Review by Bonnie Cehovet

Craig Junjulas is the former director of the Foundation for Psychic Development, and has worked as a psychic consultant, educator, and radio program host. In "Psychic Tarot", he brings together the worlds of Tarot and psychic development in a manner that allows each to act as a catalyst to develop the other. The deck that he has chosen to work with is the "Aquarian Tarot", by David Palladini. Junjulas sees this deck as an inspired deck, in that Palladini blended ancient symbols with modern symbols, images, and colors that reflect the modern Aquarian Age.

Junjulas continued this blending of ancient and modern in his interpretations of the cards, adding a dash of his own insight to the process. The aim of this book is to familiarize the reader with the basic interpretation of the cards, while at the same time developing their psychic ability. In this way, the reader is more open to allowing their own intuitive insights into a reading - which is, after all, what the Tarot is all about!

Junjulas begins at the beginning, with a short history of the Tarot, and definitions for the Major and Minor Arcana. He follows traditional thought, with the suit of Rods (Wands) representing the spiritual plane, the suit of Cups the emotional plane, the suit of Swords the mental plane, and the suit of Pentacles the physical plane.

It is suggested that the student view the Tarot as a map, and try to get an overall feel for the whole system, and for the systems within the system. In this way, the student is less apt to be overwhelmed with information. Personal versus defined meanings are addressed, with the thought that if the student chooses to work strictly within the structure of their own personal meanings, that they will be limiting themselves to their own life experience.

The reading itself is seen as a "multiple point of focus", where the reader and the Seeker focus on the cards as a point of reference to issues within the Seeker's life.

There is included in this book a significant section on developing psychic abilities. Basic definitions are given for what psychic ability is, and the areas of the subconscious mind, the conscious mind, and the superconscious mind. The human aura, and the it's etheric, astral, mental, and spiritual bodies are defined. The chakras, their definitions and functions, are also discussed. A very simple, effective meditation technique is given, with a view to clearing the mind.

In discussing preparing to do a reading, Junjulas addresses increasing the flow and vibration of energy for the reader, and connecting with a Higher Source. He also addresses issues that most books do not, things that can come up during a reading, such as a fear reaction, internal conflict, Self-Aggrandizement, and the "Sponge" Syndrome (where the vibrations and issues from the reading stay with the reader long after the Seeker is gone). A very unique gift from the author at this point is the sharing of a simple technique for self-healing.

Junjulas addresses psychic reception - how one receives ones information - in some depth. Covered are listening clearly (clairaudience), seeing clearly (clairvoyance), and using other senses (clairsentience). He also very briefly covers such techniques as psychometry, picture reading, and aura reading.

The cards themselves are presented with a black and white scan, a description, meaning, and reversed meaning. Junjulas defines the difference between a card reading and a Psychic Tarot reading as the inclusion of intuitive information. He gives very good examples (using the Six of Pentacles, the Tower, and the Four of Swords) of taking the different symbols and images within a card and showing how they define the card (i.e. the plush looking trim on the figures garment indicating a feeling of comfort in the Six of Pentacles). Junjulas follows this with what he terms a "Potpourri of Intuitions", where he presents the intuitive thoughts of another Tarot reader covering approximately two dozen cards.

At the end of the book, Junjulas presents a section of setting up a Tarot reading, along with several spreads, including the ten card Celtic Cross Spread, a five card Yes/No Spread, and a twelve card astrological spread. In his appendix, Junjulas presents numerological and astrological correlation's with the Tarot, his own manner of interpreting the Celtic Cross Spread, and a unique look at what he considers to be the positive, neutral, or negative attributions for each of the cards, both upright and reversed. At the very end of the book there is a template for jotting down personal interpretations for each of the cards.

I found this book to be interesting, easy to follow, and easy to work with. For those students wishing to work with the more intuitive/psychic aspects of the Tarot, or for those that simply wish to become more comfortable in doing a reading, I highly recommend this book.

© Bonnie Cehovet

Bonnie Cehovet is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer.

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