Tarot Life Lessons

BUT FIRST . . . An Introduction

0 The Fool
1 The Magician
2 The High Priestess
3 The Empress
4 The Emperor
5 The Hierophant
6 The Lovers
7 The Chariot
8 Justice
9 The Hermit
10 The Wheel of Fortune
11 Strength
12 The Hanged Man
13 Death
14 Temperance
15 The Devil
16 The Tower
17 The Star
18 The Moon
19 The Sun
20 Judgement
21 The World

Resources

Acknowledgments

Index

Julia Gordon-Bramer is a professional tarot card reader, award-winning writer and poet, Sylvia Plath scholar, former professor for the Graduate Writing Program at Lindenwood University, and host of the radio show/videocast/ podcast Mystic Fix. She has appeared on MTV, Nickelodeon, and many television and radio shows to share her tarot talents and scholarship. Recognized as one of St. Louis’s Top Ten Psychics (Psychic St. Louis) and St. Louis’s Best Fortune-Teller (CBS Radio), she is the author of several books, including Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

“This is by far one of the best books I’ve ever read on the tarot. Julia gives readers a rare glimpse into the inner world of a professional tarot reader through entertaining stories, fascinating client case histories, and helpful exercises. Her insight and years of expertise will help you learn the symbolism contained within the tarot and how to best utilize the tarot. I highly recommend Tarot Life Lessons.” Shelley A. Kaehr, Ph.D., author of The Goddess Discovered

“Julia Gordon-Bramer is my go-to tarot reader (affectionately, ‘my oracle’) and lifelong friend. Her insight, both profound and precise, has been a guiding light for me and many of my friends. I am excited for anyone to experience her artful wisdom, whether through this book, a reading, or her next magical offering.” Nicholas Petricca, lead singer and founder of the band Walk the Moon

“Tarot Life Lessons is as entertaining as it is educational. If you know nothing or very little about tarot, by the time you finish the book, you’ll know a great deal. If you’re a seasoned reader, you’ll find fresh insights to expand your ‘tarot brain.’ Julia Gordon- Bramer’s book is a gem among tarot books.” Tero Goldenhill, author and Jungian tarot guide

“As you enter the private journals of Julia Gordon-Bramer, a seasoned tarot card reader, prepare for a transformative journey. This captivating book might challenge your perceptions but will leave a lasting impact on your life. Open yourself and allow these intimate narratives and experiences to reflect the profound guidance of tarot on your personal path!” Dr. Harmony, author of Twin Flame Code Breaker

“Tarot Life Lessons weaves together Julia Gordon-Bramer’s extensive experience as a tarot reader and her personal Fool’s Journey. This combination provides a unique learning tool unlike any other tarot book I have read. Although I have been using tarot cards for many years, I found myself diving deeper into the meaning of the Major Arcana cards and expanding my knowledge with each story she shares.” Nadine Gordon-Taylor, creator of Crystal Clear Oracle

“Julia Gordon-Bramer highlights the major cards of the tarot deck and explains them in a most entertaining way via stories about clients. It’s part memoir with a lot of spilled tea about people and their dreams, disasters, and enlightening tidbits about tarot, where it came from, and how it uses religious references. A fun, fast read!” Susan McBride, USA Today bestselling author of Blue Blood

“This isn’t just a well-crafted prose journey but also a discerning deconstruction of prevalent misconceptions like the tarot being solely about predicting the future. It unveils the tarot’s true capacity to facilitate a profound journey into the subconscious, thereby equipping readers to better navigate the ebb and flow of life’s challenges.” Shai Tubali, author of Unlocking the 7 Secret Powers of the Heart

“Gordon-Bramer connects the multifaceted meaning of the Major Arcana to engaging examples that embody each card’s unique energies. Each timeless archetype comes to life in stories gleaned from her many readings with clients over decades as a professional reader.” Wendy Van Allen, author of Relighting the Cauldron

“Julia Gordon-Bramer has been an exciting guest, talking tarot and reading her tarot cards live on various radio shows I’ve hosted for many years. I have been continually surprised by her accuracy and wisdom!” Tony Colombo, program director at NewsTalkSTL 101.9 FM

“This is by far one of the best books I’ve ever read on the tarot. Julia gives readers a rare glimpse into the inner world of a professional tarot reader through entertaining stories, fascinating client case histories, and helpful exercises. Her insight and years of expertise will help you learn the symbolism contained within the tarot and how to best utilize the tarot. I highly recommend Tarot Life Lessons.”
–Shelley A. Kaehr, Ph.D., author of The Goddess Discovered

As Julia Gordon-Bramer reveals in profound detail, the miracle of tarot is how the right cards show up, time and time again, to provide guidance or symbolically illustrate your story—whether you believe in the tarot or not.

In these real-life tales of tarot wisdom, Gordon-Bramer explores the modern applications and the living wisdom of the tarot, based on her more than 40 years’ experience as a professional tarot reader. Sharing stories from client readings and her own spiritual journey, she shows how to intuitively, logically, and sometimes playfully glean the meaning of each card that appears and integrate its powerful spiritual lessons for deeper understanding, guidance, and personal healing. She compares reading the tarot to dream analysis, explaining how the Major Arcana, such as the Fool, the Magician, the Lovers, and the Star, represent the key players and milestones in life, the sacred adventure from birth to death. She explains how each card tells its own story, often revealing subconscious beliefs and motivations through its colors, numbers, symbols, and pictures.

Allowing you to make the leap from an abstract understanding of the tarot to actually working intuitively with the cards, this book shows how, when used as a life-transforming tool to awaken and tame the subconscious, the tarot offers a way to grow your strengths, identify your weaknesses, and conquer problems as you journey through life.

Julia Gordon-BraMer is a professional tarot card reader, award-winning writer and poet, Sylvia Plath scholar, former professor for the Graduate Writing Program at Lindenwood University, and host of the radio show/videocast/ podcast Mystic Fix. She has appeared on MTV, Nickelodeon, and many television and radio shows to share her tarot talents and scholarship. Recognized as one of St. Louis’s Top Ten Psychics (Psychic St. Louis) and St. Louis’s Best Fortune-Teller (CBS Radio), she is the author of several books, including Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.