About the Wizards Tarot

The Wizards Tarot is much more than a deck of 78 cards — it's also a self-contained course in magic.

In the Wizards Tarot, the Major Arcana cards all depict professors at a school of magic — complete with corresponding lessons in the subjects they teach.

The Minor Arcana cards show the students, practicing the lessons they've learned from the Majors. The four suits illustrate four specific types of magic — fire magic, water magic, air magic, and earth magic — with corresponding spells, charms, and rituals for each card.

The Court Cards portray the elemental creatures who assist, protect, and guide the students and faculty alike. They are elemental royalty, and they rule and guard the four worlds of fire, water, air, and earth. The king, queen, prince, and princess of wands are fiery salamander beings. Their counterparts in the watery suit of cups are undines. Sylphs rule the airy suit of swords, and gnomes reign over the earthy suit of pentacles.

Welcome to the Mandrake Academy — where you are the student, and tarot is the teacher. Sit down, unwrap the cards, and you’ll discover a whole new world of magic and mystery.

The Mandrake Campus

Mandrake Academy is an old-fashioned school, nestled in a rolling wooded plain. Here, where the four seasons move gently and distinctly through their cycles, modern professors train a new generation in the ancient arts of witchcraft and wizardry.

When you survey the campus, you might find that you’re on familiar ground. That’s because the school — and its coursework — are based on traditional tarot imagery and structure.

The Wizards Tarot deck has 78 cards, divided into two sections — a major arcana, and a minor arcana. The minor arcana has four suits — wands, cups, swords, and pentacles — complete with numbered pip cards and court cards.

Students, Faculty, and Staff

You’ll meet your professors in the major arcana cards. Step into their chambers, and they’ll guide you through a series of 21 lessons in basic magic.

You’ll meet other students in the minor arcana cards, which depict young magicians practicing at work and play.

The four suits illustrate four schools of magic — fire, water, air, and earth — with corresponding descriptions and instructions in this guide.

Everyone at Mandrake Academy has a familiar animal, but they’re not the only creatures you’ll find on campus. In the court cards, you’ll have your first face-to-face encounters with the elemental beings that guard the school: salamanders, undines, sylphs, and gnomes.

A word of warning, however: the elemental creatures are unpredictable, and they’re not to be recklessly evoked.

School Supplies

You’ll find everything you need to get started included in the Wizards Tarot kit. The cards are your tools, and the accompanying handbook shows you how to use them.

About the Author

Corrine Kenner, who designed and developed the Wizards Tarot, is a certified tarot master and the author of several books —  including Tarot for Writers, Simple Fortunetelling with Tarot Cards, The Ma'at Tarot Workbook, Tarot Journaling, The Epicurean Tarot, and Crystals for Beginners. One of her books, Tall Dark Stranger: Tarot for Love and Romance, was a COVR Visionary Award finalist, marking it as one of the top three divination books of 2006. Some of her books have been translated for a worldwide audience; they're available in Portuguese, Italian, and Russian.

Corrine has lived in Brazil and Los Angeles, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from California State University. She now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and their daughters.

Corrine organizes classes and workshops on a regular basis. For more information, visit her website at www.corrinekenner.com.

About the Artist

John Blumen brings more than 30 years of art, illustration and design experience to the Wizards Tarot. His eclectic portfolio runs the gamut from industrial design to children's books. While his advertising work is always in demand, John has recently focused his talents on an area that's been a persistent interest since childhood — fantastic illustration.

John lives in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia. For an interview with John about the Wizards Tarot deck, click here.

For more examples of his work, visit his website at www.johnblumenillustration.com.