Review by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot: Mirror Of The Soul is the companion book for the
Aleister Crowley (Thoth) Tarot. I am impressed with the
writing in this book - well thought out and well
presented. Ziegler has a great deal to say, and never once
talks down to the reader or gets lost in the esotericism
of the cards.
From the book (page 7)
"If you are
prepared to accept and approach the Tarot as an advisor,
come with openness and loving respect, as you would to
a good, wise friend. It will t hen be possible to
develop vital, intimate communication with it. You will
never cease to be amazed by the directness with which
the Tarot answers, laying open obscure or hidden
aspects of your life.
The highest goal of working with
cards is an ever-growing trust in the perceptions from
our inner reality, learning to hear the voice of our
own hearts, discovering our own inner guide."
Before
any information on the cards is even presented,
Ziegler talks about how to ask the Tarot a question in a
manner that results in an answer that is helpful, that
points to the next step to be taken. He gives
representative examples for the following areas (a technique that
I feel truly allows the reader to get a handle on
where the author is coming from):
* making decisions
* questions about the past
* questions about the future
* questions about the here and now
* questions about people not present
The manner in which Ziegler presents the
cards is much more than simply informative - he presents
the reader with options on where to go and what to do
next. Each card starts out with a black and white scan
of the card, under which are noted a series of
keywords. From there he goes into a discussion of the card,
and the specific sybmolism within the card. Under
indications Ziegler gives us an idea of what energy this card
carries and how that applies to the question being read
for. Under questions Ziegler discusses questions that
pertain to this card that the Seeker may want to ask
themselves. (I liked this a lot - very a la Tarot For Yourself
by Mary Greer.) Ziegler then presents suggestions -
ways to go further into the information that this card
has brought into the reading. One suggestion is to
draw further cards on any questions that the card may
have brought up for the Seeker. Ziegler ends the
presentation for each card with an affirmation - again, very a
la Tarot For Yourself, and a technique that I have
worked with a great deal and found to be very
rewarding.
At the end of the book Ziegler presents a well
thought out series of spreads that deal with a variety of
needs. They are:
* A four card spread for clarification of an issue or question.
* A seven card ellipse spread.
* The ten card Celtic Cross spread.
* A ten card modified Celtic Cross spread.
* A seven card chakra spread.
* A six card relationship spread.
* A six card internal balancing spread.
Ziegler has also included
information on how to determine personal cards- the Soul card,
the Personality Card and the Growth Card. Each card
relates to a Major Arcana card, and gives the Seeker
invaluable information about their path.
I recommend this
book for Tarot students of all levels. The spreads
could be used with any deck, but the information on the
cards is pertinent to the Aleister Crowley (Thoth)
Tarot.
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.
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