Is Tarot Illegal? Beck Ravenswood on Witchcraft, Divination, & Religious Freedom

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In this episode, I welcome my friend Beck Ravenswood to the show - witch, tarot reader, and owner of The Serpent’s Key Shoppe in Hanover, PA.

Beck shares the story of discovering tarot as a teenager, receiving the dream that helped inspire The Serpent’s Key, and creating a thriving, interfaith community space devoted to magic, education, and connection.

We also discuss the legal fight that has placed Beck and their shop at the center of a much larger conversation about divination, religious practice, freedom of speech, and Pennsylvania’s archaic fortune-telling law. Before Beck’s shop had even officially opened, Hanover police warned them that offering paid tarot readings could violate a statute dating back to the nineteenth century. Beck is now challenging that law through an ongoing lawsuit, while Pennsylvania House Bill 1562 seeks to repeal it.

Along the way, we talk about the difference between fraud and legitimate divinatory practice, ethical tarot reading, building real-world Pagan community, interfaith dialogue, and the courage required to live openly and authentically. (And of course, we aren't lawyers, and are not qualified to offer any legal advice.)

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A Note on Civic Engagement
We believe there is tremendous value in learning who represents us locally and taking part in respectful civic dialogue around issues that matter to us and our neighbors. That does not require everyone has to agree about politics, religion, or spiritual practices. It means communicating respectfully, and remembering that we all share communities with people whose backgrounds and beliefs may differ from our own.

If these issue matter to you, please consider contacting your representatives. Pennsylvania residents can ask their state legislators to support HB 1562 and the repeal of Section 7104. Listeners outside Pennsylvania can still contact their own representatives, share information about the issue, and encourage dialogue with their Pennsylvania colleagues. It can really make a difference!

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Learn About the Law and HB 1562
- Official Pennsylvania General Assembly page for HB 1562:
https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb1562
- HB 1562 co-sponsorship memo and explanation:
https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46755
- Find your legislators anywhere in the United States:
https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/
- Vote Smart — information about elected officials:
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/

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Find Beck and The Serpent’s Key
Beck Ravenswood on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_stitching_witch/
The Serpent’s Key on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_serpents_key/
The Serpent’s Key site:
https://serpentskeyshoppe.com/

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Upcoming: Free Diviner’s Path Workshop
Reading the Signs: Divination as a Living Conversation
Sunday, June 21, 2026 - 12:30–1:30 p.m. EST - Live on Zoom
Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_COYP44E8SHSAuvvLYy2-gQ

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More Upcoming Events:
July 27, 2026:
Workshop at the Atlantis Bookshop in London
August 15, 2026:
Official Diviner’s Path book launch at The Serpent’s Key

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Thank you for listening, and, as always, see you between the worlds...