Skye Alexander - The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot: Your Complete Guide to Understanding the Tarot

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In memory of Kathleen Valentine, fellow writer, artist, friend, and one of the most talented people Ive ever known

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Interior design by Colleen Cunningham

Cover Design by Stephanie Hannus

Cover Illustration by Kathy Konkle; Cover Images Clipart.Com; 123Rf/ Tim Hester; Istockphoto.Com/Dziewul

Interior illustrations from the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck reproduced by permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902 USA. Copyright 1971 by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Further reproduction prohibited. The Universal Waite Tarot Deck is a registered trademark of U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

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ISBN 978-1-5072-0263-0

ISBN 978-1-5072-0264-7 (ebook)

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Once again, I wish to express my gratitude to my editors Rebecca Tarr Thomas and Peter Archer, to Stephanie Hannus for her beautiful book design, and to the rest of the Adams Media staff for making this book possible. Best. Team. Ever. Id also like to thank the Tarot Readers Development and Study Group for many lively discussions, and especially Lara Houston for sharing her insights. Finally, I thank R.L. for inspiring me to begin this journey, which continues to offer new riches every day.

You probably wouldnt be reading this book if you werent already curious about the tarot. Many turn to this most elegant oracle because theyve reached a crossroads in their lives, or theyre in the midst of a crisis and need help. Others are drawn to the tarot initially because of its fascinating artwork. If youre exploring a magickal path as a witch, youve probably stumbled upon the tarot already and want to learn more.

The tarot shows you what lies beneath the surface of situations and whats really going on in those shadowy realms beyond your ordinary range of vision. It lets you gaze into the future and see whats likely to happen. It shines light on murky mattersincluding your own subconscious motivations. It gives you a broader perspective so you can make better decisions. In short, its your magick mirror, your wise counselor, a scout who goes ahead to check out the lay of the land, and your brutally honest best friend.

You cant separate the tarot from the practice of magick and witchcrafttheyre entwined. Look at the card called The Magicianhes card number one in whats known as the Major Arcana. Right there on the table before him lie the four main tools in a witchs toolbox: the wand, chalice, pentagram, and sword/athame. Look a little further and youll realize the four suits of the tarots Minor Arcana symbolize the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) that witches and other magicians work with in rituals and spellcraft. For more on all this, consult my books The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book, and The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire.

The images that illustrate this book were created by two noted magick workers, Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith, both members of an influential mystical order known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Consequently, the symbols, colors, numbers, and other features on the cards convey magickal information. Although many people start their exploration into the tarot with this popular pack of cards, you can use any deck that appeals to youand there are thousands from which to choose. Many decks also incorporate astrology, the Kabbalah, shamanism, and other magickal systems familiar to witches.

Choose the Right Deck

Choosing a tarot deck is a highly personal matter. Youll find a number of decks designed with witches in mind, including the Witches Tarot, Tarot of the Witches, Everyday Witch Tarot, and Green Witch Tarot. You might also like the Sacred Circle Tarot and the Faery Wicca Tarot.

The tarots roots go back at least to the fifteenth century, and perhaps a lot farther. Many researchers believe it started out as a card game in Renaissance Europe, although other theories abound. In Chapter 2, you can read about some of the ways people in those days used cards both for entertainment and for telling fortunes. The tarots history is rich, complex, and a bit murky. It will probably always remain a mysteryand thats part of its appeal.

If you want to learn more about the tarots origins and evolution, youll find lots of interesting material online and in the many books that have been written about this enigmatic oracle, in addition to what I touch on here. If you dont care, you can skip right over that chapter. You dont need to know anything about where the tarot came from or how it evolved in order to use it. The whole point of this book is to jump right in. Still, you might enjoy discovering the who, what, when, where, and why behind this amazing oracle thats held us in its thrall all these centuries.

Getting a tarot reading from a professional cartomancer can be a most educational and enlightening experience. However, you can do readings for yourselfin fact, many people learn the meanings of the cards by experimenting on themselves. It isnt necessary for every practicing witch to be able to do tarot readings, but its a very useful skill that will help you in other aspects of your craft.