Living the Qabalistic Tarot

Having owned (and lost) a print edition of this book a while back, I looked forward to adding it to my Kindle library. The Kindle edition, however, is a disaster: misnumbered pages and sections, overwhelmingly distracting formatting issues, and - most disconcertingly - no illustrations or diagrams whatsoever. I'm still giving the book five stars because it's a classic of its kind. But don't buy the Kindle edition if you want to appreciate and use the book as it's intended to be read and experienced.

Living the Tarot is like a tarot study bible. It's relatively easy to read - it flows well and she provides not only the typical descriptions and key concepts, but discusses the cards in context to her students as well as her own readings. In this aspect it almost becomes a case study on tarot. She really brings the cards to life. Living the Tarot uses the major arcana to examine the fools journey. The author also suggests doing exercises that will enhance your understanding of tarot.So why only 4-stars you ask? Well, I don't like it when a tarot "expert" only addresses the Major Arcana. There is absolutely nothing on the minor arcana. I think that is almost negligible. There are 56 disenfranchised cards that are not represented. However, I'm willing to overlook it this time because the information that is provided is indispensable.I would recommend this to not only the novice, but there are things in there that would enlighten an adept as well.

This is a great book to learn how to use the Tarot and Cabalah in everyday life. I gave it 3 stars because it is an older edition and the corners of the book were damaged by jamming it into a box that was too small.

This book is important to read in terms of the study of the Tarot with the Major Arcana. It is very insightful, and helpful to better understand the symbolism of each of the Major Arcana cards. Great for beginners and even better for seasoned readers. It helps the reader connect to each card intuitively.

it is a great book of understanding the Esoteric aspects of the Tarot cards in relationship the the Tree of Life.

This is an excellent resource on the journey to enlightenment as I endeavor to help others as I learn myself.

This is a very detailed book on the Qabalistic approach to the tarot! A great read and well written and easy to understand the principles.

Combining reading the chapters with coloring your own set of cards produces a deep understanding of the cards and a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

Amber Jayanti has been studying/working with the Tarot and Qabalah for very many years and in 1975 she founded the Santa Cruz School for Tarot and Qabalah Study. She has studied personally with the Builders of the Adytum, and is an honorary Grandmaster of the American Tarot Association. She has written a number of books, including `Tarot for Dummies', along with several articles. The author states in writing about her intention with this book that "This book addresses how the Tarot has, and is, fostering .....transformation in myself and others. It is about how the Tarot may be used as a powerful practical tool to guide us through the process of transforming our attitudes, actions, ourselves and our lives" (p.16). This is further backed up by her statement on p.22 - "I have found no better way to learn the Tarot than to make it real, to make it a part of my everyday world. The main purpose of this book is to teach, inspire and invite you to do likewise". Throughout the book Jayanti writes with great passion and from her own very personal experience of her journey with the Tarot, demonstrating the strength and depth of her connection with it. To quote a sentence which sums this up - "The Tarot, as I have come to know and love it, is a potent means through which to encounter life from an awake and aware perspective" (p.26). Jayanti presents the material in an erudite yet accessible manner, beginning with `The Four Steps to Tarot Mastery', i.e. getting familiar with the Tarot; applying its rules to daily living; doing so until they become second nature; and achieving enlightenment through the Tarot. Moving on from that, the author then describes the `The Four Gateways of Life', found in the Major Arcana, which parallel the Four Steps, outlining these as childhood, adolescence, adulthood and wisdom. Following this, she suggests a number of ways which assist with learning the Tarot, e.g. divination, dreaming, reflection and affirmations, offering very useful and relevant exercises for each one. Most of the rest of the book is devoted to looking at the Major Arcana in terms of the Four Gateways. The Gateway of Childhood - the Fool through to the Chariot; the Gateway of Adolescence - Strength through to Death; the Gateway of Adulthood - Temperance through to the Moon; and the Gateway of Wisdom - the Sun through to the World, examining the challenges and rewards of each. For each card Jayanti presents several aspects - general information and symbolism, which delivers excellent descriptions and explanations of the imagery; how each card relates to its Gateway; appropriate divinatory questions; the author's own experiences; examples of her students' experiences, and finally, suggestions for the application and integration of the learning into everyday living. The quality of what the author offers is second-to-none and includes material that can be revisited time and time again, always with new possibilities. The deck used for illustration purposes is the Builders of the Adytum and the pictures are black and white. At the end of the book, Eason gives colouring instructions, plus a table of correspondencies which includes, unusually, musical note, scent, herb and chakra. The only disappointment with regard to the book is that there isn't a final chapter or summary but this is a small thing compared with the excellence of the rest of it. So, has Jayanti delivered on her intention? She does indeed offer tools throughout for the student `to have and to hold' (my words) and if each person gainfully employs these tools and rules, it is beyond doubt that s/he will indeed grow and develop in every way. A superb read, not to be missed.

Already had older version of book. This one is bigger and more informative and has lots of info on tarot cards. It is very in depth.