The Herbal Tarot Cards – April 15, 2002

I love the information and the cards themselves are beautiful. Easy to understand and decipher, and they are not afraid to tell me the truth.

I love this deck! I am big on herbal medicine and the Chinese ayurvedic tradition. These cards help me to apply that knowledge to Tarot in a way that allows for natural healing. I would still love this deck even if I didn't have a HUGE cabinet full of herbs. The companion book (sold separately) tells how to tap into the energetics of each specific herb by actually experiencing the herb or if I don't have access to the herb I can still meditate on the herb's picture (on the card) while receiving some very useful plant medicine.If you have little to no prior knowledge of herbs or their usage I would recommend purchasing the companion book "The Spirit of Herbs: A Guide to the Herbal Tarot", which is a fantastic resource for these Tarot cards. The little white book that comes with the deck just doesn't give enough info about each herb or any potentially harmful interactions or preparations that someone working with herbs should always be aware of.I will forever keep a copy of the Herbal Tarot in my collection. They are not just Tarot cards but a teacher of plant medicine and my life has changed drastically by introducing these cards into my everyday life.These cards are thick, glossy and can be somewhat difficult to shuffle at first but that is not a big issue for me. They are the same size as a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck and come packaged in a cardboard box similar to most Tarot decks. If you don't care to learn about each herb these cards can still be used for regular readings since they're based off of the same system as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck with a few variations. The included little white book is useful for traveling or as a quick reference but is lacking in detail. I really recommend picking up a copy of the companion guidebook "The Spirit of Herbs: A Guide to the Herbal Tarot". It's not expensive... I paid about $11 for my copy and I have never regretted it.All in all. I am proud owner of the Herbal Tarot.

Please let me tell you about this deck, because I have fallen in love with it. I've never connected with Rider Waite before, but with the addition of the plants, every card becomes so beautiful, compelling, and sweet-hearted. Moreover, there is a distinct balance of feminine* characters contained here, which I have not found in every deck. This is refreshing.The LWB contains a remarkable amount of information on the herbs and cards for being a normal sized LWB, but I am in love with the actual guide (sold separately.) The Herbal Tarot guide (The Spirit of Herbs) is the most balanced and healing I've ever seen. Nothing judges. Nothing condemns. Everything orients toward great, ignorant, leafy ways. "Beloved, gaze in thine own heart," said Yeats in "The Two Trees". "Gaze no more in the bitter glass." The guide understands this intimately.These two items form a wonderful new friend for a medical student. I'm very grateful for such a healing tool.*I should note though that the deck remains fairly normative in the Rider-Waite tradition: love appears heterosexual, most characters appear to be white, and gender veers heavy cis. But I would say that I have been delighted at how often the Guide seems to press gently past older limitations of thought.

Although this deck took over a month to arrive (there was a shipping mishap, which the seller handled relatively well, though it still took very long to correct) the cards itself are great. the booklet offers descriptions on herbal actions which I love, bc its like a little review every time I do a reading. the names on some of the cards have been altered (ie- the hanged man is the "suspended person") but I don't mind it since it ties in with the overall sensitivity of the plants and their relationship to the tarot. Overall, nice deck with a fresh, new take.

The media could not be loaded. I love the marriage of herbalism and tarot being brought together! Useful in many readings. Paired with the guidebook it makes the story of the readings come to life. Absolutely love this deck and the quality of the cards!