Every once in a while one comes across a very informative book that transforms the way one sees things. Well, this is that book!

I personally have been reading tarot for a few years, and I have come across books that help in the reading process. However, to accutally find one that is doesn't just give meanings, but TRUELLY EXPLAINS is a wonder.

This book isn't like other ones, where it just gives that meaning, and the reversed, but it gives that Hebrew, and how it interacts with the cards, as well as I-Ching, and Runes. The book goes into great details of how all of these symbols interconnect with the tarot to make a fully understandable, and wonderfull meaning for every card...

This is truelly worth the money, and will surpass your ideas of how a tarot handbook should be...

Although I find the Haindl deck strikingly beautiful with its muted colors, natural textures and magic bubbles, it's not easy to read with this deck. Especially the court card (representing images from Egyptian, Indian, Native American and Keltic culture) were real barriers for me. After I read Pollack's book I found a way to enter the world of these cards. Still, they don't always "unlock" for me, but I understand them much better and gained much respect for the convictions and beliefs of the artist.

Pollack has of course a tarot record to boast, and this knowledge of more traditional decks allows her to explain the symbols of this very individualist one. As a matter of fact, we accompany an interesting artist on his fool's journey.

THis book is interesting to read, and I don't use it as a recipe book for tarot reading. The cards and the book together merge into a story book that is gloomy at times, but rewarding to dig into.

I think if the imagery of the Haindl deck grabs you, then you have to have this book. It will pave your way into the world of this deck, and give you food for thought. If you are allergic to apocapolyptic fears or green ideas, and a certain mystic feminism, you might be a bit unnerved by Haindl's and Pollack's worries about the spiritual well being of the earth and humanity. However, since there is nothing faked or self-righteous in their concern, it didn't disturb me.

This is a wonderful book. I especially liked the scene on the NYSE. Remember, low level hacking the NetStream feed is your best entertainment value!

This is a great read that blurs the line between science fiction and fantasy genres! Others have tried melding the supernatural with science fiction (such as Poul Anderson in "Operation Chaos"), but with nowhere near the success of Rachel Pollack. Unlike some other writers, she obviously understands something about magical beliefs and rituals, and does a great job of imaginatively integrating this into a high tech future and a suspenseful plot. After you read this, you may want to read "Unquenchable Fire" too, since it is set in the same futuristic world.

Earthman Cooper and the Lukai. A primitive tribe lives in the ruins of a magical city. The Lukai get their clothes and food from automated systems and live in their own special bizarre world. Bizarre as well are their sexual habits, not to speak of their mysterious ceremonies. They believe life is an illusion, they look like they are the living dead, and maybe that's just what they are, in a very strange and unexpected way. Cooper visits the planet of the Lukai to find minerals. According to galactic laws he has to offer the Lukai something in return. But they don't want anything: they have everything they need, and hey, what is it good for to possess anything, this is not a real life anyway, they are dead. The Lukai think he is crazy, an idiot who doesn't dare to accept that life is a lie. Cooper feels his common sense is slipping away, he falls in love with a Lukai girl, and the end of the story is even more bizarre as what leads up to it. I really love this book, read it several times, and I think it belongs to every collection that also contains Aldiss' Saliva Tree, Silverberg's Book of Skulls and LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness.

A collection of stories inspired by that staple of New Age life, the Tarot Deck. An interesting method of generating story ideas, and the quality of the stories as a whole is fairly high. Of course, as in any collection, some stories outshine others... If you like the Tarot, or are just looking for a collection of Fantasy tales, this book is for you

Many tarot card readers will find this book an essential guide to really trully understanding the pleasent mystery involved in card readings. Rachel clearly explains how the cards in the tarot spread are interwoven and all combine to tell a story. Included in this guide are many examples of actual readings given by Rachel in her years of experience.

What first drew me to these cards was the amazing art work. The major arcana are so full of symbolism and detail and they do give off a good vibe. They are based more on the Thoth deck then the more traditional decks, so they call the Judgement card Aeon and the Temperance card Alchemy, which is fine, but might be confusing for others just trying to learn. Also the Strength and Justice card are actually numerically switched in the deck. However, I do love that the court cards are daughter, son, mother and father instead of page, knight, queen and king, and that each suit's court cards are actual gods and goddesses from various religions; the cup cards are norse based (Brigid of Ireland and Parsival, etc.), the wands are Hindi based (Kali and Brahma, etc) the stones (penticles) are native american based (Spider Woman and Old Man, etc.) and the swords are egyptian based (Ra and Isis, etc.) And that brings a new aspect to the court cards that I haven't seen in other decks. I have used this deck for several years, however, I feel I have grown out of it and am looking for a new deck. But I do recommend this deck to people who are looking for something with beautiful art and that is not as traditional as other decks. I do not recommend it if you like the minor arcana to be as full of symbolism and art as the major arcana or if you are looking for a more traditional deck to start with.

The Haindl Tarot was designed by Hermann Haindl in the 1980's. Many decks have been created based on the artists vision of the tarot and it's place in the esoteric. This one was unique in its vision. Haindl incorporated various spiritual traditions into this deck along with his unique artistic vision based on his understandings. He incorporated images derived from different cultural mythologies, sacred images and sources of influence in his own life.

What emerged was a deck that Ms. Pollack describes as "a sacred Tarot, one which reaches back to ancient spiritual traditions of many cultures."

Ms. Pollack first published her companion books to this deck back in 1990, at the request of Mr. Haindl's publisher. Ms. Pollack has discussed with Mr. Haindl his vision of what the cards represent and has put together two volumes that cover each card and the symbolisms the artist was looking to achieve. These books are the reprints of the original books, revised and updated.

The deck itself is based on the Rider-Waite outline as they maintain the same number and names of the major arcane and the four numbered suites and court cards. We recognize the Fool as 0 and the Hermit as IX, so we are not totally unfamiliar with the layout of the deck. But the similarities end there. The images are purely unique and beautifully presented, and include Hebrew letters and astrological connection which are traditionally associated with those cards. The suits are still wands, cups and swords, but Mr. Haindl has substituted stones for pentacles.

The books are separated into two volumes. The Major Arcana is explored in the first volume and the numbered cards and court cards are discussed in the second volume. Ms. Pollack explains; "Hermann Haindl designed each of the three sections of the deck - the Major Arcana, the Court cards and the numbered cards - in different ways."

This deck is unique in its perspective to be all inclusive as far as spiritual content is concerned. Ms. Pollack does a tremendous job at explaining what Mr. Haindl wanted when he designed the deck, and the meanings behind the imagery.

If you own the deck or looking to purchase it, these books are essential in understanding and working with it. If you are looking for a deck that crosses the spiritual boundaries imposed by other decks, give this deck a look and see if the imagery speaks to you.

Wonderful Deck with an amazing complexity. However, I would recommend that if you are a first time user find a deck with pictorial representations on every card to learn on. This is my second deck and now it's all I use now!

I found this book extremely helpful in my journey out. It is geared toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, or just plain curious teenagers. However, it would be helpful to anyone, no matter the age. The book is written in a simple style and very easy to read. There are lists of resources that a person can utilize to help them on their journey out. The most important part of the novel was the chapter on coming out. This chapter gives the reader advice on how and when to come out. Another plus is that there are little blurbs from actual people interspersed in the book. This book is a must read for anyone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual!

Though it's out of date and the appendix containing addresses and phone numbers of gay-friendly religious organizations around the country and gay/lesbian/bisexual youth associations is sure to be inaccurate at this point, the text itself remains relevant. The book is well-written and researched and has content very appopriate for a questioning teenager. The authors continue to stress self-acceptance and express a compassionate and understanding viewpoint of differing sexual orientations that numerous people are still loath to accept nearly a decade after the book was written.

Perhaps the most interesting and informative chapter is the one concerning religion and spirituality. Being older than the target audience for the book, I found little of the information in the first few chapters to be as enlightening as I might have at age fourteen or fifteen. However, the religion and spirituality chapter gave me some information to which I had not yet been exposed. In relatively simple terms, Pollack and Schwartz explain the ongoing battle against homosexuality by several religious groups. It's helpful to go to the source and discuss the exact biblical passages that spawned the controversy and also briefly discuss the vast cultural differences between the time period in which the Bible was written and the world today. Knowing these differences makes one wonder why it would be necessary to take the Bible literally as some continue to do.

Another interesting chapter is the one that tells about gay history, which is somewhat of a refresher of one's high school or college world history class, highlighting a few points some teachers may have inadvertently or intentionally omitted, such as the fact that in Ancient Greece, young artistocratic boys often had sexual relationships with their assigned teachers and role models, who were older men. Some young people don't realize that homosexuality has such a history that most likely goes back to the beginning of mankind.

Still, what is just as important is the continuous message the book sends to teenagers that they are not strange or sick, and they are not alone, since there are inevitably many closeted gays and lesbians, and whether we choose to admit it or not, we all question our sexuality at some point in our lives. For many of us, this questioning comes during adolescence, which is why books like this are essential.

"It is as important to talk about marriages as to talk about the national election."

This quotation from Phyllis Rose, referred to in one of the eleven articles of volume six of the journal Spring, devoted to marriage, resonates through the entire issue in an astonishing variety of ways.

From publisher James Hillman's own reflections on "Marriage, Intimacy, Freedom" to Ginette Paris' "If You Invite the Gods Into Your Marriage" to C.L. Sebrell's "Marry the Gardener!" the importance of marriage to the individual soul, the immediate community and society as a whole is exhaustively but entertainingly discussed.

Perhaps the best, and certainly the most delightful, piece in this collection is Sebrell's, which not only re-visions our understanding of the Greek god Priapos, bringing our attention back to the Greek view of him as a careful and talented lover and not just as a glorified satyr, but also uses this examination of Priapos, also the god of gardens, to drive home the point that the best and happiest marriages occur when two people who are already whole come together, seeking in marriage not salvation or completeness, but a life of shared tenderness and esthetic and erotic pleasure.

Helen Henley's "What Can We Ask of Marriage?" reiterates this point: "A conscious relationship must always presuppose two individuals able to make a committment to a meaningful life together," and "Its achievement is both an art and a discipline."

Full disclosure time: I, your humble reviewer, have never been married. But I arose from a marriage, one whose partners are still joined, and I live in a society that still in some sense values marriage, still sees it as a subject worth examining in film and song and dry political debate. Much of these examinations have proven pointless, dull, fruitless, seeking only to point a finger of blame for what is wrong about marriage.

In 1996, the editors of Spring chose to point out what is still right, still possible, and also to ask why marriage still matters, still obsesses us, still happens in the 20th century and beyond.

And in the process, they have made even unmarried free agents like myself take a look at this most basic of institutions and say to it "Yes, it is important to talk about."

I've always felt strongly connected to Rachel Pollack's Shining Woman Tarot, and it's become my primary deck. And her paradigm of birds, trees, rivers, and stones makes it possible to do readings from the surrounding environment without a deck. But the Shining Woman has been out of print for years, and it's been extremely frustrating to try to find. Now it's back, as the Shining Tribe, and from Llewellyn, too, which should keep it available for a while.

The new deck is in an oversized poker format rather than the elongated Tarot style of the original. Accordingly, the artwork is substantially larger on each card. The colors have been altered a bit, too, to make them bolder, and the backs of the cards contain two "Shining Woman" glyphs, which are symmetrical and don't give away whether the next card is reversed or not, unlike the original.

I'm not so fond of the revisions, however. The new background and typeface changes the whole "feel" of the deck and eliminates its childlike quality. And six cards have been changed: the 4 and Gift of Trees, the 10 of Birds, and the 4 and 6 of Stones, with some minor cleanup on the 9. The changes generally seem to make the cards fit in better with traditional Tarot interpretations, but at the cost of such powerful symbols as the Nazca Thunderbird and the Petersborough Teaching Rock. I'm particularly sad about the loss of the old Gift of Trees, which looks just like a little park where I received a gift from the trees there at a hugely significant moment in my life.

The book is somewhat expanded from the Shining Woman book, and includes poetic stanzas for each card, not just the Major Arcana. The chapter on readings includes some nifty examples of how to customize new spreads for individual situations by intuition, but leaves out basics such as the Celtic Cross and Work Cycle that beginners would need.

In summary, this is a small step backwards from the Shining Woman (which I'd rate as a 5), but I'm really glad that there's a version back in print again, and just in time for our coven to use.