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RAVE REVIEWS
"This book is an excellent introduction to the
tarot for those of us who want to study this ancient art but do not know where
to embark. It is written in such a way that it stimulates the imagination and
gently opens the door to the world of archetypes and magic."
- Candis Canton, author and creator of Herbal Tarot
"Susan Levitt's
charming book offers newcomers a gentle and creative
introduction to the tarot. Neither oversimplified
nor overcomplicated, Introducton to Tarot contains
good basic ideas presented in an accessible and
attractive way."
- Cynthia Giles, author of The Tarot: History,
Mystery, and Lore and The Tarot: Methods,
Mastery, and More
"Of all the tarot
books I've reviewed, and I've looked at over fifty
of them, Introduction to Tarot is the
clearest and easiest to understand and apply."
- Julie London, artist, San Francisco, CA
"This book is just
magnificent. You must be very proud of it. The size
is perfect, the colors spectacular and the text is
engaging. I especially liked your dedication
as I am one of your past/present/future students!
Thank you."
- Gavin W. Young, Jr., tarot card reader, life
coach, and counselor
"I recently got given your Introduction to Tarot for
my birthday by my best friend. I have always been
very interested in astrology, meditation and wanted
to learn how to read tarot so much. Your guide was
the ideal introduction. Our summer break is coming
to an end here in Paris and I have now completed the
30 day 3 card spread journal. Now that I can
recognize most of the cards, I hardly need to look
at the book. It feels great to have accomplished
something I've always wanted to do. I wanted to
thank you for making such a good kit for beginners.
Every single card is extremely well explained and I
look forwards to discovering the many, many
different spreads! Thanks again and keep it up!"
- Lindsay, age 14 years, a beginner from Paris,
France
PREFACE from
Introduction to Tarot
I was 17 years old when I first sought answers from
the tarot. I inquired about working as a florist to
support myself while I studied painting at The
School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The final
outcome card was the 8 of cups. It showed a
dissatisfied person walking away, wearing a heavy
cloak. Because I had already paid a deposit for
classes, I ignored the tarot’s prognosis and
attended floral arts school for the summer, received
certification, and got a job at the Bismarck Hotel
that autumn.
My experience working as a florist did not fulfill
my expectation of working with the beauty of nature.
All bouquets were copied from a floral delivery
book. Creativity and sculpture with flowers (or
Japanese ikibana) was discouraged. After
handling hundreds of roses, I learned to watch for
thorns instead of admiring the blossoms, which had
no scent because they were hothouse buds. Adding to
my dissatisfaction was my irritable boss. When I
tried to talk to him about his bitter disposition,
he screamed at me for the last time and I quit. I
left the hotel as the cold Chicago wind blew down
the street. I headed to the subway station, and was
putting up the collar of my heavy winter coat when
it hit me - I was reenacting the exact picture on
the 8 of Cups! I was actually living the tarot.
Because the reading came true, I had to have my own
tarot deck and learn to read the cards. I went to
the only place I knew of that sold tarot cards in
Chicago, the Occult Bookshop located on North State
Street. I entered the store, which I can only
describe as
witchy. It was stocked from floor to ceiling
with every imaginable occult item, from pure and
healing to negative and creepy. There were astrology
maps, candles, oils, brews and elixirs, costumes,
capes, and what appeared to be stuffed and mounted
animals. I asked to see the tarot decks, and the
large Thoth deck intrigued me. Its shamanic imagery
perfectly mirrored the energy of the Occult
Bookstore. I purchased the Thoth deck and Aleister
Crowley's BOOK OF THOTH. I read the book cover to
cover that night. I understood it because of my
childhood interest in fairy tales, mythology,
Egyptian archeology, and my hobby (bordering on
obsession) foreign languages. I had attended Hebrew
school as a child, studied Latin in high school, and
was reading Ezra Pound's translations from the
Chinese when I was a teen. But, for me, Crowley
resonated more than Pound, for he used symbols in a
practical manner. Although I enjoyed reading about
tarot, I discovered that one could understand what
the cards meant simply by looking at the pictures.
My newfound interest in tarot was not well received.
I was told that tarot was "the work of the devil".
People actually said to me "You will burn in hell!"
and "Get thee behind me, Satan!" I felt like a
pioneer keeping alive the ancient mysteries. I
didn’t mind the "you will burn in hell" curses
because hell was the accuser's personal vision, not
mine. But the unsolicited and unwelcome attempts to
cast out my demons really did upset me.
In 1980, I moved to Tucson, Arizona to attend
graduate school. People were even more anti-tarot
there than in Chicago. I finished my studies and
then pulled tarot cards to determine a better place
for me to live where my soul would be content. My
choices were either New York City or San Francisco.
New York was the Wheel of Fortune. San Francisco was
the Ace of Cups. Both are excellent cards. But I
chose the Ace of Cups because I am a Pisces with a
grand water trine in my birth chart (Sun in Pisces
trine Jupiter and Uranus in Cancer trine Saturn in
Scorpio). I realized that in New York I would make
more money, but I followed my heart.
On New Year’s day 1983, I moved to San Francisco.
The reaction to my interest in tarot cards was the
opposite of what I experienced in Chicago and
Tucson. Many people asked me to read tarot
for them. In 1986, I resigned from my job as an
artist and became a professional tarot card reader.
(I’ve found it more fulfilling to read tarot than to
paint.) Soon my clients asked me to teach them how
to read tarot cards. I typed up a few notes and
passed them out in my classes. Eventually the notes
grew and ended up as this book.
I invite you to join me and share the mystery.
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