The Tarot Room – Georgianna

If you’re interested in helping to produce a magical Almadel, and maybe get one for yourself, this is the project for you.

The Almadel Project: Creating a True Magical Relic is a Kickstarter project created by Jason Augustus Newcomb.

In case you didn’t know (I didn’t), an Almadel is a wax tablet engraved with magical names and characters that rests on four candles and holds a crystal ball.

Used with mastic incense, it’s meant to invoke a specific group of angels, as described in the Lesser Key of Solomon: Book 4: Ars Almadel.

It’s all very detailed magical stuff that you can read about on Newcomb’s page.

He’s taking it very seriously and is trying to make the tool as authentic as possible, or at least within the spirit of the original grimoire.

He’s also writing a short book describing the history of the Almadel, how it can be used for communicating with angels, and some general tips on the best way to engage in such communication.

Take a look at Newcomb’s video and see what you think. He’s already raised the money he was looking for and is definitely going ahead with the project.

But you might want to donate anyway. There’s only four days left in the campaign, and where else can you get a personalized angel communicator with instructions on how to use it?

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Yokai by Aotoshi Matsui

Matthew Meyer, a former Philadelphian living in Echizen, Japan, is putting together a very interesting book. It’s called The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

It’s a collection of 100 illustrations and descriptions of Yokai, supernatural beings from Japanese myth and folklore.

They appear as monsters, demons, shapeshifters, and/or just generally unpleasant creatures. From a metaphoric perspective, you might say they represent our shadow sides.

Yokai can be found everywhere in Japan, from beer labels, to store signs, to monastery statuary. Not unlike Tarot symbols, they’re so prevalent we hardly notice them unless we’re looking.

In the book, each illustration will be accompanied by a description of the habits and habitat of each Yokai, done in the style of a bestiary from the middle ages. The book is meant to be an art piece in itself.

Though there’s still almost two weeks left in his campaign, Meyer has already raised more than three times what he was looking for to fund the project.

But you might want to donate anyway. The perks include a copy of the book in either a digital version, paperback, or a limited edition hardback.

It’s sounds like it going be amazing. I wonder if he’s considered making it a deck of cards.

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This Kickstarter project isn’t about Tarot, but it reminds me of the creation of a deck. Mystical images are being born.

Manjari Sharma is a photographer, born and raised in Mumbai and presently living in New York City. Through her project Darshan, she plans to photographically recreate nine classical images of gods and goddesses pivotal to Hindu mythology.

Though there are countless paintings and sculptures of the deities, Sharma says there’s been no photos, at least none from scratch. And it’s a vacuum she’d like to fill.

She’s painstakingly put together the image of the first goddess, Maa Laxmi, following tradition to its finest detail.

The process involved a large crew – set and prop builders, makeup artists, art directors, painters, carpenters, jewelry experts, assistants, and of course, a model.

It’s important to Sharma to show that photographs can evoke as strong a spiritual response as the more traditional paintings and sculpture. And for that she believes authenticity and detail is essential.

Each piece will be 6 feet tall, and part of a gallery installation meant to evoke the experience of a Hindu temple. They’re going to be beautiful. And you can help make them happen.

Watch Sharma’s video, and if you’re interested, go on over to her Kickstarter page. She’s accepting donations and offering rewards!

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