Medicine Woman Tarot by Carol Bridges

78 cards plus a book. A complete tarot, Major and Minor Arcana, with Carol Bridges's companion guide to the imagery and spreads.

A gentle watercolor style. Soft, nature-centered art, quite different in feel from the bold Rider-Waite-Smith line.

Reworked suits and titles. Bridges renames and reframes the traditional structure around her own themes, so it reads a little differently from a standard deck.

• 78-card tarot deck with companion book
• Creator: Carol Bridges
• First published 1989
• SKU: DMEDWOM0TA

The Medicine Woman Tarot draws on Carol Bridges's own interpretation of Native American imagery and earth-centered spirituality, filtered through the New Age sensibility of the late 1980s. That heritage is worth naming plainly. The deck is the work of one non-Native artist and author; it is not made, authorized, or endorsed by any tribal nation, and its "Native American symbolism" is Bridges's personal artistic interpretation rather than the teaching of any specific Indigenous tradition.

We say that because the honest framing matters. Plenty of readers value this deck for its gentleness and its nature focus, and it has a real following. It is also a product of its moment, and the borrowing of Indigenous themes by non-Native creators is something a thoughtful buyer may reasonably want to weigh. We would rather set that out and let you decide than sell it with the "ancient wisdom made accessible" language that papers over the question.

1. Read the book first. Bridges reworks the traditional structure enough that the guide is genuinely needed, more than with a standard deck.
2. Cleanse it dry. Smoke, sound, or moonlight. Keep cards away from salt and water, which warp them.
3. Set a question. Hold your query in mind as you shuffle.
4. Draw a simple spread. One card, or past / present / guidance, reading against the book's meanings.
5. Journal what comes. The deck's soft imagery rewards reflection over quick verdicts.

• Mermaid Tarot Deck & Book. Another gentle, nature-themed independent deck.
• Green Aventurine Tumbled Stones, 1 lb. An earth-and-heart stone that suits the deck's register.
• White Selenite Wand. To rest the deck on and cleanse it without water.
• Clear Quartz Points, 1 lb. Clarity and amplification for a reading space.
• White Sage Smudge Stick. To clear the space before a reading.

How many cards, and is there a book? 78 cards, a full tarot, with a companion book by the creator that you will want, since the deck reworks the traditional structure.

Is this an authentic Native American deck? No, and it is important to be clear: it is one non-Native artist's personal interpretation of Native American imagery, not the work or teaching of any tribal nation, and not authorized by one. Weigh that as you see fit.

Is it good for beginners? Its gentleness suits beginners, but its reworked structure means you will lean on the book more than with a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

How do I care for the cards? Cleanse with smoke or moonlight, keep them out of salt and water, and store them in their box or a cloth.

Who made it? Carol Bridges, first published in 1989.