A Review of The Soul's Journey

The Soul's Journey: Finding Spiritual Messages in the Tarot

By James Ricklef

Knighthawk Books

Review by Christiana Gaudet

I was lucky to be asked to read an advance review copy of James Ricklef’s new book, “The Soul’s Journey.” What impressed me immediately was the wide range of material from which James drew to write this book.

In “The Soul’s Journey,” Ricklef quotes a wealth of spiritual texts, both modern and ancient and from many cultures. For each of the seventy-eight tarot cards he finds references that help us understand each card. With these references Ricklef is able to place the spiritual wisdom of each card in a context of universal spiritual truth.

My first encounter with this fabulous book inspired me to write just a few words about my impression of the book.

With this essential guide, Tarot earns its place at the grown-up table of spiritual thought. Ricklef effortlessly distills the wisdom of the Universe and shares it with us.

Now the book is published. It’s available in paperback and electronic version. As I hold the substantial paperback in my hand I’m glad I have the print version. I love my Kindle, but there is something about holding this book that just feels good.

“The Soul’s Journey” is appropriate for tarotists of all levels of experience, with this caveat. This is not a “how to read tarot” beginners’ book. This book is deep, meaty and spiritual. With a forward by Katrina Wynne and a practical introduction by the author suggesting many ways to use this book, “The Soul’s Journey” does what tarot itself does. It coalesces spiritual wisdom and makes it accessible to us.

One of Ricklef’s suggestions for using the book is to perform bibliomancy with it. That is, to simply ask a question, close your eyes, open the book and read what is presented as a message of wisdom from the Universe. That means that even people who don’t own a tarot deck can find wisdom by reading and using this book.

Ricklef by no means limits our ability to understand each card to his treatment of the cards. He gives us ways to find our own spiritual meanings for the cards.

As well as a comprehensive discussion of the spiritual meaning of each card, “The Soul’s Journey” includes a section called “Spreads for Spiritual Readings” which includes techniques and original spreads for us to use with our tarot deck.

One of my pet peeves as a spiritual tarotist is the belief, even amongst some of my peers, that tarot is merely a fortune-telling device. I have long asserted that tarot is a book of spiritual wisdom. With this brilliant new book James Ricklef proves that assertion.

“The Soul’s Journey” is a self-published work. We’ve all heard the ways in which publishing is changing; “The Soul’s Journey” is a wonderful example of what is now possible. The writing, formatting and general presentation of this book is as good as the best of what’s coming out of the big publishing houses, if not better.

“The Soul’s Journey” is a book for serious tarotists, eclectic spiritual seekers and anyone who wants to expand their wisdom and spiritual practice. You can read this book, you can divine with this book, you can learn tarot with this book, and you can expand your knowledge of tarot with this book.

Christiana Reviews "The Soul's Journey," a Book by James Ricklef

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