Pictures from the Heart: A Tarot Dictionary (Paperback)

More than just a dictionary, Pictures from the Heart is a journey through the symbols and terms used by Tarotists. This book is good for both the baby beginner and the experienced Tarotist.

I first met Sandra A. Thomson when she was teaching a Tarot class at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Feliz, CA. I was a baby beginner. When I had questions about the meanings of symbols, cards, etc., I had to ask questions. It would have been so wonderful to have the research material available at my finger tips. Now, as I explore many different tarot decks, I finally have the research material I have so longed for.

Thomson is a Tarot Grand Master. She has been certified by both the Tarot Certification Board of America and the Canadian Tarot Network. She is the elected president of the American Tarot Association. Other works by Thomson include; Cloud Nine: A Dreamer's Dictionary, and works written with Robert E. Mueller and Signe E. Echols, which include The Heart of the Tarot: The Two-Card Layout, Spiritual Tarot: Seventy-Eight Paths to Personal Development, and The Lovers' Tarot.

In order for the book to stand alone, Pictures from the Heart includes a brief history of the Tarot. Thomson writes, "Imagine yourself sitting around the campfire at tarot camp, listening to your tarot counselor tell stories. She begins, 'Once upon a time there were a group of people known as Gypsies.' Here she smiles knowingly and adds, 'because they came from ancient Egypt.'" How many of us have heard that version of tarot history? It is nice to be able to smile at the versions of tarot history that circulate. Thomson goes on to give a more factual version as well.

Pictures from the Heart also includes summaries of 25 of the most common Tarot decks. The decks are also categorized. One of the categories includes Multicultural Decks. Under this category, Thomson lists Shining Tribe (Llewellyn) and The Ancestral Path Tarot (U.S. Games). I find this beneficial for those of us who like to explore decks and genres.

The book also contains some insight into spreads. Thomson writes, "Spreads (also called layouts) form the structure of a reading. They create or provide order to information received from the cards. Otherwise, you might as well throw the tarot deck into the air and read 'meaning' into how and where the cards fall in the room. It if weren't so complicated, that in itself wouldn't be a bad idea, but since it might take a lot of bending over and stretching upward (to reach those cards dangling from the light fixture), a spread becomes one way of simplifying and clarifying the reading process."

Dr. Thomson, as she is known for, cites all of her sources. This is very helpful for those who like to really get into a symbol or definition. It allows the reader to access works from several well-known Tarotists.

Pictures from the Heart is called a dictionary, but it is so much more. It is a plethora of information in one book. The information is concise, some times humorous (where appropriate), and above all fascinating. I wonder how Thomson was able to put so many tid bits of information, from so many traditions of study, into a collective work and still make it meaningful. It is a must for anyone interested in the Tarot.

This is the book I wanted years ago when my study of the Tarot began. What kind of bird is that in the background of The Star? Why is the word DIN concealed within the art on the Magician trump? Why is there a lobster (or is that a lobster?) on the card called The Moon? PICTURES FROM THE HEART answers these questions -- and hundreds more -- in simple, concise language.

PICTURES FROM THE HEART supports both a systematic and intuitive study of the cards. Those people looking for comprehensive, comparative information on specific cards will find it. Others, having been drawn to a specific detail on a card, will be able to discover at a glance the concepts associated with it.

In addition to the dictionary, Thomson includes:

- a brief (and objective) history of the Tarot

- insights into the origins of familiar card meanings

- balanced reviews of twenty-five decks

- an introduction to card reading and spreads

In short? This is a great reference and resource ... made all the more accessible thanks to its organization in a dictionary format. If you're curious about Tarot or interested in seeing familiar cards in new ways ... buy this book!