Tarot for Healing deals with healing through the tarot. The first section of the book deals with standard topics such as selecting a deck, caring for it and how to put it to use. She gives concise instructions on how to ground and center, deep breathing exercises and there is a discussion on how to properly shuffle the deck.
Kara Owl also added an excellent section in regards to ethics in healing practice. I like her advice, especially in regards to making sure the reader is grounded, mentally and physically healthy enough to help someone else. She also gives advice on how to deal with people the reader simply cannot help and those who cannot take no for an answer. Ms. Owl also wisely advises the seeker to find psychiatric or medical help when needed. The rest of the section. involves triage, first aid, and diagnosis. I saw very little in the way of actual healing.
The bulk of the book is reinterpretation of the tarot cards themselves. I didn’t find the interpretations very helpful and some of the interpretations seemed potentially dangerous. The Ten of Swords interpretation suggests hypochondria and advises the client that she or he needs to let go. If the client has undiagnosed breast cancer and ignores her symptoms due to this card’s advice, this could be life threatening.
I found Tarot for Healing a good introductory book, I did like how Ms. Owl discussed ethics and boundaries pertaining to both reader and client. I’m not thrilled with the interpretation of her cards. I’m also less than thrilled with the construction of the book as a whole. There are missing words, poor spacing and typesetting errors. This, is of course, not the authors fault, but if I am going to plunk down money for a book I want to be able to read it without so many errors.
Recommended.
~review by Patricia Snodgrass
Author: Kara Owl
Jupiter Gardens Press, 2012
pp. 168 Pages, $11.70
