At the beginning of my decades-long career, I devoured any Tarot book that I could get my hands on. Once finished, most of them were passed on to fellow practitioners or donated to the local used bookstore. Only a few of those early Tarot treasures remain in my possession.
Super Tarot by Sasha Fenton is one of those treasures.
I picked this book up at a local metaphysical joint that closed its doors long ago. Back in the day, those shops never seemed to last long. They also had a smallish section of Tarot books, which meant your choices were limited. I remember scouring the tiny Tarot shelf, running my fingers along the book spines until my eyes rested on Super Tarot. The unusual title sparked my curiosity, so I snapped it up, curled into one of the richly upholstered wingback chairs in the back of the store, and began to inspect it.
The subtitle said, “New techniques for improving your Tarot reading.” What current information might this book contain? At that point, I had been reading for a decade and couldn't fathom what sort of newfangled approach Fenton might be bringing to the Tarot table. But as I leafed through the pages, I became intrigued with her exercises. Convinced that she was on to something, I purchased the book and went home to test those techniques out.
As I cherry-picked a few activities, a marvelous thing began to happen. A new flow and sense of confidence emerged. The interpretations connected fluidly, allowing stories to unfold in front of me. I started looking at the cards with new eyeballs as if I'd never seen them before. My intuition went into overdrive, and suddenly the information began streaming out of me like a ticker tape. I got faster, better, and more efficient. Better yet, my accuracy improved.
That's the magic of this book—and why it remains on my shelf to this day.
While many Tarot books cover the basics, such as meanings and spreads, few teach you how to find your groove as a Reader. For folks who struggle to find the story in the cards, those books leave you feeling as if something is indeed missing. Super Tarot was one of the rare books that gave me the ability to deliver readings that “wowed” people.
Although some of the exercises in this book seem random or strange, with practice, you'll begin to see the genius behind them too. As you work your way through the lessons, soon you're tapping into a different part of your brain, one that operates seamlessly between intellect and intuition. You're becoming a better Reader before you know it!
This training of intuition is crucial to becoming a truly great Tarot Reader. And Sasha Fenton can be credited as an early inspiration in my own career.
For example, take the Back-to-Front Experiment. In this exercise, you deliberately choose the cards that illustrate your situation, rather than relying on what might show up randomly in a reading. By doing this, you're actively thinking about the cards that describe the story unfolding. As you play around with this exercise, you learn how the cards go together to show what's happening. If you've ever struggled to see the patterns in the cards, this playful lesson will help you to finally learn how to make sense out of Tarot combinations.
Whenever I teach my own students, I always end up using a few of the exercises in this book. They work—plain and simple. Plus, my students think they are fun.
Another part of the book that bears mentioning is the section for those who might be considering turning their love of Tarot into a profession. Back in the day, this was novel—and one of the reasons why I purchased Super Tarot. There simply weren't many books that addressed the realities of how to turn your Tarot hobby into something more. Fenton's advice is solid—and still useful for today's Tarot pros. She covers everything from taking money, finding a location, and keeping your energy clear to client care, and failed readings. This information helped me to upgrade my professionalism and stay safe.
Fenton also reminds the reader to “try everything and see what works for you” and to “be flexible in your approach and use different methods on different occasions.” This small piece of advice is something I carried forward into my own practice—and something I encourage my students to do as well.
The sections on timing and spreads round out this book beautifully. The pyramid spread is one that I still use to this day. Why? Because it works. Like everything in Super Tarot, it's practical—and highly useable.
This is a Tarot book that will change the way you approach your readings. Instead of rote meanings and stiff spreads that only allow for a color-by-numbers approach, Super Tarot teaches you how to read as the pros do. If you're like me, it will be one of the cherished few that remain on your shelves long after the other books have come and gone.
I'm so happy that this book is being published again. You will be too.
Blessings,
Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady
Author of Tarot: No Questions Asked and Astrology for Real Life