and
two on the bottom to give me the central issue and the variables
impacting it. Then we can pull more cards as needed for
clarification and deeper insight into the problem.
Q3: When it comes to giving a Tarot reading, are certain
people more sensitive or perceptive at reading the cards than
others?
Diane: To find out if this is the best method for you, come to the
cards knowing that you have intuitive ability and view them as a
tool to assist you in consistently opening to your gifts. Make sure
you select a deck that speaks to you. My first deck (the1JJ Swiss
Tarot Deck) never really felt right to me, and for a long time I thought
it was my lack of ability. Once I found a deck that I connected with
(Morgan Greer), the information poured forth. Tarot may not be the
right tool for certain people. Some prefer a pendulum, others prefer
to hold an object and get information that way (psychometry). There
are many tools of divination to choose from. Each person is unique in
their gifts. I teach an intuitive development course that helps students
understand the way information comes through for them and we strengthen
that ability during the class. Those interested can check out my events
teleclasses you can take from the convenience of your own home.
Q4: Are there things that one can do to increase their perceptiveness
and hone their skills?
Diane: The healthier you are physically, the more energy can come through
you so that you can be an open channel to information. Your environment
may also enhance or limit your perceptiveness. For some natural environments
are best; for others, they may be more open in urban settings. Test it for yourself
to see where you feel most open. In addition to choosing the right deck, studying
the cards, and practicing to see which spreads and methods work best for you,
learn to trust yourself and the accuracy of what is coming through. Validate
the information whenever you can, so that you build confidence. There is a section
in The True Nature of Tarot that talks extensively about ways to increase your
ability and overcome blocks.
I had purchased a deck of tarot cards a long time prior to this review, but I really didn't like the cards. I decided once I received The True Nature of Tarot, to go on Ebay and pick a new deck. Once I found a deck I liked, Deviant Moon Tarot by Patrick Valenza, I was really excited to start trying out the spreads discussed in the book. I definitely felt more connected to this deck than the other one, It was very strange and Kind of hard to explain. I did several readings for myself and for friends and family. My favorite spread from the book is a free form spread using one card for each letter in the person's first and middle names. I was able to pull some amazing information from the cards that not only blew me away but also my friends and family too! I learned a lot from this book and look forward to increasing the strength of my readings. You can purchase a copy from Amazon, however, I'm excited to announce that I have a copy of The True Nature of Tarot to give away to one of my wonderful readers! Just follow the instructions listed in the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Good luck to all and thanks for reading!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
**I was provided a copy of the book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and completely unbiased.**
