Reviews of the Gaian Tarot
Tarot Explorer Review (Limited Edition) by Nancy Hendrickson (Spring 2010)
“It arrived today. Tucked inside a priority mail box, and nestled down amongst brown (recycled, I bet!) packing material, like a fragile egg in a nest.
Yes, the long-awaited limited edition Gaian Tarot deck by Joanna Powell Colbert finally arrived, along with a signed companion book, hand-dyed vibrantly colored bag, blessing herbs of sage, lavender and sweetgrass, and a Priestess amulet. The amazing juju emanating from the box must have created quite a stir in the Post Office as it arrived a full day before expected. (Did I mention I have #67 of 1,000 decks?) . . .”
Aeclectic Tarot Review (Limited Edition) by Bonnie Cehovet (Spring 2010)
“I have followed Joanna Powell Colbert’s work since the beginnings of her major’s only version of the “Gaian Tarot”. I dearly love that deck, and use it often for personal readings and for ritual purposes. In the spirit of transparency, I have to say that part of the appeal is that the imagery in both the major’s only and the full 78 card version of the “Gaian Tarot” is based on the geography of the Pacific Northwest, which is where I live. I can look at a card and immediately connect with it, both through my knowledge of the Tarot and through personal memories that are evoked. . . .”
Read the rest of the review on Aeclectic Tarot.
Tarot Elements Review by Catherine Chapman (September 2009)
Like many others, I have been watching the progress of the creation of the wonderful Gaian Tarot from Joanna Powell Colbert. Nine years is a long time to work on a single project, but the cards themselves are so visually stunning they have definitely been worth the effort and definitely worth the wait.
During my interview with Joanna, she revealed the reason she began the Gaian Tarot, and her inspirations along the way. In her own words, the Gaian Tarot is a fusion of her love of the rich archetypal imagery of Tarot and her love for the natural world. In my opinion she has done an excellent job too. In many ways this tarot deck is like no other. Of course there are other pagan decks available, and there are nature themed decks too; I don’t believe anyone one of them come close to capturing the spirit of Gaia the way Joanna has so expertly done. It’s testament to her connection with Mama Gaia that she embodies its spirituality to her core.
Continue reading the review here.
ATA Tarot Reflections Review by Sheri Harshberger (July 2009):
In the April 2009 issue of Tarot Reflections, we ran an article by Donnaleigh de LaRose titled Wishing on the Star Card. Prominently featured near the start of the article was the most beautiful Star card I had ever seen. It was the Star card from Joanna Powell Colbert’s Gaian Tarot. Needless to say, when I attended the 2009 Readers Studio later in the month, and discovered the lovely and talented Joanna Powell Colbert herself manning a table with her decks, I didn’t hesitate to get one!
SageWoman Magazine Review of the Majors-Only Deck by Cristina Eisenberg (Spring 2005):
“I first ‘met’ PanGaia columnist Joanna Powell Colbert on an Internet e-mail group for a Cornell University conservation project. We exchanged a few messages privately and discovered that we shared a deep spiritual affinity for the natural world. In the years since, we’ve each found our treasure by following our spiritual paths: I’ve matured as a nature writer and have become a wildlife biologist and editor, while she’s moved to a green jewel of an island in the Pacific Northwest, where she married her beloved, deepened her connection to the Earth, and created the lovely and powerful Gaian Tarot. An artist and writer known internationally for her Goddess portraits and mythic art, her naturalist skills are as strong as her artistic ability.
Everything about this deck is an expression of Colbert’s passion and reverence for the earth, from the gossamer gold pouch that holds the cards to the small packet of purification herbs (sage, sweetgrass, cedar, and lavender) that comes with them to the blessings in the booklet that accompanies this deck. A manifestation of Colbert’s eclectic, earth-centered Goddess spirituality, the Gaian Tarot celebrates the living Earth and those who seek to live in harmony with Her. Her naturalist skill can be seen throughout this deck, in the herbs she’s chosen to symbolize the energy of each card, in the animals who accompany the principal figures, and in the profound richness of the landscapes she depicts. Inspired by creativity and passion, informed by meticulous observation of the natural world, these images manifest an ideal world in which humans and wild animals peacefully coexist with one another and with the Earth. Not content to rely on mythic history alone, Colbert’s evocative illustrations address each animal’s natural history, thus bringing Crow, Coyote, Raven, and other creatures to life for us as spiritual teachers and guides.
Colbert’s cards embody the timeless spiritual principles of the Tarot, as seen through Gaian eyes. Her deck is a work in progress, the twenty-two images of the Major Arcana now finished and the Minor Arcana about to be produced. The women’s spirituality movement, mentors and friends within the Pagan community, and nearly fifteen years of teaching classes on the Goddess, Tarot, and Gaianism inspired her rendition of the Major Arcana. Her chosen art form is one she calls ‘colored pencil paintings,’ a time-intensive medium that involves patiently applying many layers of pigment to the paper. The results are well worth it, as evidenced by the clarity and richness of the Gaian Tarot’s multi-cultural imagery. Each original image measures approximately 12″x18″ and is available as a high quality, limited edition print at www.GaianTarot.com.
I connected powerfully to this deck from the moment I slid the over-sized cards out of their pouch and inhaled that earthy, magical fragrance that emanated from the packet of herbs that came with them. I blessed the cards and slept with them under my pillow on a full moon night. The three-card reading I did the next morning was one of the most insightful I’ve had in years, my past, present, and future lucidly depicted by those cards.
Both contemporary and mythic, the Gaian Tarot embodies our Gaian attempt to live in grace in the modern world — with one foot firmly planted in the otherworld of primeval wildness and overgrown paths through the woods. Additionally, this deck helps us to connect more deeply with the Earth by showing us things that are all too often unseen or overlooked. Colbert intends these cards and their images to ‘help create a culture of strong and gentle women and men, working together to create a beautiful, peaceful, and just planet.’ Her luminous deck will help you manifest this Gaian dream.”
PanGaia Magazine Review of the Majors-Only Deck by Elizabeth Barrette (Spring 2005):
“Joanna Powell Colbert has done artwork and writing in the field of nature spirituality for many years. The Gaian Tarot is a masterpiece, one of the highlights of her career. It’s also still a work in progress. This edition presents the Major Arcana, complete unto itself; the Minor Arcana are in development currently.
Each card draws its inspiration from Gaia, the living planet that gives us life. Joanna lives on an island, on the West Coast, and her art incorporates the many plants, animals, and other aspects of nature that she encounters. Some cards, like The Lovers use fairly traditional imagery. Others branch out more, adding Gaian motifs to the classic ones: The Gardener (The Empress) lounges among lush fruits and flowers instead of sitting on a throne; Lightning (The Tower) strikes a tree instead of a turret. Some cards are unique to this deck, and these are among the most striking examples: The Magician is a ritual drummer; The Canoe (The Chariot) features not only a man powering his own vehicle, but a pair of black-and-white orcas instead of one white animal and one black; Death is a complex and literal scene of a skeletal heron in a rotted boat, surrounded by flowers; Bindweed (The Devil) uses invasive species to illustrate a life horribly out of balance; and The Star shows a woman cupping starlight in her hands, above a sacred pool. Gaia, the World sums up the whole theme: a proud Grandmother, haloed by the sun, cradling Mother Earth in her arms, framed by animals and plants.
These pictures are vibrant, dynamic creations whose elements are assembled with painstaking care. Take the time to study them. As you’ll see in the booklet, other people have already remarked on the symbolism of creatures, colors, composition, and other aspects. Consider keeping a notebook of your thoughts as to personal meanings you find in these images. Most highly recommended.”
Tarot Passages Review of the Majors-Only Deck by Diane Wilkes (November 2004):
“There used to be commercials for Manischevitz Wine that claimed, ‘You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Manischevitz,’ or something like that. Or maybe I’m having hallucinations? Be that as it may, you don’t have to be Pagan to enjoy the Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert, but . . . oy — it doesn’t hurt. Seriously, no matter what your spiritual path is, this is one gorgeous deck. But it is seriously steeped in earth-centered lore and symbolism, and is, in my opinion, hands down the best tarot for Pagans around. . .”
Read the rest of the review on Tarot Passages.
