I Still Learn

I recently finished rereading Johanna Gargiulo Sherman's Guide to the Sacred Rose Tarot. It is a book I revisit from time to time, and it never fails to provide me with fresh insights into both her deck and Tarot in general. As I grow in my understanding and appreciation of the Tarot, the Guide reveals yet another dimension to me, helping to further my explorations of this endlessly fascinating realm.

I admit that when I first encountered the Sacred Rose Tarot many years ago, I was intimidated by its stark power. While I could appreciate the amount of research that went into the deck's creation, as well as Johanna's artistry, I found myself resisting the Sacred Rose and not fully understanding why. The reasons for my avoidance are obvious now. It is a deck that challenges both the practitioner and the querent to face the unvarnished truth regarding their particular dilemmas, spiritual growth, and chosen path. When a person is not willing or prepared to do so, as I was back then, the deck appears daunting.

As the saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher appears; or, in this case, the Tarot deck. I have only in this past year begun to truly understand the richness and depth of the Sacred Rose, which continues the legacy of the Western mystical tradition into the 21st century.