Customer Reviews

Portable Magic: Tarot Is the Only Tool You Need

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I read the first half of this book I wasn't initially impressed. Tyson did a good job of covering the history of tarot and laying out the basics, but I wanted to know when the reader would get to the meat of the book, i.e. the portable magic system he was talking about. It wasn't until I reached the second half of the book that I got what I was looking for in this book, an innovative and original approach to utilizing tarot cards in magical practice.

In the second half of the book Tyson, using the Golden Dawn as his paradigm, explains how Tarot can be used in practical and metamorphic magic. He does an excellent job of laying out how his system works, and even explains how the magician can use the astrological correspondences in tandem with the rest of his system. What I really appreciated were the examples of workings he provided and his notes on how he personalized his own approach to Tarot magic, by changing some of the correspondences in the traditional Golden Dawn Paradigm. Additionally it was heartening to see internal citations used in this book, a step fup from the majority of works that are released without out those citations.

There are only two issues I had with the book. The first issue is the one I mentioned above in regards to the first half of the book. I'd have liked it if he'd cut down on some of the basics material, pointing readers to other works instead, so that he could focus his work more on his innovative approach. Additionally, while he referenced Golden Dawn ritual work for the Tarot, it would have been nice to have seen some focus on other approaches to Tarot that utilize ritual magic. Gareth Knight's work and Mary K. Greer's work particularly come to mind. These two issues lowered my rating to four out of five stars.

Going off of the Golden Dawn system of Tarot, "Portable Magic" by Donald Tyson presents a system of ritual magic where the only tool needed and used is a standard deck of tarot cards. Aside from visualization and a clean surface to lay the cards on, that's it. No other materials are needed. The book has an apt title, as it can be done anywhere or anytime so long as you have a tarot deck.

I admit that, although I've been looking for a book like this for years, I didn't pick this one up at first. I've come across other sources who talk about forms of magic using the tarot, but wound up disappointed each time. Few were about the tarot as a stand-alone tool, and those that were only gave a sampler of spells but didn't give the individual a technical foundation to go off of for the workings of the system. Still others only mentioned the use of individual tarot cards as charms and talismans. So, I figured this would be another like those. Once I finally picked up this book, however, I realized that it is the tarot magic book I've always wanted!

The first part of the book, chapters 1-4, go through the introduction of the book, then into the history of the tarot, it's structure and order, and its ties to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Of this section, I found the parts on its known factual origins and the various groupings of the cards to be of great interest.

In chapters 5-10, Tyson goes through a lot of theoretical material on the tarot itself, apart from divination or magic. First he goes through the correspondences and cosmology involved with the Major Arcana (or Trumps) of the tarot, particularly from the standpoint of the Golden Dawn system. After this he goes into the correspondences of the numbered cards and court cards of the Minor Arcana. Then he discusses the placement and correspondence of the numbered cards with the Sephiroth on the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

Chapters 11-17 are where Tyson really starts getting into the meat of the system, starting by introducing the symbolic tools of this system of tarot magick: the point, the ray, the circle, the triangle, and the cross. After the introduction, he goes through each one in its own chapter, going more in-depth and giving an exercise for each tool. Having gone into detail about the tools, he shows how they're all brought together to perform a general ritual of tarot magick.

With theory and basic methods covered, Tyson goes further into the mechanics of the system throughout chapters 18-21. In these chapters, he covers planetary modifier cards from the Trumps, the meanings of the numbered cards, and then details their use together. He also adds a chapter summarizing what's been covered so far, although I'm not sure it was necessary.

The final part of the book includes chapters 22-26 and an appendix. In the final chapters he covers finer points of the system and gives examples of use. Finally, the appendix gives details about Tyson's personalized version of the Golden Dawn tarot correspondences which he alludes to several times in the book.

There are only two things I can think of that Tyson could have done better in this book. First, it seems to me that in discussion about the use of planetary modifiers he suggests using them without regard to actual astrological conditions. I disagree with this, because I think that if you include astrological influences in your work, you should pay heed to what's actually going on there instead of trying to say one planet is in its ruling sign when it may not be. It's like trying to tell someone you're wearing a pink blouse when, in fact, you're wearing a black t-shirt. Second, I felt like there was little or no examples of how to use this system of ritual tarot magic for High Magic, or magic for spiritual and personal development and contact with one's Higher Self. I do feel they're minor, though, and can be dealt with using a little knowledge, sense, and skill.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can say with confidence that I am going to get much use out of this system that Tyson has developed. His writing style and arrangement throughout the book is very good and leads you from the basics of the system into the more complex parts. Speaking of the system itself, I think it's very solid. I found the concepts easy to grasp especially with my past knowledge and experience. Even someone with relatively little knowledge and experience could learn something from it. All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the tarot, whether for divination, magick, or both.

Mr. Tyson's newest book covers the use of the Tarot as a magical tool. While nothing new and this has been looked at by other authors, Mr. Tyson presents us with his own personal system of utilizing the Tarot as "the only tool you will need".

The material covered is an outline of his system, some history on the Tarot and its basic structure. He does a good job at laying out the basics for the beginner and it is good material. He also covers correspondences, some deeper "Esoteric Cosmology of the Trumps" and then goes through the rest of the deck

There is a lot of "The Tree of Life" material here, given that he starts with Golden Dawn material. You may find this interesting, you may find it a bit dry.

Tthere are rituals, layouts, meanings of cards and more in this good overview of this magical system.

So, stick your favorite deck of tarot cards in your pocket along with this book on your next trip and never be without a useful tool and a guide to enable you to perform "magic on the fly" no matter where you travel. boudica

Excellent book! Donald Tyson's "Portable Magic" gives you what it claims: a system to perform magick virtually anywhere. It does so by presenting bridges between Tarot deck history and modern construction, parts of Qabala, the Hebrew alphabet, and magickal practice itself.

I am new to magick. Therefore, I am also new to any kind of magickal association. I also have a life not conducive to adopting full-fledged altar maintenance, all-out rituals, and circle casting; my close relations and friends would think I went crazy. So, "Portable Magic" seemed the best fit for my needs.

So I purchased it.

An excellent choice.

The author assumes a basic familiarity with magickal concepts. As I had less than basic when I began, I did have to use other works in tandem reading; not a huge hurdle--Tyson does a great job expressing his Craft.

I found I could do magick, serious ritual magick, using the information, understanding, and formats provided here by Tyson.

What this book brings to the Magick Table:

1. History, structure, and working descriptions of the Tarot.
2. A definition of Consciousness as selective symbolic meanings using objects and events from one's environment
3. Magick circle foundation, structure, and execution - in the privacy of your own Tarot astral world.
4. 3 rituals: Union, Banishing, and a Business ritual.
5. How to make Tarot Card Charms
6. A process to evoke an Elemental.

Donald Tyson does an excellent job of effectively communicating a complex system in common words. Being so new to the whole magickal process, I was glad to find he wrote this book like a fun High School teacher, rather than a technical Harvard Law professor. I say High School, because you have to:
a) have a desire to learn and practice this, or it will be a complete waste of resources, and
b) it's taught so people across a vast selection of ability can put it to use.

Naturally, those well-versed in Tarot, Qabala, and Magick traditions would fly through it--those would be your "easy A" students.

As a complete novice, if there were grades, I think I would have earned at least a B: I understood most of the material, had to work hard at the new concepts, and pulled off a few rituals at home. I even used his symbolism in one on-the-fly ritual at WORK, in my HEAD! And the results were nearly INSTANTANEOUS! Which I never would have been able to do (or, of course, benefit from) if I hadn't read this book.

I believe those who practice ANY form of magick would benefit from reading and employing the information found here, simply because they would be learning a new way to do what they thought they already knew. It will stretch you. If you want to learn a great way to do magick using completely nonordinary techniques, GET THIS BOOK!

This made the complexity of ritual magic much more simple in that it only requires a deck of tarot cards. In the 78 cards Donald Tyson shows how to set up a basic circle and altar, then he goes on to explain how to perform numerous rituals. I have found this book to add greatly to my magical practice.

I've read other books by Donald Tyson (((e.g., _Soul Flight: Astral Projection and the Magical Universe_ Mar 1, 2007))) and I have always enjoyed his work, very much. He's a "working magickian," obviously.

I'm liking this book even BETTER than Kraig's _Tarot & Magic (Special Topics in Tarot)_, Dec 1, 2002, I must admit . . .

This book is literally the best way to envoke affirmations... Magik is now freely easily done. Thanks an kudos to Donald Tyson

I hope he writes more of his personal or examples of other ways to use this New Form Of Craft!

This is a tarot magic based on Qaballah mysticism - which is not part of my tradition. So it is of no interest to me. I read it anyway looking for anything I could use. It is not simple - Qaballah anything is not simple. Simple Tarot magic is "Tarot Spells" by Janina Renee which I use and is powerful magic with results minus all the Qaballah regimented stuff I found in this book. I gave it 2 stars because even if you are more Celtic Wicca or even Reclaiming or Dianic there might be some tidbits here for you. But it did nothing for me and was a waste of my money. Perhaps you should see if your library has a copy before you commit to buy.