Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Review of Holistic Tarot This impressive book is a dissertation worthy of some advanced degree in the most rarified levels of Tarot Practice! When first holding it in my hands, I was overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of it! Even as a paperback, it is HUGE enough to be a doorstop. I have a hardcover copy of War and Peace that is smaller than this! I think the only paperback I have ever seen that could compare to this for sheer size is a technical reference book, which in a way, also describes "Holistic Tarot". Ms. Wen was not messing around when she wrote this...I don't know how she managed it, while also working in such a demanding, full-time profession such as the Law, but here it is, and it's not full of fluff or fillers, either- it's solid, densely packed information. There are tried and true layouts, original and inventive layouts, derivative layouts adapted for use with Tarot, comparisons and correspondences, keywords and cross-references all gathered together to form a comprehensive matrix you could use to form cement. This is foundation-making material, for sure. I opened it and waded in, and even with my 40 year background in Tarot, I found myself hip-deep in minutes, wishing I had brought camping gear and a machete with me...because this was going to be slower-going than I've been accustomed to since college...(and I read constantly- so that's really saying something!) I kept having to stop and ponder, since some of the strong opinions expressed run counter to all the...I guess you would say "current paradigms" in Tarot-land. That's ok. Ms. Wen is certainly entitled to her own point of view, and she explains her reasoning very clearly. I can understand why she thinks/believes as she does, and while I don't always agree, I will staunchly defend her right to do and believe as she sees fit. This is HER book, so she gets to call the shots between the title page and the index. We don't have to like it. However...I must say that I DO like it! I have never been a fan of simpering sycophants, and I appreciate a person with an independent point of view...(even when I'm wading through their rather turgid prose, LOL.) I should say here, that this is not a book for the fluffy, the wannabee, or the surface-skimming hobbyist. This is a seriously deep immersion experience, and it requires GUTS. It can be slow-going, and you'll find yourself back-tracking, just to make sure you've really grasped some of the finer points. If that is too much for some, I will happily direct them them to the Cliff-Notes style works, written by all too many other writers. Leave this to the serious Tarotists, who really want something they can sink their teeth into. Happily, "Holistic Tarot" can also be used as a sort of dictionary, where you can look up discrete packets of specific information, and then close it before it swallows you up, whole. If you need to avoid the full immersion experience, this can be done, with a certain amount of self-control. For those of you who fear to be engulfed by its quicksand maw, just be prepared to exercise a little restraint, and take the dictionary approach. Do not allow yourself to be tempted, or the hours and days will fly by, and you'll re-emerge like Rip Van Winkle, blinking in the bright light of day, wondering what happened. If you can't resist the lure of the depths, first caffeinate thoroughly, put down kibbles for the pets, turn off the phone, take a deep breath, and dive in! You will find yourself in a demanding realm of powerful currents, that will take your mind to far places, even if you thought you were experienced and knew what to expect. It's one of those phenomena where you feel that you're moving very slowly, if at all, and then find yourself shockingly far from where you began in time/space. I especially liked the chapter on "Using Tarot to Build Resilience" (Chapter 28). Seriously good advice lives in that locale! This is the stuff our clients come to us for- and this is the stuff WE started reading Tarot for- validation, empowerment, self-realization and affirmation. This is therapy, and vitamin I (I for Information). This is crisis management in a (virtual) jar. I love it! I should add here, that this is an excellent investment for the person who is serious about attaining a deeper grasp of Tarot-think. Where else can you get what is essentially the equivalent of a Mastery Level course in this very valuable subject for around $30? I rest my case. I should note here that this book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes.