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The Llewellyn Encyclopedia

Term: Sword

DEFINITIONS

Sword: Less useful, but still necessary for high magic or theurgy that involves chaotic spirits, is the sword. This is similar in its functioning to the wand, but whereas the wand has a neutral nature, the sword is overtly offensive, projecting power to dominate and hurt. It is supposed to be made by the Magus, but I hazard to say that not one in a thousand occultists who possesses the magic sword has actually fashioned the blade by hand. It is considered acceptable to procure a short sword, or long knife, and after thoroughly purifying it, consecrate it by anointing and prayer to its magical purpose. I use an old British army bayonet myself, which is shaped as a sword, hilt and all, and find it effective—perhaps especially so due to its military associations.
source: Truth about Ritual Magic, Donald Tyson

Sword: A tool used in many Wiccan/Witchcraft traditions to cast ritual and magickal circles. The sword is also employed in rituals of initiation by the challenger or guardian. In many traditions the sword is a symbol of the God and it is often assigned to the High Priest as a token of his office.
source: Encyclopedia of WIcca & Witchcraft, Raven Grimassi (Llewellyn Publications)


ARTICLES

The Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn Review
Summary: The Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn is an evocative and provocative deck exploring a new vision of tarot that is fresh and exciting while remaining consistent with the Golden Dawn tradition. This deck would be suitable for someone with ...
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Review of the Tarot of Mermaids
Summary: The Tarot of Mermaids is an enchanting Rider-Waite-Smith-style deck that can easily be used out of the box for anyone familiar with that system. It is also much more than that, inviting journeys into the murky depths of the waters of our ...
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Kamasutra Tarot Review
Kamasutra Tarot Review Summary: While catching the flavor of 17th and 18th century Indian art, this deck seems to force the explicit sexual images into fitting the Tarot model. Still, a collection of such art is rare and valuable, making this a ...
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Review of the Samurai Tarot
Summary: A deck that delicately imitates the soft pastels of colored Ukiyo-e art in an attempt to shoehorn a brief look at Samurai concepts into the Western Tarot paradigm. The art must be appreciated as should be the dedication of the designer. ...
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Golden Botticelli Tarot Review
Summary: A spectacular deck combining the archetypal Renaissance art of Botticelli with magnificent, metallic-gold filigree. Will be used often by intermediate and advanced Tarot readers, but the LWB may not have enough for beginners. One of the ...
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Principles of Ceremonial
Magical ceremonial can be built up and elaborated to forms of great subtlety and complexity, but the initial principles which cause its creation are simple in the extreme. In the first place, ceremonial is a different thing from meditation, and it ...
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Review of the Shapeshifter Tarot
Summary: A stunning and transformative artistic deck that is good as an additional deck with a focus on major life changes and magickal work including meditation, shapeshifting, and spellwork. However there are some flaws and the differences between ...
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Review of The Manga Tarot
Summary: The Manga Tarot is a beautiful and insightful deck. It skillfully combines the evocative and fantastical feel of Manga with the equally evocative format of Tarot. Add to the mix some creative changes and juxtapositions and you’ve got a deck ...
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Review of the Tarot of the Magical Forest
Summary: The Tarot of the Magical Forest is a quirky and slightly bizarre version of a Rider-Waite-Smith deck. As such, it can be used easily by anyone familiar with that tradition. For beginners who learned on a more traditional RWS deck and are ...
Relevance:  7 % 7%


Review of the Tarot of the Elves
Summary: The Tarot of the Elves creates a new and different world. And yet, we humans still relate to the inhabitants of this fantasy realm. This innovative deck explores and conveys the archetypal meanings of the cards through story. McElroy spins ...
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Curiosity is a great cure-all because it generates energy and enthusiasm. Even if you don’t have much control over your present circumstances, you can nevertheless indulge your curiosity with simple tarot readings. The following is a “card search” technique that gives you something to look forward to. As you shuffle your deck,... read this article
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Court Cards, Part II: The Queens of Tarot
Court Cards, Part III: The Knights of Tarot

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