Herbal Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Jan 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

TemperanceAngel	01 Jan 2004
I was wondering if anyone else on Aeclectic owns this deck? If so, do you read with it? It's a beautiful deck for anyone with an interest with herbs :) XTAX

Ruby Red Slippers	01 Jan 2004
I have this deck, but I don't read with it. Probably because I have my few fav's. I like the deck though and the book is good too. RRS

TemperanceAngel	01 Jan 2004
Ooohh, I don't have the book, tell me more :D XTAX

Ruby Red Slippers	03 Jan 2004
It gets into all of the herbs for each card, it gives the spiritual properties, medicinal properties and dose & preparation for same. It also offers an explanation of the herb in relation to the card + key word meanings. Hope this helps. The book expands the deck expontentially. RRS

TemperanceAngel	03 Jan 2004
Thanks RRS, when I got to work yesterday it was there, I mean the book :) so I put it on hold. Can't wait to get it :D XTAX

Red Emma	03 Jan 2004
I began growing and working with herbs in the fifties. At the time there were only two good books on the subject, and I devoured them both. I must have been an herbalist-healer in a previous life. Working with them seems like a part of myself. So, when I discovered the Herbal Tarot, how could I resist? At the moment I don't use them often. I seem drawn to specific decks at specific times. Last summer, it was about the only deck I could use. They are accurate, and friendly. Like comfy old clothes.

lark	04 Jan 2004
I too have been growing and using herbs since the 70's. So you've got me beat Red Emma :) But I like this deck very much. The herbs pictured on it are old friends to me. I always seem to pull this deck out and use it most in the spring, when my gardening season is in full swing. Plants and seeds and herbs and things are on my brain and this deck understands that and talks to me in garden language. Right when I'm most open to understanding things in that way.

Red Emma	04 Jan 2004
An addendum to my post about the two books available in the fifties. In their discussion of indivdual herbs they would say things like, "St. John's Wort is said to alleviate depression," and leave the reader with the impression that it would not be safe to try such outlandish ideas. I did want to experiment a little, but my strait-laced husband discouraged it. Now when he has a cold he's the first to say, "Why are we out of ginger tea?" The world has moved on. Thank the good Goddess.

Ruby7	04 Jan 2004
Hi Red Emma, I am curious, what were the two books available to you in the fifties? I became interested in herbs and natural healing in the nineties (forty years later!) and as you know there are so many books to choose from now. Ruby7

ribbitcat	04 Jan 2004
Hi - Just a thought for those not in/from the US : many of the herbs are specifically native to America . Which is not to say they might not be available elsewhere ....but I found the deck and book disappointing , as it had so few of my own familiars included .

TemperanceAngel	04 Jan 2004
I too have a huge interest in herbs, and study Herbal Medicine as part of my degree, and did it in previous incarnations. I thought this deck would help me with my study. Being Australian, we don't study native plants, but mainly British ones, and some Chinese. ribbicat, I see you are from England, I have noticed that some of the herbs in the deck have different names to the English version. There latin binomials are the same though. Red Emma, you must have an exstensive knowledge of herbs, were the books Culpepper and Grieves by any chance? Lark, you as well must be very herb knowledgable. Nice to meet other herbalists around the boards :) XTAX

ribbitcat	05 Jan 2004
Hi TA :-) [quote]Originally posted by TemperanceAngel [ I thought this deck would help me with my study. Being Australian, we don't study native plants, but mainly British ones, and some Chinese. ** Why is that ? Are there not many native Australian herbs ?? ribbicat, I see you are from England, I have noticed that some of the herbs in the deck have different names to the English version. There latin binomials are the same though. ** Yes , but still some are ...umm...not what I was expecting or looking for :-( Red Emma, you must have an exstensive knowledge of herbs, were the books Culpepper and Grieves by any chance? ** I like Grieves and Culpeper :-) Gerard is also a hoot LOL Nice to meet other herbalists around the boards :) ** I am fascinated by poisons in particular ;-> ribbitcat

TemperanceAngel	05 Jan 2004
ribbicat, australian herbal plant medicinal properties are largely unknown, due to the fact that they have never been written down, the tradition has been oral. As with a lot of indigenous cultures, and a lot has been lost. Herbal Medicine as we know it is British, of course, because that's where it started, in the 'mother land', so to speak and then it travelled to the USA and OZ etc. Hope that helps :) XTAX

ribbitcat	05 Jan 2004
Hi TA - I see - thanks for that :-) Time someone undertook a project to record the oral stuff , don't you think ? ribbit

TemperanceAngel	05 Jan 2004
Some of it is being, but not an easy task, big country, lots of different tribes, some of the tribes no longer with us. Australia is very young and has plenty of time to develop their Herbal Medicine. There are Australian Bush Flower Essences available :) XTAX

bonnycat	08 Jan 2004
Got this deck for xmas and love it I have not been into herbs as long as some of you but it is one of my passions. I know what you mean I never thought of Watermelon as a herb as such however it fits for me as I have fond memories of eating it as a child The only herb I think should be in the pack that is not is Rosemary. I can however live with that, it still has a lot to teach me about both herbs and tarot

TemperanceAngel	08 Feb 2004
I finally paid off my Herbal tarot book yesterday and it is such a breath of fresh air and inspiration to me :D I have decided to use my deck in readings for people re: health and herbal interest and get them to draw 4 cards from the deck fanned and use all, some or one of the Herbs. This doesn't mean they have to take it internally, they can burn it, bathe in it and so on and so forth. What do you herbies think of that idea? XTAX

Hedera	08 Feb 2004
I've recently bought this deck (and the book), and I really like it. I haven't worked with it yet, I'm just slowly exploring it. It seems very appropriate for spring! It's calm and gently and cheerful, and every detail in the pictures seems well thought-out. I didn't know this when I bought the deck, but it's also very multi-ethnical; people with all kinds of skin colours. Great! Oh, and lots of bare feet, which I really like. ;)

Hedera	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by bonnycat The only herb I think should be in the pack that is not is Rosemary. I can however live with that, it still has a lot to teach me about both herbs and tarot [/b] Bonnycat, I really like Rosemary too, but fortunately it is on the backs of the cards. I love these backs, they might be my favourites so far!

TemperanceAngel	09 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Hedera It seems very appropriate for spring! We are coming into Autumn here, but you are so right, I think I got my deck in the Spring...XTAX

bonnycat	10 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Hedera Bonnycat, I really like Rosemary too, but fortunately it is on the backs of the cards. I love these backs, they might be my favourites so far! silly me did not even notice love the deck more now

TemperanceAngel	10 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by bonnycat silly me did not even notice love the deck more now bonnycat I didn't notice either :) Have you seen the courses offered in the back of the book? Has anyone ever looked into them? xTAx

Red Emma	11 Feb 2004
[quote]Originally posted by ribbitcat [b]Hi TA :-) Quote: Originally posted by TemperanceAngel [ red emma, you must have an exstensive knowledge of herbs, were the books culpepper and grieves by any chance? ** i like grieves and culpeper :-) gerard is also a hoot lol ribbitcat [/b] Ribbitcat, sorry it took me so long to answer your question. Thiings have been a bit lively at my house of late. The two books I used during the fifties were by Fox, and Clarkson. I loved them. I didn't know about Culpepper until, 20 years later, I found myself in Oxford, England and stumbled across a magnificent book store. I saw the Culpepper book and bought it on the spot. Recently I was reading a book by a French -- aromatherapist, I think. I can't find any reference to it this morning, so all I'm saying about him is from memory. The book itself, with its dense old fashioned type, seems to have been printed in the thirties or forties. Although it's hard to imagine anyone getting a book printed in France during the forties as much of it was occupied by the German Army. Anyhow, in the book he said that the Culpepper became a giant controversy when it was published. At the time medicine was pretty much controlled by established medical societies. (Sound familiar?). What Culpepper had done was to gather all the information about herbal healing he could find and publish it so that common folk would have access to the information. Still, since few people were literate, one wonders how even that would help a lot. Perhaps then the herbal information was available to enough who could read, that it filtered through society. Or something like that. Any historians in the crowd? Cheers, RE

The Herbal Tarot thread was originally posted on 01 Jan 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.