Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert

… healing the earth, healing ourselves …

Ace of Earth

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A newborn fawn nestles up against the base of a red cedar, surrounded by the unfolding spirals of young fiddlehead ferns. Deer are common yet magical animals, who have the reputation of being able to lead one into the Otherworld. Grown stags symbolize virility and strength, as well as the wildness of the woods. Of Read more

Two of Earth

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A young father balances his baby sons in his arms as he shops for ingredients for the family’s meal at the local market. One baby howls while the other is placid. The dad compares prices and weighs options for dinner while simultaneously soothing one baby and hugging the other. The West African symbol on his Read more

Three of Earth

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Three women make tinctures, teas, salves and other healing concoctions out of the herbs they’ve gathered in gardens and fields.  They work joyfully together to create aromatic medicine for the good of the community.  A traditional meaning for this card is “building the house of the Goddess.” In this case, the temple of the Goddess Read more

Four of Earth

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On a beautiful autumn day, a grey squirrel pauses to nibble on an acorn as he gathers nuts and seeds to save for the winter to come. He is surrounded by a stash of acorns, and even more tumble out of an opening in the trunk of a maple tree. In Inuit culture, an inukshuk Read more

Five of Earth

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A hiker finds himself lost in the deep woods when a storm blows in. He builds a debris hut and hunkers down inside it to wait out the night. Even though he’s cold and uncomfortable, he knows he has the skills he needs to survive and make it safely out of the wilderness once the Read more

Six of Earth

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At a local Farmers’ Market, vendors and customers exchange energy in the tangible form of money for goods. We buy our greens and carrots from the farmer who lives down the road, and in doing so we support her commitment to farming organically and sustainably. In return, we receive fresh and delicious foods that nourish Read more

Seven of Earth

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A woman plants a red cedar sapling near a creek where salmon spawn. She is volunteering for a habitat restoration project in an area that was once heavily logged. Alder trees have since sprung up, working to restore the land to health by breathing nitrogen into their leaves and transfer- ring it into the soil Read more

Eight of Earth

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Like a master craftsman and his apprentice, a father teaches his young daughter to drum. He is a mentor and role model to her, and the devotion be- tween them seals the lessons of rhythm and tempo. As she learns the intricacies of drumming, she cultivates patience, as skill is developed over many long hours Read more

Nine of Earth

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A woman stands in the midst of a lavender field in full bloom on a sacred island where she has put down roots and made her home. She’s reached a time in her life when she is fulfilled, content and at peace with her home and her creative work. Even when she spends time in Read more

Ten of Earth

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In the deep forest, we come across a “nurse stump” or “nurse log,” a tree that has fallen during a storm or been cut down. As the log decays, it provides fertile ground for new growth to take root in its dying body. Insects and fungi hurry along the decomposition process. Squirrels and other creatures Read more

Child of Earth

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The Child of Earth holds a ripe apple in his small hands. It’s fresh-picked, right off the tree, and its tangy aroma tickles the Child’s nose. It feels heavy, solid and grounding in his hands. He gazes at the apple as if it holds all the mysteries of the universe — and perhaps it does Read more

Explorer of Earth

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The Explorer of Earth is a tracker, one who knows how to read the stories imprinted on the earth by the birds and animals who live there. Her awareness of the life of the forest is keen. She has been examining the duff at the base of the fir tree, looking for tracks or scat Read more