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THE
PHILOSOPHY OF THE TAROT
FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Author:
Shane
Ward
"...nothing short of
brilliant..."
Shane
Ward's The Philosophy of the Tarot
for the 21st Century is a rather
unique work. Its purpose is not to
teach us how to read Tarot, but rather
how to apply its universal
philosophies to everyday life in a
society plagued by change and crisis.
For the most part, the author succeeds
at this task.
The
philosophy behind each of 22 Major
Arcana is illustrated with useful
analogies and examples that allow even
a novice to appreciate the wisdom that
the Tarot brings. Though the
commentaries on the Minor Arcana are
shorter, the majority of them still
contain the same down-to-earth
explanation of how each card relates
to every day challenges.
Ward
has no qualms about dealing with the
touchy subjects of poverty and crime,
and he does not sugar-coat his
explorations into the nature of
Justice or the Hanged Man, both of
which could easily offend some members
of our Western society. However, this
frankness can become troublesome at
times, particularly when he expresses
his opinions of government and
religion. His opinions, inflammatory
at best, are most often presented as
facts, rather than a single person's
viewpoint. ...
Some of
his insights are nothing short of
brilliant, and his chapters on such
cards as the Devil and the Five of
Pentacles show valuable insight on a
number of levels. In fact, the author
seems to have a remarkable grasp of
the Pentacles suit of the whole, and
from the text I glean that he has
learned its lessons the hard way...
~ James Rioux, Certified
Professional Tarot Reader
~~~~~~~~~~
A few
weeks ago, I was walking through the
French Quarter in New Orleans and I
came across a lady offering to read
Tarot cards. I passed on her offer,
but walked away remembering that Shane
Ward’s book was one I wanted to
read. When I got home, I moved
Shane’s book to the top of the pile
and was soon deeply involved in the
mysteries of the Tarot.
Shane
effortlessly induces the reader to
reflect on the 22 Major and 56 Minor
Arcana. In describing the classic
illustrations, he teaches us how the
cards harmoniously relate to each
other in helping us understand and
appreciate the evolving lessons of
life. The lessons revealed are
instructive, revealing,
motivational—and, as Shane points
out, hardly black magic.
Shane
reminds us that the philosophy of the
tarot spans the lifetime of the soul,
an inspirational observation that
would, I suspect, appeal to most of
us. On that note of enlightenment, I
urge you to read Shane’s book and
find out for yourself exactly what is
in the cards. In the words of Shane,
“I wish you all good luck in your
journey through life.”
~ John S. Bradford, Author
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