Medicine Cards

This is an oracle rather than a standard Tarot, and consists of 52 animal-cards plus 9 blank shields for filling in your own favourite animal. [This is an improved, expanded edition - the original had only 44 pre-filled-in animal cards.]

The object is to divine the answers to questions, especially psychological questions, by referring to the qualities associated with various animals. The bias is heavily towards American animals, in a Native American setting.

The artwork is flawless and stunning and the cards are worth buying simply as a beautiful thing to take out and look at. Unfortunately the accompanying book is written in a breathlessly American, relentlessly jolly style like someone who is no good with children trying to talk to a five-year-old, full of exhortations to "Be strong, little friend". But of course, once you've learned the meaning of the cards you can dispense with the irritating book and work from memory.