Both books have a lot of exercises to work through, and I’ve been trying every one. I’ll probably write some short reviews when I finish, but for now I just wanted to share the titles. They really are interesting books.
Artwork – The graphics and photos are simply gorgeous. The way they mixed Tarot imagery with food makes both seem more delicious. The whole book is really nicely put together – super stylish.
Methods of Use – You can use Divine Your Dinner as a regular cook book, looking up recipes you like and just making them. Or, you can actually Divine Your Dinner, by pulling cards to see what the deck suggests … or, choose a card intentionally and prepare the associated dish or drink to bring that card’s energy towards you, or …
SpellWork – Another way to use Divine Your Dinner is by using the ‘Spells’ chapter where full menus are laid out to bring forth particular goals … things like Abundance, or Clarity, or Fresh Start, or Empowerment … there’s quite a few to choose from.
Full Deck – There’s both a recipe and upbeat positive Tarot advice for each and every card in the deck.
Minor Arcana – Cups are Seafood, Swords are Poultry, Wands are Meats, and Pentacles are Veggies … as a vegetarian myself, that leaves me with mostly Pentacles (and the Major Arcana and Court Cards – see below) … but I’m happy to use meat substitutes for the other suits. And besides, the magical ingredients aren’t necessarily the meats or veggies, but rather the spices used to prepare them.
Court Cards – The Court Cards are all desserts … I’m all for that.
Major Arcana – All the Major cards are associated with a specific ingredient, a recipe, and a mantra … these Major recipes are mostly for cocktails and desserts, delicacies that truly are full of spirit(s).
Magical Pantry – There’s a chapter listing out all the ‘magical’ foods and spices used in the book, describing what they are, where to get them, and their magical properties.
I just love this book. I love the idea of it. I love what it looks like, how it’s put together, and I love how it makes me want to actively add magic to my meals. Oh, and the recipes are good too.
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For another look at Tarot and Food … check out my review of the Food Fortunes Deck.
Tarot Guide – Tarot For Troubled Times is not a how-to guide for Tarot reading, and I expect that most people drawn to it already read cards to some degree or other. Working through the book and doing the exercises though, will likely deepen your relationship to the cards whatever level of Tarot reading you’re at.
Main Themes – This book focuses on both personal development and confronting one’s shadow self, as well as looking at our individual roles and actions in the grander outside world.
Journaling – Throughout the book, Miro and Reed highly recommend the process of journaling your thoughts, and provide many helpful prompts in every chapter.
Exercises – Tarot for Troubled Times contains multiple Tarot spreads, and self-reflection question prompts. It also includes directions for finding and using personal and yearly Tarot archetypes, as well as providing ideas and suggestions for magic work like rituals and spells. I love this stuff!
Allies and Activism – The book closes with a focus on the outer community and societal themes, offering constructive advice on what it means to be an ally and an activist and how you might use the Tarot to help guide you on your path.
I really like Tarot for Troubled Times. It’s self-empowering without being unrealistically positive, has tons of interesting and fun exercise suggestions, and encourages us to recognize we have a valuable part to play in both our personal lives, and the larger world outside ourselves.
Genre:The Lost Tarot is a novel, fiction, not a how-to guide on how to read Tarot (but it’s good anyway!)
Chapter Titles – Tarot anchors the book with chapters running from the Fool through the World, finally ending with the Fool again.
Themes: Not only does the story of The Lost Tarot swirl around Tarot themes, it also features a couple of my other obsessions – cults and art. Not to mention, two of the main characters are from the University of Toronto … my own alma mater. If you were putting together a novel that I might be interested in – this one is almost too on point …I love it
Story: Tells the story of a search for a surrealist Tarot deck thought to be either a fake, or mostly burnt up in a terrible fire. It’s a fabulous tale taking us from Toronto to England to Wales, and across time from 1938 to today… through cults, galleries, psychedelic trips, and university politics. The Lost Tarot explores the idea of what it means to be a Seer.
Tarot: Not much actual Tarot reading in the story (I think there was a three card spread in the Devil chapter), but some of the cards being searched for are described. Wow, I’d love to have a copy of the Ringold Tarot (the name of the deck in the book). I wish they’d made one as a companion piece… sounds gorgeous, if not a little disturbing.
All in all, I think Tarot enthusiasts (and non-enthusiasts alike) will really enjoy The Lost Tarot. Plenty of unexpected twists and some absolutely beautiful imagery. And of course, underneath and above it all, the inspiring magic of Tarot.
If you’re a Tarot reader interested in learning more about astrology, or an astrologer interested in learning something about Tarot, you should really check out Corrine Kenner’s book Tarot and Astrology.
It takes two unique yet related topics and melds them together with ease. The book is straight-forward, friendly, and packed with information.
Even if you know nothing about astrology, with some understanding of Tarot, you’ll be quickly on your way to creating and interpreting your own chart.
And as the subtitle of the book promises, it will ‘enhance your [Tarot] readings with the wisdom of the zodiac.’ It’s true, it will!
Take a look at the video below to hear Corrine talk about her book with astrologer Nadiya Shah.
The history of Tarot cards has been filled with mystery. Stories of Egyptians, Gypsies and Atlantis have figured prominently.
But most such tales are nothing more than fiction.
In fact, the Visconti-Sforza deck is the oldest known Tarot deck to exist, and it’s from 15th Century Italy.
There’s nothing Atlantian, Egyptian or Gypsy about it. And from all accounts, it was originally used for nothing more spiritual than a good game of cards.
How then has the Tarot deck come to be such a staple of the occult?
When did it change from being used for games like Tarocchi, to being considered a doorway to the spirit world, or even a window into our unconscious?
Everything is in this book. Incredibly thorough descriptions of different decks, western occult theory, and the histories of many magical societies and their colourful members.
Organizations like The Brotherhood of Luxor, The Theosophical Society, The Golden Dawn and the Holy Order of MANS. People like Etteilla, Èliphas Levi, Aleister Crowley, Arthur Waite, Ouspensky and Eden Gray.
These are just a few names from a long and convoluted history full of revelations, betrayals, chicanery and some serious pursuit of spiritual awakening.
It’s an incredible story. And perhaps a little surprising for anyone under the impression that seeking spiritual enlightenment is the same thing as finding it.
This book was first published in 2002 and doesn’t look at many decks past 1970, but it’s fabulous.
If you’re interested in knowing how today’s Tarot came to be, check it out.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. I just tried to keep it down to ten. And they’re all books I’ve read (or re-read) over this last year. It’s fresh in my mind how much I like them.
