Book Review: 365 Tarot Spreads

Sasha Graham, 365 Tarot Spreads: Revealing the Magic in Each Day. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2014. ISBN: 9780738740386.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: Tarot, cartomancy, almanac, reference
Format: e-book (epub)
Source: I own it. 


This basic book is exactly what the title states: a collection of 365 Tarot spreads, one for every day of the year.

The book is arranged as follows:

• Introduction.
• A chapter/collection of spreads for each month from January to December.
• An index of spreads. This is a nice extra feature that allows readers to find spreads by theme. 

If you are looking for Tarot spread ideas, or you would like to have a nice simple spreads reference book, this book can be a good choice. Graham strives to provide a spread for just about any situation. It does not mean you have to use every spread in the book. In fact, she writes on this:

"Hopefully you'll never have to use the Divorce Spread, the Rejection Spread, or the Letting Go Spread. But life is full of bumps and bruises just as it is full of soft baby kisses and snuggles, so the spreads are there if you need them" (13). 

There is no judgement here if you have to use those spreads. You get a variety of spreads. Use them as needed or as it suits  you. The book does offer a pretty good selection. As I read through the book, I found myself marking spreads I would like to try out. I may feature some of my efforts using some of the spreads on my Alchemical Thoughts blog down the road.

Each spread entry includes:

• "On this day." Some story or fact or trivia related to the day.
• A quote or factoid that may or not be related to divination. 
• "Summation of Spread." A summary of the spread's purpose and rationale.
• "Cast your cards." The spread's instructions and a small spread diagram. 
• A Tarot card illustration and factoid about the card and/or its meaning. The card illustrations come from the Universal Tarot by Roberto. De Angelis (link to Aeclectic for deck information). Needless to day you can use any Tarot deck you wish. I'd say you could also use your favorite oracle decks. For example, the book features a Circus Spread I think would be fun to try with the Divine Circus Oracle deck (I have not reviewed the deck yet, so in the meantime, link to Aeclectic for deck information). 

I'd say this book can encourage readers to experiment and try different spreads out. I read the book cover to cover for this review, but this may be a book to browse, find a spread you like, and go from there. That is also where the spreads index is useful: find a spread for a specific theme or need.

This is a very accessible and easy to use book. Graham's writing and directions are simple and straightforward. For learners who want some simple and possibly fun spread templates this book is a good option. For more advanced readers wanting to add a spread or two to their repertoire, this may be a good book as well.

I would also say this is a good selection for libraries that collect pagan and/or divination materials. Do keep in mind the book is very basic-- just the spreads ma'am. If you want something more comprehensive on how to make your own spreads, there are other good books out there. Still, this is a book I would consider ordering for our library. I am sure some members of our local Pagan Coalition who read Tarot and oracle cards would appreciate it.

Overall, I really like this book As I mentioned, I marked some spreads to try out later, and I am looking forward to that. I'd say it is a nice basic addition to a Tarot/cartomancy book shelf, especially for beginners.

4 out of 5 stars.

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Additional reading notes:

What the spreads can do for us:

"Like the value of age and wisdom, tarot spreads allows us to step back, reevaluate, and consider motives, actions, and outcomes from a different vantage point. In this space intuition leaps to life and we actually listen for guidance" (8). 

On spreads and questions:

"To come to tarot is to come with a curious mind. A tarot spread can alter the course of your life-- or not; it is entirely up to you. Will you sit on the information gathered or will you act on it?" (8).

On Tarot and time:

"It is the province of the tarot reader to move backwards, forwards, even sideways in time. It is what we do best. Readers, our cards-- our imaginations-- lie outside of calendar time. These are the highways, landscapes, and environments visited by shamans, artists, seers, and mystics-- the world of imagination. Story, essence, truth, gods, eternity, and symbols exist here. This is why tarot is a gateway to world of esoteric study, why tarot is an entrance to the occult. Because what is hidden can only be revealed by experience. Archetypes are experiential. Tarot is experiential" (12).