Volume 2, Issue 15 July 6 - July 19, 2000

I was in the bookstore the other day when I saw this handy little Tarot card guide. Okay, I'll admit I picked it up because it was cute; I liked the shiny purple cover and pretty watercolor pictures of moons and stars. Any of you out there who have ever collected unicorn stickers or glitter glue pens will understand the draw of the vivid, multi-colored pages of this Tarot handbook. Second of all, the guide was cheap ($5 in the bargain section of Barnes & Noble on the 16th St. Mall).

Cheap and pretty: what's not to like? All right, I understand you might be concerned about the title, The Tarot and You: A Simple Guide to Using the Cards for Self-Discovery and Prophecy. It sounds a bit cheesenut, I admit. Especially that part about self-discovery. I mean, how much are you willing to discover about yourself while crouched on the crapper?

But if you are the contemplative type (hey, you're stuck in a tiny room all by yourself anyway), Tarot cards are a great way to access inner thoughts and maybe even predict the future.

One word of warning: The Tarot and You doesn't come with cards. You'll have to buy those on your own. Check out your local New Age store, and you'll find a wide variety to choose from. I recommend the Rider deck (designed by British mystic Arthur Edward Waite) because it's the most traditional, and it's the same deck featured in many horror movies, including one of my all-time favorites The People Under the Stairs.

If you've ever tried to use Tarot cards before, you know just how confusing it can be. Perhaps you ask the deck a question like, Will I find true happiness this year? and you draw the scary Death card. Oh, great, a picture of skeleton wearing a metal helmet and riding a horse. What are you supposed to make of that? You draw another card and pull out the Devil. Now you have a detailed sketch of a winged Satan holding two naked people by the neck with chains. It doesn't look like you are going to have a very good year.

The Tarot and You makes understanding what you draw a lot easier (and a lot less freaky). Guess what? The Death card can often mean positive change is coming in your life. The Devil just means you are trapped by your lower desires (but you knew that anyway).

With The Tarot and You, it's simple to figure out basic layouts and meanings for cards. You don't have to spend ages memorizing numerology or astrological charts. Just whip out a deck and start dealing. Hey, as long as you have a few moments by yourself, why not spend some time peering into the future? Just don't forget to wash your hands. B+