The riches and pleasures of love and good fortune come into readers' lives when they learn to use the Tarot to cast spells. Although Tarot cards are best known for their power to foretell the future, they also serve as aids to meditation and as tools for working magic. Because the Tarot's pictorial images are rich with symbolic meaning, knowledgeable Tarot spellcasters believe that Tarot cards are a set of "filters" through which unseen spiritual forces enter the physical world. This volume presents instructions for more than 40 Tarot spells. There are different spells for different needs, including ways to influence careers, enhance love life, advance social life, renew physical well-being, and develop artistic and creative talents. Tarot magic is not sorcery, but an esoteric body of knowledge that has been passed down by sages over the centuries. This book's description of spell casting begins with preparing the room, setting up a Tarot altar, then presents breathing and relaxation exercises, the method of opening the Tarot deck and consecrating the cards, meditation exercises to open the spellcaster's "third eye," and detailed instruction for performance of each spell. This attractive volume contains more than 200 beautiful full-color illustrations.

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Donaldson, who's previous works include the Dragon Tarot and the Lord of the Rings Tarot provides 40 simple spells that seem designed to be performed by all levels of magickal practitioners. But, the more magickal knowledge you have, the better. Those with more background in how to work magick will be able to enhance these simple workings with a few ideas of their own.

The book is beautifully illustrated and includes pictures of the altar layouts for each of the individual spells. There is a brief history of the tarot at the beginning of the book along with a brief introduction into the practice and ethics of magic and spellcasting. Donaldson also provides readers a handy spellfinder guide to help you find the most appropriate spells in the book for your specific need.

One thing I was a bit unsure about -- Donaldson recommends consecrating your cards with lavendar oil (do at your own risk...I'd just run them through the smoke of some lavendar incense).

There is a spell for each of the 22 Major Arcana cards. Each of these spells are carefully constructed to utilize the energy behind the individual card's symbology. These spells are largely based on meditative work. For example, the spell for the Devil card has the participant meditating on the two warring factions inside of them...the negative and the positive elements within, and visualize the two merging together into a unified, balanced whole.

The 19 other spells in the book use combinations of Tarot cards from both the major and minor arcana. These spells are for specific purposes such as a spell for friendship, one for self-protection, and one for uncovering secrets. Supplies needed, spell overview, the magical intent of the working, and how to information is provided for each.

There are some very clever touches in this book, though I wish there was a bit more elaboration (the vast majority of the spells are only one side of a page long). But Donaldson provides tarot magickal enthusiasts with more ways in which to utilize the power of the Tarot.

Not since the book, Tarot Spells by Janine Renee, has there been any other book solely devoted to Tarot spellworking. This book is a wonderful resource for magickal practitioners of all levels.

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:

A beautiful and useful book!Nov 16, 2001

I just got the Tarot Spellcaster and am really enjoying it. First, it is a delight to look at, packed with full-color glossy and very detailed photographs. The paper is nice and thick, and the book is well organized, with a section in the front categorizing all the spells following which is nice, you don't have to search, and it has a good index in the back. It also has some astrological tables and other helpful tools, but I cannot vouch if they are fully accurate or not as another reviewer suggested. The hardcover format is nice so you can lay down the book and follow along if you wish.

As for the content, it is pleasant to read; not "dumbed down" so more experienced users will be bored, yet not to complicated for beginners. The spells are practical, varied, laid out and explained well without a lot of jargon or unecessary verbage. I've been working with the Tarot and magick for a few years and this is a welcome and useful addition to my library. I found many spells I wanted to use right away, and all of them in the book can be used for various purposes depending on your needs, i.e., a "love" spell in here could be used for attracting a soul mate, a lover, enhancing a current situation, or bring you the love or relationship you desire while not specifically naming anyone. I really liked the flexibility in the spells and the topics selected.

I think the comments some other reviewrs made regarding the items that seem to be missing or not described in the layouts are simply items that were put into the photographs to enhance them, such as herbs and incense, and/or perhaps are suggestions of what you can add to or substitute for the spells (as the author says in one section, if you cannot find the oil he recommends you can use the herb or a similar scent). I tend to use herbs and incense a lot so I would naturally add those with these spells also. I think that may be what the pictures were trying to get across, or at least to me :-) But as another reviewer said, I also would not consecrate my cards with any type of oil as the author suggested, but would use incense or sunlight instead.

Overall, I really enjoy this book! I think it is a worthwhile investment and a nice addition to the slim pickings out there on Tarot magick, and think you will enjoy it too.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

A beautiful and useful book!Nov 16, 2001

I just got the Tarot Spellcaster and am really enjoying it. First, it is a delight to look at, packed with full-color glossy and very detailed photographs. The paper is nice and thick, and the book is well organized, with a section in the front categorizing all the spells following which is nice, you don't have to search, and it has a good index in the back. It also has some astrological tables and other helpful tools, but I cannot vouch if they are fully accurate or not as another reviewer suggested. The hardcover format is nice so you can lay down the book and follow along if you wish.

As for the content, it is pleasant to read; not "dumbed down" so more experienced users will be bored, yet not to complicated for beginners. The spells are practical, varied, laid out and explained well without a lot of jargon or unecessary verbage. I've been working with the Tarot and magick for a few years and this is a welcome and useful addition to my library. I found many spells I wanted to use right away, and all of them in the book can be used for various purposes depending on your needs, i.e., a "love" spell in here could be used for attracting a soul mate, a lover, enhancing a current situation, or bring you the love or relationship you desire while not specifically naming anyone. I really liked the flexibility in the spells and the topics selected.

I think the comments some other reviewrs made regarding the items that seem to be missing or not described in the layouts are simply items that were put into the photographs to enhance them, such as herbs and incense, and/or perhaps are suggestions of what you can add to or substitute for the spells (as the author says in one section, if you cannot find the oil he recommends you can use the herb or a similar scent). I tend to use herbs and incense a lot so I would naturally add those with these spells also. I think that may be what the pictures were trying to get across, or at least to me :-) But as another reviewer said, I also would not consecrate my cards with any type of oil as the author suggested, but would use incense or sunlight instead.

Overall, I really enjoy this book! I think it is a worthwhile investment and a nice addition to the slim pickings out there on Tarot magick, and think you will enjoy it too.

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