Kris Waldherr Books

The author of this deck had taken care of all the fine details that make a deck not only a work of art, but an excellent instrument for reading. Had been using the deck for relationships readings, of all kind, and the results had been amazing. The myths help improve the metaphors for my consultants reflections. Excellent work. Many empty decks are publish every day, so I feel lucky that this deck is so full of meaning.

The packaging is very appealing to me, I like the spread sheet being included, the cards are very good quality in my opinion with the designs appealing to me. The accompanying booklet details the story very well behind the Major Cards & gives a good one of the Minor Cards. Overall I would highly recommend this deck to others but also want to mention that someone totally new to Tarot may find it a bit hard to understand.
I rated this a 5 because I don't find anything about this set that would indicate less mind you the cards are a bit oversized but I don't find it difficult to shuffle them, someone with small hands could. I feel it also important to mention that it will sometime advertise it's hardcover but it is not always hardcover, again I didn't feel this worth rating it less... It's a 5 in my opinion...

"The Lover's Path Tarot is a tool to examine and improve relationships--whether they be [sic] with yourself, with your beloved, or with the world. Examining our preconceptions about love, the ways we yearn to connect with another, what we desire in a partner, is an act of self-illumination. More importantly, it's one way to take personal responsibility for our lives." - From the Little White Book

According to artist and author Kris Waldherr, relationships mirror our relationship with ourselves, as well as the world at large. In fact, love relationships, she says, can embody our perspective of how the Universe supports and nurtures us.

It is in this spirit that Ms. Waldherr offers The Lover's Path Tarot, a 78-card deck portraying the complex romantic relationships of couples from myth and history. From Cleopatra and Caesar in the Fertility card (Empress) to Romeo and Juliet in Tradition (Hierophant), central themes of devotion, decision, sacrifice and enduring love find expression in the Major Arcana.

The names of each couple are shown within the illustrations of the Majors, and most of the cards have been renamed:

0 Innocence
I Magic
II Wisdom
III Fertility
IV Power
V Tradition
VI Love
VII Desire
VIII Strength
IX Contemplation
X Fortune
XI Justice
XII Sacrifice
XIII Transformation
XIV Balance
XV Temptation
XVI Oppression
XVII Grace
XVIII Illusion
XIX Awakening
XX Judgment
XXI Triumph

The Minor Arcana of The Lover's Path Tarot depicts the progression of a classic love story for each of the four suits:

Cups: Tristan and Isolde - "...lives ruled by extreme emotions such as love, desire, sorrow, yearning and anger."

Staves: Siegfried and Brunnhilde - "...shows how the force of love can spur us to great deeds, making us strong where we were once weak."

Arrows: Cupid and Psyche - "...depicts how love grants wisdom."

Coins: Danae and Zeus - "...depicts the power of the suit of coins to transform lives."

The art, architecture, books and maps of the Italian Renaissance inspired the lovely paintings done by Ms. Waldherr. Using models of friends and associates, the main card art are watercolor underpaintings sealed with acrylic gel medium, with oil paints glazes layered over the top. The decorative borders were painted in gouache on handmade paper.

The 35-page LWB provides upright and reversed meanings for all cards, with brief notations on the correlating myth/history of the couples found on the Majors. Two relationship-oriented spreads are also included.

The two elements I found the most striking in The Lover's Path Tarot is the gorgeous portrayal of the Arrows suit (especially the heart-tipped arrows) and the small elemental painting on the bottom of the Minor cards (e.g. lush leaves for Coins/Earth, starry skies for Arrows/Air and so on.) Another nice touch is a folded pull-out showing five spreads--the "Lover's Path Spreadsheet".

At 4 ¾ x 3 ½ inches, the cards from this deck a more square than most, but although they're wider, smaller hands should have no trouble shuffling the deck (I have small hands and I can shuffle them fine; any bigger, though, and I'd probably have some difficulty). The backs appear fully reversible, but upon closer inspection, the marbling on the background isn't uniform.

I was disappointed to discover that The Lover's Path Tarot did NOT come with a full-size book. Judging by the size and heft of the box, I assumed that this deck came with a companion book. Alas, only a LWB is included in this over-packaged Tarot.

Unfortunately, there is no discussion about the scenes portrayed in the Minor Arcana, which supposedly arise from the components of four specific myths. In addition, Ms. Waldherr doesn't explain why she chose the myths to represent certain Majors (e.g., why Penelope and Odysseus were selected for the Justice card).

Although brief, the upright and reversed meanings in the LWB are surprisingly insightful, for the most part. Although I think The Lover's Path Tarot would be good for relationship readings and perhaps personal meditation, it's not a deck that I would use for reading--especially since I don't resonate with all the romantic drama central to this deck.

However, if you are drawn to dramatic stories of love and loss, and tend to have relationship issues crop up repeatedly in your life, The Lover's Path Tarot may be a great deck for gaining insight. In addition, those who admire Renaissance art will likely want The Lover's Path Tarot as an art deck.

(To see 12 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

The Goddess Wall Calendar is beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention to the fact that it was for 2007 rather than 2008. May paste calendar pages from a give-away calendar on it. May frame the pix. It is lovely to look at. Kris Waldherr's work is stunningly beautiful. I have purchased other items of hers & will purchase more.

I am an ardent fan of Kris Waldherr's "Goddess Tarot", and am just becoming happily acquainted with her work "The Book of Goddesses". As an artist, and as an author, she is an eloquent spokesperson for the divine feminine within each of us.

"The Book of Goddesses" 2007 Calendar transfers the illustrations from her exquisite book into calendar format. The goddesses are from diverse cultures, and through image and story they bring the Divine Feminine to life.

At 12 inches by 12 inches, this is a fairly good sized calendar. It is formatted into two parts: the upper half shows a vibrant, full color graphic of the Goddess, while the lower half shows the Goddess on the left handside of the page, with the monthly calender on the remaining three-quarters of the page. At the bottom of the lower page is a precis about the Goddess and her history.

The calender pages include US and religious holidays, and the new and full moons.

The first page of the calendar shows the last four months of the year 2006, under the auspices of the Goddess Isis. the story reads:

"From before 3000 BCE to the second century CE, Isis was worshiped in Egypt as teh great mother goddess of the universe. She was present every day at sunrise, and at the time of the new and full moons. Responsible for everything to do with wetness adn moisture, her milk nourished all living beings. Her traditional headdress, a sun disk between two cow horns, symbolizes her varied duties."

The goddesses represented include Isis, Venus, Benzai-ten, Lakshmi, Gwenhywfar, Kwan Yin, Psyche, Chang O, Xochiquetzal, Oya, Athena, adn Freyja.

Such beautiful illustrations and well written text make this calendar a joy to have on the wall, and a "keeper" when the year is over.

Besides being a gorgeous looking deck, this is very well thought out. Many goddesses will be new to most people and the book gives a simple background to their story to acquaint you with them.

This deck can be used and read like a standard tarot deck or it can just be enjoyed on it's own for inspirational readings, with or without the book. Pull a random card out and meditate on it's meaning - all are positive and uplifting.

I received this particular deck as a gift and I highly recommend it for gift giving. It wasn't something I would have bought for myself, but I am so glad I own it now.

For quite a while now I have been using Kris Waldherr's online Goddess Inspiration Oracle http://www.artandwords.com/goddesses/gid.html where you can choose a card to give you insight & encouragement. This has been during an extremely stressful and difficult time, whilst I was working at restoring my health after a physical breakdown and also in the initial stages of building a new online business. The challenges that I confronted each day were transformed by seeing the beautiful and reassuring images of the Goddess Inspiration Oracle kit! I was filled with hope and understanding about whatever life or day situation in which I had found myself. There can be no price put on this experience and I eagerly awaited the hard copy of the Goddess Inspiration Oracle when it became available. It is more of a delight than the online version and beautiful quality, small enough to take with you on the go!
As quoted in the book 'Inspiration. To take spirit into ourselves. Like the air surrounding us, we cannot see inspiration. But it is there nonetheless. And it animates when we least expect it.' However using the Goddess Inspiration Kit guarantees & facilitates inspiration when we need & search for it! I am an astrologer of 28 years experience and agree with Kris's comment in the accompanying book that most of the time our future is fluid & dependent on our actions & mindset. It then follows that the beautiful pictures and tender words of the Goddess Inspiration kit imply a positive outcome in any life situation in which we may find ourselves. The reason being is that we will look & feel more gently towards ourselves from using the kit leaving us open to respond to the magic of life rather than hardening & shutting down from challenges and missing subtle opportunities! This kit can help you transform your life by bathing you in Feminine magic and deepest wisdom in good times or bad.

"We are meant to be filled with joyful inspiration, to spill over with exuberant spirit. May the Goddess Inspiration Oracle animate your life with inspiration, providing you with an intimate experience of the Divine Feminine." - Kris Waldherr

From the brilliance of Athena to the compassion of Kuan Yin, the beauty of Freyja to the passion of Pele, stories of goddesses weave through centuries of myth and culture. Whether displaying feats of strength, imparting sage counsel or brokering peace, these threads of Divine Feminine energy provide models to emulate and contemplate.

For some, this energy is as real as breath itself, arriving on the wings of invocation. For others, the goddesses represent archetypal containers of specific traits that can be accessed for creative pursuits, personal growth, healing and illumination.

Artist and author Kris Waldherr couples the variegated energy of the Goddess with an accessible form of divination that anyone can use: oracle cards. The Goddess Inspiration Oracle unfurls the artistry from Ms. Waldherr's previous works, including The Goddess Tarot, Sacred Animals, Lover's Path Tarot and The Book of Goddesses.

Highlighting the unique energy of 80 different goddesses, the Goddess Inspiration Oracle and the 112-page companion book provide seekers with everything they need for consulting the Feminine Divine.

Do you need a dose of eloquence so that you may speak with confidence? Focus upon the Nigerian goddess Oya. Perhaps you feel a brush with luck or increased prosperity is in order? The Indian goddess, Lakshmi, is considered the sacred manifestation of abundance. If you've been passive for far too long, needing a backbone instead of a wishbone, perhaps the fiery Hawaiian goddess Pele would be your gal!

In addition to using these cards for affirmations or inspiration, the Goddess Inspiration Oracle serves as a comprehensive divination tool. Whether you require insight on past, present or future experiences, the wealth of goddesses--some well known and others more obscure--from cultures around the world stand ready to aid you on life's journey.

Here are but a few of the goddesses you'll find in the Goddess Inspiration Oracle:

* Aine, The Fairy Queen - Love, Light and Magic
* Brigit, The Fiery Arrow - Poetry, Artistry and Fire
* Demeter, The Mother - The Seasons, Motherhood, and Loss
* Gaia, Mother Earth - Creation, The Earth and Connection
* Hekate, The Dark One - Menopause, Wisdom and The Supernatural
* Inanna, Queen Moon - The Heavens, Strength and Resurrection
* Lalita, The Amorous - Love, Flirting and The Universe
* The Muses, Goddesses of Inspiration - The Arts, Science and Creativity
* Nut, The Celestial Vault - The Sky, The Stars and Protection
* Oshun, The Modest One - Water, Love and Fertility
* Rhiannon, The Horse Goddess - Progress, Happy Endings and Desire

In the companion book to the Goddess Inspiration Oracle, Ms. Waldherr explains the varied uses of this deck, and gives a brief bio of each of the goddesses--as well as a pertinent oracular phrase that is re-printed on the front of the corresponding card.

Cards measure 4-5/8 x 2-3/4 inches, but the painted images are less than 2 x 2 inches. A muddied chartreuse motif borders the small central image, with the same dull color echoed on the non-reversible backings. A dark monochromatic gray fills most of the background on the front of the cards.

Packaged in a flimsy box, The Goddess Inspiration Oracle also comes with a useful gold organdy bag with satin drawstrings. (Incidentally, the same bag comes with the Mystic Faerie Tarot).

I've had great success with Doreen Virtue's Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards (in fact, it's one of my favorite non-Tarot decks), so I looked forward to working with the Goddess Inspiration Oracle.

Unfortunately, these cards didn't work for me. One day, I was going through a particularly challenging time and drew a card that was entirely irrelevant. However, I stuck with it for a few days--pondering that, perhaps, there was some "hidden" message that I was overlooking. A few days later, I was having an incredible day hanging out with my husband, reading on the porch during a warm rain that lasted hours.

I thought I'd give this deck another try during this lovely time...just a peaceful "checking in" with the goddesses...so I shuffled thoroughly--and then drew *the exact same card as before*! Again, it was 100% irrelevant on all counts. I gave this deck two more tries, including as I was writing this review (I would have been delighted had it resonated!), but alas--nada.

This surprised and disappointed me--but I'm well aware that no oracle is perfect for everyone. But because the Goddess Inspirational Oracle has almost double the cards of a Doreen Virtue deck (80 as opposed to 44), I incorrectly assumed it would "double my pleasure" in accessing wisdom from the goddesses.

While this deck didn't work for me, it has a lot of potential, in theory. If you're a huge fan of Ms. Waldherr's writings and art, you'll no doubt enjoy the Goddess Inspiration Oracle. I love that the goddesses in this deck span many cultures (although, Mother Mary is notably absent here), so those wanting to connect with the Divine Feminine or increase their knowledge of goddesses around the world may also benefit from this deck.

(To see 12 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

in this book hades kidnaps the daughter of the goddess that brings spring zeus finds out and says he has to send her back IF she didnt eat anything well turns out she ate 3 little pieces of pomegranate so she has to stay with him 3 months out of the year and that is why we have winter her mother is depressed so she takes spring away

Kris Waldherr, famous for her beautiful artwork as seen in _The Book of Goddesses_ and _The Goddess Tarot_ sets her pen and paintbrush to the legend of Demeter and Persephone, with predictably lovely results. This is a G-rated and relatively gentle retelling of the story in which the young Persephone is taken away to the underworld to be the bride of Hades, god of death, causing her mother's mourning and bringing on winter until a compromise can be reached. I especially liked the fact that Waldherr made Persephone smart rather than passive, thinking up the solution by which she could please both mother and husband. And, like I said, it's relatively gently told. The scene where Hades's chariot bursts up from the earth is a little scary-looking, but Hades turns out to not be a bad guy in the end. A beautiful book for kids who like mythology.

This is a wonderfully written and illustrated book which would be wonderful for long time followers of the Goddess or would serve as an excellent introduction for newcomers. There are different sections in the book devoted to Goddesses focusing on specific areas of life. The meditations are simple, but profound. Just reading them immediately gives you a feeling of deeper understanding and connection with the Goddess in all her many guises. A very empowering book! I believe it would make a wonderful gift for anyone, but most especially any woman who is facing times of change or struggle, or one who maybe just needs to be reminded how amazing she is because of the simple fact that she is a woman.

I was very disappointed in the lack of depth of Embracing the Goddess Within. There is approxamately a paragraph stating the history or outline of the story concerning each goddess, then another page devoted to a "ritual" to connect with that goddess. I was aching for more substance... to use a familiar goddess, Aphrodite, as an example, Waldherr basically says that she's a greek goddess of romantic love, unwilling wife of Vulcan, etc. Then the "ritual" is to take a bath in rosepetals. I expected to gain some deeper understanding behind the culture of each goddess, but it's little more than what you would find in a "mythological encyclopedia."

My scholarly devotion to paganism had once followed a decidely Celtic path. That is until I picked up this book shortly after seeing Waldherr's Goddess Tarot. While it does not give an in-depth treatment of the selected goddesses, it gives you a taste of other traditions. The cultural diversity of this book is responsible for piquing my interest in Tara, Sarasvati, Kali Ma and Quan Yin - goddesses I now hold dear. I also think this would be a lovely book to give to your non-pagan girlfriends who you wish to gently introduce to your beliefs. Worth checking out.