The Book of Séances: A Guide to Divination and Speaking to Spirits by Claire Goodchild

The Book of Séances: A Guide to Divination and Speaking to Spirits Reviews

• 
  Witch of Brush Hollow

  Claire Goodchild, of Black and the Moon, doesn't just make fantastic decks. She also writes fantastic books.
  I just finished reading an advanced copy of The Book of Seances: A Guide to Divination and Speaking to Spirits, and this shit is amazing.
  It centers on, obviously, seances, but it doesn't stop there. It's got basic instructions for a ton of divination methods, from bibliomancy and tarot cards to readings with dominoes. It's geared toward using these divination methods for spirit communication, but each section also sets you up to start using any of these methods for other types of things as well.
  This entire book contains a wealth of information, but it's presented in a very straight-forward way, and I never once found myself confused or having to go back and reread anything. However, I will undoubtedly be referring back to this book on a regular basis.
  Each type of divination in the book has a bit about its history, where it came from, and how it's been used. The balance between the history and the practical applications of each method are balanced perfectly too. It's not bogged down by too much backstory, but it gives the reader a good sense of the foundation upon which the divination method stands before diving into it themselves.
  The entire book is also peppered with illustrations of Claire's distinctive art. Her often-copied-but-never-duplicated anatomical/floral style creates the perfect visuals for the subject matter.
  At the end of each chapter dealing with a type of divination, there are a couple simple exercises to practice your hand at them, as well as (one of my personal favorite things) special pages to record your readings. I'm horrible about writing down what I do, I always just assume I'll remember, and I literally never do. I'm going to be photocopying and hole-punching those pages for the rest of my life.
  Did I mention that there's a tea leaf reading symbol dictionary in here? It's got the 100 most common symbols to show up in the bottom of your teacup, which is fucking invaluable.
  Additionally, and geniusly, there's also a list of tarot cards with their traditional meanings as well as what a spirit might be trying to communicate to you if you draw each card in a seance. This part is SO well done. It might feel weird for me to be suggesting this book to new tarot readers, but I send 'em where the information is good and, well...here we are.
  The Book of Seances has something for everyone. If you're brand new to this type of stuff, this book is a perfect entryway into the world of spirit communication. If you're experienced in this field, there are more obscure tactics and fresh viewpoints in the book that will make fantastic additions into your already established practice.
  I can't believe this is the author's first book. It's just so well researched and her writing style is down to earth without being corny (if that makes sense). Although I will say I feel personally attacked by the suggestion to use "a vampire novel" for bibliomancy.
  Claire's Book of Seances deserves a spot on everyone's bookshelf.
• 
  Colleen

  As a lover of all that is spooky and otherworldly, I was delighted to receive an advance copy of The Book of Séances by Claire Goodchild. Having read the book twice, I can confidently say this book is now one of the essentials of my collection.
  
  Goodchild invites readers, both believers and non, to join her in a wild ride of reaching beyond death. Her tone is friendly and knowledgeable, guiding individuals to a place where they, too, can communicate with spirits.
  
  The first part of the book discusses death as a concept, including the definition of death, customs, and the afterlife. It also considers divination, the concept of spiritualism, and society’s attempt to talk to those who have passed. The history Goodchild illustrates is thoughtful and concise, valuable information for a reader to have before any attempt at spirit communication. Even the harshest critic or skeptic would find the stories interesting, especially the personal tales Goodchild masterfully weaves throughout the chapters.
  
  The second part of the book is filled with information about spirit communication, with instructions on performing séances in ways well-known (such as tarot and the spirit board) and obscure (dominos and charms). One of the most interesting parts of the section is Goodchild’s own cartomancy dictionary, where she assigns each tarot card its own spirit meaning. Having performed a number of ancestor spreads after reading this book, I can attest that this dictionary is priceless.
  
  In all, I loved The Book of Séances and found it to be both an amazing read and a valuable resource. I know I’ll be consulting it time and again.
• 
  Owlvine

  A fantastic reference book on divination! First things first, the title of this book is a bit misleading. There is a section in this book dedicated to seances, but it is a book about many different divination techniques. However, I am so impressed with the information provided in this book. The author includes a relevant and interesting historical synopsis for each technique, along with great stories and fantastic "howe to" instructions. A beginner could pick this book up and have what they need to give each technique a go. This is by far the best "general divination" book I have in my personal library, and I'm glad to have it in my collection.
  
  As one friend said, "this is the first beautiful witchy book I've read, that is actually packed with information!"
• 
  M Delea

  The artwork is stunning, the history of various things (tarot cards, Ouija boards, etc.) is fascinating, and the exercises and how-to parts are well done. And there are many lists, which thrills my OCD heart! Casting charms, reading tea leaves, and communicating with the dead are all covered. My favorite chapter is the one about tarot cards—all of the sections are very thorough, but this one is incredibly thorough. If you have any interest in divination, for whatever reason, this book is a must-read.
• 
  Helene Saucedo

  I’m a divination nerd who has been dipping my toes into spirit communication. This book is the companion I needed to learn, grow and safely explore my relationship with spirits and the veil. Claire’s knowledge is delivered in accessible, straight-forward language, and she answers all of those little questions I was embarrassed to ask. AND the art is to die for.
• 
  luckykarmatx

  Excellent book for someone who is new to divination. It dispels some of the myths surrounding various practices and introduces the reader to the proper way to utilize the tools presented.
• 
  M D'Hamto

  Artist and spiritual seeker Claire Goodchild delivers an informative guide to the basics of divination and connecting with the afterlife through "The Book of Seances." Anyone with a curiosity about the various techniques of communicating with and invoking extra-sensory energy will learn the history, protocol, and practices through this helpful guide. Goodchild, an experienced tarot reader who has previously produced her own deck, provides an in-depth approach to cultivating safe and respectful practices. The hard-cover edition offers beautifully rendered full-color illustrations that reflect the artist-author’s inclination toward Victorian aesthetics. Like other Goodchild creations, this book is a work of art and heart.
  
  I reviewed the book from the perspective of decolonization and detaching from limiting notions of evil. Divination practices are spiritual traditions that exist across the world, rooted in folklore. I have known about similar traditions in various indigenous cultures in my native Philippines and was interested in learning about Western folk magic practices. Goodchild stresses the power of intuition and demystifies the methods of working with the other side. One does not need to intend to perform the practices to read Goodchild and become fascinated by how beliefs in the paranormal and divinatory tools have been sustained throughout millennia.
• 
  bostieslovebooks

  In THE BOOK OF SEANCES, Claire Goodchild combines historical tidbits with instructions to help the reader learn about and perform their own seances.
  
  The artwork in this book is amazing. Goodchild is certainly talented. I liked how the book was broken down into sections with each containing historical information about the divination method as well as procedures to follow for practice and helpful tips. Goodchild’s writing is accessible to both believers and non-believers.
  “that’s the thing about divination and spirit communication: it’s a very personal experience. The choice to believe is yours and yours alone.”
  Do I believe everything that’s included in this book? Not at all. Do I appreciate Goodchild’s approach to acknowledging that everyone has different beliefs and comfort levels regarding divination? Absolutely.
  
  THE BOOK OF SEANCES was a really interesting read. While I don’t think I’ll be jumping on trying any of the divination methods at this time, I am glad to have learned about the historical significance of them.
  
  Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for the copy.
• 
  Sheri LaFay

  This book was chosen by my book club and it looked like a beautiful book... so I was excited to get into it. It is beautifully designed, no doubt about that. The artwork throughout the book adds a nice touch to this.
  
  I was a bit annoyed from the beginning of the book with the warning for anyone with any type of mental illness to not do anything. It is annoying and a bit offensive for the typical stereotypes to be continued. Yes, clearly get professional help if that is needed and CYA and all that, but I just don't feel it was needed. Especially not needed because well... this is a basic intro 101 to divination and doesn't even get into very much in-depth. Goodchild does bring up many types of divination and how you could use it to communicate with spirits, but it is very basic.
  
  Perhaps I have just been studying this type of material for too long and mistook this as a more in-depth book. Perhaps I just expected more. If you knew nothing about the subject, this would be an amazing book, I'm sure. I know I would have loved it if this were out when I first started studying this subject matter in the 90s.
• 
  Tarot

  I love the author's decks, but unfortunately, this book was super basic and didn't contain any new info or exercises that I hadn't already found for free elsewhere. I was hoping for new or more in-depth details, but this was a generalized overview with lovely illustrations for those who’re completely new to these concepts in a market that is already heavily oversaturated with beginner books.
  
  I also think it's important to note that the views in this book are highly specific to the author, whom I think comes from a UK/Canadian background. Many of us displaced by war, economic, or other forms of diaspora will never have the privilege to commune with our ancestors where they're physically buried, so those of other cultures and ethnicities may take serious issue with the author's concept of taking graveyard dirt or communing with spirits where one's kin are not buried.
  
  If you're looking for other resources on how to commune with spirits, I recommend books like Spirit Allies, The Inner Temple of Witchcraft, and The Shamanic Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak, which take a more universal and Shamanic approach that you can do right from home.
• 
  Megan Thomas

  This book is stunning from cover to cover!
  
  Olivia, The Witch of Wonderlust on YouTube recommended this book. I AM SO GLAD I PICKED IT UP!
  
  The pages are perfectly glossy (without feeling like you are leaving fingerprints everywhere), the artwork is gorgeous, and the book's format makes it easy to read and follow.
  
  I love Claire's down-to-earth outlook, her self-described skepticism about seances and speaking with spirits, and that she doesn't just skim the surface of the subject matter.
  
  This book covers popular forms of divination and several methods for communicating with spirits with easy-to-follow instructions and reminders to take precautions. She also includes warnings that if you are someone in the early stages of grieving for someone recently deceased, or if you are currently experiencing episodes of depression, hallucinations, delusions, or are living with other untreated mental illnesses.
  
  10/10 stars from me!
• 
  Shelby *trains flying monkeys*

  I LOVE this book.
  
  Pros:
  *It covers a wide range of subjects that I find interesting-the way that different cultures handle their dead, tarots, divination and of course talking with spirits.
  Not your cup? That's fine because I find myself at a place in my life where I do constantly question life after our death.
  *There is actually information on each subject the author covers. Not just throwing something out and go find it on your own that some books of this type tends to do.
  *It reads like you are setting with a friend and talking to them.
  *The writing does not "talk down" about any religious/spiritual path that the reader is on.
  
  
  Cons:
  *Honestly none for me. I think I'm going to wear out the pages on this one because I've already read it and have started it again.
  
  Booksource: Kinda from the publisher and kind of from one of my besties. Many Many thanks to both-I really needed this book in my life.
  
• 
  ISRA

  While this author's intention of this book is to conduct seance(s) I feel it is more simply a book of divination methods. The divination methods included could be applied to anything not just to contact deceased relatives which is what she suggests readers do.
  
  I felt like this book was more of a the ultimate guide to divination with a ancestral slant. Perhaps it's a bias of mine since I don't have any beloved deceased relatives to reach out to, to reach out to one is likely practically talking to a stranger.
  
  That aside the brief history included with the introductions to the various forms of divination was enlightening and informative. It was an entertaining read but I didn't take a lot of new information from it and I didn't like the modern or scientific methods being included for divining it felt like the antithesis of the rest of the book and just really inorganic.
  
  
• 
  Nyxx

  divine!!!
  
  i’ve been waiting for this book for so long. the hardcover is stunning, and the kindle version is ace — i can have my Book of Seance when all i have on me is a pocket 😅 having known Claire for close to 6 years, her knowledge, artistry and abilities are astounding. her latest creation, her first book, is nothing short of what i have come to expect from her deeply creative mind. thank you, Claire, for blessing us with this book and all your decks and just everything!!! —nyxx
• 
  Anna Alexander

  As a medium, I tend to view books and publications by other mediums with a healthy dose of skepticism. However, Claire gently took my skepticism away right when I started the book and gave me curiosity to learn more. This beautifully-illustrated book is very approachable no matter the reader’s skill or curiosity levels.
• 
  Charles Palella

  THIS is a good primer book if you are interested in divination of any sort. The author explores all kinds of practices in an easy-to-understand and practical manner. I really enjoyed this book!
• 
  Emily

  Definitely will return to this for reference
• 
  Dave

  Decent book and very informative. Mainly a source material book. Not the most entertaining "start to finish" book. Highly recommend purchasing as a resource guide.
• 
  Hailey Ashbach

  thought this was a really good primer to the paranormal and divination! lots of good exercises and i liked the full list of tarot meanings for spirit communication. will say this made me want to dive into other witchcraft x paranormal readings, because this is more of a taste in that regard but if you're just going for learning about the communication piece, this is perfect.
• 
  stephnie

  This was incredibly informative and really opened up my mind to things I never thought to consider about divination. I look forward to completely delving into this amazing book.
• 
  Enohar

  I had a great time reading this book and I've learned a lot from it, not to mention how beautiful it looks, which makes it a joy to simply look at the book and handle it. However, I'm giving 3 stars for two reasons:
  1 - I think there should have been a "crisis management" chapter on the book, where the author would talk about protection and banishing, because the less experienced reader may need these informations. Sometimes we're not looking for trouble, but trouble finds us. Especially when we're just starting out.
  2 - There's no bibliography or recommended reading for further studies. I was very curious to know about the author's sources of research, because we can see she really did a lot of it for this book, but unfortunately there was none.
  
  But it's still worth reading. I'm looking forward to other books written by this author, that hopefully will not have these issues.