Understanding the Tarot Court

Another book from the Special Topics in Tarot series, this time focusing on reading the 16 court cards. The court cards are similar to the pip cards in a deck of playing cards (Jack, Queen and King). They are usually Page, Knight, Queen and King belonging to one of the four suits Cups, Wands, Swords or Pentacles. They can be a little tricky to read once you get past the usual idea of using them as a significator and to represent different people in the querents life.

The book is divided into different ways of viewing the court cards: their many faces, court cards as a family, in society, within, their relationships and the cosmos. There are pratical exercises throughout as well as charts, pictorial images of different court cards in show more different decks, a list of meanings and a gloassary. Some knowledge of tarot is assumed for this book and it would be suitable for those who are just past the initial beginner stage of getting a feel for the cards and some of their meanings.

It fell a little flat for me however. I was hoping for something more than just a list of correspondences and ways to use them in self discovery although I do appreciate this is Greer's forte. It didn't really go past the basics particaularly or open up many new ideas for exploration. I might go back to using the tables and ideas for designing my ow deck in the future however, but for now it will go back on the shelf as fairly average for my needs. show less