Books from my Library

[DuckSoupProductions]

Two books on this subject that I find invaluable, delve into often (and still feel that I have not spent enough time with) are:

Penguin's DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS (978-0-14-051254-0) by Chevalier & Gheerbrant,

and

Llewellyn's COMPLETE BOOK OF CORRESPONDENCES by Kynes.

Rudolf Koch's BOOK OF SIGNS is an essential as well.

[Joan Marie]

Rudolf Koch's BOOK OF SIGNS is an essential as well.

I recently saw this book displayed at a museum exhibition for the artist Basquiat. It was from his personal collection. The book was opened to the page for symbols used by "Hobos". Sorry for the word but I think that's what it was called. I already had that page in my head from an episode of "Mad Men" called "The Hobo Code" where after being cheated by a farmer out of pay for doing work, the "hobo" carved a symbol on the fencepost and explained it's meaning to the farmer's son. (Who grew up to become our protagonist, Don Draper) it meant "A dishonest person lives here."

sign for " A dishonest man"

There were signs for "Work Available" "A kind hearted woman lives here" "Mean Dog" etc.etc. People on the road counted on these symbols to stay safe and fed.

My mom told when she was a kid in the 30s homeless guys used to come to their kitchen door and ask for food and her mother always gave them a plate. They would eat on the back porch, leave the plate and maybe a little gift, a carved toy or something. I wonder now if there wasn't a symbol on their gatepost of a bowl with little "steam lines" coming off it.

This the 3rd time now this book has been brought to my attention. I think thats a sign I need to get it.

[Nemia]

Oh, that's fascinating!

My book recommendations for students of symbolism are influenced by my profession - I'm an art historian and deal with symbols and signs every day. I scanned the pomegranate pages of the books in question - or, if there is nothing to be found about pomegranates, another page.

THE classic book is without a doubt Cirlot's Dictionary of Symbols. You can see that this books is very matter-of-fact. No pictures on the pages! There are some illustration pages inserted, but most of the book is text, text, text. It's easy to find on Amazon, Book Depository and your local bookstore - there are many different editions, I have this one.

For German readers, Udo Becker's Lexikon der Symbole is a cheaper and more approachable alternative.

He's especially interested in magical and fantastic creatures, and so am I. His book is illustrated with simple b-w-illustration and graphics throughout, which makes it nice to read.

Both books are scholarly. I guess you can get everything that's in there also on the Internet... but I'm oldfashioned and like to check in books.

And although I'm a huge fan of e-books and read nearly only on my Kindle, there are books you simply cannot replace with an electronic device - art books with detailed and colourful illustrations.

I have only the German version of Matilde Battistini's Bildlexikon der Kunst - Astrologie, Magie und Alchemie, but I found an English book by that author - if you find it, check it out. It's a pleasure to look at!

Alexander Roob's wonderful rotund volume Alchemy and Mysticism is well-known, and like in Battistini's book, the pictures are the focus of the book. The text explains what the pictures show.


The book is structured very cleverly and if you read it systematically, you actually get a short course in esoteric symbols and theories.

This book is especially useful if you wish to study Robert Place's [ur=https://amzn.to/2HHv3O0l]Alchemical Tarot[/url] and Christine Payne-Towler's Holy Light Tarot. You will recognize a number of images that inspired these scholars and artists.

These books don't focus on tarot, which makes any discovery of tarot-related information a bit exciting.

And then there are of course books especially for students of the tarot. Confession: to my regret, I didn't yet hunt down an affordable version of Robert O'Neill's legendary Tarot Symbolism. I cherish the hope that this book will be published as e-book one day and THEN!!!

Robert M. Place's The Fool's Journey - The History, Art, and Symbolism of the Tarot is a highly interesting book, and I bought it directly from him or on lulu.com - I don't remember. (Can't read it on my Kindle but it's okay to read it with a pdf reader). It's an exhibition catalogue, and it walks us through the trumps and explains the symbols where we meet them. The illustrations are beautiful - from historical art works and tarot cards, but also contemporary tarot art (Legacy of the Divine, Deviant Moon). This is an in-depth study book.

Place's book The Tarot: History, Symbolism and Divination covers some of the same ground but focuses on the RWS deck in chapter 5.

A very simple guide to symbols in the tarot is Corrine Kenner's Symbolist; you can read the pdf on the Internet when necessary. She doesn't give sources or complicated explanations - either you believe her that the octagon means spiritual renewal or you don't No, seriously, you can always think about what she says and decide whether it makes sense.

It's nearly impossible to cover the embarras du richesse of symbol dictionaries on the Internet; let's check them again with the pomegranate.

Symboldictionary: following the pomegranate entry, it looks short but sound. It's called a Visual Glossary of Religious Symbolism which is fine since most symbols were developed before humans invented a worldview without religion and tarot, our focus, is highly influenced by Judea-Christian iconography.

Symbols includes non-religious symbols, too; again, let's make the highly scientific pomegranate test: nice!

The Internet is of course full of information...

My last recommendation: in your tarot journal, keep track of symbols that appear on the cards you draw.

Every really powerful symbol is multivalent. It doesn't only say ONE thing, it says many things. The more concepts a symbol touches upon, the more powerful it is spiritually. And one of the things it can say is something personal.

If you draw cards from different decks, or different cards from one deck, but a symbol returns - note it and try to see what it means for YOU.

[Flaxen]

These are all really wonderful recommendations!

It’s useful to have an understanding of Christian iconography too when working with older decks. The art in churches, especially pre-reformation was rich in symbolism to help the lay person understand key ideas.