• Book Title:     The Tarot Architect: How to Become the Master Builder of Your Spiritual Temple
• Author:           Lon Milo DuQuette – londuquette.com
• Publisher:      Weiser Books, USA, 2025 – Product Page
• Length: 368 pages
• RRP:               GBP £19.99, USD $24.95
• ISBN:              978-1578638543
• Reviewed by: Helen Diamond

Lon Milo DuQuette is an American author and ceremonial magician, much loved and so well-known within the tarot and occult community that he scarcely needs an introduction. But if you are not (yet) familiar with his work, DuQuette has authored, among others, various books on Aleister Crowley, such as: Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, The Magick of Aleister Crowley, and The Enochian World of Aleister Crowley. He has also written books on Qabalah and ceremonial magick, and created and co-designed the Tarot of Ceremonial Magick (TCM). He is the US Deputy Grand Master of the OTO, and lectures around the world on the Western Mystery traditions.

Lon DuQuette has a particular writing style; his works are eminently readable and he writes as though talking to a friend. This highly approachable method continues throughout Tarot Architect. The reader is asked to actively participate in seemingly simple rituals, from arranging a tarot deck in a specific order, to painting your own tarot deck (you are encouraged to use the outlines of the TCM), that belie a lifetime of dedication to the esoteric arts. The result is that this book is more like a fun and highly accessible course that will effect a deep change in those that chose to follow along.

The book begins with a crash course in Qabalah, including an introduction to the Tetragrammaton, the Tree of Life and the Cube of Space (Book I). This can be overwhelming for some, but the reader is encouraged to follow along by using specified cards from their tarot deck and practising guided meditations, taking them beyond rote learning into a physical practice with visual and mindful awareness. There are frequent ‘Sidebars’ where the author instructs readers to face certain directions, pull certain cards, observe and kiss the cards, and even use a pitch pipe (he is also a musician). There is homework, and also regular reminders to yes, please, actually do the steps he advises!

The book then moves on to the main section where we ‘create’ our own deck (Book II). The TCM uses not only traditional tarot imagery but also astrological, qabalistic, enochian and alchemical symbols, Goetia and I-Ching hexagrams. Therefore, we learn to associate the various correspondences with each card, as the act of hand drawing and painting enhances our memory and learning. Golden Dawn initiates were tasked with creating their own tarot decks as part of their spiritual journey, and this same premise is used here. In one chapter, he quotes a Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford “the more you play around with tarot, the more it plays around with you”. In creating our decks we are given the opportunity to play with, and be played with by, various aspects of the Western Esoteric tradition, and to be fundamentally changed as a result.

Within Book II, the tarot is split into multiple sections. The Trumps are split into three groups, based on the Hebrew letter associations. The Lesser Arcana also split into three: Aces and Princesses, Court Cards and the Small Cards. While some tarot books spend a lot of time on the majors and less on the minors, Tarot Architect approaches the tarot thoroughly, and uses this opportunity to teach Qabalah, the astrological decans and the GD colour scales. A lot is packed into this book, but it is broken down into manageable sections. It also includes divinatory meanings, correspondence tables, extensive footnotes and a bibliography.

There is a clear ask; we are encouraged to use, learn and grow in each page. When I had first received this book I mistakenly thought I might be able to read it on my morning commute, to absorb as much as possible before writing this review. But it would seem a disservice to skim over Tarot Architect. This is a grimoire for the modern mystic, and that requires taking the time to do it justice. So collect your tarot deck, get some card stock and a pitch pipe (!), carve out some time in your day where you can take up space and make noise. Lon’s got a job for you to do!

The Tarot Architect is now available for purchase from:

Red Wheel / Weiser – https://redwheelweiser.com/book/the-tarot-architect-9781578638543/

And from Amazon.