Solo episode from the holidays! This week I try to unpack some of my thoguhts on being a more effective tarot reader.

Books mentioned in the episode:

Tarot Reading for Magicians by Paul Voodini — the book that got me started. Image-based, intuitive tarot taught from a magician’s perspective. Still one of the best ways to learn without memorizing meanings.

Guided Tarot by Stephanie Caponi — my go-to recommendation for beginners. Easy to find, Rider-Waite based, and includes spreads I actually use, including Release & Retain.

The Marseille Tarot Revealed by Yoav Ben-Dov — hugely influential for how I read now. Helped me move toward Marseille tarot, visual storytelling, and reading the cards as a whole instead of isolated meanings.

The Tarot by Robert M. Place — fantastic history of tarot. I don’t connect with his reading system at all, but the historical context is worth it.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon — not a tarot book, but central to my philosophy. Take what resonates, discard the rest, and build something that’s actually yours.

The Book of Symbols — a great reference for deepening symbolism beyond tarot. Helpful for understanding why certain objects show up in the cards and what they can represent.