The Quest Tarot

Just starting out in Tarot Cards - the book is so large and so full of different information that it can boggle a new beginner's mind. Having been in tarot cards for the past 3 months, I have begun to understand the different concepts of the horoscopes, the different stones, the planets, and signs for all of those previously named Joseph Martin has wrote a very thorough and intense book on understanding the tarot. I loved the part where Mr. Martin says that we should treat our tarot cards with dignity and respect and they will always serve you well! He has the planetary associations and symbols on the tarot cards and on page 10, he has the symbols for each of the planets and horoscopes. He has the minor arcana listed and the planets and horoscopes are explained in each of these cards. For instance , the Two of Wands = Mars in Aries Strength and assertiveness. Running over the tops of others. Not caring about others as you climb the ladder. In this large and encompassing 296 pages of the Quest, he has such great depths of understanding the tarot! He has a chapter of gemstones, how to use the cards for yes and no answers. He has included a traditional Hebrew letters on the Major Arcana, a chapter on rune stones, and even a chapter on Tarot Party Games. This book is worth it's money for it has so many options and ways for us to use his tarot cards for the "Quest." I would not hesitate to buy this book again!

This lovely deck is pure eye candy but it has definite nutritional substance. Visionary Joseph Ernest Martin had created a visual feast of color, astrological signs, I Ching, rune stones, rainbows, animals, Kabbala, crystals and gemstones, a yes/no feature and much more! At last---a user-friendly tarot deck that is gorgeous, as well. No wonder it was snatched up like hotcakes in its first printing!Joseph is an award-winning graphics and fine artist with gifted psychic abilities. Perfect combo for a near perfect tarot deck. The only tarot deck coming close to it in it's appeal to me is the Voyager deck. He has made it easier for the non-Tarot reader to actually be able to read a spread.My favorite cards are the Multiverse, and the blank card, which I understand are two new cards to be added to any deck.The more I play with this deck, the closer I get to actually wanting to learn the art of tarot reading. It is a most useful tool for delving into one's life in a multidimensional manner.

When I first beheld online images of this deck earlier this year, I drooled. I've always been drawn to computer-generated images, and my two favorite archetype decks are both computer generated. I was dabbling in traditional Tarot, and although I liked the concept of the deck I was using, the readings felt forced and uninspiring. Maybe Tarot wasn't for me? Maybe I should just stick with archetype decks? Then I received The Quest Tarot. I was excited to finally get to see the entire deck and feel them in my hands, but my heart sank as I thought I wouldn't be able to use them. I guess I convinced myself I would never be able to understand or use traditional Tarot. I did a reading, not expecting them to "speak" to me. Boy, was I ever wrong--and wonderfully surprised! I have received eerily accurate readings every single time I've used this deck. I had a misgiving about this deck, I admit. The author and artist, Joseph Martin, has imbued the cards with additional divinatory elements such as astrological signs, runes, Hebrew letters from the Kabbalah, Roman letters, I Ching, gemstones, yes/no features, and the ability to discern hair and eye color. Absolutely daunting, I thought. I already felt like a Tarot failure--why would I want to add to it by mixing in things like the I Ching and Kabbalah?! When I saw the deck for myself, however, I realized these elements did not distract me in the least. If anything, they added a special dimension to the reading. If you know nothing about these other divinatory elements, don't worry--I'm pretty clueless about Kaballah, runes, and I Ching myself. The thorough explanations of these elements are clearly laid out in the book that accompanies this deck, so you can just look up their meaning and see how it adds to the reading. However, you don't need to use any of the additional divinatory elements if you don't want to. These symbols add to the beauty of the cards, but don't distract from the images and messages. The Book The book that comes with the deck, The Compass Guide to the Quest Tarot, is a hefty 296 pages. The first 107 pages are detailed instructions, with graphics, on how to interpret the astrological symbols, runes, gemstones, I Ching, and other divinatory features. There are 28 pages dedicated to Tarot games and spreads, including a special Quest Tarot spread. Included is a Celtic Cross record sheet that you can photocopy and enlarge to keep track of readings. For both the Majors and Minors, there are two pages dedicated to each card. The page on the left includes an image and the divinatory elements, and the page on the right includes card explanation, upright meaning, and reversed meaning. The author also addresses each of the four suits, and how they play out energetically in everyday life. The Cards This deck is a traditional tarot deck, but includes a special addition to the Major Arcana--The Multiverse card. Also included is one blank card that you can personalize however you see fit. My hu

Whether this is your first Tarot deck or the newest addition to your Tarot collection, THE QUEST TAROT will soon become a trusted friend. The luminous graphics on each card open up multidimensional doorways to other worlds -- with meaningful constellations, rainbows, animals and flowers gracing many of the cards. This deck is instantly accessible, since each card contains a keyword along with it's name (such as "The Moon" -- "Dreams") for easy interpretation. In addition to providing regular tarot readings, THE QUEST TAROT cards are designed to help you foretell timelines, as well as include gemstones, rune stones, the I Ching, and Kabbalah in your readings. This deck also contains a couple of new cards: "The Multiverse," and a blank card.What impresses me the most about the companion book is that the information for each card is perfectly aligned with the pages, so at a glance you can read all about each particular card without having to turn any pages. Joseph Ernest Martin demonstrates his creative, playful side by including several games to play with this deck -- everything from "Quest Tarot Poker" to "Truth or Dare!" My other favorite thing about the companion book is how clearly Martin describes techniques for getting the most insight from each of your readings -- "turbo-charging" them so they provide you with the most awesome insights.If you've got burning questions, THE QUEST TAROT has the answers for you!

First of all, I should get the negativity out of the way: I think this deck sometimes does try to do too much (between its yes/no function, spelling out word function, I Ching correspondences, elemental correspondences, astrological associations, Rune correspondences, timeline function keywords, gemstone correspondences, energy chakra correlations, Hebrew alphabet correspondences, and then of course all the pictorial symbolism on each and every card). And I think the card stock itself is a little on the thin side (I like more durable cards).That having been said, the deck and the book are a tour de force of its subject, incorporating every little bit of Western and Eastern esotericism in a way that's never before been attempted. One could spend years digesting the symbolism and wisdom present in these cards, and we should think of that as a good thing! Why limit ourselves to one spiritual tradition; I admire the effort to incorporate so many different religious paths into a single system, and I'm amazed that it comes together as coherently as it does.The pictures are gorgeous (if a bit cramped in by all the associated symbolism - though still fully useable). In a way I wish this deck were available in a larger version (made of thicker stock), for then it would be that much more valuable. But even still I would recommend this for any serious Tarot user. The book and deck are worth the price, though I would caution people from being too tied down by all of the symbolism in the cards - I'm particularly suspicious of the bizarre mathematical "timeline" function. Still, despite its flaws, its strengths are such that you should own this deck!