The Mysteries of Tarot by Kirsten Weiss

GENRE: Contemporary Mystery/Suspense

BLURB:

The Mysteries of Tarot: A Work of the Imagination

How to Read the Cards for Transformation

When Tarot reader Hyperion Night sent his manuscript, The Mysteries of Tarot, to a friend to edit, it was a simple guide to reading Tarot. Hyperion couldn’t anticipate that his editor’s notes would evolve into a murder mystery, or that his friend would go missing. Shockingly, the annotated manuscript eventually made its way back to Hyperion, who forwarded it to the authorities.

Now this astonishing Tarot guide is available as a book. The Tarot guidebook features:

• Tarot basics―How to manage different interpretations of cards in a spread, how to read court cards, and a clear and simple method for dealing with reversals.

• Detailed card breakdowns― Keywords, flash non-fiction narratives, and a deep dive into the symbols of each of the 78 cards of the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana.

• Questions to apply to the cards for transforming your life―Insightful questions for each card to help you dig deeper into your Tarot reading practice.

Bonus feature: the guidebook also includes his editor’s comments on the more esoteric and philosophical interpretations of the Tarot, as well as his notes on the baffling mystery that engulfed him.

Gain deep insight from the cards, transform yourself, and solve The Mysteries of Tarot with this work of experimental fiction that’s part Tarot guidebook, part murder mystery.

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EXCERPT

The Moon

Messages from the unconscious. Mystery. Confusion. Dreams. Illusion.

Last night, I dreamt of a departed aunt I’d had a contentious relationship with. She walked down the hallway of my apartment and sat beside me in the living room.

Suddenly I remembered she was dead and understood I was dreaming. But instead of the dream ending, like it usually does when I become aware, we talked—the kind of talk we’d never been able to have when she was alive. She apologized for some things she’d said and done and helped me understand why she’d said and done them. And her reasons weren’t awful. They made a lot of sense.

I apologized too, because I hadn’t been innocent in the turn our relationship had taken. We forgave each other. I woke up feeling lighter. Free.

The Symbols

I’m still not sure if it was “only” a lucid dream or a visitation from my relative. I don’t know if it matters. It was all very lunar, very moonlike. And not just because the Moon card can represent dreams. Moons with their waxing and waning also represents illusion and confusion, messages from the subconscious crawling up out of the muck like that lobster creeping from the water in the card. A dog and a wolf, representing the refined conscious and the more primitive subconscious, howl at the moon’s light.

And all of those things had been at play in my life. I’d created a false—or at least incomplete—story in my mind of the cause of my estrangement from my relative (illusion/confusion). But the truth bubbled up from my subconscious in last night’s dream. If it hadn’t, I’d still be carrying that burden.

What Does This Card Mean for You?

When the Moon card appears in a Tarot reading, it suggests we may not be seeing things clearly. But the truth is out there — or in there, as the case may be.

How can you bring your subconscious impulses or knowledge into conscious light? The road between the two towers in the card is long, dark, and winding. Have patience. Be brave.

Notes: The Moon

44 As to The Moon, I feel like I’m swimming in it. At first, my father’s death seemed like an accident, a fall from the balcony outside his bedroom. He’s been drinking more than usual lately. But the servants swear he wasn’t drinking that night. And the balcony railing is low. He could have fallen by accident.

I keep replaying our last conversation. Had he been thinking then of taking his own life? Was that why he’d come to see me? Because he knew I’d been a failure when I’d tried my hand at self-deletion? Maybe he wanted me to talk him out of it?

I don’t understand. But I’ll try to keep up with the daily edits, where I feel I have something to add. I need to keep my mind busy. -T

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Unveiling the Mystical Bond: Tarot and Neoplatonism

In my new experimental mystery/Tarot guidebook, The Mysteries of Tarot, Tarot reader Hyperion has sent his manuscript to his friend for editing. But when he get his editor’s notes back, he discovers a murder mystery woven into his friend’s more esoteric take on Tarot.

I won’t give away the mystery (because what’s the fun of that?). But I will talk a bit about his editor’s philosophical approach to Tarot, namely Neoplatonism. Neoplatonism is a mash-up of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and was popular during the Renaissance, when the Tarot was born. The philosophy holds that the universe is an interconnected web of divine emanations and that the human soul can ascend to higher realms of knowledge and spiritual realization. Here's some of the hidden wisdom that binds these two mystical traditions together:

The Cosmic Order and the Major Arcana: At the heart of Neoplatonism lies the concept of the cosmic order, a hierarchical structure that reflects the emanation of divine principles. Similarly, the Tarot's Major Arcana represents a journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution. Each card embodies a unique aspect of human experience and archetypal energies. The progression from the Fool to the World card mirrors the Neoplatonic idea of the soul's ascent through various levels of consciousness and understanding. Maybe it was this concept of cosmic order that inspired me to parallel the murder mystery with the themes of each card?

The Divine Mind and Tarot's Symbolic Language: Neoplatonism emphasizes the existence of a universal mind, or Nous, that acts as a conduit for divine wisdom and knowledge. Likewise, Tarot's symbolic language may serve as a bridge between the conscious and the divine, enabling us to access profound insights and hidden truths. The images and symbols found within the Tarot cards, such as the High Priestess and the Hierophant, are vessels for archetypal wisdom and can be interpreted as reflections of the divine mind.

The One and the Tarot's Unity: In Neoplatonism, the ultimate reality is often referred to as the One, a transcendent principle from which all existence emanates. Similarly, the Tarot deck, with its interconnected cards and intricate relationships, embodies a sense of unity and wholeness. Each card is but a fragment of a greater whole, representing different aspects of the human experience and the cosmic order. Through Tarot, we can tap into the underlying unity and interconnectedness of all things, mirroring the Neoplatonic belief in the oneness of the universe.

The Soul's Journey and Tarot's Pathways: Neoplatonism places great emphasis on the soul's journey towards enlightenment and reunion with the divine. The Tarot's Minor Arcana, with its four suits representing the elements, and the Court cards representing different aspects of human personality, can offer a roadmap for personal growth and self-realization. Just as the soul ascends through Neoplatonic stages of purification, illumination, and union, the Tarot can provide a framework to navigate you own spiritual path and seek deeper understanding.

The connection between Tarot and Neoplatonism includes a shared fascination with the mysteries of the universe, the nature of the soul, and the pursuit of divine wisdom. Happily, these themes also parallel those in a whodunit, which explores the pursuit of truth and wisdom, the nature of the human heart, and a classic puzzle.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that’s a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cosy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

You can find Kirsten at KirstenWeiss.com

Twitter: Http://twitter.com/SBPM_Museum

Buy links – The Mysteries of Tarot:

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C18BKGXB

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mysteries-of-tarot-kirsten-weiss/1143066958

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kirsten_Weiss_The_Mysteries_of_Tarot?id=Thq3EAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-mysteries-of-tarot

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6447194167

Author Website: https://bit.ly/tarotmysteries

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.