Presenting Tarot to the incredulous and curious, those who wish to know the basis for its continued cultural relevance.
Presenting Tarot to the incredulous and curious, those who wish to know the basis for its continued cultural relevance.
Metaphysics, Religion & science, Tarot
How does Tarot work? Why is it so popular today? Is it just for fortune tellers?
Tarot has seen a recent uptick in interest that warrants explanation. This book, however, is not another take on the cards’ meanings and how to read them. Instead, independent researcher Simon Kenny presents Tarot to the incredulous and curious and those who wish to know the basis for its continued cultural relevance.
A Critical Introduction to Tarot explains the practice in its historical and metaphysical contexts, and investigates its supporting belief structures, from witchcraft and magical practices to popular psychology. Throughout these pages, connections to politics, philosophy, psychology, numerology, astrology, Freemasonry, statistics, interpretative symbolism, self-help, social media -- even the nature of truth itself -- are explored. An accessible read aimed at demystifying Tarot for those unfamiliar with its magical, occult roots and growing use as a personal development tool.
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Another book on the Tarot? You might think that with many a bookshelf crammed with previous attempts to explain the mystery behind this "wicked deck of cards," adding one more would be unnecessary. But Simon Kenny's engaging work approaches this very familiar terrain from an uncommon perspective, looking less at what the cards mean than at what the many different people who have attempted to answer that question believed they meant. His wide-ranging study draws on both venerable traditions and more contemporary readings, adding quantum physics, philosophy of mind, feminist critique and much else to the mix, proving that whatever might be behind these undeniably evocative images, they retain their power to excite, inspire, and, with any luck, enlighten. ~ Gary Lachman, author of Dreaming Ahead of Time: Experiences with Precognition, Synchronicity and Coincidence
Simon's work asks the questions any person interested in tarot should ask: what is divination? Why does it work? What does divination suggest about the nature of reality? Can and should that alter the way we lead our lives? A Critical Introduction to Tarot provides a structure for exploring and perhaps even coming to terms with these ineffable concerns. A valuable companion for the metaphysically minded tarot reader. ~ T. Susan Chang, author of Tarot Correspondences: Ancient Secrets for Everyday Readers
With a steady, objectively journalistic hand, Kenny invites the reader to delve deep into the historical and spiritual contexts which ignited the creation of Tarot and continue to shape the practice’s mutable ideologies. Exploring the tradition from its purported roots in the Kabbalah teachings, as well as considering the influence of Rosicrucian occultism, Freemasonry and Pythagorean mathematics, Kenny provides not only a critical introduction but an expansive, fascinating overview, from ancient past to modern, social-media-saturated, present. Ultimately a celebration of the ways in which the Tarot arcana fluidly mutates, evolves and adapts—Kenny reveals the cards as a mirror flickering with the clear reflection of each new generation—the artists, philosophers, and activists that continue to shape Tarot attributes and symbology. ~ Jessica Hundley, author and series editor of Taschen's multivolume The Library of Esoterica
Tarot is a rich and important topic—psychologically, culturally, and philosophically. Kenny does an admirable job of covering its many facets with a keen and open mind. ~ Matthew Hutson, author of The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking
