Favorite Tarot Book Review: The Book of Tarot by Danielle Noel

In Episode 04 of The Shameless Wisdom Podcast with Natacha Guyot, PhD, I'm sharing a detailed review of my all-time tarot book: The Book of Tarot by Danielle Noel. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced practioner, this book can support your practice.

Welcome to the Shameless Wisdom Podcast where we rebel against patriarchy bullshit and help you stand in your power to take aligned to action.

Do you have a favorite Tarot reference book?

Having one, whether you're a beginner or seasoned practitioner can be extremely helpful and by no means makes you a lazy reader.

If you are just starting out, even though you want to make sure that you work with your intuition and get to know the cards, having a reference book can help you, you know, get some negative wisdom and some insight in the story of the symbolism of the cards, and help you get to started and prompt your intuition as you are getting to know the cards.

Even as advanced practitioners, every once in a while, you know, we want to refresh what we know of tarot and it symbolism, and sometime we just want to get new insights.

Well, most of the time they may come from, you know, our intuition and inner wisdom.

A lot of other things in our lives can feed into our intuition and our inner wisdom.

That does include tarot reference books, especially those that really resonate with us.

I want to tell you all about my all-time favorite Tarot reference book, which is The Book of Tarot by Danielle Noel.

I got my copy of The Book of tarot by Danielle Noel years ago.

I think it's probably 8+ years ago at this point.

I've read a lot of different tarot books over time.

And while others are still on my bookshelves, it's the one that literally lives around with my tarot decks and not with the other tarot books I own.

Some of the things that are real love about it.

First of all is that it's not too big but it packs a punch and is easy to travel with it.

Yes, I have literally had it in my purse or in my carry-on for multiple trips.

So how is the Book of Tarot structured?

There is a small introduction by the author about the history of tarot and what to expect in a deck and the cards and how to prepare to use the cards for each of the major arcana.

She shares keywords, astrological and crystal correspondences, the general overview of the card, then messages whether it is a bright or it is reversed.

Even if you don’t use reversals, you may still want to be familiar with the typical reversed meaning.

And she also shares reflection prompts.

If you are familiar with my work, you know that I love reflection prompts.

And if you have ever been a client of mine, you know that you receive personalized prompts after your readings.

Because I so believe in the importance of reflection prompts, no matter whether you use it for journaling or meditation or daydreaming or planning or even for a creative outlet.

And for me, this is really where the Book of Tarot stands out from other wands.

Even though they may have some of similar elements.

The keywords in the reflection prompts really are what seals the deal for me.

In addition of her highly valuable descriptions of the cards, the keywords are a really good thing because if you do not want to just be reading, you know, the meaning of the tarot book as we all want to create our own relationship with the cards and nurture our intuition.

The keywords can be a really helpful way to get started.

You know, if you are just starting to read tarot or sometimes, you know, if you're hitting a block can happen to all of us.

And like the keywords we share, not all of them are going to resonate with you, but they may be the springboard you need at that moment when you are reading tarot.

The way Danielle Noel works through the minor arcana is very similar in that she also shares keywords for each of them along with the description, the message of upright and reversed, and also questions.

I really do appreciate how she goes in depth for the minor arcana.

Most other books are going to go in equal depth between the major arcana and the minor arcana.

But I have encountered that some books may really put the bulk of the explanations on the major arcana and kind of scheme over some of the minor one.

And Danielle Noel doesn't do that at all, which is one of the reasons why I love these books so much.

Similarly to what she did with the major arcana, the reflection prompts or the keywords can really help you get in tune with your cards and find new ways that you can relate to them, whether in the specific reading that you are doing or generally speaking about your interpretation and understanding of these cards.

And to me, the keywords are especially powerful in removing ourselves from like any gender essentialist approach to Tarot because they're really going to make us think of themes that do not have to be gendered.

And I think this is why I also really love this book because it overall can feel more inclusive than other reference books I have read on tarot.

And finally, Danielle Noel closes the book with a few spreads so you can get started.

It goes all the way from single card readings to spreads that are about 10 cards.

She also mentions three-cards reading, which is one of my all-time favorites, and gives also examples of other classical spreads such as the Celtic Cross or over new ones like the starseed, which I believe is based on some of her work on specific decks.

And even if you're an advanced practitioner, like I already was when I first discovered The Book of Tarot by Danielle Noel, you can still get new insights.

I discovered a pyramid spread that she has, which is one I have used several times, whether for myself or for others.

So, it's always nice to get your imagination going and then see where your intuition is going to take you.

So that's it for today.

That was my review of The Book of tarot by Daniel Noel, which is my all-time favorite tarot reference book.

I will leave a direct link to it in the description down below if you want to check it out for yourselves.

I know for sure, but I know at least 5 to 7 people who got a copy after I raved about it.

If today's episode resonated, join us in the Shameless Lair on Patreon to embody a revolution.

It's where we unless our inner Empress.

They didn't try to burn us for nothing.

Join today and find a sacred community worth its witchy salt.