Customer Reviews

Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self-Discovery - A Book of Exploration and 40 Cards

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
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"[Horses] mirror, and help us recover, the beauty, power, and nobility of our own spirit hat elusive Presence so easily lost in the frenzy and disconnection of civilized life. Now that horses are now longer obliged to work in our fields and carry us to war, they're free to do something arguably more important: work on us." - From the book

Three years in the works, the Way of the Horse oracle deck and companion book are a masterful combination of the "archetypal realistic" art of Kim McElroy and profound essays of Linda Kohanov. Ms. Kohanov, a writer and riding instruction specializing in equine-facilitated human development, conveys the exquisite sensitivity of horses--especially in terms of intuition, present-moment awareness and the detection of human emotion--with the oracular messages from the Way of the Horse deck.

A 40-card deck graced with lavish matte illustrations by Ms. McElroy, the Way of the Horse cards captures the spirit of these majestic animals, as well as mythological equines such as Chiron, Pegasus and the Hippomorphic goddess Demeter.

For each of the cards in this deck, the author provides three themes, as well as the Gift and Challenge. Weaving archetypal ideas, Jungian psychology, moving anecdotes and equine wisdom, Ms. Kohanov reminds us to use the Way of the Horse cards for inspiration, insight and healing in the present moment--rather than as fortunetelling devices aimed at giving pat answers or detailing the future.

Because of my lack of familiarity with horses, I was surprised at the extent I resonated with the author's introduction--let alone the cards themselves and the accompanying essays!

Published by New World Library, the deck and 255-page clothbound hardcover companion book comes in a sturdy box--almost too sturdy, in fact! (I had a hard time removing the cloth-bound companion book from its niche, and was wary of tugging the chocolate-hued satin ribbon for fear that I would tear something. Happily, the ribbon intended to ease extraction wasn't too damaged after my tug of war session!)

The cards measure approximately 5 x 3 ½ inches and have their own box for ease of portability.

Although I've never been especially attracted to horses, the Way of the Horse box set sparkled with possibility from the time I laid eyes on the cards. After reading the introduction in the companion book, I realized this was, indeed, a special oracle.

I then felt to place the deck face down, fanning out the cards. I kept "hearing" the number 2, and was guided to select card #2 (I hadn't shuffled the deck).

I smiled when I saw that the them was "Believe", encouraging faith in the unknown and unformed, especially in light of the Authentic Self freed from the defensive scaffolding of the ego.

As I began to read the essay on Card 2, the commentary reminded me of a book I happen to be reading right now--A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. Imagine my surprise when Ms. Kohanov mentions this EXACT book within Card #2's essay!

Needless to say, the synchronistic spiritual truths offered by the author (and the equines!) ministered to my spirit and uplifted my soul.

Whether you raise horses, love to ride them, or adore equine art, you'll no doubt fall in love with the Way of the Horse book and deck. However, even if you're not familiar with horses or don't feel particularly attracted to them (but care about and honor animals), there is a wealth of practical guidance, heart-warming stories and pathways to healing found in both the companion book and the stunning art of Ms. McElroy.

(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)

I ordered these cards because I was planning to buy a set for a friend who is a horse-lover. This is not a traditional tarot deck, but instead a deck defining different aspects of life and offering a unique lens for looking at these aspects. There isn't any skill involved in using these cards (just pick a card in the morning or lay out 3 if asking a particular question) but they seem to offer insights at first use. The first question I asked this deck involved a relationship and I pulled card 6, "Rivalry" which described two people in a partnership wanting to dominate when it could be a more cordial relationship. I was able to discuss this insight with my partner. This deck lends itself to meditation, and is definitely the kind of deck you can use for deeper insights about a situation. It is not the kind of deck for "yes or no" answers. Also, the explanatory chapters on each card goes for several pages so be prepared to sit and read a while when you pull your card, as there are no quick answers in this deck. The book makes interesting reading on its own. The cards are beautifully drawn and perfect for any horse lover. If you want a deck of "wisdom" cards to look at daily, these are very suitable. There is so much wisdom to be drawn from horses, and with evocative cards such as "Kairos," "Merlin's Spirit," "Keeper of the Mysteries," "Maste of Sadness," and others, these cards and book allow a deeper look at any issue you might be facing. These cards will not tell you what to do. They will give you a new view of your situation with alot of food for thought.

This work is truly a gift to everyone that will come in contact with it. It is a powerful tool for helping to understand yourself and curcumstances surrounding your life. The words are written with a beauty and grace that is consistent in all of Linda's writing. It is a must have for your library. Lori Cohen

if you want to learn all you can about yourself and your horse this product is for you. it's more than a horsemanship manual, and more than a personal growth tool. it works on many levels; psychological, intuitive, spiritual. if you're NOT interested in asking yourself the hard questions, if you want to keep a blind eye to your own shadow and want to stay in a comfort zone that says 'this horse is the problem' instead of looking for true answers then don't buy it! but for those of you who are fascinated by life's 'big questions' as well as wanting the best possible understanding of your relationship with your horses then Linda and Kim have created a beautiful, evocotive, wisdom-filled masterpiece. thankyou Ladies i LOVE your work! i have seven horses- five mares, a gelding and a stallion, and they are as multifaceted as diamonds, alternately reflecting my issues back to me and resonating in the moment with the magic that is all theirs. I discovered Linda s book 'the Tao of Equus' a cuople of years ago and it really helped me look at my horses through new eyes. i see so many people who go through horse after horse, repeating patterns of the same problems. Linda teaches that sometimes we are presented with certain challenges for a reason, and if we don't learn from it we'll keep on making that mistake until we do. she also helps you realise when you should be letting go. i highly reecommend all her books. Linda s equine assisted therapy centre is called 'Epona', after a celtic horse goddess. through the way of the horse, you can connect with your own God/dess.

Beautiful images, inspiring stories, an excellent contribution to archetypes of psycho-spiritual evolution, especially for women. - Alanna Hartzok

This set is beautiful!! The art on the cards are very moving and the book is beautifully written. Some of the reviews state that the cards and book were hard to get out of the box, but I really had no problem. The only drawback is how thin the cards are. I am not going to even work with them until I can get them laminated. They are so special and beautiful that I want them to last a long time. I love horses and I have one of my own, so these cards are very dear to me, however, anyone can find the messages of wisdom and life that horses provide, without owning one. I recommend this set highly and I express my thanks to the author and the artist who created it. I am new to Tarot and Oracle cards, but already the studies are improving my life so much and I can hardly wait until I can help people with their lives as well.

This is a beautiful and well made set of cards, plus a book. I pick a card each morning and read the passage in the book connected to that card. It is very interesting to think about these life occurances from the perspective of a horse. I find the writings easy to understand and thought provoking. Although these cards are not meant to be Tarot cards, it is interesting to me how many times, at the end of the day, I am aware that I have in fact experinced the type of situation represented by the card.

I am enjoying my purchase very much. My only criticism is that the cards and book fit VERY tightly into the storage containers provided. I'm hopeful that with more time the book will slide out of it's compartment more easily. I have already given up on keeping the cards in their separate box and now I just keep them in the card pocket provided in the storage box. Now the cards are easy to remove.

I would buy this product again and I would recommend it to my friends.

Author Linda Kohanov and Artist Kim McElroy may have set out to create a book about the unique bond between horses and humans, but they ended up with a breakthrough concept in self-discovery and personal enlightenment. Marcel Proust said, "The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Linda and Kim have given me new eyes. The reader is at first attracted by Linda's insightful and lyrical words and Kim's exquisite imagery. Then you realize they have created something far greater -- a mirror with which to look into your own existence and examine your most profound and fundamental beliefs. Their end-product defies standard literary classification; there is simply nothing else like it. "Way of the Horse" is an intelligent, insightful and richly rewarding book for anyone who has ever marveled at what makes the relationship between humans and horses so compelling. As they say, "A dog looks up to you, a cat looks down on you, but a horse looks into you." Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self-Discovery - A Book of Exploration and 40 Cards

At fist glance the art on the cards is spectacular! The author very quickly allows you into a spiritual depth of self. You can identify so many buried emotions you have long before set aside. When you follow the instructions for card readings the results are incrediblly exact. When you read the descriptions and messages for the beautiful cards they take on a much deeper meaning. You don't have to be a horse owner or even a horse lover for these cards to have an incredible impact and give you guidance or help sort through a difficult situation.

This is an excellent tool that I use in Psychotherapy. You do not have to enjoy horses to use the 40 beautifully illistrated cards and explore the short chapter associated with the card. I have used it in career counseling as well as groups for people with conflictual self and relationships. This book has also assisted me in discovering what"gifts" that I bring in my life as well as what "challenges" I may have within me. This book is in a nicely done case in order to keep everything together. It is highly recommended as a reference tool for self or others. I have had all my friends pick their cards and I copied the pages for them to refer back to. I have now purchased as many books as I can find from this author and I will continue to explore her scope of self discovery using the horse as our guide.