78 Acts of Liberation, Lane Smith
78 Acts of Liberation, Lane Smith
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78 Acts of Liberation
Tarot to Transform Our World

Author: Lane Smith, Maria Minnis

Narrator: Lane Smith

Unabridged: 8 hr 45 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/20/2024


Synopsis

A guide to reading Tarot as a spark for community engagement and social change

“A beacon of insight and action.” —Nyasha Williams, author of Black Tarot and I Affirm Me

The cards in the Tarot deck offer seventy-eight invitations for change, not only in our inner life, but beyond. Lane Smith invites us to read each card with an eye toward the collective—how we can contribute to liberation in the world.

Smith shares, “Behind every story about Tarot—and about the world—are power relationships which are often invisible.” 78 Acts of Liberation examines the structure, history, and components of Tarot through the lens of power, helping us better understand power dynamics in our life and in society.

After a brief history that highlights often-ignored aspects of Tarot’s past, Smith guides us through each card with reflections about clarifying our values and putting them into action. The cards are organized numerologically so that each number corresponds to a type of action, from Ones as Acts of Initiation to Tens as Acts of Generation. Every individual card offers questions for personal reflection and social consideration. Each Major Arcana card is illustrated with an example from a social movement—from the Indigenous Water Protectors to #MeToo—that illuminates how we can put the power of these timeless archetypes into action today. Every Minor Arcana card is linked to a practical and actionable term to know or skill to practice. 78 Acts of Liberation helps us explore:

• What our core values are, and how we can put them into action
• How we can be socially engaged, whatever our life circumstance—whether it’s through what we teach our children or through collective action and protest
• How to sustain ourselves over time and through challenge

As Smith explains, “Truth alone will not set us free. We have to act on it.” This guide offers inspiration for action—action that can feel joyful, hopeful, freeing, and empowering.

About Lane Smith

Lane Smith has over 20 years of experience as a Tarot reader, organizer, and activist. They are the editor of the Tarot & Politics zine and a member of the Solidarity Tarot group in Baltimore. With two master’s degrees—one in social work, one in humanities and social thought—they have been involved in public health supporting harm reduction, the movement that helped end the death penalty in Maryland, and more. Smith lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Visit mxlanesmith.com for more.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Heather on August 21, 2024

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. When I first learned that author Lane Smith was writing this book, I was stoked; their "Tarot & Politics" posts on Instagram were thought-provoking and always gave me something new to think about in my relation......more

Goodreads review by J on July 28, 2024

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. Lane Smith’s “78 Acts of Liberation” is a beacon of insight and action, inviting readers to explore Tarot as a catalyst for community engagement and social change. Through seventy-eight cards, Smith illuminates not only our inner lives but also th......more

Goodreads review by Eli on January 31, 2025

This book is more than a tarot book. This is more than a book on political radicalism. This is a book that seamlessly blends the two together in a way that moves tarot forward. Smith starts with a brief overview of tarot’s history, the parts that had been white-washed away. Then moves through each o......more

Goodreads review by bel's bookshelf on January 29, 2025

My official rating is a 4.5 because I LOVED THIS BOOK. I knew nothing about tarot before reading this book. It was sent to me as an ARC almost a year ago and I unfortunately didn't have the capacity to pick it up until earlier this month. I'm genuinely so glad I waited because I was able to really s......more

Goodreads review by Csenge on July 31, 2025

I picked up this book because I was curious about how it interprets tarot cards in the context of social movements - but I got more than that. It completely rearranges the tarot, while keeping traditional symbols and numbers, into a non-linear, community-based, Justice-centered system. It also, apar......more