Quick & Easy Tarot, by Lily Oak, a review by moi

                                                       

                Recently I was given the opportunity to review Lily Oak's newest book, Quick & Easy

Tarot, released by Hedge Witchery Books (http://www.hedge-witcherybooks.com), and I am so very

grateful for the opportunity. I read tarot every day; I have even been known to carry my deck around

in my purse for no other reason then to have it nearby. I am not a beginning reader by any means, but

Lily Oak has included pieces of information in her book that were quite new and fascinating to me.

            She begins with the history of tarot, from its origins as a 15th century game

known as 'trionfi' to its evolution in the 18th century to the divination tool we utilize

 today.

          Oak gives instructions on how to choose and 'connect' with your tarot deck (a key

 piece here, because if you do not have a connection with the deck you use, you will either

 not have any results, or your readings will make no sense whatsoever. I speak from

experience).

 

          Her example of taking notes on one's personal impression of each card is stellar;

 my deck is very complimentary to me, but only insomuch as I have memorized the

 meanings given in the guidebook. I have never thought to examine each image to see

 what my own impression would be. I will be rectifying this very soon.

          She provides readers with a brief description of each card of the Major Arcana

 (Those are the 22 cards which are associated with life experiences, and include such

 cards as The Fool, The Wheel of Fortune, The Sun, The Moon, and Death.) Oak also

 includes the definitions of each card. (Helpful if your deck didn't come with a

 guidebook.)

           Moving on to the Minor Arcana, Oak names the four suits: Cups, Swords, Coins

 and Wands. These may change from deck to deck. For instance, the deck I use, Kris

 Waldherr's Goddess Tarot, is comprised of Cups, Swords, Pentacles and Staves. (Should

 you purchase this deck, be aware that the card images of the Major Arcana are very

 different from the ones described in Quick & Easy Tarot, though the cards do have the

 same meanings as the ones provided by Oak.) She defines the meaning of each of the 14

 cards in each suit, then continues on to offer you the elemental meaning of each suit as

 well, very useful when using your cards in ritual.

           Next, Oak takes readers through steps leading to using cards for a reading. She

 gives advice on how to prepare oneself and one's deck, then offers instructions for laying

 out the cards. She offers two three-card spreads, one I've never seen before , so of course

 I had to give it a try. My reading of the three card Week/Moon/Season layout had

 interesting, though, happily, promising results. I'm going to keep my eyes open for

 opportunities both dutiful and fulfilling. Next, a familiar-to-me five card spread, then two seven card

 

layouts I hadn't seen before.

           The final spread Oak offers as an example is the 13 card Wheel of the Year spread, an

 

impressive-looking layout that is actually quite easy to read and comprehend. It's one of my favorites

 

when I'm looking for information concerning an outcome that will encompass several months of

 

fruition.

           I do not read tarot professionally, or for very many other people. For those that may be

interested in pursuing this, however, Oak includes an etiquette section of sorts, giving her readers

advice on how to communicate with clients or friends concerning a reading. This I found very

informative. Maybe one day I will begin offering tarot readings with my Reiki treatments.

           Overall, Lily Oak's Quick & Easy Tarot is an impressive little book: it has all the

information a tarot beginner could need, written simply and concisely, with regard to the

 fact that beginners are just that, beginners. I am not a beginner, but I guarantee I will be

utilizing this gem of a book often.

           Quick & Easy Tarot is currently available for the Kindle, and will be available in

paperback next month.