A Review: "Magical Tarot, Mystical Tao:
Unlocking the Hidden Power of the Tarot Using the
Ancient Secrets of the Tao Te Ching" by Diane Morgan
© Cheryl Lynne Bradley 2004

I am very hard to please when it comes to books on Tarot. I will make the book or deck work really hard before I'll write about it. This one is a gem and would be a good addition to anyone's tarot library. "Magical Tarot, Mystical Tao: Unlocking the Hidden Power of the Tarot Using the Ancient Secrets of the Tao Te Ching" by Diane Morgan, St. Martin's Press ISBN 0-312-31221-0 $13.95US 19.95Cdn

Diane Morgan has done an excellent piece of work with this book. I have loved the Tao for years and pick it up everytime I need a pearl of wisdom. It has often crossed my mind how nicely it works with Tarot. She has set her book up as a series of meditations - the cards are not presented in order which is a feature that I very much like - each with a Magical Key and a Mystical Key. She has a quotation from the Tao with every card and the Magical Key is broken down in subcategories with Character,Current Circumstances, Conflicts, Dangers & Limitations, Career, Friends & Family, Finance & Possessions, Health, Romance, Travel, Decision, Future Events & Spiritual Achievments, Omens & Talismans - in other words, everything you need to know about the magical aspects of the Tarot card. Each section contains it's own divinatory aspect and there are some truly original ideas in her interpretation.

The Omens and Talismans is further broken down to include Animal Spirit, Bird Spirit, Colour, Plant, Tree, Gemstone, Metal, Direction, Place, Season. The Mystical Key aspect is the esoteric meaning of the card in which she masterfully weaves the insights of Tarot and Tao into her unique interpretation of the card. This makes a lovely tapestry and shares a lot of good information in a very clear and concise manner. I am big on clarity and brevity.

There is a nice section of layouts - a couple of one cards readings which is a rarity - one called the Waterdrop. There is another very special one called The Celestial Palace. It is a 12 card reading laid out in square with the same categories that appear in the Magical Key for each card.

I really quite like this one. Good for a beginner - she has good basic information and a nice style of writing. It is also great for us old-timers as it is so refreshing in its approach. A thoughtful book created with much love and insight. Two thumbs up!