The Tarot truly comes alive in the 78 cards of the World Spirit Tarot. You'll find people of every size and color in this vibrant modern version of the traditional Tarot. Nonhierarchical and gender inclusive, the images reflect the authentic beauty of people who embody the qualities of their cards, from desperation and power to intimacy and joy. The cards look like woodcuts, but they are actually hand-colored linoleum block prints featuring uniquely stylized artwork with an otherworldly quality that defies imitation. Instead of "reversed" and "upright" meanings, the accompanying book offers new insights by describing the "gift" and "shadow" of each card, an approach that fosters the understanding of a continuum of meaning rather than of polar opposites. In the following excerpt, World Spirit Tarot creators Jessica Godino and Lauren O'Leary describe the deck's unique synthesis of old and new symbols: "In the World Spirit Tarot, Lauren has drawn from Pamela Smith's designs as well as from those of another Golden Dawn artist, Frieda Harris, who worked for Aleister Crowley on the Thoth Tarot. She has also added new symbols and images and, in some cases, created an entirely new scenario, to make a deck that is more globally oriented and suited to our times. In the World Spirit Tarot, people of many colors and cultures enliven the cards. Tarot, as we see it, is a mirror for self-reflection, a way to stop and pay attention to what the world has to say to you. We wrote this book for people who want to use the tarot as a tool for helping to make conscious choices. It is meant to be practical and designed to give immediate insight into the situation at hand."