The True Nature of Tarot review

April 26, 2012 / 5 Comments
True Nature of Tarot Book Cover

I have always been fascinated with Tarot cards.  I’ve owned my deck for years.  I just never really had a book that could help me learn to read the cards.  When I first started reading The True Nature of Tarot I was taken with the section on Opening to the Energy.  That section talks about all people having been born with psychic ability, but we don’t develop it.  There have been so many times I’ve KNOWN something that was going to happen. KNOWN I was going to see a certain person.  KNOWN the phone was going to ring…. all with real accuracy too! Imagine what I could do if I could develop it?  (Ohhh man my kids would be in REAL trouble then!!)

The True Nature of Tarot helps you with grounding and to see patterns in the cards.  Descriptions of the cards and their meanings, along with the keywords.

I enjoyed reading this book and subsequently ‘reading’ the Tarot cards for my Mom and a couple of my friends.  I need a LOT more practice, but I am glad I have the tool I need to learn. The book is detailed, interesting and easy to follow.  If you thought of trying Tarot reading Diane’s book is the way to go!!

My favorite excerpt from the book is:
“Tarot is designed to enlighten, entertain, perplex, and reveal.  The cards are used as an external tool to delve into the depths of the core self.  It offers an opportunity to get information about the energy of a situation and suggests ways to identify the blocks in your path.  As you seek to understand and grow, you elevate your vibrational level, as well as the vibration of the whole planet.”

The True Nature of Tarot by Diane Wing, M.A. is available for purchase at Amazon.com (Hard copy, soft copy or for Kindle)

The author Diane Wing, M.A. has been a Tarot reader for over 25 years, and I was really excited to be able to ask Diane a few questions:

1. How long did it take you to learn to read Tarot cards?  I received my first deck of cards at age 9.  While I tried to use them, the deck did not resonate with me.  It wasn’t until I purchased the Morgan Greer deck and received guidance from a seasoned reader that I came fully into my ability to use the cards.  It took about 11 weeks of practice to have a strong knowledge of the entire deck and use the cards intuitively.

2. Have you ever held a reading that the client got angry at you for the information you presented to them?   Not so much angry as strongly expressed denial.  It is rare, but usually a result of hearing something that do not want to see in themselves.  There is a story in The True Nature of Tarot about a woman who kept telling me that what I was getting didn’t resonate for her.  The message felt accurate to me, but I gave her money back and asked her to send up the next person (it was at a private reading party).  She came back later and asked me to try again.  The same message came through.  She was a bit more open the second time.  Later, the hostess told me that the woman had shared with the group what I said, and they all confirmed that what I told her was spot on.
3. Do you have a favorite spread that you like to use?  I use the freeform spread that I teach in The True Nature of Tarot.  The way the cards are laid out depends on the number of cards selected by the inquirer.  It allows for a reading that flows with the energy of the client and shows connections between the various aspects of the person’s issue.
4. Do you read your own cards?  If you do how often do you read them?  Many schools of thought advise against reading your own cards, because it is difficult to be objective when looking at yourself.  I do when I need an alternate perspective on something or when I want to check the energies of a situation.  On these occasions, use decks or oracles that incorporate esoteric symbols or unique art so that I can be more objective in interpreting the message.  I use a couple of tools that are not tarot based, including my interactive deck, Pathways and my tool of self-awareness called Insight Stones (both available on my website www.forestwitch.com).
5. How many different ways are there to spread the cards?  If there are a lot see question 6.  I have seen all kinds of spreads used by different readers.  I’ve seen books of spreads.   The number of spreads is as broad as the number of people using cards.   The spreads may vary depending on the deck or oracle you are using. There are spreads that use every number from one card to 20 or more.  There is even a card deck (the Lenormand) that uses all of the cards (36) in a single spread.  It is a very personal choice varying from the methods and spreads I share in The True Nature of Tarot, to the ones I built into Pathways, to simply lining them up from the top of the deck or using the Celtic Cross and beyond.  I encourage folks to experiment with the cards and find the way that speaks most clearly to you.
6. Would you ever consider writing a book of spreads?  (for instance how to spread the Tarot cards for certain questions?  Like wealth? health? And details of how to read the different spreads?) Nothing is out of the question, although I do prefer the freeform spread method and feel it can answer any type of question.  Lately I’ve been thinking of writing a book on tarot combinations.  That way, no matter which spread you prefer, you can use the book to enhance the way you interpret card interactions.
Thank you, Diane!  It’s funny when I wrote the question number 6, I knew Diane was thinking of book of combinations! I am getting the hang of this!

If walls could talk, my blog would whisper, “It wasn’t me.”
Because somehow, somewhere between coffee refills and letting the dog out, the Ghost of Peanut Butter and Whine keeps sneaking in and removing pictures and videos.

I don’t delete them. I would remember that. I am a responsible adult who double-checks things. And yet… photos vanish. Videos evaporate. Blog posts wake up looking underdressed, like they forgot their pants.

Cue dramatic music.

After the fifth “Where did that image go?” moment, I decided to stop fighting the paranormal and use it as an opportunity. If the ghost insists on rearranging my content, then I’m going to roll up my sleeves and improve my SEO score while I’m at it.

Because if I’m re-uploading images anyway, they might as well have proper file names, alt text, and sizes that don’t make Google sigh heavily. Videos? Optimized. Old posts? Updated. Keywords? Polished like they’re heading to prom.

SEO updates aren’t glamorous. No one brings a casserole when you rename image files from IMG_8472.jpg to ghost-proof-blog-photo.jpg. But they matter. Search engines like clarity. Readers like faster loading pages. And apparently, ghosts like chaos.

While I’m updating, it’s also a great time to remind you about my monthly $50 Your Way Giveaway, where one lucky winner gets PayPal, Venmo, or a gift card of their choice. You can find all the details right here:
👉 https://peanutbutterandwhine.com (check the giveaway section)

And because Google loves good neighbors, here’s an external resource I actually use when brushing up on SEO basics:
👉 https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo

So if you notice posts looking sharper and loading faster, don’t worry. It’s not a haunting.
It’s just me, outsmarting the ghost… one optimized image at a time.

5 Comments

  • Kristin

    May 1, 2012 at 2:29 am Reply

    I think this sounds fascinating. I recently bought a set of Tarot cards, actually…but the very brief instructions included do no justice to reading the cards. This might be the perfect book to learn!

    • Carolyn

      April 27, 2012 at 1:42 am Reply

      These are very interesting reviews, responses, and interactions, Diane. I feel that I am learning something in a new sphere.

      Blessings,
      Carolyn

  • Victor R. Volkman

    April 26, 2012 at 5:32 pm Reply

    Thanks Connie, on behalf of Diane and myself, for your in-depth treatment of “The True Nature of Tarot”. I think a lot of readers will be curious about the same questions you posed in the Q&A. Do let me know if you have further interest in titles from Marvelous Spirit Press.
    Regards
    Victor

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