By Sheri Harshberger
Ticket, Passport and Tarot Cards, by Linda Marson
Ticket, Passport and Tarot Cards: Segments from the TV Series
Published by Brolga Publishing Pty. Ltd., copyright (c) 2005.
ISBN: 192078556-6
One of the coolest Tarot books I have run across has to be Ticket, Passport and Tarot Cards, by Linda Marson. Frankly, I've had some difficulty writing this review because there is so much to talk about, I didn't know where to begin! This book is part travel guide, part resource for Tarot card meanings, part how-to manual on self-discovery, and part case study in how to journal. It's also part autobiographical, as Linda uses her own journey through self-discovery and her personal readings for family and friends as examples. It's an enlightening experience to be invited along for the ride!
The book is organized in a very logical order. There are two main sections to the book. The first section prepares us for the journey ahead. In the first chapter, Linda includes suggestions on what deck you might use (if you don't have a favorite), and explains why she uses the Rider-Waite. She also makes suggestions on how to read reversals, and she introduces us to the incredibly powerful Self-Reflection Spread that is used throughout the book. I could, but won't, describe the spread design, other than to say that there is a key position that is always occupied by a Major. I feel that to expand more than that gives away too much information about the spread, information that I feel that you need to buy the book to get. The second chapter is devoted to the introduction of the Major Arcana. The third covers the Courts by suit, and the fourth chapter rounds out our preparation for the journey with a discussion of the Minor Arcana by suit. It's at this point that Linda introduces her concept of including a "blank" card. The blank card represents something completely unexpected that will take the sitter by surprise. While people might point out that there is a Tower and other cards in a traditional deck that might indicate the same thing, the difference is that, with the blank card, the unknown cannot be known. With traditional cards that might indicate something unexpected, you can add clarification cards to get to the details. The blank card does not allow this; you have to just wait and see! Of course, most decks don't come with blank cards, but they do come with extra cards. I created a blank card for my deck by scanning the back of one of the cards from the deck, and then printing it out on similar weight card stock. I cut it to the same dimensions as the other cards in the deck and rounded the corners. It looks like it came with the deck.
The remainder of the book is devoted to Linda's travels through the Major Arcana. The section themes are the key, universal milestones in everyone's life: Leaving the Nest, Marriage and Motherhood (maybe we could substitute Fatherhood for the male readers), Self-Awareness, Change and Healing, and True Purpose. Each section is formatted with a question, posed by either Linda herself or a family member, the spread is thrown, and the key to the spread, a Major, is discussed within the context of the real life situation. Linda has selected 22 events from her life that she uses to illustrate her own journey through the Majors.
The book is printed in black and white, but a 22-page color insert is tucked in the center of the book. Each page of the insert is devoted to a card of the Major Arcana, and includes several introspective questions associated with the card at the top of the page. The remainder of the page includes a reference to the pages associated with that card, and small color photos of the locations with a summary description of each.
As if the book weren't enough, there was an award-winning companion television series based on it. The installments are short, but they carry great impact, as the words from the text - each of the 22 cases - are matched with scenes from the locations in the world they are taking place in or are applicable to. The words from the text are brought to life through Linda's own narration. I liked the theme music, too! The CD contains nine segments of the show and the trailer, organized in a menu format so each can be explored individually.
It isn't hard to recommend this book - there is something in it for everyone! This book is a particularly powerful tool if you are someone who wants to journal or who is having a difficult time associating cards and meanings within the context of actual life. Using her self as the model, Linda Marson teaches these things and much more through demonstration. It is interesting, entertaining, and most of all, inspiring!