Reddit mentions of Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth

I would recommend buying Benebell Wen’s book Holistic Tarot. It’s a great intro to Tarot & western esotericism that covers’s everything from beginner to advanced.

Please read Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen. She really breaks down the tarot in an easy-to-approach manner.

I don't think there's an “ultimate guide” out there, since there are so many different ways of seeing and interpreting the tarot, not to mention, there are lots of different decks and philosophies behind them. I think we're bound to be jumping from one book to the next, just as we do in every other field of interest, speaking generally.

Having said that, there is actually one book that comes to mind, and that's Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen.

> I've started, then stopped, then started then stopped over and over because everyone has a different opinion on how it should be done and frankly, it's just discouraging.

You sound sooo much like me, I feel I should say something about that (not sure how much of this really applies to your situation — basically I will write this as if I were talking to my past self): Whatever book or guide you decide to follow, stick with that. You will always encounter different opinions, some of them completely dismissive of the path you chose to follow. Allow them to be and please, allow yourself to ignore them. They will always be there for you to expand your horizons, but in the meantime, they're nothing but noise. What you want right now is to have a strong foundation and build up until you reach a certain level of understanding that you can consider to be “comprehensive”. Once you've done that then, by all means, open the gates and let all esoteric books come your way. 👍

https://www.biddytarot.com/ is an excellent place to start. As far as books go, I'd say my favorite by far is the holistic tarot, I've been reading for two years and still pull something new from it every time.

https://www.amazon.com/Holistic-Tarot-Integrative-Approach-Personal/dp/158394835X&ved=2ahUKEwjYz66i6KbdAhWI-qQKHd-SCS0Q5OUBMAd6BAgEEAE&usg=AOvVaw0KMKbGPgI5VKFy1V7mNC3m

this book - http://www.amazon.com/Lesser-Banishing-Ritual-Pentagram/dp/1905713959/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1456980471&sr=8-1

• Modern Magick by DMK -
  
  
  and also this book - http://www.amazon.com/Simplified-Qabala-Magic-Ted-Andrews/dp/073870394X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1456980494&sr=8-4&keywords=kabbalah+magic
  
  
  and this one -
  http://www.amazon.com/Initiation-into-Hermetics-Franz-Bardon/dp/1885928122/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456980527&sr=8-1&keywords=into+hermetics
  
  
  
  that's a great coverage of magick and kabblah.
  
  
  oh and if you want a tarot book this book is great too -
  http://www.amazon.com/Holistic-Tarot-Integrative-Approach-Personal/dp/158394835X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456980615&sr=1-1&keywords=tarot+holistic
  

I haven’t dove into it, but I believe the Holistic Tarot takes a more psychological and less spiritual take. I like what I’ve read of it so far, although the book is HUGE.