Finally picked up Meditations on the Tarot after seeing it mentioned constantly, only on Letter 2 about The High Priestess and already drowning in these wild connections between tarot, Christianity, and hermetic stuff I never even considered.
My copy’s already full of margin notes, and I’ve barely started. Oops.
How are people actually reading this thing?
Feels like each chapter needs a month of processing. Should I power through for the overview firs,t or really sit with each letter? The density is unreal. Like every paragraph could be its own book. Anyone else working through Meditations on the Tarot? Need to know I’m not the only one whose brain is melting.
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Not reading at the moment, but it’s got a forever space on my bookshelf, and I read it at least once a month or so. Had to be mentioned on the Tarot book thread
. Every reader should have this.
Just wanted to add, this book is way more about Christian hermeticism than practical tarot work. It’s not beginner Tarot ABC but there’s some value there if you have a little experience already.
Each card becomes a launching point for deep philosophical meditations rather than card meanings. The High Priestess chapter you’re on really sets that tone. It’s less about how to read the card and more about how this archetype connects to every mystical tradition ever.
I enjoyed it, but I also approached it as a spiritual philosophy text instead of a tarot manual. Made it feel less overwhelming too.
fun fact: 87% of people who start Meditations on the Tarot suddenly want to learn medieval Latin. And like 43% start dreaming in geometric symbols by Letter VII (The Chariot). The book weighs about 2.3 times more than a regular RWS deck. Pretty sure that’s on purpose - heavy thoughts need heavy books.
This book really stands out from other tarot stuff I’ve read. Each letter kind of creates its own world where things get revealed in unexpected ways.
The High Priestess letter captures this well, she’s like the guardian of those moments where normal understanding just falls away and you’re left with something much brighter and mysterious.
The book doesn’t fit with quick tarot readings at all. You know those readers who shuffle, draw, and want immediate answers?
Yeah, if you prefer practical spreads and getting straight to the point, the philosophical stuff here will feel like a major speed bump. Total momentum killer.
Oh, you want to talk esoteric? shuffles deck dramatically
I’ve been collecting weird looks at family dinners since childhood with my astrology charts and Jung quotes. Raised Catholic, which basically means I grew up surrounded by symbolism and mystical guilt.
But seriously, Meditations on the Tarot? That book is incredible, like finding the Hermit card actually brought a lantern to light your path.
Even though I’m not Christian, the Western mystical approach is brilliant for unpacking the symbolism. Every page has another moment where you realize how everything connects. The depth is genuinely mind-blowing.
And yes, Jessica Dore’s Tarot for Change deserves a shoutout too. She finally admits what we all know: we’re using tarot for therapy anyway.
Yeah, those Hermetic currents really do hit hard. I’ve started with Letter XXI (The World) too, figured I’d go backwards just to mix things up. how he ties each arcanum to actual practices. Like The Magician isn’t just about symbolism, he connects it to real concentration exercises you can actually do.
When I hit The High Priestess letter, I started doing something that really helped: reading each section out loud like it’s a meditation itself, which slowed me down enough actually to absorb those wild hermetic layers.
You could read each letter alongside the physical card, treating it almost like lectio divina, which made the dense philosophical stuff a little more practical. Just release the idea of ‘finishing’ and instead treat each letter like you’re having tea with a very wise, very verbose mystic friend. Maybe give it a try with Letter 2, reading it aloud while holding The High Priestess card transformed it from academic slog to pretty fun.
I’ve been pairing different decks with each letter. Using the Marseilles for sure, but also trying the stark black and white Hermetic deck too. The minimalist imagery actually helps me focus on Tomberg’s symbolism without getting lost in all the detailed artwork. Has anyone tried reading this with more modern abstract decks? Could be interesting to see how contemporary decks work with his traditional Christian approach.
I just wrapped up the afterword and couldn’t believe my eyes-a real church scholar diving into tarot cards! It’s like seeing a unicorn at church.
The theological and tarot mix has definitely sparked some debates, and people seem pretty divided on whether it’s all good. But that’s what makes this book such a trip. You gotta wonder why more academics don’t explore this stuff.
Maybe they’re just worried about getting strange looks from their peers at conferences?
Started keeping track of every philosopher and mystic that gets name-dropped by the Anonymous Author.
My reading list is massive now. Each letter has these references woven in so smoothly. You’re reading about tarot but picking up all this hermetic knowledge at the same time, like getting a secret bibliography of all the important thinkers in Western esotericism.
Tomberg makes every card interpretation basically Catholic mysticism. Most modern tarot books stay away from that or go Protestant. The Christian Hermeticism angle is what really stands out, mixing saints and biblical stuff with hermetic principles.
You don’t usually see those worlds collide. Probably why this book reads so differently from everything else out there. It’s connecting parts of the occult that typically stay separate.
Tomberg wrote this in the 1960s when he was living in England. He had escaped Soviet persecution, which must have been really tough. Just think about dealing with that kind of trauma through tarot meditation.
This looks interesting! I searched and came across Valentin Tomberg. That’s the author you’re talking about, right? I’ve heard he brings some serious esoteric knowledge to the Major Arcana. My tarot library could use some fresh perspectives, most of my books are pretty standard fare.
PROS: This is hands down the best esoteric text I’ve found. If you’re coming from a Christian background and want to explore tarot, this book is perfect. Each Major Arcanum from the Tarot de Marseilles gets really deep coverage. The author treats the cards as tools for meditation and spiritual growth rather than fortune telling.
What’s cool is how it connects tarot to alchemy, anthroposophy, and ceremonial magic. The author writes from a mystical Christian perspective that’s actually quite beautiful. They know their stuff, the book covers so many esoteric subjects and somehow makes them all fit together. The author stays anonymous as the ‘Unknown Friend’, which adds to the mystery. You get tons of content on what each card really means at an archetypal level.
CONS: There are no spreads or reading techniques at all. If you want to learn how to actually read cards for people, this isn’t the book for you. It’s pretty Catholic-focused even when talking about other traditions. No divination methods whatsoever.
Doesn’t cover Rider-Waite or Thoth decks either. This is more philosophy than practical tarot guide. Some people might find the Christian angle too heavy. You need to already know tarot basics to get much out of it. The meditation approach won’t work if you want practical applications. The author keeps coming back to Catholic ideas being superior which gets old.
Yeah, the book is definitely dense, I’d say it’s more mentally demanding than overwhelming though. It really makes you think hard, kind of like a serious brain workout. Ttaking breaks every 45-60 minutes helped a lot with understanding everything. You need time to let your brain process all that heavy stuff. The spiritual burnout is real.
When I hit that wall, I go for a walk, at least 20 minutes seems to help clear my head. Then I’ll grab something light to read, usually fiction since it uses a different part of your brain than all that deep philosophical stuff.
When I first got this book, I expected practical spreads and ways to read The High Priestess with The Hermit. Boy was I wrong.
There’s literally zero guidance on actual card reading or combinations. Instead I got hit with this huge philosophical take that made me rethink how The Fool and The World mirror each other through a Christian mystical lens.
If you want to learn how to read when The Tower meets The Star, skip this one. But if you’re up for having your brain rewired about what tarot actually means in the bigger picture, go for it.
Every reader should have this.