Some Book and Tarot Deck Recommendations

Book Recommendations

A logical but very plain author is Peter Paddon. He wrote "A Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk" and also "Visceral Magick: Bridging the Gap Between Magic and Mundane". He is a solid, trustworthy Old Craft writer.

There is also Nigel G. Pearson's brilliant book, "Treading the Mill: Practical Craft Workings in Modern Traditional Witchcraft". The information is unequalled. It is simply magnificent. It's a bit pricey because it is a British import.

These are solid Traditional Crafters.

Contract Capall Bann Publishing in England for other books written by Traditional Crafters. Just make sure you avoid the Wiccan authors. The books will be mailed from Britain. Canada Customs and U.S. Customs is usually not a problem, but it's always possible they may want a fee.

Books to Avoid

Unfortunately, it's easy for an unsuspecting seeker and general reader to get hoodwinked while trying to read about Traditional Witchcraft. Being hoodwinked is what happens when you read a book that implies or states that the book is about "traditional witchcraft" when in reality the book is about Wicca. Thus subverting one's search for real information on the True Craft.

Wicca and the Traditional Witchcraft are not the same thing! They are very different. Certain popular Wiccan authors have truly strange ideas and provide blatantly erroneous information. Caution is necessary when selecting books that seem to be on Traditional Witchcraft when, in fact, they are books that reflect the beliefs and the ideas of the modern-made religion of Gardner's Wicca.

Advice on Tarot Decks & Tarot Interpretation Books

For those just starting, your first Tarot deck and interpretation reference book are important selections to make. There are only two basic types of Tarot decks one will need to select- either one of the Rider-Waite Tarot decks OR the Thoth Tarot deck. Not both. This is important because the two decks are not the same. Each basic type uses different symbolism and some Tarot readers would say they are so different that interpretations tend to be different.

Rider-Waite

The Rider-Waite Tarot deck is considered traditional; and it is not a bad choice. There are many decks available that use Rider-Waite symbolism. The advantage to Rider-Waite is the consistent symbolism. The symbolism used in Rider-Waite is logical so it is an effective aid in learning to read Tarot cards by easily interpreting the aspects of each symbol on each individual card.

Many people are tempted to get one of the newer and artistically-designed Tarot decks, or a deck based on a "theme", such as cats or witches. I suggest that you avoid such decks. The newer "artistic" Tarot decks can be quite attractive but they tend to be more confusing to new Tarot readers and are thus, more difficult to master. This is because most cards are not based on the traditional Rider-Waite symbolism, so they require more effort and time to learn and understand.

Two Rider-Waite decks I do like are: 1) the Robin Wood Tarot (not "Robin Hood" but "Robin Wood"), and 2) the Universal Waite (There are several of that name, I refer to the "Smith" designs with re-colourisations by "Mary Hanson-Roberts of US Games@). They are both good.

Most decks come with a small booklet that describe the interpretation of individual cards. However, booklets tend to be too brief. I recommend you buy ONE interpretation book- preferably a book with pictures of each card that is based on the precise same deck you purchased. This will make it simple to identify cards at a glance, and avoid confusion.

Thoth Tarot

I believe the most popular alternative to the standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck is Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot. A friend of mine encouraged me to try Thoth Tarot, and so I did. I was quite impressed. A few of the Thoth cards are different than Rider-Waite; but most importantly, the interpretations of some cards are also different. I found this to be a very interesting deck and some believe the interpretations are more insightful.

There are a number of books that will help in the interpretation of Thoth Tarot cards. The book I prefer is "Keywords for the Crowley Tarot" by Hajo Banzhof and Brigitte Theler. Another good boook is "Tarot, Mirror Of The Soul" by Gerd Ziegler. The book that is considered the most authoritative is "Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot" by Lon Milo DuQuette; however be advised that many find DuQuette's book a special challenge to understand.

Of course, this is a matter of opinion, but I think most people new to Tarot may be happier with the more popular and more widely known Rider-Waite Tarot deck.

Don't Mix

Please keep in mind that you should study and use only one Tarot system. Don't try to learn the Rider-Waite and Thoth systems at the same time. This is very important. Use only Rider-Waite Tarot or Thoth Tarot, and not both. They are not compatible.

Also, it is not advisable to use a Rider-Waite book to interpret a Thoth Tarot card spread, or vice verse. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck and books and Thoth Tarot deck and books are not meant to be interchangeable.

Notice to Residents of Islamic, African, and Roman Catholic Countries

Residents of most Islamic countries, some African countries, and some Roman Catholic countries should be aware that "witchcraft" may be illegal in your country; and the importation of books about witchcraft or Tarot cards can be an extremely serious offence! Become aware of legal restrictions in your country and only import books and items that are legal.

Recommended Books & Tarot Decks