Customer Reviews

The Enchanted Tarot

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Monte Farber and Amy Zerner are the world's most renowned creators of self-help and guidance systems. One of their most overlooked titles, "The Enchanted Tarot", is a highly regarded classic within the tarot community. Released in 1992, this book and tarot deck set set the standard for the art of tarot reading, taking readers on a journey through our dual world of The Dreaming and The Awakening, finally transcending to a higher consciousness.

The book is beautifully written by Farber, whose expertise as a proven psychic is employed in helping readers to get the most out of the tarot. He covers the various methods in utilizing this unique system for gaining insight and wisdom on how to overcome adversity and solving everyday problems in today's chaotic society through the meanings of the 78 tarot cards, which each convey a message to our conscious and unconscious selves.

The manner in which the interpretations of the cards are presented is quite different from what tarot readers are most used to. Instead of the typical upright/reversed meanings practiced by most tarot schools, Farber breaks down the interpretations into three(3) separate levels: The Dream, The Awakening, and The Enchantment. The Dream gives the symbolic meaning via a story-like narrative, The Awakening a straightforward elaboration, and The Enchantment an actual exercise to infuse positive energy into the card representing your life. Of note is the omission of the "reversed" card meaning to allay any fears and negative thoughts often associated with it, which I personally thought was a sincere and nice touch by Farber; a tarot deck which can do you no harm.

Equally impressive is Amy Zerner's colorful and richly detailed artwork, expertly lending credence to Farber's prophetic vision. The cards, although a bit oversized, are sumptuous with an Edwardian flavor that evokes a more simpler, romantic period than today's frenzied pace. The cards are also cleverly color-coded based on suit and healing power: Hearts Purple, Pentacles Green, Wands Red, and Swords Blue. What really sets The Enchanted Tarot's artwork apart from most other tarot sets is that Zerner's illustrations are not merely paintings rendered on a computer. Each image is actually a 2' X 1' fabric collage tapestry painstakingly laid out, and then sewn together in her unique, exquisite style. These gorgeous, award-winning works of art are recognized as paintings by the National Endowment for the Arts. The colorful illustrations are also well represented in the glossy high-quality book, which you don't often find in most tarot/book sets these days.

The conclusion of the book includes a short section on preparing for and doing actual readings, using the three most popular layouts in tarot: The One-Card, Three-Card, and the beloved Celtic Cross spreads. All-in-all, Farber's "The Enchanted Tarot" is a benign and gentle tarot. Zerner's stunning illustrations bring Farber's words to life and vice versa, as they complement each other. "The Enchanted Tarot" may not fall in line with those who might prefer a more traditional approach to the tarot, but with one of the highest accuracy rates in the world amongst living tarot readers, Farber's system should not be taken lightly. Instead, it should be looked upon as a consummate tool for those who are looking for self-help through alternative means. "The Enchanted Tarot" is just too damn good that I'm doing to do something which I've never done before using a 5-star rating system. I'm giving this one 6 stars with the highest recommendations. WELL DONE, MONTE AND AMY!

I have to go with the majority here in praising the artwork of these cards; with their many shapes and textures, they're undeniably gorgeous. However, for me, that may be part of the problem...there's simply too much going on in each card, with the result (for me, at least) that the artwork distracts from the meaning. I own several Tarot decks, and this is the only one that I consistently have trouble reading.

Another problem (and again, this is for me...as several reviewers have noted, each person has his/her own relationship with different decks) is that with their Victorian-type styling, they're a bit too "modern" for my taste. Anyone like me who connects strongly with mythical/folkloric archetypes may miss the more traditional symbolism that I'm used to in Tarot decks. I think that is the main reason these cards don't "speak" to me like other decks do.

Many of the reviews have mentioned the positive nature of the illustrations, and I have mixed feelings about this. This positivity does make the cards more non-threatening, but sometimes we need strong warnings about possible dire situations that may lie ahead. The Ten of Swords -should- be a frightening card, but the idea is that the cards surrounding it should give advice as to how to avoid or at least lessen the impact of the situation.

I do like the format of the book, although I have to give the same caveat as another reviewer did: Readers should read from the cards, not from the book. However, I think the exercises given in the book do help novice readers to begin to associate the meanings of the cards in their minds.

Overall, most of my problems with this deck come down to personal taste. I can certainly see why the deck has drawn so many good reviews, and again, different decks speak to different people. For me, though, this deck is in my collection merely for the artwork, since for divinatory purposes I just don't connect with it.

The Enchanted Tarot is my main deck out of the dozens I now own, and it's because the symbols are both so immediately accessible and attractive to anyone I read for, plus the images are so tactile/sensual as they are made from fabric collages. None of these cards seem "scary" to the novice, and all offer hours of fun when you study them in depth...they are subtle, sensitive, but in keeping with traditional symbolism. The cards handle well and the descriptions and meanings given are beautifully written. I particularly like the way the book is formatted with the storyline, interpretative meaning and then the "enchantment" at the end - which is like a cross between a spell and an affirmation, useful to the reader to ingrain the feeling tone and positive message of the cards. I would recommend this deck to both the experienced tarot reader and to the novice, which speaks for itself. A must-have in any collection.

These cards are magnificent! They are absolutely beautiful and full of magick! As with all decks, they can be moody, but with lots of attention and love, these will more than fulfill your expectations. I feel they are best utilized as a personal deck, but they do read fairly well for others. The book is very informative and could help guide a beginer through the magical world of the tarot. Enjoy!

I've read with this deck since it came out about ten years ago. I usually let clients pick which of three or four decks speaks to them, and the enchanted is a favourite of people who have not had a reading done before. It also seems to reassure people who are a little afraid what the cards might tell them.

The Enchanted Tarot is a beautiful deck with lots of soft coordinating colours and rich fairy tale and Arabian Nights imagery. Because the face designs are constructed from fabric collage or even quilting in some cases, this deck has a depth and sense of texture than many do not achieve. This deck is quite sturdy with unusually thick and heavy cardstock. Cards from other decks I have read with over long periods of time have literally worn out and ripped in half; this is not a danger here.

As in so many cases, the beauties of this deck contain its flaws. I find some of the fabric collage designs -- particularly of the Major Arcana -- to be unnecessarily cluttered. Sometimes this makes it dificult to get into the card and hear what it has to say. The designs of the Major Arcana are also bordered in a way that makes the main images quite small. Much of the traditional symbolic detail is absent in favour of one main figure, for example, a skeleton for Death and a large, round doily for the Wheel. I find this makes the readings in which these cards appear lacking in depth and detail. This is not always a bad thing.

I am not particularly fond of the substitution of hearts for the suit of cups. I don't understand why the artists did this or why they didn't substitute playing card suits for all four Minor Arcana suits. It works, though.

I read from the cards, not from a book. In fact, the first thing I tell students is to throw away their books. So I disagree with Farber/Zerner's premise of enlarging the pictures in the book so you can see the detail. That just locks you into remembering the book, instead of looking at what's in front of you. I think what details are relevant should be clearly visible on the cards. These cards are hard to see.

As I noted before the cards are very thick -- the deck is about a third again as thick as most others. The cards are also quite long and narrow. One card is almost as long as my entire hand and slightly less wide than my palm. They are extremely difficult to shuffle. People with small hands take heed. I tend to shuffle this deck in halves. Many clients simply stir them around on the table.

Not my favourite deck, but a possibly useful addition to a reader's toolbag.

I'd been looking for a Tarot deck for a while, and finally found one that spoke to me. I love the use of textiles and color in this deck, and the images are truly wonderful. Each card is a work of art, and the set as a whole is to be treasured.

The tarot itself is fine. The other reviews already testify to that. The book is a beautiful hard cover book... but what happened in the card stock department? I was disapointed for a number of reasons. The deck comes in three wrapped parts, no box. Once the deck is unwrapped the beautiful box the book and cards came in is no longer usable (the ends are gluded shut - once opened it's a throw-away). There is no box for the deck itself. The card stock is of lower quality than most other decks (e.g., I had to use an x-acto knife to finish triming the corners of two cards). Also, the cards are not all uniform in size. If the card stock had been what we are used to... this deck would have been better. Instead it's falls short of average.

Whether you are a reader with thirty years experience like me or someone buying your first tarot deck, "The Enchanted Tarot" is a must have! There is really no better deck to learn the tarot with, though Farber and Zerner's "The Instant Tarot Reader" can have you reading the cards in two minutes. "The Enchanted Tarot" has more about the artwork in the cards and the meanings of the card in your reading, while "The Instant Tarot Reader" tells you what the card means specifically for certain types of questions. It is a matter of personal taste, but every beginner should own at least one of them.

I cannot even begin to say how beautiful Amy Zerner's fabric collage tapestry tarot cards are. They make all of the other tarot decks look plain grotesque. I am a professional tarot reader and this is with only two exceptions my clients' favorite deck. Once they see it, they demand I read them with "The Enchanted Tarot." If you have small hands or don't shuffle well, then use the Zerner/Farber Tarot deck....The art is the same size, but the borders have been removed.

...I have never ever heard anything but astonished praise from ever yone of the dozens of people I've given this set to over the years. Take it from me, someone who knows the tarot, Zerner's art and this set are the best of the best.

I was fortunate enough, almost 7 years ago, to receive this incomparable deck as my first introduction to tarot. It was truly an inspired gift. I have read and collected decks since that time, and I have yet to meet a deck that is better suited to my needs as a reader and a person. While many decks I have read have an agenda to push or feel the need to make the readings feel inevitable or dark, this set always has a positive, uplifting message to even the darkest images, as well as a fine attention to detail that makes the reading intuitive to the pictures. Besides all of these pluses, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful works of art on the tarot market. I highly recommend it.

This was one of the first decks I owned and it was a gift. Because the cards are so lovely and text so positive its very appealing for a beginer or someone unsure about using the Tarot. The "spells" included with each card were very insightful and fun. Using this deck opened my mind to other divination, energywork, and spirituality in a gentle way. The book is especially nice because its small enough to carry with you yet has big colourful pictures of each card. If you are considering giving a Tarot deck to a total beginer or someone conservative I would recommend this deck.