New Edition of the Gaian Tarot Coming Soon!
Publication date is April 28, 2025
Dear Friends,
I’m very happy to announce that REDFeather/Schiffer will be publishing a Second Edition of the Gaian Tarot in April 2025! (Update: the publication date has been moved from February to April.)
The folks at REDFeather gave me a pleasant surprise last winter when they told me they wanted to publish a second edition of the Gaian Tarot. I’m thrilled! I was asked to keep this news under wraps (it was so hard!), but I can finally spread the word.
“The Gaian Tarot is a beautifully illustrated deck that has captivated tarot enthusiasts for years. In this new edition, Joanna Powell Colbert elevates the deck with additional spreads, updated interpretations, and insightful new exercises. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the world of tarot, the Gaian Tarot is destined to become a cherished favorite.”
— Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You're Dealt - How To Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook.
What’s New About This Edition?
To answer the question I know many of you have: YES! The cards are smaller than the ones in the first Schiffer edition. They measure approximately 3 1/4” x 5”. So much easier to shuffle than the larger 4”x6” cards.
We have a beautiful new design for the cards and book, too. The team at REDFeather/Schiffer has done a wonderful job.
I did not redo any of the artwork because of time constraints, but I did create a new design for the back of the cards. I picked up elements of the “Gaia the World” card and placed them against a birds-eye view of treetops. (Yes, I’m aware that the card back design is not reversible. I’m OK with that and hope you will be, too.)
“The Gaian Tarot is a soul friend and wisdom teacher for me — and can be for you, too. Out of her many years of practicing both the Tarot and earth spirituality, Joanna Powell Colbert has created a vibrant and beautiful deck that while firmly connected to the Rider Waite Smith Tarot tradition brings new and helpful perspectives to the cards. Esoteric and abstract symbols are often replaced with the living processes, cycles, and creatures — including humans; we are not outside of nature in the Gaian Tarot — of nature to awaken us to the magic inherent in the world. The deck’s colors and compositions speak a language beyond words to support meaning making across cards and within spreads.
Deck users will find the antidote to the most problematic situations presented by the Tarot within the Gaian’s images. In both my personal and professional Tarot practice, I turn to the Gaian for help in exploring both the most spiritual and most practical concerns and receive guidance for moving through our turbulent times with grace and gratitude, without ignoring grief, and toward a life lived in balance with the Whole. What a gift this deck is to the world!”
— Carolyn Cushing, Tarot practitioner and teacher
Revised & Updated Book
I spent a couple of months last winter updating and revising the book. You may know that I created the deck between 2000 and 2009, and wrote notes for the book as I was creating the artwork. The book was first published in 2010. As I read it over in early 2024, line by line, I heard myself muttering, “Well, I just don’t agree with that at all.” (Do you agree with your younger self? I would hope that we are growing and learning all the time.) So I rewrote some of the counsel for the sections that start “When you get this card in a reading …”
If you’re a longtime Gaian Tarot lover, you may remember that I wrote an affirmation for each card. I’m no longer a fan of affirmations. So I changed them to “pithy wisdom statements” like the ones in the Herbcrafter’s Tarot book, which were inspired by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince’s work in the Dark Goddess Tarot. Each wisdom statement in the new Gaian Tarot book begins with “Remember.” For example, the statement for the Seeker/Fool reads:
“Remember: Begin your journey with a light heart and an open mind.”
The word “remember” is a reminder that the querent already holds all the wisdom they need inside themselves. They just need to bring it to the surface of their consciousness, with a little help from the cards.
“The multicultural imagery of the Gaian Tarot shows human beings of all ages interacting with nature, animals, and each other. This has been my go-to deck for thirteen years. It was the first deck where I really saw myself reflected in the images of women with dark hair and dark skin. The illustrations show contemporary women who look like me and are empowered, taking up space, joyful, and dancing. As a somatic movement therapist and dance facilitator, the Gaian Tarot consistently inspires my creativity, provides sparks for embodiment, and always unlocks the deepest wisdom in my psyche and soul.”
— Jennifer Lucero-Earle, Registered Somatic Movement Therapist & Educator (RSMT/RSME)
I asked my editor friend Sara Ferguson to help me with issues of inclusion, pronouns, and cultural sensitivity. Sara is GenX to my Boomer status and is much more aware of these things than I am. Together we reworked some of the language in the book to bring it up to date. We changed pronouns to “they/them” on some of the figures, like the Teacher (Hierophant). The Teacher is one of those cards that I painted as male, but was frequently identified as female by readers. So “they/them” seemed like a perfect fit.
I kept most of the spreads and exercises from the first edition that so many folks have grown to love. But I added some new ones too, some really great ones! I reached out to some of my tarot friends and colleagues. I’m thrilled with new spreads and exercises from Jennifer Lucero-Earle, Morgan Glover, and James Wells, as well as golden oldies from James, Carolyn Cushing, and Beth Owl’s Daughter.
Available for Pre-Orders!
The deck is available to pre-order now from Bookshop.org or Amazon. You may know that pre-orders are extremely important to publishers and authors, so if you’re interested in having this new edition, I’d appreciate your pre-order so much.
>>> Pre-order from Bookshop.org
“For more than a decade, Joanna Powell Colbert’s Gaian Tarot has been my close companion—an essential tool for deepening connection to self, spirit, and earth. I couldn’t be more delighted to see this deck coming to the world in this beautiful new form. The revised companion book is as much a gift as the deck itself, bringing even more nuance and depth of wisdom to our interpretation of the cards. Far beyond a simple list of meanings, it is among the best resources available for cultivating an authentic relationship to the tarot, one that sustains every level of our human journey. The luminous Gaian Tarot brings much-needed healing, hope, vision, and wonder to this complex time on our beloved planet.”
— Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit.
Meanwhile, I’m donating to World Central Kitchen to support the good people helping those affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
If you’d like to donate directly to World Central Kitchen, you can do that here. They currently have teams on the ground in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mexico, Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and Ukraine.
“Joanna Powell Colbert’s illustrations for the Gaian Tarot are exquisite, accessible and identifiable. Her drawings of real people personify the ancient wisdom of the Tarot. Coupled with her meaningful interpretations, the deck is inclusive, inviting, and supportive even in the more difficult cards. I have loved the Gaian Tarot since its first edition in 2010. I use it for writing prompts, teaching, and personal guidance. I constantly learn from my reflections. This deck is a rich symbology—for beginners to scholars.”
— Christina Baldwin, author of Life’s Companion, Storycatcher, and The Circle Way.
As I mentioned above, I created the Gaian Tarot between 2000 and 2009 and first published it as a limited edition in 2010. Mass market editions followed in 2011 and 2016. I never would have thought that 2025 would see yet another edition of the deck. I’m very grateful. I want to especially thank Peggy Kellar, my editor at REDFeather/Schiffer, who has been such a delight to work with.
“There truly is no limit to the number of ways the Gaian Tarot’s visual beauty transforms messages. No other deck offers this degree of depth, guidance, insights, and truly unique perspectives. What Joanna has created is nothing short of magical.”
—Beverly Frable, teacher of Tarot and the divinatory arts
Here are the pre-order links again: Bookshop.org and Amazon. Thank you in advance for pre-ordering, if you’re so inclined, and thank you for sharing my excitement!
Next week we’ll be back to our study of the Major Arcana for paid subscribers. Next up: the Emperor / Builder.
Blessings of cards and creative dreams,
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links to Bookshop.org or my website shop.
About me: I’m Joanna Powell Colbert, creator of the Gaian Tarot and the Pentimento Tarot, and co-creator of the Herbcrafter’s Tarot. I write and teach about tarot, earth-centered spirituality, seasonal & lunar lore, and creativity as a spiritual practice. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.
Dear Joanna
Pre-ordered and looking forward so much to getting the second edition!! I have #608 of 1000, which my daughters call the "beautiful tarot". And the Herbcrafters, I love them both very much.
Thank you for all your work!
I’m so thrilled and excited 💚 Thank you for sharing this next incarnation of your wonderful deck with us. I’m at a loss for words to say how much GT means to me and how it has transformed my and supported my practice over the years. Love you, my friend!