Review by Bonnie Cehovet
In his foreword, Monte Farber speaks of what he terms Boyer’s inventive manner of working with the Tarot – a method that benefits both the Tarot novice and the experienced reader. He feels that this method allows anyone and everyone who wishes to sharpen their “intuitive inner search engine”, with an eye to developing personal meanings for each card.
What exactly is this method? In short, it is known as the BIT (Back In Time) method. Boyer asks readers to: (a) think about a specific incident from their past, (b) pick several cards from any Tarot deck that they feel connect with the incident they are focusing on, and (c) connect the elements of the card (the images from the card) with the elements in their past. In this manner, the reader begins to use their intuitive ability to use the past to gain insight and understanding of the present.
In her preface, Boyer shares her own personal journey – which includes an active career as an ordained minister in the Pentecostal faith. Through her work with many different forms of divination, she came to understand that a Tarot deck is, essentially, a stack of paper. The meaning and purpose for the Tarot comes from the individual using the cards. The impetus for the BIT method came in an “Aha!” moment while enjoying a bubble bath in the middle of the day. What a wonderful gift to be able to allow ones self to accept an intuitive thought and run with it – put it into action in the real world!
This method begins with the individual, and then flows out into the cards (as opposed to beginning with a set meaning to a card, and applying this to the people and events in an individual’s life). The resulting readings are viewed as “snapshots” of the incident/moment that is the basis of the reading.
Boyer choose to make this a book of collaboration, rather than simply presenting a series of snapshots from her own life. Collaborators for this book include Janet Boyer, Nina Lee Braden, Joan Bunning, Wilma Carroll, Ann Cass, Elizabeth Cunningham, Lon Milo DuQuette, Josephine Ellershaw, Mary K. Greer, Lisa Hunt, Mark McElroy, Teresa Michelson, Riccardo Minetti and Phyllis Vega.
This book is divided into two parts: Part 1 presents a basic background on the Tarot, and on the BIT method, and how to use it (including journaling the readings). Part 2 presents snapshots from the various collaborators, using scenes from their own past as a foundation. To a person, each collaborator dug deeply into themselves, and shared a significant part of their lives. Kudos to each of you!
Boyer has included her own commentary following each of the snapshots. This is significant, in that she follows what she calls a Light/Shadow continuum, with each card possessing a bright side and a dark side. She also goes into depth concerning the imagery in each of the cards in the reading (which certainly benefits those who have never seen some of the decks being used – over forty decks were referred to in this book, but no scans were used). Note: At the end of the book black and white scans for each of the 78 cards in the Rider-Waite Tarot are presented.
A rather unique feature of this book is that at the end of each snapshot/reading Boyer has included a section entitled “Your Turn”, where she presents questions that allow the reader to do a reading on their own.
Following the section on snapshots/readings based on personal experience, the focus is moved to literature, TV, movies, headlines, history, and a section entitled “Odds and Ends”, which includes snapshots/readings on the U.S., songs, holidays and celebrations. While I certainly feel that the breadth of categories expands our understanding of ourselves, and the environment around us, I felt that this section lacked the “oomph” that the section on personal experiences held.
At the end of the book there are sections entitled Bibliography (which encompasses reference material, additional recommended books, and Tarot decks referenced in this book), and About the Contributing Authors and Artists (short bios on each of the collaborators).
As an individual, I place emphasis on the imagery held within each Tarot card. I also hold the belief that each card does have a basic meaning – and that this is not to be confused with the much maligned “memorization” of meanings (which ultimately mean nothing to the reader, because they are not a part of the reader’s experience). I see the BIT method as an expanded manner of developing meanings for the cards, and becoming familiar with a variety of decks. One of the things that I was happy to see was that Boyer recommends journaling the snapshots/readings, and going back after a period of time to review the results. I find this of ultimate importance, because what we as individuals allow ourselves to see evolves over time. We may expand what we see when we review a prior reading, or we may see something very different.
The “Back In Time Tarot Book” is an excellent reference for both beginning and advanced readers. There is something here for everyone – something that will help them grow as readers and as individuals.
© August 2008
Bonnie Cehovet is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader.
Review by Christopher Butler
When there are so many good tarot books on the market it’s a real treat to find one that says something totally and uniquely original. This isn’t to belittle what’s available but if like me and you’ve been dealing with the Tarot for almost thirty years, you begin to find that each new title, however excellent it may be, only embellishes what you already know with a choice selection of extra insights. Janet Boyer’s new book is something quite different. It’s one of those rare titles that manages to tread well-worn territory whilst turning all your maps on their heads. It is truly original.
How do most of us first encounter the Tarot? For me, it was through watching a James Bond film where a beautiful fortune teller shuffled the cards, selected at random and used the upturned cards to foretell the future. Of course, I soon realised it’s not that simple. The Tarot is a powerful tool for shedding insight on past, present and future but fundamental to its application is the principle of randomness—or so I thought prior to reading Janet’s book.
The Back in Time Tarot Book is the ultimate “card reversal” of the Tarot world. Rather than relying on random selection, Janet encourages you to take control of the Tarot deck and use it as a tool to illuminate your past through means of deliberate card selection. As such, she has given us a powerful tool for self-understanding.
Her Back in Time (BIT) Method involves selecting an incident from your past, summarising it into a “snapshot” by identifying the key points you wish to clarify and then selecting cards to represent these key points. Cards are selected either based on their traditional meanings or alternatively, because of your intuitive response to the images themselves.
One aspect that impressed me greatly was the author’s emphasis on card combinations. I frequently work with Lenormand cards as well as with the Tarot and here, card combinations are paramount. An individual card such as the Coffin can mean something very different on its own to when it’s paired with a card such as the Heart. So it is with Janet’s BIT Method. If an aspect of your “snapshot” is too complex to be represented by a single card then you’re encouraged to select two or more that connect together for you on an intuitive level.
The benefits of this method are far reaching. In creating a symbolic “photo album” of such key past events in your life, the tarot symbols you select will often uncover aspects of your past you hadn’t realised or acknowledged. I’ve also found that in using this method I’ve begun to build up a whole new raft of personalised card meanings and associations that I’ve been able to bring back to my conventional readings.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say. In this respect, Back in Time Tarot is almost self-endorsing. The first section is Janet herself, laying out the BIT Method whilst the second part is based around a stellar array of other Tarot writers and artists writing on their usage of Janet’s methodology and providing their own BIT Snapshots. Names include Mary K. Greer, Monte Farber, Zach Wong, Lisa Hunt, Riccardo Minetti and Joan Bunning amongst others. What better seal of approval could you get than this? Each of their accounts is carefully framed by Janet’s own commentary on their experiences.
Adding to the goody bag are further exercises, where the BIT Method is applied to a range of other events such as current affairs coverage or movie storylines. It’s amazing what the cards can say in such situations!
This is a truly clever book, well written and presented in a way that showcases not only Janet’s infectious enthusiasm, but also the respect and enthusiasm for her BIT Method shown by some of the world’s best Tarot writers and artists. Add this to your bookshelf whenever you get the chance. If, like me, you had fallen into the trap of thinking there wasn’t much more to learn, this book will soon prove you wrong. It’s a winner in every way.
Chris Butler discovered the Tarot in his teens
whilst watching a James Bond movie. Now, almost thirty
years later, he has illustrated three oracle decks and
five Tarot decks. He is the illustrator for the Quantum Tarot, published by Kunati Books.
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