Herbal Tarot Deck

Rating:
Summary: A great positive deck whether it be a first or last;-)
Review: Herbalists interested in learning more about the tarot will find this book and cards very useful. The authors keep the concepts and descriptions short and simple. The deck is also extremely useful for remembering the properties of popular herbs in that each card is associated with an herb and its medicinal and spiritual properties. While this was a useful introduction to the tarot and a great reference guide for herbs, I found that I outgrew the deck in favor of a more in-depth set. Yet, I still refer back to it from time to time.

Rating:
Summary: A Healing Deck
Review: I do a lot of readings for other people and this remains one of my favorite decks. I long ago lost the little booklet that came with the deck, nor did I purchase a set with a detailed book. Instead I cross-reference this deck with my large herbal reference book. It has given me startling insights into the physical health of those I'm reading for. In addition, the magical and mythical backgrounds of the herbs add an extra dimension to the reading. I typically follow the same card interpretations that I would with any other deck and read intuitively, but I find that the herbs add so much. I feel I see the whole picture with this deck.

Rating:
Summary: A Healing Deck
Review: I do a lot of readings for other people and this remains one of my favorite decks. I long ago lost the little booklet that came with the deck, nor did I purchase a set with a detailed book. Instead I cross-reference this deck with my large herbal reference book. It has given me startling insights into the physical health of those I'm reading for. In addition, the magical and mythical backgrounds of the herbs add an extra dimension to the reading. I typically follow the same card interpretations that I would with any other deck and read intuitively, but I find that the herbs add so much. I feel I see the whole picture with this deck.

Rating:
Summary: it gets so old.
Review: i liked this deck while i was in great need of having really gentle, non-forceful messages. After that, i realized how horribly wishy-washy and touchy-feely it is. The art isn't that good, the interpretations aren't that good, but the information on herbs is great. If only it were a bit less new-agey, i think this deck could be something great.

Rating:
Summary: get it for the plants
Review: I really, really wanted to discover that this deck is the greatest thing ever because I enjoy both tarot and gardening/reading about herbs so much. I looked at scans of the deck on various tarot sites before I bought it, so I didn't expect austere reproductions of nineteenth century botanical engravings. Still, I was unprepared for the children's Sunday School lesson illustration look of some of these cards.

The cards depicting just plants and scenery are fine--not outstanding, but I don't cringe when I look at them either. The innate grace of the plant grabs my eye and I can read the card happily. Cards with people on them, though, are just too irritatingly like something that should wear flowing Jesus robes and stick to a flannel board.

My nitpickiness about art definitely detracts from my experience of the deck, but after a bit disappointment over the lack of cards for the more ordinary garden herbs (this deck is skewed toward healing herbs that not everyone grows--astragalus, mugwort, ginseng, etc.) I've decided I can live with the little cut-out people. The herb/tarot connection carries the deck over its not-to-my-taste execution, and the familiar plants are drawn simply but recognizably.

I purchased the deck only, but the booklet included gives some basic information about the herbs that anyone who has read enough herbals to know the function of an emmenagogue or a carminative (thank you, Jeannine Parvati Baker!) will understand the information well enough to enhance her/his interpretation of the card in a layout.

Overall, I'm glad I have the deck. I'm sure I'll learn from it, and maybe over time the people images will be cute instead of irritating. I hope so, because I haven't seen any other decks with a similar theme.