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Inner Child Cards

A Fairy-Tale Tarot

Illustrated by Christopher Guilfoil
Published by Bear & Company
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

A new and updated edition of the popular tarot deck that reawakens the child in all of us.

• Uses the important archetypes of childhood fairy tales to awaken emotional memory and heal the child within.

• Excellent for dream work, the recovery process, and use with children.

Inner Child Cards is a tarot system that helps us interact with the world's most potent archetypes. The authors assign an archetypal childhood story to each image in the traditional tarot deck. Cinderella aligns with the Moon card, traditionally associated with the power of dreams and visions. Sleeping Beauty parallels the Death card with its theme of personal metamorphosis. Little Red Cap stands in for the Fool (the innocent).

Before the Age of Reason higher learning was transmitted through archetypal characters in stories and fairy tales. In modern times these all-important stories have been relegated to a secondary position, with no recognition of their deeper meaning. The whimsical art and familiar characters of the Inner Child Cards will awaken dormant emotional memory that has been trapped in long-forgotten childhood stories. Tarot has always had an uncanny capacity to act as a "hall of mirrors" reflecting the true trajectory of life. By referencing fairy-tale archetypes, Inner Child Cards gives adults an especially clear reflection of the child within and imaginative access to the soul's own personal truth. And because of their playful nature, these cards are equally well suited for use with children.

About The Authors

Isha Lerner is a professional astrologer, tarot consultant, and flower essence practitioner. She is the author of three book/deck sets, Inner Child Cards, The Power of Flowers, and The Triple Goddess Tarot, as well as the Inner Child Cards Workbook. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Mark Lerner has extensively researched the correlations between tarot, astrology, fairy tales, psychology, and healing since 1972, and he is the publisher of the astrological magazine Welcome to Planet Earth.

About The Illustrator

Product Details

  • Publisher: Bear & Company (December 1, 2001)
  • Length: 336 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781879181823

Raves and Reviews

"I was fascinated by the imaginative transformation of traditional Tarot images to Inner Child archetypes. . . . fun, elegant, and powerful."

– Dawn Baumann Brunke, Alaska Wellness, November/December 2001

"It gives an especially clear reflection of the child within and imaginative access to the soul's own personal truth."

– Arizona networkingNews, June/July 2002

"Aside from being a lovely deck, it's a great tool for getting your inner child and higher self to connect."

– Aquarius, October 2002

"A delightful odyssey. The images and stories of childhood become an enchanting guide for inner reflection."

– Wayne Muller, author of Legacy of the Heart: The Spiritual Advantages of a Painful Childhood

"The authors have accomplished nothing less than a symbolic miracle. Inner Child Cards plucks and plays resonant chords of emotional memory and the psychic life trapped away in long-forgotten childhood stories."

– Antero Alli, author of Astrologik and Angel Tech

"[The cards] are filled with the images, fairy tales, and stories that bridge the archetypal realm of the child and the future potential of the adult."

– Psychological Perspectives

"This remarkable 320 page book & 78 full-color tarot card set is a perfect gift item for someone you love, including yourself! The book . . is a small masterpiece in itself."

– Awareness, May 2002

"The art on these cards places this deck in a class by itself compared to other decks.The scenes are simple yet highly evocative and magical. The bright, primary colors are used with a skill rarely seen in Tarot decks. Collectors will want to buy this deck for the artwork alone. The text is well-written and concise."

– Lee A. Bursten, www.Artof Tarot.com

"This is a great deck to use when reading for children or those who may otherwise be hesitant to use one of the traditional decks.The Inner Child Cards are wonderful for tarot collectors, as the illustrations are vivid and energetic. I highly encourage all tarot enthusiasts to consider purchasing this deck for variety and added insight."

– Dawn Shainheit, CPTR, www.ArtofTarot.com

"The stories behind each card are at once familiar and enlightening. The stunning illustrations are vivid and fantastical."

– The Blessed Bee, Summer 2004, Issue 21

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Isha Lerner