The English Magic Tarot

This captivating new tarot deck draws us into the vibrant but often hidden world of English magic, evoking a golden age of mysticism when John Dee was Queen Elizabeth's Court Astrologer, antiquarian John Aubrey rediscovered ancient sacred sites, and the great physicist Isaac Newton studied alchemy.

The English Magic Tarot places the cards in the colorful yet turbulent period of English history that stretches from the time of Henry VIII to the Restoration. During this time of upheaval archetypal forces were very much at play, making this a perfect setting for the cards. Brought to you by renowned artist Rex Van Ryn, colorist Steve Dooley, and writer Andy Letcher, this deck has a dynamic, graphic style. There are unique twists to some of the traditional images, with riddles, references, and lore buried within them that will draw users ever deeper into the mystery and meaning of the cards.

The first deck of its kind to draw explicitly on the English magical tradition, The English Magic Tarot opens up a rich new pathway into the cards that will delight novice and experienced tarot users alike.

“"Here, with this deck and book, you have the chance to explore the world of English magic directly, engaging with its peculiar charms and eccentricities. And with what excellent guides!" -- Philip Carr-Gomm , author of The Book of English Magic”

"Here's a unique formula: pacy graphic art plus history and mysticism in the era of Isaac Newton, Henry VIII and Jon Dee (who features as The Magician, naturally). The illustrations are so narrative you can almost hear the characters' thoughts, but there are hidden messages here, too - and you'll have to figure them out for yourself. Translate the Ogham and Runes, mirror-writing and Enochian script and, much like magic itself, you'll find a truth beneath the surface.

The guidebook is witty, practical and wise, with some quirky card interpretations (an embittered Queen of Swords, a procrastinating Knight of Coins); and, while this deck is not for the faint-hearted, it's a great adventure if you're up for the ride." -Kindred Spirit, November 10, 2016

-- "Reviews"
"The English Magic Tarot is the result of a brilliant collaboration between three uniquely talented and original individuals - painters, visual and oral storytellers and musicians - who understand that English magic and the English imagination, are essentially the same thing. They have produced a Tarot which connects us with the past and with the buried mycelium of shared stories and ideas which still erupt into and nourish contemporary culture." -Alan Lee, book illustrator and movie conceptual designer-- "Reviews"
"Do you believe in magic? Set during the 100 years beginning with the reign of Henry VIII (a time during which English magic flourished), this extraordinary new tarot deck pays homage to England's magical tradition. It also references the Order of the Golden Dawn who originally merged magical tradition with the cards. Historic figures are quixoticly featured throughout the deck. Simultaneously, the creators give a special artistic nod to Pamela Coleman-Smith, who is just now beginning to be recognized for her independent contribution to tarot symbolism and wisdom. Every detail was carefully considered as this 78-card deck and its 160-page guidebook took form in order to preserve the wisdom of ancient heritages and the energy that each individual card carries. The cards were designed to be fluid and are based on natural rather than demonic magic. (The Fool is a version of the animal totem Coyote and mushrooms represent the inevitable linking of life and death.) The illustrations draw equally on erudite philosophy, modern horror movies, and graphic novels. The result is a unique esoteric tool that will help to move the rich and mysterious traditions of magical England into the mainstream." --Anna Jedrziewski, TarotWise.com-- "Reviews"
"Here, with this deck and book, you have the chance to explore the world of English magic directly, engaging with its peculiar charms and eccentricities. And with what excellent guides!" --Philip Carr-Gomm, author of The Book of English Magic-- "Reviews"
"What we have here is the auspicious release of a new deck of tarot cards based in the mysticism, mysteries, rituals, and lore of Elizabethan-era England, perhaps history's most fervent period and place for the magic arts. Think knights and fools, monarchs and highwaymen, in the animate land of Stonehenge and druids. These are tarot cards with the dynamism of a graphic novel. Not the stuff of mere fortune telling, they hint at a world rife with forces and cause-and-effect connections, where "change occurs in accordance with will."" --Foreword Reviews, Fall 2017-- "Reviews"

Rex Van Ryn is an "English Magician" who has worked as a story board and comic book artist on numerous films and publications. He is best known for the graphic novel John Barleycorn Must Die.
Steve Dooley has produced paintings for London galleries for thirty years. He has also painted murals and trompe l'oeil in privately owned castles and chateaux around the world. His Post-Graduate qualification in psychology has led to an interest that is reflected in his work. He recently illustrated The Wind in the Willows App for the iPad.
Andy Letcher is the author of Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom (Faber & Faber 2006 UK, Ecco 2007 US) and numerous scholarly articles on paganism, shamanism and folklore. He has been a practicing Druid for twenty years and gave his first tarot reading aged eleven.
Philip Carr-Gomm is Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. Philip is the author of a number of works on Druidry, and since the publication of his first book in 1991 he has been in demand worldwide for radio, television and newspaper interviews.

This captivating new tarot deck draws us into the vibrant but often hidden world of English magic, evoking a golden age of mysticism when John Dee was Queen Elizabeth's Court Astrologer, antiquarian John Aubrey rediscovered ancient sacred sites, and the great physicist Isaac Newton studied alchemy. The English Magic Tarot places the cards in the colorful yet turbulent period of English history that stretches from the time of Henry VIII to the Restoration. During this time of upheaval archetypal forces were very much at play, making this a perfect setting for the cards. Brought to you by renowned artist Rex Van Ryn, colorist Steve Dooley, and writer Andy Letcher, this deck has a dynamic, graphic style. There are unique twists to some of the traditional images, with riddles, references, and lore buried within them that will draw users ever deeper into the mystery and meaning of the cards. The first deck of its kind to draw explicitly on the English magical tradition, The English Magic Tarot opens up a rich new pathway into the cards that will delight novice and experienced tarot users alike.

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