“Tarot Inspired Life” Review

Tarot Inspired Life is written by Jaymi Elford and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This softcover book is 285 pages long.

Quality:
Llewellyn does a commendable job of making their books attractive and pleasant to hold. The pages of Elford’s book use a thick, high quality paper that is very smooth to the touch. The binding is tight and the font is clear. I was also pleased that I didn’t find many typos or errors as I was reading. I only caught two. The last couple of Llewellyn books I’ve purchased have had a disappointing number of errors and typos in them for a major publisher, and I feared that Elford’s book would also have a number of these hiccups.

Content:
Elford’s tone conveys how dear to her this book and her practice are. In my opinion, her style balances the friendly, honest, conversational tone that makes a book engaging and accessible, while avoiding the insertion of too many unnecessary or irrelevant personal opinions and social politics. Two of my favorite aspects of Elford’s book are the extensive bibliography and the recommended reading list at the end of each chapter. I always like to know where a writer is getting their information and I love having a lead on where to go for additional books on a particularly intriguing subject. (It’s also a great way for Llewellyn (and other publishers) to get more of my money!)

Elford’s book commences with some brief tidbits of Tarot history, exercises for generating card meanings, some thoughts on spreadcrafting, and a few other basics before diving into her more unique content.

There is a section for Tarot and Tarot related crafts, which includes instructions for how to create a few different kinds of Tarot bags, trim decks, and more. The instructions are simple and straightforward, but pictures are not included. I think a few diagrams along the way would have been helpful for folks with less crafting experience, but the projects include a detailed list of required materials and you can certainly create something special if you are so inclined.

This book also touches on using Tarot for creative writing for brainstorming ideas, staying motivated, and evaluating practical aspects of the writing process. Journaling tips and methods are outlined, and those who are new to Tarot journaling may find some helpful suggestions. Folks who already keep a Tarot journal may be less likely to find something completely fresh, but Elford’s handy list of recommended resources at the end of the chapter could be the ticket to a wellspring of new ideas.

Meditation, working with spiritual entities, crafting invocations, and ritual work also have their own sections. Each subject is given a thoughtful overview, and Elford faithfully provides examples and personal experiences along with her instructions for the exercises. I thought the year-long ritual for reaching a specific goal or manifesting a change was one of the most unique and intriguing aspects of the book, and those who find ritual work to be beneficial from a psychological and/or spiritual perspective may also find it to be of particular interest.

The book concludes with a detailed and useful chapter on reading for others and participating in Tarot related groups and communities.

Target Audience:
Elford clearly is in touch with the trends in modern Tarot, and her book will appeal to many in the contemporary Tarot audience. Personalized decks and meanings are emphasized, though the knowledge of systems and traditions is not devalued (which I appreciated). The book’s content is diverse, and some sections will appeal to certain segments of her audience more than others. For example, I enjoy writing, and ritual work has a psychological appeal to me, but as a collector I’m not into trimming or otherwise modifying my decks.

Conclusion:
Elford’s book touches on a variety of creative ways to use Tarot cards and provides numerous sources for digging deeper into each subject. It’s a quick read and a pleasant introduction to a variety of uses for the cards. If you have been working with Tarot for a while and are seeking an overview of alternate and/or additional ways to utilize your deck, Elford’s book is an excellent and thoughtful resource. I would have liked to see some diagrams in the “Inspiring the Muse” creativity section and illustrations from a few of the less standard decks that are referenced, but overall the content and instructions were easy to follow without them. Elford clearly took great care with compiling and citing her information and recommending resources. I have a lot of respect for a writer who does her homework and shares her sources, and if she writes another book on the topic of Tarot, I would definitely read it.


Quality: *****
Content: ****
Target Audience: (N/A)
Overall Score:  4.5 out of 5

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