Please note, the date of this event has changed due to a lack of availability of books. The publisher will send us more copies at the start of November. To preorder a copy, simply order it though this website, or email us and we’ll let you know as soon as it comes in. 

The group is open to anyone who would like to discuss books from a pagan, witchy, folkloric, or occult perspective, be they long-time practitioners or newly curious about exploring the subject. For this book group only, it's fine if you're not able to read the book cover to cover, read the parts you can (or what interests you) and come ready to chat.

The book is in the bookshop for 15% off and online with discount code bookgroup15 but feel free to get it elsewhere (including the library) if you’d prefer.

This month’s book choice is A Walk Through the Forest of Souls: A Tarot Journey to Spiritual Awakening by Rachel Pollack.

Rachel Pollack was many things -a transgender woman born into a Jewish family, an award winning sci-fi author, a feminist activist, and an absolute icon for both the LGBTQ+ and magical communities. When writing Doom Patrol for DC Comics she introduced the first transgender superhero, and her Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom is still essential reading for those learning to read tarot. This month’s book however, is suitable for both those who read (or want to read) tarot and anyone who simply wants to know more about what tarot is, it’s history, and what it means in a spiritual and magical context.

The book looks at the tarot through the lenses of myth, folklore, psychology, and Kabbalah. It was originally published under the title Forest of Souls: A Walk Through the Tarot, but we recommend you get the updated and expanded edition that came out in 2023.

From the Publisher:

A Walk through the Forest of Souls is a landmark moment in the philosophical explorations of the Tarot. This book inspires your personal journey to answer life’s biggest and hardest questions. A must-read for both the inquisitive newcomer and the seasoned practitioner.” —Benebell Wen, author of Holistic Tarot The author of beloved Tarot classic Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom presents a magical journey that illuminates Tarot’s many hidden meanings, leading readers on an exploration of their own spiritual and personal path. In over 350 illustrations, selected by the author, Pollack presents samples of Tarot cards ranging from the 15th-century Sforza to contemporary decks. Taking advantage of the Tarot’s most distinctive feature—its artistry—this book creates a breathtaking overview as we walk with Pollack through the landscape of Tarot. In words and images we’re shown how to explore unknown territory—in ourselves and in the world outside us, and in the sacred mysteries and riddles of existence.

Using symbols and myths to illuminate the hidden mysteries and spiritual truths of the Tarot, Rachel Pollack explores the connections and relationships between Tarot and such wide-ranging subjects as mythology, mythography, folklore, Kabbalah, divination, quantum physics, time travel, and more. A Walk through the Forest of Souls is a dazzling journey through the mysteries of Tarot—suitable for Tarot masters, but accessible to newcomers, too.   This book was previously published in 2002 under the title Forest of Souls: A Walk through the Tarot. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated by the author.