Tarot Rituals
Ceremonies, Ideas, & Experiences for the Tarot Lover
Author: Nancy C. Antenucci
Llewellyn Publications
2022
ISBN 978-0-7387-6444-3
“Tarot Rituals” is a 212 page portal into the land of Tarot magic. Through her own experiences Antenucci has created an amazing resource for readers to connect with the cards, and through this connection gives deeper meaning to their own lives. Tarot and ritual combined create a powerhouse of energy that, backed by intent, can transform normal life into a sacred life.
Antenucci has over 30 years of experience as a Tarot reader, as well as being a teacher of visionary strategies. She is also the founder of Minnesota’s Twin Cities Tarot Collective, which produces the annual North Star Tarot Conference.
With the nearly 100 Tarot spreads and ceremonies that are presented in this book, the reader will find rituals for giving readings, celebrating holidays, and connecting with themselves and others. These rituals may be used for individual work, or in a group setting.
In his foreword, James Wells refers to Antenucci as having set up a spiral path for the reader, a path of structure, technique, and theoretical leaps of faith.
In her introduction, Antenucci talks about the church as a constant ritual, and dance as becoming a religious form for her – with its costumes, music, and lights. Music became a place she could lose herself in. Tarot came to her through the auspices of a co-worker. He gave her her second Tarot deck, the Morgan-Greer (which has been my working deck for over 25 years). Not aligning with traditional Tarot teaching methods, Antenucci began to study the Tarot on her own, intuitively. Along the way, she became a tour guide for other readers. This book is a reflection of sorts of her own journey with the Tarot.
One of the things that Antenucci said really resonated with me, and that is that ritual is intention and action, and that combined with the visual power of the Tarot there can be a strong focus on intention, as well as designing/creating structure.
“Tarot Rituals” presents the reader with information on grounding, creating rituals, and working with ritual. Rituals included are the Grounding Ritual and the Calling The Circle Ritual.
There is a chapter that is devoted to the solo reader, and using the Tarot as a primary tool for ritual (whether for divination, personal exploration, celebration, or honoring an event). Amongst the ritual in this chapter are Anointing the Deck, Entering The Card, rituals for each Tarot family (Swords, Wands, Cups, and Pentacles), and for the Court Cards. Several spreads are also included in this chapter.
The chapter on the Major Arcana asks the reader to flow with their curiosity. Antenucci refers to the Major Arcana as 22 Acts of Magic. Each card is presented with The Portal (how each card acts as a portal), the Shadow, Preparation for the Ritual, Intention, and ritual suggestions.
In her chapter for deepening rituals for one, Antenucci focuses on self-awareness and growth. This is a must-read chapter for those readers that only read for themselves, and for professional readers that can use these ideas to help their clients. Rituals presented here include the Quadrinity Ritual, the Chakra Ritual, the Dream Ritual, the Beloved Ancestor Ritual, and the Light/Shadow/Dark Ritual.
In her chapter on Rituals For Reading For Others, Antenucci reminds the reader that they are both the storyteller and the story. She talks about divination as being its own form of communication. Spreads in this chapter include the Bias Free Spread and the Current Cycle Spread. She talks about the six principles: Grounding, Intent, Form, Synchronicity, Closure, and Integration. I was truly drawn to the chapter on calendar rituals because I do like working with the seasons. Rituals in this chapter include the Sunday Grid Ritual, the Moon Ritual, the Birthday Spiral Ritual, the Birthday Council Ritual, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, and Mabon.
There is also a chapter on group rituals, which talks about how to do a group ritual – the opening, confidentiality, expectations, and closing. Rituals in this chapter include the Icebreaker Ritual, the Stranger In Town Ritual, the Celtic Cross Ritual, and the Initial Image Ritual.
I love formal rituals, and there is a chapter on just that! Rituals included here are the Quest Ritual, the Holy One Ritual, the Mother Ritual, and the Ring Blessing Ritual.
Do you want to create your own rituals? There is a chapter that covers this. I love the idea of a personalized ritual. Through the creation of a ritual questionnaire, the reader is able to bring intent and focus to a ritual of their own creation. Topics addressed are intention (if you don’t know what your intention is you are going to flounder), structure, how the Tarot cards will be sued, what activities will be done, visuals, sound (I love chimes myself), space, text, movement, and time.
There is a suggested reading list at the end of the book. Full disclosure – I was very happy to see that my own book on Tarot and Ritual was included!
I view “Tarot Rituals” as a resource book, not something that you read one time and set aside. It is a working tool that everyone from someone new to Tarot and/or ritual can use to someone that has worked with Tarot and/or ritual for some time. It is a joyful book, and I highly recommend it.
© January 2022 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction is prohibited without the written permission of the author.
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