The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings

I am so impressed by this guide. I thought it was a little pricey and held off on getting it for a while because of that. I am so glad I finally pulled the trigger though because it's everything I wanted and more. I'm no longer scouring the internet for my card's meaning because the one in my smaller book didn't feel like it captured the nuance, or didn't include the reversed meaning, or didn't feel like it applied to my situation. This book is incredibly easy to navigate and find the card you're looking for. Each entry is SO in-depth and fully comprehensive. I will often read card meanings online and be like "well I don't think that fully captures everything this card wants to say," and I'd be back and forth between websites to get a comprehensive meaning that feels applicable. I ended up defaulting to Biddy Tarot online because I liked those descriptions best. This book seems to go beyond what's on the website, and every card's entry feels like it has ALL the information and every aspect of the meaning included. On top of that, I am always impressed by the wisdom in each meaning and the expertise of the author's interpretation. It truly feels like advice from a wise elder who knows you deeply and knows what you need better than you do. Every time. Plus, having it in my hands is such a relief because I can flip between pages quickly and even hold them with a bookmark if I'm doing a more robust reading, instead of scouring multiple sites on the internet and keeping track of my 10 tabs of each card's meaning. The book is much bigger than I expected, in size and thickness, but it is light as well, which makes it really satisfying to pick up and flip through when you need some tarot insight. Every time I use this guide, it makes me want to do more readings just to experience the book again. My readings since using this book have become *scary* accurate - applicable to what I'm facing in the moment, specific to the question I'm asking, and imparting the wisdom that I need to hear. I cannot recommend it enough.

Really enjoy this book. I used the online Biddy Tarot website for years to assist with interpreting tarot readings then finally decided to get a print copy in case something happens with the internet or the website. And also because I just like physical books. ;) Each card's description is set up with the following: Keywords overview for upright and reversed; Relevant quotes that pertain to the ideas and archetypes the card; Description of the card's artwork (using the standard Rider Waite deck), Upright card meanings, with sub categories for Career, Work and Finances, Relationships and Love, Spirituality, Well-being and Health and what the Personality Type would be for somebody represented by that card; Journaling prompts suggestions; Suggested Card Combinations (very useful and accurate, since I've gotten multiple specific card combinations in my readings that this book mentions!) and then the Reverse meanings, along with reverse suggested card combinations. So I love that each card description is arranged in this way, and I love how thorough each card meaning is, really drilling down on the possibilities in a way that makes sense and can teach people. Because if you just go by those little booklets that come with the standard Rider-Waite decks you're going to be lost. Those descriptions do NOT do the cards justice. This book however will really teach you so many things. The author, Brigit Esselmont, really knows her stuff. There's also an overview of the Major and Minor Arcanas at the start of those sections along with Quick Keyword Charts for both. The Minor Arcana breakdown includes a summary of what each suit is about, and an explanation about the meaning of the numbers, 1-10, and the Court cards. Then before each suit's section there's a more thorough explanation about each suit and its corresponding element. So yes, I would highly recommend this book to anybody who's interested in Tarot, including those who think they already know. It's informative, thorough, interesting, and easy for anybody to understand.

I received the first batches of print that came out, where so many were getting light printed books that were unreadable. Mine isn't so bad, it is light but can still be read without problems so I kept it. I'm a Tarot reader of 20 years and often read online for paying clients. It is very important for me to know and recall (which is awful hard to memorize) all the cards, meanings and details for a reading. I find this book the most helpful of all the other manuals I've had over the years to help me with meanings and interpretations. Yes, a true reader doesn't need a book to do a reading, but goes by memory and the feeling of the cards; or at least that is what I learned early on when I started reading. My struggle is not using the cards, as I have always been very gifted at being able to work with energy and pull the cards meant for each person I am reading, but when it comes to meanings of the cards and telling a story within the reading, especially when I am on the spot (live) it is very hard for me to recall the information I need, so relying on this book to help me, especially on some cards that are just hard to get around a meaning with, I have become much better in my readings. This book helps me to fully detail out and offer a story line to my reading. It also helps bring meaning and a personal touch (you know Brigit has read many years because her words are as if she were speaking directly you with wisdom and years of readings behind her) that helps the sitter feel and know that they are getting a valued reading. I have little tabs on each section of the cards, minor and major arcana so that I can easily flip through the book to find what I need. The margins are wide enough to add in notes if you like and the print is large enough to read fairly well without bifocals. I really enjoy the size of this book because it is large enough to hold in my hands or lay it down within reach for a reading and there are quotes at the top of each card to help you pull extra meaning from the card you're about to read. I also like the chart before each suite of cards that breaks down the meanings in just a couple words, so you are not flipping through the book looking for on the spot meanings, as you can quickly look at the chart and there they are. This is a true find and I am so happy it is available in print. I've used the Biddy Tarot website for my readings before this book was available in print and it helped me greatly in readings so I knew once this book was available (I pre-ordered) it was going to be a treasure all in its own. I would highly recommend this book to everyone from beginner to veteran Tarot reader because it is so easy to use, easy to read and has this personal touch that I find really helps me in readings. This book is the best I've come across in 20 years of readings and I can't recommend it highly enough. It is very well written and worth it

Let me begin this review by stating that I am a male. What males tend to do are buy the item and read the instructions when all else fails. I bought The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings through Biddy Tarot and while I was waiting for it to be delivered, I decided to read the reviews on the book. Oh dear! The top reviews on the book were damning, to say the least, about the readability of the Font and Type-print and I thought, as Brittney sang, Oops! I’ve done it again! So, when the book arrived on Thursday, I imagined all sorts of disappointment. However, to cut a long story short, the book was both readable and I personally find no issues with either the font or the type-face used. Now bear in mind That I am Scottish, over 60 (certainly not my speed) and half deaf, I decided on an early night to get to grips of the content of the book. Now the reviews I read, had issues with the printing quality of the book, yet none of those reviews had anything but high praise for the content of the book. This book gives me an additional tool with which to work in developing my Tarot skills. One of the main things about It, from the beginning, is that it stresses that it is a Learning Resource, something to which I can refer in order to expand my interpretations and to perhaps clarify in some instances. The information shared is the result of many years of learning and practice by Bridget. She has chosen to share her experience in the form of The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings. The content of this book is a wealth of knowledge – the keywords, the descriptions, the meanings, upright and reversed meanings etc. all there for advice and learning assistance. For me and I’m sure many others this book will take us closer to intuitive Tarot reading as a reference source. I don’t imagine that I am the only person to have a readable copy of this book and I sympathise with anyone whose copy is less than perfect for them. I received an email from Biddy Tarot regarding these reported issues and I understand that these are in hand to rectify the problems. Luckily for me that does not apply, One further point regarding the issue of the illustrations being black and white. I consider it a non-issue as I have several different Tarot Packs and I personally would only be referring to this or any other book I have, whilst using the pack. I also find the flip-card downloads an extremely valuable resource, both Biddy’s own words and the blank copies, which I have been filling in with my own words, sometimes they match more often not but the underlying interpretations are near enough to show that I’m in the right area. Tarot is a subjective entity and each reading, sometimes the same cards with different interpretations is what it is about – intuitively knowing these differences – this book, The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, is one very important resource that I will use along with access to the Biddy Tarot Website to aid me in becoming a more intuitive reader. Walter Smith Scotland

This text is one of the better texts on the tarot. I also like Place and Crowley's books on the tarot, but this is better than I expect from most tarot books. It gets into the astrological correspondences (for some of the major arcana only, however). The author's emphasis on card combinations -- many pairs -- is also refreshing. Most author's don't understand that interaction between two cards or among various cards is important. The descriptions are apt and note astrological signs and other matters of interest in the images of the Rider-Waite Deck. I would suggest the author do the complete astrological and elemental correspondences for the minor arcana. For example, the Fool would correspond with Uranus and the element of air and the magician would correspond to Hermes. I would suggest the author include the elements, planetary signs, and deacons for each of the minor arcana to make this a more complete reference. This is an accessible and useful reference and also a guide to learning tarot if you're willing to put in the time to read it, understand it, and look into related disciplines to better understand what is said. While I wouldn't go so far as to say "this is the only book on tarot you'll ever need", I would say that it's worth having and I would recommend it to anyone along with Place's book: The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination. I would not recommend Crowley's The Book of Thoth: (Egyptian Tarot) unless the person was either highly intelligent or highly experienced in tarot since it might confuse novices. But, if you stick with tarot, you will likely be grateful for having all three books on your shelf. -------Supplementary Information that May be Important to You------- The original text of The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Meanings had some issues with print quality and image quality, but the author emailed me about these before I even received the original book and even gave me some free gifts! The author kept in constant contact with updates and advice on how to handle the situation once the book was revised and republished. I'm flipping through the revised book now and I very much like it. Amazon was also great! When I informed them of the issue, they arranged same day delivery for me and arranged for me to ship the old text back at no cost to me! I'm satisfied with my purchase, with the author, and with Amazon. Thank you to everyone for making this transaction as smooth as possible despite the hiccoughs.

I absolutely love this book! It is my “go to” reference. The writing style is easy to understand, and pleasant to read. I like that while it offers the traditional meanings of the cards, it does not say that this card means “X” and that is the only thing that it can mean. The book offers suggestions of how to read each card, but it also tells you that you also need to listen to your gut or intuition as you read. I feel like I have a friend looking over my shoulder helping me decipher the cards. The book has an in-depth discussion of each card, as well as offering suggestions as to what it means in different types of readings. A card might mean one thing if the reading was financial and another if the card shows up in a reading about spirituality. The book also presents several possible card combinations and a discussion of the meaning if the card is reversed. In addition to the individual card interpretations, the book also explains the overarching meaning of each suit, and it provides a quick chart of key words for each card. The book also included a chapter discussing multiple ways to read reversed cards, one that discusses the numerology inherent in tarot and a guide to deciphering card combinations. I have both the print book and the e-book. The E-book is set up for ease of navigation when using Adobe, and I use it often. However, it can be a pain to power up my device every time that I need to look up a card. The print book may not be as “pretty” because it does not have color illustrations, but it is much more convenient to grab the book and thumb through the pages to find what I am looking for. I will continue to use both the print book and the E-book. I highly recommend it!

Content -- 4.5 stars. Great explanation of cards and how the meaning can be applied in different areas of your life. I did notice at least one quote was used for two cards. I understand that some cards have similar meanings/themes and a quote is applicable to both, but I feel like each card deserves unique quotes. It seems a little lazy to reused them. One of the bonus chapters is actually just a repeat of some of the info that was upfront. Again, seems lazy. Quality -- 3 stars. Issues that other people mentioned (fuzzy/light printing) have been resolved, but overall the quality is still lacking. There are typos and formatting issues. It has a very "self printed" feel to it, which is not what I expect when paying $20+ for a book from a respected tarot authority. I really think Biddy Tarot needs to reprint with a different publisher and have someone proofread and fancy it up a bit. I'd happily pay more for a better version. It would also be awesome if it was spiral bound, because it's pretty thick.

UPDATE: I returned the original version and ordered the new redesigned/reprinted version and it looks great. It's now the book it was meant to be. I already bought and have extensively used the digital version of this book from the author's website and was excited to finally have the book in hard copy, even though it meant paying an additional $35 for something I really already had. BUT, as other reviewers have said, the print job on this is SO INCREDIBLY POOR that I feel sick that I paid for it at all. I think I'm going to have to return it, despite my love for the content. I already have the full color version of the 'book' on my iPad and phone. I can't justify the $35 for an essentially unreadable, unusable hard copy. The CONTENT of this book is wonderful -- it is my go-to Tarot resource -- but that is where it ends. The pictures are useless because of the strange lack of contrast. Some are almost uniformly gray. The paper is low quality. The print job and the font is so awful that it's almost not readable. Some pages actually have a faint, pixelated look to the print like they came out of an old dot-matrix printer or an old inkjet printer on the 'fast' setting. Even staring at the slightly darker, 'better' pages for any length of time makes it hard to focus on the actual words - I find myself squinting, looking away and then back again, trying to focus on the words. Some pages seem slightly blurry, even. The Tarot is beautiful and a Tarot book with this quality of content at this price point should be beautiful, too. For $35, this book should be well-printed, on high-quality paper, beautifully formatted for PRINT, and have COLOR pics of the cards. This is a huge disappointment and feels like a hasty self-publish job for quick cash. Biddy Tarot has never struck me like that, and I hope they will reformat and republish this book to fix the issues. It hurts me to send this one back, but it's value as it is printed is not worth its cost. If you change the font and make a quality product, I will HAPPILY repurchase this. I WANT a hard copy of it.

I've read a LOT of Tarot books. A lot. I've read this one so many times that it literally fell into pieces and I had to repair it, haha. This book is one of those I still read today (many years after having bought it) for further insights and that had a HUGE impact on my practice development: it helped me to develop a much more nuanced interpretation of my tarot readings; for myself first, and now for my clients. I have an approach that my clients find very interesting and thought-provoking, even with deep or difficult subjects or life situations. We have transformative consultations together, and this book had its implication with where I am today with my practice. Brigit has its unique way to help you interpreting cards in a holistic, kind, and brilliant viewpoint. If you want to learn reversals interpretations without being in a "black and white" perspective, read this book. Reversals aren't just "the negative", the "opposite" or just "the shadow" part of the upright card. There are many categories for possible different interpretations, few cards combinations interpretations per card, journaling prompts in questions forms... A pearl. To read and to re-read, again and again. There is always medicines and solutions to find, even with "difficult" cards or inconfortable readings, and Brigit proposes this idea very well in her book, to look further and to switch your outlook. This book is in my SURE top 5 of Tarot interpretations books. I don't have a lot of Tarot books I would recommand like The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings; I’ve recommended this book several times, for beginners to more advanced tarot practitioners. Thanks Brigit !!! I hope this book will be translated in French soon in the future. I can't wait to gift it to some of my friends.

Acheté en format Kindle, la traduction via Kindle est bien fichue mais sinon c'est écrit assez simplement. J'ai pris plusieurs livres dans ce format concernant le Rider Waite et tous m'ont semblé insipides par rapport à celui-ci. Ici, Brigit Esselmont détaille chaque carte dans sa scène, le symbolisme, puis un descriptif général ; ensuite, chaque carte est expliquée selon sa position (droite ou renversée). Il y a un paragraphe pour le sentimental, un autre pour les finances/carrière, pour la personnalité, puis un autre pour le spirituel, et un autre plus court concernant la santé et le bien-être. La carte propose aussi quelques questions intéressantes, une sorte d'invitation à nous poser les bonnes questions, pour la croissance personnelle comme par exemple pour le 7 d'Epée : "en qui ai-je confiance ? en qui n'ai-je pas confiance" ou "à quoi dois-je dire non ?".... ou pour la carte de la Tempérance "dans quel domaine de votre vie avez-vous en ce moment fluidité et harmonie ?" ou "qu'est-ce qui vous apporte paix intérieure ?"... Et puis bien entendu, quelques exemples d'associations de cartes. Un livre hyper complet me concernant et que je rachèterais en version papier pour peu qu'il sorte en français !

Best tarot book

Este es un libro muy práctico que de forma fácil te va a ayudar a ubicar cada una de las cartas de acuerdo a diferentes áreas, como: personalidad, trabajo, salud, etc. Biddy va directo a lo más importante de cada uno de los arcanos, haciéndolo fácil de comprender y motivando a que la intuición despierte. Lo recomiendo muchísimo si estás comenzando o ya tienes alguna experiencia previa con el Tarot, sobre todo si estás buscando una perspectiva práctica de la lectura de Tarot.

It has everything that you need to understand the cards at a deep level. Its a must buy for beginners. I have seen some remarks regarding bad quality of paper but the quality of book and the paper is good(or at least of the one that I received)