A note of caution: Tarot for the Magically inclined is for the serious student, whether novice or professional. And because of that some might find the section on demonic spell work disturbing. That’s okay. I get it. Just think of me as your emotional support reviewer, and listen when I say, there’s nothing in that section that can harm you. It’s not the Necronomicon and Cthulu won’t rise from the pages should you read it. If you still have the heebee jeebies, however, just skip that portion and continue with your study. There is far too much good information in this text to put it away.
Chanek dissects the Tarot to it's DNA, and by doing so reveals the intertwining of numerous magical practices. Some we already know such as working with the elements, astrology and Kabbalah. Chanek further breaks down these topics to their bare essences. On page 46, for example, Chanek introduces us to Aristotle's two basic qualities: temperature and moisture and how they pertain to balancing out energies in a reading. The author also gives a fascinating account on how the elements affect the court cards.
The chapters on astrology and Kabbalah are fascinating and equally in depth, which encourages the reader to explore further. I found the section on Kabbalah most illuminating. In addition to this, the author adds the disciplines of meditative pathworking, talisman construction and ‘stacking’ the deck to give a spell a certain boost.
Angel and demon magic is also discussed briefly, and there are rituals and spreads to try as well. The reader will discover many spreads sprinkled throughout the text and I have found them enlightening. One of my favorites is the Crossroad’s Spread which acts as a road opener for the week. Invoking Papa Legba adds an extra boost to any spell casting I’m going to do that day.
Tarot for the Magically Inclined is an absolute must for both the beginner and advanced Tarotist. It's one of those books you'll want to read over and over again because the information it contains is so dense. I've been a practicing Tarotist since 1977 and I learned so much from this book that I will be studying it for months to come.
~review by Patricia Snodgrass
Author: Jack Chenek
Llewellyn Worldwide, 2025
p. $19.95 pp.246
