The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life Paperback – February 16, 2016

A ritual I love is beginning my day being intuitively guided by my tarot cards. As I share in my book The Art of Success: How Extraordinary Artists Can Help You Succeed in Business and Life. Coco Chanel, like many wealthy business people, found great wisdom, peace, comfort, and healing from oracle cards and an eclectic array of spiritual rituals.Not everyone believes in mysticism—and that’s fine. But I do. And so do a great many people. “If you want to be a serious writer or intellectual you can’t say you’re a mystic because no one will talk to you again,” says American author (and professional tarot card reader) Jessa Crispin, slightly tongue-in-cheek.Crispin, Colette Barron-Reid, and other creative people like myself are proud to join many others who invite people to experience a new, or rather old way, of living an inspired, creatively productively and prosperous life.Personally and professionally I have experienced a tremendous productivity boost by applying the wisdom and strategies contained in Crispin’s book, The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life. So much so that it merits its own chapter. You’ll discover the life changing benefits of consulting oracles in my book., The Prosperous Author: How to Make a Living With Your Writing. Book Two: Productivity Hacks: Do Less & Make More. (Available from Amazon here—getBook.at/ProductivityHacksDoLessMakeMore.)But for now, I wanted to share how helpful I have found The Creative Tarot. I highly recommend Crispin's fabulous book to anyone who wants to live a more inspired and productive life.

This book is exactly what is described, an exploration of the Tarot with an emphasis on using it for purposes of creativity and related questions. It is not the best choice for a first, or more general, study. It is quite interesting, though, for someone who is already comfortably familiar with the cards and is an artist - which describes me. I found the interpretations, with that intent, very interesting. I didn't always agree. Sometimes I completely agreed. It was all thought provoking. The book is well organized, well thought out, offers historical perspective to help explain, and suggests exploring other works for a deeper understanding. I even expanded my general tarot knowledge because the author's descriptions often sent me back into my own notes for a fresh take on things. Overall found this to be a good addition to my tarot library, and definitely supports the use of Tarot as an artist's tool - which isn't news to anyone, but is a concept that absolutely deserves this treatment.

This is the first time I've used tarot cards and I love this book. I don't do "readings" but I pull a card, journal about what I see or think the card might mean to me in some circumstance I'm facing and then I read the "official" meaning of the card and journal about that. I love how the book is divided and so easy to use and some of the ideas about different ways to do readings. It's not really mystical or anything like that... practical and thought-starters.

Update: Four months into the Tarot adventure which, I realize, is hardly any time at all so vast the area, I still enthusiastically consult this book as an excellent framework for understanding the cards. Crispin's explanation of the undertaking (re-interpreting the present to influence the future) as well as her take on the archetypes, the suits, the numbers, and the possible messages from the cards is a wonderful starting place for a novice from which you can grow into your own style.After reading a review in "The Week", I ordered this book from the library. At first, I thought 'this is so not me', but Ms. Crispin's approach to Tarot is completely fascinating, engaging, and intuitive. In short order, a borrowed copy just wouldn't do so I ordered my own plus a Smith-Waite Tarot Deck. What an intriguing way to engage the sub-conscious in life's journey. I highly recommend this book as a gateway for the curious into the richly symbolic world of Tarot.

I love this perspective on the cards! As a highly creative person, this is one of the few books on the topic that I truly resonate with. I love how there are actual artistic examples (and stories!) in the book to back up the meanings the author ascribes to the cards. This is a must-read for any tarot reader who wants a fresh, insightful perspective on the cards and their symbolic meanings.

Worked my way through this book and it’s a great journey. Help Tarot practice knowledge

Just fun, enlightening, and thought provoking. The author excels about clarifying misconceptions about certain cards and challenges the individual to be careful what they wish for as true meanings are never just implied in the spiritual realm. Requires the reader to take notes and truly think about the deeper context of what a card may be representing within their complex life or where is your soul guiding you. Forces one to truly self reflect and be honest about the state of their life and if you have built the foundation or have been wasting time squatting in the wrong emotional flats.

I've been checking out several tarot books at the local library and the metaphysical store and stumbled on this one. After reading a few chapters I decided to buy it because this one really stands out. I'm a creative person and many of my friends are as well, so this books suits my purposes for learning through that lens. I've always learned things better in context, and this book delivers on that account. I think even non-creative types would benefit from this book as well because again, learning the cards in context seems to make it easier to remember.