Book Review-Mastering the Tarot Tableau: Revisiting Predictive Accuracy with Tarot by Toni Savory

Book Review

Mastering the Tarot Tableau: Revisiting Predictive Accuracy with Tarot

By Toni Savory

Publisher: Red Feather Mind Body Spirit

144 Page Paperback

Release Date: April 28th, 2025

Mastering the Tarot Tableau: Revisiting Predictive Accuracy with Tarot takes the common Euorpean approach to Tarot reading (which is different in many aspects), and brings it to American readers. Long have I yearned for a text in English discussing using Tarot in a more predictive fashion. More often than not, we focus on the more abstract, occult or obscure meanings of the cards, instead of looking at the literal picture they’re painting for us. Fortune telling systems such as Lenormand, Sybill Oracle, and others all use cards with specific items, persons or places on them, and are thus layed out in a tableau fashion, most famously a Gran Tableau which uses all 36 cards of the Lenormand deck. Without getting too much into the semantics of it all, those methods are applied here, but with Tarot!

I was not even aware this book was being released, but I’m so glad I grabbed a copy to review! It’s changed my Tarot readings and made them more story-like, instead of archaic, spiritual or broad. I’ve been using the 9-card tableau for over a month now and have had great predictive success with it. Tarot can tell us a story, and that’s the other part of this; sure, we can use spreads with fixed positions, but sometimes the cards are laying out a story with pictures that tells us all we need to know, want to know, and more. This is a practical style of working with the Tarot, rather than one focused on spiritual growth or spiritual matters. This book highlights the great range of uses Tarot has, and it is quite literally the world in a deck of cards.

I really enjoyed reading this book and integrating the methods I’ve picked up both through this book and my work with the Lenormand system in the past into my Tarot readings. They’ve been accurate, sometimes creepily so; as far as timing is concerned, the accuracy there has relatively high, albeit with a generous margin of error, as fate and magick are often unpredictable in a sense of “time”. I have no critiques of this wonderful book, and would encourage any Tarot reader of any level of experience to pick up this book if they want predictive readings for everyday purposes, using the Tarot. It will not only allow you to develop your intuitive reading skills (often the most important part of Tarot reading), but it will add to the toolkit you have when using your deck(s). I give Mastering the Tarot Tableau a 5/5 Pentacle rating!

Toni Savory has studied and researched the traditional systems of divination, including Tarot, Lenormand, Kipper, and Gypsy cards. The last 15 years she’s spent in Munich, devoting her time to researching divination, through familial teachings, as well as local, since the Kipper deck originated from Munich. The author of The Card Geek’s Guide to Kipper Cards, Rainbow Kipper, and Lustrous Lenormand guidebook, she has a unique range of knowledge and experience with European divination systems. Toni now lives in Northern Ireland with her two boys and partner, Matthews.

 

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Author Bio:

The Modern Merlin is a Polytheist, Pagan, Animist, Witch, Sorcerer, Necromancer and Occultist. He embarked on his spiritual and magickal journey over 15 years ago! As such, he has extensive knowledge of The Occult, Ceremonial Magick, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and both modern and ancient world religions and folklore. He is a practicing Sorcerer, blending ceremonial high magick and witchcraft, as well as plant medicine, poisonous plants and entheogens, shamanic techniques, and mysticism. He believes that magick can be as simple or as complex as one needs it to be, and rejects dogma, instead trusting his intuition, and encourages other magickal and spiritual folks to do the same! He venerates and casts magick with a wide array of spirits and deities, and works with both the Left and Right Hand Paths, having experience in both. He is an Astrologer and Tarot reader with 15 years’ experience in both, and actively studies and practices many other forms of divination including Runes, Ogham, Palmistry and Scrying. An animal lover, he sees divinity in nature-the trees, plants, animals and sky.  Also an avid reader, you’re hard pressed to not find him nose deep in a book, most likely on an occult, mystical, religious or magickal subject. He is the Co-Editor of PaganPages.Org and the author of multiple columns, including The Modern Merlin’s Corner, Entheogens for the New Gen, Stellium, and Scary, Strange and Mythical Encounters. He gives readings and other spiritual services through his Facebook Page, The Modern Merlin, as well other free informational posts for everyone to see! You can reach him on Facebook, or e-mail him at [email protected]