Let's introduce our decks....
Name of Deck and creator/publisher
Link to any site with pictures of cards if you have it.
I too will be working with the Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams
http://www.jamiesams.net/letter-to-readers.cfm
A brief description of animal guide beliefs/culture/folklore etc that the deck is based on. Or Native American beliefs if the deck is slanted more that way.
What made you pick the deck?
I do know Jamie a little, from waaaay long ago when both of yo were young and receiving teachings from the same Medicine teacher.
The Medicine Cards are a mayor reading deck of mine- for public readings for my querants with First Nations heritage or background.
Do you have a specific animal guide present in this deck, if so, which one?
Well, I myself am part Siberian indigenous, from my father's side - from North West Tuva, north of the Yenesay River.
From my father's side I am Wolf Clan, so Ee'ren Börü is my paternal Clan Guardian/ Totem.
Ada's personal Medicine Guides were Magpie and Lynx, So they have deep meaning to me.
His Gran was the healer shaman of the tribe and her Animal Guardians were the Owl and the Tigress.
They raised Reindeer..... so guess what.....
The whole clan system had an overarching spiritual protector - an Irbis = Snow Leopard...
My maternal grandmother was Manoush Gypsy and her maiden name was "Usari" which means Bear.
They trained Bears for performances in the circus where they worked. (NO violence, but lots of honey!!!
)
I have written about Gran Elizza and her Tarot reading habits elsewhere in the forum and on my blog, so suffice to say, that her personal Guardian was a small Screech Owl
Now, I follow the ways of my Siberian Ancestors and their shamanic traditions in which I was raised.
My personal Guardians are a small Ferret and my small Owl, But All the Guardians of my family play a very important role in my shamanic practice.
Ad to that, that I live waaaay out in the bush and see many of the Animals in this deck on a regular basis....
Right now, as I am writing this, a small Flying Squirrel is sitting outside the sliding door to my left and dining on his nightly ration of Sunflower seeds.
3 days ago we had 2 Wolves walking down the frozen creek and photographed them from the living room window.....
http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=4162668&postcount=232
So, yes, no wonder, this is an important deck to me.