Inspire self and planetary healing through this beloved Tarot honoring Gaia and Her wonders—now in a revised second edition!
The Gaian Tarot is a contemporary, multicultural deck designed for those who practice an earth-centered spirituality. The deck is mythical yet rooted in the natural world, paying homage to Gaia (Mother Nature) and Her many children. Featuring 78 stunning cards and accompanying guide book, this highly anticipated second edition features an updated card design, new art for the card backs, revised guidebook content, an updated box, and (by popular request) slightly reduced card size for easier shuffling.
The Gaian Tarot is a contemporary, multicultural deck designed for those who practice an earth-centered spirituality. The deck is mythical yet rooted in the natural world, paying homage to Gaia (Mother Nature) and Her many children. Featuring 78 stunning cards and accompanying guide book, this highly anticipated second edition features an updated card design, new art for the card backs, revised guidebook content, an updated box, and (by popular request) slightly reduced card size for easier shuffling.
The Gaian Tarot is easy for beginners to use, but is also rich enough to appeal to seasoned readers. Approachable and picturesque, Gaian is great for writers, creatives, and those new to Tarot cards.
The Major Arcana cards represent 22 soul lessons and archetypes that grew out of the religious and mystical worldview of Renaissance Europe, revisioned for modern life. The Minors illustrate elements, numbers, and people. Interpretations include uprights and reverse divinatory meanings, themes, exercises, symbolism, journal questions, wisdom statements, and 13 spreads, including five new ones.
Discover the wonders of Gaia and welcome Her insight, healing, and inspiration into your spiritual practice with The Gaian Tarot.
You can see the unboxing video on TikTok or Youtube and the complete flickthrough on TikTok or Youtube. I also posted two spreads, an interview spread and the River of Story spread.
Please note that I haven't used the first edition so I can't give a comparison; this review focuses solely on the current, second edition.
I. First Impressions
Minor Arcana: The Minor Arcana is fully illustrated. As with the Majors, the suits have been renamed to Water, Earth, Air and Fire, and the Courts are now Child, Explorer, Guardian and Elder. Unlike some renamed decks, I found these made perfect sense and were easy to remember and read. In general, the images match the theme of the suit; Air features birds, butterflies or takes place outside, Earth cards are set in woods or farmers' markers brimming with produce, Fire cards have actual fire or energetic movement, and Water cards all have water. These cards are full of life and colour.
Card Stock and Size: The blurb says the cards have been reduced in size for this edition. They're still on the large size for tarot cards, just at the limits of my hand span, though I can shuffle them perfectly well on the length instead of the width. The size lets the details come through clearly. The edges are gilded which gives them a lovely feel and look. The card stock seems sturdy, with no sign of bending or chipping after being used every day for a few weeks.
III. The Guidebook
Spreads and Techniques: The book features ten spreads, as well as advice for three card pulls. Some of the spreads are designed to be used at specific times, ie at the dark moon or the New Year. so I haven't been able to try them yet, but I'm looking forward to them! The instructions are clear and plain and they look like a good balance of meaningful and easy to follow.
IV. In Use
Clarity of Readings: These worked so well in meanings it was almost scary. Individual cards were clear and meaningful. Spreads flowed into each other. I've really enjoyed reading with these.
Suitability for Different Skill Levels: As mentioned above, some of the cards don't follow RWS, so they could be tricky for complete beginners. However, they are absolutely beautiful, and I really enjoyed reading with them, so yes I do recommend them for purchase.
Unboxing Experience: The Gaian Tarot comes in a box about the size of a hardback book. Artwork from the cards features on the cover. It opens on the right hand side with a magnetic closure. It's very sturdy - I'd feel safe putting this in my bag and carrying it around. The cards are in two piles in a well under the hefty Little White Book.
Artwork Style: The art is mostly-realistic images with brilliant colours. There's a strong nature/pagan flavour to the art, though it isn't explicitly identified as pagan - that's just the way I see it.
II. The Cards
Artwork Style: The art is mostly-realistic images with brilliant colours. There's a strong nature/pagan flavour to the art, though it isn't explicitly identified as pagan - that's just the way I see it.
II. The Cards
The cards feature this non reversible back:
Major Arcana: The Major Arcana has Strength at 8 and Justice at 11. The names are written across the bottom in a handwritten font, with the numbers in Arabic. Pictures are contained within a frame. Some of the names have been changed; a few are minor, like the Priestess and the Wheel, and some are completely different. I won't list them all, but the Emperor has become the Builder, the Tower has become Lightning and Judgment is now Awakening.
Minor Arcana: The Minor Arcana is fully illustrated. As with the Majors, the suits have been renamed to Water, Earth, Air and Fire, and the Courts are now Child, Explorer, Guardian and Elder. Unlike some renamed decks, I found these made perfect sense and were easy to remember and read. In general, the images match the theme of the suit; Air features birds, butterflies or takes place outside, Earth cards are set in woods or farmers' markers brimming with produce, Fire cards have actual fire or energetic movement, and Water cards all have water. These cards are full of life and colour.
Card Stock and Size: The blurb says the cards have been reduced in size for this edition. They're still on the large size for tarot cards, just at the limits of my hand span, though I can shuffle them perfectly well on the length instead of the width. The size lets the details come through clearly. The edges are gilded which gives them a lovely feel and look. The card stock seems sturdy, with no sign of bending or chipping after being used every day for a few weeks.
III. The Guidebook
Writing Style and Readability: Joanna has clearly worked deeply with tarot for a long time, and her expertise shines through; she knows how to talk about tarot without turning it into a lecture.
Card Meanings: Major cards each get three pages, with keywords, upright and reversed (shadow) meanings, explanations of the symbols in the image and suggested journalling questions. There's an insert for Strength as the printed version has accidentally left out the upright meaning. Minors have one page, with a quick description of the image, upright and reversed meanings and a theme sentence. The Minors are arranged by number, and each new number has a page explaining the traits shared by that number across suits. Courts have been gendered balanced, with two women and two men at each level.
Card Meanings: Major cards each get three pages, with keywords, upright and reversed (shadow) meanings, explanations of the symbols in the image and suggested journalling questions. There's an insert for Strength as the printed version has accidentally left out the upright meaning. Minors have one page, with a quick description of the image, upright and reversed meanings and a theme sentence. The Minors are arranged by number, and each new number has a page explaining the traits shared by that number across suits. Courts have been gendered balanced, with two women and two men at each level.
Spreads and Techniques: The book features ten spreads, as well as advice for three card pulls. Some of the spreads are designed to be used at specific times, ie at the dark moon or the New Year. so I haven't been able to try them yet, but I'm looking forward to them! The instructions are clear and plain and they look like a good balance of meaningful and easy to follow.
IV. In Use
Intuition and Connection: When I first looked through the deck, I thought that some of the cards looked cluttered and hard to read, but as I worked with them I changed my mind. A couple of them are busier than others, but every element adds to the meaning. However, several of the images don't connect at all to the standard RWS. They're beautiful and they spark intuitive meaning, but they aren't RWS, and neither are the meanings in the book. This isn't necessarily a negative, but it is something the user should be aware of.
Clarity of Readings: These worked so well in meanings it was almost scary. Individual cards were clear and meaningful. Spreads flowed into each other. I've really enjoyed reading with these.
Suitability for Different Skill Levels: As mentioned above, some of the cards don't follow RWS, so they could be tricky for complete beginners. However, they are absolutely beautiful, and I really enjoyed reading with them, so yes I do recommend them for purchase.
If this deck was a card...it would be the EMPRESS. Kind, gentle, knowing, and not afraid to give you a boot to get you moving if that's what's needed.
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