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The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 Review

So Below witchcraft, everyday magic, and 7 min read 5 min read

4.9/5 - (12 votes)

The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2, often connected with the So Below half of the Book of Shadows system, brings tarot into modern everyday life. The cards show contemporary scenes, ritual hints, relationships, work, family, creativity, and personal choices through a witchy but grounded lens.

Quick answer: choose this deck if you want a complete 78-card tarot gallery with green-bordered modern magical scenes. It feels more everyday and practical than many gothic decks, but it still has enough mystery for journaling, spell work, and reflective readings.

The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 card gallery

The TarotFans native gallery shows the complete 78-card set. The card names are readable and sorted in tarot order: Major Arcana first, then Wands, Chalices, Swords, and Pentacles.

How this deck reads

Vol 2 reads like magic in normal rooms: apartments, kitchens, offices, gardens, streets, gatherings, and private moments. Instead of pulling tarot far away from ordinary life, it asks where the sacred is already hiding in daily choices.

The Magician from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Magician

Active magic

The Magician shows the deck’s main strength: skill becomes practical and present-tense. In a reading, this card asks what tool, habit, or choice can turn intention into action today.

The modern setting makes it easy for newer readers to describe what is happening. Look at body language, room details, weather, tools, and who is interacting with whom before reaching for memorized keywords.

Major Arcana mood

The Major Arcana in this deck feels contemporary but still archetypal. The cards translate big spiritual lessons into scenes that look like real life: choices, work, parties, illness, movement, and insight.

Four modern Major Arcana gates

Use this sequence when the question needs a practical path through choice, learning, crisis, and hope.

The Fool from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Fool
The Hierophant from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Hierophant
The Tower from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Tower
The Stars from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Stars
The Stars from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
The Stars

Restoring hope

The Stars is one of the deck’s most gentle reset cards. It does not erase difficulty; it offers a way to breathe, wash off the old pressure, and remember that guidance can feel simple.

Wands and creative fire

The Wands suit is energetic, warm, and expressive. It works well for career momentum, creative work, ambition, conflict, and the difference between inspired action and scattered fire.

1 of Wands from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
1 of Wands

First flame

Ace of Wands is pure ignition. It suggests the moment when a project, desire, or idea first becomes impossible to ignore. In this deck, fire is not abstract; it appears as something you can tend and shape.

A four-card creative rhythm

This mini spread moves from beginning, to collaboration, to pressure, to confident leadership.

1 of Wands from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
1 of Wands
3 of Wands from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
3 of Wands
9 of Wands from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
9 of Wands
King of Wands from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
King of Wands

Chalices and emotional life

The Chalices suit is one of the easiest parts of the deck to read visually. Relationships, celebrations, longing, rest, and emotional memory show up in human scenes that feel close to daily life.

Ace of Chalices from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Chalices

Emotional opening

Ace of Chalices feels like the first honest moment of feeling. It is helpful for love, healing, and creative flow because it asks what the heart is ready to receive without forcing an answer.

A four-card emotional check-in

Use this when feelings need clarity, connection, rest, and emotional honesty.

Ace of Chalices from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Chalices
2 of Chalices from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
2 of Chalices
4 of Chalices from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
4 of Chalices
9 of Chalices from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
9 of Chalices

Swords and mental clarity

The Swords are direct and sometimes sharp. They speak to communication, stress, ideas, decisions, fatigue, and truth. Because the scenes are modern, they are especially useful for work conversations and personal boundaries.

Ace of Swords from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Swords

Clear thought

Ace of Swords starts with a clean line of truth. It asks the reader to name the issue clearly, cut away the extra noise, and choose the sentence that makes the next step obvious.

A four-card clarity spread

Use this spread when a reading needs boundaries, honesty, and a less tangled next step.

Ace of Swords from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Swords
5 of Swords from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
5 of Swords
8 of Swords from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
8 of Swords
10 of Swords from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
10 of Swords

Pentacles and daily practice

The Pentacles bring the deck fully into home, money, body, work, garden, food, craft, and care. This suit is excellent for practical magic because it treats ordinary routines as part of spiritual life.

Ace of Pentacles from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Pentacles

Grounded beginning

Ace of Pentacles asks what can be made real. It is the seed, the plan, the budget, the meal, the tool, or the habit that gives an insight somewhere to live.

A four-card grounded practice

Use this for money, home, body, work, and routines that need patient care.

Ace of Pentacles from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
Ace of Pentacles
3 of Pentacles from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
3 of Pentacles
10 of Pentacles from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
10 of Pentacles
King of Pentacles from The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2
King of Pentacles

Pros and cons

Pros Cons
Complete 78-card gallery Modern scenes may feel less “ancient” than some readers prefer
Strong everyday magic / So Below identity Some cards require close visual reading
Great for journaling, relationships, work, and practical questions Not the darkest or most gothic witch deck
Readable titles and consistent green-bordered artwork Best appreciated with time to notice details

Final thoughts

The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 is a strong choice if you want tarot that feels magical without leaving everyday life behind. It is warm, practical, reflective, and modern.

Use the gallery as the real test. If the scenes feel familiar but slightly enchanted, this deck is doing exactly what Vol 2 is meant to do: showing the magic below the surface.

The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 card lifestyle imageSee Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 on Amazon

The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 FAQ

Is The Book of Shadows Tarot Vol 2 beginner-friendly?

Yes. The modern scenes are easier to describe than many abstract occult decks, especially if you keep basic tarot keywords nearby.

How many cards are shown in the TarotFans gallery?

The native gallery shows all 78 available cards for this page.

Is this the same as So Below?

Vol 2 is commonly associated with the So Below side of the Book of Shadows Tarot system, focusing on everyday life and practical magic.

What readings suit this deck?

It works well for relationships, work, home, journaling, personal choices, and magic-in-daily-life spreads.

Is it dark?

Not especially. It is witchy and symbolic, but its tone is more modern, practical, and grounded than gothic.

Who should skip this deck?

Readers who want antique-style art, heavy gothic mood, or fully non-modern fantasy scenes may prefer another deck.