Tarot Plain and Simple by Anthony Louis

As the name suggests, Tarot Plain and Simple offers basic, easy to understand information that includes card meanings, astrological and numerological associations, and a few spreads. It can be used with any tarot deck based on the Rider Waite system. Anthony Louis uses the Robin Wood Tarot to illustrate the cards although he doesn’t push this deck. He suggests from the outset to “select a deck that appeals to [y]our imagination and then learn to associate the various symbols on the cards with meanings that will form the basis of [y]our understanding of the Tarot.” I believe this is a valid point.

I’m an intuitive reader but I also have a solid grounding in Tarot meanings and associations. I’ve read numerous Tarot books cover to cover plus the guide books that come with my extensive Tarot collection. I feel this nurtures rather than stifles my intuition because I trust whatever surfaces as I look at the cards. I believe in giving my intuition many things to draw from ie memories, songs, movies, books, names, places and crystals. Okay sometimes I doubt what comes up because it doesn’t make sense to me, but without fail I always regret not saying what I thought or felt. It would’ve made perfect sense to the person I was reading for. But hey, I’m learning to trust what I hear, feel, see more often than not now.

Moving on. I really enjoy reading tarot books. I’m a bit of a tarot nerd in that sense but I’ve always been passionate about learning. Sometimes I question why I spent so many years at university studying sociology, history, philosophy, religion and English but then all of a sudden my mind will put something together in a reading and all the time spent on those essays and assessments makes a little more sense. More to the point, I have often been drawn to a Tarot book and come across information randomly that helped something just click.

As the author of Tarot Plain and Simple points out, at some stage the symbols and the card’s positioning will trigger something that will bring forth a meaning that’s not in the book and that’s great. This suggests your intuition has taken over. However, that doesn’t undermine being familiar with general meanings. For example, if I get a feeling off a card that I know contrasts with its general meaning I know that it’s highly relevant and the difference is important. But, you can’t recognise that if you aren’t familiar with the card in general. Therefore, I truly believe a sound understanding of card meanings can serve you well and open up your interpretations on so many levels.

Tarot Plain and Simple does offer a lot. In his overview he provides brief information on the early history of the Tarot, the Golden Dawn, Jung and the Tarot, psychological projections (here he links tarot with Rorschach’s ink blot tests), and his own personal research. In another chapter he has a section on colours and their significance as well as a few spreads. One of the spreads is “The Horoscope Spread.” With this spread he includes information on the significance of each house.

In the Major Arcana chapter he details the Fool’s journey before breaking down each card with a general upright meaning followed by keywords and phrases, a situation and advice section, and a people section. He then repeats this process for the reversed position. The Minor Arcana section begins with the numerological meanings followed by information on how to derive your personal year number. Then he breaks down each suit by element, astrological signs, season, traits, occupations, keywords and phrases, and people.

Tarot Plain and Simple concludes with two appendixes: Astrology and the Tarot and Numerology and the Tarot. These are great because he incorporates different interpretations. This can alleviate confusion. Many books say “this” is associated with “this” as if their way is the only way something is considered. Here, Louis shows that different groups assign different associations. It can help connect you with the underlying philosophy of the deck creator if you choose to take it that far.

About the Author

Anthony Louis is a psychiatrist with extensive clinical experience who has written about, and lectured on, astrology and divination. He has two other Tarot books, Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Tarot and Tarot Beyond the Basics as well an astrology book, Horary Astrology.

Tarot Plain and Simple Contents

Publishing Details

Published by:

Llewellyn Publications

Pictured Version:

First Edition, 21st Printing, 2012

Pages:

322pp.