The great Ray Buckland was at INATS-West promoting
the Buckland Romani Tarot and
his new fantasy novel, The
Torque of Kernow. The Buckland
Romani Tarot truly captures the passion, romance,
and spirit of the English Gypsies. “It’s so
delightful to see it available again,” Ray commented as he
prepared for his next Tarot reading. “So many people were
asking for it. It’s so delightful to continue to show the
Gypsy lifestyle.” His fantasy novel is very Tokein-esque, and
promises to be an interesting series of adventures. Orders for these
wonderful creations can be placed at www.galdepress.com.
Another interesting card deck I discovered at the show is the MKITKHAVI:
Fortune Teller of the Caucasus. This 36-card set is modeled
after traditional fortune telling with playing cards as practiced in
the Georgia region of the former Soviet Union. Harkening back to some
of cartomancy’s earliest roots, it’s very much
worth a look, at www.canyonoracles.com.
Decks were not the only great Tarot-related items at the show.
I also saw a great assortment of boxes and bags perfect for holding a
set of cards. Milk and Honey Inc. has some awesome wooden lock boxes
just the right size to hold a standard Tarot. Their website is www.milkandhoneyinc.com.
I also liked the embossed metal boxes featured by Fool Moon Treasures.
You can see them at www.foolmoontreasures.com.
In the way of video, Sedona Media offers a DVD called Lessons
to Tarot, perfect for those who learn best by watching. You
can check it out at www.sedonamedia.com. Witch School
International was also at INATS, promoting, among other things, www.tarotcollege.com.
They currently offer lessons titled Tarot 101 and Tarot
Reversals, and they continue to add new classes.
For the magically minded, there are some great new and
upcoming books to look out for. One is The Magic Box,
by Egan Sanders. This is a fictional story about a boy who is given a
magic box and asked to make a wish. He then begins an adventure that
gently teaches lessons about attracting your heart’s desire.
It’s a charming story infused with bits of wisdom, wizards, a
forest, a mysterious wooden box, and some dearly held wishes that turn
the law of attraction into a delightful parable. The book can be
ordered at www.agnepublishing.com.
Another book that promises to be outstanding is Shadow
Magick Compendium, the second book by Goth Craft
(Llewellyn Publications, 2007) author Raven Digitalis. To be released
this September by Llewellyn, the book shows readers how to safely
harness the power of shadow magick and find empowerment in exploring
their darker side. A gifted cartomancer, Raven was at INATS offering
free Tarot readings and signing copies of his first book.
Michelle Belanger is carrying on the theme of darkness with
her latest title, Walking the Twilight Path, a book
that explores death, transformation, and rebirth. This is another
Llewellyn title, due for release in October.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Richard Webster, a prolific
author whose latest book, Flower and Tree Magic, is
hot off the presses at Llewellyn this month. An avid and knowledgeable
Tarotist, Richard was also offering free readings at the show.
The thing that impressed me the most about INATS-West was the
great variety, the diversity of paths and the blending of traditions
that has become the mark of the esoteric, Tarot, and magical
communities. As our interests continue to mix and expand, so too will
our vibrant communities (and our Tarot deck collections!) continue to
grow.