Book Review: Buddha Tarot Companion

It's already been a more than few days since I've posted, and since April is pretty much upon us I wanted to get this book review out as my last post of the month. Unbelievable that it is already April....

So yes, on to The Buddha Tarot Companion by Robert M. Place.

First off, I would like to say that this is the first deck and book set that I have ever purchased from this artist and author. I have pretty high standards when it comes to books on Tarot, and this book totally blew my expectations out of the water. Mr. Place did more than examine and relate the Western concepts of the tarot to Eastern Buddhism, he went a step further and delved more into the roots of the tarot and how the ideologies of Plato and Pythagoras, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Alchemy, and Tibetan Buddhism correlate with the standard Tarot deck symbolism that we know today and his new deck of the Buddha Tarot.
I am not entirely familiar with Gnostic and Hermetic teaching, but this book really gave me more of an explanation to what they are and has roused my interest into learning more about. As for Plato and Pythagoras, I am more than familiar with The Republic and other Classical Greek works, however Mr. Place also put these teachings in a new light for me as far as they related to the Tarot and its modern symbolism.

I really, really loved reading this book, and for its more than illuminating discourse into Buddhism symbology as well. I do not really practice Tibetan Buddhism, which has a very mystical side to it. I'd probably consider myself more of a Chinese Buddhist, something between the Chan (Zen) schools and Pure Land schools. But I'm just weird like that...

Anyways, in a nutshell, this would be a wonderful book for someone looking to understand the deeper meanings and history behind the Tarot, as well as someone that may want to better understand Tarot and Buddhist mysticism. The bottom line is, if you really love Buddha and the Tarot and have waited your whole life to see the two combined. Get this book and this Tarot deck. I'm more than happy that I did, and I know I learned more than a thing or two from reading this book alone.

Until next time, blessings and namaste.